Thursday 30th November 2023

 

Following the closure of all the facilities on the BBC site last year, it was recognised that what staff remained had nowhere to go for a break or to eat lunch. After considering the options a new staff break-out-soft-play area was created in what had been our IT department (and before that the Trims Archive which I supervised). It is miserable, a huge hanger of a place with some trendy furniture, a vending machine, table football, a blood pressure monitor and a table tennis table. I rarely visit this space but today I did and apart from me, the only other people were three colleagues from Points West, two of whom were playing table tennis. It is moments like these which make think. What they make me think is up for debate of course. December tomorrow and I'm already two months into this tirade of daily perusal.

Wednesday 29th November 2023

 

Great excitement in the country today as the first wintery spell hits some areas. In Somerset it was just a little colder but in the morning I received this image of my father's garden, up in the North East,  with a light dusting of snow. Predictably the press are going great guns on the snow, the Met Office has a yellow warning out for tonight over South West England and every conversation at work begins with "isn't it cold". Winter is most definitely here.

Tuesday 28th November 2023

 

Oh dear Lord. This is my attempt at gluten free bread after Julie had a very acceptable go recently. It is a Tesco affair involving both sugar, salt, lemon juice and some dark arts potion known as xanthan gum. The resulting amorphous mass resembled a rare fungal form of quivering beige. An hour later beige had become a golden brown brick. Oddly the top of the loaf had separated from the bottom leaving a sizable void under the crust. I think more practice is needed as I'm discovering gluten-free is not a simple alternative to gluten based baking. I wonder if it may be simpler to not just remove all bread from my diet anyway.

Monday 27th November 2023

 

Not my image today, but I received this from Julie mid-morning. After a few weeks of indifferent health Julie is back working, this week doing mornings at her clients, allowing her to rest her back in the afternoon. A few trial runs last week proved successful so we live in hope.  But here we go, a flask of coffee in a client's garden full of autumnal leaves. It's an image that in many ways needs no explanation.

Sunday 26th November 2023

 

We've completed the 23 hours of DVD watching. There's a poor selection of television to watch these days, recently then we've indulged ourselves in watching (again) the 23 hours of Jeeves and Wooster. This fantastic adaption of P.G.Wodehouse books starring Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry hasn't dated at all - the advantage of being set in the 1920's. It has brought great pleasure giggling along to these daft but believable stories, but, all good things come to an end and tonight we finished watching episode 6 of the fourth series. Not sure what we'll do now of a winter's evening, Scrabble seems very taxing on the brain.

Saturday 25th November 2023

 

Unusually I'm writing this at 10am rather than in the evening or the next day. We've had the first frost of the season overnight and I became just as excited seeing this as I used to as a child. Despite long understanding the science behind this, there is something magical about water crystallising into frost and providing a lovely sheen to foliage. It's not great for the plant itself as transpiration is reduced or even halted in heavy frost, however for the artist mind it is simply beautiful. The frost won't last of course and maybe that's the joy of frost, it is ephemeral, transient and unstable forcing us to appreciate what is there before it is gone.

Friday 24th November 2023

 

If I knew what I was doing I'd be dangerous. Last night I looked into the small aquarium we have and couldn't see the three bronze cory we have in there. It's only a 34 litre tank so it should be impossible not to find them. We'd also noticed the gravel needed a good clean. So a clean was undertaken. During the clean we discovered three corys' hiding at the back of the tank, the rascals. Today though it was a proper clean, glass, gravel and plants. Then some thought and time on the air block. Previously it was a flexible hose but I had this air sphere from another system. And it works, more importantly the fish are happy especially the cardinal tetra, which are a newish addition to the tank. Happy Days.

Thursday 23rd November 2023

 A few months ago I stepped away from studio bookings for work. For the last few years I've found myself the main point of contact for the department team for booking studio time on a system called Scheduall. But recently we've taken on a production management assistant whose primary role now is to book time for the team. However this morning I found myself back in the system sorting out an issue. In summary we needed to move the Food Programme from Thursday to Friday, which involved swapping with On Your Farm and One To One. Which was only possible as the producers of the latter happened to be ready to swap.  It was a reminder of what my days used to be like for years, chaotic at times but hugely satisfying when it all comes good and everyone is happy.

