where art collides philosoperontap

July 13, 2024

The law states

Filed under: diary — Trefor Davies @ 12:28 pm

The law states that Saturday mornings should have a relaxed start. Had to turn off the wireless set. Everyone getting too excited about tomorrow’s football. It usually all ends in tears.

On one of my recent trips to a local market I purchaysed a tin of espresso cawfee. I will shortly open it and stick a pot on the stove. A minute by minute account of my morning. Left one or two things out. Would have been too much information.

The only issue with making espresso is you have to prepare the pot. I realise this is not really a big deal but it is currently what is keeping my backside firmly affixed to the pew that runs the length of the wall next to the kitchen table.

Turned the rugby on. All Blacks v England. The commentator just mentioned Gareth Southgate. There is no escaping!

Coincidentally I have booked a hotel in Berlin. End of September though, not this weekend. Couldn’t make it this weekend anyway. Got Clarkie’s birthday bash.

Breakfast this morning is a full Lincolnshire. Might have to make a pot of tea to go with it. Not getting on with this espresso.

The law also states that after a full Lincolnshire you have to sit down with a cup of tea and watch the rugby.

July 12, 2024

04:16

Filed under: diary — Trefor Davies @ 12:26 pm

Feels like a Saturday, again. The highlight of the day ahead is the delivery of our new lawn mower. Depending on what time it arrives (sometime before ten tonight according to DPD) I might get it deployed although the batteries will need charging. Probs tomorrow, realistically. 

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not particularly excited about getting a new lawn mower. Not in the way I am about going to Trent Bridge next week to watch the second Windies test or going to Paris to see the Olympics the week after. The lawn does need a mow. There could be a scenario where we left it to “rewild” but that would require an unanimous vote by the committee and it ain’t gonna happen. I like a bit of lawn anyway plus I have a strip of wildflowers in front of the shed.

We’ve had some good parties out on that lawn and when we have a crowd round for a barbie we stick the Kadai fire pit in the middle and burn some old fence. We still have a lot of old fence to get through. Need the weather though.

Last week of school term next week. We live over the road to a school.  In some respect this is a sad milestone as it heralds the beginning of the end of summer. The kids get a long summer holiday but at the end of it we are into autumn. Enjoy every moment while you can.

04:16

Le lawn mower est arrivee. Batteries are now charging. The lawn itself  will wait until tomorrow. No point rushing these things and it’s started raining anyway.

July 11, 2024

Yesterday’s relatively small shopping list included a cauliflower

Filed under: diary — Trefor Davies @ 12:24 pm

Yesterday’s relatively small shopping list included a cauliflower. I bought two as they were very small. Suspect it shows what a cool spring and summer we have had. Either that or someone bought up all the big ones!

I didn’t buy everything on yesterday’s list as I quite like going to Waitrose and will nip there again before the weekend. Today probs. Also need to buy a new handle for the leaf rake (think Trigger’s broom) and a lawnmower. Not from Waitrose obvs. Our mower has finally finished throwing its toys out of the pram and stopped working completely. No point in getting it serviced as it is falling apart. It’s probs twenty five years old so it’s seen a lot of service. Being held together by gaffer tape, string and a wood splint.

The other must do job today is to renew the sealant around the base of the shower. It’s a job I don’t like doing. Fortunately this is not a frequent job. Maybs once every ten years. Worth doing well innit.

The news this morning is all about the England football team winning against The Netherlands at the Euros, or European Cup of Nations or whatever it’s called. There is even talk of a knighthood for manager Gareth Southgate. The English are such a fickle lot. One minute they are slagging him off and throwing beer at him and the next it’s all wine and roses, so to speak.

I’ve never seen a nation travel so expectantly. So full of hope that is normally dashed on the rocks of the team’s inability to perform as well as the players do for their own clubs. See how it goes in the Final on Sunday. THG is v excited. A happy THG is a happy Tref. Although being a sporting kind of guy I do watch the Premiership I don’t like the culture associated with football. The disrespect for the referee, the cheating to win at all costs. It’s because the stakes are so high. They need to introduce the concept of the sin bin.

