Back to the Backpack #dreamdiary 208

I’m passing through some woods with a backpack. A lot of schoolchildren like to camp here with their friends and it’s my job to make sure that they’re OK. I call into a small tent with interconnecting entrance tunnels and a living quarters in the centre. A young girl is in the centre setting up her sleeping quarters. I ask if she’s OK as I crawl through. She just stares at me. I presume there’s another child in the wood gathering fuel and water. I wonder what’s going through her mind, ‘Who is this person and what right does he have to climb through the tent?’ I scramble out and head to the outside of the woods where my bike awaits. I decide to cycle uphill to the next town, which takes me through a set of roadworks. I overtake queuing traffic on the hill, aware, that they’ll have to overtake me at the red light. I reach the lights and I realise that I’m blocking the driver’s view of the lights so I edge forward past them. Then, when they do turn green, I struggle to pull off up the hill. Once I’ve exited the roadworks, I realise that I’ve left my backpack at the edge of the woods where I collected my bike.

Pack up your Troubles #dreamdiary 207

I’m at a works conference. It’s in a giant arena in what used to be one of the company’s premises in a  shopping centre structure. There’s an outline of what we’re supposed to achieve over the next year and the tasks we must complete to achieve that. Rather than having us leave the building, lunch is provided for us which forces us to mingle in the auditorium to collect it. Having been stuck inside all day, I fancy some fresh air and the opportunity to  see some daylight. I head into a corner where I calculate that if I head behind a propped noticeboard, I can squeeze through a gap in the chicken wire and head outside. It’s a huge airfield only instead of planes it’s a car park. There’s hangers for the company to store its wares. It’s as if we’re being forced into packing up  the company’s property to ship elsewhere, leaving us jobless in the process.

Roped Off

I suppose it’s good practice should they decide to take up life at sea as they’ll be good at climbing the rigging. But there’s not much use of that if the town’s in the centre of the island though. The next use is for practice should they want to join the circus. They can practice hanging and swinging like monkeys to build up their stamina, though not at height. And with the gained confidence in height training, they might want to stop at nets and focus on rooftops to see what other areas they can reach. Are we causing them to develop for the wrong reasons? Where does it stop? They might be enjoying themselves now, but they could have an accident if they attempt to apply their newly acquired skills to a different environment, especially if they attempt to reach places that they’re not supposed to get to. Hopefully they’ll get bored and try to interact with something else.

Futurama (Season 13)

Although short, this series had something to satisfy everyone. It was well-written without fear of cancellation again, with most of the stories being independent of each other. New abilities are backed up with well thought-out processes. Sometimes you wish things to be a bit bigger. Inventions and animation processes are well-thought out which contribute to the plot together with hints of past adventures for continuity. Yet some things haven’t changed and have taken trends into account like media streaming overtaking the cinema. At other times they’ve thought of everything incorporated into a character’s design and issues that are totally relevant that still haven’t been solved a thousand years later. But once again, while it tries to make jokes out of maths and science with a hidden agenda of how we can attempt to safeguard our future, there’s a few characters and plots that have been left out of this series.

Knotted Up

There’s a lot of rope involved to hold these playgrounds together. It all encourages kids to become acrobats and stretch their bodies in ways that they normally wouldn’t when on the ground. They’ll hang upside-down and try to touch the ground and they’ll learn about their body’s capabilities and be able to pull themselves back up again. There’s still a bit of wiggle room so that they get a bit taut when weight gets put on them. Nowadays they use metal rather than thread so that they don’t decay and they’re harder to strip apart. Unless of course, you strip the whole cable away. You could make a ladder in your own backyard. I suppose that there’s special locks installed to stop that from happening. Either that or no-one’s that heartless to attempt to saw through it and leave a playground abandoned. They used to in the olden days. Unless that was in parks that were less frequented. 

 

Exceeding Occupation #dreamdiary 206

I’m back at one of my old family holiday haunts. I haven’t been there in a while. I’ve walked on the beach and I’m following an old trail back to the hotel. It’s a bit overgrown. There’s grass everywhere and I have to push through, but the plants and branches are soft and haven’t hardened in the heat. Then I emerge onto concrete and a wave of humanity hits me. There’s people everywhere gathered around sunbeds on the pool, and there’s children dressed in swimsuits sitting on towels on the floor. The pool itself is also busy, and though there’s places to stand there’s nowhere to swim. There’s hardly a space that isn’t occupied, and the only route to the hotel’s reception is one drawn from my memory. It’s clearly the result of an increased population. I look back at the trail that I’ve left and all I see is a wall of hedge. I wonder if anyone knows if it’s still there.

Branching Out

Branches grow in many ways. In public parks and woods, they’re amputated to keep the bushels safe from the people and the people safe as they can’t climb up the tree. They can’t pick up the blossoms or the mushrooms that might grow on its branches. They can’t risk getting a cut or splinter or a branch landing on their head. But even though the council can’t do much about the leaves, it still leaves the tree vulnerable. What they think will protect could actually harm it. Some branches just don’t grow back. The growth is stunted and restricted to the way in which the tree can move or tilt itself towards the sun. That might suit the locals since it won’t restrict anyone’s view or it could be less likely to cause damage should it fall. It might even be angled to fall in a particular direction. And the tree might just fight back or die altogether which would be a waste of everyone’s time.

Change of A Dress #devilsdaughter25

Resting her full weight on it, it snapped like it was tin. It wasn’t quite hard enough. She’d be better off with a piece of wood. It was easier to snap a piece of wood off the pews. That would be much more comfortable, and they were even cushioned. A nice combination of hard and soft. With her corset in pieces, she needed to get Luke back to the hotel and into the honeymoon suite where she might be able to persuade others to join them. There was a large blue curtain behind the organ which separated the church’s office from the rest of the building. Rolling onto her side, she used the momentum to lift herself up and walk over to the curtain, all still while holding Luke. With a slow twirl, she grasped the curtain and wrapped it around her. Luke’s head popped up in between the apex.

Kidding around the Court Leet

It’s a bit of a concrete hideaway. We haven’t booked, but we’re led to a large booth at the back of the pub. It’s tall and green and there’s a screen hovering above us showing cartoons. There’s a playground on the other side of the wall that stretches around to the front, but the kids aren’t interested too much because we’ve just come from one. Instead, they turn their attention to the menu. Once we’ve worked out who wants what, my brother and I head to the bar. I choose a cider since there’s no real ale available. I’m not convinced that she’s taken my menu option right. The bill seems quite cheap considering that there’s six of us. There’s a work colleague of mine in the next booth and she stops by on the way back from the bar to say hello. The kids go for a pudding but there’s nothing there to inspire me.

 

What happened in the Paralympics?

