Acts of Random Noting

Sometimes things happen that are interesting and this is where they will be posted - sort of like a microblog

First Week of March - Week 10

A week of frosty mornings, beautiful sunrises, blue skies, and only three days in work - so some more local walks, some sitting on the front step, and some nice chats. Work was more meetings, and not much achieved. I did have a lovely conversation with someone at another hospital which left me feeling motivated and allowed me to forget the looming job changes and what a mess it all is. It is nice to find a kindred spirit and we have another 30 minute catch up booked in for May.

We had a walk down to Braunston and I accidentally bought some more art materials - two new sketchbooks and some water soluble graphite pencils. We also had quite a long chat with the lady in the shop who is a stained glass artist.

For some reason I haven't done a lot of Latin this week and still have chapter ten questions to finish and the grammar section to work through. It is infinitives this week.

Brimstones have been out and about and there are some scatterings of blossom on the hedges. There are hints of blackcap songs, but I am not entirely convinced, and I did add Stock Doves to my year list.

I made an orange cake from a recipe on the internet to use up the orange I bought for the hot cross buns that I made. It uses the whole orange pulped in a blender and worked out OK - I will make it again I think - although I took about a third of the sugar out. Book arrived for Intellectual Husband for our Equinox celebration - bit concerned about whether he will like it. Chocolate has also been obtained for the festivus we have started. Just two weeks to go.

Speaking of books. I finished the excellent Volt Rush (which is now going to be lent to a work colleague) and also finished off The Provincial Lady in Wartime. Interesting as it was written during the first year of the Second World War and gives an interesting take on it, although it is not as good as the other books in the series - still funny in parts though. I also finsihed a first read through The Mindful Photographer, which came from reading the Poetry Pharmacy's newsletter. I also discovered a poetry podcast (Demystifying Poetry with Tara Stubbs) through the newsletter so that has been my listening material on the way to work this week. The under the bed book - Post Capitalism has also been started and so far is interesting, but I am only two chapters in.

Overheard someone complaining about the litter in the country park (possibly the amount of dog poo bags I think) and blaming the lack of bins, rather than the lack of social conscience of the people dropping the litter.

Last week of February - Week 9

A week marked by only being in work for two days. More people were back in work so the office was busy. It was annual appraisal time, this boss appreciates my work. Unfortunately, as of the first of March I have a new boss - an unknown quantity who hasn't taken an interest in sustainability AT ALL so far. Could be in for either a very quiet or a bumpy ride - I expect the latter.

Fewer days in work meant more Latin. Chapter 9 was much less tortuous and was about a shepherd, sheep and a wolf. The majority of the grammar section was about declensions, first and second I have covered before and this chapter was full of third declensions so I feel quite comfortable wiht those as well.

The weather remained variable but the days are getting lighter and the sun warmer. Not much in the way of new birds, just a coal tit, but the robins, wrens, dunnocks and blackbirds are singing a lot. Possibly making the most of the audience before the noisy warblers (blackcaps are what I really mean here) come and fill the air with their song.

I did get out and take some photos (digital) some of which I actually liked. I have a love of taking photos of nature reclaiming the junk we leave around.

I finished reading The Hard Way and she remained annoying, but I did enjoy some of the chapters - it could have been a lot better though with a) more positive stories about women and less whingeing and b) a better map so I had some vague notion about where she was. The Short Irish Horror Stories is now finished - didn't really find many that I though good or interesting, and I have started reading the short stories of Truman Capote. I read Breakfast at Tiffanies and a couple of other short stories a few years ago; the former I thought the least intersting of that collection. The first few were a bit meh, but they seem to be getting better - Miriam was definitely a bit unnerving. I have also picked up Volt Rush again, about mining the metals for electric vehicles. It is an excellently written book, if somewhat depressing. It reconfirms to me that technology will save no one.

I tried making hot cross buns in preparation for the equinox festival we are planning. They smelt divine whilst I was making them and turned out OK. The festival is another excuse to buy chocolate and books. This time one mystery book each, on the subject of Arts and Crafts. As I have wide ranging interests and always like trying out something new I believe I am much easier to buy for in this area - and am still concerned about my choice for intellectual husband.

