Greetings! As I mentioned last week it was the anniversary of my Dad’s death this week. We went to where his ashes are scattered and spent some quiet time there, and that’s where my thoughts have been for a lot of the week.
Otherwise it’s been a little bit of an odd week. Our cooker died quite spectacularly on Tuesday (including sparks) it was the oven that was the problem, so we still had the hob that we could use. We have a domestic appliance store in town that is a non-chain business, and I went in there the following day and they had a suitable replacement in stock which they delivered, fitted and removed the broken one on Thursday afternoon. The new one is British made, and we’re really pleased with it. I doubt that a chainstore would have been able to do that as quickly or as cheaply (they charged significantly less for the delivery, installation and removal of the old one than the chainstores quote on their websites).
Work – I’ve been preparing some documents ahead of a meeting next week, and had a related pre-meeting with a colleague. Also had a tender invitation that I was expecting months ago. Not quite decided what I’m going to do with it yet – it’s a significant amount of work, over quite a tight timetable, and the tender returns are due in just over two weeks. Given how quite it’s been for paid work just recently though it would be difficult to turn down.
Allotment – The last couple of weekends have been wet so I haven’t been able to do much on the plot. This weekend was similar, but I did manage to squeeze some digging in between showers. I also noticed that my broccoli is already putting up heads. It shouldn’t really be doing that as it is supposed to over-winter and do it in the early spring. I guess this is because of the exceptionally mild weather we’ve had so far this autumn. I think I’m going to have to pick it soon or it will spoil.
Currently Reading – I’ve been reading “Vacationland” by John Hodgman [GoodReads] this week. After seeing some publicity on social media about it, I downloaded a sample to my kindle, and then followed it up with the full version. Kind of a cross between A J Jacobs and Bill Bryson.
I also received my copy of “My House of Sky: A Life of J A Baker” by Hetty Saunders [GoodReads], which I backed through a crowdfunder earlier this year. It’s an incredibly beautiful book and I’m so glad I backed it.
For those who don’t know who J A Baker is, he’s the author of one of the classic nature books – The Peregrine [LINK], and a couple of other books, but The Peregrine is the one that he’s best known for.
My House of Sky by Hetty Saunders from Little Toller Books on Vimeo.
The Week In Wildlife – In Pictures
Moby Dick Big Read – There’s a podcast [LINK] where you can listen to different narrators read Moby Dick an episode at a time. There’s also a public event each year where you can go and listen in person [LINK] .
Electronic Scrapbook 
Those binoculars, in the above images, remind me of a set that my dad had when I was a kid. I can see the binoculars, the leather case, and the adventures we enjoyed. Thanks, Alan. And a toast to our fathers. Cheers!