Today’s been rather anti-climactic. Having regained our freedom we’ve done sod-all with it today as the weather’s been so miserable. You know when you have to turn the lights on in the middle of the day? That.
Our good intentions of getting out for a walk went out of the window, instead we spent the day working from home so the day wasn’t entirely wasted. I managed to get more old slides scanned, scribbled a blog highlighting the latest Green party car-crash, then put my feet up. Dee’s been equally busy in her persona as a brilliant cook, so we’ve now got some superb repasts to look forward to over the next few days. Oh, and we had a sneaky snack that we picked up at the farm shop the other day…
Now, what’s the picture of the day going to be? How about this? I took this picture on the 17th August 2001. This is Baia do Sancho on the beautiful and unspoilt Brazilian Island of Fernando de Noronha. There would be no problem of social distancing here!
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Apologies for this features absence over the past few days – although I hope the trip down railway memory lane helped plug a gap for some!
Today’s been our first day release from our self-imposed, 14 day isolation due to contact with someone who tested positive with Covid. On balance, we both suspected the chances of us actually contacting Covid were slight, but that wasn’t really the point. The point was that – if we did – we wanted to make damned sure we weren’t going to be part of the chain that passed it on to others. Far too many people have been taking a cavalier attitude to transmission but we weren’t going to be part of that group.
That meant today was the first day we’d ventured out for 14 days – which is unheard of for either of us. Confinement really isn’t my thing, nor is it Dawn’s. Thankfully, the weather played ball, which made getting out feel even more exciting. Well, when I say ‘exciting’ it’s not like we had a flight to catch or a concert (or even a pub) to go to – it was the simple pleasures of a change of scenery and being able to appreciate those mundane interactions we normally take for granted. I never thought food shopping would seem exciting, but that’s 2020 for you!
When we finally escaped the cottage after a busy morning Dawn drove us over to the Bolster Moor farm shop near Huddersfield to pick up some supplies. To be honest just leaving the house seemed exciting, to get out of the Calder Valley and see a different view than that from the bedroom window felt positively exotic. Yep, Huddersfield and exotic in the same sentence – you can tell we’ve been cooped-up, can’t you?
Good food has become one of the few pleasures we’ve been able to enjoy and the farm shop’s always been a great place to source some of the tasty raw materials and enjoy another guilty pleasure – their pork pies, which are gorgeous.
Driving back we were both struck by the amount of traffic on the roads in the sequel to ‘lockdown’ compared to the original. We crossed over the M62 twice yet the volume of traffic on it appeared normal. Lockdown, what lockdown?
The impression was reinforced when we got back home as traffic through Sowerby Bridge was chokka. The quietest part of our day was a visit to our local Indian supermarket. The right side meant the helpful staff tipped us off about a few bargains, so we came away with enough herbs, spices and slabs of tinned staples like chopped tomatoes, chickpeas and kidney beans that we can probably survive Brexit running on into the Zombie Apocalypse! Admittedly, I may need to place a separate order with my Vintner beforehand…
The pair of us are now back at home for a relaxed evening, enjoying the fact our incarceration’s come to an end and we can get out over the weekend – which brings me on (in a roundabout way) to the picture of the day.
Those people who whinge and whine about having their liberty curtailed by Covid don’t know they’re born. I took todays picture in Stonetown, Zanzibar on the 19th May 2001. This airless chamber where there’s barely enough room to sit upright is a slave chamber. From here, people were shipped around to the globe as commodities, nothing more. The slave trade in Zanzibar was only abolished in 1876 although slavery itself remained legal until 1897. So, next time you want to have a moan about lockdown, or how wearing a mask is infringing on your liberties…
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
For the first time in several days the fog in the Calder Valley lifted, letting us feel like part of the outside world again. Well, apart from the fact we can only look at it, not venture out into it as Dawn and I are still in isolation, so Friday will be the first day we can venture out – which is a bit of a bugger as tomorrow’s our wedding anniversary. Mind you – even if we could go out – where is there to go? We had booked a meal at the wonderful Moorcock Inn up at Norland Moor but they could see which way the wind was blowing before lockdown 2 was announced so decided to pre-empt things and close on their own terms. So, the expression ‘all dressed up and nowhere to go’ springs to mind!
All this has meant today was just another day with the same routine with the pair of us working from home, getting on with stuff whilst looking forward to whatever version of reality is resumed the first, which in our case will be the ability to leave the house.