Wednesday 22nd November 2023

 

I became somewhat distracted at work this afternoon. Popping out of the office for a screen-break I spotted two colleagues of mine beavering away in their office. This office is located in what had been the basement of this Victorian villa, and it struck me how much they looked like Christmas Elves in the dark of a November evening. Of course they looked nothing like Elves, but stay with me. Photograph taken, photograph edited, photograph sent to Sally and Sarah. I think they appreciated it, though as I'm known not to be too serious at work, it was not surprising apparently. 

Tuesday 21st November 2023

 

I found myself struggling with a topic for today's post. Partly as I haven't done much other than work and partly I became annoyed with a work issue which while I've been awaiting an answer since the end of June to something editorially quite simple, today it was finally being addressed, only though after a flurry of emails asking for information I'd already sent and my trying to remember what I'd said and did in editing terms back in June. Having taken five months for an answer its now needless stress and all pressured deadlines to complete the task. 

All of which stifles creative real process, try as I might I'd got to 9 o'clock in the evening without anything positive to say. Julie had just gone to bed and in the quiet time I indulge myself in each evening before I head upstairs I noticed two images Julie is working on propped up against the TV cabinet. Julie props up many a drawing or painting while she is working on her artwork, meaning while she is just relaxing in the lounge any revisions or inspirations to amend the paintings happen as if by osmosis by not really looking at them.

The raven on the left is a pastel, which Julie began a few months ago. I think it should be left alone as I'm a big fan of incomplete finished artwork. Julie's not sure and may add a little more detail. The trial piece on the right is her attempt at acrylics. It's an image of a vase of flowers taken on the bedside table in poor light one night when she couldn't sleep. Acrylic is not her preferred medium so this is very much a work in progress piece. I blocked in the background for her on Sunday as I do love the vibrancy of acrylic. Julie is now working on the detail. 

It will be interesting seeing where this ends up as I've said to Julie be bold and vibrant, not something which comes naturally to her, despite her huge talent with drawing and composition, Julie is way more disciplined and planned than I am, I tend to have no idea what I'm painting until it's finished. And sometimes not even then.

Monday 20th November 2023

 

I went for a walk today. There is of course nothing interesting in me writing that, however in the quite warm November sunshine I thought I'd pootle off for a wander up the roads I used to walk daily when I began this blog ten years since. The image is of Oakfield Road and the fabulous Catholic Cathedral beyond. I took an almost identical image at dusk on December 9th 2013.

Until the arrival of Resident Parking Zones, these streets were a battleground. I'd see colleagues from the Natural History Unit whizzing around like hornets vying for the parking space that both relieved pressure and curtailed the whizzing. From memory if we could park on Oakfield Road it felt like all our Christmases had come at once.  It was therefore strange to  be walking up this street again after a number of years, it had not changed at all and it's atmosphere was the same. Only the modern cars were different. 

I stopped at the Cathedral where for years I've noted some very early daffodils, they have been here for years and are usually in flower mid December, bringing a splash of spring exotica to the bleak mid-winter carol services. On my return to work I noticed the Budapest Café. Now this was new to me and although sadly closed today, I shall endeavour to infiltrate its Hungarian Beef Stew with abandon one day soon. It was nice to be back. 

Sunday 19th November 2023

 

I wonder what makes us see an image and like it? Julie's now coming down with the cold I had during the week, so this Sunday we are vegetating on the sofa watching either the ICC Cricket World Cup (me when I'm allowed) or the racing from Cheltenham (herself in control of the remote control). Anyway we were engrossed in a race when Julie asked if I could take a photograph of the candles on the mantle 'without the background'. Which I did, sitting in the very spot we were filling on the sofa. However in the process of capturing the image below then editing it to remove the background my question which began my thinking came into my head? Why indeed is interesting if not intriguing.

