where art collides philosoperontap

A new week dawns. Breakfast has been taken.The conservatory doors are open. I’m wearing my Tilley hat as the sun is dazzling. It is warm. THG prepares to go to her weight training session. I am planning on making a start on the compost bins that are going to be situated behind the greenhouse at the bottom of the garden. The noise of a fast jet fills the airwaves.

Watched the football last night. I’m glad Spain won it. They looked like a proper football team as opposed to the bunch of thugs they were playing against. I doubt there was a single non-Argentinian who wanted them to win.

No sign of a fox overnight. It would be interesting to understand the story of what happens to these foxes though not so interesting I’d want to put much effort into it. I note that some plants are doing much better than others suggesting they might be imports from warmer climes. Tbh one of the things I like about the UK is its greenness. I could never understand why people would want to live in hot countries where the vegetation is very sparse.

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The work has started on the compost bins. So far this has just involved clearing the space but ya gotta start somewhere. The size of bin we are after will involve some carpentry but I have the right tools for the job.

Met our Tom for breakfast. Before he arrived I went outside to sit on the patio. It was one of those lovely mornings with a hot day ahead. Unfortunately the patio was filled with people wearing headphones talking to their laptops. I retreated to the lobby and sat chatting to a 63 year old postman who is now down to working three days a week.

Later, the day has warmed up and I’m sat outside under the shade of a big umbrella. It is v pleasant other than the fact that this is where smelly smokers come to get their fix. The hotel smelled very American this morning. Airconditioning working full pelt. 

I have an hour and forty five minutes until lunch. Chilltime. I could easily walk it from here. It’s only a mile. However, in keeping with the summery (ie hot) nature of the day, I am wearing flip flops so will likely just uber it.

Thought I’d let you know we won the Highly Commended award in some category or other in the CCUK Awards. Best Communications Enabler. That’s it. At one point I’d forgotten I’d entered that award until someone pointed it out to me. All’s well that ends well eh 🙂 @Wayne won a couple of awards. Well deserved. I gave our award to Jodie from Fuse2 to look after. I have a track record of leaving things behind in pubs and didn’t want it to happen with this award. We’ve won a lot of these awards over the years. There is a cabinet  full of em at the Netaxis office. Until next year…

One two buckle my shoe. Actually I’m wearing flipflops but that phrase just rolled off the tongue, rolled off the tongue. I’m sat in seat E5 on the 09:20 express awaiting departure. I’m v early. Half an hour early. The Enterprise car hire branch manager dropped me off, fair play. Cost me seven quid to fill the petrol tank to the brim before returning the car. 

The car had been provided to me by the AA as part of my breakdown package when they collected campervan Betty. The 72 hour hire from Monday morning was perfect as this morning I am off to Laaandaan for the CCUK Annual Awards Ceremony. Fingers crossed eh?

Two LNER drivers sat in the coach discussing signalling . One of them is clearly the learner. The “old hand” is speaking with a mouthful of the bacon bap I spotted before him as I walked by his seat. I can’t actually see the old hand now from E5.

The branch manager btw commutes from Loughborough and was transferred from Nottingham as part of a job promotion. It’s a job innit.

The learner has departed to the staff bit at the front. All is now quiet on the Coach E front.

I skipped breakfast this morning on the basis that LNER would shove a bacon roll in my direction. I had pondered stopping off at the burger van outside Wickes for what would have been a more substantial bacon roll than the one on offer on the train but figured that small diversion carried an element of inbuilt time uncertainty so I played safe. Not particularly hungry anyway after last night’s sausage baguette.

The news this morning is all about how the England football team did not win yet another World Cup. THG and the others gathered to watch in the shed last night were all gutted. I did want England to win because I am married to a huge fan even though had they gone on to win the final itself we would never have heard the end of it. We are still hearing about 1966, albeit somewhat wistfully, nay frustratedly. It’s the same every time. The fans all get excited only to have their hopes dashed on the rocks of some distant shore.

The train is now pulling away at precisely 09:20. By 09:39 I’ve finished my bacon roll. It isn’t too bad although not in the same league as the full English at seat service of old. The Lincoln trains never have full English on offer but if the station of origin is Edinburgh or some simlar distant and exotic urban area then it is on the menu. It isn’t the full English of old though. Small plate, small portions. I remember once catching the train from Newark and had planned to have breakfast on the train. The steward said all they had left was a piece of toast which I was forced to order on the basis that otherwise I’d have had no brekkie. In my annoyance. He returned 5 mins later to say that even that toast had gone. I lived.

