Lupins, in a bunch!

5°C, rain clearing. NW 10mph

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Look! I have a new coffee mug, it’s the start of a new era. Already tested it with new tea; a Kenyan leaf and an Indian one. The glaze is a nice aqua-marine turquoise and made of heavy stoneware. That way, the tea is warm for longer. Mugs are much safer with that big bottom-heavy base- they don’t tip over so easily on the arm of the sofa. These are important considerations. I may write some more about this cup tomorrow, let’s see.

The Sky is clearing, heavy rain this morning caused Bessie to refuse to get out of the car on this morning’s walk. Her choice.

A Peony and knots

7°C, storm approaching.

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Sky is leaden heavy with rain today, not that I minded. It’s been a rather tumultuous week. I’d like to pull the threads that are woven through the last month. Pull them hard so that they straighten out. They’d be easier to follow straightened out. You have to be careful though, doing that just makes the oddly twisted bits knot up so that you can’t undo them.

Tomorrow will see the downpour. I can plant my new plants and skip watering them. Too many Lupins. Look out for a bloke ignoring the rainfall, padding about deciding where to put site them. At least the potted ones can move.
Tired and blurred now; everything I see is blurred like the asbo kids on TV. Best to bed.

Photo from my mobile. The quality is worse than usual probably because the light was fading. Pictures in full daylight are clearer.

Crucifixion.

2°C, cold, then sleet

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08.15: Walsall Wood Crucifixion:
Drove the usual route to work, road closed at Walsall Wood, could see police cars closed the road at both ends and they re-directed traffic. The approach is downhill so I looked ahead to see- was it a crash, a burst water pipe or a fire. Then I saw it, a man’s body hanging limply from a lamp-post. The lights were red and I stopped at the front to turn right. Not only was he hanging limp as dead, but there was a wooden 2×3" through his arms. He was up there, crucified. It was like a scene from Breugel. The lights changed and I drove right, concentrating on the traffic, I really didn’t want to be the rubber-neck that hits something.

One fireman was trying to cover him up with a blue towel, the other held another from his position on a ladder. The body, white and naked hanging lifeless was male, fair hair hung over his face.
I got to work, but faltered there. They let me off first lesson and covered my register. What was this? I head filled with thoughts, first of a suicide; then after talking it through- a lynching. But now, I just don’t know, was it all some drunken prank by a bunch of inebriated macho-men.
There is nothing on the news yet.
First report: Yamyam

Hornbeam and a Laburnum

5°C, sun & light showers

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Day Three: adding tonal depth and a hint of colour.

Listened to Kristin Hersh while doing this, the CD player is not very well- probably need to replace it. It’s only 15 years old.
Left knee is still attention seeking; will try the turbo-trainer later to see if it’s more than skin-deep.
I have new trees, the Laburnum (Vossii) and a Hornbeam; the Eucalyptus needs to come out now. The Koalas won’t mind really.

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Later: the knee worked properly: the bike did too, so I clocked up 26 cautious miles but the cafes were shut.

Recovery

3°C, calm, clouded sky. Feels warm in comparison

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Recovery day: feeling brighter, opened the box of paints and found a canvas with a ground prepared already.
.
Listened to Max Richter while I did this one. You never can tell with these things- will it stay an oil sketch of go on to become a full painting?
This will become a lot darker, well if the picture in my mind’s eye is any guide; which it is.

Blond and rouge

 -1°C, , less wind

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Puzzling over the missing few minutes of my life yesterday. Need to speak to the witnesses to find out how long I was out. Still feeling the effects today; interesting because I have never had memory loss before. Problem now is that I get up to do something, and walk to whichever place, and forget why I’m there. Yeah, I know everyone does this from time to time, but this is happening most of the time today (and yesterday).

The cuts to my nose, the ones that were glued, were probably caused by these glasses getting crushed against my face on hitting the ground. I will try to claim for a replacement pair.

Mahonia

2°C, Icy start, then heavy rain. Not safe enough to cycle

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New music arrived this week.

• Frank Zappa: Shut up ‘n’ play yer guitar
• Frank Zappa; The Grand Wazoo
• Frank Zappa: Burnt Weeny Sandwich
• Frank Zappa: Sheikh Yerbouti
• Max Richter: The Blue Notebooks
• Max Richter: 24 Postcards

The Zappa ones are American imports bought solely for iPodding.

(Un)professionals

2°C, dangerous ice this morning, snow at work.

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The hard winter drags on. The incompetence of professionals is a real problem right now. My solicitor is a liar, the other’s can’t spell. Enact had the gall to blame a hold on my mortgage transfer on me cancelling the transaction. Liars!
Further; the Inland Revenue have sent me a tax code for a job I have never had with Staffordshire Education Authority. They have installed a new computer data handling system, but are relying on us to get their raw data correct. They have the correct facts already so why foist the problem upon us? With numbers of inept ‘professionals’, this nation deserves to be bankrupt.

 /Rant.