It’s been another quiet day here at Bigland Towers. Dawn’s been down with the lurgi – but the old fashioned, common-cold kind rather then anything more exotic (thankfully) so I’ve ensured I’ve stayed at home to be on hand and keep a constant supply of Lemsip’s (mixed with Dee’s home-made fresh lemon and ginger drink) and other foods and liquids ferried to the bedroom. I’ve enjoyed the time at home and not missed much as the weather’s been universally crap. The winds have gone but they’ve left the rain behind and it’s that fine, drifting stuff that gets in everywhere and soon has you soaked. Despite the conditions I’ve been ensuring I break the monotony of staring at a computer screen to get out for a daily stroll. Pictures are lovely, but the views across the Calder valley (well, when the rain clears) are real! Having a full set of decent waterproofs helps in my perambulations as you really need them in this part of the world unless you want to spend a lot of time stuck indoors – or dripping wet.

Hopefully by Friday Dawn will be fighting fit again and I’ll have ploughed through the work I need to clear and be able to sally forth once more. Even if not, I’ve got a few days away arranged for next week, including some interesting jobs arranged that I’ll talk about nearer the time. Today I was diverted by a last-minute request for pictures from a client, it only took a few hours and it was a profitable interlude but it diverted me from what I had planned. That can slip into tomorrow which isn’t a problem as I’m not going anywhere until I can remove the Red Cross from the front door!

Travel brings me on to the picture of the day, which is one of a series I’m currently scanning from a trip to India in 1995-96 when a group of us met out in Goa for Xmas and New Year. Most of the group then returned to the UK but Lynn and I plus our friends John and Helen stayed on and headed South from Goa into Karnataka to visit some archeological sites and the wonderful town of Mysore. Today’s picture is taken just after Xmas. In those days the fishermen of Arambol village came up with a money-making scheme where they’d rent out their boats to take travellers by sea to Anjuna for the weekly ‘flea market’. It was a short-lived venture as safety standards were non-existent. There were no lifejackets and no shade and nothing in the way of luxuries (like space, or proper seats) but it was fun whilst it lasted!

Carefree days…

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