Writing this blog, very late tonight, but tomorrow is Saturday the only day I get a lie in 🙂
Last night after posting my blog, Helen invited me to join her for a glass a wine at her chimenea. So despite finishing my blog by 9.15pm, I was up until 11pm. Was lovely to hangout with Helen, although the last time I drank alcohol was Christmas Day and it resulted in not having a good night’s sleep. I find that happens more and more these days, I fall into a deep sleep, then wake up about 30 minutes later and can’t get back to sleep. Think I got to sleep about 4am 🙁
The knock on effect was that I didn’t do much paid work today.
This afternoon Honey and I headed through The Meadows to Graeme’s computer shop, I needed to go to the bank, so dropped Honey off at Graeme’s shop whilst I did that.
The bank has reduced opening times at the moment – 10am to 3pm, which I find really annoying!
So we ran most of the way there to make sure we got there before it shut!!
The bank had a massive queue, snaking its way around the branch, with 10 people in front of me!
Then back to collect Honey, she seemed to have a good time – and I collected my netbook which Graeme had been fixing, put in a new hard drive 🙂
Before walking back through The Meadows homeward.
Despite it being quite cold, it was really busy, with groups of students sitting down on the grass with mini-gatherings! Honey was happy trying to find food from each group, successfully finding the crusts of a salmon sandwich from one group!
Beautiful light with the sun 🙂
Back at Discovery, a new order of wood arrived. Helen and I decided to go halves, rather than getting 20 bags of wood each. It was Day 326 that I got 20 bags of wood, today I only had 4 bags left. That’s 3 weeks I’ve got through more than 16 bags of wood!!!
Was a lovely sunset this evening (blog cover photo).
Things We No Longer Use / Do
Where have we got to?
Kilts (Day 300), Irons (Day 301), Suit and Tie (Day 302), Passports (Day 303), Massive Travel Delays (Day 304), Clothes (Day 305) High Heels (Day 311), Taxis (Day 312), A Random Snog in a Nightclub (Day 313), Karaoke Clubs (Day 314), Cash (Day 315), Handshake (Day 316), Head Lice (nit comb and medicated shampoo) (Day 317), Pinworm Infections (Day 318), Offering to take someone’s photo (Day 319), Overnight Suitcase (Day 342), Perfume (Day 343) and Shaving Products, for men (Day 344).
Today Helen messaged me with another one, Birthday Candles.
Helen wrote:
“With it being Rebecca’s birthday this week, I thought of something we might not use anymore – candles on birthday cakes. Who wants somebody blowing and spluttering over something your about to eat??
We had candles on Rebecca’s cake (aka pile of of ice cream and sweets!), but they were extra long. Maybe that’s better? We also have a birthday train (see photo below), which I thought was a genius idea, but apparently Rebecca thinks is too babyish to have on her birthday now.”.
Thanks for that Helen!
I did some internet research and there is lots on this!!
This article published in January 2021 is called ‘COVID-19 ended blowing out birthday candles. Please: Let’s put spitting on cakes in the past’.
https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/COVID-ended-blowing-out-birthday-candles-cakes-15885909.php
The article says that maybe before Covid blowing out candles on a Birthday cake seemed harmless, but now its impossible to do without thinking of the germs, quoting a 2017 article that states blowing out birthday candles increases birthday cake bacteria by 1,400%
The author talks of blowing out candles on a Birthday Cake as a child, but also “to my horror” as an adult too!! She quotes the way forward is using a ‘cake cover’ – which covers the cake with holes for the candles to stick up, which can be blown out without spreading bacteria all over the cake.
Nostalgia Corner
You may remember reading in Readers Corner on Day 342, Gez said:
“I loved the posts after the Energy gathering in midsummer which we all organised despite everyone being busy and me not being able to stand up!! – “best day of lockdown ”
That was all the way back on Day 89.
So check it out!!
Thanks Gez, one of the best days of lockdown restrictions 🙂
Readers Corner
A flurry of posts today!
Anna
Anna messaged me saying:
“My latest card. Another one from The Paint Republic. Not long until your birthday!”.
Thanks Anna! Your paintings are definitely getting better and better.
For all readers my Birthday is on 18th March – hint, hint 😉
Gez
Gez posted a blog comment on Day 345, saying:
“Great tribute to your Dad JTM.
I love a blue sky day as well.”.
Thanks Gez 🙂
Helen
Helen sent me a message about yesterday’s blog (Day 346) saying:
“The short blog was good too! I like getting a wee glimpse into your life with Honey. It’s amazing how much she can communicate with you. I wonder why she suddenly got an urge for a walk so late at night??”.
I think Honey was awake due to not enough long walks or stimulation this week!
Theo
Theo posted a Facebook comment on Day 345, saying:
“Baby face Jim is back!! I’d quite got used to the hirsute imposter… ‘Lockdown Jimmy'”.
Thanks Theo! Although those photos were from a year ago 😉
As I come to the end of this blog, I forgot to take a photo for this section. I wonder whether a photo from my boat morning and night maybe easier for me – think I will try that.
The weather has been dry and really cold. I put on my thermals today, but by the time I got to the bank running all the way, queuing in the warm outside, I was sweating loads! I worried that people may think I had Covid symptoms of a high temperature! Do you find that? A few times when I’m sweating loads due to running (but not in running clothes) I worry people may think I have Covid….
Hope you’ve had a Fantastic Friday 🙂
Jim x
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