I mean what does your day look like at the moment? We’re still under semi lockdown here so none of the usual weekend stuff is happening – no trips to record shops, book shops, nice coffees, pub lunches etc.
It was easier earlier in the year when the weather was nicer and you could get out to the park for a stroll but it’s a wild day today.
So what are you and yours up to?
What the hell are you doing?
Today is Tag der Deutschen Einheit (German Unity Day), so all the shops are shut – like they used to be on Public Holidays in the UK, pre-Corona.
I am spending the afternoon drawing pictures with my daughter, as it is raining outside. It is great fun.
Just about woke up. It’s 7:17 in the a.m. I thought I might crack open a beer just to toy with the October lot.
The Damnably label (home to Otoboke Beaver & Say Sue Me among others) are streaming a load of live sets by their roster as it’s their 14th birthday, so currently watching Grrl Gang doing their thing from Jakarta.
Now playing:
Gender stereotyping is sooo patriarchal. Daddy you bastard, I’m through.
Grandson has just bought a Harley Benton Str*t copy from Thomann – so today we’ve been doing a bit of fettling, showing him some chords and licks…have to say, it seems a fine guitar for the money on first acquaintance…
The Harley Benton gear is remarkably good for the money you pay. I bought a Tele from them earlier this year and it’s the best electric I own. I have a Fender Strat and a Squier Strat I haven’t looked at since it arrived.
£116. Including delivery from Germany.
Twang Jr scored a Harley Benton 8 string fan fret for good GCSE results. It’s a cracking monstrosity. Incidentally they do spares – so black chrome control knobs now duly fitted.
Raisin’ ’em right there, Twang….
That’s a beast, @Twang – how’s it tuned?
7th string is B then there’s another E on the bottom an octave down.
Will you have to bind his left hand – like little chinese feet – so that he can eventually play barre chords below the 7th fret?
Great thread. Y’all are cool in the pool.
Currently watching Jude Law drag a boat.
I didn’t realize it was that grim for Actors.
I haven’t seen any of the series and came upon this by chance. I’ve no idea what’s going on really. He seems to be suffering though. Who wouldn’t? 12 hours of live acting. And after having to dig a hole and and drag a boat he’s now got to wear a thorny hat. At least he got to take a nap.
Did he drag himself up on deck, Gar?
It was a small fishing boat. He had a right old time of it today, did young Jude.
That, as presented by J’n’S, is simply the greatest joke ever devised by human science.
Naturally, you completely bollocksed it.
I have the feeling I don’t understand what’s going on. And not for the first time today.
Ooba jooba, one of us!
I much prefer Bona Law – “we’ve a criminal practice that takes up most of our time”. Pushed the boundaries then, but the joke needs subtitles now.
“I’ve erred….”
Portuguese man o’war?
I never saw him in unform.
Bit of working from home, not unusual on a Sat, watching golf, may watch Leeds v Man C later. Not drinking, going to be a nice day, around 12 degrees. Warm enough to do things outside
Is Trump dead yet? That would make my day.
It was raining most of the morning so we didn’t get out of bed till after midday. Took a trip to DFS to look for a new sofa but had second thoughts when we were told they couldn’t deliver to January, and even without taking the old sofa away the delivery charge would be £69 (I just want it delivered from a warehouse about 15 miles away, not taken on a taxi tour of the Essex countryside).
Back home, there’s a Powell and Pressburger on Talking Pictures TV, The Light is making a cake in the kitchen, and I have a glass of stout in front of me. As autumn afternoons go, that ticks plenty of boxes.
You made me chuckle with the tour of Essex remark.😂
That’s how the furniture trade works. I work for a company which manufactures and supplies all the soft bits (cushions, arms, foam parts etc.) to furniture manufacturers/retailers. Most of them closed their order books for delivery by Christmas a couple of weeks ago.
Hasn’t been helped this year, of course, that we spent July and August catching up on orders that were placed before lockdown – I was furloughed for almost 3 months.
I’m coming round to the idea that I’ll have to swallow the wait and the delivery cost (which is the same from the SCS next door to DFS). The helpful salesperson in the latter also mentioned demand from more people spending time indoors and international supply chains being disrupted. The current slightly sagging Ikea number might have to last out the year.
