Did you know, the shipping forecast lasts ten minutes. What’s not to like? I know this because during one of my awake periods I switched the wireless on to help me nod off again. Unfortunately I was up to date on episodes of “TwentyYears A Growing” by Maurice O’Sullivan and the next one wasn’t due until 08.30 (Radio 4 Extra – well worth a listen and I must buy the book).
Hmm, worramagoingtolistento? Ahah! The Shipping Forecast. The trusty Shipping Forecast. Guaranteed to get you off to sleep again. On it went. I figured I’d stick a five minute snooze on as I didn’t particularly want to hear anything else. Would you Adam and Eve it, the doggone Shipping Forecast got cut short half way across Dogger Bank or similar. I switched it back on and copped a “snooze at the end of the programme” setting which did the job.
Winding the clock forward and I awoke in time to catch the live version of the next Shipping Forecast. I was quite thrilled with this. Dunno if you’ve ever been lucky enough to catch more than one of these iconic broadcasts in the same day, let alone within a few short hours of each other but the difference is marked.
I’m not talking about the difference in the weather here. That is always changing unless you happen to be becalmed somewhere near the Bermuda Triangle. No, the morning version didn’t have the Sailing By musical introduction. Quite disappointing. Instead we were fed some trailers for programmes later in the day on Radio 4.
Once I recovered from this disappointment I found that the tone of voice and delivery of the presenter was quite different. Whereas the one in the middle of the night was calm and relaxing, dull almost, the morning guy was quite upbeat, almost rapid fire. Wow. Unless I’ve been on watch all night I guess I’m not listening to it at that time of day to help me fall asleep. I’m after news of whether the gales in Biscay are slackening or should I be hanging my washing out anywhere in the vicinity of Rockall.
The latter would benefit from a gentle breeze obvs but no rain and definitely not a gale as I wouldn’t have to go to M&S for more underwear when I’ve already restocked the drawer within the last ten years (jokes).
They should really do a Shipping Forecast Greatest HIts. Maybe an end of year review of the best moments. That time when Hurricane Hernando struck Cornwall destroying the day’s crop of clotted cream and preventing the strawberry jam from setting. Or when on April Fools Day they slipped the Serpentine in Hyde Park in the forecast. Lock up yer pedalohs. A Greatest Hits might showcase the talents of the different presenters featured during that year. Who knew there was such a variety of of voices? There are at least two we know for a fact and this isn’t something you can record well in advance to facilitate economic use of studio time.
I have to be careful not to drone on too long here or I could spend all day at it and some of you have stuff to be getting on with. I’ll finish with the information that the Shipping Forecast lasts ten minutes and is a good use of your time at 05.20 before you head out to do the milking or go to the gym.
Ciao amigos.
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Couple of short solo walks today. Bus stop and back. Didn’t get as far as yesterday with Tom. Suspect that was a bit too far for this stage of the game. Little by little… Now watching a programme on steam trains on Amazon Prime. Different on screen aspect ratio. V niche stuff but still better than a lot of the footage they churn out these days. Doubt they use that term anymore. Digital age and all that.
Got bored and now watching a black and white western. This won’t last long either. Next up binge watching Guy Martin’s Proper Jobs.
At least it’s the Peul v Villa at half seven.