Ink

Yesterday the weather was atrocious, but I decided, after deliberation, that reading a book at home indoors (because the deluge prevented me sitting in the garden to read) was not going to cut it. So it was going out.

Everything prevented me going going. My car keys decided to play hide and seek. Then my cochlear hearing processor and my iPad (where the remote is to alter settings, the settings go back to the default setting and I have to adjust them each time I put it on or else the sound coming in is intolerable and even indoors sounds like a busy 6 lane motorway) were not playing ball with each other. It would take a whole short novel to write the struggle I had with that. I thought I had sorted it, but before I got to the front door the processor was trilling away, signalling it had gone back to default setting. So back to the iPad again. By the 3rd time it had done this, an hour had passed and time was getting on, and I was ready to say forget about wearing the processor today, and go back to driving with no incoming sound (I managed that way from 17 until 60 years old, when I had the cochlear operation, with no incident). Finally, after nearly annihilating the iPad (the problem is apple software which connects to my processor when it shouldn't), I left the house wearing my hearing processor.

So I was late, and couldn't do something I had intended to do first.

Next problem was the 20 mph. And the total confusion reigning with all drivers in big and little vehicles. I was harassed by truck drivers trying to get me to do more than 20 mph, and believe it or not I was harassed by buses, and I am in a 20mph (I googled when I got back home and it turns out the bus drivers are still keeping to 30mph in a 20 mph zone because this messes with their schedules and connecting buses, and the bus companies have not done a new timetable, it cost money). GoSafe the partnership that runs the mobile speed cameras etc in this part of Wales, say that they will prosecute those who reach 26mph in a 20mph.

But the worst was the horrible increase in pollution. I still haven't got out of the 20mph zone yet. I felt really sick and was having problems breathing, so I had to shut my car window and turn on the air con, and used my inhaler, I do have asthma.

This area, where I live, is right by the A494 and Expressway, and most of it is low lying at virtually sea level. When I finally get to the end of the 20mph, the vans that had come out of the delivery distribution centres around here, suddenly floored it and shot into the distance (to try and catch up with their delivery schedules presumably). It took me a moment to adjust from the soporific 20mph to 70mph.

Flooding on the roads with the deluge. But finally I got to my destination, a village hall that does hot home cooked dinners once a week. The dinner was delicious and I enjoyed it (raised my blood sugars a bit because not diabetic friendly, but worth it, comfort food). No one else there, the other diners came as I left, so it was easy for me to have conversations with the cook and her helper.

BUT, no getting away from discussions on the 20mph in Wales. I am in England now, in Cheshire. It turned out this village did not have a post office any more, but once a week, a mobile post office came from Wales, from Flint. And the post office lady was getting everyone to sign the petition against the 20mph in Wales. Oh we've all signed said the food ladies.

By the way the signatures have reached over 330,000, the biggest petition that has ever been submitted to the Senedd. More than 330,000 calling for the 20mph speed limit in Wales to be rescinded. I have signed.


I will be going back to those home cooked meals. they were absolutely delicious.


Wildlife cameras
Pa Badger - an absolutely determined badger trying to get on that swing.
Pa Badger tried for half the night, again and again to try and get on that swing.
No stray cats that night on the swing. They are getting a bit narky that they can't sit on the swing during the night. Cat Midnight is getting cross over this. He watches, hidden from the badgers, from my vegetable garden.
65secs
https://youtu.be/3mQmPp1ii1c?si=I7HzS3y84x6VaPMl


Creative - using the ink tree designs in the china tea cup from yesterday, I managed to create a landscape of a coppice of trees from the ink in the white teacup.

I have to go to the bottom High Street to do something. Hopefully I can leave the High Street before the pollution gets worse with going to work traffic. Thank goodness I live at the top of a hill...so glad I resisted people saying sell your bungalow and move closer to the shops...

Is there a mask you can get that helps where there are traffic pollution fumes?

Time for a cuppa.

Have your best day.