Outside it is a dull, drizzly kind of day. A contrast with the brightly lit kitchen. Typical British summer weather really so no point in blaming Global Warming. I may skip the lawnmower purchase as it wouldn’t be put to work today anyway. Needs a bit of research. 

I started looking a couple of times but was filled with indecision. The best looking one, at the top of the recommended buy list on some website, was twelve hundred quid. I can’t bring myself to spend that much on a lawnmower especially considering the last one was probably only a couple of hundred a quarter of a century ago. I do quite fancy one with an electric starter. Stay tuned.

July 10, 2024

The Lords test

Filed under: diary — Trefor Davies @ 12:24 pm

The Lords test has started. Jimmy’s last. End of an era. Our John, now aged 24 was only three years old when he started. I took John to his first test match at Trent Bridge in 2004. Jimmy wasn’t playing then. It was v India. A very hot day where the young lad fell asleep under the seats in the stand. A classic low scoring day of attritional cricket.

Off to see them again at Trent Bridge next week. Did offer the lad a ticket but he is managing a stage at a music festival. No idea which one. Can’t be Glasto as that’s already happened 🙂

John has been with us for a week or so on holiday. Always nice to have an offspring home for a bit. Was going to say “a kid” but whilst we still call them kids they ain’t really, no more.

July 9, 2024

NetUK1 day two has commenced

Filed under: diary — Trefor Davies @ 12:23 pm

NetUK1 day two has commenced. Rob Barnes from Rolls Royce talking about “Secure by Design” nuclear power stations. V interesting fair play. 

Wonderful location. IET Savoy Place. We are in the Riverside Room looking out onto the Thames. I can see The Shard from where I am sat. Our Tom’s office. Chucking it down outside mind you.

She may be the chill that autumn brings.

On the northbound nineteen oh six direct train to Lindum Colonia. I have a gin and tonic and Meic Stevens on Spotify to keep me company. Baled out on my reserved seat in favour of the two unreservable end seats providing me with privacy and comfort and pole position for being served. The other three seats around the table were occupied. Far better off where I am now. I’ve ordered some crumpets.

Ysbryd y nos

Rolling patchwork of greens and yellows

Kjhkljhl

July 8, 2024

Broken sleep

Filed under: diary — Trefor Davies @ 12:21 pm

Broken sleep. Always happens when I set an alarm. Off to da smoke for a couple of days for the Netuk1 conference. Now sat on the train waiting to set off. The seat next to me is reserved from Peterborough. Huh! My wits are not quick this morning. Need a cup of tea and a bacon roll to energise the brain.

Could have caught a later train I suppose as the conference is not until this afternoon but the timings of the direct options were not particularly good and I couldn’t be bothered to change at Newark.

I’ve stuck the news on. The Today Programme on Radio 4 has a suitably soporific effect. I can filter out the political crap. Will probs lose signal between Lincoln and Newark anyway. Bandwidth.

Tis a beeootiful day. Summertime and the weather is fine.I’m wearing the shirt I bought in Cape Town. Colourful. Classic African collarless design.

The growing season is in full swing. Just passed a deep green onion field. I like onions. Very fond of them actually. Didn’t bother growing any this year. Went for peas instead. Won’t have much of a crop. Might harvest them before we go to France.

The difference between peas and onions, apart from the obvious, is that you can buy perfectly good onions in the shops. You can’t buy very fresh peas. They have to be frozen. Don’t get me wrong I like frozen peas. They are one of my fave veggies. There is, however, nothing quite like freshly picked peas. From garden to plate in half an hour or less.

Now passing wheat fields. Uniform green. Not a weed in sight. Plenty of chemicals in that field.

In the news is a heatwave in Vegas Baby. Fifty degrees Celsius. Goodness me, too hot man. It’ll hit eighteen in London today. V comfortable.

The algorithm. Heard on the wireless. Our lives are governed by it. It is the new big brother.

The milkman came at three forty one.

