Stratford Upon Avon

A lovely warm day today and I headed off for Stratford Upon Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare.

http://www.stratford.co.uk/

http://shakespeare.org.uk/

I thought it'd probably be my last visit while I'm up here, but I think I'll go back and spend a few hours there before I go and take some photos of the old buildings and Stratford in general. I quite like it there. I'll find out the train timetables to Brum from there and make a day of it. There're only trains every two hours to and from Leamington to Stratford and it's a bit tying. So, go down from Leamington and then back to Birmingham and eventually back to Leamington again. Won't be in Birmingham much more either, will I. Will miss it. Will head off for a look round Handsworth again before I go and probably one or two other places.

Might go on The Metro and go to Wednesbury and Wolverhampton too.

http://www.travelmetro.co.uk/

Wednesbury got my interest because of its legal history. In cases of judicial review "Wednesbury Unreasonableness" can be cited when someone seeks to prove that a public body has acted unreasonably.

Wednesbury Unreasonableness is cited when a decision has been made "that is so unreasonable that no sensible person could have reached it" It isn't used very often and if it is it is usually along with another one of the criteria for Judicial Review.

When I got to Wednesbury I found I really liked it and for a moment wondered if I'd like to live there. It's just a small place but every time I went there I found people really helpful and friendly. Also there was often a kind of hippy feel to the clothes in the charity shops there for some reason or other. I guess it'll've changed some since I was last there because there was quite a bit of building work going on.

And I might go down to Wolverhampton too.

Same old

Got a bit of a cold and was up for a lot of last night so am feeling a bit whoozy. Going into Stratford Upon Avon, probably for the last time while I'm living in this area.

Be sorting things out here in the flat a bit before I go to get the train.

And, thanks

And, ofcourse, thanks to those Bloggers that are working so hard to get everything working again.

Hmmm

I was going to talk about the weather, but, it looks as if things are happening here on Blogger.

The type pad is partially disabled. Well, at least that's something new!!! Before, it looked as if everything was ok here, but when you went to post nothing much happened and the post didn't make it through the blogosphere to your journal.

Now, we're back to the you can't post links up that click through to new sites.

Here, at Blogger, it's time to learn to type them in urself again for those that missed it the last time around.

But, while one facility is missing, behind the scenes, something has returned. The "Change Time & Date" function is back again which is great for us bloggers because it means we can put our posts where ever we want to in the journal. When this function is working it means that you can type a post one day and then leave it, finish it a few days later and change the time and date from when you started writing it to the date that you post it so that it appears at the top of your journal rather than a week or so ago , when you started writing it,where it won't be seen.

What has happened, I think, is that, over at Blogger control, they'd put a new type pad over an old one for some reason or other that we weren't allowed to know about, which didn't have the date change thingy included, and now that new type pad has gone, leaving the old one but with its linking facility missing.

I hope that everything will soon be back to how it used to be. And, by that, I mean when everything was working.

Left the umbrella behind but it didn't matter.

So, I didn't get wet.

Woot

Though this isn't good for the drought down South where I'm heading

Unwoot

But, maybe, they had most of the rain, and, because they need it there

Woot

I went out for a walk around the comyn. Saw my first violets of the year. Don't know how long they'd been out for because I hadn't been down that path for a while. Saw some celedines (think that's what they're called), little yellow flowers, plenty of snowdrops, and a lot of wild primroses, smaller than the garden variety.

Didn't stay out for long, I'd forgotten my watch. Got back, walking up the road back here as a few drops of rain fell, had something to eat, felt tired and decided to rest rather than go out again. Good decision as it turned out as I think I was fighting off this cold I've got.

Wasn't as warm as I'd hoped while I was out, think I missed the 14 degrees. Still was out in a t shirt (plus purple cardigan and velvet jean jacket ... it wasn't that warm!!).

Hope I catch the 15 degrees tomorrow, and that it's here for a while.

No, it's a song ..........................

As well as a poem!!!!

First of all I thought that I'd have to make up my own tune as I went along.