February - week 8

This is my last full week at work until the end of March thanks to the use them or lose them policy (very short sighted). As it was half term the office was incredibly quiet, as was the car parking. I've still had a lot of meetings but, fortunately, most of them have been interesting and / or productive. As my boss is also on leave most of the standard (and pointless and dull) meetings were cancelled. Although some rubbish HR wise to come and after next week I, in theory, get a new boss.

I am still ploughing through the chapter of the Latin book with hic, haec, hoc and have had to go back and watch some online tutorials to understand some of it. I also detoured into colours and discovered that in Latin there are two words for white and two for black - depending on whether it is shiny and reflective or whether it is matt.

There has been a welcome spell of warm weather this week - as a consequence, as well as getting to sit on the front doorstep, I have seen my first butterfly of the year (could be a Small Tortoiseshell or Peacock - hard to tell as it was blown past the window), and my first bumble bee (early bumble, Bombus praetorum) and heard my first Skylark trilling away. This brought my bird count up to 60 with a fortuitous Sparrowhawk siting (as it flew past the window) and my first definite id of Rooks this year. On a less positive note, a Bittern (my bird that I will probably never see) was seen and 'showing well from the Visitor Centre' at my local country park on the same day I had planned to go for a walk there but didn't because a) Half Term and b) the weather looked miserable.

I am still reading The Hard Way (sometimes I think she is a bit over the top with her idea of women being domesticated), and short Irish Horror stories. But I have started reading Outlaws of the Marsh and it is fabulous - such fun, and lots of fights in 13th Century China. I am also watching some short animations as and when I finish the appropriate chapters.

February - week 7

Another busy work week - spoke about the work we have been doing on increasing bus use, was told that apparently it is my job to have a strategy about cycle storage (which I don't remember being told before and is difficult when in the last 6 months your colleagues have taken three out of four of the lockable cycle sheds out of action) but also finished the week on a high with a session teaching about sustainble healthcare at the Medical School. I was much more relaxed than the first time I did this, and also made sure I was there in plenty of time which had the added bonus of avoiding Friday lunchtime traffic. Afterwards there were a couple of chaps from the Hare Krishna movement handing out leaflets and one commented that I was very calm - made my day!

A recall to the opticians to check something she was concerned about last year went OK, fingers crossed it remains that way - but I don't need to go back until next year.

I have now started the next chapter of the Latin book and it looks like it is full of grammar and the dreaded hic, haec, hoc. It might take a while.

I finished reading The Day the World Stops Shopping which was an excellent read and will be staying on my shelf. I have now started reading The Hard Way about women who walk from Unbound Publishers (one of my favourites). I also read the novella, The Angel of Santa Sophia - I have no idea at all what it was about. I will attempt it again, thankfully it was less than 50 pages long.

Needless to say the film developing has still not happened, and I spent longer than is entirely necessary choosing fabric scraps for a notebook cover. I have spent a lot of this week drawing the same scene from a (frankly not very good) photograph taken back in November after reading a blog post. I have tried it using several different media and surprisingly quite like the crayon version. My inability to use watercolours was apparent once again. Now I need to decide whether to carry on with other media or try somehting different.

Bird count has remained on 57. But then I have hardly left the house or the office much as the weather has been dreary and work has been fairly full on.

Full on February - week 6

Lots on at work this week but some of it was actually fun and the day working from home was useful. We had a visit to look at our decarbonisation work which gave us some good publicity. I had a good meeting with comms to look at promoting public transport following on from some work with the local council and bus company. I've put in an expression of interest for some more work and found some inspiration listening to some improvement projects (not that I need to take on more work of course as I am way behind where I should be).

The dentist visit wasn't as bad as it could be - still had the filling, but avoided a scale and polish - having a numb mouth for five hours wasn't a lot of fun after though. I've listend to some more Gone Medieval podcasts - which I would recommend and the days are noticeably getting longer - even in dull weather I have been commuting home before it has gone properly dark.

The bird count has just ticked over to 57 this week with a greenfinch wheezing at the top of a tree.