So today and tomorrow are pleasant days out in Town. The things you have to do eh? Someone’s got to. I’ll be missing this afternoon’s golf but these are sacrifices we have to make.

This morning I pruned the grapevine. Most of it at least. I daresay there are still a few straggly bits reaching out into next door’s bush. A horse and trap just trotted by. Often does at this time of the year, picking up tourists in the Bailgate. Outside the front of the cathedral usually. We are off there ourselves in a bit for the monthly “mindful mile”. Pop into the caff afterwards for a drink and maybe a sandwich. Still not had out cathedral supporters membership cards through to my knowledge. Slowly grind the cogs in the cathedral office. It’s not going away in a hurry. The lawn is now mostly yellow. Anglian water has issued a hosepipe ban but we never water the lawn anyway. THG is out running with the Pink Ladies. Good conditions today as it is not as hot as it has been and there is a north easterly breeze.

All is quiet.

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Just backed up my family tree folder. 2 GB compressed. Took longer for Drive to compress the files than it took to download. What a breeze. I really miss my connectivity when away somewhere, especially when we are camping. We shouldn’t be looking to use our devices when away in the van but it’s always handy to have that connectivity.

Rewind it was a shade shy of 10GB compressed. Impressed.

Slept like a log. Yesterday was a long day preceded by a long night after which I had also slept deeply induced by a 1am finish and plenty of hydrating beer (well…).

It started with me ‘n’ THG packing up campervan Betty and setting off separately home, THG in the Silver Bullet and me in Betty. Betty, unfortunately, got me as far as the edge of the field where I had to stop and open the gate. After that Betty threw a strop and refused to start. We pushed her around the corner out of the way and even bump starting didn’t work.

Heventually I called the AA (11:40) who, being too busy to attend themselves, subbed it to a garage in Boston. The friendly mechanic rocked up at around quarter to one and didn’t take long to diagnose a broken coil. These things happen in 55 year old vans and you can’t really tell in advance it’s going to happen. The mechanic said it would have to be a separate recovery truck to take me home which didn’t arrive (from Horncastle) until twenty five past five. The guy wasn’t due on shift until six so I was lucky he started early. He was never going to get there for 16:25 which is when the AA said he’d arrive.

Home by six fifteen, emptied the van of the bits that needed to go in the fridge and any particular valuables and went straight to meet THG for a jazz gig in the cathedral (Portrait in Evans – Noa Levy, Alan Barnes and the Paul Edis Trio). It being the last gig on the last day of the Lincoln Jazz festival the Chapter House was by no means full but we did enjoy the performance. Afterwards went for a v pleasant pint (of West Coast IPA)  in The Organ Grinder and thence home.

You have to put up with a long delayed recovery process on busy hot summer days and the AA did get us home but their communications left a lot to be desired. There is no easy way to get an update on progress. I had to call the recovery truck people after the eta of 16:25 had come and gone to find out that was never achievable anyway.

Today the temperature has dropped to a far more bearable 23 degrees and we now have to figure out how to go about watering the garden as Anglia Water imposed a hosepipe ban over the weekend. Gonna be lots of walking back and forth with the watering can.

Tharrldofornow. Lotsalurve, Tref.

PS water level in the lake dropped significantly over the weekend whilst we were away.

09:12, Woodhall Spa, Sunday. V late one last night as we were at The Mall pub watching @Michael Brommel and then England v Norway, or was it Norway v England. Anyway it went to extra time, which nobody wanted really, and we got back to the van at around one ish, maybe. Dunno really.

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Spitfire just did a couple of passes overhead. Might have been a hurricane. Was a hurricane. Looked at the vid I took. Never ceases to amaze. I’m sat in the shade on the grass verge at the exit to Jubilee Park. Campervan Betty is across the road, stationary. Won’t start. It did start first thing and got me as far as the gate but when I stopped to open said gate it wouldn’t restart. We pushed it out of the way and Jezzer towed it with coops at the wheel to see if they could bump start it but no joy. Gawd knows what’s wrong with it.

Called the AA at 11.41 and they gave me an eta of 12.40. This has now been revised to 13.25 and a car has been dispatched from Wakefield. That’s a 2 hour drive. Whenever I’ve had to call them in the past, and it hasn’t been for a few years now, they’ve been fairly quick to respond.

Van arrived at quarter to one. Turns out the business is called Wakefield and they are in Boston not Wakefield. Needs a new coil. I’m now waiting for a message from the AA telling me what time the recovery truck will arrive.