But, it seems, that we are not lucky, and that rather than make up our own tunes, there is a tune already that has come down through the centuries.

Here:

"If your browser is rigged to play midi files, you can click on the speaker icons to hear a crude version of the tune" More farting bucks I suppose.

Actually they've been very careful how they've worded the translation here. No farting allowed it seems, so just before we begin it's best to check. And here we have it:

http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Sumer_Is_Icumen_In

So, now we can go back to the other page:

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~msmiller/sumercanon.html

And then listen to it here

http://encarta.msn.com/media_461524973/Sumer_is_Icumen_In.html


You just have to love these old songs, don't you.

Ofcourse, you can make up your own tune if you don't like this one.

And there I have celebrated the first warm days of Spring as I look forward to sumer.



And then can forget about it again til next year.

A bit early I know .. but in celebration of tomorrow's warm but wet weather

Sumer is icumen in

Sumer is icumen in
Lhude sing cuccu!
Groweth sed and bloweth med
And springeth the wrd nu,
Sing cuccu!

Awe bletheth after lamb,
Lhouth after calve cu.
Bulloc sterteth, bucke verteth,
Murie sing cuccu!

Cuccu, cuccu, wel singes thu, cuccu;
Ne swikthu naver nu,
Sing cuccu nu. Sing cuccu.
Sing cuccu. Sing cuccu nu!

Translation:

Summer is a-coming-in,
Loud sing Cuckoo!
Seeds grow and meadows bloom
And the forest springs anew,
Sing Cuckoo!

Ewes bleat after lambs,
Cows lowe after the calves,
Bullocks jump, bucks fart,
Merrily sing Cuckoo!

Cuckoo, cuckoo, well you sing, cuckoo;
Nor cease you ever now,
Sing cuckoo now. Sing cuckoo.
Sing cuckoo. Sing cuckoo now!

More piccies and things

Explore Madagascar: A virtual tour

http://www.conservation.org/xp/madagascar/?CMP=KNC-google_movie


Muur lemuures

Fascinating 3 photos:

http://www.mujerpalabra.net/secundaria/pages/exposiciones/lemures.htm


A lemuure in flight

http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngexplorer/0510/articles/gallery_5.html


One of the small noctuurnal kind

http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngexplorer/0510/articles/gallery_6.html


Click on the tiny lemuure photos on the next two pages and the photos will come up in a separate window and much larger.

http://www.mundomar.es/mundomar/spnewsdetail.asp?IDnews=74

http://www.mundomar.es/mundomar/spnewsdetail.asp?IDnews=79


Two more noctuurnal lemuures

http://www.dimijianimages.com/More-p16-Madagascar-p3/Lepilemur-Berenty-gallery.htm


Two day time ring tailed lemuures

http://www.fotonatura.org/galerias/foto.php?id_foto=83051&id_galeria=2839


This photographer's site has a gallery of lemuure photos and also other nature galleries to look at

http://jon-atkinson.com/

including this lovely picture of a two toed sloth

http://jon-atkinson.com/SAM1.htm


And then there's this site which has lots of animal photos

http://www.exZOOberance.com/index.htm


Then, here.
Wasn't quite sure what to make of this site, but someone's very creative

http://www.lemurdolls.com/

My blogs!!!!!!!!

There's, um, this one

http://lemuuresblog.blogspot.com/

Then, there's that one

http://aplaceinthyme.blogspot.com/


And, that one

http://driftingthroughspace.blogspot.com/


And, this one, which is new and not being used at the moment, but is staying because I like it

http://nighttime.blogsource.com


I have to admit that 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 4

BUT

I am not using one of them.

AND

Um............................................................................

The other three were here before. Well, one wasn't exactly here but is just kind of a replacement for an overhasty bit of pruning just before Blogger went down.

Sigh

I have decided to delete two of the blogs, and, yes, I know that leaves four and not one.

If Blogger hadn't restricted access to the posting facilities I would still only have three, but I now have six.

