14 January 2012 (Saturday) - Doing Lots


Yesterday I mentioned about a rumoured explosion in Folkestone. I have since been told that the so-called explosion was actually a solitary firework. Rather a loud firework, but after all was said and done, it was a false alarm. Mind you one has to take rumours from Folkestone seriously -- that place has earthquakes when no-one is expecting them.

I was up relatively early this morning to sort through the astronomy club's account: one of our number has been lecturing to various W,I, branches, and they have been very generous in making donations to the club. Added to that there was the money taken at the last meeting to tot up too. I spend half a frustrated hour trying to account for a missing five pounds. And then the doorbell rang - the astro club's quartermaster had come for some cheques for more astro club purchases. He'd run from his house to mine (about two miles), and was then going to run on to the chairman's house for another signature (about three miles) before running home (another four miles). He must love it.

And then some brekkie. But before I ate I had the weekly weigh-in. I've lost another pound. The rate of weight loss has slowed down - where I was losing four pounds a week, I'm now down to a pound a week. That's either a lot better for me, or a sign that during the week I found a tin of Quality Street left over from Christmas.

We then popped to town: I had astro club money and cheques to pay into the bank. There was uproar in the bank. They had a new system. Rather than queueing up you took a ticket and waited to be called. Personally I liked the idea - you got a ticket depending on what service you wanted - business account, mortgage, personal account, and then you'd get to see the right person. But the Great Unwashed weren't happy. They would all rather have queued, and were very vociferous about the matter.
After waiting for a total of nine minutes I got served, and got out. It was about as long as queueing would have taken, but I couldn't face telling the shrieking harridans that. Finding the fruit and veg stall again not where it usually was we then had a quick look for cheap canvases. I was particularly looking of a 14 x 18 inch one. I eventually found one in Wilkos. But it was part of a set of three for four quid. And bearing in mind I didn't want the other two with it, I gave it all a miss. I'm getting mean in my old age.

And then home. As we walked home, so my piss boiled. I watched some chap finish with his cigarette and he just threw the butt on the floor. he didn't even stub it out. And I saw it bounce along with the other cigarette butts. I've never really noticed it before, but on every step of the walk home there was at least one discarded fag end. Hundreds, if not thousands on the way home. No other litter whatsoever. I really couldn't understand it: why do people not see finished cigarette ends as litter?

Within ten minutes of getting home, "My Boy TM" arrived and drove us all to Tenterden. Today was nephew's birthday, and the family gathered at Tenterden swimming pool for a swim. Fifteen (or so) of us spent a really good couple of hours swimming, splashing and sliding about. We had a great time, but somehow or other I managed to knack my left knee and I fell and hurt my bum too.
All too soon it was time to go, and we came home via Swallow Aquatics (since we were in the area). I couldn't believe the price of the tropical fish: over three pounds for a guppy (!) I shall have to check out other fish shops, but at those prices I shall probably be closing down the tropical fish tank when the current shoal of fish croak.

And so home via Tesco. With littlun fast asleep in the car, I volunteered to wait in the car whilst everyone else got supplies. And I used the opportunity to have a snooze myself. On getting home I watched a couple of episodes of "The Joy of Painting" before scoffing tea. And then we all went round to Chris's house for the now traditional Saturday night film night.
Tonight was a bit of a disappointment. We started off with the latest "Transformers" film. It had pretensions of being an adventure film, but (to my mind) there is a lot more to the concept of an "adventure film" than two and a half hours of things exploding. The second film, "Captain America" might have been good: I don't know - I slept through it. I'd probably overdone it at the swimming pool earlier...

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