2021 May – MOT, Ordnance Survey, Attention Seeking, Down Time
MOT
This is a picture of little ol’ me having a little ol’ lie down.
It has been a busy day so far.
Mum got up super early to take me for a walk, which was unexpected. The early bit that is. She normally doesn’t do mornings unless it is absolutely necessary. She’s more of a night owl really.
This was because the car needed taking in early for new tyres and brakes and also a service and an MOT.
It all sounds terrifically boring.
Mum says it is terrifically expensive.
Ordnance Survey
This is me out in some new fields today.
Mum has got fed up with going to the same places so we are trying somewhere new. She spent ages looking at an ordnance survey map of footpaths and trying to figure out a circular route which avoided any possible contact with civilisation.
Mum claims this is for my benefit, but sometimes I wonder.
It looks pretty much the same as where we’ve been before but there are new things to sniff so I’m happy.
Fun Facts: Ordnance Survey was originally formed to map Scotland after the Jacobite uprising in 1745. It’s military purpose is clear in the name. Then with the threat of the Napoleonic wars, the south coast of England began to be mapped. By 1841 most of the UK had been mapped at a basic level, with significant improvements over the next 100 years or so – and ongoing. In 1995 the UK became the first country in the world to complete a large scale digitisation programme of electronically held maps.
Go UK.
Attention Seeking
This is a picture of me trying to get Mum’s attention.
Apparently there is a lot of work to do at the moment. Mum says it has gone quite mad. And there is a lot of paperwork to do to sort out Mum’s Aunt’s flat.
So Mum is doing a lot of screen time at the moment.
There is paper and mess everywhere.
I thoroughly disapprove.
I expect you can tell from my face.
Down Time
This is me finding a nice, quiet moment amongst all the the chaos and stress.
Down time is when people or things aren’t working – either on purpose or by accident.
I am quite deliberate in my downtime.
Mum is much more accidental.
She needs to take a page out of my book for a change and curl up on the floor and go to sleep for a few hours. It will do her good I expect.
Mum says she has too much stuff to do.
I don’t think she is taking the idea of down time seriously at all. She’ll be sorry eventually, just wait and see.
Saffron’s recommendations this month:
Music: Let’s try a bit of Savage Garden – an Australian pop duo from the 90’s. Maybe try the album, The Singles, if you don’t know these guys too well?
Truly, Madly, Deeply
To the Moon and Back
Chained to You
I Knew I Loved You
Break Me Shake Me
2 Beds and a Coffee Machine
Affirmation (you may not agree with all the lyrics but an interesting conversation for starters…)
I believe that your most attractive features are your heart and soul
I believe that family is worth more than money or gold
I believe the struggle for financial freedom isn’t fair
I believe the only ones who disagree are millionaires
I believe in Karma, what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can’t appreciate real love until you’ve been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don’t know what you’ve got until you say goodbye
Reading: How to be a Stoic by Massimo Pigliucci, published by Basic Books.
Actually very nicely written, which makes it an easy read for something that might seem off-puttingly earnest. A thought provoking read and still good for the world we live in today. You might be glad you read this.
Film: The Lincoln Lawyer with Matthew McConaughey. Nice courtroom thriller and has good reviews. We like Matthew anyway. Enjoy.
In the News:
The final Debenhams store closes after more than 240 years in business
Leicester City wins the FA cup for the first time
Nil points for the UK in Eurovision :(
Warnings that the UK is entering a 3rd wave of COVID, so ending of lockdown restrictions due in June might need to be postponed. Then weirdly, stage 3 of easing restrictions still goes ahead…eh??