Septic Tank

I have a septic tank, and I woke up this morning to the septic tank alarm going off.  Not good.  This is where I'm glad I'm renting and I'm glad my landlord lives next door.  He discovered that the septic tank pump is no longer working.  So while my landlord fixes the issue, I have to be very careful about my water usage.  My yard is currently a mess where they've been digging up where the septic tank is, so I'm going to have to do a lot of clearing up after they've finished.  I think they've also been using a lot of my water - and guess who pays the water bill...  And to make things worse, a septic tank guy came round this afternoon to pump the tank.  But he managed to run over my trail camera while reversing up my drive.  Even the memory card in the camera got destroyed.  At least he ordered me a new camera - but I've lost footage from the last 3 weeks or so, and I don't think the new camera is as good as the one I had (which is no longer available).  And just now I've lost a couple of eBay auctions on some James Bond trading cards I really wanted.  Not a good day.  

Dahlias

On a lunchtime walk today, I came across a colorful display of dahlias that someone had clearly spent a lot of time maintaining.  I had to snap a few photos, because the flowers were really attractive and vibrant.  I'm no gardener, but I would definitely consider growing these if I was.

Golden Arches

Someone needs to tell Trump that there are already plenty of golden arches in the US, so he doesn't need to erect another one (especially one that he is trying to justify via BS national security reasons). 

Distracted

A late post.  I was distracted this evening as I was looking at the cost of flights to the UK over Christmas.  I still haven't decided whether I'm going to go or not.  I'm weighing up the pros and cons.  But if I'm going to go, I should book my flights soon before they start to get even more expensive.  Which is a major issue, because they are already really expensive.  Some conclusions I reached.  If I'm going to fly back, I would have to get a flight that arrives in London on Christmas Eve.  Less than ideal, but anything that arrives before then is significantly pricier.  And similarly for the return flight, the only affordable options are either on 29 December (which would mean shelling out an awful lot of money for just 4 full days back) or on 6 January (which would cost me a whole week's work of valuable vacation allowance).  Anything in between these dates is also significantly pricier.  Neither of these are particularly good options.  So I'm in a quandary because I don't want to let people (well, really only one person - my mum) down...  

Casino Royale

The good news - Casino Royale is going to be re-released at cinemas to celebrate its 20th anniversary.  I would happily watch what is arguably the best contemporary Bond film on the big screen.

The bad news - they haven't announced exact dates for the screenings yet, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was on James Bond Day (October 5th).  That will be a problem - I am going to be in California that week for work, with no opportunity to get to a cinema.  

Union Jack Classic

I saw an advert today for a sports event being held at Wembley this weekend - named the Union Jack Classic.  The first of what is apparently going to be an annual event.  And I don't get it.  Of all the American sports to bring to the UK, I don't see this one working.  It doesn't have a built-in UK audience.  At all.  And it is not even a sport I follow.  We are talking about college football.  Yes, American football played by university students.  Why is there a game being played in London?  I suspect some half-baked scheme for international expansion.  Which is nonsensical to me.  Plus, of course, I'm sure there are financial reasons.  The inaugural game is not even being played between two particularly good teams (the Kansas Jayhawks and the Arizona State Sun Devils, if you're interested).  But apparently 60,000 tickets have been sold.  Frankly I'm gobsmacked at so many.  I suspect mostly to traveling Americans or American expats - I don't imagine anyone British would want to go.           

Job (Dis)satisfaction

I completed an employee survey today.  And let's just say that my responses were less than positive.  I've become extremely disillusioned with my job again.  I was supposed to transition to a new role, but we've only recently got a new head of our department and the transition has been put on hold.  It's the same thing that happens whenever someone new comes in, they always want to change things up.  So who knows where my job is heading.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I wouldn't mind at all if I get laid off.  I'd rather that than have to quit.  But what I would really like to do is take a sabbatical. I said I would do that when I turn 50, so I have to seriously consider requesting a leave of absence sometime soon.  I'm busy through to the end of the year, but don't have any scheduled work yet for next year - so maybe then if I'm still employed. 

Celebrity Traitors

The Celebrity Traitors trailer that came out today even made it into the US pop culture news.  Let's hope they don't mess up the US streaming of the show.  The key is to make each episode available on streaming simultaneously or immediately after they have aired in the UK.  But I fear that is not going to be the case.  The indications are that it's only going to be available to stream after the full broadcast run has concluded in the UK.  In which case, it is going to be next to impossible to avoid spoilers.  What a shame.  On a related note, the next season of the US version of The Traitors (titled "New Blood") is actually airing on network TV (starting this week) and not exclusively on streaming.  This feels like an expansion of the franchise - especially since it will be the first US season that won't feature "celebrities".  However, when you consider adverts then each episode will only be about 45 minutes in length - so I fear it will feel quite rushed.  But I will probably check it out.  And I stand by my opinion that Alan Cumming is a MUCH better host than Claudia Winkleman. 

COVID Vaccination

Thanks to the current administration's anti-vax stance, it is so difficult to obtain details about COVID vaccinations.  Apparently four formulations were approved within the last week, but don't expect any federal guidance on getting these shots.  But the vaccines should start to be available soon.  Considering September and October are the best months to get your annual vaccination, it's all rather last minute.  It doesn't help that they are no longer universally free for everyone, and I have recently changed my health insurance provider.  Naturally my new provider has absolutely no details yet on how to get a vaccination.  But I think I have to get it through them, otherwise I'll have to pay out-of-pocket.  What a pain in the ass.  As a high-risk individual, it is important I get my COVID shot - ideally at the same time as my flu shot.

NFL

The American football season started this weekend.  Well, strictly speaking, it began on Wednesday (!) night with the Seattle Seahawks beating the New England Patriots in a low-scoring affair, and a rematch of last year's Superbowl.  Cue the fireworks.  I used to really love watching American football.  I was a fan even before I first came to the US.  But nowadays, I don't care for it much at all.  It's a very difficult game to watch live, because of the constant commercial interruptions.  It's a game where the teams are owned by rich assholes who don't care about their players (although this is a common occurrence across sports, it feels particularly acute in American football).  And as with many other sports, an emphasis on changing the rules to make the game safer has also made the game more boring.  It doesn't help that my team - the San Diego Chargers - doesn't even exist any more...    

