Choral Rehearsal

Image via Wikipedia

It's perhaps not surprising that today is much colder than yesterday - after all it's the last day of February despite signs of plants flowering and birds singing.

Went to a choral rehearsal this morning and thoroughly enjoyed it. There is something really beautiful about singing in a choir and hearing the other voices around you, providing the harmonies. This particular mixed mixed voice choir specialises in early music (around 15th and 16th century) although some of the songs we sing are more modern and in the Victorian period. The really good thing about this period is that there is a good alto line. A lot of contemporary music frequently gives the best lines to the sopranos while the other parts just do the harmonies.

And singing is good for your health! It's really motivating to do something you enjoy and know that it's good for your health.

Busy Friday

Image via Wikipedia

Today has seemed fairly frantic with lots of things to do and too little time to do it which is why I'm doing my blog this late in the day. Went shopping in the morning and went through my bank statements which was fairly boring but essential if you wish to keep up-to-date with what is going on financially. Then made an effort to clear some paperwork, shredding the personal stuff which also took quite a lot of time.

Did some flute practice in the afternoon and then went to a lesson which was very productive. Haven't managed to get to one in about 2 months because of other priorities either for my teacher or myself.

Now I feel shattered so can't think of anything exciting to talk about. Hope I'll feel better tomorrow. Certainly, I should have more time available and that will help a lot.

Image via Wikipedia

My car is back. What a relief that is as I have had to postpone most of this week because I haven't been able to drive. The bill for the repairs was quite substantial and I hope that I won't need anything else done on it for quite a few months. Hopefully, also it will pass it's MOT without any problems in a couple of months time.

Apart from going driving for a while once the car was back I've been catching up on some flute practice now it looks likely that I'll be able to attend the lesson tomorrow. Otherwise quite a quiet but optimistic day now things are more sorted.

I was thinking this morning that there is something somewhat disempowering about not being able to drive for whatever reason, not having the freedom, independence and means to get from place to place. Relying on buses takes quite a bit of planning and time as I've found over the past few days.

So, hopefully, better times are ahead.

Bus Transportation

Image via Wikipedia

Still no car today as the clutch is still slipping. Had to take the bus to Penzance this morning which reminds me of the days when I didn't have a car. More expensive now though unless you're a pensioner when it's free.

Managed to get everything I wanted to do done in the time as well as my appointment and then caught the bus back. I'm beginning to really miss driving and it's only been a day without doing any. I miss my little car and really want it back, especially if I want to go out this evening to a singing rehearsal. Oh well, I'll just have to see how things go.

Mild February Day

Image by pythonboot via Flickr

Had an unexpectedly restful day when the mechanic who was doing my car phoned to say that he had found another problem with it, which he would fix before returning it to me. This meant that I had to postpone my piano lesson which was disappointing as I'd done a lot of practice.

Still, this morning I woke up to a beautiful morning with bright sunshine. I decided to go for a walk after returning a book to the library and although the sun wasn't shining any more at that time, it was still remarkably mild for February and I really enjoyed the experience. Picked up half a dozen eggs on the way home and had scrambled eggs on toast for lunch, with my significant other.

I probably wouldn't have done any of this if I'd had my car at the time. It just goes to show.

Swimming

Image by Ennor via Flickr

As my car was at the garage I decided to go to the local leisure centre for a swim. This is a purpose-built modern leisure facility. I chose to go here rather than my usual swimming pool as it is accessible by bus. Had a good swim and probably ended up doing more exercise than usual.

A Day Out

Image via Wikipedia

My son invited me for a day out to celebrate my birthday. Despite the early start, everything went remarkably well. We travelled by train to Plymouth where my son met us and took us to see his new flat which was very nice and roomy. Then he treated us to lunch in his local pub before we went to Drakes Circus. We took a bus to Home Park and the Argyle game against Sheffield United. None of us had great expectations of the outcome as Argyle's form has not been good recently with too many losses and a drop in the Championship table which puts them uncomfortably close to the relegation zone. In the event they performed better than in the past few weeks, holding Sheffield to a draw at 2-2. It was quite a nerve wrecking game as Plymouth scored first and then Sheffield and they alternated in this way until the final score. At one point it looked as if Argyle might win but after their past performance we were all pleased enough with the draw.