Probably quite a bit I would imagine. I’d expect some running and jumping. Some people would be given medals while others would be disappointed. If a competition was running, I’d expect a rundown of the day’s events. Now that the event isn’t running, I’d expect a bit of prep news as to how the organising of the next event is going. It would be sad if nothing happens at all, especially for the athletes. But I get a press release of how an athlete became a recent champion and his progress in Motocross and how he was inspired. There’s probably hundreds of similar stories. I ask again and I get the same story. It’s a bit outdated since we’ve had an event after that. It’s not clear when this person become a champion. Will I get a different story if I ask it tomorrow? It’s so mundane that I don’t want to find out.

Hair-raising Fun

It ends up in all sorts of places, both good and bad. In some ways you're leaving your mark. It's a way of marking your territory and stating that you've been somewhere. You're probably not going  to be able to notice it unless you’ve left if there deliberately like a forensic scientist or a spy. But if it’s blonde, it’s easier to spot. But it’s also unhygienic, especially if it ends up near someone’s food. Sweat gathers and you can taste the stale moisture. It can also get stuck causing you to gag or swallow it. You’ll need quite a bit of water to wash it down and out quickly. And older people are more likely to leave it behind. But this one is a bundle of fun since it’s soft and there’s lots of it. It probably needs a trim but she hasn’t had an opportunity since all the salons are closed.

Hannah, 22, died after buying poison online -why her death raises serious questions for the NHS

Why was she buying poison online? Did she think it was medicine and that she found it difficult to get the treatment that she wanted? Or was she genuinely shopping for suicidal products? Unfortunately it turns out to be the latter. You can misuse anything to create poison. And having it delivered to a specified address means that it’s harder to trace. If you’re in special accommodation, these sorts of packages should raise questions. What has the recipient ordered and what do they intend to do with it, especially when they’ve ordered a large amount? It’s just common sense. But it’s not clear in the story if Hannah was under NHS care at the time or whether she was back at home. It’s a big gap as it shows who should be liable. The story also fails to address where the poison was sought and identify the specific purpose of the product. There’s no duty of care and action needs to be taken to avoid blame.

A Quest for a Cartridge

I’ve had mixed reviews of these people. I’m just looking for a deal on something that works. I don’t mind if it isn’t the genuine article, but it needs to the same job with the same quality. What I don’t want is someone calling me up to see if I want to substitute my order for their own brand. I know what I’ve ordered so why can’t I stick with that? I also don’t want to have to phone up and complain only to be told to watch a video of how the cartridges should be installed via a different technique. It just seems like a waste of my time when my delivery could have already been despatched. I asked for recommendations but decided that my printing needs were a bit more urgent so decided to go with a quicker method delivery and put these guys on the backburner for next time.

Button it Down!

There’s the type that you feed through holes and the type that you fasten and push in with a click. These can be fiddly to fasten, especially if it’s wet as the metal parts will just slide off each other while you’re trying to press them in. And the child inside might be wiggling too. But the advantage is that you’ve got more natural room to breathe. It’s a shame that you can’t go the effort of making a corresponding wall with the fasteners in the same position so that you could hang the coat up in an optimum position to dry (with the child being enclosed inside it as an option. Perhaps upside-down to force them to hold onto some overhead bars to conquer the fear of falling). But my favourite ones are the ones that are made of chocolate. There’s no need to torture for those, until you find that you don’t have enough.

The Truth about Secrets

Some are lies dreamt up by people to avoid attention. They don’t want you to know the truth so they throw distractions. Some of them are revealed eventually like hiding gifts for Christmas or birthdays. Others are more devastating when you hear the excuses that people come up with when they don’t want to tell you the truth. They’ll try to deflect you from asking the truth with a list of tasks that they want you to complete while they think of a genuine excuse that can be backed by a convincing alibi which prevents you from pursuing the subject any further. We don’t really know what goes behind the doors of Area 51. Is it a host site for aliens or is it really a site for advanced technology? If it’s the former then someone would have surely blabbed by now. But be warned; the truth can hurt. They may be doing you a kindness by not telling it to you.

Zip it up!

They’re handy things. It’s good to pull things together and it’s very easy when they’re working. When they’re not or if there’s a jam,  it just takes too long to adjust and it’s very tempting to just throw the whole thing out. You’ve also got to wonder whether it’s lighter to strap a load of metal to your chest or to add more material. Then you’ve got to hope that people can use it. It’s easier to do it yourself that reverse it on front of another person. But for children it encourages more hugs as you wrap your arms around them to fasten it up. One day they’ll be big enough to do it for themselves or they might be too big for you to do it, but you hope it doesn’t come to that. You hope that the process doesn’t wear you out either. With a bit of luck, you’ll have some help.

Costa Lota

I had to get up early today for an appointment so I decided to get breakfast on the way back and popped into the coffee shop. I had to add to my balance otherwise my points would be deleted and unclaimable. After clarifying what a certain coffee was, I decided to do the bacon and coffee deal. Rather than it being a fresh bacon roll, I was asked to pick up a pre-packaged one out of a fridge for the barista to heat up. Then it was a question of which offer to use. There was one of them that I couldn’t use with the breakfast deal. Then I couldn’t get the drink that I wanted with the breakfast deal. It was all so restrictive and I ended up with a micro portion. Still, it did the job with the large beverage, but it wasn’t as great as I remembered it to be. Perhaps it’ll be another year before I’m back.

I am Jane, hear me roar!

Little monkey doesn’t want to be left out. She understands that sometimes she has to give up her share of the limelight; but she wants to make her presence known. She works hard to make sure that she’s not forgotten. She’s even got a matching jacket so that she feels like she’s a part of her life like being in a team. She’s managed to get herself to a higher position to get herself in the frame. She knows that she might be interrupting her big sister’s golden moment but who can resist that cheeky smile? She’s done something brave to get where she is and she’s enjoyed the journey and what she’s achieved. They both love posing, especially when they’re in an area built just for them and it’s going to be difficult for grown-ups to come and get them. But they know that they till have to follow their rules if they want to be fed, watered and sheltered.

The Secret Garden (2020)

This is a great classic escapist film to fall asleep to on a sunday afternoon complete with a classical music soundtrack. It’s set on a classic english manor estate which must be enormous which is why all other countries think that all British people are elitist millionaires who live this way. I’ve not read the book so I can’t appreciate the childlike wonder of the characters, but I don’t think that the film was aimed at younger viewers anyway. The characters are portrayed as brats. The animation is amazing, and Jemima is very well trained. I particularly enjoyed the Avatar effect where plants came into blossom as the children ran into the garden and withered away as they retreated in times of peril. But it’s a bit unrealistic as to how far Mrs Medlock’s voice carries such a vast distance into the garden. I’d like to think that the film concludes with all the characters camping in the garden while they wait for the manor to be rebuilt; but it doesn’t look like that’s realistic.

