Bills Posts

It’s Thursday. Today we’ve had Aurora since yesterday. The night wasn’t the best. Aurora had a bit of a session between around 0100 – 0330. We did get some sleep, but we were tired when we woke up. Still, we had a pleasant day. Lunch at the Gosport Garden Centre – I had the Leek, Ham & Mustard pie, with all the veg – I think the chap behind the counter gave me a generous portion, because it was getting near the end of lunchtime. Better that the food get eaten than disposed of. I was happy with that. I made a point of telling the staff just how delicious I thought the pie was – and it was really nice.

I was having a bit of writer’s block. I haven’t been out for a walk for several days. The title of today’s post reflects my frustration that I can’t think of what to write about, so the plan arising from that was to write a sentence or two about a range of topics, including what I could do at the Gosport Shed, and what’s next at the U3A.

Next Monday will be interesting. I won’t be able to go to the Shed for the Monday Morning Meeting because I have two U3A sessions arranged: Stargazing in the morning, and Philosophy in the afternoon. I’ll let you know how I am getting on with those.

I had two jobs outside to do today, the first was to go back to the print shop where we get out competition prints done. It would be our third visit this week, and the most awkward. The first set of prints were just wrong. We decided it was a comms issue – our problem. The second was to pick up the re-prints,which they very kindly didn’t charge us for. It wasn’t until we got them home and looked at them (They were printed correctly, and looked good, until we realised that there Was a line down all of them – a pressure line in the paper from the printer. Very awkward. In a competition, any judge would immediately notice, and we’d lose points. I’m going to have to take them back, and ask them to re-do them. Like I say, awkward.

The second job was much simpler. To pick up my prescription from the Chemist.

I could do both these tasks in a nice Simple roundabout route.

So, why didn’t I do it? In a word Rain. It was absolutely hoofing it down, very heavy and persistent from before 8AM, until around 3PM. By the time it did eventually stop I couldn’t go out as Elayne was due back with Aurora, for our weekly two-day stint looking after her.

So, It will have to be tomorrow. Minor problem, the forecast does not look good.

I had another U3A session today, my first visit to Exploring Art. The session is run by Maggie, whom I know through Elayne’s Women’s Institute.

There were about 10 of us in the room. This weeks topic was funerial art, which I have to confess, I expected to be quite depressing. But actually, it was fascinating.

Maggie did her presentation, which lasted about 10 – 15 minutes, and then there was a bit of a discussion. Then there was an opportunity for other members of the group to get involved. I think four had prepared PowerPoint presentations, with around five to 10 slides – each of the presentations was very interesting, and I’m thinking I could do that. I’m just waiting for Maggie to send out the programme. I know that the next session is a visit to the Institute of Naval Medicine, to look at some of the art they have there.

Maggie also mentioned the possibility of a couple of trips to London, but I will wait until the programme comes out before commenting any further on that.

Yes, a very enjoyable session, I shall happily attend more.

These two rather forlorn wrecks lay at the western end of Forton Lake. I think the one in the foreground is probably much older than the one to the back, The shoreline here is at the back of what is now St Vincents College, but until 1969 it was one of the Navy’s main training bases – I suspect there are still a few veterans around who probably have (not so fond) memories of their time there.

This was taken as I was heading towards The Gosport Shed, where I was going to attend my first Monday Meeting, and spend a bit of time there.

The meeting was interesting and fine. I particularly enjoyed the auction – I didn’t bid on anything, but it was interesting to see the kinds of things people were putting in.

I spent a bit of time with the chaps who look after the model railway, and I think it brought home some of the issues I would likely have if I were to try and build my own layout.

I spent a bit of time with the computer people. One bloke is working with some interesting stuff there.

It was an enjoysble couple of hours, and whilst Mondays could easily be a regular things there, I’d like to work out when I can go again with any degree of regularity, especially as I have lined up two more sessions at U3A (philosophy and stargazing) as it happens both on a Monday, but only once a month, so not too bad.