The positive side of things is that I’m within spitting distance of scanning my last album of old rail slides, just a few more days and it’ll be job done. Sure, there’s a few dribs and drabs, but what was once a very long shelf in my office at home in North London has finally disappeared, leaving me free to concentrate on other things. To be honest, the week’s been a fairly positive and optimistic one due to events happening in the wider world. Events that I’m hoping will mean that early next year we’ll be able to do what’s featured in the picture of the day. I took this picture at Mirissa beach, Sri Lanka on the 27th January 2016 and what’s shocked me is I realise this is the last beach holiday the pair of us had. It’s not that we haven’t been to lots of places since – just not to a tropical beach – and I’m missing it!
If only…
Having had my wings so badly clipped in 2020 I can’t wait for this year to be over and look forward to making up for lost time. Sun, sea and fantastic food, what could be more perfect?
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Well, the year may be in its final phase but it’s finally taken a turn for the better. OK, apart from the weather which remains resolutely crap here up in the Pennines, but after the warm glow from last week knowing that the orange shit-gibbon has been ousted in the USA we’ve now had the good news that a vaccine for Covid could be ready before the end of the year. Needless to say, the financial markets reacted very positively as businesses have been given the hope that normality may be resumes sooner rather than later. How all this may come to pass is speculative at the moment, but after a constant battering from bad news, it’s good to hear some optimism for once.
My day’s been spent holed up at home, knuckling down in order to get the last album of old rail slides scanned before the end of the week, thus ending a process that’s taken decades. I’m trying to get them done before Friday as that’s the day we’ve completed our self-isolating and are free to venture out again – so we’re going to make the most of it – whatever the weather!
Today’s picture has been chosen from one of today’s scans as it’s a view that’s changed completely since it was taken. This is a view of Battersea power station with the approaches to London Victoria in the foreground. I took it on the 25th February 2001.
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
I’m saying that because looking forward to the next week as by Friday Dawn and I come out of social-isolation and get to stare at and share more than four walls. Neither of us felt that it was likely we’d contracted Covid because of the contact Dawn had, but what we weren’t willing to do was put others at risk. It’s a sentiment that’s obviously been unfashionable in some circles, but all we can say is we’ve done our bit.
The feeling of isolation was doubled today by the fact the Calder Valley’s been covered in fog for the duration. Visibility’s been down to 2-3 hundred metres at best. So, the pair of us have been feeling like we’re living up in the clouds whilst keeping occupied pottering around in our gilded cage. Dee’s been busy being a domestic goddess whilst I’ve kept myself occupied blogging and eBaying…
Still, talking of ‘gilded cages’, has anyone seen any sense, contrition or humility (fat chance) coming from the Ex-President of the United States yet? No. Me neither. It looks like he’s going to spend his remaining days playing golf at taxpayers expense until he’s finally kicked out of the place. I mean, seriously – the man’s just lost the election and what’s he been doing since? Ignoring the result to spend the past two days on a golf course! Surely, even some of the people who voted for him might just be starting to think “well, this is a bit weird”, but maybe I’m being too charitable. Actually, after everything I’ve seem of Trump’s voters and staffers I’m sure I am.
Talking of Washington, here’s another picture of the day that I stumbled on whilst researching others. It rather fits the current theme of events. I took this at Chinatown station on the Washington metro on the 3rd April 2007.
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Finally, after the political shitshows and shambles of the past few years, we actually have something to celebrate. The orange cry-baby who’s inhabited the White House since 2016 has finally got his comeuppance thanks to the American voters. Oh, I know it’s not the end of the story, but it is (hopefully) the beginning of the end for populist politics and the poisonous ‘alt-right’ who have done so much to make this a less pleasant planet to live on (as if we’ve an option to go anywhere else).
Yes, I know the fat lady hasn’t sung yet, but the numbers show that we know exactly what she will when she does. Trump’s finished.
Watching his presidency unravel through the day has kept me going as the weather here in the Calder valley’s been miserable. We’ve had fog blocking us in all day, so much so I’ve forgotten what the other side of the valley looks like! Mind you, it’s not as if I can go anywhere at the moment anyway, so I’ve not been too concerned. Instead, I’ve concentrated on those mundane little chores that can actually be quite therapeutic, like chopping back the front garden ready for winter. I’ve always enjoyed gardening and would love to have the size of garden that I had in London, but that’s not on the cards right now, so I content myself with what we have. On the bright side – it doesn’t take all day to chop back! Whilst I’ve been busy pottering Dawn’s been busy in the kitchen as we’ve had a delivery from Sainsbury’s. This is the first time we’ve ever indulged in getting groceries delivered so I can imagine some folks will be thinking ‘what’s the fuss’? But for us it’s a novel experience. Now we’ve stocked up with edible goodies Dee’s busy making her brilliant Bakewell Tart whilst I’m finishing off research for a blog – and toasting the fact Trump’s toast – which brings me on to the picture of the day. This seemed rather appropriate. I took it in Washington DC on the 3rd April 2007 in the midst of the cherry blossom season. Washington looks stunning at that time of year. Let this be a metaphor for the (re)blossoming of democracy in the USA now that Trump and his cohorts have been defeated at the ballot box.