I'll keep the Bloggers obviously, and one other that I have that was created after listening to some music yesterday. I can't bring myself to delete it, though don't know what I'll use it for if I keep these. I like the design and the name.

And I like the music. It should be a blog about music and politics I guess because of the singer whose music inspired it.

Perhaps in time it'll get life and twirl and sing with all kinds of creativity.

?

I wonder if I should go over and prune the Marooned blog.

I was advised just to have one blog.

I now have 6.


Hmmmmmmmmmm

Silence

I go to bed a silenced lemuure. The Bloggers haven't let me post on A Place In Thyme or put my new blog up.

Let's give it a try here.

New blog

Trouble with deleting a blog is that you then have to think up of a new name for the new one.

Getting better all the time

Still so tired though. It seems to be main theme running through all this. Even got a cab back from the station this evening rather than walk .. probably the only time I've got a taxi for such a short journey. Still the weather wasn't very nice and I am tired.

The swelling and stiffness is improving day by day, though still has a way to go but things are getting better and I reckon it'll be ok in a week or so because things are kind of shifting back into place now rather than just relaxing.

Had a bit of an upset today, but life will shift back into gear.

Came back today with an assortment of magazines to read and a couple of dvds. One by Steve Earle, whose music and a lot of his politics really interest me, and to be honest I've forgotten who the other's by.

A lemuurie moment!!!!

Still, am off to get dinner sorted out now. And then to bed I think.

Reinstalled

Since repairing the corrupted file I've been exploring the new version of Windows Media Player that installed with the repair.

Talking about that, Steve Earle's "Six Days On The Road" is playing at the moment. Preferred Gram Parson's version to start off with, but now just think they're different, and like both. Like Taj Mahal's version too. Guess it might be time to go back and listen to Emmylou Harris's version of Guitar Town. I wondered if tiredness was getting in the way of hearing it properly.

You can see which songs you play the most now. It's no surprize to see that Gram Parsons, The Quo, Cornershop are up there. Steve Earle now too.

Most played Steve Earle songs:

Guitar Town, Fearless Heart, My Old Friend the Blues, Someday, Nowhere Road,Sweet Little 66, and San Antonio Girl.

The first few songs on The Collection album.

Just really getting used to the music still. It's country rock. Different from Gram Parsons, but just as good.


Steve Earle

http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/id_400128/artist.jhtml

http://admin.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/news/index.asp?id=208


Gram Parsons

http://www.gramparsons.com/

And getting sleepier

I'm really tired today. But, muscle ways things are definitely improving. Was wondering if it's this that's making me feel so sleepy. And,probably, interrupting my sleep. Feel as if I need to prop my eyelids up at the moment. Think I better translate this as I better go and get something to eat just incase I fall asleep.

Got the papers to read this evening but I guess I can kind of read them and rest as well. If I get too sleepy I'll just rest.

Sleepy

Had a bit of a restless night, though 11/12 hours of it before I felt awake enough to get up. Too sleepy to be up and about anyway, but seemed to be drifting in and out of sleep a lot. Anyway better get ready AND phone the solicitor this morning. Should've yesterday, so'll get that sorted out this afternoon.

Computers

Last night I got booted off this computer because one of my files became corrupted. How I do not know.

Ofcourse I don't have my set up disc here with me and this meant that I would have to wait til I could get to PC world and get a copy of Windows to reinstall the file from. I do have another computer here but it too needed a bit of attention yesterday.

Then, I didn't get to sleep last night. Not because of the computers, but I just couldn't sleep so ended up spending the night drawing and writing. Tried to sleep but couldn't. Obviously not at the same time as drawing and writing or it'd be obvious why I wasn't sleeping. I did try a bit harder than that!!

Got up. There'd been a message on my answer phone the day before to let me know the local craft shop had some letter beads in. I'd ordered some and they didn't think they'd be getting any til April when they make a large order from this firm. There's a reason but I can't remember what it is. But, they got some. It turned out that the bags were just small, I'd thought they were wholesale size and had just ordered one, so ended up buying four or them and a few extra from the ones they'd opened to sell separately. They had some different ones in as well that were the same design but in mixed colours which is really good,especially for the size string you can use with them. I got a few of the small bags of those as well.