Saturday 18th November 2023

The recipe mentioned sixteen, I've created 8 Glamorgan Sausages today. I seem to be in a food related run of postings at the moment.  Last night we had a disastrous evening meal, so today while Julie was on a day-course learning all about Cleopatra, I experimented making these Glamorgan Sausages and it was fun. I don't do as much home cooking as I should so it was a joyous afternoon messing about in the kitchen. As it turned out they were quite tasty (though extra seasoning may benefit the next batch), however I need to make the size of the next endeavour of a smaller diameter to produce the succulent sixteen rather than the quite substantial eight. Very acceptable for the evening supper. Which was further enlightened by an interesting fact Julie learnt today. Our time to Cleopatra is a lesser distance of years than Cleopatra to the building of the Egyptian pyramids. By some 500 years it has to be said. And I found that fascinating as for years Cleopatra has been portrayed as being of a far more ancient historical figure when in reality she was a virtual contemporary of Jesus Christ. History eh?

Friday 17th November 2023

Behold the most expensive potatoes in the World. Back in September we thought we'd try growing some late season new potatoes. The plan was to have fresh potatoes for Christmas. Three potato sacks were planted on the greenhouse just after which we had a prolonged hot spell when the newly sprouted tubers romped away, the foliage became leggy and promptly fell over. To be honest it's been a bit chaotic. However today Julie emptied one of the bags of which the foliage had recently died back. And here we have it, nine new potatoes. They look nice but if you add in the bag of compost at £8, hours of care and watering, I suggest each potato owes us £2 at least. We'll leave the other two bags for another month before they are unearthed. There's also one tuber direct in the greenhouse soil; will that produce more potatoes for a lot less effort? Only time will tell. A good experiment and food for thought for 2024.

Thursday 16th November 2023

Having recently discovered gluten doesn't agree with me, I have to say I do feel much better having cut this protein out of my diet. But what are the alternatives? Some of the biscuits and alternative foods are virtually indistinguishable from their gluten brethren, however bread in its many derivatives is criminally expensive. Julie therefore recently discovered an easy to bake gluten free loaf recipe, and I have to say it's quite nice. The texture resembles rice bread or rye bread, one can't have much in a single sitting, but it's very tasty. We may experiment with a few other recipes which seem to involve ingredients such as white wine vinegar or golden syrup to amend the flavour. So we'll see. 

Wednesday 15th November 2023

 

Gingernut might be about 14 years old but he is a fit lad and as I looked out the office window this afternoon there he was on one of his favourite spots. He spends hours perched on our neighbours fence just quietly taking in the sounds and activities of the area. When he first came into our lives he'd walk along the garden wall and patrol the estate. He does less of that now, which I put down to him being content within his own little patch.

Tuesday 14th November 2023

 

By rights today I should have been spending a morning with a group of alpaca in Devon. Due to the wet and windy weather however we were given the option and took up the option to postponed this for a few weeks. I'd taken a days leave anyway, so to avoid wasting it after a very pleasant and leisurely morning by mid-afternoon we found ourselves at the RSPB Ham Wall reserve in anticipation of seeing starlings in full murmuration mode. We were not disappointed and from around 4.10pm they started to arrive in sizeable groups which then combined into larger formations over the reed beds. It is still early in the season but I estimated 75,000 birds, maybe more. We had a good vantage point at viewing platform one of not only the starlings but a number of mixed winter thrush flocks following the starlings, with the latter seemingly using the large starling flocks as an anti predator blanket of cover above while the thrushes flew lower. Good to see the starlings, redwing and fieldfare in good numbers, it's what I love about winter birdwatching, my favourite bird watching season which always rekindles my ornithology after a summer of abstinence.

Monday 13th November 2023

 

Something is happening to the world and I'm not sure I like it. Today Storm Debi barrelled into the UK, the fourth named storm of the autumn. Actually they're just normal autumnal wind and rain periods but everything needs a name now so we can all panic. No what animated me is this news item from the BBC's on-line site. North Yorkshire gets an amber storm warning. I read the text. This warning stretched from Liverpool to Whitehaven and inland to just west of Leeds. Now when I studied geography this was the Yorkshire Dales, Merseyside and Cumbria, in other words the North West. North Yorkshire is actually only under a yellow warning for wind from their graphic. 

Really? I know anyone can make an error but most days I now notice problems and errors with on-line news items, and not just the BBC's website. No one seems able to check copy before it's published these days. Which makes me think, who, or what, do we believe anymore? If anyone or anything.

