where art collides philosoperontap

Another stunner of a day in prospect. Early to the shed with a cup of tea and the doors are open wide allowing the empire of The Head Gardener to permeate its innermost cervices. For crevices there are in this shed. Whist the basic design is rectangular the shed has many nooks and crannies occasioned by the disorderly position of the furniture.

A busy day ahead. Ordinarily I’d suggest that it was going to be too hot to play golf but I have booked a buggy, in particular as this is my first outing of the season post hip hop. That and the other hip is still giving me gyp. I will therefore be golfing at a level of comfort that will allow me to focus completely on my game. Apart from the fact that I can’t easily bend down enough to insert a tee into the ground and my swing will be v restricted. I expect it will improve the golf 🙂 

There are other “chores” to be done. Meat to buy from Fosters. Leg of lamb, or shoulder, for the bbq rotisserie on Sunday. Also need to see if Morrisons garage has been resupplied with propane, just in case, and drop some HP laserjet cartridges off at the Post Office for recycling. My printer had been throwing a few software wobbles but seems to have settled down which is good because I’d have been cross if I’d have had to throw a set of nearly full ink cartridges. They ain’t cheap.

I am also tempted to finally buy a toaster. Been dithering over this one for months. Kind of settled on a Dualit long slot job on the basis that they are a quality brand. The ability to take sourdough is importante to me.

Last night I finished booking most of the travel for our jaunt to Italy next March. Haven’t booked the return flight from Naples yet as I baulked at the evening takeoff. However most  the airlines flying from Napoli to the UK seem to have the same issue so I’m just going to have to crack on. Might get a car to pick us up from LHR Friday evening rather than spend another night in London.

You might have noticed a short pause there whilst I booked the flights. Used Avios as I want to be able to easily cancel/amend the trip seeing as the rugby dates haven’t yet been confirmed. We are basing our dates on what the travel companies are assuming. Presumably they are in the know.

Don’t normally bother flying business class in Europe but seeing as it is a Friday evening I figured we might as well enjoy a drop of fine Amarone or whatever plonk BA dish out on these flights.

The beef stock turned out ok btw. I think. Won’t really find out until it is used in culinary anger. Does make a difference using home made stock compared with the stuff you buy in shops. Got to figure out where to store it now. A good few litres. Some in garage fridge and some in freezer.

Great to wake up in the shire. A window is open and the sound of birdsong fills the kitchen. All is good. Sgonna be a warmun. Perfect spring day.

The plan is to get some admin done and settle back in to a routine. One or two jobs including fixing the toilet roll holder in the shower room. Also need to catchup posting to philosopherontap. Must be a good month since I’ve done so. Not looked.

2,404 pics and vids backed up to NAS in no time whatsoever really. I’ll then back up to my tertiary backup online which will probs take a bit longer. Rewind, backup to Amazon has been ongoing so only 150 or so files to do which has happened almost in the time it’s taken me to write this.

For reference, today is a Tuesday. I know that this info is of use to some people. Some info is more useful than others. For example Thursday is when the lads play golf and this week I am going to see how I get on with a few holes. Will be a hotun.

This morning we leave the confines of the hotel and set the navigation computer on a bearing north. Not that we’ve particularly kept to said confines although a couple early nights after long days on the tourist trail have been had.

It must be said I am looking forward to getting home after essentially a month away with occasional visits to the shire to do the laundry and power nap. We are very much coming to the best part of the year. Spring is in full flow. What changes will there be to see in the garden?

Some of the sycamores will be becoming more established and need removing. The wildflower meadow had shown no signs of renewed life before we left home but there may be some green shoots there when we get home. Lots of leaves still though. We also want to plant a couple of rows of peachy and pink dahlias for reasons that will become apparent.

Our lawn is gradually being consumed by non grass planting. THG is talking about a new veg plot in front of the kitchen. Makes sense doesn’t it? “I’ll just nip out for some runner beans. Back in ten seconds.” This doesn’t mean to say we won’t have a lawn. Just one of a shrinking variety. The bugs have helped here. The lawn was somewhat devastated over the winter. Problem is you need ot work on a lawn.