Hahahahahaha.

This could be fun, especially when I'm having a bad day.

Anyway, I went and got those. Almost forgot, I was in a stationers that sell some craft items too and seeing those reminded me of the beads. Guess no sleep had made me a tad forgetful.

Then headed off for Solihull and PC World. Got the things I needed for both computers. Went to Sainsburys then got the bus through to Brum.

I like the bus ride from PC World through to Birmingham, through Shirley, were incidentally I bruised my ribs once, and then on to ride through the wonderful Sparkhill. Looked at all the little shops as we went through, lots of them full of ethnic goods. Caught the eye of some of the people there and we exchanged smiles. It just happened. I had my tote bag on my lap and a book on top of that and had rested my head on the book while looking out the window.

Didn't spend long in Birmingham, just went to Holland and Barrett on New Street Station and popped in to the Chinese 98p shop. Again I was just amazed by some of the artwork in some of the things there. They had rings that had a kind of Gustav Klimt style about them. Really in a kind of Art Nouveau style. Bought a couple of those and some more of the string and clay necklets. They'd more in so I have a bit more string now ready for those beads.

Got the train back. Got in and set about sorting this computer out. Obviously it's ok now. And everything's still here on it.

Got that sorted out but managed to pull the phone line out of the socket, went to put it back in and found I couldn't. So, I had to get that sorted out too. That took more time than I thought it would as it was just a bit tempermental.

And, here I am.

And,now, I'm just off to get dinner.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo

I can't escape from Empower. I'm logged out but my name still comes up there. There's no members listed as being there but my name is up on the board when I go over to the site. And, it's not as if I've posted anything for an hour or so.

I've even disconnected myself from the net and then dialled up again, but nothing doing. I'm still logged out, haven't posted for much more than fifteen minutes, but my name's up there.

Ah, it's gone now. It's not the first time this has happened. Bit disconcerting when you can't go on to other boards without logging in again but, at the same time, somehow seem to be logged in, but not logged in at the same time, there.

Good night

The stiffness and the rest of the problems that bug caused are still on their way out. It takes a little time to adjust as the muscles relax. Taking it's time, isn't it. But, still things are getting better.

I'm off to sleep now. No more staying up til the early hours of the morning.

And......

Well, gosh. It's just gone 10.35 (p.m) ..... and I'm not just thinking of turning in, but I'm actually going to get up off this sofa, switch the light off and head for the isle of dreams.

Pokes head out again

After wandering in the murky haze of another virally challenged mist. Though some things remained the same, I was late getting to the doctors this morning. And, I'd only given myself two hours to get it together in to get from breakfast porridge to out of the door.

The staff and the doctor were very understanding. There was only one doctor on duty and really I should've been booked in to get down on time again tomorrow. But he saw me straight away after one of the receptionists had gone in to see him to tell him that I had managed to get there after all.

I'm feeling much better this evening. It's just started to clear in the last hour or so.

Brilliant.

And I see a healthy meal on the horizon.

Off to the doctor

Go and make an appointment with the doctor. I've one of these spots on the sort of outer part of my inner ear and I'm swollen up round the ear so better, though that's gone down a lot over night. But, I think I need to see if there's a spot inside the ear, that they can see, cause I might need antibiotics if there is.

Might be best to see if I need anyway because of the other spot.

Right I'm allergic to penicillin and the antibiotics in the same group as cephlex.

Crocus and an anise

Prunes post.

Then, again .............................

Not.

Well, it was raining which wouldn't have made the walk that wonderful an experience. I would've ended up with wet paws I guess. Not that these paws should've been walking anyway.

Warwick

If the weather's nice enough I'm hoping to walk into Warwick today and have a look in the arts and craft shops there. There's a couple.