July 7, 2024

THG is tucking into breakfast

Filed under: diary — Trefor Davies @ 12:21 pm

A few moments of reflection and repose. THG is tucking into breakfast but I am waiting for George to rise as he has been promised a full English before setting off dahn sarf. I Vow To Thee My Country is playing on the wireless. Sunday Service. Sounds a bit muted. Perhaps the enunciation could be better. Need more clarity. Now the vicar has kicked in. Talking about votes. Time to switch off. Classic FM maybs.

A dullish day ahead which we hope will not detract from Rob and Jen’s garden party. There’s no such thing as bad weather…

Before then I have a trip to the tip planned. The old freezer is going. Always assuming we can fit it in the car. If not I might have to buy some welding gear and break it up into smaller chunks 🙂Not really.

Emma Raducanu is playing on Centre Court at around three thirty. I’ve lost interest in her since she blew out our Andy denying him one last appearance on the hallowed turf. Lawns really but turf sounded better. Couldn’t imagine our back garden lawn being as pristine as those at Wimbledon.

July 6, 2024

Twas a wet start to the day

Filed under: diary — Trefor Davies @ 12:16 pm

Twas a wet start to the day. Fortunately Daz & Caz’ wedding anniversary bash is in their village hall so won’t matter what the weather is like this pm. Afternoon tea. A nice change from an out and out booze up which tends to be the form with our crowd of pals 🙂

Bit of running around on errands this morning and then back to start sorting our camping gear. We have lots of stuff accumulated over the years that needs disposal. Some of it is straight chuck in bin stuff but there are lots of plates and cutlery sets that might be useful to someone. One or two things that might be worth flogging. The front room is now full of stuff sorted into piles. Further processing will now wait for another day.

Australia v Wales now on’t box. Feels wrong really. This is the criquet season. England narrowly lost to the All Blacks earlier. I was out and about. The game isn’t on’t box as such. It is on a monitor. I doubt anyone has a “box” anymore. You know what I mean though. Innit.

I’m a great believer that the season for winter sports such as rugby and footie should not start before September. When I was playing rugby this was basically to give the ground a chance to soften up a bit but I’m sticking with my stance. Summer is for cricket and tennis and golf and athletics etc etc etc.

Well a goodly afternoon in Careby Village Hall. Good company & craic, good buffet. Two cups of tea, two diet Fantas and a glass of water. There’s only so much of that you can drink in a five hour period.

We watched England v Switzerland. One all at full time which meant we had to stay for extra time after which it was still one all. England won on penalties. THG was relieved and happy.

July 5, 2024

Email arrived from American Airlines

Filed under: diary — Trefor Davies @ 10:29 am

Email arrived from American Airlines this morning. 535 miles (basically all of my miles) are about to disappear from my  account. Oh. Ah well. Had a similar one from BA the other day. I’ve dropped to bronze status. Ah well. I don’t fly that much these days anyway and when I do I go at least business class so that status doesn’t really matter. Unless it’s with Easyjet where we push the boat out and pay for priority boarding anyway (blows on his finger nails and polishes them). I’m in my last year of diamond status with Hilton Honors. Hey. Life is moving on.

Much bigger news is that I read this morning that Sean Connery used to wear a toupee when playing James Bond.  Gosh. Could have been fake news I suppose. I remain open minded about this. There is nothing to say that Bond has to have a full head of hair I guess. 

Milkman came at 05:15 ey em. Presumably waited for the Election Exit Poll numbers before setting off on his round. Not every Tory MP gone and some of those I’d been planning to dance on their political graves remain: Cruella and Priti for example. Ah well.

We will in any case have a celebratory bbq this evening. I made the marinade yesterday afternoon and was going to joint a chicken for overnight marinating but we had a slight hiccup when picking up the curry from the Castle View Indian. 

We arrived at the appointed time of five fifteen but the stove “was broken”. Hannah, who had gone in to pick it up whilst I waited in the car, only discovered this when, after sitting in the reception area for a quarter of an hour,  she overheard a conversation between two members of staff.