Streaming

I've just signed up for a streaming bundle - that includes Netflix, Apple TV+, HBO Max, Disney+, Peacock and Hulu.  So there are a whole bunch of new shows available for me to binge.  So much choice, it's quite overwhelming.  All recommendations welcome.  And it's not just current shows.  For example, I haven't subscribed to Netflix since the very early days of streaming.  So there are critically-acclaimed shows - like Black Mirror and The Crown - that I've not seen a single episode of.  What I really need to do is compile a list of shows to prioritize watching.  I'm sure I'll share that in a future post.  What with GTA VI being released in November (I've already pre-ordered it), I'm well prepared to keep myself occupied in the evenings as the nights get earlier.  

Spiders

It's spider mating season - which means they've started to come out of hiding inside and outside the house.  And this year there seem to be more of them and they are bigger.  Is global warming to blame for this?!  There's been a few times when they've scared the bejesus out of me when I turn on a light and see this giant monster on the ceiling.  It's not just spiders.  I found a flying ant infestation outside my front door the other day.  I only discovered it after I noticed some birds flying around near my front door - something they don't normally do - who had apparently found it before me and were feeding on the ants.  Thinking about insects,  I also note that I've seen a lot less wasps this year than previous years.  Maybe global warming is not all bad.  

United States Space Force

Nothing unsettling or fascist-looking about the new uniforms Trump has proposed for the United States Space Force.

And when the hell did the US get a Space Force?  (Apparently since 2019).  And what exactly do they do?  I know the administration wants to fight aliens - but I always thought it was more about non-citizens rather than extraterrestrials. 

US Open

I've been watching quite a bit of the US Open - including staying up late last night to watch Alcaraz get beaten (the match finished around 12.30 am for me, which was 3.30 am in New York!).  What I've been noticing is that there seem to be lots of empty seats at many of the matches.  It's kind of making me want to go to the tournament some day in the future.  I'd rather go to the US Open than experience the pretentiousness of Wimbledon.  I don't imagine a ticket for a decent seat at one of the bigger stadiums is particularly cheap, but they do seem to be available - particularly for a mid-week day session during the early rounds.  That's also your best bet of catching a decent player competing on one of the smaller outdoor courts.  Or watching a British player inevitably getting knocked out in an early round.

Noise

I always seem to find something a neighbor does that annoys me.  Normally noise related.  And I have a new source of my ire.  And this one seems to be a legitimate complaint.  It seems like I have a neighbor who has a kid that belongs in a band.  And that band has started practicing outside - and not being quiet about it.  It is very loud and quite distracting - even when I have my windows closed.  Louder than when they occasionally hold music concerts at the local park.  I'm not sure which neighbor it is - it is somewhere behind my landlord's house, and probably a few houses down.  But today is the second time I have heard them, and I am really worried that it might be becoming a regular thing.  I surely can't be the only one bothered by the noise - there must be so many other neighbors who can hear them playing.  I hope someone else says something, because I don't want to be the one to do so.  I will speak to my landlord about it.  Surely he has noticed it.

Happy Labor Day

How did I spend Labor Day?  Well, I couldn't do very much because I've just started taking a new medication for managing my diabetes, and - how do I put this politely - it's going to take my body a little while to adjust to it.  Let's just say I can't be too far away from a toilet.  So instead I've started going through some of the photos from my UK trip, and saving them to my laptop.  I might eventually post some of them onto this blog.  But this task is not easy, because I'm encountering the same issues that I did in the UK - in that some of the photos cause the file conversion process not to work properly.  Thanks Apple for using a specific file format for photos and videos that doesn't work with anything else.  It means I can't use something like the Windows Photos app to import the photos, because it just messes up.  Even copying and pasting the images doesn't work when one of them is "corrupted" (even though I can see the photo perfectly fine on my iPhone).  I've found ways to get around it (mainly via dodgy online file converters), but it's frustrating and time-consuming.  I'm also starting not to trust my iPhone either.  I could have sworn I took a video of the view of the London skyline from Primrose Hill, but there was no such video saved on my phone.  Am I going crazy?     

August Trail Cam Highlights

Finally got round to checking out my trail cam footage for the last month.  No sign of the bear.  My landlord had mentioned that he had been seeing a lot of deer, and the trail cam confirmed that.  Though rather than lots of different deer, I think it's the same family of deer that happens to be hanging around.   

Another One

Look what arrived today.  Another set that will probably never get built.  At least by me.  I don't think I can even justify this as a good investment.  I'll just add it to my pile of boxed sets that are gradually taking over my third bedroom.

A quick one

I'm feeling like I need a break from this blog.  But that is tough to do after nearly 3,800 daily entries.  But I don't think I'm going to spend much time on any entries over this Labor Day weekend.  Starting with this one.

Liberty

Trump's official $1 coin says it all, with his sourpuss expression accompanied by dates suggesting liberty started in 1776 and officially ended in 2026.  That sounds about right.  The sad thing is that these $1 legal tender coins are actually being sold for a lot more than $1, if they're not sold out.  And of course they are entirely illegal - the law prohibits the likeness of any person who is alive to appear on currency.  But when has a small thing like the rule of law ever stopped Trump from doing anything.

Sick

I've had a splitting headache most of the day.  In fact, it's probably accurate to say all day since I had it when I got up and I've still got it as I write this just before 10 pm.  Lots of possible reasons for this headache, but I think the most likely culprit is lack of sleep - because I simply haven't been sleeping well since I've come back from the UK.  My body clock is still all over the place.  I've been dozing off in front of the TV in the early evenings, and then have short but deep sleeps in my bed before getting up very early in the mornings.  These strange sleeping patterns are affecting my diet as well - I'm finding I have absolutely zero appetite in the evenings, so I'm not really eating properly either.  I should really have taken this week off work, because I've not been feeling anywhere near 100% and I'm getting absolutely nothing done at work this week.  At least it's a bank holiday weekend coming up.  All in all, I feel like I'm a bit of a mess right now. 

