Stopped by the weather...

So with all the flash flood weather we’ve been having, I’m suddenly realising how much our lives depend on the weather. Sure, with more and more people living inside their pods nowadays, you’d think that we’re not that dependant on the weather anymore; but you’d be wrong. It effects how we dress. It effects how we act. And it affects our future plans. And being British, people love to talk about it, as it’s one of the few things that we just cannot control. We talk about the bad weather that we’ve seen; the forecasts we’ve heard and what we were hoping to do today. That we were hoping for some really nice sunshine so you’ve put on this lovely dress and people look at you as if you’re mad as it’s actually blowing a gale. That wearing hoodies in the brightest daylight isn’t going to make you any friends because you sweat like hell. And that walk you’ve planned on doing will just have to wait another day because you’re trapped from going outside.

Quackers

What do ducks get up to all day? Sure, there’s the obvious stuff that they need to take care to survive during the day, like feeding and grooming themselves; but other than that it must be a pleasant life to just float down the river all day exploring the estuary. They’re natural hunters; and never need to stock up on food by hiding it in nests. Maybe they secretly carry messages up and down stream; or quack them out for fellow ducks to hear. It could be a secret message for a new world order or simply what’s top of the charts in the duck world. But there’s never such a thing as a rushed duck unless there’s bread involved. They’re not particularly hunted apart from the Chinese and pillow stuffers, and I suppose they can prepare themselves fairly well. So I suppose it must be quite content to be a duck. Either that or I’m quackers.

The end of high street browsing

So yesterday I ran into a bit of a dilemma. Father’s Day is approaching (congratulations, you’ve got more responsibilities day); and I arranged a present long ago; it was Lincoln on DVD. Only trouble was that the old man had already seen the film; it was shown on the plane when he went on holiday. So I cancelled the order but was totally at a loss as to what to get him. And then yesterday in W H Smith I was browsing for ideas and it hit me; another film that he hasn’t seen and he’s guaranteed to enjoy. But where can I get a copy? There’s no time for an internet order; and the economy has closed down all the other shops. Luckily I managed to find the film in the supermarket, but it just goes to show that you really do have to sit down and plan these things. Browsing is a thing of the past.

The Waffler

Sometimes all you want to do is sit down and relax. But then you meet the Waffler. As soon as you see him, you just know he’s just going to talk your bollocks off. You know that half the time he’s just being polite because he’s on his own and he’s trying to entertain you. But the stream of talking just won’t stop. There’s an endless stream of where he’s been; what he’s got  at home and that you should arrange a time where he can show you the proof. And as much as you think of trying to get away without rudely interrupting or being impolite; he’s always ready to waffle on with another topic. Oh, I remember that, it was wotisname. You’re stuck. There is absolutely no way out until he is ready to let you go. Your only hope is that someone else rescues you; or you skilfully manage to pass him onto someone else before sneaking away.

Keeping up with tradition

Despite all the doom and gloom of politics, there is one city which still celebrates its new officials with pride. Norwich, one of the oldest cities in England, still celebrates the annual appointment of its new Lord Mayor with a Mayor’s day. This is a fantastic parade where the newly elected Mayor tours its streets in traditional dress to meet the people. Along the way he is accompanied by local societies and musicians; all  with banners and flags to celebrate their nobility. The infamous Norwich dragon, named Snap, also joins in the journey to the town hall. Even though Norwich has evolved from its traditional medieval town; there are still parts of the city which celebrate its historical heritage; and encourages all communities to come together to join in the festivities. It’s great that people celebrate their heritage. It is an event that I would very much like to go and see. 

Footloose

I have a little confession to make. I did something absolutely mad today, right after the gym. Once I arrived at work, I put my bag down, put the kettle on, and started to sort my things out for the day. I opened my rucksack and brought out a left shoe. A little more rummaging and a right shoe was also obtained. But alas; the shoes did not match! With my work shift imminent, I had no choice but to wear the odd shoes for the day. I smirked as I wondered how long it would be before someone spotted my oddity; after all it’s usually noted right away when I wear trainers instead of shoes. But disappointingly, no-one did. Not one comment about my odd pair. And as the joke wore off for the day, my feet began to ache and ache and ache… It felt so good when I could finally change back into trainers at the end of the day…

The experts

A lot of time in life you have to turn to other people for advice on something that you’ve got absolutely no idea about. Whether it’s a plumber, a doctor, or a mechanic; there’s always someone on hand to help you through for the right price. But can you trust them? Are they giving you the real deal? Or are they emptying your pockets in exchange for your opinion? It can be a bit daunting to discover that they’ve had your car for six hours only to take a look at it and change a light bulb and that the rest of the work won’t be finished the same day. But at the same time, if you decide to stand up to these people; how do you know that they’ve done the job well? It would be great if we can each find a friend or relative that knows something in each field, but unfortunately, life doesn’t work that way.