I’m ahead of you. Just ordered sofa in the sale a few weeks ago. Now Mrs T wants to get the room redecorated before it arrives but after we’ve got rid of the old one which is major scope creep IMHO.
Offspring the Younger still has an injured foot, so no standing in the rain for 90 mins today. I did get very wet walking to a friends’ house to feed their cats.
I’ve been scanning pages of a book about soundproofing and acoustics to send to an architect.
Dull stuff, in other words.
It’s pouring with rain but even if it were nice weather it would be illegal for me to visit anyone or go anywhere with another person. So, I’ve been listening to the football on the radio, eating fish, avoiding carbs as I don’t want to accumulate any more abdominal fat, browsing the Internet and doing number puzzles. It’s exhausting. The dog will need another walk soon.
I get up between 630 and 7 and amble downstairs to get some coffee, feed the dog and let her out.
We tend to go for a walk at 9 for an hour, and then have some breakfast.
Most of the rest of the day is spent reading, watching tv, or both. It’s late summer/early Fall here in Texas, so it’s pleasant outside.
Drinks and snacks at 430, with dinner a couple of hours later.
Then upstair to finish off the evening with some tv drama, and chat to Sharon before going to bed.
Life right now is simple and easy.
Nothing – and quite pleased with a day of nothing so far.
Looking forward to Curry being delivered later, a few beers, some good Canadian Whisky to round of a busy day of doing sod all.
I have a feeling this evening may involve some Amazon therapy and my credit card taking another bashing …
At home on a Saturday. No different from any other Saturday – fine by me.
I’m out at work all week in a building full of all sorts of people. At least one day a week I could do from home, and probably much better without all the interruptions, but my wonderful employer insists. I see it as inevitable that I’ll get covid: that’s probably no big deal, but it may well be for my wife, who has COPD. But hey, a widower with a job at least has his work to give him a purpose in life.
Day 8 of a cycling holiday in South West Scotland. After a 23 mile sortie this morning, the rain has confined me to my Airbnbarracks. No grumbles. Of the four days when I have been moving on, I have had four days of shorts grade sunshine. Yesterday I cycled over the Galloway hills and along forest drives. Magnificent stuff.
Brave with the recent weather.
It’s been unbelievably good. Clear to the coast of Antrim on Thursday. Goat Fell on Arran standing in proud sight yesterday. If I get a soaking in my last two days, I reckon I’m still doing well.
Thats good to hear. It’s not an area I’m familiar with but sounds lovely. Enjoy.
Sounds fab. Singing, no doubt?
Travelling light is made easier when your evening distractions consist of one book, a daily paper and a load of lyrics to learn.
Um…we are on holiday. Not gone abroad, although we took a 3 hour ferry to Gotland. Fairly quiet here this time of year. Just off to dinner plus music with a band doing Neil Young songs to celebrate him turning 75. That is a bit of luck, that they have this on while we are here. Max 50 people allowed with distancing. Spent the day walking the streets of Visby. Stunning place. Medieval buildings, ancient walled town. Two weeks of usual 4 week summer holiday was postponed until now as other half is intensive care nurse and they needed all hands on deck, so well deserved really, at least for her.
Raining heavily in central Scotland, but rather than sit about the house all day, we drove to Stirling and went shopping. We didn’t enjoy the experience in the big department stores simply because they were busy, and masks etc. A bit of a waste of time, but we had to climb a hill to get from the car park to the town centre, so it was a bit of excercise.
Lobster and prawn pasta in about an hour.
8-10pm I go on a Zoom session and play guitar(and listen to others of course). Beer will be drunk, and possibly whisky too.
A trip to (what is left of) town to pick up the sort of things that only Wilko seem to stock (kettle descaler and bird food). Found out that my favourite shop is to close at the end of the month. It’s a men’s casual clothes store that has been going over 30 years and I am gutted to see it go.
We’ve got one of those “what is left of the town” places too. Although it was dying on it’s arse before Covid.
Just heard today another local butcher is closing at the end of the month.
Good news though – the independent record shop and HMV still going strong.
I’m always surprised by the amount of vinly in our local hmv. They had 10 copies of ‘out of time’ not so long ago, wonder how many of them they’ll sell?
It’s hugely overrated, so it’ll have sold.