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/Thank you
Not a bad day (all in all) and certainly a productive one. I’ve managed to get a load of eBay items in the post, friends and neighbours have been brilliant delivering food – and I’ve got the third part of my RAIL rover off to be proof-read. OK, the weather’s not been brilliant but as I’m not going anywhere – who cares? Another bright spot has been dipping in and out of the American Presidential election and seeing things slipping away from Trump, who’s going into meltdown. My view on this?
Hopefully, the thin lead that Biden has in the remaining states will translate into electoral college votes and Trump’s toast. My only concern is the genie the alt-right have let out of the bottle when it comes to claims of vote-rigging and the polarisation of the country years of social media manipulation and misinformation have caused. Trump may be history but the bitterness and divisions he’s left behind will linger. Still, this could be the beginning of the rollback of populism. I only wish it could happen here but I think we’re going to have to go through the pain of the Brexitshambles before some UK voters start to see the light.
Despite lockdown Part 2 and our own isolation it’s been a sociable evening as a group of us resurrected the ‘Big 6’ Friday quiz via ‘Zoom’ which turned into a right laugh! Maintaining that level of fun contact with friends (rather than the interminable meetings the internet is often used for) makes such a difference in these bizarre times.
The day’s been so busy I’ve not really had time to think of a picture of the day, or a clever segue into one, so tonight’s is chosen completely at random by putting the name of a place into the search facility on my Zenfolio website. The name was Edinburgh, and this is what I picked. I took this view across Edinburgh from Arthur’s Seat on the 21st March 2001. I was there getting pictures for a new Lonely Planet guidebook and the weather was perfect. Edinburgh is probably unique (but I stand to be corrected) in having extinct volcanoes in the city centre, in this case in Holyrood Park. At a height of 822ft you’re offered a commanding view across the city, Leith and across the Forth estuary to the coast of Fife. Brilliant!
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
I feel very odd trapped stuck indoors on one of my favorite days of the year – Bonfire night. Unlike many old English traditions (like mischief night) it hasn’t been taken over and Americanised or turned into a marketing exercise. I’ve fond memories of childhood bonfire parties at home and also later in life in London when Lynn and I would attend one of the big organised displays. Our nearest, and the one we frequented most was just down the road at Alexandra Palace. We’d walk down there with friends and laden with mulled wine and snacks. Now, up here in Yorkshire Dawn and I have tended to have our own little displays and invite her parent over to join us. This year, all I can do is watch from the bedroom window, or listen to the bangs and whistles as I sit in the office typing this. It’s a bit of a damp squib, but then so’s the American Presidential election, which is moving forward at a glacial pace and looks certain to drag on for weeks as Trump and the right-wingers try and drag things out in the courts. Democracy is looking very fragile at the moment as the right-wing populists do everything they can to cling to power. One can only hope Biden spoils their plans.
I’ve not really paid attention to the stateside shenanigans as little’s happened and I’ve been too busy with writing and sorting out the latest tranche of eBay sales which has left me with no time for slide scanning. Hopefully, next week will be another matter after the final part of my round Britain trip for RAIL magazine goes off to the proof-readers and I get a break before I start the next article, which should give me time to scribble some words for pleasure and write-up a couple of blogs that I’ve been thinking about. After all, I’m not going anywhere for a while yet, and it’s not like I’ve got a plane to catch. I wish…!
With today being bonfire night the picture of the day rather chose itself – as you’ll see in a minute. A lot of play is made nowadays about how animals are terrified of fireworks and that they should be banned as a consequence. I’ve extremely mixed feelings about that. Yes, I’ve known some animals that are absolutely terrified. The family dog (Dori) was one, but then so was my mother in her later years. When it came to November 5th my mum would break out the Valium and give one half of a pill to herself and the other half to the dog!
Jet, our cat, is the opposite. In his younger days he’d go wandering off out to see what the noise was all about as he had that sort of nature. Now that he’s an old bugger he’s not the slightest bit interested, but that could be because he’s as deaf as post!