That's the tooth

She’s got no neck, but a cheeky grin. Her coat must be caught on a rope and she’s ducked down to free herself. There’s quite a few golden buttons and there’s nothing for them to fasten. I hope the coat’s not lifted up to expose something else. At least she hasn’t got any fear of falling. The head’s getting ready to erupt and shoot out. But when she’s taking her own photos, she can do what she wants. She’s happy and I’m happy so long as she doesn’t drop the phone. She could be on a ship’s rig if it wasn’t for the fact that there were trees behind her. She might even have a twig in her hair. She’s stuck but she’s enjoying the experience of being outside with company. It’s a good job that she’s not trying to be a trapeze artist. Unlike the other one who’s a right little monkey.

Bigger is Better #vampress 24

But who should she pick? Perhaps she would hold try-outs. Perhaps it was time to show herself at night to see what the lay of the land was. Or would it be safer to find someone she could trust. She would have to get to know the people under her power to see who the better ones were. For the first time, she would have to pay attention to them to learn who were the most skilled. She suddenly realised how alone she felt. They all worked together to serve her and she didn’t know any of them. She sighed. Maybe she should introduce herself to them gently. Tease them into what she wanted them to do and gage their reaction. She should start with the bigger ones first to see what their stamina was like since there were plenty of them about. A lot of them worked on the farm and had great big muscles.

Restricted Sight

It’s like looking through a small slit in your eyes, but what’s actually happened is that the camera has been stuffed down the hood inside of someone’s jacket. It’s a view of the floor. You can make out the autumnal leaves. It looks a bit like rubbish, which you wouldn’t want to see at a children’s playground. There’s a lot of pale brown at the bottom which can only be skin. The rest of the image is light into darkness. It’s like you’re stuck inside a refuse sack. Hopefully you’ll catch the phone before it falls out completely. As we climb higher, the images could be something else. The white blob in the centre could be a child’s shoe. To the left of it, it looks like a hand. It could be a glove grasping a banana skin rather than a leaf. Alarmingly, the object on the left could be a knife.

 

First hostages being released as part of Gaza peace deal

Why have this terrorist group been allowed to occupy Gaza in the first place? It baffles everyone why this has been going on for so long. I expect that there’s relief for the families as well as resentment at their governments for taking so long. I wonder if they’ll sell out their story. There’ll be pictures of hugs. It was very frustrating last time they did this as they were paraded on a stage. How long will it be for all of them to be released? All you needed was a bit intelligence and you could have taken them out. Is our technology and intelligence really that low for the area? Or is it a case of other countries not willing to invest resources? There’s even rumours of Trump visiting now that it’s safe. Hopefully he’ll stay there. It’s just a PR stunt for him. For his sake, I hope his detail states that it’s too much of a risk.

Hanging Tough

The rear of the park is dedicated to a large football field and a large play area. This is fenced off by a number of colourful metal gates, and in the centre is a small group of low benches for parents to sit and watch the action. The floor is made of a mixture of woodchip ad safety rubber. There’s also a number of sensory instruments like metal tubes to tap and make notes, and an earpiece that stretches to the other side of the playground. In the middle there’s a giant rope spider that kids will be desperate to get to the top of, but it’s designed so that parents can duck in when they get too high and pluck them off when their fear of heights kick in or that can’t seem to get down. There’s also lots of swings and a climbing island with a slide and a fireman’s pole. Plenty to keep the kids active.

What's the latest football news?

The problem with this is that it’s such a broad question. Am I going to have to tell her the teams that I’m interested in? Is she going to look up the nearest local match and tell me the scores? Or is she going to read out the transfer headlines? I actually get international news in a monotone voice with quotes from a coach that I’ve never heard of. There’s also an in-depth analysis, as if I’m preparing to place a bet, and they seem to be interviewing anyone possible from every angle. It's as if she’s attempting a summary of the headlines on the same topic from different sources. There’s no other matches happening. Will I get something else if I ask again? Six hours later, I give it another go. I get news of a different country, this time it’s analysis of a match in progress but it’s not clear who they’re playing.

Park Life

This is a municipal park set just outside the town centre. It’s gated to discourage night parties; though it’s still accessible on foot around the back. Inside, there’s a zigzag car park which is free but causes everyone to park at an angle. There’s an overflow area at the end, but these could be disabled bays to let people get closer to the playground. There’s an island moat for ducks which people are encouraged to feed by purchasing pellets from the shop. There’s also a bandstand which hosts performances in the summer. There’s also some tennis courts, a putting green, and a children’s paddling pool. Occasionally there’s an inflatable slide that you pay an admission fee to use. Next to this is an outdoor self-propelled gym. I’ve only seen kids use it. I’ve never known anyone to train here. Bridges cross a small stream to the rear of the park.

Bored by Barber

She’s fairly tall with shoulder-length blonde hair with a bit of meat on her arms and has curves and lady lumps in all the right places. She knows how to flaunt them to get what she wants. But she always has such a bored and tired look about her unless she’s flirting or having a joke with someone. Every syllable that she speaks seems to be a slow whine or that she’s going through the motions as briefly as possible to get it all out of the way. Even her smile is fake at times. She hates waiting but when it comes to wasting time she’ll get the task done as slowly as possible until it’s time to down tools and leave. Then she’ll exit as quickly as possible without taking any responsibility for what she’s left behind. Any idle time will be spent standing around flicking her hair until she’s told to do something else.

Jellycats

It’s a stuffed orangutang and its name is Pip. It’s small with orange fur and has felt feet in the shape of hearts and horns like zebra stripes. You can’t store anything inside it, and its limbs aren’t articulate for posing. So why is it so fucking expensive? Is it stuffed with real cat fur? Is it the materials used (it is apparently). Or is it because of a certain video trend that makes everyone wants one?. Even beanie babies aren’t that dear. It’s not like it’s a full-sized bear. Perhaps it’s going to absorb liquid and grow. Still, the recipient was happy to have it and it’s one of her favourite gifts that she tells people when they ask her what she got for her birthday. Still, if she does start making her own videos, I can ask for a mention in the credits. I might even receive some revenue.

Which way now?

If you’re on foot, the sign might be helpful, but it’s actually there for the boats as it doesn’t expect walkers to cover that distance. Maybe it is for the birds, but for everyone else, there’s a great gate that blocks the way. It doesn’t like it’s the right direction to go for King’s Norton. Going straight ahead looks the obvious way, but there’s boats in the background and also a waterfall. You could ask them to move but they might not be there, or they’re also waiting for the lock to open. That might be a lock but it only leads to the upper marina. At first glance it looks like iron because of the shade supplied by the bridge, but as you get closer you realise that it’s wood. All you need to do now is to work out how to open it. Maybe the duck that’s just come from Stratford has all the answers.