I’ve been drawing spiders and other assorted insectoid life forms for most of the day. For the past hour I’ve been sitting on my couch listening to the latest album by Diana Krall (v.good). I’ll probably call it a day around 7: 00 go to bed and read for a couple of hours then get up around dawn tomorrow and do pretty much the same thing all over again. Life has been this way for years not just months and I’m just about done with it.
I love that Diana Krall live in Paris so much I’ve never tried her others much. I’ll have a lis.
Weather brightened up somewhat unexpectedly this afternoon, so the boy and I decided to take in a very lowly non-league football game, Abbey Rangers v Frimley Green, in the Combined Counties League. We can’t see our beloved National League South club Hampton and Richmond Borough at the moment as the clubs in that league stupidly voted to be deemed “elite”, the same as Liverpool and Man Utd, so as a result no fans are allowed at any game we are involved in. At least we saw a few goals today in a 4-0 win for the home side.
This evening sees a curry on order, a bit of online shopping and some as yet undecided TV. Relaxing and cosy.
Trip to the guitar shop this morning to try some amps. Then I did a ton of ironing then popped into town to get my mum a birthday card, flowers etc for filial visit tomorrow. Now I’m off to try a Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive I scored off eBay which just arrived.
Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive – TMFTL
You went to a guitar shop? Colour me stunned 😉
I’m meeting up with three old school friends and partners for a get together. There are four of us (& partners) that usually get together but we’re trying to be covid correct. It’s a shame but such is life at the moment.
I started the day with three rounds of Wim Hof breathing, followed by a cold shower. Shower water’s colder than seawater at the moment, so it’s better for vagus nerve activation. Those two sentences will probably mean nowt to everyone here, but I’d highly recommend Wim Hof’s app. I’ve been working in mental health for nigh on 20 years now, and this is the best practice I’ve come across for pretty much all clients and myself in terms of mood/nervous system regulation.
My 19 year old daughter’s out for the night (or at least until 10pm), and I was heading out to visit my partner via the train, but it was so crowded with drunken non-maskers that I’ve decided to go later. I’ve never driven, partly ethical reasons, partly other stuff, but times like this I wish I did. I can see how quickly one could become one of those arses in their armour plated SUVs or whatever they are, barricaded off from the world. Meanwhile, there’s Richard Osman’s ‘Thursday Night Murder Club’ to continue with. Hey ho.
Until 10pm. Because pubs etc shut at 10pm so everybody goes, “That’s the end of the night, let’s go home now”, yeah?
Hi I work in mental health too – as a nurse. I have been having cold showers now for about 10 years and this year have finally developed a cold water swimming practice – 2 – 3 times a week – hope to continue into the winter.
I am starting to hear good stuff about Wim Hof – what’s the deal with the breathing? and what would you recommend as a primer/way in.
Hi Stan – it basically involves doing around 30 biggish breaths and then fully exhaling and ‘holding’ even though there’s no breath being held. My take is that we’re then in sympathetic nervous system state, ie primed to panic, but what happens is that we’re actually okay with it; we get a ‘bottom up’ embodied sense of feeling good. The neural pathway/network changes, the previously fixed stories/associations change. It’s very different to the top down approach of CBT and other talking therapies, where there’s the assumption that that little bit of prefrontal cortex will sort everything out, and that the body is an encumbrance. Stephen Porges’ polyvagal theory is great in this respect, and I’d ramble on about it if I wasn’t typing on a bloody iPhone.
On a Buddhist tip, I find it has a lot of similarities with the vajryana meditations, ie earth meditations and ten point meditations.
Best route in? I’d get the app, which has a nicely constructed breathing guide: 30 breaths, hold on the exhale, big breath in when you can hold no longer, hold that for 15 seconds. Do it all three times. Oh, and if you do it more than that, a truly blissful state can be reached!
It does.sound interesting but I suspect that it’d be easier for me to get one of my client’s to do a bit of thought challenging rather than take a cold shower (I will report back).
Drove back in the rain from Little Wenlock under the Wrekin after a week exploring the Severn Gorge. Unpacked and walked the dogs in the rain. Went food shopping, in the rain, to Waitrose, get me, to see the outside distanced queue has returned. In the rain. Read the papers, inside and dry, whilst the wife snoozed off her vis-dis and associated migrainous headache. It’s still raining and a massive portion of a decently crusty lasagne has been consumed, a welcome home gift from step-dter. Did I say it was raining?
