Stuff

I haven't done something like this for ages.

Some thoughts...

When you buy 'complete dog food' does this mean you can also buy incomplete dog food?

Do you think Lorraine gets fed up with all the songs about her?

Why do sultry late summer days always make you nostalgic?

Is it something to do with the knowledge that (despite the dire financial threats) these are the last days of a period where, by and large, clothes are optional, you're not encumbered by layers of clothes and while this obviously doesn't apply to the freaks (the wife included) who look forward to the cold and dark that November through to late February brings, I think most people get melancholy about the end of another summer. 

The swallows are roosting and sunning themselves on the roof of the BT building over the road from my office, I only said yesterday that when they start doing that you know in a few weeks they'll be heading south for Africa for the winter. It's like they're charging themselves up for the long flight - solar-powered birds!

Anyhow, part of me is hoping today isn't the last day of summer. The forecast looks very wet and cooler and I fear the shorts, which haven't been worn as much as usual this year, will get packed away for another 8 months, at least...

***

I find myself unemployed again. While there was some friction about the newspaper I created for the town, the main reason was I'd achieved what I was employed to do, which was revamp the charity, give it a new, brighter, user-friendly image and get the ball rolling again because they'd stalled.

I was needed to try and increase revenue, but of course I cost money. When it became clear that the cost of living crisis was going to add, at the very least, my wages to the annual fuel bills and being a company with a building that houses other businesses it needs to be heated, all the time and lights and computers, etc. It was time for me to go. I'm still available if they need me, but I kind of fear that even with my help the current crisis might be a leap to far for them unless they strip back even further, which in a way defeats the reasons it was established in the first place.

Just another story people don't hear about in a landscape of despair that's emerging from the entire country - people's backs are against the wall already and instead of light at the end of the tunnel many are seeing a massive cave in with no way out. Fancy that in 2022?

***

With Alba, the latest addition to the long line of fine hounds we have had the pleasure of sharing their lives with, we came to the conclusion that we're too old for puppies now, especially ones that are as batshit crazy as this one. 

In the car, on the way back from the farm on the Rhins of Galloway where we got her, not five minutes ours, I said to the wife, 'look at those eyes. She's a feral psychopath.' and she's coming up for six months now and she's a feral psychopath. She is the wiggliest, daftest and softest puppy in the world when she sees someone she likes, she's a hackles raised, shouty bitch if she sees anyone else within 50 yards of her she doesn't know. I kind of think she's short-sighted as well as possibly the world's only stupid border collie. However, apart from her frenetic nature, psychopathic outrages at her brother, Neep (still the greatest dog who ever lived), who passes them off the way a large rock ignores a bothersome wasp, she's actually a fantastic dog who makes me laugh, especially in and around water, and will probably grow up to rule the world.

We're sticking with three, especially as we think Doug's nose has been put out by the arrival of a new girl. It's a strange situation, not a lot different from Marley's relationship with Ness - we share the same space, deal with it, except Doug really quite loves her, he just doesn't know how to play with her and acts like a stupid twat - which of course he is. The dynamic is good, especially when we're out for a walk and because Neep is basically a 10-year-old boy inside a small black dog's body, the other two pretty much follow him anywhere and his recall skills are 100%. 

***

We have cows (or coos) over the road at the moment; young heifers by the looks of things. It's not like we know they are there, because they're not noisy you wouldn't know unless you look out to the field. However you know they're there because of the flies. 

We know the cows are nearby because at least three times every spring/summer the fly population increases exponentially. Where there's cows, there's flies and where there's cow shit there's even more flies. They eat it; they lay eggs in it, it's the perfect breeding ground for disaster and it's taking place above 100 feet from my office window...

***

I don't really want to broach politics here but the thought did occur to me recently that has anyone else noticed that our journalists don't appear to be asking the right questions of our politicians? 

I haven't heard anyone ask anyone of note questions like: How is it morally okay for big energy businesses to make huge profits for shareholders while energy prices spiral out of the average persons control? Or, If the UK only uses 4% of Russian gas, how come UK energy prices are the highest in Europe; how is this the fault of the Ukraine War? Or, Why are the people going on strike always portrayed as the enemy? Why should these people earn less, pay more and give away hard fought workers rights to ensure shareholders make more profit? Why are they not portrayed as the victims of greed?

It would also be nice for a Tory - any one of them - to sound as though they're aware that we're facing a crisis, but they're on holiday, while arguing about the next fall guy and the rest of us have simply been ignored.

I'm really quite scared about the coming months, for many reasons, but probably most of all because every penny of our savings now has to be earmarked for energy bills. It could spell the end of my wish to upgrade my kitchen to something akin the 21st century or getting the conservatory roof fixed. The desire to spend money on vital upgrades has evaporated in the face of bills rising every single week.

I do the food shopping; have done all my adult life. I've seen things increase in price from £1 in March to £1.50 in August. Back in the 70s when we had rampant inflation problems it saw things like potatoes go from 2p a lb to 5p a lb - what's that? 150% rise? Today, things increase in price by 25p every time, sometimes by 50p, other things double in price over the space of a year. I don't know where the media gets the inflation figures from, but I think the people who do it might have a duff calculator.

***

For the first time in many many years, my annual pilgrimage to the paean of mycology hasn't really materialised. Every year since I got into mushrooms - about 1990ish - between the first sightings and the end of October my eyes are usually firmly on the ground. But this year it just hasn't ignited, despite finding a fine flourish of chanterelles back at the start of July. Part of the reason has been how dry it's been. I might be courting controversy here somewhat, but I don't think 2022 has been a brilliant year for this part of Galloway. Sometimes our microclimate works against us, but despite having a number of really gorgeous days - today included in that - it has largely been a mild summer, with a lot of cloud and not enough lazy days where you can just in the garden reading a book. It literally has either been just too cool or too hot.

So the usual rich pickings of August dwindled to a big fat not much at all. Ceps have been a rare find and there's been less of everything, especially the boletes and the amanitas. Usually long dry periods followed by a bit of late summer rain is all we need, but while it hasn't been bone dry in terms of precipitation, there hasn't really been enough to saturate the ground and stimulate much below the surface. Plus, as I said, it's been mild, especially at night and as a result of that and the dimple fact we haven't been driving to the woods with the dogs much, nothing has ignited.

Plus, I still have seven jars of last year's bumper harvest in the cupboards and I expect we'll have something of a flourish next week after the hills get a proper drenching this weekend.

***

Right, I have runner beans to pick, a shed roof to temporarily repair until I get the right equipment to do it properly and I have the last day of summer to enjoy...