At that point we made the strategic decision to wait in the pub and eventually picked up the takeaway at six o’clock. As a result the window of opportunity for chicken chopping went away. I’ll do it this morning after brekkie.

While we waited for the voting to finish we watched the Blues Brothers movie. Never tire of it. Then went to bed and fell asleep listening to the wireless.

This afternoon’s big news is that I don’t seem to be able to start the lawn mower. It is falling apart and I did mull over getting a new one at the beginning of the season but then it started to start again, so to speak. Now it doesn’t. It’s come to the point where I have to have a go at starting it a few times over a half hour period and it eventually fires up.

Been making restaurant reservations in Normandy. Utah Beach to be precise. Now I need to arrange a taxi. Hotel passed on the deets of the local firm. On this occasion I’ve submitted an online request. Last year in Montaigu de Quercy I got into a one way conversation with a cab company in deep gutteral French. The guy at the other end didn’t speak a word of English and kept repeating himself in French. I assumed he didn’t understand my own French. It wasn’t until later that i was told it was an answerphone and that the staff were all on holiday!!!

Figured it would be easier to do it in writing this time.

July 4, 2024

Well I’ll be a Yanky doodle dandy

Filed under: diary — Trefor Davies @ 10:25 am

Well I’ll be a Yanky doodle dandy, it’s the fourth of July. American independence day and the day the UK choses its next government. You won’t get good odds on who is likely to win but I daresay there will be some dancing on political graves in the wee small hours with a cohort of unpopular politicos likely to disappear from the Westminster scene. Yay. Good riddance.

Our Tom was on the Jeremy Vine show on Radio 2 yesterday afternoon talking about his Fantasy Election Game – fantasyelection.co.uk. Jezzer gets over seven million listeners and Tom’s appearance resulted in a spike in registrations on his site. Shows you the power of the media.

The outside of the shed is a hive of activity this morning with our John having been contracted to clean it and apply its annual spray of wood treatment. Probs need to nip to B&Q later for supplies. Also on the cards is the painting of the back fence, digging up the bamboo and chopping back the growth that has crept in between the trellis around the bbq and the back of the potting shed. All go innit.

Otherwise for me it’s generally a day of calm after yesterday’s funeral. We eventually ended up in the Morning Star. Fortunately the rain of the morning had given way to perfect summer’s day for sitting out in the beer garden. Good crowd. The funeral itself had people queuing out the door at the back of the crem. A fitting send off.

Two of our visitors are busy working in the house. The spare desk in the shed, which is where Hannah normally plonks when she comes home, has got too much crap around it. Incentive for me to get sorting – all in good time 🙂

July 3, 2024

Chinese takeaway 3rd july

Filed under: diary — Trefor Davies @ 10:24 am

Chinese takeaway 3rd july

Prawn crackers 
Chicken satay starter x 2
Beef curry fried rice
Salt and pepper chips
Shredded beef x 2
Singapore noodles
Curry sauce
Vegetables with green pepper in black bean sauce
Plain rice

Wildthing’s funeral

Filed under: diary — Trefor Davies @ 10:15 am

Milkman came at 05:04. Left two pints and the bill. Cost five pounds ninety four for six pints. First time I’ve seen how much it costs.

Wildthing’s funeral today. Steve Wildman, or Wildthing was a close friend and neighbour. We met at ante-natal classes thirty two years ago when we were both preparing for the birth of our first born children. Our wives were there as well obvs.

Our second born children, @Hannah and @Lois have been best buddies since the womb. Steve was a regular visitor to our house. We would have occasional jam sessions, he on trombone and me on geetar with Joe on trumpet and had a couple of public performances over the years at the various royal wedding and jubilee celebrations held around the corner on Curle Ave.

Steve retired a short few years ago from his job as Commercial Director of Siemens Energy, or Oil and Gas, or similar. They kept changing the name. I’m really not sure what his title was either but he did spend a lot of time overseas negotiating multi billion pound contracts.

