Bills Posts

I really didn’t want to get up this morning. Bed is so comfortable. But then you have to. As usual, I looked out the bedroom window. The main thing was no rain, no excuse to not go for a walk. I get dressed and go and do 30 sit ups, do they help? I really don’t know, but my stomach muscles feel stronger, and it only takes a couple of minutes.

I get my gadgets ready, the camera monopod with the dual bracket on. One side has the mobile phone holder, the other my hand held anemometer , which is pretty much a weather station in one small package. On my phone I check the tide state for Portsmouth harbour and the weather on gosportweather.co.uk mainly checking the temperature and pressure.

I turn on the Baofeng and set it to scan mode so I can hear the various things; GB3IW, QHM Southampton VTS, the pilots, and occasionally the coastguard. Usually, it’s QHM giving permission for the Normandie or Mon St Michelle to enter harbour.

This morning as I step out I sense that there’s a little bit of a breeze, but although uniform the cloud is quite high and not likely to rain – it doesn’t. The Morning Chorus is really letting rip, it’s very loud with some birds very distinct, part of me wishes I knew which birds.

The walk is enjoyable and uneventful, I take a few pictures and give my weather report (not forecast) to the #Breakfastclub on GB3IW, which runs from 0615 to about 0700 Monday to Friday. I tweet the pictures. I walk home, it is about a two mile round trip, just over 6000 steps. Always a good start to the day.

I’ve just finished Colin McGinns book The Making of a Philosopher, the story of how he “became” a philosopher, and his life. Why have I put “became” in quotes? Because I’m not entirely sure you can choose to become a philosopher. It is a state of mind, which is with you from the moment when your braincells start to form in the womb, and leads you to ask such questions as why is a tree called a tree, and whit is. tree anyway? To be honest, I found the book to be quite gripping. It’s made me want to read other similar books.

This mornings walk was very pleasant, the skies are really brightening now. Although at around 6.5C it felt chilly if you were wrapped up warm it was lovely walking weather. I’m not sure it’s going to stay like that as rain is forecast later.

The moon looked quite large on the walk. Apparently, it is called the Worm Moon, being that last full moon of Winter. Th picture does not do it justice, it was getting close to the horizon.

I’ve been sat in the office doing bits and pieces for the last two hours. I’ve had a cat asleep in the chair next to me all that time. Nice.

It was one of those lazy days. I went and got the papers, and sat and read those for about an hour or so. Then I went for a walk, down to the waterfront, along to the turn off for trinity church which houses Handel’s music organ, where I paused briefly to see if the music concerts had re-started. They have. Then I walked to the far end of the high street and visited the works where I didn’t buy anything up to the newsagents where I bought a shipping magazine because they have an article this month about Southampton Pilots and I’m interested in hearing about them. I then visited the first of two supermarkets, they each have something that I want, which the other doesn’t stock going between the two shops via the cockle ponds in Walpole Park, where there was quite a gaggle of geese and seagulls, which I stopped and admired for a couple of minutes and in the distance I could see model yachting club was having a vigorous race, there were nine participants that I counted. I must admit, I’d like to have a go at that. On to the second supermarket and then home. All in, a trip of about three miles. Could have done more, but at least it’s something.

This evening I watched one of the BBC programmes I quite like (until they get too preachy that is) Countryfile. Tonight, they had quite a long article about Mya-Rose, the bird girl. @BirdgirkUK. I do admire her.

A cold morning, depending on where you were in Gosport it could be anything from 1.7 to 3.2C no wind though, so no windchill. The pressure is down at 1001 But it’s a lovely clear sky, and there promises to be plenty of sun.

The morning chorus was really going for it as I stepped out of the door and it was quite a while before car noise intruded, so that was nice. There was a slight frost on some cars, but nothing too drastic. Still, I was glad to be wrapped up warm.

It was a most enjoyable walk, an excellent start for what I hope was a Feel Good Friday for you, and a lovely weekend. Stay healthy please.

I looked out the window at about 0530, it was chucking it down. I checked again at 0550, the same. I decided I wasn’t going for a walk this morning, and yes, it was still raining. At 0620. That’s frustrating, missing out on the #Breakfastclub, the 6000 steps and this mornings photos.

Today in general was frustrating. It has rained all day. I wasn’t even able to go for my lunchtime walk. Luckily, I have just made my 10,000 steps for the day.

I’m sorry that today’s post is a short one. It’s bed time and I tend to go dark screen for a bit and read a proper book.
Stay healthy, follow the NHS guidance, if not for you then for your family and friends.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

It felt quite cold this morning at 4.4C. There was no wind though, so no windchill. Pressure was low at around 1009. The skies are getting bright towards the end of the walk. During this time when the terminator is passing over us as At this time of day, we start to get the variations in sky colour. This morning there were gentle pink clouds caressing the horizon these will hopefully get more dramatic as time goes on. And then of course at the end of the month the clocks go forward so we will get a rerun of it all.

Nothing beyond the norm in the harbour this morning, although over the radio I heard several fishing vessels heading out. They would be passing the inbound Normandie as they left the harbour. The Southampton Pilots were also quite busy. All nice to be aware of. A very pleasant start to the day, and I hope yours goes the same way.

Obviously, we had quite a discussion about Corona. It is incredibly sad for anyone affected by this illness, and I wish everybody well. I hope it will pass soon. That it has ruined our planned holiday this year is annoying, but I would rather be healthy. No news yet about a refund.

