Friday, March 09, 2007

Yesterday I drived mysef to Maidstone and back. a long day. Nice countryside around Maidstone.
Boring drive home, especially along the M40 for the final bit, in the dark. Lived on Cheddarie biscuits and cheap nasty dark chocolate from Netto. Quality food, eventually washed down with a sausage roll and Lucozade from Oxford motorway service. a bargain at £3.12.
Three pounds for a sausage roll and a bottle of pop ? Whats the world coming to.
But hoorah ! Monday was going to be a long day, off to Brussels in the morning for a one hour metting, then back in the afternoon. Now the meetings on Tuesday. Flight already booked, so it is cheaper to move the return flight to Tuesday and stop overnight in Brussels. But its at a Campanile, not one of my favourite hotels. and in a grim industrial suburb, with no signs of places of alcoholic supply. But needs must when the devil drives.

Monday, March 05, 2007

Lunar eclipse

Last Monday a total personal disaster. Had a call from the agency concerning the contract I expressed an interest in, they want to talk to me. Rang Mrs to mention this and had a very cold reception. Arrived home to a world of ice, a hotel receipt from last november. Whats this about ?
The receipt was when I left Swinton, and was going to Newport, but didn't, so used it as an excuse to visit the Blue Brick. Which was a real disapointment, as it's now no longer a pub with character, and a coal fire and gas lights providing the illumination. Its a boring bar with a wide screen tv and boring beers, electric lights.
So Tuesday was nnot good.
Mended and made up so all sweetness and light.

To sum up a crap week, I was offered the contract after a telephone interview on Friday. I declined it this morning, much to the annoyance of the chap at the agency who tried to persuade me to take in on. But after doing the sums I would be worse off as i would have to put more into my pension, and spend more on travel.

Weekend started equally crap. Felt lazy on Saturday, but brightened up watching the eclipse of the Moon. Wrapped up and sat in the garden, tried a couple of pics, but not very good. The Earth's shadow slowly crept across from the bottom of the bright disc of the full Moon. when the shadow had almost covered the Moon, the opposite side of the disc began to take on a coppery tinge. Looking at the Moon through binoculars, I really had the impression of the moon as a body out in space, rather than simply a bright shiny thing in the sky. I think its because looking a the moon normally through a telescope or binoculars means being slightly dazzled by it's brightness, but it seems to take on more of discernable shape when its dim.
The last time I saw a full lunar eclipse was February 2000 from Milan !

Sunday did nothing.