Palace

I haven't talked about the Premier League and Crystal Palace this season yet.  Mainly because I've made a conscious effort not to follow football so much this season.  I haven't seen any highlights of games yet this season, nor any live games.  And I haven't been following all the transfer news - so I don't know who is playing for who nowadays.  None of this stuff particularly interests me.  The games are just less interesting than they used to be - an over-reliance on set pieces and tactical safety, and very little open-play flair.  And it doesn't help that I am extremely worried about Palace this season.  I think we will be deep in the relegation battle.  Not so much because we've started 0-0-2 (losses against our bogey side - Everton - and Man City is not really a surprise) but more to do with the fact that our squad has definitely taken a step back in quality.  Many of our best players have left or want to leave.  I don't think our ownership is giving our new manager a fair chance to prove himself.  There is just too much negativity around the side right now.  Not good.

Disorientation

I fell asleep in front of the TV tonight, and when I woke up I was convinced that it was Tuesday evening and that I had slept through an entire day.  Then I was convinced that it was Tuesday morning and that I had slept for an entire 12 hours.  And then I realized that in fact I had only fallen asleep for a couple of hours and it was still Monday evening.  What a ride.  And what an anticlimax.     

Holiday

Not for the first time, I think I really need a holiday after a holiday.  I am still feeling utterly out of sync with everything.  I suspect the week ahead with work is not going to be very easy.  At least I shouldn't be as busy as I feared - one of the tasks I was supposed to be working on has been canceled.  But then another urgent request has come up - so maybe not.  But considering I was off work for over 3 weeks, I was surprised that the number of unread emails I had was as low as it was.  A not particularly promising sign about how important and irreplaceable I am.   

Jet Lag

Jet lag hit me hard today.  It started with being unable to get any sleep last night.  I simply wasn't tired.  But then over the course of the day, I've just had no energy.  And it's affected everything from my meals (I haven't had anything to eat this evening), to not being able to get anything done (I've got a list of things I need to do this weekend that I've still got so much to get through), to not being able to concentrate on anything.  So much for my hope of watching some of the few shows that I recorded while I was away.  As I write this now, at about 10.30 pm, I am feeling really tired.  I suspect I will be able to fall asleep very quickly.  But it will probably be a deep but short sleep, and I'll be wide awake again very early in the morning - well before sunrise.  Less than ideal, and in my experience it could be like this for a while. 

Thank You

I just want to take this opportunity to thank the people that hosted me during my stay in the UK.  To S and E in Manchester, where I had a great time and made a new young friend.  And of course my Mum, who had to put up with my presence for way too long.  I hope I didn't disturb your routines too much!  As much as I love my Mum, I don't always show it - especially because staying with her sometimes brings out the worst in me.  I don't always agree with everything she does, but I guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks - so I do my best to bite my tongue, not always successfully.  But I appreciate that both the dog and the garden take priority, and if those routines keep her busy and work successfully for her - then the last thing I want to do is disturb that.  After all, she will probably outlive me!

Home

I'm back in the US.  Or should I say back home?  Or is the UK my home and the US just my residence?  Hmmm, that is one to ponder.  Anyway, a bit of a nightmare journey back.  Starting with an unexpected overweight fee on my luggage.  I didn't think I brought back that much more than what I brought into the UK, after all it's not like crisps weigh a lot.  So I really question whether the scales at the airport were calibrated correctly.  And then we were stuck on the runway for an hour and a half before we could take off - thanks to some heavy rain near Heathrow.  Basically the only time it rained in my entire 3 week stay.  But I've made it back in one piece.  Despite it probably being close to 24 hours that I've been awake now - between waking up early this morning (UK time), not sleeping on the flight, and the time difference meaning the sun still hasn't set on the Thursday evening here yet.  The longer I can stay awake, the better chance I'll have of overcoming any jet lag.  It normally hits me bad when I return to the US, but I'm feeling OK right now.

Insect Bites

My last post before I fly back to the US.  And with typical timing, at some point yesterday some insect got me good.  I've got bites on both my legs and on one of my arms.  And these are not just any small bites, but have turned into these large red welts.  Quite painful, and extremely itchy.  Between these and the various rashes I've had, this trip has not been good for my skin.  I am really starting to show my age.  Especially compared to a photo I saw of myself today from 25 years ago, when I looked so young and healthy.  The ravages of time... sobering.     

Hampton Court Palace

A final excursion today - to Hampton Court Palace.  And this makes for an extremely worthy day trip.  I have been here before, but it was a while ago - and I've never been here by myself before.  Between the palace and the gardens, I must have spent about 4 hours there.  It has some terrific history, and some extremely well maintained interiors and exteriors - very photogenic.  And I feel like I could have spent much longer there (if only for perfecting those photos).  I was supposed to go for a walk after visiting the palace (to Hampton village) but it was too hot and I was too tired so I'll have to do that another time.  It didn't help that the walk takes you through an entrance to the palace that is no longer open, so requires a considerable detour.  But I did plenty of walking just from completing most of the routes in the audio guides (free with entry), having already done a lot of the same routes without the audio guide but wanting to see the main sights before it started getting too busy.  And it definitely does get increasingly busier throughout the day (I read online that it was recommended to get there around 1 pm to avoid the crowds - but I couldn't disagree more, and I was glad to be there not long after opening time). 

British Television

A few shows I've caught whilst I've been back:

Celebrity Hunted: not exactly a star-studded celebrity line-up.  The only person I recognized was Brain Conley - and he feels like a relic from a bygone era (Larry the Loafer anyone?!).

University Challenge: I never used to know any of the answers.  Now I don't even understand some of the questions.  My brain has officially been Americanized.

Gogglebox: I've been watching this quite a bit, even episodes from several years ago.  Mainly because it features a lot of clips from British shows that I've never seen, so I quite enjoy seeing what shows were in the zeitgeist. 

