Bills Posts

The Economist had an article about writing non-fiction. the article recommended a number of books and an essay by George Orwell. The essay “Politics and the English Language” is freely available on the Orwell Foundation Website; https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/essays-and-other-works/politics-and-the-english-language/ makes for a very interesting read.

I thought it surprising that an essay by George Orwell would be freely available. There’s quite a lot on the foundation website. This contrasts with the first book recommendation Style: lessons in clarity and grace by Joseph M Williams and Joseph Bizup, here’s a link to the Google search, the cheapest I can find is £25.00: style: lessons in clarity and grace” the first search came with £66. I was a bit surprised. Orwell would probably have viewed that as bad writing , rephrased as: I was surprised.

I’m reading a kindle book at the moment; Writing to be understood by Anne Janzer. It’s a pretty good read, it’s making me think.

We drove in to Bognor Regis. I must admit that I have been wondering when the accolade Regis was granted. The term Regis means “of the King” a Latin term. In simplistic terms, the Monarch can choose to award the status of “Regis” because the town does something that supports the crown.

Bognor gained the honour in 1929 when Bognor was used by King George V for several months to convalesce. Some parts of the town has a calmness to it. Of course Bognor Regis today is not the town of 1929. I wonder what it was really like then. I suspect that like today, it had its good parts and its bad parts. Perhaps it isn’t that different.

Central Bognor in shopping terms isn’t really that grand, but I don’t get an impression of it being run down I don’t recall any closed units. Also, there were plenty of people around and the cafes were being well used.

To me, a big draw is the 2nd hand bookshop at the railway station. It is neat and well managed and very well stocked, especially with Science fiction, railway, photography and astronomy books. The proprietor has an “ology” section, he could do with a bigger philosophy section. I always enjoy visiting.

Spent a little bit of time here today. It really is a very serene area, stuffed with wildlife. I must admit I haven’t seen much today. We just sat there, soaking in the sun, and relishing the peace. Not even the planes passing overhead disturbed us.

Now, there’s a thing – wildlife photography. I’d like to get in on that, but the equipment, the cost, the patience, the time all of it means that it’s not an area that I am go to go anywhere near. If there is a picture that I get with the capability that I have now that turns out to be anywhere near good then fair enough.

I’m reading the current issue of B&W Photography. South America seems to be a very popular place for photographers. It’s understandabe the pictures are very good.

One of the featured photographers, Lee Miller has a big exhibition on at the gallery next to Petworth House. I think I might try and get there as it isn’t too far from us. She’s interesting because she covered many different genres. Plus, she had a (I think platonic) relationship with Picasso. Just the pictures in B&W are enough to make me want to visit the exhibition.

Every issue of B&W that I read introduces me to new photographers, I enjoy looking at all of the pictures and reading some of the story behind them. It highlights to me how much there is in the world to see, and relatively how little opportunity there is to see it,

I bought my iPad around the beginning of 2019. I bought the case at the same time. I liked the case, it was slim and light and comfortable, and the keyboard worked really well.

Over the last month or so, I have had a bit of a problem with it. It has started falling to bits and just occasionally a key would stick. Time to buy a new one. The price of apple cases is not cheap!!

I bought the cheapest ipad case compatible with mine off of Amazon. It works but is not as good as the original case although, the keypad is backlit which I like, but the keyboard is not integral to the case, which I very much don’t like.

I have decided that if I haven’t learned to love the case by Christmas time, I will have to buy an apple one. Trouble is I have almost become determined not to like this case. Oh well, time will tell.

I think I knew that at some time during my life I would write those words. Today is a sad day. I can’t think of any other person who, for more than my life has so utterly dedicated their life to the service of the people.

If you were born – where were you when the Berlin Wall fell?

What were you doing when you heard about 9/11?

These are events that had an impact on my life, just two events out of the many that affected the world.

Today, I can add a sad third event.

Bless you Ma’am, thank you for your service. Time to rest.

Almost in parallel to when I started this blog, I was also writing on my Facebook time line. Generally the Facebook post was more like a diary than anything. This blog really got going as a result of my wishing to “just write” it would give me an opportunity to explore topics and write material that was different to my FB posts.

For some reason, I have been a bit neglectful of Facebook. I had started off quite enthusiastically with the Fantasy Holiday that I had planned a part of this years Walk1000 exercise. It always seems to happen as I get close to the end, almost a a case of losing interest.

As a result of the neglect, some of the more recent blog posts could be looked at a diary entries. Not on, I really do want to keep them separate.

A couple of posts ago, I offered my Blog readers a really feeble post (I’m aware that a number of people follow this blog. Do you really read me? – i know some do, I hope you don’t get fed up with me. Anyhow, in that feeble post I talk about reflecting on the blog. I’m reading a book on my Kindle, it’s about writing non-fiction. Unsurprisingly, parts of the book deal with the audience for the writing. What audience am I aiming at? I can’t really define it just yet.

I also have a problem with content, apart from some rubbish posts such as the one a couple of days do I write about nothing consistently. But,since this blog is for me, does it all really matter?

I think that if I ever wanted to have a really focussed blog, I’d start a second one. I haven’t done that.

I subscribe to the notifications issued by The Queens Harbour Master. Several weeks ago QHM issued a notice that dredging activity would be taking place in Haslar Marina. It was due to start about now. They’ve been at it for a couple of days now.

Taken this morning, this picture shows two of three ships, the barge closest to us is full of the dredged material, There was a chap on the bridge drinking a mug of tea, preparing to take the barge out to the spill area, which I think is beyond the Nab Tower.

Mary Mouse, the green light ship in the distance, is due to be moved as part of the dredging activity. The lightship, which is a rather nice restaurant (which I am really pleased survived Covid) has been where it is since we moved to Gosport.

Every morning this week, I arrive at the WaveGuard expecting to see it gone. A sufficiently unusual occurrence that I want to record it. I’d like to be there when they move the ship, but I have no idea when that will be. Perhaps I should read QHM’s notice again. That might tell me.

We went through a dry spell. Not sure how long it lasted, but it was quite a few day. Enough to leave the grass parched & scorched. It really started raining yesterday. It was spitting a bit during the day, I managed to get out for my morning walk, but lunchtime was written off as it was raining, but I had a dental appointment in the afternoon and no car so I had to walk. Luckily, it didn’t rain.

Today was similar, morning walk was fine. Lunch time was a no-go as it was raining quite heavily. When I went out to top up the bird feeders I noticed that the grass was looking almost normal. It felt a bit strange to walk on, almost rough, like it had been burnt – which in a way, it has.

The rain really came down last night, and I am reasonably convinced that a lightning bolt grounded somewhere near the house. The flash was very bright, and the thunder was like a gunshot going off. It made me jump, and terrified the cat. The rain was coming down as well, overwhelming the guttering, and drumming on the conservatory roof, so hard that I thought it was either leaking, or in danger of crashing down. Of course it didn’t.

The dredgning in Haslar Marina has started. I think the lightship is due to be moved soon, that will be unusual as it is such a fixture. I’ll keep an eye on the dredging.

The very flat surface on the Cockle pond was ideal for reflections. I’m a bit stuck for something to write about any the moment, it’s just a few minutes past the time I want to be in bed, and I can’t go until I finish this. So I need to get on.

I thought I could write a piece on reflecting on where I think this blog should be going, but to be honest, it is way too late in the evening, so this is going to have to be a short one I’m afraid – sorry about that.