Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Mackerel sky, boxes and plums.

1. When I glance up, the high clouds have stretched into a mackerel sky.

2. Our kitchen is steadily filling with boxes -- we're moving some books into storage (aka The Special Collection) to make a bit more space at home.

3. I come downstairs early to find Bettany in a sulk because Nick and I ate the plums in meringue at lunch (in our defence, these plums had been in the icebox since Sunday). Because I'm down early, there's time to show her how to make more.

Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Filed, technology and functional.

1. Filing last week's to-do list.

2. By some miracle of technology the recording I made at a lecture has been turned into a transcript; further miracles of technology allow me to search for the actual names of the people mentioned, rather than the transcription AI's guess.

3. I was excited to listen to a Star Wars themed sleep story, but I don't remember any of it because it worked so quickly.

Monday, October 09, 2023

Pictures because it did happen, small business and geraniums.

1. The photos from last night start to appear on the group chat (we went to a Columbian supper club with dancing until midnight).

2.Alec and his friend want to make cookies and sell them to people passing by. I like half-listening to them working out how to do this, and solving problems as they go.

3. I pot on my geranium cuttings. File > save as against winter.

Thursday, October 05, 2023

Digestive, hardboiled egg and water.

1. Sinking a chocolate digestive biscuit into my coffee.

2. My hardboiled eggs have come out perfect -- yolks deep yellow.

3. Where I have to stand waiting, there is a rill beside the road and so all I can hear is sound of running water.

Wednesday, October 04, 2023

Forecasts, sunset and evening TV.

1. We've somehow failed at having an almanac session so far this month. I bring the books down to coffee and we check out the astronomical and astrological forecasts. There's an eclipse coming; and Neptune might be visible if you have a telescope and a good sky map.

2. As winter approaches, the place where the sun drops below the horizon moves into the frame of my window.

3. We lie across the sofa, both drinking fizzy water, watching Ronia the Robber's Daughter.

Tuesday, October 03, 2023

Catalogue, parcel and starlings.

1. Nick brings the Lidl weekly catalogue home at coffee time. We pore over the flimsy pages, examining the coming Eastern European week, and the orange and black Halloween offerings.

2. Putting a parcel in the post. The price has gone up to nearly £5, but it's still cheaper than taking a day off work to deliver it by hand.

3. A few starlings -- probably not enough for a murmuration -- taking test flights from the top of the tower.


Monday, October 02, 2023

Daisy, cookies and badge.

1. We don't have a lawn, and I miss daisies very much. But last summer a good Bellis perennis appeared in between the paving stones. It was such a high footfall spot, though, that I dug them out and put them in a shallow pan planter to see if they would do. They've made themselves at home, and I have high hopes for next spring. 

2. Alec returns with some of the cookies he and his friend have baked.

3. The gold back of Bettany's deputy head girl badge gleaming on her desk, ready for tomorrow.

Shelter, arisen and pub.

1. We are sheltered under the garden centre's great barn roof. There is a rush of sound and air as the rain comes down. 2. A mushroom, c...