Doorbell footage shows blaze erupt at mosque after suspected arson attack

So it’s not just the synagogues that are being attacked; it’s the mosques as well. And it also gets someone some money as they’ve probably sold the footage to the media, unless they’ve posted it online already. It also looks like they tried to destroy the getaway vehicle, although having a printed sign on it isn’t going to help. It looks like it’s advertising a taxi firm. I hope that the police are further ahead than the press with their enquiries. It might be down to a local disagreement rather than a hate crime as described. I also noticed that some of the flags have disappeared off their lampposts recently. I’m not sure if this is a token of respect in regard to recent events, or whether it’s the storm that has blown them away. Hopefully those responsible can be easily identified and paraded around in shame to prevent copycat instances.

Oh Buoy

Now the dog’s at the bow. You’d think he’d be trained to bark left or right to help steer the boat away from danger. I hope he’s on a lead or he’s well trained and he’s not preparing to jump out and swim to chase ducks. Oddly, the steering’s done at the rear of the boat. I suppose a wheel could be installed at the front but then a pole would have to be run underneath the whole boat to control direction. It’s a weird because a car is controlled from the front as well as some watercraft, so why isn’t this one? Surely you’d get a better view, and you would also be able to steer the way that you want to go rather than in reverse the whole time. The lady passenger sill thinks that the scenery behind them is better. Either that or she doesn’t want to be on camera.

The Truth About Power

Everyone wants to exercise it. They become corrupt by its authority. Will you do what you’re supposed to do or will you only work with those who give the most favourable or easiest outcomes and delegate the harder tasks to others? When you use it to help others, it’s a great feeling. But sometimes you have to exercise it to hinder them because that’s your role. You might get enjoyment out of hindering others which is quite sad. The good ones are those who are left feeling guilty afterwards because they know that they’ve hindered someone, even though they know that the other party is in the wrong. The bad ones are the ones that just don’t care. They use their position to bully and cheat the system  to get what they want, even if it means telling lies. It becomes addictive and they attempt to see how far they can exploit it.

On the Scent

The dog’s spotted something in the wall. Either that or he’s deliberately avoiding us. Maybe the scent of us is too much. Or maybe something inside the wall is more important. Perhaps he’s smelled our chickens. He might have spotted movement through the hole he’s starring at. Or he could be sniffing the remains of one of our fish dinners or a bird roasting on a spit. He’s confused because he can smell it but he can’t see it. He can sense the movement but he can’t understand how it got there. How long will it be before he starts barking? He seems well behaved at the moment. He’s just trying to figure it out. Will the scent overpower him to make an attempt to jump through the wall? If the coxswain doesn’t keep an eye on him, he won’t know that his dog’s gone. He’ll probably think it’s gone overboard. And if they do, our whole hideout is exposed.

 

A new career path #titanabell 24

The door moved. A small amount of light emerged in its place. There was a similar one to the left which also rested on the floor. Then, as the rest of the silhouette moved in the room, the maid realised what she’d done.

‘Your majesty, a thousand apologies. I had no idea what was going on’

‘-don’t stop. Please’ said the princess. ‘That was amazing. Come in.’

‘I’m not sure I should ma’am. I have duties to perform.’

  ‘Oh, never mind your duties. You work for me now. I’ll pay you beautifully. Come in.’ And with that, the princess wrapped a large hand around her waist and rested a large finger on her shoulder. She lay down on her back on what was left of the mattress and the room shook with a thud. More dust emerged from the rafters. She lifted the maid up towards the ceiling over her two mounds.

A Crowd Gathers

Now the missus has come up on deck to see what’s going on. From the back of her head, she looks quite young. Certainly fit and agile enough to be able to hop off the boat onto the banks to start winching open the locks. She might be young enough to be the daughter of the coxswain. She doesn’t look like she’s dressed for the cold weather though. Perhaps it’s the smoke that ha driven her out of the cabin. I wonder if anyone else will follow her. There won’t be room for anyone else unless someone mounts the roof. Maybe the coxswain will give a loud tap on the roof and the curtains will part to allow another set of eyes to view. Anything for a bit of entertainment. They might even have something to lob at us like rotten eggs or dirty sponges, though they haven’t exactly got the perfect getaway vehicle.

Ocean Waves

Will I hear seagulls? Will I be able to select the sound of waves crashing against cliffs? The ocean is usually quite quiet until it gets involved with land. I wonder if an annoying voice is going to come on at some point and tell me that I need to pay to continue. It sounds like quite a calm beach. I think it’s probably the same sound played repeatedly at different volumes and lengths. It’s not hard at all to look out at this at land, but then again a storm is passing through as I listen. I’m interpreting the water hitting the shore as the land. But there’s no seagulls. If you listen for a while, you can just make out a mechanical vibe at the end of each wave. It’s as if a helicopter is passing over in the distance. At other times, it’s like something is trickling out of a beaker.

When I'm 64

…I hope I don’t end up under the bridge. It’s cold and it doesn’t offer much shelter apart from when it rains. Some of it could do with retiling. Perhaps that’s our job. Or maybe the tiled part that’s under the right-hand side opens to reveal a door that stretches into the ground and lets us live in the walls. We’re just locked out at the moment. It’s quite narrow underneath and there’s not much room to let others pass through. It’ll also let in a lot of wind. So we’ve just popped out for a bit of sunshine. We also might be defending our territory. Right below our feet are the beginnings of a hole. Perhaps this is where our bathroom is that you’ve just stepped into. Even the dog on the narrowboat has had to turn his head away in shame. Perhaps the coxswain has come to deliver us some supplies or throw us a few rolls.

Mitchell and Web Are Not Helping

This was just drivel. This comedic duo have certainly aged, and not for the better. They’re joined by an actor who’s got recognition from starring in another sitcom, and an annoying American who certainly doesn’t help the ensemble. There were some great environments which could have created some great characters, but following these was an insight into their writer's room where the jokes had to be explained and who they wanted to mock while constantly arguing if they were too unpolitical. I just could not see the point of the Australian farm sketch. It was as if someone challenged them to see how many times they could swear in a segment. Some situations were just too realistic for anyone to see the funny side of it like the airport screening team or the company trying to withdraw its sales because they don’t want their products to be associated with a certain type of person. In the words of a previous sketch, it’s miss, miss, miss, miss, miss.