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Recovery truck arriving at 16:20! I’ve locked the van up and gone for some Jubilee Park action. There is croquet, tennis, an open mic session at the bandstand, a rotary club event aaaand a caff. Currently sat in a beautifully shaded glade by the croquet lawn. It’s a very slow moving game innit.

Long story. Truck arrived at around 17:25. Made it home for about 18:15, unpacked a bit of stuff and then headed out to meet THG at the cathedral for the Bill Evans gig.

09:30, Jubilee Park, Woodhall Spa. The teppanyaki grill has come into its own this trip. Last night it did the steak and this morning it has already cooked my bacon and is now serving up toast. Toast cooked in the great outdoors seems to taste better.

8am, Friday 10th July 2026. Someone else has stirred. I’ve been sat in the shade of the campervan poptop having already showered (etc). I’m using my phone hotspot as the Jubilee Park wifi service is totally 54!73. Didn’t have a bad night’s kip, assisted by Coops’ spicy rum that we finished the evening off with. The first cup of tea is in preparation and should arrive soon.

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10:50. THG is on her way. It is getting hot but there is a nice breeze blowing through the campsite and sitting, as I am, in the shade it is quite pleasant. Don’t want to be too active though. I’ve already washed the breakfast dishes. Did take a while to get the teppanyaki grill going. Turned out the extension cable was a bit dodgy. Fortunately the teppanyaki bag already had one in that I didn’t know I had and that saved the day.

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14:50. Out of the pool showered and now relaxing whilst the others return in dribs and drabs. Pool was understandably packed considering the weather and the water quite lukewarm. Still it did a job. Whilst we were in there a Dakota, Spitfire and Hurricane from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flew past. A rehearsal for tomorrow probs. The Lanc is undergoing major maintenance and is not currently flying.

Today I’ve been singing Oh My Darlin Clementine a lot in my head. Somewhat annoying but livable with. It’s because the code for the door of the toilet block contains the number 49 and Clementine’s dad was miner 49er.

Five fifteenish. Conservatory doors open. Lovely and fresh out there but that is deceptive. Computer says it will hit thirty three today which in reality means hotter. Yesterday as I was walking from the nice air conditioned gym across the carpark to the Silver Bullet I sweated more than when I was working out. The car didn’t really have enough time to cool down before I got home. Gonna be the same today except I’ll be in campervan Betty at Woodhall Spa. Betty’s idea of air conditioning is to open the window.

I’ll be the advanced party. THG follows tomorrow. 40s weekend at the Woodhall Country Park. It isn’t the Woodhall Spa 40s weekend of old. That got cancelled because it grew so big they couldn’t afford the cost of traffic management. It was a free event. This weekend is a lot smaller, private job, that charges entry. Not much mind you. I have my outfit sorted. My biggest concern is that my shirt is long sleeved. Will have to see how it goes. She’ll be rite.

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Took the tea up at six thirty, the appointed hour. In the bedroom the wireless set had already been switched on and was belting out the Home Service. Belting out doesn’t really describe the sedate and serious nature of the news but those words have been committed to the page and it is too late to change. Did it for effect. Now, at 08:45, THG has gone swimming and I am cooking some bacon. The toast has already popped up. Breakfast on the deck methinks. Today there is no rush. I have the whole day to get packed and nip out to buy the odd thing left until the last minute: bread, bacon, bbq protein, ingredient X etc. No idea what ingredient X is. It’ll be one of those impulse buys.

A butterfly visited a number of meadow flowers in vain. The tall yellow daisies (or whatever they are called) are now in seed. It could have dropped down to the blue cornflowers but maybe blue wasn’t its thing. Plenty of insect action in the garden anyway.

Not a cloud in the sky. Mornings and evenings are the best time of day when it is really hot innit. Shame we still haven’t got the hammock. Would have been perfect with an overhead awning. Outstretched arm waiting for the occasional chilled drink to be delivered. By who I have no idea. These things just happen. Don’t they?

Yesterday afternoon I added to my 2026 membership at Notts CCC with the purchase of the same for 2027. The ashes beckon. I only really do it for the test matches although I have had the occasional day out at a county game. Life is v busy and when you combine that with trying to find someone to come with me it means there aren’t so many opportunities. Plus the county cricket schedule is somewhat disjointed these days with the various one day competitions on the go. The one change in my Notts membership is that for next year I am in the Seniors category which qualifies for a reduced price. I had previously been a Country member, living as I do, more than 20 miles from the ground. For 2027 the Seniors rate is the same as the Country rate for 2026 and they’ve whopped up the Country membership. Looking online I don’t think they are offering Country membership to new members. Anyway I’m alright jack.