The only slightly unpleasant thing about the whole day was that we were packed like sardines on the train coming home. It was a choice between standing room only or waiting for 30 minutes for the extremely slow train home. In the event the first train seemed preferable.

All in all it was an extremely pleasant day out.

Early Start

Image by Alan Stanton via Flickr

Decided to get an early start today. It's certainly getting easier now that it's light earlier in the morning. Sometimes I hear the birds singing and it all sounds very spring-like.

Went to the library to renew some books that I had out. I really like libraries and the feeling that you can borrow books to read and then if you like them enough you can buy them. At my local library they're also very good at ordering books if you want them and it costs only a minimal amount. They also have other activities in the library, sometimes in the afternoon or when it is closed, poetry and creative writing courses, for example. It is also a wealth of information about the local area and what you can do around here.

Am now catching up on my blogging especially as I don't know whether I will have time to do anything tomorrow, when we'll be going up to Plymouth for the day.

The Clutch

Image by AdamCohn via Flickr

I was a little disappointed when I received a 'phone call from my friendly mechanic to say that he couldn't fit the clutch today as I was hoping to get that sorted. After Monday a week ago I'm a little nervous of breaking down again and my clutch needed doing. It wasn't the mechanic's fault he couldn't do my car today, it was because the power company had to put in a new transformer and he had no electricity, which delayed everything. He hopes to do the car either tomorrow or Monday. In the meanwhile I'm driving very cautiously just in case!

Did the recycling earlier and some shopping. Now I'm catching up on all the other stuff that I've set myself today as it's a relatively free day.

Read today that electronic social media can damage your health as it is supposed to inhibit normal social relationships as well as inhibiting social skills, especially in the young - hmmm . . .

Pa Kua

Image by wcm1111 via Flickr

Today, as well as doing some T'ai Chi, we are also continuing to learn Pa Kua (pronounced Ba Gwa).
It is, apparently, quite different to T'ai Chi and more flexible in form. You also work around a circle. It sounds quite fascinating.

Changeable Tuesday

Image by Purely Penzance via Flickr

It was a beautiful morning in Penzance when I drove there earlier, except for the cold wind. Bright sunshine. Now it has become more overcast and cold as I sit at my computer typing this post.

Still having computer problems to some extent but they don't seem to be as bad as they were before I uninstalled and reinstalled the program.

Feeling tired today from an early start and am totally lacking in inspiration. Hopefully it will come back to me.

Just another Monday

Image via Wikipedia

Just another Monday afternoon as I sit here typing and drinking a glass of milk. I went swimming this morning at a local pool which was good exercise but very crowded because of half-term, down here in Cornwall.

When I think of what the weather was like last week, I'm deeply grateful for the milder weather. It seems to make such a difference to everyone. There's time to stop and chat to people instead of running for cover from the rain. Everything seems more relaxed and friendly.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Ronaldo backs Michael Phelps after marijuana ban (telegraph.co.uk)

Beautiful Day Full of Promise

Image by law_keven via Flickr

Today, for the first time in what seems like months, I went for a walk to the cliffs to stare out at the sea. It was sunny and warm despite a cold wind at first. Even needed to wear my sunglasses so that has to be a good sign.

It was a wonderful spring-like day with the birds singing. A robin in a bush nearby was singing its little heart out. I feel so blessed living where I do where there is the sea in one direction and the moors in the other. Lots of space and breathtaking scenery.

Let's hope that this is a sign of things to come and we can look forward to more beautiful mild weather after the cold and rain we have been experiencing.