Sunday 12th November 2023

 

I think the word I'm looking for is...WET! We were catching up with a friend Sheena which had been billed as a walk across the nature sites of Frampton Cotterell followed by lashings of ginger beer at the village farm shop. We did both. The first part was really nice though we splished splashed and slid through this South Gloucestershire countryside in rain. The latter became hot chocolate with a cream tea, which confused us as it was served with chutney. Which as it turned out was in error. With jam restored we dried off in front of the wood burning stove. What a lovely day despite the weather.

Saturday 11th November 2023

This is what old people (those heading for 60) do on a Saturday afternoon for fun. Having woken up to bright sunshine we wondered what to do. Julie is still a little immobile thus a long walk was out of the question. Following a lengthy discussion we ended up at Rich's Cider Farm where we had breakfast outside in surprisingly warm sunshine. Luckily we put out order in just ahead of 20 cyclists arrived like ravenous locust (one of whom was from Newcastle and working at Hinckley C but he heads back north every fortnight). Breakfast over we headed to Mole Valley Farmers in Bridgwater, bought two pairs of wellies then back home I decided to try mine out, which Julie bought for me for Christmas, while power-washing. I do like power-washing which I find tremendous fun, and so relaxing.the wellies though we're the real stars of the show. How much more excitement can a man take?

 

Friday 10th November 2023

I've never seen anything like it. I was working away in the office and happened to look out over the garden. Julie was doing one of her specialised border revamps. In other words Julie was cutting down a monstrous butternut squash. Well that's what we think it is. In the spring we'd spread home produced compost over the back (hot) border and we assumed in there had been a butternut squash seed which decided to germinate and take over the garden. It was a survivor and despite being in the wrong place we let it grow. Each tendril was a couple of meters long, latterly covered in small fruits, or more accurately squashes. Could we eat these? But having checked on a horticultural forum we thought best not as in the wild members of the squash family can hybridise and produce poisonous vegetables. A shame really as we do like squash based food but in the end we decided to cut it back as it's nearly winter and they'll not ripen now. A lovely example of survival of the fittest, though now it's cut down there is a lot to compost. Isn't nature fascinating.

Thursday 9th November 2023

 

I was back in Spicer and Cole this lunchtime having a lunch catch up with a friend Sheena. After the last few days it seemed almost like it was a normal day just to stop and have a gossip. The food here is delicious, this frittata with all the salad trimmings was most welcome. It was good to have a catch up but the café was absolutely packed, mostly with students using the free wi-fi but not buying anything. There's a sign on the wall saying something like 'no laptops to be used over lunch'. I counted at least six tables being used by laptop users. Occasionally a member of staff would speak to them and the student would pop off and buy the cheapest coffee, while other people newly arrived stood about like vultures trying to secure the first vacant table. Apparently there's a cost of living crisis happening in Britain. There must be as every café and restaurant is packed with people and there's nowhere to sit.

Wednesday 8th November 2023

 

A most interesting day. I've just finished work and while sitting in the car waiting for the windscreen to de-mist, I caught my breath. This morning Julie came in with me as she had a 11am appointment with a Cardiovascular consultant at the Nuffield Hospital in Bristol, Professor Jonathan Crick-Pitts. Following a chaotic journey into work, I dropped Julie off in Clifton, and then joined her at the hospital an hour later. A very successful meeting with the consultant and then a quick debrief with Julie over some drinks at Spicer and Cole thereafter. Julie then got the train home and I returned to work. I had my annual appraisal at 3pm, caught up with the business of media-land and at 6pm decided to throw the towel in. Which is where this image came into my mind. It's a dark old night, it's been raining but now dry but it recalled my younger self thirty years ago.  I was half way through my first week of working at the BBC. I remember how dark it seemed and having moved south the week before I hadn't managed to get to know anyone socially yet with my evenings spent either in my B&B room or walking to the phone box in Portbury where I was staying to ring my parents or my then girlfriend Rebecca. Looking back it seems a really odd time abandoning all my family and friends for a job 320 miles south. But that's what I did and the rest is history.