Steve was one of the few people responsible for maintaining and being able to drive the Rustons Car, a vehicle manufactured in Lincoln circa 1922. He was a mechanical engineer by trade and a motocross enthusiast, sponsoring his pal Dick’s Team Tett racing outfit.

I went along to one race meet in Monmouthshire last summer where we both kipped in the awning they used to fix up the bikes. Steve owned a large collection of Husqvarna bikes and was an occasional visitor to the Isle of Man for the racing.

He was a larger than life character who lived life very much to the full. He was a volunteer at Joefest and he and I ran the bar at our daughters’ various joint birthday celebrations.

Steve was a regular visitor to the shed when lockdown restrictions eased. You could almost see the level of the gin in the bottle drop as you looked at it.

It is hard to believe that Steve is no longer with us. He is a big loss. He was a great guy and highly respected. Steve’s attitude to life was an example to us all.  

We plan to arrive an hour before the funeral to make sure we get a seat. Our thoughts are with his family, Eve, Lois and Kester.

July 2, 2024

Grey, grey, grey, grey, grey day

Filed under: diary — Trefor Davies @ 10:05 am

Grey, grey, grey, grey, grey day today. Ain’t no sunshine and she ain’t even gone. Snormal British summer weather really. Sokay. 

Another day of progress with the garage, hopefully. Inshallah. There is so much crap in there. The accumulated detritus of the twenty seven years we have been in this house. Old, not quite finished tins of paint, a bag of sand (!), a huge paella dish that I bought in some market that we have never used. If anyone wants a party sized paella dish now is the time to ask. Ten telescopic flagpoles (yup), campervan ramps, never used, two bike stands, never used, or maybe used once.

This is just the stuff I can remember without having to look. My visualisation of the garage is one of those pristine tidy spaces with everything in its place. Clean shelving with contents in clearly labelled boxes. Ditto the playroom that was never really used as a playroom and is just a dumping ground. With a bit of work that could be a workshop. A lot of work. Unlikely.

Then there’s the potting shed…

So plenty to be getting on with.

In the meantime I’ve put my clean clothes away, tidied up the top of the chest of drawers next to my side of the bed, fitted the new thermometer to the gas bbq and pumped up my bike tyres.

The tyres were completely flat as the bike hasn’t been used for a couple of years but I am about to change all that. The inflation process wasn’t totes straightforward and I had to resort to YouTube for assistance. Turns out the valve has a little metal bit you have to unscrew before attaching the pump. Who knew? All my other bikes, well my other bike, had the same valve as you get on a car tyre. Sup now anyway and I’ll be picking a time to go on a bit of a ride.

taxi requirements for the cricket

Friday 19th 3 persons

Tref, Shannon and Max from 118 Wragby Road to Trent Bridge – 8am

Return pickup 7pm – drop off Max in Burton, Tref 118 Wragby Road Shannon Heighington

150 round trip

130 without drop offs

Sat 20th 4 persons

Pickup Wragby Road 8.am then Hamilton Road near South Common

Return 7pm

Drop off Skelly, Hamilton Road, Wragby Road and Welton

159 round trip

July 1, 2024

Wildthing was a close friend and neighbour

Filed under: diary — Trefor Davies @ 10:03 am

Tbh I’ll be quite glad when this election is over with. The bullshit they keep giving airtime to is getting quite tedious. My vote has already been cast. Will put some champagne in the fridge to chill.

I plan to practise some grave dancing. A glee fuelled frenzy, hopefully celebrating the political demise of some of the worst, self-serving, useless bunch of politicians we have ever been unfortunate enough to have in the job.

Moving on, THG is a lot happier this morning having watched her side come back from an early flight home from the European football competition with a stunner of an overhead goal by Jude Bellingham. Although I am only a mildly interested bystander the tension in the house was palpable. Disappointment seemed inevitable.

Also the Davies representatives at Glasto are now all on their way home or already back. The first left late last night and the second is now on the M4. A busy week ahead as they all converge on Lincoln tomorrow night. I will need to make two runs to the stayshun to pick up the party as they won’t all fit in THG’s car.