There are a couple of things that will stop me going for my morning walk Monday to Friday;

If it’s raining. I have a tolerance it amounts to “water in the air” I’m happy to put on my more heavy duty raincoat.

Sometimes, I’m just tired and really don’t feel like it.

I cycle to work, pretty much whatever the weather so that’s why I don’t walk if it is raining. So, why do I walk?

I walk for a few reasons; mostly perhaps because I enjoy it. That enjoyments is derived from the the radio, weather, or rather the skies in particular, I like taking pictures of the Spinnaker and seeing the different skies behind it; then there is the shipping. Of course the regulars come and go, the Gosport Ferries, the whitelink car ferries, and the fast catamarans, which I have been on several times and make for a very quick crossing. The Brittany Ferries; The Normandie, The Mon St Michell, occasionally the Bae De Seine and even more rarely the Bretagne, and the fast cat Normandie, The Commodore line, I’m often a few minutes too late for the Commodore Clipper, but just on the odd occasion I see her. Then there are the bunkering (refuelling) ships, the Cumbrian Fisher (rarely away from her position), the Whitchampion and Janey W. Then of course there are the Reefer (refrigerated) and normal (but not huge) container ships and every so often a cruise ship. I do hope the passengers have a good time with their day in port.

Then there is the #Breakfastclub, supported by the Isle of Wight Radio Society’s repeater – owned and maintained by G4IKI Paul – the repeater keeper. There are friends who appear regularly on the early morning net; 2E1PHW Pete, G7EPE Dave, M0IMA Phil and M3OHN Peter, joined by others when they are inclined. Not least Erin from the States , the Cat vet from New York and the Ex Pats in Hawaii and Australia. I’m sorry, I can’t remember their callsigns, but it is always a pleasure to hear from them.

During my walk I give my weather report. It’s not a forecast. I have a hand held anemometer, in adition wind speed it measures atmospheric pressure in numbeer teerms of both millibars, hpa and inches of mecury, relative humidity, and temperature (C & F are available) dew point and chill factor also. I’ll give the state of the tide, the times of the present high and low for this cycle. The slope of the gosport ferry ramp and the sea state. It has I believe only gone to a two once, during a storm. It’s normally pretty calm in hte harbour, no matter how much the seas is raging. Then and finally, there is the cloud cover. Measured in 8ths. Not sure why, but there you go.

You might think that’s pretty boring, and so it may be – but I enjoy it.

For whatever reason, Monday’s posts are the most difficult. It’s the one where I have to get the creative juices flowing. Quite often, I’m thrashing around trying to find something to write about.

I’m watching a youtube clip about street photography, Fan Ho, Nan Goldin, Martin Parr – names that I’ve never heard of, but the brief clips and shots Jamie Windsor the presenter talks about the ethics of street photography.

It was very interesting to see the clip why you shouldn’t do street photography. Now. Street photography really appeals to me as a genre. I’m not sure why as I am really quite nervous about practicing it. How should you do it? It seems to me that it is not unreasonable to stop someone and ask if it is OK to take their picture. I did that with a shop keeper a few months ago. He was quite happy – and if they aren’t then just don’t take the picture.

I need to try this.

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And I do mean lazy. About the most effort was my going to get the newspapers, a five minute walk in each direction. Somehow though, just traipsing around, I’ve managed to clock up my 10,000 steps. Not sure how I did that.

Just after midday, Elayne and I decided that we would drive to Lee-on-The-Solent to just sit by the seaside, with our books and have an ice cream, and then possibly fall asleep. Which is exactly what we did. First though, when we arrived the seas was a little bit rough, and there was quite a breeze.

This is where we got the pictures of the Sea Gulls. As we pulled up, they were just hanging there in the air, making no attempt to move forward, the wind was keeping them up. It was quite an amazing sight. People think of them as being a pest and they can be a bit brazen, but they are incredibly graceful in the air. It was a real pleasure to watch.

There were no cruise ships in Southampton today. But there were a couple of container ships coming in and a much smaller one going out. There are non of the cruise ships that we have been on due in until mid April, when the cruise season really kicks off. I hope all of the holiday companies are OK this year. It is going to be a difficult one for them.

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I had arranged to take my bike in to Cycle world for it’s first service today. Just about two months after I bought it. The first two services are free, so it seems silly not to take advantage. I did say that I would have the bike at the shop for when it opened, so that I could pick it up as early as possible.

I took a ferry across to Portsmouth at about 0830. There were only a couple of miles the other side, but it was a bit fiddly. But I arrived at the shop about 5 minutes before it opened. They said come back at midday.

I took the opportunity to walk back to Commercial road along that part of London Road as far as I can. That part of London road is an area bustling with activity, lots of people & cars about. I suspect it is a good area for people watching and street photography – if only I had the guts to do it, working on it but still not quite there.

I had a good browse around Waterstones, but I didn’t buy anything. I had a long polish sausage in a bread role for lunch. It was very nice. Then it was time to walk back up to cycle world. I’m getting my steps in today.

The trip home was a bit hairy. It was very windy, head on. A couple of places it was so strong, I was nearly stationary.

On the ferry going out, I saw a couple of tugs heading out, that usually means something reasonably big is coming in. Now, I don’t think it was the same thing that came in for my return trip, but you never know. Any how, the Lovely sight referred to is the Monrovian registered Columbian Star, a Reefer which will be carrying fruit and veg in to Portsmouth. The unusual thing was it being escorted by four tugs, It really was a lovely sight.