Ann Droid: fairly funny, but don't see how this can be a sustainable show

Rapture: not bad, kind of intriguing premise but felt like quintessential small-scale British drama and sort of fizzled out

Sharpe: caught some old episodes of Sharpe - classic 90's show.  Still entertaining, if a little dated

Dad's Army: classic comedy, always watchable

Are You Being Served: this has aged very badly

Luther: now this was a very good show

The Great British Sewing Bee: a far less entertaining version of The Great British Bake Off.

Sunday Roast

One last Sunday roast today before I head back to the US.  You just don't get them in the US - or at least not in the Pacific NW (at least on the American side, I suspect I might have better luck if I go north of the border).  Which is a tragedy.  It is right up there as one of the British meals I miss the most (so having 3 of them over the last 3 weekends is a true pleasure).  I think the only way I could ever have it back home would be to cook it myself.  And I fear that is beyond my culinary abilities.  Though if I get desperate, perhaps I should at least try.

No Film Review

Well, I hoped to tell you about how much I enjoyed (or didn't enjoy, though I suspect I will like it) watching The Odyssey on a big IMAX screen.  But alas, I never got to see it.  I did another London walk this morning and gave myself plenty of time to get to the Science Museum (over an hour).  What I hadn't accounted for was the fact that the Piccadilly line and District/Circle line all had engineering work going on that meant it was impossible to get to the museum by tube.  By the time I had realized this by trying to get there via several different, infrequent and crowded routes, it was too late to get there by any other means.  I can maybe blame myself for not checking for any underground engineering work this weekend in advance and planning accordingly (e.g. what bus or walking route to take).  It perhaps also explains why there were so many more available tickets for screenings this weekend than for any other days.  I thought about trying to see if I could get a standby ticket for a screening at the BFI, since it is right by Waterloo where I was catching a train back.  But nope, my enthusiasm for going to watch the film had evaporated by now.  I was sweaty and fed up and done with London for the day (and maybe also for this UK trip).  I'll watch it at home when it comes out on streaming. 

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

A trip today to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.  Convenient because it's a direct train.  And this does make a worthy day trip.  I was there for about 4 hours, and could easily have spent another 4 hours there.  The remains of the Mary Rose, HMS Victory, HMS Warrior - plus a bunch of other historic ships.  If you like your naval history, you'll love it here.  I have been here before - it must have been not long after my parents moved to Surrey because I went with both of them.  But that was a long time ago (I can't find a blog entry for it), and it was worth revisiting again.  Despite the extortionate entrance fee.  But my ticket is valid for a year, so if I'm back in the UK at Christmas (and that is a big if, since I'm having some second thoughts about whether I want to/need to/am prepared to shell out on another trip back this year) then I might well come back.  

Costco

My first time going to a UK Costco today, and I'm not going to lie - it was disappointing.  It was practically the same as a US store.  Similar layout, similar products, similar confusion as to why so many people love this place.  I don't really know what I was expecting from a UK version of the store - certainly a lot more British stuff, the kind of stuff that you can get at British supermarkets.  But nope, it was nothing special and there was very little that I couldn't get in the US.  Though I did notice that they had an 85" Samsung TV on sale for what seemed like a remarkably good deal.  That was kind of depressing to think about as I'm probably going to pay about 3 times more on a new (and smaller) TV in the US before the end of the year.  There must have been a catch - I wonder what it was.  Maybe it was just the floor model on sale?  I don't know.  I always thought electronics were cheaper in the US, but maybe that's not the case anymore. 

50

A significant milestone.  The half century.  When I Google it, the AI Overview states "Turning 50 is a major life milestone that marks the start of a new decade.  Many people celebrate with a big party or a special trip, while others use the time to focus on health, personal goals, and new habits.".  Far be it for me to criticize AI, but that sounds like any other birthday.  And as with any other birthday, I didn't really do anything special because I don't care to celebrate getting even older.  Especially considering how badly my body has failed me in coping with the heat during this trip.  But I did go out for a meal with my Mum today (that I paid for!) - does that count as a big party?  And I suppose the fact that I'm here rather than in the US does mean I have "celebrated" with a special trip.  Perhaps the AI is right.  All hail our artificial overlords.  

Dulwich

A random excursion today to Dulwich, an affluent suburb in South London.  A number of celebrities own homes here, for example Jason Statham and Tom Cruise.  And from my brief 4 mile foray, it did seem like a perfectly pleasant area.  But as I cross off some of the few remaining London walks in my book, the walks do tend to be a bit more obscure and less photogenic.  This was definitely one of those.  Most unusually, I hardly took any photos at all during this walk.  There just weren't that many "sights" in this walk, it was just a nice neighborhood stroll.  And for that reason, I'm not sure the walk justified the cost of traveling to Dulwich.  Which is a shame.  I don't want to think like that, but this was also another walk where I was suffering in the heat.  I don't know what is going on - I seem to be sweating profusely whenever I go out.  I don't have this issue in the US.  I think I need to get some better antiperspirant.        

British Food

Of the many things I miss most from the UK (though I have to admit that this list has somewhat shrunk over time as I've gradually become assimilated to the US), food is definitely up there.  Nothing beats a good fish n chips, a good curry, and a good Sunday roast.  And I've had all of them already on this trip.  Add to that the sweets (candy), the sandwiches (America doesn't really do good bread), the pastries (sweet and savory, that America doesn't do at all) and crisps (of which I have to take back loads to the US - though I've definitely noticed the decrease in size and contents of crisp bags).  Plus all the other little things that I cannot get, or at least cannot easily or cheaply get, in the US.  Thanks to my new suitcase, I've got a bit more room to take back more British food from this trip.  So now I need to decide how best to use that space...     

British Rail

After a very pleasant few days in Manchester, it was time to journey back to the SE.  My train set off on time from Manchester, but encountered some significant delays in the Midlands due to overhead power line issues, and arrived in London about 45 minutes late.  Not a big deal.  But I found myself once again struggling in the heat - the heat of a not very well cooled train, and the small but significant increase in temperature between Manchester and London.  I was able to get home on time, despite the 45 minute delay, because I was able to navigate London Euston, the London Underground and Waterloo very quickly to get the train I needed back out to Surrey.  But even rushing through it, I saw how busy Euston was.  It looked like a nightmare.  And apparently there were some serious disruptions today - and I was maybe very fortunate not to be as badly affected as apparently a lot of other people were by it.  I'm glad I went to Durham when I did, because the London-Durham line was the one that was blocked today.  Not a good sign when LNER - the operator of that line - advised passengers not to travel today.  Yikes.