Bridge over the Grand Union

This is a bit of a crap bridge shot pose. These people are lost without me. I’m usually posed as if I’m firing off a weapon for my bridge shot but these people just don’t have a clue. They’re usually amazed when I plan a circular route when we arrive back where we’ve started. It’s very rare that they recognise an area that we’ve passed through before either on a figure-of-eight route or through somewhere that we’ve passed through previously. They male have worked out which canal that they’re on but they have no idea how it links up to the rest of the walk. They’ll blindly follow me anywhere and trust that I know where I’m going without doing any research themselves. Either that or they’ve convinced themselves that they’re the Village People and they’re on their way to get themselves clean and have a good meal, but they are in some manner.

"Don't wait. The time will never be just right."

-Napolean Hill.

There’s the perfect moment, the most opportune moment to take advantage of something , and there’s the moment that you’ve missed and you know that you’re not going to get a better one. If you wait, you’re just being too polite. You need to make your presence known, even if you have to interrupt someone. You have to make them see that spending time with you is more beneficial. It’s hard to know when that perfect moment is, so sometimes you just have to go for it and hope for the best. The other person might think that you’re a bit rude for intruding though. You might not get what you want after all. How are you going to know? What works for one person may not work for another, not matter how far away they are. You will never have our unique moment when all the attention is on you.

Getting a Good Deal

One thing that we always want to be sure of is if we’re getting the best deal. But it’s better if we seek it out rather than be put on the spot via the phone. It’s often that you’re unsure if the person that’s calling you is genuine anyway. You don’t want to  hand over your details to a scammer. I’m told that Carl is calling. He doesn’t sound like he’s a Carl. Maybe he’s renamed himself to make things easier. If you call him back, no-one’s going to know who you’ve dealt with. And your money’s gone with no trace. At least a real caller would already have all your details on file. They’d probably have to confirm all your details first to make sure that they’re dealing with the right person. But then a scammer could ask for those details then run off with them and open a line of credit in your name. Sigh…

Enter the Shadows

They’re creeping in. It must be the time of the year when the sun isn’t as high as it usually is, and shadows tend to  be longer. Tall objects like houses and trees have more power to create the dark. It could also come from the railings on the bridge, or someone standing on the bridge itself. There might even be a high vehicle passing by. Then there’s something creeping up the wall in the corner. Could that be the shadow of the fingers? Could it be an animal on the other side of the road who’s stuck its head over the fence to check out the townies arriving at the pub? Or could it be a mouse-like creature that’s been trapped within the walls of the pub and it gets stronger as the light begins to fade? Is that a connection to an outdoor outlet or is its tail beginning to form on the next wall?

Do people actually get on the wrong flight when travelling?

I don’t think it can be done. The amount of checks that are carried out nowadays together with electronic boarding passes means that people should be denied entry to the flight at the gate. I suppose that if the electronic check should fail there might be a possibility of the wrong person being let through, but that would be quite rare. There’s probably exceptions for people with missed connections and they have to take a transfer on a different flight, but they’d probably follow the same boarding process. There’s also the possibility of human error where the scanner is too sensitive and what should have been flagged as an error doesn’t record a boarding. I did make a dash for a gate once as I heard it was the final boarding call, only to realise upon reaching the queue that it was the same destination but a different flight. But that was the closest I’ve been to boarding the wrong plane.

Perhaps not all People

We all know what that symbol’s for. It’s why we tolerate people but don’t necessarily welcome them. If that’s what they want to do then so be it. Maybe the dog will join in. Is this the behaviour we expect from the locals as we visit? Perhaps the pub itself is preparing to take vengeance on them. There’s a mound of green climbing down the side of it as we speak. If we can keep them distracted for long enough, it’ll slide over and engulf them completely. Will they end up in the chimney? Perhaps there’s a chute that leads directly to the ovens. Or maybe they’re engulfed in green and put in the corner for all time, or at least until it decides that they’re going to behave again. Or it could have taken over the whole of the inside of the pub already and these people are celebrating their escape.

Upside Down Blinds #dreamdiary 205

We’re having the lounge redecorated. As part of the agreement, the decorators asked if we’d like to feature in a sketch on TV. The gist was that we’d have some blinds installed but they would be upside-down and placed over a wall instead of a window. They’d then have a film crew in and some actors as cowboy builders who we’d complain to, and we’d receive some cash to put towards the bill. It wasn’t mentioned in the contract so that the mistake would be put right afterwards. The blinds were installed in the director’s place alongside a rack where curtains could be attached to if the director changed his mind. The filming took place and the set crew took the rack with them, leaving a mess of erased floral wallpaper alongside a brightly coloured painted wall. We got paid and we contacted the decorators to begin the restoration work, but they wouldn’t commence it.

People Tolerated

I suppose that there are some people that we have to put with. Family members because we love them and they look after us no matter what we do. Customers are important too otherwise we wouldn’t be able to keep things going. But we have to identify what we really want the most. In this case, it’s our four-legged friends. They have to bring their owners, otherwise the operators wouldn’t be able to continue to run their business the way that they want to. Children could scare the dogs since they’re going to be running around more, so that’s why they have to be kept on leads. It makes sense to the dogs, who are then free to sniff each others’ butts and steal and beg food off the tables as they please. This policy is so strict that a person has to carry a sign around outside to let people know as they enter.

Burton's Brewing Heritage

So much of this has been thrown away in order to save costs and make money. The museum has been packed away out of public sight because they can make more money selling off the historic buildings. The traditional way of doing things is too expensive and a lot of the equipment has been dismantled, though fortunately some of it has been sold for brewing. It seems that if we want to save it, we have to pay for it. We can’t put it on display and let people wander around it for free. Things need to be fixed to stop people from wandering off with them, and the fixings themselves need to be safe. If they’re placed in a building, it must be maintained with adequate lighting so that no-one trips and has an accident or sues the people that built it. It’s a shame that we have to throw away our past to continue our future.

Hide & Seek

Given the size of the road here, the last thing you’d expect to come across is a pub. The brickwork blends well with the autumnal background of the leaves. It would take a large truck at speed to take out a sizeable corner of the pub, but being in the countryside, there’s not much cause for large trucks to come down this road anyway. There’s some great signs of tradition. There’s plant pots made from barrels which I guess was the site’s main trade to send down the canal. There’s a wagon wheel leaning against the conservatory. And there’s lots of chimneys which suggests that there’s real fires in every corner. There’s also signs of modern amenities like an alarm system and lighting in the form of a mock-Victorian lamppost. There’s not much that’s hidden. It might all be on the other side of building, but it’s certainly not on show.

Almost had it my way

I decided to give the old BK a go. Everyone else seems to be calling in after work for fast food, and I wasn’t feeling super hungry. I haven’t been in a while. It used to be a regular treat at a motorway service station at one time since we didn’t have one at home, but now we do. So I had a look at the menu and compared it to what else is out there. The BBQ Kansas burger seemed to be the one to try with onion rings and bacon, which included a box of chicken fries as well. Ordering on the app was easy, and there was no queue when I arrived. It wasn’t great to see staff in the kitchen wandering around eating burgers, but the staff were friendly. The burger was chicken instead of beef, but that was what I’d selected. It could have done with more sauce. The fries were slightly cold, and the chicken fries were a bit on the thin side, but substantially it was enough.

