Checking it's still there ...

This blip is a continuation of a joke I made the other night, and represents the only time I've really been outside all day - I was locking up just now and realised I'd not taken any photos at all. The long exposure on the iPhone allows interesting details to appear out of the darkness, including the fact that right now it's clear over Dunoon and there are stars. There is also one star that is moving across the sky; it appears as a bigger blob in the centre of the sky, not because it's bigger than the stars appear, but because it's moving. . It's not a plane - not on Planefinder - and not a helicopter - too high, too silent. I'm assuming it's a satellite or the ISS; if anyone knows they can enlighten me. It is already very quiet out there, and in an hour or so it'll be silent; I've noticed that since the first lockdown the nights are quieter than they were pre-Covid, though there was an amazing quality to the lockdown silence at night. 

I'm not sure why I didn't get out - there were, after all, sunny spells as well as battering sleet showers - unless it was simply the effect of my feeling incredibly tired after yesterday. I certainly took my time over breakfast, and not long after enjoyed a small bit of Christmas cake with coffee, my excuse being that if I was tired a bit more sugar might help. I spent quite a while on the computer, replying to mails arranging the next three months' preaching rota and reading The Scotsman. I'm loving the trenchant editorial comment on Westminster these days as well as some marvellous photographs in the inside pages.

The afternoon was unexpectedly taken up by a phone call out of the blue from someone I was very friendly with at university and the years following; she and her then husband were, I suppose, instrumental in introducing me to Himself as they invited us to join them in the octet that was just starting up as we came to the end of our second year of Uni. Since we came here, to what our Glasgow friends regarded as Ultima Thule, we've lost touch, though I did borrow a Moses basket from her for both babies; her move to the north-east was the coup de grâce. But there she was, and as the first hour of conversation moved into the second I suggested FaceTime would be a cheaper alternative, sort of excusing the increasingly raucous memories we were by then sharing. Even then I was thinking of going out, but then I did some Italian and it was getting dark and I decided I'd be sensible for a change and resist the madness. 

So here we are. My standing up ring is closed, but the other two gape open. (An Apple watch reference). I have coughed slightly less, but it's still lurking. I hope I hear from the surgery tomorrow, as I rang today and there seemed to be no immediate prescription. Maybe a wee chat is pending ...

But tomorrow is Thursday and I have a date with the supermarket. The hunt is on again ...