Lyme Park

I'm in Manchester now.  And we went to Lyme Park today - a National Trust estate in the Peak District in Cheshire.  But it is perhaps better known as the location where Mr Darcy met Miss Bennett in BBC's Pride and Prejudice.  Hence why lots of people (mainly foreign tourists) were dressed up in period costume.  On a summertime weekend, this place was about as busy as you might expect.  But away from the crowds around the house and gardens, there were great views - including a great view of Manchester - to be had.

Durham

Just spent an overnight stay in Durham, and I have some thoughts on the city.  Possibly controversial.  I think Durham is overrated.  I've been to lots of cathedral cities over the last few years, and Durham Cathedral was nowhere near the best of them.  And there was very little to see of the castle on the self-guided tour.  With Durham Castle and Cathedral being recognized on the UNESCO World Heritage Site, I really expected so much more.  And beyond the castle and cathedral, there didn't seem to be much to the city.  Apart from enormous crowds of tourists.  I never really considered Durham seriously as somewhere I might have gone to study.  I'm glad I didn't go.  The city center seemed small (much smaller than, say, Bath) and I'm not sure it has much to offer to the student - especially with it's pretensions to be a Northern Oxford or Cambridge (both of which are far superior places).  Of course, maybe my opinion has been soured by visiting over a couple of incredibly hot days - and I've been suffering in the heat, sweating a lot more than I normally would and not really having a good time of it.  But when I compare Durham to somewhere like York, I think York is a much nicer and better place to visit.  

Excursions and Photos

I am falling behind in posting some photos.  I have some from when I went to Fishbourne Roman Palace and Chichester Cathedral a few days ago.  And I arrived in Durham today, so I have a few more photos - though the bulk will come tomorrow when I take tours of the castle and cathedral.  But I've encountered a problem.  My Chromebook is running into issues decoding all the photos when I plug my phone into it.  A known compatibility issue with file types (Chromebooks can't always handle the HEIC format used on the iPhone).  I arrived earlier than I thought today - so while waiting until I could check in, I thought I could sort through some of my photos over a pint.  That is when I encountered the issue, which is extremely frustrating.  So I don't know when I will next post some photos.  I might have to start posting blogs about places I've been, and add photos later.  Maybe very later.

Partial Eclipse

My attempts to photograph the partial eclipse were about as successful as my attempts to keep my body temperature normal during this heatwave.  Not good (the actual reflection of the eclipse that appears in the lens is better!).  I probably should have tried using better settings.

I've been through a partial eclipse before in the US.  And like before, I enjoy the big drop in lighting and ambient noise.  But without the eclipse glasses, which we didn't have, you can't really see much.  And I don't really consider it to be the spectacular once-in-a-generation event that the BBC liked to describe it as.  Just a rare celestial event - of which there are very many.

Sweets

Rhubarb & Custards.  Check.

Mint humbugs.  Check.

Butter mintoes.  Check.

Lemon sherbets.  Check.

Pear drops.  Nope.  Why aren't these readily available?  I think I'm going to have to go to a specialist sweet shop to get these.  What a pain in the ass.

Barratt fruit salad.  Nope, I haven't seen these either.  Where the hell do I go to get these?  Wait, what - there's a chain called Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe.  And they have a shop in Guildford?  I think I know where I need to go.

Clerkenwell

A few photos from the 2 mile walk I did around Clerkenwell.  An area of London that is, according to my guidebook, rich in historical features.  And although it was nice enough to get away from the crowds and wander around the quieter backstreets of London, this was one of the least photogenic walks I've done from this guidebook.  I wouldn't have known the history if I hadn't read it in the book.  And a lot of it was either destroyed during the Blitz or has been built upon beyond recognition.  For example, there is a medieval well called the Clerk's Well (hence Clerkenwell) - but it is inside an office building and you can only see it by peering through an office window.  Not sure I care for that.  But perhaps this would have been a more pleasant walk if it hadn't been so hot and I hadn't overdone it - as proved subsequently as I am apparently suffering from both a heat rash on my arms and Disney rash (look it up) on my legs.  Yikes.  

RAF Museum

As mentioned, I went to the RAF Museum yesterday.  A somewhat bittersweet experience, because it was one of the last places I was supposed to go with my Dad before his mental health deteriorated, but we never did.  And I think he would have liked it.  Lots of airplanes on display from the 1st and 2nd World Wars, up to the modern day.  I'm not sure a visit to the museum alone would justify a trip into London, but it does make a nice detour on a rainy (or hot!) day and you've got a couple of spare hours.  Here are some photos of some of the airplanes - which I guess some (most) of you might find kind of boring...

Heat

Whenever I come back to the UK, I like to do various excursions into London.  It's been a long time since I've come back to the UK in the peak of summer.  And one of the reasons I don't like it is because it's too hot to do much walking.  Especially after 50 plus days without measurable rainfall, or whatever it is.  I did my first excursion into London today, and it was exhausting.  My main aim was to go to the RAF Museum.  But with the cost of an off-peak one day travel card now at an ungodly amount, I felt I had to get my money's worth so I followed up my museum trip with one of the walks from my book.  And it was a struggle.  I probably tried to do too much in one day.  I need to pace myself a bit better, and make better use of drinks and refreshment - after all, this should be something that London is good for.  With no discernible rainfall in the forecast, I don't think conditions are going to get better any time soon....  I'll aim to post some photos in the upcoming days.      

Godalming

Godalming.  Famous (maybe I should use inverted commas: "Famous") for the world's first public electricity supply and birthplace of Titanic wireless operator Jack Phillips (who went down with the wreck).  And also, as of this year, as the site of the largest Marks & Spencer standalone food hall in the world.  And having walked around this store, you will be blown away.  Not.  It is decidedly unspectacular.  It just seems like it offers the same stuff that you might be able to get at any other M&S store, but spread out a bit more.  And you are actually more likely to notice the things that this store does not offer: clothing, a cafe, even just a toilet.  When you are literally located within view of a Waitrose on one side, and a Sainsbury's on the other, the location is nonsensical.  As is the fact that the store is clearly big enough to sell clothes - something that is majorly lacking in the Godalming area.  Seems like a huge missed opportunity.  What a joke.  I don't think it is sustainable.  