Tuesday 7th November 2023

What an absolutely beautiful day. Such a shame to be ensconced in the office at home working, but Tuesdays are a busy day with various on-line meetings and so forth. This was my view at around noon - not a bad screen break image it has to be said. On the shed roof is Treacle, the bane of our lives as she lives in our garden during the day. She's a sweet cat but a menace as it's like herding, well cats, trying to get in or out the house while she's trying to get in. Sometimes its hilarious, many times though it is tedious. Bribery of nibbles is the only answer.

A few hours later and it was dark. I'd finished the paid employ, which allowed me to quietly sit and write my written diary at the desk. Coming to the end of the scribblings I just happened to look up, and there in all it's glory, my desk. What a mess, but isn't that what desks are meant to be? An eclectic collection of trinkets and highly important items at the time, but years later while they're gathering dust, the reason for keeping many such items seems to be lost in time. 

The weather station is a fine example of this. Once a common barometer novelty found on many a mantlepiece this one belonged to my grandparents. It was damaged years later when my father had it in his studio works which were vandalised, it wasn't broken but had paint thrown over it.  During lockdown I restored it.  It now works, the man comes out in rain, the woman in sunshine, though the thermometer isn't working. However to anyone other than myself or my father this is simply a bit of mid 20th Century junk. It's still important to me though.

Monday 6th November 2023

 

I was at a 175th Birthday party tonight. Not a phrase that is uttered regularly, and to be truthful the recipient wasn't there of course. 

To be precise I attended the 175th Birthday celebration of Richard Jefferies, held at the museum that hosts his name. Devised by the ever energetic Mike Pringle I was surprised how many people were there to wish this Victorian nature writer all the best. The great and the good were there including the Mayor of Swindon Barbara Parry and the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire Sarah Rose Troughton. Guests of honour came in the guise of Jefferies great granddaughter Lucille Kelleher and unexpectedly his great great grandson Ken (I never found out his other name). Both Lucille and Ken live in Canada but had never met. We knew Lucille was coming as she'd flown over with her husband for the event, however Ken only got in touch with Mike on Sunday to ask if he and his wife could attend as they were across on holiday. So here we have in the image below L-R Ken, his wife, the Lord Lieutenant, Lucille, the mayor and Mike standing in what had been the parlour room in Jefferies day. It made me wonder what the man himself would have thought of these 200 guests crowded into a small farmhouse on the outskirts of Swindon singing Happy Birthday as 175 candles were lit. I'm guessing it was a quieter day all told in 1848.

Sunday 5th November 2023

 

I had a bit of an iffy waking this morning and while not feeling as though I was firing on all cylinders I fancied relaxing by watching an old film. I'm registered on Talking Pictures TV Encore, which I love, as I love old films. Following a brief search I stumbled across this gem from 1945. To be honest I've seen better performance by Basil Rathbone but it was a pleasant hour and a half watching Sherlock Holmes on my smartphone solve yet another mystery involving his nemesis Moriarty. Ten years ago when I began this blog to do such a thing would have been impossible. These days I live my life on my smartphone, upon which I am writing this tonight. Sherlock Holmes solved criminal mysteries, yet how we survived in the days before smartphones remains a real mystery.

Saturday 4th November 2023

 Listening to the rain lashing the bedroom window in the early morning I had a notion it may be a good idea to visit the RSPB's Newport Wetland Centre. Why this came into my head I have no idea, though partly as Julie's back is still painful, so if we were going out a gentle amble seemed sensible. Partly too I'm missing going out watching wildlife, and this reserve is somewhere I've known about for decades but I've never visited it. And that's odd as we can almost see it from the the house in Somerset, as it is only 12 miles as the crow flies to this Welsh wildlife wonder. Sadly as we are not crows this meant a 38mile drive. 

We got there in steady rain and talking to the welcome lady it became heavier. To delay going into the reserve we sat drinking a hot chocolate in the cafe looking out over the lake in front of the visitor centre. A moorhen was the only bird on the water the entire time. The rain eased so we ventured out, just as the rain returned and stayed with us all the way to the lighthouse. It was a deluge meaning all sensible birds had disappeared though on the shoreline curlew were calling as well as many mallard visible in the half light. Then to the south a postage stamp size patch of blue sky appeared, the rain eased and by the time we'd returned to the visitor centre the sun was out and a dry afternoon was in development.