OK, I did do a bit of housework this morning, so that is all the main jobs done.

I spent a bit of time on the computer, having a chat with ChatGPT about swing trading. I like the idea of it, but some issues have come up meaning that i’m very likely to not bother with it – as much as I like certain parts of it.

I seriously considered going out for lunch. As I wasn’t sure how Elayne would feel when she got back, I just had a sandwich. As it happens, that was a good move as Elayne was hungry when she got home, and we just had to wait until 1730, when our favourite Chinese takeaway opened. They did their usual excellent service, with the food being delivered 20 minutes later.

We watched a couple of the 1990’s series, An unsuitable job for a lady, Helen Baxendale plays the main character, I’m not sure of the time between the first and 2nd seasons (yes, I know I could look it up). I was surprised at how much she had changed between the 1st and 2nd seasons, so much that I genuinely thought it was a different person for the first couple of minutes.

I had another enjoyable net, the C4FM net (a digital mode used by Yaesu radios) is a regular event, and that’s pretty much bringing an end to the day – apart from this blog, of course.

I am more than slightly ashamed to confess that I haven’t been anywhere today, exxcept to the bins, and to the bottom of the garden to top up the birdfeeder, which the starlings promptly emptied.

I have done a little bit of housework, and have a bit more to do tomorrow.

I haven’t turned the TV on today, but have spent a bit of time on the computer, but not really doing anything useful.

Tea was sausage egg & chips done in the air fryer, apart from the eggs. Very nice it was too.

I was very late to bed last night, but strangely haven’t snoozed today. I’m going to try and be a bit more sensible tonight.

I thought about the blog two hours ago and intended to do it, but got distracted by YouTube rubbish, but at least I’ve managed it before midnight.

We went to the Diving Cafe for lunch. We thought it would be a nice experience for Aurora, she would be able to see the sea.

I took this picture through the window at the restaurant. What you cant see is the wind that was absolutely pounding on the window.

Neither can you see the rain that was chucking down so hard that we were almost drenched in the 20 yards from where the car was parked.

It’s not really fog, and definitely not haze. I guess it’s just low cloud. So, one thing that you definitely can’t see is the Isle of Wight, which should be clearly visible.

You also can’t see the Bratwurst & Chips that I had and the jacket potatoe with beans and cheese that Elayne and Aurora shared, followed by ice cream, because we ate it. It was very nice.

I make it sound quite bad, but it wasn’t really. Aurora, as she usually does, left the restaurant having made a new coterie of fans who were madly waving goodbye to her. She really is an absolute delight.

I have become not used to getting up at 6AM, with the possible exception of the occasional need to feed the cat. It therefore comes as something of a shock when I have to rise and get ready, and actually go outside.

Today, I had to go to Alex’s place so I could help him with the transfer of his car to the garage for a checkup to resolve a problem. Outbound transfer done, it was a case of being at his place, helping to look after the granddaughter (which is definitely a privilege, so no problem) until the call comes through to say the car is ready.

That call came through early to mid-afternoon. The afternoon journey proved to be considerably easier than the morning. Travelling at that time of the morning means getting caught up in the commuter, but mainly school traffic.

The day went well.

I went to the shed this morning, I had some paperwork to finalise and had a picture taken for my pass – not sure how long that will take to process.

I spent nearly an hour in the common room, just chatting to people, about nothing in particular. I’m planning to be there for the next Monday meeting.

I got home, feeling shattered. I sat in the office chair, and drifted in and out if sleep, until nearly 1330, when I needed to get ready for my first encounter with a U3A group. This one is Local History.

I have to be honest, and say it was really interesting even if there were a couple of technical issues with videos and the like, but that’s all part of the fun.

I was given a copy of the proposed calendar, and I must say it looks extremely interesting.

Today’s camera club was a Members night. Mike, who is very much into abstracts did a presentation on how he identifies and takes his pictures, including the equipment he uses.

Some of the members had taken pictures in, to do a kind of “show and tell” thing, which was interesting and made for a pleasant day.