BA BS

I composed this on my Notes app on my phone during the flight yesterday... it is a bit of a moan, so sorry about that.

Although I’m happy to be back in the UK, it was not a pleasant flight here.  I’m utterly fed up with British Airways - when I checked in, I had no seat choice.  A window seat in the corner of the back row of the premium economy section.  A seat that I wasn’t able to change at the airport, despite asking both at the check-in desk and at the gate.  And arguably one of the worst seats in the section (eg too close to the toilets). I blame BA for downgrading my membership tier, so I couldn’t select a seat a week before my flight and instead could only do so a day before.  I notice also that I was never offered a drink before the plane took off.  That was something that I’m sure we got in premium economy before.  BA has gone seriously downhill.  I think this might also be the last time traveling back to the UK in summer.  I hate airports at this time of year.  Too hot, too busy, too crowded.  The terminal was a nightmare - and I was sweating through my clothes as I was walking around.  I clearly didn’t use enough deodorant this morning.  Very unpleasant.  I was on a full flight, and I think this might be the first time I was never asked if I might be interested in paying x amount to upgrade.  Perhaps even the business section was full?  There are clearly way too many people with way too much disposable income in this part of America to be able to afford flying business class.  Anyway, I have got to book flights back for Christmas soon.  I will definitely be considering airlines other than BA for that trip.

I must have written this early on in the flight, because later on I actually noticed there was a free aisle seat in the premium economy section, which is all I asked for.  Which takes the p*ss.  And add to that a massive long wait for my checked bags after breezing through immigration.  Yep, I feel like I might be done with BA (until I find out they have the cheapest priced flights...)  

Blighty

Yep, I've made it back to the UK once again.  Too tired to compose a meaningful post.  But, surprisingly, I think I actually got some decent sleep on the flight over - though in typical airline fashion, it was very fitful sleep.  And don't get me started on British Airways itself.  Let me save that for tomorrow.

Smoke

It seems I've timed my trip back to the UK quite well.  It has been quite nice here, apart from one major exception over the last few days which I'll be glad to leave behind.  And that's the wildfire smoke pouring into our region.  You can noticeably see and smell the smoke in the air.  Does make for some very photogenic orange skies - especially at sunrise and sunset.  But it does mean we have a severe weather alert for air quality.  In addition, it looks like there's a heat advisory tomorrow and Thursday.  Heat and smoke together is a very toxic combination.  I think all the smoke is coming from some big wildfires in the east of the state.  Apparently there have been tens of thousands of forced evacuations around Spokane, with huge areas affected and lots of buildings destroyed.  And that's just one of many.  What makes it worse, the Spokane fire was caused by arson - which is disgusting.  I guess climate change doesn't really matter when you have the idiocy of humanity.   

Trail Cam Fail

Having seen a lot of deer over the last week, I was planning to post some photos from my trail cam today.  But when I went to check it, something was wrong.  Apparently my SD card has crapped out - and my laptop doesn't even recognize it when I plug it in.  And even the trail cam has issues with the SD card.  So there might have been some decent photos captured over the last month or so, but who knows since I cannot access them.  And I have absolutely no idea if and how I can recover them.  Grrrr.   So I had to make an emergency run to Walmart this evening to get a new SD card.  I want to have my trail cam working before I depart.  Another unplanned expense - there seem to have been quite a few of them recently.  

Derailment

A very unsatisfactory day today.  I got up nice and early intending to take the light rail into downtown Seattle.  I wanted to do some shopping, plus take a short ferry ride to Bainbridge Island - somewhere I haven't been to for ages.  But I thought I'd check for any service alerts before I set off - and I'm glad I did because that's when I discovered the big news.  A train had derailed in downtown Seattle last night, and they had shut down all the downtown stations.  So the line was only running to a certain point, and then you had to take a shuttle bus.  That's a big nope from me.  And I didn't really feel like driving downtown and finding somewhere to park.  Especially knowing that without light rail the traffic would be horrendous, even for a Sunday morning.  So I never went in the end.  What bad timing.  So apologies for anyone I might be staying with on my trip back to the UK, since I wasn't able to get you a souvenir.   

Lists

I've got a list of things I need to do before I fly to the UK, a list of things to do when I'm back in the UK, and a list of things I need to do after I fly back from the UK.  I do have a habit of making lists.  Am I just trying to be organized?  Is this a symptom of ADHD or autism?  Or is this a symptom of OCD?  Who knows.  I wouldn't say I compile or complete lists compulsively, but I do like the focus, control and satisfaction of checking off things on a list.  And if I write something down, then at least I don't have to stress about trying to remember it. 

AFL

We are nearing the end of the regular season of Australian Rules Football.  And I am so disappointed with the US coverage.  They are showing maybe 3 or 4 live games every week.  Which is great.  But the choice of games is so bad.  I am missing out on so many games between contending teams, because they are not being shown in the US.  Instead they are airing games featuring teams who are not in post-season contention, and so who are not playing for anything.  It is nonsensical.  Perhaps it is intentional, perhaps it is not, but I don't recall this being an issue earlier in the season.  But they really should be airing the marquee matchups.  Mind you, I'm going to miss the final 3 weeks of the season whilst I'm back in the UK.  I think I'll try to still record any of the better games, and watch them when I get back.  Unlike English football, it shouldn't be a problem avoiding the AFL scores.     

Busy

With only a few work days left until my vacation, it is a bad time to get busy.  And a load of stuff has come up recently at work that needs to be dealt with before I go.  Which means that the next few days are going to get incredibly busy - both with work, and with everything I need to do before I fly out.  The last thing I want to do is work during my holiday, something that most Americans wouldn't think twice about, so I'm going to force the issue by not taking my work laptop back with me.  That might not go down well with some colleagues, but I don't care.