Canalside Hillbillies

You can just picture a group of men in straw hats and blue overalls come out from behind the back sporting banjos and jugs marked XXX. You could even expect a bunch of animatronic bears spring out as you pass in your narrowboat. Everything just looks so miniature. But as cute as it seems, this is someone’s digs. Perhaps an arm of the railway used to pass here, and it was decided to flood the embankment to create the canal. The boxes left in the doorway looks like antique luggage. They could be there for show, or they could have useful items inside since only boaters would be able to gain access to them, unless someone was brave enough to take the plunge and swim across the canal. Next to this, I think it’s a trick of the light that’s shining on the firewood. I don’t think they’d keep a real fire unattended, although you never know with these people.

The Truth about Betrayal

Someone is doing the opposite of what you want them to do. You feel disappointed in them. Are they doing it on purpose? In most cases; the harm is unintended, but if they’re doing it purposefully to upset you, that’s when you’ve been betrayed. Perhaps they don’t have time and they feel that other tasks are more important. Sometimes there are rules to follow. Sometimes it’s a case of who is right and who is wrong. Sometimes they just don’t like you and they do it because they know that it’s going to upset you. You’re going to want to get back at them. But what would be an equal reaction? Wars could be started because of this, and this conflict often entertains others. How will the situation be resolved? Will they get loud or violent other the pettiest of actions? Will they shun it in the hope that karma will take over is some form, hopefully within view? Will justice be served?

Bricks and Bridges

I love the way of how something old has managed to retain a purpose without having to be replaced. You’d think that over time, the cement might have loosened or a few bricks might have given way to the weight of the embankment of which it holds up. Of course, even the soil behind it might have settled down nowadays. And we don’t know if the Canal Trust keep an eye on it and touch it up with repairs. There are a few loose bits at the bottom, and there’s a bit of moss growing as well which could stop boats from going through if left untendered. Perhaps the cockerel is going to whip out a leveller and fly down to give it a good coating. The gate itself has a 2003 plaque, which doesn’t look great considering how long ago the wood was installed. But then I suppose wood deteriorates quicker than water.

Madeleine McCann and the Hit-and-Run Theory

So they think she’s no longer out there; other she would have come forward by now. She’s certainly old enough to be an adult. Just think of all the royalties she’d earn by telling her true story. But she’s been groomed. There’s many theories floating about. This is the first time that I’ve heard about a hit-and-run, and it also accounts for the two other children (but we never hear their story; perhaps they were asleep). Are the local police getting that desperate? Of course she’s never going to admit her guilt if she’s got away with it for this long. There’s not much evidence to prove this theory, and you have to wonder who they’re going to go after next. But there’s still a suspect who’s yet to be proven guilty, and though he’s not at large now, he soon will be. It doesn’t sound like a promising rehabilitation.

 

Homeward Bound

Leaving the pub, we headed back to the canal bridge and turned right to join the towpath. We then headed north where a railway embankment ran alongside the canal. It wasn’t far to reach the junction back to the Stratford canal. Staying on the towpath, we turned left and walked past the bridge where some boats were moored up on this straight section of the canal. After passing under the railway bridge, we crossed over the canal using the small footbridge and turned right onto the island. After walking alongside the marina, we crossed another bridge and turned right to reach our starting point. This was a nice easy walk, but it’s a shame that the section between the canal and the pub was mostly uphill road. In total, it’s about a four-and-a-half-mile walk, but there’s only a mile between the pub and the return journey back to the car, and that section is mostly flat.

Post-Match Nibbles #nuclearmermaid 24

Jenny felt a bit wounded after all this activity. She needed substance, both food and water. She didn’t fancy turning on the metal tubes in the room, as she had no idea of what would come out and whether it was safe for her. The man lying on the floor didn’t have much meat around him apart from a small lump midway, but perhaps there would be something tasty inside. There must be some kind of juice held within. She considered using her teeth like animals but that would make her a vampire. Then she remembered how sharp one of her fins were. She’d managed to graze one of the white-coated technicians before he’d fled, and an amount of red oozed from his arm. Perhaps she could do the same to this creature. She scrambled her body over the metal surface so that her tail was facing over him. It was the  same size as the body.

Give me some words of Wisdom

Am I going to get a quote, or some genuine advice? Will I be asked for some context first? It could have been stopped for legal reasons. I could receive a message that she refuses or doesn’t do this any more, or that she doesn’t understand. Will it be different every time? Will it contradict itself? Will there be a harp playing in the background? Will I be able to understand it at all? Of course not. It’s just text written out as usual and I need a translator to understand them. She might as well tell me that she’s too tired to do this right now. As usual, I can’t remember how to find the response hidden in the app. When I do, it’s a quote about choice. It’s light-hearted, but some people may choose to take them a bit too literal. I wonder how many of them there are and whether you have to do any specific actions to unlock them all?

Pub Approach

After reaching the top of the hill, the road peaked as it crossed over the Grand Union Canal and the pub was on the other side. From the outside, it looks to be a purpose-built, red-bricked pub, with an excellent beer garden to aid the rest of weary canal travellers. There’s even private outside booths for those who like a bit of both worlds. Inside, there’s a choice of two real ales alongside a menu of home-cooked food. An open conservatory looks out onto the beer garden, while wooden beams are above the bar. Log-lined walls offer a cosy atmosphere while comfy cushions are scattered across windowside banquettes for road-watchers. Just behind is a more formal dining room with a chimney and fireplace. The resident dog has his own spot next to the tills. While being in the middle of nowhere, it’s a centrepoint where roads and walks converge, and there’s even places nearby for trainspotters. 

"Do not cry because it is over smile because it happened."

-Dr. Seuss.

I’m guessing the AI is finally losing it over these quotes. There’s punctuation missing. Then again, it could be trying to make sense of the source; after all the man did talk in riddles. It’s probably not the best advice to hand out when discussing funerals. Maybe you can do it when it’s all over. It will help to reflect on your best memories and the time that you’ve spent with people today. People will also want to see that you are able to move on. But grinning like a maniac as soon as it over isn’t going to help. The important thing is to be yourself. You might put on a red hat and whiskers and drive away, but you could make others feel worse by making them feel that they don’t matter, or they may have concerns that your actions are inappropriate and take action to assist you.