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Just been down for breakfast. Didn’t quite hobble quickly enough to the lift before the door closed and I guess the woman in the white top didn’t notice me as she was staring into her phone. So I called the lift and when it opened a very similar looking woman in a white top came out saying “third floor, yes this is what I want”. I thought they were the same woman. Odd I thought. Hey…

Then when I was getting some orange juice a member of staff showed a  woman the location of the vegan section at the buffet. The women in the white top! Funny what you notice innit.

In the car park a joiner was shaving a piece of two be two with what looked to be an electric plane. Then he carefully picked up the shavings and put them in the back of his van. V tidy I thought. He walked into the hotel carrying the slightly smaller two be two. Couple of minutes later he came back out with the same bit of wood. No idea what’s going on ere. Then back into the hotel he went, with the wood.

After that, out he came and picked out a piece of flat plywood from his van which he proceeded to cut to size on a workbench. That’s where I left him. The van had “Crown” written on the side.

Checking out shortly. More in due course I daresay.

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Karen, KAREN. The whole crowd joined in. One of the marathon runners had arranged to meet Karen just where we were standing. Karen did not show. Poor man. He had just run 12 miles to get to her and there she was not.

Think of the disappointment. What’s the back story? Did Karen choose the moment to leave him? Was she held up? Was she involved in an accident on her way there and there is no way of getting the message to him.

It was a moment of drama that passed by and has now disappeared into the aether, forever. We will never find out how the story ended. Karen, Karen, Karen, Karen, Karen.

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Bridge ECML-10, Holloway. Passed under it to get back to the hotel from Highgate Cemetery. We were waiting in a queue of traffic. Funny what you notice innit. Just googled it whilst sat on the train waiting to depart. Blow me down we are about to go over Bridge ECML-10. It’s on the East Coast Main Line. How cool is that? Obvious when you think about it. Had originally got it down as ECMI not ECML.

Meanwhile, sat as I am in seat E8 on the 10.06, a train has just pulled in next to us on platform 8. The door marked “CREW USE ONLY” Has a symbol beneath it: Golden Spanner 2023 IC225 Fleet. I asked a member of staff but she had no idea and suggested I googled it which I did.

Another result. The Golden Spanner is awarded by “Modern Railways”. The 2023 awards had a record 450 attendees. Wots not to like. Was a hot ticket with after-lunch speaker John Smith, CEO of GB Railfreight, sharing his reflections on train maintenance.

I unashamedly suggest you check it out here https://www.modernrailways.com/…/record-attendance-2023…

My actual reserved seat is E6 btw but we’ve spread out onto the table for 4 and am in an unreserved seat. If the carriage fills up I’ll go back to my originally allocated place obvs.

You can google Bridge ECMI-10, Holloway if you want more deets.

This year btw is the 200th anniversary of the founding of the railways in the UK but I guess you already knew that.

Another snippet of information gleaned on the train is that the old diesel stock pictured is destined for use in the main timetable as of December 2025. They are slower and less efficient than the new Azumas and haul nine carriages instead of the now standard five. They are being reduced to seven carriages for the December timetable change in order to make them more economical to run.

Wonderful what you can find on tinterweb innit.

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Back in the shire. Sycamores had invaded the wildflower meadow so I took the mower to them. None of the flowers are coming through yet. Just sycamore and the odd weed. Don’t mind the odd weed. I may scatter some more seed just to “add body”. Got a load left in the box and been thinking about where I might sow it anyway. I also have a spot in the corner in mind.

Also mowed the lawn, fwiw.

Friday. A perfect day to leave the Isle of Man for pastures fresh. Here the weather is back to normal. We, windy and a miserable ten degrees. London is showing cloudy but dry reaching the giddy heights of sixteen degrees. 

Lovely breakfast round at the Fletchers to finish off the trip then off to the Aeroporto which is where we are now. It must be said that the check-in process was pure joy compared with the experience on the mainland, LHR T5 First wing excepted.

Sat here now in the departure lounge looking across to King Bills. A bleak and windswept spot for a school, chosen no doubt to toughen up the boys and prepare them for life in the Indian Civil Service, or wherever their chosen life destination took them.

Noticed also a jet terminal with words like Dubai on display giving us a clue as to the type of destination for private charters. The Isle of Man is after all a tax haven and financial centre. I do have a Manx social security number fwiw.