Count Binface

Yes, the 2026 Clacton by-election has even made the news over here.  No surprise really when the only serious contender to Nigel Farage is a guy with a trash can on his head.  It is ridiculous, but quite amusing - and extremely confusing to an American audience who don't get these joke candidates in their elections.  Of course Farage will win the by-election, but I think he is already a big loser in the court of public opinion.  Even more so than he already was.  I note that Nigel Farage has stopped accepting Cameo requests - I wonder if the video clip I got from him (I hasten to add this was something a friend paid for and got for me as a joke, since it is definitely not something I would do for myself) is still available?  

Commonwealth Games

It has only come to my attention recently that the Commonwealth Games is going on.  An event that has exactly zero coverage over here.  And frankly, I don't why it's still a thing.  It just seems like an expensive waste of time.  So expensive, that the original 2026 hosts (Victoria. Australia) withdrew due to financial concerns.  And isn't this a really watered-down version of the Games with just a handful of sports?  This sure is no Olympics.  It is just an outdated relic from the British Empire.  Something we maybe shouldn't honor any more.  

Travel Bug

Because I've been trying to make some plans for when I come back to the UK, I've been thinking about travel a lot recently.  I think I lost the travel bug a long time ago.  And that's a real shame.  Lots of reasons for that: age, a lack of travelling companion, a lack of vacation days.  There are still so many places in the world I would like to see.  I've always said to myself that I would love to take a sabbatical from work and do some traveling when I turn 50.  I'm almost there.  But will I actually follow through with that?  I doubt it.  It's one thing to get laid off, but it's another to quit.  And I'm not sure it's in my best interests to quit my job right now given the state of the job market.  Perhaps I need to make better use of the vacation days I currently have.  Most of them tend to get used up from trips back to the UK.  But I think I need to be a bit more selfish and take a holiday for myself.  To somewhere I want to go to, somewhere I've never been to before.  It may be somewhere within the US, it may be somewhere abroad.  I doubt it will be anywhere particularly exotic, because it's somewhere I have to be comfortable going to and doing stuff by myself.  That is surprisingly restrictive.  Maybe it's time to start completing my goal of going to every single National Park in the US.  Particularly before Trump shuts them all down so that they can be ruined by mining/drilling/data centers.    

Gun Violence

And so Seattle makes the headlines, with a major shooting event near the Space Needle this evening with multiple deaths reported (it actually flashed up as a news alert on my phone, which is when you know it is a big deal).  And, naturally, the US government will do absolutely nothing to address yet another incident of gun violence.  Just useless thoughts and prayers.  And it won't be long before this particular incident is forgotten about, and the same thing will happen somewhere else.  It's a never ending cycle.  And a tragic state of affairs.  What is wrong with this country?  So much.  

New TV

I still want to get a new TV.  But I was shocked to discover today that the model I had my eye on is already unavailable.  It was a 2025 model, and has already been supplanted by 2026 models in a couple of the stores I was considering purchasing from.  They don't muck around do they - what a swizz.  So I need to reconsider my needs, and I guess which new model I want to consider getting.  And naturally, these 2026 models are a whole lot more expensive.  Though their specs are only marginally better, hardly justifying the increased cost.  However, I'm sure the price will come down over time.  Or, as I've observed with the TV I was originally thinking about getting, there will be the occasional flash sale.  So it's all about timing.        

Shower

It's typical that in the hottest week of the year, my shower decided to break today.  Well I say break, it just appears that my shower hose has sprung a leak.  So I've ordered a new hose.  This isn't the first time I've had to make this repair, and not something I need to bother my landlord with.  But without a shower today, I felt even more sweaty and horrible than I normally do. 

Sunset

I could have sworn the sunset was still after 9 pm.  But nope, it was officially 8.55 pm today.  And quickly getting earlier and earlier in the evening every day.  I only noticed it because my phone switched to dark mode much earlier in the evening than I was expecting.  A quick Google search tells me that the latest sunset in Seattle this year was at 9.11 pm about a month ago.  A month ago already... before you know it, summer will be over.   

Algorithm

I don't know how the YouTube algorithm works.  But my feed is currently full of clips from international hide and seek game shows featuring "professional" hiders.  And I approve.  They seem to be quite entertaining.  There seems to be a Japanese show where people hide in a school and the students try to find them.  And there also seems to be a Russian (?) show where people hide in an old house and a hunter has to find them.  I'm kind of surprised there isn't a US or UK version of these game shows - it seems like a missed opportunity.  Especially since it's like a real-life version of Meccha Chameleon, a viral hide and seek video game that is also prevalent in my YouTube feed.   

Heat Advisory

We are currently under an official heat advisory until tomorrow evening.  What does this mean?  It's bloody hot.  Too hot to go outside during the day, and too hot to get a comfortable night's sleep.  I've got both my portable AC units running in my bedroom.  It may get quite noisy, but it does make it a bit more comfortable.  Though I'm still sleeping on top of my duvet rather than underneath it.  There is not a single drop of rain in the forecast until I come back to the UK.  Perfect wildfire weather, and we've already started to be affected by wildfire smoke causing hazy skies.  The smoke is coming from wildfires in Canada and in the east of the state.  It's probably one of the reasons why Trump has increased tariffs on some Canadian goods.  Though at this point, everyone knows these tariffs are just stupid and arbitrary - and it's the consumer who suffers. 

Jimothy

Seattle has a famous (well, internet famous) raccoon now:

This weird-shaped raccoon (due to a spine abnormality) has been seen in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle and has been named Jimothy.  Yep, now that the World Cup has finished this is the kind of content you can expect in my posts now.

Superbowl 60.5 As It Happened

World Cup final?  More like Superbowl 60.5.  I almost missed the game because the starting times for these World Cup matches have been all over the place, and I assumed it started at the same time as the England game yesterday.  Nope, that would be too easy.  And it meant I missed the American national anthem before the game.  Because obviously that has to be sung, even though the US is not in the final.  Because this is the Superbowl.  The winners are even getting Superbowl rings.  I wonder if they showed a shot of Trump saluting during the anthem - which is always insulting, because he is a draft dodger.  I'm looking forward to seeing if he is going to ruin the medal ceremony and celebration, just like in the Club World Cup.  