The garden is completely still. Perhaps a very occasional movement of taller flowers. I’ll get it watered in a bit.

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Bag packed. Garden watered. Now sweating on the deck with a pint of cold water.

Was up and at it in the shed by five past eight. Had an 08:30 meeting. What’s that all about?! Paris innit. Yes, a meeting about Paris. It’s pretty hot in Paris right now. They all go on holiday at the end of the month, for the month. I told them I was doing likewise. We bonded 🙂 I think. They did say that the area around Limoges would be v hot in August where we are going. I guess we will use the pool a lot. Checked with gemini and it shouldn’t be too bad. 24 – 26 degrees. I’d already checked that last year before booking.

Got a few more campervan jobs to do today but tbh I’m going to restrict it to the easy stuff like buying some pink fluid for the portable loo. I tend not to use the loo myself. There is a toilet block nearby and a hedge. Found the battery powered lantern. We won’t really need it but it is there as a backup. Currently being charged. 

I also need to stock up on refreshment for the weekend ahead. I happen to be in Waitrose’s community room this pm for a history group meeting so I can see what’s on the shelves. Saturday night is already spoken for with @Mickey Brommel’s Just For Kicks playing at the Mall pub followed by a football match on the telly. The main issue is keeping it cold.

In other news, life is entering another phase. Our daughter Hannah is pregnant. At least half our pals ready have grandkids. I have split emotions about this. Obvs it is great to think there is a grandkid on the way. I found myself far more emotional about it than I thought I’d be. On the other hand it’s another sign of ageing. I guess I know that anyway so I’m happy to focus on the being a grandfather bit. I’m unlikely to be a grandad. Tadcu is more the thing.

A few butterflies fluttering by. I can see a couple trapped in the greenhouse. The door is open so they will eventually get out once they’ve randomly fluttered in the right direction. A substantiation portion of the flowers in the meadow are turning to seed heads. A fairly short blossom season really. I guess more might be about to emerge. The grapevine is really doing well. I think they are eaters and will for a while be a nice addition to the granola fruit supplement at breakfast time. Unlikely to be before September though which is fine.

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Just back from the gym. Sweating buckets just crossing the carpark to the car and then the car takes a while to cool down. Now on the deck where there is positively no breeze but at least there is shade. Was going to look at what needs packing into the van with THG but tbh it’ll wait until the morning.

It’s 06:20 and I’ve been up for nearly an hour sorting out my BA baggage claim. They are complete tossers or at least their system is. It is designed to make it hard for people to claim and doesn’t engender any loyalty. I’ve sent them the same information 3 times now. If they don’t come up with the goods the small claims court beckons. Now off to make the tea.

Oh and the batch processing run I set for overnight still hasn’t finished. Huh!

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OMFG it’s another gorgeous morning on the deck. THG’s energising granola with yo to start the day with a chopped nectarine and what must be approaching the end of last year’s blackberry crop. 

My khaki shorts are drying on the line. Uhuh I hear you say. Well they form an integral part of my outfit for the upcoming forties weekend in Woodhall Spa. Whether they are authentic or not doesn’t matter. I’m sure they didn’t used to buy polyester “adventure” shorts from China in those days but had they done so I’m sure they would have been part of the uniform. V comfortable technical gear innit. Perfect for golf and forties weekends in Woodhall Spa.

I’ve started the process of preparing camper van Betty for the trip. Well I’ve put the pop top up. A few loose screws to tighten, a tap to fix, stuff like that. Also got all the camping boxes out so that we can look through them. Won’t need all of it. Basically eating irons and crockery and a pan or two for doing breakfast, although if someone else has already fired up their teppanyaki grill then I’d piggy back on that. We do have our own teppanyaki grill and at Jubilee Park we will have an electric hookup so that is an option. We can also use the gas cooker if necessary. We do have a cool box which is going to be totes necessary this weekend seeing as a heatwave is currently making its way in this direction. All it does is take the temperature down a few degrees below ambient so it won’t be particularly cold but it’ll be better than nothing. Usually on the Sunday we have a communal breakfast but Saturday is typically diy. I have a bonus Thursday night stay this weekend so even better.