Ok, the picture of the day – you’ll see where I’ve been going now. I took this picture on New Years eve 2003 in Tangalle, Sri Lanka. The owner of the homestay we were lodging in had a party on the beach, which involved copious amounts of fireworks. Rather than running away and hiding one of the local mutts was fascinated by them and did its best to try and catch and eat them!
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Not that was I was really tempted, but I’m glad I didn’t stay up to watch the result of the American presidential elections come in – as they didn’t and I’d have had to listen to that odious frog Nigel Farage being interviewed by the BBC – as if the man’s got any genuine insight on anything. Instead I had a decent nights sleep and missed the ‘fun’. It’s taken all day for 2 more states to declare and the good news is that with just seven states left to declare Biden is a head of Trump by 29 electoral college votes. As much as I would dearly love for America to reject the values of Trump and his ilk I won’t believe it until I see it.
Still, It’s not been a bad day apart from being cooped up when the weather’s been gloriously sunny – albeit cold. I’ve been keeping my nose to the grindstone and wading through more writing as well as scanning a few more old slides to give me some variety. Looking back at pictures of the railway scene from 20 years ago I realised that it’s not just the network that’s changed. Some familiar lineside landmarks have disappeared too- which has given me the idea for a picture blog. Expect to see that appear shortly.
Stuck indoors self-isolating has been made a lot easier by the assistance of friends and neighbours who’ve offered to pick up shopping or even keep us supplied with wonderful home-baked bread like this. Susan dropped these two beauties off earlier on, so I made a Spanish white bean stew for our supper tonight to go with some slices. It’s good, winter-warming food.
Yum…
A few slices made a great meal with the bean stew.
Tempting as it is – the picture of the day isn’t going to be a food offering, instead I’ve gone for one that links several of my interests, including travel. This amazing piece of architectural confectionary is the inner building of the Rama temple in Janakpur in lowland Nepal (an area known as the Terai). According to Hindu legend it’s where the goddess Sita married Lord Rama.
I took this picture in April 1998. In those days the place was a bugger to get to because of the lack of border crossings between India and Nepal. Lynn and I arrived after a day-long bus journey across the Terai from the Eastern border where we’d come down from Darjeeling. We stayed a couple of days before getting an overnight bus up to Kathmandu. The whole journey’s worthy of a blog in itself. One day, when I’ve scanned all the old slides I might write it…
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Apologies for my absence this past couple of days but things have not exactly been going to plan. Well, as much as there seems to be any sort of plan at the moment as none of us have a ‘Scooby Do’ what’s going on right now. Until today, when all matters of choice were abruptly taken out of our hands thanks to a text message
This morning Dawn received such message from the manicurist whom she’d visited on Thursday to say that they had just tested positive for Covid 19. Bugger, drat and f**k! Only it was a double bugger as Dawn’s mum had visited the very same manicurist on Friday…
So, this morning the pair of us had a chat. Whilst all the Covid safety protocols were followed and the chances of Dawn (or her mum) contracting Covid appear small, we feel that we’ve no option but to self-isolate. This means we’ve no chance to prepare for Thursday’s national event. On the bright side, we’re reasonably well stocked with most foods and we’ve both got plenty to keep ourselves occupied with, but the fact we’re stuck indoors for the next 11 days isn’t exactly a joy. Hopefully, we won’t end up killing each other as we slowly go stir-crazy! We’ve let close friends know and some have very kindly offered to do any shopping we need in the meantime. Even so, the next week is going to be an anxious time until we know that neither of us have contracted Covid – and neither have Dawn’s parents. It’s not as if any of us can get a test either as you can only get ones on the NHS if you’re displaying symptoms.
With this news in mind, don’t be surprised if my blogging becomes ever more acerbic when it comes to describing the antics of the blond buffoon and his coterie of clowns who are meant to be in ‘control’ of the situation. The only ‘world beating’ that seems to be going on is in the levels of incompetence, which are stratospheric. It’ll be interesting to see if their ‘track and trace’ system picks up said manicurist and contacts us. If it doesn’t, you can see just how ‘world beating’ it really is…
What’s going to chafe over the next 10 days is not being able to venture outside. Even during lockdown we could go for a walk, but now we’re literally going to be confined to barracks, which is a bitch. I’ll miss my daily exercise and as we live in a small cottage where both of us are working from home there’s little chance to do much without one of us disturbing the other.
OK, having shared my joyful news I’m going straight on to the picture of the day, which is of the only view I’m going to be looking at for the foreseeable as this is the one from our bedroom window. Admittedly, as views go, it’s a damn sight better than many, so I really shouldn’t complain! I wouldn’t even mind seeing it like this right now either…
I’ve a favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Paul Bigland 