08.08.08

The Fiat dealer I left my car with for its rear shocks replacement is really close to home, so I was easily able to walk back afterward dropping it off. After more overnight rain, things had a much brighter look about them by this time (9.30 or so). Walking is such a much better way of getting around, especially when you're carrying a camera. Suddenly there's so much more to see and to notice, including all those gardens which make you so envious as you pass them. I leaned over several walls snapping pretty flowers, and there was lots more of other interest too on the walk back, but the colourful brightness of these droplet-covered petals really jumped out of the screen.

The motor service guy was as good as his word and phoned mid afternoon to say the car was ready, by which stage the Olympics opening ceremony had reached the boring stage of the parade of the athletes, so that was another opportunity for a walk, re-tracing my earlier steps. It had got quite warm by this stage and was actually still dry, so that walk was pleasant too. The stunning start from Beijing had put me in good form to begin with, and then the wonderful way they managed the lighting of the flame proved to be such a terrific climax that I actually felt sufficiently inspired to cut the grass. Alex's good work had been adversely affected by all the subsequent wet weather, and things were beginning to look a bit untidy, so it was good to feel motivated and spent forty minutes or so cutting it back to size.

All in all, a really good day. When I noticed the significance of the date with all its eights I couldn't help thinking of the TV ad about the Chinese belief in the luckiness of the number eight and the guy who spends a fortune at an auction to buy a car number plate with an eight on it. Kicking off the Olympics at 8pm on the 8th day of the 8th month of 2008 certainly worked for me. Now here's looking forward to a good weekend.