I am continuing my Latin escapade and bizarrely the word peristyle which first appeared (as peristylum of course) in Chapter 5 of my Latin book was in the John Dickson Carr whodunnit that I finished reading and also a newsletter from Italy - both in relation to a villa in Pompei.

I am still reading The Day the World Stopped Shopping - although it is leaving me feeling less than hopeful at the chances of many people ever reducing their consumption it is still a good read. I have now discovered that I would count as a voluntary simplifier (who knew there was such a term) - it feels a bit like getting a medical diagnosis but also finding out that I am not alone in the idea of wanting less stuff and being happy about it. More research into this is needed I think.

Film developing has still not happened but there is sunshine forecast for next weekend so I need to get this done before I walk down the canal with another film. No further work on the block printing or lino printing either. I am hoping to do some of this soon.

On one of my walks I heard a woman talking on the phone about how her previous dog had gone after a swan and it had been grabbed by the neck - as her off the lead dog was annoying a swan.

January (and just into February)- week 5

It has felt quite a long week in work - in the office all four days, which means I get nothing much done and lots of interruptions when I am not in meetings. A full on week with lots of HR issues to deal with, and more to come next week. I also managed to put in a bid for some money for solar PV, started an online climate and health course (still have some to catch up on) and genuinely wondered if I need to look for another job as this one is filled with unimportant things that other people should be doing.

Whingefest over, commuting into the office does give me the opportunity to listen to different podcasts. This week I listened to the excellent Hugh Montgomery on the Real Zero Podcast. However, the find of the week was the Gone Medieval podcast which was about King John. I am not sure why it took me so long to find this as it is my favourite period in history.

The Latin slowed this week, but I have completed a full month of reading, or listening to some Latin every day which is my first goal achieved for the year. I am hoping this gets me into a good enough habit that I start to feel like I am making progress.

I finished reading Darwin's Island and have moved onto The Day the World Stops Shopping - which is an excellently written book and more readable than I thought. I have also finished the Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories and started reading my first John Dickson Carr murder mystery.

Bird Count is up to 56 as I saw a flock of lapwing pass over as I joined the motorway - the fields they probably used to stop in are now a giant distribution park - has anyone noticed how many logistics parks and warehouses there are now - how much crap is in them?

I cut my first printing blocks - hurrah - going to try lino next. And, I have now done a sketch or doodle every day for six months - I never thought I would manage that as I don't associate myself with being at all artistic.

Still no film developing or photography even this week.

Haircut appointment left me feeling grey, and wondering why people get their hair dyed - so much time you could spend doing something else, somewhere else.

January - week 4

Workwise it has been a pretty good week because it lasted only two days - with many, many meetings. But, on the positive side I had a meeting with the local college about social value and how we can work together to improve the site, and we are one step closer to a more sustainable way of decontaminating medical consumables and reducing single use plastics. I also unexpectedly got to catch up with a couple of my favourite people.

This week I went to London to be a tourist for the first time in 5 years. I had it all planned out, including some ideas of where to eat. My main mission was to the British Library to see the Medieval Women exhibition. I was hoping it would be quiet as it was a Wednesday - not a chance. It was heaving, mainly with women to the point that they give you timed tickets - not sure if that is a ploy to keep those that don't pre-book hanging around the shop (cynic that I am). The exhibition was dark and had annoying triggers that caused a recording to play - which doesn't help you to concentrate on reading the blurb next to an exhibition when you are being jostled or are trying not to jostle someone else. I resorted to flitting between exhibits where I saw there was no one looking at a piece. It was mainly based on manuscripts, with a few objects such as the skull of a lion and some gold coins. I loved seeing some of the manuscripts in the flesh - you don't get the glitter and the colour, as well as the translucence in a photograph or book. (This was just as well as the Treasures Gallery, one of my all time favourite places, was almost empty of manuscripts which added to my disappointment.) But, I didn't really enjoy the exhibition, especially consiering the cost of the train ticket and entry. I spent the rest of the day getting lost looking for bookshops and trying to find somewhere for lunch and caught an earlier than planned train back. However, the bright side of the trip was the purcahse of five books, seeing Ring-necked parakeets and deciding that once and for all I am really bad at sight seeing and even the train trip didn't make up for it.