I don't know if I'm well enough but I'll find out I guess. Still so tired. Not depressed and it doesn't take much to make me smile. Someone said yesterday that my eyes were smiling again. But I don't feel well yet.

Yesterday was strange. People wished me well in the street while I was out. And on a train. Same wishes returned too.

Anyway off to get the porridge.

Believe it or not ..............

I'm just off to do dinner.

But ..........

BUT ..................

I am posting in the wrong blog ......


potters off whistling

Well.........................

Well at least I ain't taking any of the posts down now.

Feeling a lot better.

Feeling much better, though very tired. And can walk must faster. Woke up this morning feeling quite raw again but I think it's cause my muscles had moved so much over night or something. I guess it is going to hurt rather as they get working again. Took a couple of painkillers. My days of sitting it out are well over. I guess I'm feeling so tired too because it must be tiring for my body having to go through all this.

The day actually went much better than I thought it was going to. Didn't seem too promising this morning as I was tired, in a bit of pain, still got muscle problems even if they are much better, and have a spot that was just about driving me round the bend with it's fricking itching (and I didn't scratch). But the day's actually been quite pleasant. Me train was cancelled too coming back and I didn't find that a hassle either. Just went and sat down and read me papers and there was no problem reading those while waiting or on the train so things are getting better.

Painfree. Well, practically

I didn't take any pain relief yesterday but was in a bit of pain. Didn't take any again today and it's been almost pain free. Still, uncomfortable, but nothing you could really describe as pain. There's no pain in the muscles in my chest, or in my back, and the pain in my foot has gone. It was breaking through the pain relief before.

Still very tired though and whoozy and sniffly. And I've got some sort of viral blister up with a couple of spots. All in the same area. Seems like the virals there decided some sort of plan of attack or something!!

Still, I don't feel too bad.

Going to do dinner now.

Tired

Tired so just going to do dinner then get some rest. Things still generally improving but I am tired this evening.

Then again, back the other way .....

To Brum.

I'm still trying to clear this cold. Hopefully it's on it's way out as my left nostril, which was running pretty badly yesterday, has cleared up today. But, I'm still snuffly.

Went to sort cottons out and stuff. Naturally I didn't manage it because they'd closed Beatties, one of the department stores in Birmingham, down without me knowing. And, I had no idea where else to go to find it.

Returned with a pack of Sainsbury's spicy aromatic biryani or something like that. Not quite what I'd planned after taking my pieces of Chinese string up to mix and match.

Things are still improving, though me foot was a little sore. I'd noticed it was feeling a little warm yesterday, but there doesn't seem to be any real harm done and it had eased off a bit by the time I got back. Just tired and still in the process of getting better + a cold.

Out ... in the other direction

Went out to Birmingham latish this afternoon. When I left here there was no snow. Got on the train and settled down in my seat and got a paper out to read. Looked up again about ten minutes later as we were heading for Coventry and it was snowing quite heavily and obviously had been for a while, or at some time for a while, as the trees and fields were quite heavily frosted with snow. Well, about an inch of snow or so.

The train pulled into Coventry station in the snow and out again where it wasn't snowing, though there was still snow on the ground. And, it carried on like this all the way to Birmingham, just pulling in and out of snow flurries, though the snow along the rest of the line hadn't settled as heavily as it was around Coventry.

I didn't stay long in Birmingham, had gone to the Chinese shop to buy some string. Well, you buy a ready made up sort of clay and string necklace and then take it apart. The string is soft and comes in a selection of muted colours. Though today there wasn't much choice in the string and clay bead line. I need some cotton too, I was too late today to get it. I have the beads and I'll make it in the next couple of days using another piece of string wrapped around the two ends of the bracelet string, then you can just pull the two ends to tighten and close the bracelet and tie the two ends of string together to secure it.

They had some new rings there, a bit like masks, or maybe along the lines of the Easter Island statues. Though they didn't really look like them, but it's the same kind of idea. And they were in a variety of mixtures of colours.