Twould appear to be much sunnier today than was the case yesterday. Our regular milkman reappeared at four fifty three this morning sporting a polo shirt. Surely a sign of good weather ahead? The met office says cold and cloudy but looking outside the garden is bathed in sunshine. Works for me.

A third plant has come into flower in my meadow. No idea what it is yet but as the blossom gets bigger, or is joined by others, I should be able to determine the make, so to speak.

This morning should also see me making more progress with the garage clearout. Freeing up a big space on one of the shelves by moving the tent on means it will be easier for me to move things around to sort. On the floor there are four large black crates that could do with not being there anymore. 

One of the crates is filled with bar kit left over from the festival and another with wetsuits, life jackets and other kayaking and snorkelling gear that were once a feature of Davies family life. 

The goal is to purge the garage of items unnecessary. Davies Surplus, as it might be said. We may have to have a bit of a Facebook Marketplace session. Some of it is probably good stuff but kid sized wetsuits and life preservers ain’t much use to us now.

Ditto the golf clubs. I have at least four sets in there, gathered over the years. Then there are four body boards and, I note, some pink and blue beach umbrellas that were presumably left over from the festival bar area. They ain’t staying.

The higher shelves are typically reserved for boxes of Christmas decorations. There are a lot of them! I saw that the “Santa Please Stop Here” signs had seen better days but I can’t see me being allowed to chuck them. You need to know your limits 🙂

Steve Wildman, or Wildthing as he was sometimes called was a close friend and neighbour. We met at ante-natal classes thirty two years ago when we were both preparing for the birth of our first born children. Our wives were there as well obvs.

Our second born children, @Hannah and @Lois have been best buddies since the womb. Steve was a regular visitor to our house. We would have occasional jam sessions, he on trombone and me on geetar with Joe on trumpet and had a couple of public performances over the years at the various royal wedding and jubilee celebrations held around the corner on Curle Ave.

Steve retired a short few years ago from his job as Commercial Director of Siemens Energy, or Oil and Gas, or similar. They kept changing the name. I’m really not sure what his title was either but he did spend a lot of time overseas negotiating multi billion pound contracts.

Steve was one of the few people responsible for maintaining and being able to drive the Rustons Car, a vehicle manufactured in Lincoln circa 1922. He was a mechanical engineer by trade and a moto cross enthusiast, sponsoring his pal Dick’s Team Tett racing outfit.

I went along to one race meet in Monmouthshire last summer where we both kipped in the awning they used to fix up the bikes. Steve owned a large collection of Husqvarna bikes and was an occasional visitor to the Isle of Man for the racing.

He was a larger than life character who lived life very much to the full. He was a volunteer at Joefest and he and I ran the bar at our daughters’ various joint birthday celebrations.

Steve was a regular visitor to the shed when lockdown restrictions eased. You could almost see the level of the gin in the bottle drop as you looked at it.

It is hard to believe that Steve is no longer with us.

June 30, 2024

Heavy dew on the ground

Filed under: diary — Trefor Davies @ 9:55 am

Heavy dew on the ground this morning. Either that or it must have rained overnight. One of my jobs today whilst THG is out is to water the garden. It’s the church picnic so she will not be back until mid pm. Most people at her church think she is single. Not my thang. I feel uncomfortable going there.

Now drinking a cuppa on the deck. Whilst today is the sabbath I do feel motivated to continue with the garage clearance. In due course. When the time is right.

This is the height of the British summer. Wimbledon is about to start, the first test match is just around the corner and the grass needs cutting. The apple crop looks to be a good one this year and the strawberries have lasted a lot longer than we thought they would. Raspberries starting to come through now. The border looking more colourful than it has ever done.

This afternoon at five pee em we will be watching the footy. THG is both excited and somewhat filled with trepidation about the game. Her team, England hasn’t been playing to its full potential. This is normal for England football. Problem is the English fans always approach each tournament with extremely high levels of expectation and the team never delivers. Their reaction is then a combination of disappointment and anger. Woteva.

Dribble dribble dribble

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