Much Ado About Several Little Things
The weather has turned slightly colder, so we decided to put the duvet back on the bed, and my goodness, what a luxury it is! I tend to get up very early, today at 5.45 am, and my usual habit is to turn on the media to see what has been happening in the world. There was the familiar collection of lying politicians, wars and threats of wars, movements in the exchange rate, and a report about someone who had climbed into a lion’s enclosure and, surprise, surprise, had been eaten alive. Evidently, the man had asked other people to film him. I have no idea what planet he was on.
Anyway, I returned to bed at about 7.30 and slept until nine, which was very pleasant indeed. I have this persistent feeling that I ought to be doing something productive every day, but actually, sometimes I don’t need to. There is something to be said for allowing oneself a little time off.
My Chard venture has now come to an end, and I have turned my attention to the idea of writing a book of personal testimonies from people who have found their Christian faith, particularly through coming to know Jesus. I don’t imagine this will be an easy undertaking. English people are naturally rather self-deprecating and reserved, and I am asking them to make some very personal statements about their lives.
Nevertheless, I suspect I shall find contributors in ones and twos, and perhaps more as word gets around. I have always felt that a personal testimony is one of the most powerful things anyone can offer. I try to encourage people to share their experiences because we often underestimate ourselves and the significance of what we have been through.
Last night I discovered Google’s Android Find Hub facility, which allows you to locate your mobile phone from a computer. It is one of those things you don’t think about until you desperately need it, so I decided to be prepared. I hadn’t realised that you could remotely lock a missing phone or even restore it to factory settings, wiping its contents. That could be extremely useful if the phone contained sensitive information, particularly anything connected with banking. Better to understand these things beforehand than discover them in a panic.
I have a dental appointment next Tuesday and received the usual gentle reminder. Rather than simply acknowledging it, I decided to reply with an AI-generated cartoon. Receptionists must get rather bored with dealing with the same routine messages day after day, so I thought I would try to brighten their day. I hope they took it in good humour.
From time to time, my drains have a tendency to become blocked, and yesterday I noticed water backing up into the kitchen sink. I tackled the problem with a commercial hydrochloric-acid drain cleaner, followed by some work with a plunger. Eventually, I felt something give way. There is something immensely satisfying about hearing that wonderful glugging sound as the filthy water finally disappears down the drain.
I am always conscious of the dangers of handling such powerful chemicals. Even a small splash can cause a nasty burn, so protective precautions are essential. In any case, the drain was cleared, and I saved myself the expense of calling out a plumber. A litre of the product costs about £16, and I think it is called Liquid Drain Rods, or something similar. Not a glamorous achievement, perhaps, but a satisfying one nonetheless.
I haven’t caught up with David Icke for some time. He has spent more than 35 years developing and presenting his views on politics and the wider world, and I noticed him commenting that people were reluctant to interview him, despite everything he feels he has to offer. I remember the days when his lectures attracted only a handful of people, whereas later he was addressing audiences of hundreds. I am not sure how active he is these days, but I have quite a number of his books in my office. How he found the time and energy to write so much I really don’t know. Whatever one thinks of his conclusions, his sheer productivity is remarkable. Hats off to him for that.
Yesterday I also wrote to everyone in Chard with whom I had been involved during the production of my book, Chard – A Town in Conversation, which is now available on Amazon. In addition to the book, I had offered to create a website bringing together the town’s social and community events in one easily accessible place. What I hadn’t realised was that the council was pursuing a similar idea.
Unfortunately, the person who had volunteered to undertake the council’s project did not appear to have much experience of the practical requirements involved. One of the main difficulties with an events diary is the need to accommodate recurring events. Something might take place every day, every week, every fortnight or once a month, and the software needs to handle all these possibilities without requiring organisers to enter each occurrence individually. Most free events programmes are rather limited in this respect, while the more sophisticated versions can be surprisingly expensive.
Anyway, I did my best and spent a few hundred pounds more than I had intended. But I also gained a considerable amount of experience, and in the longer term that has its own value. I have learnt a great deal about what makes a community website useful and, equally importantly, what can prevent a perfectly good idea from getting off the ground. So, in the end, who cares? Experience is never entirely wasted.
On a rather more cheerful note, we have booked a four-night, five-day break at a Warner Hotel on Hayling Island in mid-November. The attraction is that everything is taken care of: dinner, bed and breakfast, plenty of facilities and a swimming pool. The weather in November can occasionally be quite kind, although I don’t imagine we shall be sitting on the beach sunbathing.
The cost is £339 per person, which I think is very reasonable, particularly as it includes coach travel from Bath. The only drawback is the journey. With numerous pickup points along the way and the driver’s obligatory rest break, it could take quite some time. We may therefore decide to go by car instead. According to the route planner, the journey is about 87 miles and should take roughly one hour and 56 minutes. If we travelled by bus to Bath and then joined the coach, I suspect the whole business could occupy at least six hours.
We haven’t decided yet. Perhaps we’ll take the coach and enjoy being driven, or perhaps we’ll jump into the car and make our own way there. There is no particular hurry to decide.
So there we are. A day of early mornings, unexpected naps, Christian testimonies, mobile-phone technology, dental humour, blocked drains, David Icke, unfinished community projects and the prospect of a November holiday. Not exactly a day of great historical significance, but certainly one with plenty of variety.
And sometimes, I think, that is quite enough.
One practical point worth mentioning separately: concentrated hydrochloric acid is extremely dangerous, particularly when used with a plunger because of the risk of splashing. The stated 95% concentration is also unusual for commercial hydrochloric acid, so I would check the product label. Never mix acid drain cleaners with bleach or other drain-clearing chemicals.