Plymouth Argyle

Image via Wikipedia

Today has been an uneventful day. Got up late and went shopping. My son 'phoned me on his trip to Charlton to see Argyle play away. Argyle (as in Plymouth Argyle) used to be a reasonable team round about half-way up the Championship. Recently they've been doing very badly and haven't won a game for quite a while. They did even worse today by losing to Charlton Athletic (who are currently bottom of the table) by 2-0. My son has invited me up to Plymouth next week to see his new flat and to attend an Argyle game. I'm not looking forward to the game - based on recent history!

Let's hope they pleasantly surprise all of us and win. It would be a wonderful change.

Another Day, Another Blog

Image via Wikipedia

Another day, another blog. It's beautiful here if still a bit cold but wonderful for February. Can we hope that spring is on the way? Everybody is so much happier when it's warmer and more sunny. It seems a real blessing after the weather we were having last week and the beginning of this one. Long may it last.

When the weather gets warmer and drier I think about walks along the coast which can be breathtakingly beautiful. I wouldn't live anywhere else. It's got views, friendly people (for the most part) and music. There are so many choirs in Cornwall it's quite staggering. Mostly they're male voice choirs but a good few of them are mixed.

And artists. Many people down here do some form of art. I've tried it for a while and still dabble when the mood takes me - nothing serious. What I really like to do is take photographs of the Cornish coast and a few sketches if I have the time.

It's still too cold for doing much standing around but here's thinking to a warmer time in the future.

Busy day

Image via Wikipedia

Yet another Thursday, and a busy one for me what with one thing and another. Had my hair done this morning and went shopping this afternoon for fairly essential items. Feel really tired now so am doing a short post for today and am hoping that I will feel more lively tomorrow.

Change of weather

Image via Wikipedia

Another dry day (so far) in wet Penwith. If this keeps up I'll have to refer to it by its real name of West Penwith. Anyway I can hope. It was almost spring-like this morning and without that chilly wind.

The car came back last night but the bad news is that I need a new clutch which I will have fitted next week. This year has been expensive so far, with car and plumbing repairs. I can only hope that it gets better from now on in.

Spring?

Image via Wikipedia

Today, after the rain and the wind last night, is quieter with some sunshine but still a strong and chilly wind. Still, after yesterday, it's as near to perfect as one could hope for. Days like this are the strongest encouragement there is to hold on until spring arrives.

Walked to the local town as I'm still carless. Have resigned myself to getting the car back whenever it's ready and enjoyed the walk instead. Sadly, though, I did have to cancel my music lesson which I rather regret as I'd really worked hard on my pieces and would have liked to show what I'd accomplished. Hadn't been able to go last week either because of the snow.

Oh well there will be time enough for that I expect. Just now I'm enjoying the day

Breakdown

Image via Wikipedia

I've experienced my first real car breakdown. It's not something I would in anyway wish to experience again as it was quite disturbing. Having your car start behaving erratically while you are driving it about 7 miles from home in the pouring rain is really no picnic. I hoped that I could make it back home and then call the mechanic but no such luck.

Stopped and put on my hazard lights when I could go no further and called my friendly mechanic who very kindly said he'd come out and tow the car to his garage after dropping me off at home. However I would have to wait at least 20 minutes before he could do so. By this time the police had pulled up wanting to know what I was doing stopped in the middle of the road. I explained the situation and they couldn't have been pleasanter. After some discussion they pushed the car, while I steered it, into a safe lay-by off the road. On the whole I think that motorists often get a bad deal from the police but on this occasion they couldn't have been more helpful or pleasant. That's a comforting thought in these times of increased public surveillance and administrative abuse of power. They're not all always out to get you and can sometimes be really kind!

Quiet after the storm?

Image by Ennor via Flickr

Well it seems that the snow has been cleared from the roads in Cornwall but that now rain is the problem. This I can well believe after seeing the amount of standing water on the roads when I went shopping this morning. It was also mizzling (a kind of misty drizzle) if it wasn't raining outright. Had to use wipers and lights to penetrate the general gloom. Can we hope (pretty please) that the weather will start to get better from now on into the spring. And some more sunshine please even if it means that we have to stick with the cold wind for a while. It's rather depressing having to have the light on at 1300 hours. That said, it is a bit brighter now if not actually sunny . .