A lap around Lapworth

We’re here to explore two different sections of canal. There were some stunning views as we took in trains and canals. We started our journey at a car park adjacent to the canal. Amazingly, this car park sheltered in the wood was free. We walked forward towards the canal and turned right to follow the towpath south. We passed the lockkeeper’s cottage and an interesting sign marking the junction in the marina. We continued south and the towpath took us underneath the motorway. It was a good mile and a half before we reached the next bridge at lock thirty. Here, we walked underneath the bridge then turned round and climbed the towpath back to the road. Turning left, we followed the road east where we started to climb a hill, passing cottages along the way. Passing a farm shop on our left, we continued to climb until we started to dip, passing a stables on our right.

Attic Beers #dreamdiary 204

I’ve finally sealed something away in my life. I’ve managed to convince a load of old duffers to meet in the attic to talk about beer. They’ve actually climbed up the ladder and through the hatch in my house to sit down and drink it. Luckily there’s a few cans hanging about, and I’ve offered to go downstairs and fetch more. Instead, I’ve actually removed the ladder and put the hatch back in its place. I wonder how long it will take them to figure out that I’m not coming back. But one of them always finds a way to track me down. When I return to work the following day, there’s a new desk next to mine with crates of bottles of beer shrink-wrapped and stacked against it. There’s even a hogshead of beer waiting to be unwrapped. Then one of them arrives, eager to investigate what this new offering is all about and whether I’ve got anything to do with it.

How long is too long?

Have I overstayed my welcome? Hours are getting stretched because there’s not enough people to cover the shifts. Sometimes we struggle to cover lunch breaks. We spend a lot of time running around like headless chickens and queues can build up quickly if someone has a complicated problem. We aim to give quick service to everyone, but we have to think about everyone’s experience so we might have to leave customers to conduct their own enquiries. I often think that me leaving would free up more people. I’m effectively doing the work of at least two people. But I’ll be out of a job and they’ll lose a lot of experience. Perhaps I’m selling myself too cheaply. I’d like to break away but I need to prioritise the time to do it, especially when the processes are becoming more and more ridiculous. I need to find my passion and inspiration to create some time to make it happen. 

A Right Royal Loss

It’s a shame when a local business goes under, but sometimes you wonder if things have been done properly and they’re trying to hide something. One woman loved the product but didn’t know how to make it, and her partner didn’t like the product but saw it as an investment opportunity. So many other places were left empty in their wake, and you wonder if it was purposefully done. It’s a mystery as to why they left their first site in the process, but perhaps it was fear of being caught out in the current circumstances. We’re not sure where the product was being produced after that, but they did take over a couple of premises to sell it. Then the whole business went under a whole name change with one last new premises; with all the other locations being sold. The whole business is now wrapped up, with one final location sold to an independent owner. 

The Room

I don’t use this very often as a form of communication now. We spend so much time deciding if we were going to do it or not. When we did, the novelty of it wore off and we got bored of one another. We’d be telling each other something without really paying attention, and we’d be clicking on something else on another screen. We’d spend half our time figuring out hidden features and realising that we had to download the latest updates to get them. The avatars were excellent fun to play around with, and you could upload your own backgrounds too. It seems to be owned by an independent company. I wonder if anyone actually ended up making any money from it. All you had to do when the time was up was to start a new session, which would be a cinch if there were just two of you.

 

Absolutely Anything

This film is quite childish despite the star-studded line-up. It’s typically set in London, which seems to be the only place available if you want your film to reach international markets. It’s as if the rest of the world can’t recognise anywhere else. It’s a shame that the actions that he chooses are always reversable, and that many of the wishes are just too literal. It might have worked out better if there was a cosmic battle in the finale. Otherwise you might have just stuck a genie in place which would have been cheaper. Some of the global effects are interesting, like making the police wear pink. It’s a shame that they didn’t paint the cars as well. I don’t know why the protagonist decided to upon the suicide option when he could have lived his life quite comfortably travelling the world as he pleases and maybe helping others in the process. There’s a few chuckles but it’s not something that you’d deliberately seek out.

Wye Valley HPA at the Eagle & Sun, Hanbury

It’s hard to get a good view of this pub. The outside view from the road makes it a little run down, and its small car park doesn’t do it any favours either. However, drive to the other side of the building and you’re instantly presented with a long car park with picnic tables outlining the canal, with steps down to the towpath and mooring points. You enter through a conservatory into a stunning dining room with a large window opposite the canal. You’re then back into the old bricked building which hosts the bar and toilets, with a carvery counter opposite and a kitchen at the rear. There’s tables for drinkers but you’re better off going outside or anywhere else really. You can sit by the road if you’re really desperate. Perhaps it’s handy if you’re looking out for a lift. The lunchtime menu is reasonable, but it’s changed hands a few times in recent years.

Why do some passengers get called to the desk before boarding their flight?

This happened to our party twice in our lifetime. The first time was when we were very young. It was regarding a pushchair that we’d checked into the oversized baggage. Apparently we’d left an item in the pushchair, but fortunately it could be placed into our hand luggage. The second time was when we’d already cleared passport control but the check-in hadn’t been processed properly so the clerk needed to see the passport again to complete the process. Sometimes the flight team need a little more information. Perhaps you need assistance to board the flight and the team need to make arrangements for a prompt departure. Sometimes you might be asked if you’re comfortable switching seats to accompany another couple’s request. Or perhaps you’ve bought too much duty-free and your boarding pass has been flagged. Someone might have a query about their destination. Or someone might be trying to reach you. There’s hundreds of variables here.

An Autumnal View

The sun is out, but the ducks are insisting on staying in the shade. Perhaps it’s too warm for them, or they don’t like the red and yellow colours. Maybe there’s a fear that they will change colour, as they’re used to seeing green foliage, but perhaps without the little lights dancing off the reflection beneath them. Or maybe they’re vampire ducks. But the season is coming. The evidence is on the floor all around them. Maybe it’s time to migrate. But which way to go? Heading north will avoid the sun, but it will be colder and they’ll be more autumnal colours. It might even be a bit sparse. Heading south, they’ll be more green, but it won’t be long until the environment turns to the same conditions that they’re in now. Just down the end, it’s even brighter. Perhaps night travel is the best solution in sparse areas.

Fidget Spinner Creator isn't making money off the toy craze

There’s a problem in the copyright world. Sometimes it’s easier and cheaper to buy the cheap Chinese knockoffs rather than the genuine article. And if you haven’t put your name on the original, there’s nothing you can do to get the law to enforce your creativity. If you’re serious about your business, you need to plan ahead and prepare for your expenses and costs accordingly, or seek help so that you’re prepared. No-one’s going to be forced to  pay you compensation  for lost royalties, but everyone wants to cash in on your success. And the public won’t care because they’ve got a good deal, so long as the product they hold doesn’t crumble though their fingers in a few days. But if it does, they’re going to complain which is going to ruin your reputation of future sales. You’re either selling your product too cheap or to the wrong people.