Not a particularly early rise this morning. Might have been something to do with Jen & Rob’s cheese and wine afternoon. Another stunner of a day and having had breakfast I am now sat on the deck with a cuppa. Well the cuppa was finished a while back but I’m still sat on the deck. A few admin type jobs such as getting renewal quotes for the campervan insurance.

THG has been watching last night’s football in the kitchen on her iPad. Not particularly bothered meself. Fell asleep on the sofa in the shed watching a not particularly good documentary on the history of the SAS. Makes a change from Canal Boat Diaries. I can fall asleep in front of that and wake up two episodes later having not missed a thing. Same as a good day’s cricket.

The dunnock just came and perched next to me on the deck. Getting used to humans I guess. Saw a baby robin flitting about yesterday. All good stuff. Sbeen a while since I’ve seen the fox though. I could consider putting out a bird feeder next to the lake in front of the deck. This corner of the garden, furthest away from the house, seems to attract a lot of small birds. Quite a few seed heads beginning to develop in the wildflower meadow. I’m hoping it will self seed for next season.

Another lovely day in prospect. Off to a BBQ this pm. This 2pm. All dayer. One of those barbies where they light up again sometime in the evening to go around again. This morning got to pick up some drinks to take and also picking up campervan Betty from Coops’ garage where it’s been in storage all winter. Off to the 40s Festival in Woodhall Spa next weekend innit and got to get the van ready for it. THG has already gone running.

Otherwise this morning’s activity is to extract information from around 2700 wills and put it all in a spreadsheet.

The wildflower meadow has been a real success this year. Some of the flower heads are already turning into seed, hopefully to self propagate for 2027. Plenty of insects being attracted there. I must do something about the bird feeders. They are pretty manky and need replacing. No bird worth its feathers will want to go anywhere near them.

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Betty picked up. Was reminded what a bugger of a gearbox a 55 year old van has. Made it home safely. It’s now in the drive pending some routine maintenance at the start of the week.

All is at peace in the Davies garden.

A simple breakfast this morning. 2 slices of not exactly fresh sourdough toast with a glass of milk. Sourdough makes good toast and this loaf had been in the fridge for knocking on a week. Joe’s mates brought a lot of bread with them when they came for the bbq last week. All that’s left now are crappy pre-sliced burger buns. Doubt they’ll get eaten. In fact as I write THG has chucked em in the food caddy.

Knackering game of golf yesterday. Need to get golf fit which playing more often will do. We’ve moved on, mostly, from Laughterton to Pottergate. I got 3 pars on the front nine but had a terrible back nine. Dropped the car off at home and went to the Lion and Snake as Coops had a 40% discount voucher on mains for the duration of the World Cup. We ordered 3 burgers and a gammon steak. The burgers arrived almost immediately, having no doubt been microwaved, but weren’t very good. My gammon came after everyone else had finished their food. It was edible but perhaps overcooked. Afterwards we went to the Prince of Wales for a beer to finish.

Poor old Ajax was down in the dumps. His bank had invited him to corporate hospitality at Silverstone on Sunday for the British Brand Prix. His wife Sue said he couldn’t go as they are throwing a bbq on Saturday and they would need Sunday to clear up. Gutted is an inadequate description of his feelings. It must be one of the best hospitality gigs you can get. Anyway we are all going to the BBQ and will have a great time I’m sure. Will try not to mention the F1. THG said if it was her she’d have let me go as she does all the clearing up anyway!

This morning I’m on to Llanpumsaint for the will transcribing. I’ve already done Llanllwni, Llanfihangel ar Arth, Llangeler, Llanybydder, Llandysul, Llanwenog, Llanllawddog and Cynwyl Elfed. Nearly finished now. Must have well over 3,000 wills transcribed. The point is I can then give AI the job of determining family relationships across the area. I already think I may have found my 10th great grandfather. Not sure yet. Would have been an impossible job without AI or at least taken years.

Small bird just came for a drink at the lake. Wren maybe. Not totes sure. Had its back to me mostly. It caught some movement when I went for my camera and flew off before I could take a pic. The deck is a great place to sit in the morning at this time of year. All day really. We are in for another heatwave next week. Been mulling over investing in air conditioning for the shed. It would only really be used in anger for a handful of days in the summer. Would have been v handy last week when the temperatures hit 35+ degrees. We ain’t geared for such weather here in the UK.

I have a free morning this morning. Might wander down to tesco as we need more milk and butter. Discovered that the butter I spread on my toast was unsalted. Norrabiggie. Probs do some watering in the greenhouse too. Stuff like that. Important stuff.