Peaceful Saturday

Image by The Toad via Flickr

Am enjoying the peace and freedom of a Saturday where I have no appointments. This is even more welcome as it is unexpected. I should be watching a football match but postponed this to the next home match because of the weather. The feedback I've just been getting suggests that I made the right choice.

So here I am at home, after doing some shopping and flute and keyboard practice. It's just lovely to have the time and space to relax after an eventful week.

More Weather

Image via Wikipedia

I understand that many parts of the UK are likely to have further ice problems tonight. I agreed to postpone my arrangements for tomorrow which included a visit to Plymouth when I was hearing horror stories about the weather in East Cornwall. I didn't want any of the parties involved to get stranded because of the weather. And I was hoping that it would be a short, sharp blast of winter - oh well!

Being carless does have its attractions. Walked to the local town as my car hadn't been returned by this morning and it was quite a pleasant experience except for that cold wind. Used to do this quite regularly before I became part of the driving community but I 'm not certain that I would recommend it at this time of year. Walking in the driving rain is not my idea of fun.

Now (much later in the afternoon) my car has come back after the various renovations that were necessary. Now (weather willing) I'll be able to become fully mobile. Touch wood!

Transport

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Started the morning OK after a troubled night but then the car wouldn't go. It was fine yesterday and ran OK but this morning it wouldn't despite oil and the WD40 treatment. Tried numerous times. Then called a friendly mechanic. I was due to have a new exhaust fitted today because the old one has a lot of holes and was due for a change but had agreed to take the car to his garage. Anyway, after a lot of attempts he managed to get it to start and drive it off. I await his return.

I love my car and most of the time it works well. It's just the occasional unreliability which totally flaws me and often makes me rethink my plans. Like me it has seen better days but seems willing most of the time when able. The thought of having to use public transport doesn't appeal, especially in this cold weather. Also there are places I need to go where public transport doesn't reach.

At an earlier stage in my life, I was totally against cars and thought that there were too many of them around anyway. And then I started driving and new possibilities opened up because of it. Although public transport is more ecological it can be expensive and very time consuming to go beyond the local area especially if you have to change your mode of transport. Timetables are not always user-friendly, particularly at night so I'm grateful to have a car that I can use. Friends of mine who've driven all their lives think differently and are always talking about bus journeys and how much they enjoy them. I suppose it all comes down to where you have to go and when - also on your age!

Weather and feelings

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Today it's back to the wet and windy weather here in Cornwall and pretty dark and gloomy it has been all day. Had to drag myself out of bed and when I went to do the shopping in our local town it was a battle to get anywhere against the wind and rain. Had to give up using my umbrella as it turned inside out three times.

Today, winter seems endless, cold and wet. I'm beginning to seriously crave warmth and sunshine, to be able to go out without having to dress as if I'm going to the Arctic.

In the afternoon I was cheered by attending a T'ai Chi class and for a moment it stopped raining. Only to start again when the class had finished. Is there a message here somewhere.

Roll on spring and summer and the longer warmer days.

Image via Wikipedia

It felt as if everything was in limbo this morning when I woke up as it was all so quiet. It looked like most people had stayed home today and the schools were shut again. I got a phone call this morning saying that the choir rehearsal scheduled for this evening was postponed until next week.

Snow happens and suddenly everything is postponed or cancelled. I didn't know when I woke up this morning whether I could even go shopping and was glad that I'd done the main shop on Sunday so we had the majority of our supplies in. But it did make me wonder what would happen in the long term if we were snowed in and remembered a time in sixties (yes I'm really that old but not enough sadly to know about the fun times!) when I was snowed in at home for weeks with my family and the farmers had to go to the shops for us to buy our provisions on their tractors as that was the only way to get through to the local village. That winter I ate a lot of grape nuts and condensed milk which was delicious but not very good for the figure.

We take normality so much for granted until it is disrupted. For myself I'll be glad when the snow is gone but I can imagine a great many school children who won't be.