Bird count is now up to 55 with the addition of four birds including the parakeets.

I still haven't developed that film from two weeks ago, and took a 35mm film camera down to London to shoot. I did get my money back for the other lens that didn't come.

Latin is still going well and I have moved onto chapter 6 and haven't skipped a day yet.

The block printing live demonstration I watched last weekend was excellent and I now own some basic tools and will hopefully start some printing this weekend.

I am still reading Darwin's Island, and have learnt about orchids and pollination (I did know some bits but it is still interesting and it is the first time I have heard bees described as flying penises) as well as about barnacles (of which I knew absolutely nothing). I read Selva Almada's 'Not a River' which was excellent and am now reading a Graham Greene novel as well as continuing with the Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories.

We also had an outpatients appointment at the hospital, as well as the excitement of changing a headlight bulb on the car (which involves taking the entire light fitting out - not sure I would be able to do that in the dark at the side of the road).

January - week 3

Workwise it has been a week of preparation for too many meetings. But those meetings were on the whole not too bad. I am sort of regretting volunteering for some teaching and a presentation about travel. I will never learn. Still I managed to get in two days working from home.

Birdcount has made it to 51 and the weather has turned grey. But I am not sure I have ever seen 50 different species of birds in less than three weeks! And waht a way to hit 50 - a great spotted woodpecker in all its black, white and red glory less than ten feet away in the silver birches in the garden - and as I was upstairs looking out it was at eye level. That was followed by an unexpected treat of a treecreeper as I was walking home from town.

Latin has seen me move onto chapter 5 and still sticking to my plan.

The best laid plans, however, on the photography front, have come to nothing. I bought a new lens hoping to get it in time for a trip out next week only for the company to mess up and what should have been a thin, light lens turned into a box 'the size of a small coffee table' as my husband put it. So now I have to print a label and return it and don't have said lens. I have not been organised enough yet to develop the film from last weekend's walk along the canal.

The most bizarre thing this week was when I heard a very posh, 1930s-BBC-style voice saying 'this vehicle is reversing". Not the usual accent.

I had almost forgotten that I had signed up to watch a block printing demonstration this evening which will be interesting I hope.

The bird drawing is going less well - I might have to watch some more videos and move onto how to draw the feathers before I give up again.

I have been reading Darwin's Island by Steve Jones - from Mount To Be Read. I am finding out some new things such as the likely disappearance of some insectivorous plants as nitrogen pollution increases. I have just read a chapter about facial expressions and behaviour - and a comparison with dogs. Apparently greyhounds don't bark which makes me wish the woman across the road had one of these instead of the Alsation she never takes for a walk and that barks almost constantly. Not as much as Sir Barkalot which literally barked constantly when his owners were out (sometimes for 8 hours straight) that lived next door. I assume he has now barked himself to death as he has been replaced by the very excitable but much quieter Lady Mimi.

January - week 2

Work has involved finishing off the Travel Plan (or at least waiting for comments back) as well as trying to refresh the Green Plan which is easier typed than done. But I had a good meeting witht the local council about public transport.

I've moved to 47 birds already which is pretty cool as last year I took until mid February to get to 50.

I am still managing to do some Latin every day. I think it is going well, but I am covering some things that I was already familiar with. But I am sticking with the plan.

I have also been trying to sketch the outlines of birds from some photos. I usually struggle to get the head proportions right, but it is going better - the angle of the beak also makes quite a difference.

The weather has been incredibly cold, but lovely and sunny.

I had a lovely walk down the canal towpath in the frost and mist. I also chanelled my grandad and had some conversations with people about cameras, walks, art materials. I took some photos that I was quite happy with as well for the first time in years. Photo mojo may be returning.

January - week 1

Dominated by being back at work. This week's projects included the Travel Plan which is nearly done. On the positive side the sunrises have been beautiful and I got a breathtaking view of the moon and venus as I left the office on Friday - just about the silhouettes of the trees with the lights of the university buildings down by the river below.

I'm up to 44 birds already on this year's list but it will get harder from here out. Sunny weather for a couple of days has helped me get out and about and always lifts the spirits.

Latin learning is going OK four days in.