A good saturday. Now settling down to the recommended film from Bloggers Feedback, Goldstone. A cheeky pinot noir is by my side, the dogs, exhausted, on the other.
@retropath2 I was in the same Wairose queue yesterday in the rain. Surprised that there is no movement t for about 5 minutes then they let a batch of people in even though same amount haven’t vacated. Last night we had a film night – Fish Tank was first which I hadn’t previously seen and was excellent. Followed by Scent of a Woman which I last saw several years ago. My favourite Pacino performance. This am I have just start roast pork dinner.
Hoo-ha!
The Wrekin! I grew up in its modest sized shadow.
Started my OU course this morning. Nipped out to check the PO box and found a very late birthday card for my wife. Then a bit of Lebanese food for late lunch and a visit to a friends art exhibition opening (covid-sensible, all masks and only 4 people in at a time). High 30’s and very humid all day but that’s normal for this time of year here.
Very windy, quite chilly, but a really rather sunny day in Cornwall.
“Smile” … writing the local football club’s history – now in 1948 – just lost a local Cup Final (b****cks) … “Smile” … up the hill to said local football club to see a narrow, though thoroughly, deserved win … and back to 1948 and “Smile.”
I think I’m addicted to “Smile,” and very possibly 1948.
Back when the NHS was starting instead of finishing.
Spent the day collecting old flight cases and lighting from someone I know who is downsizing (anyone want some Parcans?). Some of it will go on Marketplace, some will be repurposed. There are some plasma screen cases that will make great book cases or record shelves and an Avolites Pearl case that could be a cool coffee table. Several of the cases still had the kit in them so I have some ancient plasma screens, the Avolites desk and an Allen & Heath 32 channel mixer to find homes for too.
Currently eating roast chicken with a G&T. Tomorrow, robotic camera tests.
I’m working tomorrow, so tried to get as much done as possible today. Meaning: first I put the legs onto a new armchair (incredibly comfortable, I’m surprised I had the determination to get up from testing it…the day could have ended there!) I called my mum to set a date for my next visit, then dad to have a natter. After that I assembled another Billy bookcase, and filled it with books of short stories and a shelf dedicated to one of my favourite Swedish authors. Feeling hungry and seeing how late it was I started cooking a tomato sauce with salciccia and zucchini, then used it in my three cheese pasta bake. Which I just ate, yummy. Six lunchboxes of leftovers to put in the freezer. Did the washing up and now I’m getting ready to spend the rest of the night just relaxing.
Work again tomorrow; it’s “Cinnamon Bun Day” here in Sweden and I work in a grocery store, so we’ll be baking non stop, I suspect! 🙂
“I’m surprised I had the determination to get up from testing it” – ace.
During my winter in Ljungby I enjoyed cinnamon filmjölk, a splendid start to the day.
At work today in the afternoon as discussed with @davebigpicture – we had a free preview for an invited audience as part of a very tentative return to live events. All went very well, including at table service, but at a maximum capacity of 40 in the theatre nobody is going to make any money out of live events for the next six months. Now watching Charade with Cary and Audrey which is super relaxing.
Last weekend I chipped a tooth on an overdone oven chip. Fuck.
This weekend I’m showing symptoms of Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD), which as any fule kno is an eye thing. Flashing lights, etc. Possibly a sign of a detached retina but more than likely just my age and the fact I’ve long been very short sighted. Anyway I’ll be spending part of tomorrow sorting that out. Fuck.
Tooths get chipped on any random food object just for the hell of it. Mrs M once did one of hers of a sunflower seed on a burger bun. Naturally I was very supportive: “Ahahahahahaaa! I always said the most dangerous part of a burger is the seeds on the bun! Ahahahahaa OWWW! Stop hitting me!” etc.
Hope you enjoy these scenes from domestic life…
I was having a much awaited fish finger sandwich as well. I hadn’t wanted the oven chips but Mrs Beezer and her little doppelgänger did. So we had oven chips.
I was given the crispy ones from the edge that they don’t like. I should have seen the signs, but I was in a processed cod induced reverie.
