St Patrick’s Day

As COVID-19 has taken over our lives, to the extent that the University’s suspended all face to face teaching and now we’re implementing video lecturing, remote meetings and support as best we can. That involves me sitting at a desk, or more likely with a laptop on my lap stretched out on the sofa like I am typing this, and using technology to its best advantage. The University has brought into use some potentially very useful technology to assist us. Hope that the infrastructure stands up

Today, the date, has a deal of significance for me. It would have been my mum’s hundred and sixth birthday and my grandad’s (her dad’s) hundred and thirty eighth. (1914 and 1882 to save you trouble). It was also Kerry’s official birthday – we didn’t know how old she was, apart from “about four” when we adopted her in 2007 so as she came from Ireland we used St Patrick’s day. Incidentally it’s fifteen hundred and eighty eight years since Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland.

Some pix:

My mum (second from left) and her family in about 1926. Grandad was a Petty Officer, R.N.

Her dad and mum at their wedding in 1912

My mum and her mum, 1930s

Kerry – last pic I took of her on our last walk.

And it’s also five months since Sandy died. This is the photo I’m using as the frontispiece of the magnum opus.

In other news the first house improvement started today. The fireplace is currently a gaping hole ready to get the log burner tomorrow.

The builders discovered, when taking down the old fireplace, that the bit to the side was built over a gas pipe for a gas fire. They’d cemented it in 50 or so years ago. It’s still OK, though, they tested.

Pix of various stages, including ‘before’, ending at the hearth being bedded in cement which is going off overnight..

Prior to that I had to do some work in preparation. Thirty six years ago we moved ion, and I disguised a pretty ropey wall with some panelling. I’m now taking it down, filling all the holes, replastering where necessary and it’ll be painted white. It’ll then be completely hidden by a load of bookcases, the books which will occupy them are currently in loads of Really Useful Boxes which occupy about a third of the volume of the living room. Mainly thirty five litre crates, stacked seven high, three deep and four across with quite a bit of overspill. But before the bookcases go up there a matter of tiling the floor and putting new skirting boards in. All fun. I’m doing it all myself as this is what Sandy and I had planned ten years ago. Cancers, mine then hers, got on the way of completion, or even starting.

Then there’s the rest of the living room. That’s covered in books as well.

Music:

St. Patrick’s Day, Derek Fiechter, Brandon Fiechter

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