But we really enjoyed our first ever walk around this reserve in the rain, just over a couple of miles this time. And being just 45 minutes away we will return on a sunnier day in the spring. A great place and fascinating being hard by the industrial landscape of Newport. 

Friday 3rd November 2023

 

The Gardener's World effect! I knew Gingernut would feature regularly in this year long reveal of errant dullness. It's the end of the working week. It's well past eight O'clock. And both Julie and his lordship are in a deep sleep on the sofa next to me while I watch Monty Don splitting his rhubarb. Not long after Gingernut having rested tonight, following his afternoon nap, launched himself into activity and gobbled half a can of Canagan - tonight's version tuna and crab. While he was mid-meal, Julie herself ushered life back into herself, rose and following a snack of summer fruits and Kafir the pair of them have gone to Bedfordshire. I'm alone now watching the film Shakespeare in Love on BBC 3. It's gripping stuff being 59 and 7 months on a Friday night..... I could write a book about this.

Thursday 2nd November 2023

 I love history in all its manifestations, possibly as I am a fossilized relic myself these days. That sense of stepping in footsteps long silenced fascinates me.  

I'm in the office on my own today. The BBC site is made up of a number of mid Victorian houses, they must have been stunning when first built. Today as offices they've been knocked about a bit, demoralising their grandeur.  I looked up from my desk as the last remnants of Storm Cairan blew itself out. I've never really looked at the plasterwork on the ceiling of my office before. It must be nearly 200 years old. Quite magnificent but on closer inspection of the frieze it is a modular design, the fruit pattern repeats every two feet or so. But that isn't what interests me, what does is the people who put it up. 

Tyndall Park was created by a Thomas Tyndall in the eighteenth century. Buying up parcels of farmland eventually his pleasure grounds extended to 68 acres. In 1799 after building his mansion Fort Royal he employed Humphrey Repton to landscape this oasis parkland overlooking the Avon Gorge and the city. Bristol was growing however and from 1822 parcels of land was sold and developed. The Tyndall's stayed in Fort Royal until 1916 when it was turned over to the University. 

Tyndall's Park Road was proposed in 1825, and thus 200 years ago this was a new build on farmland stretching to the Avon Gorge. In this room would be scaffolding, male (presumably no women) plasterers in Victorian clothes finishing off what was then the reception hallway to 3 Tyndall's Park Road. Nowadays the ceiling disappears under modern coverings after separate rooms were created but I can imagine the new owners inviting their friends around for a reception and showing off the elegance.

Later Radio Bristol used this space as both a studio and offices. Then BBC HR, or Personnel as it was then took over, before about ten years ago network radio took up residency. From women in Victorian dresses, through the Edwardian era and onto the broadcasting use, this plasterwork has silently watched over all that's gone on. I only wish it could talk and pass on the news from that first party when the plaster was still new.

Wednesday 1st November 2023

Plans and preparation. No matter how much thought or planning goes into in idea or an event circumstances can, and often do, conspire to amend and change the outcome. When we were in Wells last Saturday in the chapel of the Bishops Palace a lectern had been placed to invite those who wished to be remembered on All Saints Day to have their names read out at noon today. I entered my mum's name as today is the 1st Anniversary of her death. It seemed coincidence, it seemed the right thing to do and this was to be my planned post for the day.

However this morning I found myself in Weston General Hospital. I wasn't the patient but Julie having slipped and fallen on a client's steps yesterday was in pain. We therefore booked ourselves into A&E for a check up and as it turns out after a X-Ray she was given the all clear after just over two hours, nothing broken thankfully.

We got back from the hospital just before noon. I popped into the office at home and catching my breath sat quietly thinking about Olga Pollard Dawes' (nee Johnson) name being read out in the chapel. It was not the relaxed dignified remembrance of my mother that I'd planned, more a chaotic squeeze in five minutes if I can. Which was apt in many ways as mum was always rushing about, always late for things, lived very much in the moment and could change plans at the last minute to the sometimes annoyance of myself and my father. There's possibly an apt and profound philosophical discussion to be had of my mad-dash rememberence of mum today, but to be honest it's just another day. I remember her every day and that's what counts. Planning to remember her at a certain time seems somewhat irrelevant now.