Some of the things they've been getting in recently have been really interesting. I hadn't seen anything like them before and they've really caught my imagination.

I must admit I didn't know much about Chinese design before. I'd been interested in Japanese design through the centuries to the present day. I must admit I find Japanese street design fascinating. Just the clothes and the makeup. Though I saw some pictures from a recent Chinese fashion show and the make up/face art was really, really good. I did wonder if that had influenced some of the British artists a little while back. It was a bit similar.

I was aware of my cold all the time I was out and had taken a pack of tissues with me which I needed. The cold's not affecting my muscles worse. Well, it might a bit I suppose but it's not noticeable and even though it's slow things are continuing to improve.

I guess what happened before apart from the spinal thing where the bug just attacked a weakness was that my body couldn't cope anymore. I wasn't looking after myself or treating myself very well at all. Things just went haywire.

I'm not too bad with this cold though, bit headachy, and it's a wet cold. But it's not too bad at all. Been a bit moody at times, and rather quiet but I seem to be picking up again regardless of the headache.

Bleurrgh.

Acoustic 80s

I don't think me and these two cds should ever have met. I just find them so depressing and though I'm never going to play them again the effect is still lingering on from yesterday and this morning.

And this is coming from someone who has been a fan of The Jesus and Mary Chain for years.

Really even the two songs I chose yesterday weren't the most cheerful of songs but I thought they had a feeling of hope to them. I thought when I posted about them on Empower that they are a bit on the sad side but that they also were quite optimistic about the future.

And ofcourse just the feel of the music for both the songs is really nice.


BUT

the cds should've come with a warning!!

Still, I have the antidote!!!!

But

I do have a cold. A bit of a runny one, though not too bad. My muscles are still sorting themselves out but they're not as bad as they were and walking is much easier. Am tired though.

Out ..........

Well, at least I was headed in the right direction today and went down to Oxford. Wasn't there for long. Was quite surprized that I recognised my way from the station into the town as I've only been there once before and it was two or three years ago. In fact I recognised the place as if I knew it quite well, must've made quite an impression on me I guess.

I was headed for Blackwells to have a look through their language books/dvds. The first door that I went into took me into the section where the law books are. Shelves and shelves of them. I wondered if there might be a larger selection here than they stock in Hammicks the law bookshop in Fleet Street. I didn't have a good look through them, just a quick glance through the EU law books, and they did stock some of the OUP books that you'd normally have to order in London. You know the ones that cost £75 or so a book. I know some of these books are actually printed to order and you just have to wait for them to be done for you. They had quite a few copies of some books too so I really don't know if their selection is bigger, but it might be. But Blackwells might not stock some books that Hammicks do. Hammicks is just down the road from The High Courts of Justice in a specialised part of London and it's possible that they have a selection of books that Blackwells don't stock. Didn't check what was there though so I don't know.

Anyway I drifted out after having a look through the EU books. Asked one of the staff how to get to the language section and they said it was easier to go back out again and through another door two doors up.

Back in and off to the language section. Found what I wanted. There was a guy buying his partner some Arabic textbooks for her birthday and we had a chat. I said I thought the Alif Baa books were a good grounding to start off with as they explain things really well.

I do hope she likes them!!!!!!! They come with a dvd now so they've changed format a bit but they are excellent. Probably even better now.

Some people were very friendly there and smiley. I suppose I looked happy heading for Blackwells and a bit awed when I left.

There was snow on the railway banks between Banbury and Oxford. None here. When I got off the train at Oxford it was snowing. I'd left my umbrella in the flat and felt a bit guilty but it was ok walking up the road in the snow. It'd eased off by the time I reached the town centre so I wasn't out in it for that long. And it soon stopped. I didn't mind walking up there in it though there was quite a lot of coming down.

Wasn't there long. Waited about ten minutes at the station for a train back. We were delayed for a while but nothing too bad. I'd enjoyed looking out at the countryside on the way to Oxford but it was much darker coming back and there wasn't much to see but the silhouttes of the trees and the new moon.