Travel update. 45 min delay due to crew rotation. After they started boarding! Waiting for a crew from an incoming flight. They must have known before boarding began, surelement. Three quarters of an hour is bearable. We need to be at Sophies restaurant in Soho for five thirty which means hotel for 4pm ish latest. Elizabeth Line to Farringdon then either bus, tube or taxi. See how it goze.

Ironically I think the original time for this flight was 12.05. At least that’s what I had in my calendar. I think I must have clicked to accept the time change to the earlier slot without updating the calendar entry. Now it’s back to more or less what it originally was.

Overheard conversation about instagram followers. Don’t really use it although I do have an account. Worradinosaur.

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Finally boarded t’plane. Looking forward to my cup of tea and Cramel wafer bar (if it is the will of Allah). Who knows, Loganair being a Scottish airline we might get some neeps and tatties or a spot of haggis. I’d settlke for the ham sandwich THG made me. She is however several rows back in the Emergency Exit back row.

Girl sat next to me playing kandy krush on her device – not sure if that is the right spelling but woteva. I know I sbeld woteva rite. I have with me as entertainment on this flight my copy of Dick Winters’ autobiography “Beyond Band of Brothers”. I’ve read it a few times but it is the archetypal boys own story. Adventure, excitement where the goodies win. I only ready books where the goodies win. Life is too short…

Looks a bit grey out there. Forecast is nice though. A day in Peel. Whenever we come to the island we always stay in Peel. When mam and dad were alive it was a no brainer but the tradition continues. You can spend all you time in Peel when visiting the Isle of Man. We do like to mix it up: Port Erin, the Sound, Niarbyl, Laxey etc but Peel is the kid. 

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Went out for breakfast. Effin cold out there. Saw THG at the end of her run and joined her for a cuppa at the Peel Beach Kiosk. Also had a bacon roll which was quite good fair play. Did the job anyway. Spilled brown sauce on my clean out of the suitcase trousers. Sigh.

Saw a gull on the beach with a dodgy leg. Looked broken. I wonder whether these birds recover from such injuries. Back in the cottage now. We’ve used Island Escapes on a number of occasions and can thoroughly recommend them.

Bit of chill time before heading to the pool at around eleven.

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Bit of drama this afternoon at the breakwater. Had meandered there via Fenella Beach for a drink date with THG on her return from her ascent of Peel Hill. Whilst I was waiting a fishing boat came in and began to offload its catch of crabs and prawns. I was filming the crane action when a bag full of crabs and prawns caught the edge of the quay and fell back down.

Could have been a disaster but adjusting my viewing position showed that most of the catch had fortunately been rescued. Only half a dozen or so plastic crates were to be seen floating in the harbour. After a short while a lorry with a large crane rocked up and lifted the errant bag out of the water and onto the quayside. Phew.

Had a hot choc with THG before we made our own ways home, she via her fave shop and meself via Fenella Beach again.

Out with the gang in Doolish last night. Two single bus fares in from Peel @ 2.30 each or simlar for a ten mile trip. Left the return trip open as we figured we might grab a cab, the buses only going once an hour. Fortunately Paul offered a lift. Result. It wasn’t long before we hit the hay. The sea air tires you out for the first couple of days. Beer probably contributed to the fatigue.

Today we are off out on a bit of a jaunt. Laxey, The Victory Cafe at the Bungalow, bit of retail therapy in Douglas (Doolish) and a visit to the Knox exhibition at the Manx Museum. Pics will follow. Otherwise it is a gentle start. Bacon sarnie, glass of milk. THG has gone for a run. Up Peel Hill and back or somewhere like that. Worrawoman.

The other news is that I worked out how to put the washing machine on. Had to stare at the manual. This is after doing a bit of troubleshooting on the dryer yesterday. Ie shut the machine door. I have enough togs to last the trip but we figured we might as well make use of the facilities while we are here.

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Sat in the “front room” of the cottage in Charles Street watching the occasional passer by stroll by. Weather has been great yet again. Bloke just came out of his house opposite with a dog in tow. Didn’t bother locking the door. This is the Isle of Man. I guess there could still be someone in the house.