Author Archives: essiep

Flora Britannica

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9°C, Dull, dull, dull.

Richard Maybe: Flora Britannica is my kind of plant book. It covers plants that are largely native to Britain, though some naturalised ones are covered but it’s different. It isn’t a gardening book. It’s got nothing on how to propogate, where to plant or anything like that. this one is about folklore, for want of a better word.

Church & State: interesting story from America, well, the USA anyway. : It seems they do have some people in power who are resisting the dominance of church in US state politics. For the past century, no US president has gained power without openly declaring his Christianity. This is unconstitutional of course if you know anything of the US constitution which aims at removing the inevitable corruption that appears when religious leaders gain political power.

Fogged

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6°C, Fog

Now, suddenly we see it’s winter. I am not cold. Credit that to long-johns & a vest.

I am stunned by my tiredness, it’s been quite a weekend. But as I usually say, in that tedious middle-aged bloke way, Monday is the day to recover from a good weekend.
Further, those long-johns are too warm, I have been forced to take them off and cool down.

Hewlet Packard printers

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9°C, respite from rain.

Where have I put my latest P60? I really need to find this startlingly plain document amongst the other plain sheets that I get sent every month.
If anyone knows where it is; please tell me in a comment.

Bessie appears to be searching in this photo, but clearly she has misunderstood the nature of the problem.
Hewlet Packard printers are very economical to use. They use almost no ink, and any paper that it prints out can be recycled. All you do is take the plain white paper that it normally churns out and put it back in the lower tray because, though it does consume ink, none of it gets onto the paper.The only drawback is with this printer, like the Epson I had before, is that it is incapable of doing what printers are supposed to do. But I mustn’t loose sight of the fact that there is no running cost beyond the electricity that it consumes, and the rage that it generates.

Last Chance

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9°C, Showers, quite heavy too

Appetite– Constantly hungry today, all those trips to the canteen, raiding my locker (it was full of food). But still hungry. Am I pregnant? Can’t be! But Matt suggested a possible- it’s the colder weather. Has my metabolism increased to create more warmth?

Douglass Adams: in the book "Last Chance To See"… this guy has a very powerful way of writing that combines wit, human vulnerability and above all- protest.
Concerning the slaughter of a goat for the sake of filming Komodo dragons:

"The great thing about being the only species that makes the distinction between right and wrong is that we can make up the rules for ourselves as we go along."

There is stuff like this throughout the book. He can’t resist anthropomorphising animals and situations with sensitivity but not with excessive sentimentality. I have only read his fiction stuff before, this is so fresh.

Heating

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8°C. sun & showers

Switch-on: I put the heating on yesterday. It’s only on for a few hours each day so far. A bit later than last year, but autumn was colder then. The ride home today was rather horrible- the black wet road didn’t show up the light pools very well. Dry road is clear enough even with spots of water on my specs. Wet roads are not so, car headlights do light up the kerb-stones though so little chance of hitting the verge and taking a spill.

Camp was indeed cosy

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10°C, freshening.

Warm, dry and very campable week.

Great campsite, only us, the river and a Portaloo in the opposite corner. Oh, and not to forget- about six sheep. After a day’s walking, I’d wash in the river, and collect water for the camp.The wind was odd, despite the revailing southerly, all of the big gusts were from the west. The tent held.

late afternoon happens in the night

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15°C, sun & some soaking; Cycle 71 miles

In lanes like these:

This was the scene, nearly home, only 10 miles to go in Seckington.

A struggle against the wind for the last 25 miles.
No sign of turning the heating on yet, no need. Night temperatures are as high as 12°C. See if the campsites are so cosy.

Occupational hazard

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11°C, rain.Orange leaves clinging to wet things

Autumn colds are an occupational hazard in our business. It’s only been two weeks since the last one and I have another cold rising today. Damned awkward when a week’s holiday is approaching.
Loonies: I am one, I have sent myself over 50 emails today is says here. The spammers are just as bonkers today too, then have send hundreds! I was only getting about 20 unwanted posts daily over the last few months, but now it’s over a hundred a day.
Just as well they automatically drop in the Deleted folder.