Fielding a View

It’s good to see crops sprouting up at this time of year. You’d think that everything would be dying off, but there’s still some sun about and we might even get a second harvest if the field is tended right. It’s like the clouds have been rolled or peeled back to reveal the blue sky. The one on the right looks like a man being eaten by a shark. Meanwhile, down below, the growth seems to increase the further back you go. You can see that the field is respected by the walkers since they’re a bank between the field and the well-used footpath. There’s no way anyone’s going to want to cross that field. It’s a miniature jungle of vines. There might even be some traps hidden underneath the ridges. I wonder if the farmer has a lookout set up in his attic watching people cross? He might even have a gun…

My Biggest Fan

I bought this in the sales last year. I was pretty sure that I was getting a bargain. It was quite a reduction and had a fair bit of power. It even came with a remote control. The only problem was that there was a concern that it would use too much electricity. So it sat in the garage for a fair while until I had an opportunity to plug it in and test it. It ran quite fast, and it didn’t generate too much noise. There was even a timer. What I’ve yet to figure out is the humidifier function. I guess that if you fill it with water, if will blow a cool mist into the room. But water and electricity don’t mix, and the last thing I need is making the whole room wet or electronics being sprayed. One day I’ll have to sit down and read he instructions properly.

I'm deprived of my UK citizenship but I'm not a convicted terrorist

So what citizenship are you? There must be a reason for your deprivation. If you’re going against government advice travelling to places that you’re not supposed to be visiting, they can’t stop you from doing it but by stopping you from coming back makes it easier to stop you from doing it again. But if you’re sending government officials to the same place, then it’s certainly not a universal rule. But why do people want it in the first place if they’re going against our values? It’s probably for protection and to claim benefits. You’ve got to run the risk and be sure of what you’re doing; and that there’s a back-up plan if something goes wrong. Perhaps another country will take you in. the truth is that the government has no idea of what you’ve been up to when it comes to terrorist activity and it’s safer and easier to say no. 

Bird is the Word

A new craze has hit town. In an effort to make transport more accessible, the town has been given a special licence to allow a rent-a-scooter firm to operate on the roads. Overnight, these scooters were scattered around, allowing people to unlock them with their phone to get a ride that cost somewhere between a bus fare and a taxi ride. They were also geo-locked so that the motor would cut out to stop you from riding out of town, or going in restricted areas like dual carriageways and pedestrianised areas. The app required you to have a provisional licence to unlock the scooter, though you could always get someone else to register it for you. The law also required you to wear a helmet; though the only way that you could prove that was to snap a photo of yourself wearing one after the ride to get credit afterwards.

The Truth about Changes

No-one likes change. You get used to things the way they are. Sometimes, they’re forced upon you. You might have to do things a different way which takes longer to learn and process. There’s supposed to be a benefit to someone for doing it this way. It’s probably to reduce costs in the long run. But in other instances, some people feel the need to improve things to make them faster and easier; if only to compete with whatever everyone else is doing. Then there’s the middlemen who make change for the sake of progress but they’re restricted to what they can do; so what they think is an improvement ends up making it a longer task for everyone else. It’s a double-edged sword which usually ends up as a compromise for the sake of cost. Improvements need to be tested on a smaller scale to make sure that they’re suitable for everyone. But there’s always someone trying to find the most efficient solution.

System of a downer

What kind of a company allows a system to prioritise its back-of-house processes over customer service? Surely you’d want your employees to care for the customers that are currently on  the premises rather than those who haven’t arrived yet? This system is not interested at all. It would rather interrupt an order halfway though to ensure that a back-of-house process takes priority. So you’ve got to constantly keep an eye on the control computer to ensure that you’re taking the right course of action, otherwise the customer could be witing a lot longer than anticipated. If you’re the only one working behind the scenes, you have to make sure that you support your front-of-house team when they need it, otherwise your customer could be waiting for ages necessarily. Sometimes the front-of-house team can help you out, but only if they know what’s going out since there’s no control computer out front.

Pizza on the Go #dreamdiary 203

I’m studying in the city at one of the most prestigious universities. Rent isn’t cheap round here so I’m confined to whatever I can seek out to live. Most of my things are in storage so that I can find somewhere with the least amount of room. In this case, I’m on a bunk bed in a flat above a corner shop. It also means I spend most of my life on the go and I have to be as mobile as possible, resorting to meals out at cafeterias and staying at libraries until closing time or the last train departs. I’ve managed to treat myself to a live recording of a comedy panel on campus. I’ve decided to treat myself to a pizza on the way back. But where can I eat it? I can’t take it on the train. I’ll need to either get it delivered which is hard to get someone to do so, or find one close to a place of shelter. It’s not an easy task.

Boot Camp

Laces are hard to come by. When they snap, you have to tramp around and you feel like you’re walking around in clown shoes and they feel like they’re going to fall off at any moment. They also seem to be hard to find in any shop other than a shoe shop. If the anklet snaps off, you can usually survive providing that you don’t have to thread your shoes regularly. It’s not every day that you see someone sitting down outside threading up their shoes. Nevertheless, they’ll need to be done eventually; though some people will just look at their shoes and end up going to buy new ones. I eventually ordered new laces off Amazon which took a day or two to arrive; during which time I’d have to wear different shoes or stomp around. When they did arrive, they were ridiculously long to the point that I was constantly tripping over them.

Escape Options #empress 24

Zhong could now see that the empress was only interested in her own desires. In any case, it would be a major risk to continue on what was left on his farm. Already the temple was in pieces and she was terrorising the neighbourhood. And she also owned the army so there was little chance of rebellion by normal folk unless the military could be persuaded to break their oath. He might be better off back in the city or leaving the country altogether. Perhaps the ocean was out of her reach. The only alternative that he could think of was to find the source of the Empress’s growth. Was there an elixir back in the city? Had someone created a pill? And was she likely to leave it behind? If the palace was deserted, it would be quite easy to get in. H=Failing that, he could charter a boat somewhere if he could find a crew.

A Pint of Pride at the Four Alls, Welford

This pub has a relaxing view of the river, and it’s made skilful use of this view with a huge patio on the one side facing it with roped off areas of tables and umbrellas. At the end, there’s even a little play area so that people can lose themselves to spend as much time as possible here. There’s a designer gazebo with lighting to cater for any kind of weather. There’s even a harbour to hitch up a boat, and there’s a bricked extension with a riverside indoor dining area. On the opposite side of the building, there’s a huge car park which is clearly marked, and there’s a field opposite which can be used for overflow parking or to host camping or events. Inside, the bar and the kitchen are back-to-back which serves the whole building, and it has a modern yet rustic décor with staff wearing traditional formal dress.