Obviously I'm supporting Spain.  I hate Argentinian players and Argentinian fans.  I respect their passion for their country and the game, but far too often they cross the line into something ugly.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, Argentina are the masters of the dark arts.  You just need to see the way they niggled the England players and intimated the referee in the semi-final.  And they committed the cardinal sin of mixing politics (the Falkland Islands) with the beautiful game.         

It's halftime.  Got to say I'm not really watching the game much, it's not particularly exciting.  Seems like it's mostly Spain controlling possession, but no real clear cut chances.  Not unlike the England-Argentina game.  So I guess this suits Argentina for some last minute heroics.  I've already been distracted by YouTube, so I paused the game and now I'm about 30 minutes behind the real game time.  I'm turning off my phone because it will flash up the final score before I'm ready.  At least I can fast forward all the half-time nonsense.  Including the Superbowl-like half time show and Alexi Lalas' useless analysis.  He is up there with hydration breaks as one of the worst things about this World Cup.

This game needs a goal.  Or a red card.  Or something.  I mean we're 80+ minutes in and Argentina hasn't registered a shot on goal yet.  I think I've got more of a chance of getting a golden boot than Messi.  I hope this doesn't go to extra time.  I've got chores to be getting on with.  I'm sick of all this drone footage and ref cam - adds absolutely nothing to the coverage.  Other than a distracting drone shadow across the pitch.  It's kind of sad that the American audience has to be reminded that there is no golden goal.  And they keep on displaying this match momentum plot during every game, that has to be one of the most useless football stats I've ever seen.    

And so we go to extra time.   And Argentina down to 10 men.  Did you see the way all their players were surrounding the referee after the second yellow card.  That's the kind of thing I hate them for, and I thought it was the kind of crap that FIFA were trying to cut out of the game.  You somehow still feel that if they can hold on for penalties then they will win.  Do you reckon Trump is going to hang around for another 30+ minutes?  They haven't shown many shots of him during the game.  I have no doubt he has been "resting his eyes" during the game.

Into extra time.  It looked like Spain had a perfectly legit goal disallowed.  Just going to show more Argentine bias throughout these knockout stages.  This definitely feels like it's going to penalties.  Despite all of Spain's possession. Spain might have a worst record in penalties than even England.  They have to really push for a goal.  And it is perhaps their achilles heal that they don't have a decent reliable striker.

GOAL!  Thank god.  Finally Spain have broken the deadlock.  20 shots on goal versus 0, they deserved it.  Now Spain, don't do an England.  Don't sit back, don't become defensive.  They've controlled the ball, and that's what they need to keep on doing.  Now is the time for some tiki-taka football.  Is there one bit of Messi magic left?

Nope.  Congratulations Spain.  You were the most consistent team in the World Cup, certainly defensively, and probably deserved it.  Though I think we could have given you a good fight.  And look at the bad sportsmanship from the Argentinians after the final whistle.  Why am I not surprised.  Bad losers.  

It's going to be tough to come up with other things to blog about after this World Cup...

England ?-? France

It's the third place game.  Who cares.  It doesn't matter what the score was or how good a game it was - it has no consequences, and is even more meaningless than a friendly.  Which is why I didn't bother watching it.  The only reason we have the game is because it's another FIFA money grab.    

IMAX

I haven't been to the cinema for ages, but I am thinking I want to go see The Odyssey on the big screen.  And I mean the really big screen - I'm no expert on the various different film stocks, but I really want to see this film in 70mm IMAX for the ultimate viewing experience (it was filmed entirely in IMAX, and this is apparently the best way to see the film).  One problem with that, there is no such screen showing that format in the Seattle area.  There used to be a big IMAX screen at Seattle Center (where the Space Needle is, and where I've seen films before), but it got sold and is now closed indefinitely.  Which sucks.  There is a downtown cinema showing the film in 70mm, but not on a screen with the proper IMAX aspect ratio.  But then it dawned on me that it's not that long until I'm back in the UK.  So I could wait until I'm back, and go watch it at the BFI in London (just one of the few locations in the UK able to handle 70mm IMAX).  But I've just been on the BFI website, and on the dates I'm back all the showings are either sold out or the only available seats are way at the front or way to the side.  Can I be bothered?  I don't know whether it's worth it.

Deja Vu

I was watching the film From the World of John Wick: Ballerina this evening, and I had the distinct feeling that I had seen it before.  Definitely the second half of the film.  Very weird.  And it's not like it's a particularly good or memorable film - like most John Wick films, just a lot of fighting and shooting (2 stars).  I wonder if I had seen it before.  Maybe on a flight, maybe just while channel-hopping.  I don't know.  And it's not helped that I kept on falling asleep during the last 15 minutes.  Not a good sign that I couldn't stay awake during the final climactic scenes.

England 1-2 Argentina

Well, that was disappointing.  I'm sure the British media will do the job of laying into Tuchel for making England way too defensive after we scored.  I didn't think we deserved to lose before that.  But neither did we deserve to win.  It was a fairly well matched game (low on scoring chances, high on niggle) until it turned into an attack versus defense training exercise.  And what was so frustrating that even with all the defenders, we seemingly still couldn't stop them crossing the ball.  It somehow felt inevitable.  Perhaps it is better that we lost this way, rather than lose in extra time or worse by penalties.  I think Argentina hates us more than we hate them.  So I hope Spain crushes them on Sunday.  And perhaps we need to remind them who still owns (and will continue to own) the Falkland Islands.  I won't bother watching the England-France game - the third place game is such a waste of time.     

TV Recommendation

A rare TV recommendation for this time of year, when there is generally not a lot on (I'm not watching House of the Dragon - which is probably the biggest show on right now).  The 7th season of Dark Side of the Ring is currently airing.  One of the best documentary series out there.  You don't have to be a fan of wrestling to enjoy this - this is more about some very flawed characters being involved in some very insane stories.  It reminds me why I enjoyed professional wrestling when I was younger, and just how watered down and lame wrestling is nowadays.