All the same. A fucking chip. George Clooney lives only a dozen miles or so away. I wonder if he has the same sort of thing for tea.
It must be the mood I’m in, but “Processed cod induced reverie” is totally a Shut Up’n’Play Your Guitar Volume 27 instrumental.
A fish finger sandwich, in a cheese-topped bap with tartar sauce, is a very fine thing indeed.
Crumb-crisp coating…
As nice as a kipper, chilli ketchup and mature cheddar sandwich?
My latest sarnie experiment. Worth trying again, I think.
The eye thing could be acephalgic migraine
Indeed. I had a smashing retinal migraine about 3 months ago. I got some new glasses as a result. During the eye test the optician thought pressure in one eye was quite high so referred for a glaucoma examination. None was found but Christ on a bike I’m getting sick of this shit.
I have coined a new word for the current weather. Shismal. Shite + dismal.
The phrase ‘prostrate with dismal’, as on the first Imagined Village record describes my current mood quite well, too.
I’m from Glasgow originally, where we have much need of a word to describe weather like that. The term you’re looking for is ‘dreich’, though if you’re from the south of England you will be able to pronounce neither the ‘r’ not the ‘ch’.
I know the word, and yes, I probably can’t pronounce it correctly! Originally from north Oxfordshire, I now have a noticeable Somerset accent. Which falls over completely for certain words, due to having worked with three Lancastrians for many years; I say Bath, rather than Baa-th, or Barrr-th.
I’ve mentioned this elsewhere but I am currently wallowing in hospital after hip replacement surgery. I’ve been anxious about it for weeks but the reality wasn’t as bad as the fear. I’m a hospital phobe and can’t wait to go home, but I can barely move and I know the recovery and rehabilitation will be slow. Gents, if you have never been catheterised to help you urinate, avoid it at all costs. It is the worst torture technique known to man.
It is but the relief is wonderful until they get you up to walk next morning and the bag detaches spilling its contents over the bed and oneself.
My DLW has had both hips replaced, luckily not at the same time, so you have my sympathy. Take it easy.
Or worse, the nurse drops the bag on the floor while one end of it is still inside you. I thought my head was going to blow off.
Luckily mine had been detached.
I am wincing inwardly at the thought of the pain.
Ooh, flippin’ ‘eck, Tucker. Get well soon.
I had a major op four years ago, and they must have catheterised me when I received anaesthetic as I don’t remember it being done. I was awake for its removal, which was an interesting feeling. I had an epidural pre-op which I really did not like.
Having said that, the most painful part of the whole thing was when the tape holding the two canulas on my hands were removed.
My mum had both hips replaced, and it changed her life. Had other problems, but no pain from her hips.
Hope your recovery goes well!
Oh Gawd, canula being removed from my hand tomorrow and dressing being changed too. [Takes very deep breath].
And the ‘pain’ was gone quickly! Just a surprise how stuck down it was.
Yes, I was catheterized once.
I was unconscious when they did it, so I woke up to the…final product.
I was back on the general ward from ICU, and my friend Clive came to visit, which was nice of him.
He sat down on the chair and we had a nice chat. Eventually time came to leave as I was getting sleepy. Clive hadn’t noticed, and nor had I, that he had managed to hook his foot around the catheter tubing. So as he walked off both he and I had a nasty shock.
Aargh!
I can feel that just thinking about it. Horrific.
Thank you chaps, for giving others of us a sense of what’s quite likely to come in days (hopefully years) to come.
Sunday afternoon, and the Mrs and I have just brought home a cat from a Cat Protection League foster home. He’s sitting in the corner of the kitchen staring at us, probably thinking ‘Who the fuck are this pair?’
Put a cardboard box on the floor, or leave some ironing out for it to sit on. It’ll be well-happy.
Try reading a newspaper, he’ll be on your knee, on top of the newspaper, in no time.
There’s currently some chat on twitter about why a cat does this (possibly they like copying what you do) and some rather charming images of someone who gave their cat its own laptop to look at, while they were working. Seemed to work a treat.
I WFH from my dining table. My cat has a habit of sitting/sleeping on my keyboard when she wants some fuss. I have a daily lunchtime Teams chat with a colleague who has a new kitten. The two cats went slightly bonkers during one call, so we gave them a laptop each and left them to it.