Bills Posts

I have, several times in my life, consumed too much alcohol and have achieved an enhanced state of inebriation. But in each of those times I don’t think it would be dishonest of me to say that I was in a happy, friendly state.

I disclose this information to you because it relates to something I have experienced on several occasions, in particular during my walks down town. Namely, that of a person who has, I think, attained an even greater state of inebriation. Except that this individual is neither happy or pleasant.

So much so, that whilst I like to walk through town where he hangs around, I do what I can to avoid him. This morning I had to walk past him. He was about ten yards from me when must have realised I was giving him a stiff ignoring. He started shouting, at first entreaties to come and talk to him, and then some abuse when he realised I was ignoring him.

I have spoken to him in the past, the first time I hadn’t initially realised what I was dealing with. The second was when I hadn’t realised he was there until too late. I have heard him berating other people almost to the point of physical aggression to be honest I have no wish to converse with someone like that. Hence my efforts to avoid him.

He clearly has a problem given the frequency with which he gets in that state and this is at 7AM! Who isn’t at home in bed, sleeping off the previous nights overindulgences, except someone who has issues? I just wish he’d get them sorted and leave the high street in peace.

I managed to get up this morning in enough time for a dash to the waterfront. It was a bit chilly but that was ok.

I was walking on the high street, heading away from the ferry. I found myself thinking about what the street might have been like in the 17th or 18th centuries. Probably heaving, muddy and quite smelly.

The cross streets are being turned into a road for vehicles. The work is progressing, and I have a perception that it is slow, but there again, I am not a roadway engineer.

The Art centre has a new exhibition, which sounds interesting. I can’t go this weekend, but I will try the following week.

I have been off my game for quite a while now. I’m not happy with that fact, and am going to try to get back on track. My nightly posts might not be inspiring (have they ever been?) but if I don’t do them then I’ll never have the chance to inspire someone. After all, you never know.

I installed my latest anti-pigeon measure today. Another band of cable ties, limiting the size of the gap onto the bird table. Having reloaded the table, I came down stairs to find one of the beasties had penetrated the barrier. Perhaps it was too loose, or incorrectly positioned. I’ll have a go tomorrow.

I might have used this picture before. If so, my apologies. It was a bit of a spur of the moment thing really. I was suddenly filled with the urge to write. I think that is a very good thing. I was pleased, but what to write about?

Well, today’s topic is one that I have covered a few times in the past – the bird table. It’s those wretched pigeons again. I have counted them properly, but I think there were around a dozen of them. Not being a big table, it doesn’t take many to swamp it. I think at least three had defeated the anti-pigeon measures and were on the table proper. I have an enhancement to the measures in mind, which I will try tomorrow.

And then the starlings turned up, along with a few sparrows. They were trying to get onto the table, and fair-dos to them, they weren’t going to let the pigeons keep them out. But it was chaos. I hope everybody got something to eat.

The squirrel turned up later and had a leisurely and undisturbed tea. I don’t mind that.

But the pigeons – no, I’ll have another go with them.

That pretty much describes me at the moment. I couldn’t do the Thursday Night Net last week, I just couldn’t cope wit it, and if the truth were known there was a brief period this evening when I didn’t want to do it tonight.

I’m very aware that I have withdrawn from a lot of things; no longer a member of the radio club, or RAYNET I can’t see myself being on any committees again, I’ve stopped my morning walks and the #Breakfastclub, it looks like I’ve slowed down on my blog, I find it difficult to muster enthusiasm for the town. Before I revelled in its history. Where has my enthusiasm for vlogging gone?

It looks like I may have a bit of spare time this weekend. I wonder if I can do something?

I went out looking for a new car today. I had to go to Waterlooville, I caught the E2 at the bottom of our road across to Gosport bus station, a quick dash across on the ferry, Them from the interchange at the hard I caught the Number 8 and that took me up to Waterlooville. When I arrived, there was a Number 7 heading towards Weecock Farm, and I knew the first part of the route took me very close to where I wanted to go, two changes of bus,, and a ferry trip saw where I needed to be, with no hiccups.

I did what I needed and the person I was seeing kindly gave me a lift back to the centre of waterlooville. Now to get to where I needed to go next, no internet resource seemed able to work out a route that didn’t involve a two mile walk, so the easiest thing to do was to get a taxi.

Well, actually, it wasn’t easy at all. Waterlooville seems to hide its taxi ranks, do you think i could find one? No, I couldn’t. In the end I thought, well, OK I’ll try Uber.

How easy was that? I did the booking and paid, was told where to meet the taxi, how long it would be before it would take for it to arrive, the name of the driver and the registration. And it all worked wonderfully.

i ended up at the MG garage in Cosham, did what I needed there, and then walked a short distance to get the Number 21 back to The Hard. Which, apart from a brief diversion due to a road closure, went very well. It was really good today.

About three weeks ago, it felt like a switch was operated in my mind. I’ve had no formal diagnosis, but feelings were that I probably have been (and continue) to suffer a bout of depression. The withdrawal from activities that I had previously really enjoyed was perhaps the most obvious manifestation (from this you will gather that I am convinced of my self-diagnosis – well, I am not convinced. I only think that it is possible that I may have with a lets say greater than 50% chance.

So, what am I going to do about it? Well, I am due to see a doctor for a routine check-up. It’s likely. I will mention it.

We’ve just had a delivery. That was interesting. Storm Ciaran was, as they say, kicking up a storm. The wind was blasting in through the front door and the rain was being driven like little needles pricking the skin.

I felt sorry for the driver and had him come in whilst we were unloading.

This morning was the second time this week that I went out for a morning walk. I mention this because I can’t remember the last time I went out twice on the trot. since I gave up walking that is.

I got on the scales yesterday. I’m still heavier by quite a bit than what I should be, but the scales told me that I’d lost 0.9 of a kilo. That makes me nearly 5kg down on my heaviest point. That gives you (me) an incentive to do something about it to ensure the weightloss continues.

The one issue I’ve had lately is a lack of exercise. Very aware of that. Now, I know I am not going to go out every day, and the 0530 thing is definitely not back on the cards. But, I do feel as though I might get out a little bit more than I have been. It would be really nice to record another weight loss on Monday.

It has been a very wet weekend. It would have made things so much easier if it had been raining this morning because I could have stayed in bed. Unsurprisingly it turned out to be both dry and quite pleasant.

I managed to take a quick walk along the side of the Cocklepond. Somebody thought it would be a good idea to deposit a traffic cone in the pond. Things like that really annoy me.

The question is will I manage to do the same tomorrow. I got on the scales this morning. I have lost 9/10ths of a kilo. I’m quite pleased with that. I had to pop out to the local Morrisons at lunchtime. Whilst I was tempted to indulge in some secret eating (which rarely stays secret for long) I resisted the urge. The same when I had to pop out to the pharmacy this evening. Not eating means I may lose more weight. Which would be very good.

Blue sky in the picture does not represent an accurate reflection of the weekend. I emptied the rain gauge on Saturday at about 1400hrs. Quite a bit later than I normally do. Just shy of 50mm (the gauge was nearly full) over roughly thirty hours

I emptied again this morning nearly 40 mm between 1400 yesterday and 0900 today. It’ll need doing again in the morning. The day has seen brief periods of blue sky interrupted short, very intense showers.

Just a brief comment when I used the ferry for the return trip after yesterday’s delightful breakfast with my radio friends it was very noticeable that the ramps had positive slopes up to the ferry. I’ve known it to be level but don’t ever recall it being up. Very high tides.

Very high tides bring back unpleasant memories for me.