Musings On A March Sunday

~ beetleypete

The Blue Tits are back, preparing the interior of the nest box on the Oak tree. When I have been watching all the bad stuff on the news, and Julie is still worried about a nuclear war, watching the innocent routine of nature calms me down completely. Those tiny birds have never heard of Putin, Ukraine, or BBC NEWS 24. Life for them goes on untroubled.

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Better weather, bulb flowers in bloom, children playing in the refurbished playground over on Beetley Meadows, all signs of Spring.

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Just as Ollie’s fur started to look decent again, he has started his Spring moult. Any contact with him leaves small brown hairs on our clothes, and very soon the new vacuum cleaner will be having to cope with the full tufts that fall out as he shakes.

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My fiction serial has concluded now. I will have a pause before the next one, which is already started in drafts.

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Still no news about my driving licence renewal. As from midnight Tuesday, I am no longer allowed to drive. That will feel very strange, after 53 years behind the wheel.

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Next week sees the start of my ‘Birthday Week’. Although my actual birthday is on Wednesday, I am going to try to make the best of the whole week. Weather permitting, that means some days out, taking Ollie to some of his old haunts, and eating in restaurants more than once. I get a few days off from cooking, and Julie has also left the week free from work to accompany me on whatever we decide to do. With the temperature set to rise to 16C by Wednesday, I have a feeling I will be wearing shorts midweek.

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I hope you all have a marvellous Sunday. Think of Spring, turn off the news, and connect with whatever makes you feel good.

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72 thoughts on “Musings On A March Sunday”

  2. I so enjoy your musings, Pete. Good thing I’m commenting late as I can now say Happy Birthday! The Repair Shop (reruns of course, but new for us) is on three mornings a week, so the days I can catch up in the morning have been consumed with the show. I know you understand! Also, nature has a great way to ground us, calm us, and remind us of all that is good.

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    1. Thanks for your birthday wishes, Jennie. You would love the TV schedule here at the moment. We have reruns of The Repair Shop every weekday afternoon, and a brand new series on Wednesday evenings. (We watched it last night, after returning from the restaurant where I had my birthday meal.)
      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. I am SO jealous!! But, happy for you. We only get it a few mornings a week. Yesterday was repairing the juke box and also a 400 year old clock. By the way, how many years has the show been running?

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  3. Alternatively, you could also use my method in dealing with government agencies. If nobody here wants to do anything, I always send a postal package. In there comes a signed letter and my wish that has to be done. When sending a parcel, I also receive proof of sending and receipt, but cheaper than with a letter. In addition, as we live in uncertain times, parcels attract special attention from authorities and the matter is processed very quickly. lol Take the first step, Pete! You cant loose your driving license, as long you have to cary for Ollie, and his wishes leaving Beetley, whenever he want. 😉 xx Michael

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    1. I did renew online, Michael. But they just replied with a reference number, saying they were checking my details and would be sending my licence later. So far, they have not done that and if it is not renewed in time, I cannot drive after Tuesday.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  10. (1) Those tits may be blue, but they’re happy!
    (2) Bulb flowers in bloom… The desert cacti and wildflowers should be starting to bloom here as well.
    (3) Milkshakes: No risk of swallowing hair, so drink up!
    (4) Your serial was excellent. As usual.
    (5) The bureaucratic delay of your license renewal is absolutely driving you nuts!
    (6) Happy upcoming birthday! Wear your shorts, and enjoy a long week!
    (7) It’s an enjoyable Sunday so far for me. I watched the Khatia Buniatishvili video again this morning after receiving your email. She really is gifted. Born in Georgia, living in France. I also watched a French language interview with her just posted on her Facebook page. Like Arina Domski, Khati Buniatishvili has a charismatic stage presence, and is also very intelligent.

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  11. Have a great week Pete but think of us in Poland as the temperature is still -5c at night! mind you its warming up, it was -11c at the start of last week 🙂
    No flowers popping out quite just yet, but plenty on goats popping out 🙂

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  12. I’ve been out up in Northumberland and daffodils are blooming in some places now and snow drops are carpeting the woodlands, things feel better when away from the turmoil. Have a fab week for your birthday!

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  13. Pete, my wife planned an entire week of “LA staycation” stuff for me when it was my birthday, a way to have some fun as the pandemic was still in full force at the time here…I hope that conditions make for a great week of fun!

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  17. On the surface, 16c and shorts sounds a bit masochist to me up in Beetley Pete.
    But then I completely understand the lyric “if the sun don’t come you get your tan standing in the English rain” too.

    Hummm. . . Shorts? Well Pete, since it’s an entire week of ‘Birthdaying’, and you are hoping to be outfitted in shorts, the Devon coast can be particularly nice this time of year if it is an early spring with all the wild flowers in bloom. My mum got relocated to Devon during the war, in the village of Pinhoe. After many visits down south we’ve come to love it down there.

    And as it is spring? The restaurants in Torquay won’t be mobbed. As my brother Eric says, “You can’t swing a dead cat and not hit a great restaurant there”. Not sure there is a spot in Blighty with more fabulously reasonable high-value for ££ eateries than they have down there.

    From the fabulous and surprisingly affordable (for a 1 Michelin⭐ restaurant) “The Elephant” (Mum’s from the Elephant so, you know, had to eat there), to small little seafood dine-in/take away gems as well as this ‘rising’ star, “Ollie’s”, which while claiming to be a laid back, traditional Torquay eatery is said to truly give the ‘Elephant’ a run for your money for less £££ making it seem to be a very high value proposition.
    I’ve not eaten there, but in checking up to make sure that “The Elephant” was still a going concern before recommending it, (you know, with COVID and all 🙄) guess what popped up? A review on a delightful looking spot named “Ollie’s? Who knew???

    Not too late to arrange a few night’s stay. . .

    And Lad? As it ‘is’ your birthday week? Apparently you’re not getting any younger 😘. Good guess is that Ollie will be a hit down there, especially at his namesake eatery!

    Regardless of the uncontrollably uncertain English weather, and wherever you decide to do your ‘birthday’ season, best wishes for a fabulous “Birthday Week”.

    Oh, I wouldn’t have suggested any of this but was very taken with the beautiful sentiment that your Julie is planning on spending your special week with you.

    PS. Torquay can be quite Romantic as well! 😉

    Cheers
    CT
    On the surface, 16c and shorts sounds a bit masochist to me up in Beetley Pete.
    But then I completely understand the lyric “if the sun don’t come you get your tan standing in the English rain” too.

    Hummm. . . Shorts? Well Pete, since it’s an entire week of ‘Birthdaying’, and you are hoping to be outfitted in shorts, the Devon coast can be particularly nice this time of year if it is an early spring with all the wild flowers in bloom. My mum got relocated to Devon during the war, in the village of Pinhoe. After many visits down south we’ve come to love it down there.

    And as it is spring? The restaurants in Torquay won’t be mobbed. As my brother Eric says, “You can’t swing a dead cat and not hit a great restaurant there”. Not sure there is a spot in Blighty with more fabulously reasonable high-value for ££ eateries than they have down there.

    From the fabulous and surprisingly affordable (for a 1 Michelin⭐ restaurant) “The Elephant” (Mum’s from the Elephant so, you know, had to eat there), to small little seafood dine-in/take away gems as well as this ‘rising’ star, “Ollie’s”, which while claiming to be a laid back, traditional Torquay eatery is said to truly give the ‘Elephant’ a run for your money for less £££ making it seem to be a very high value proposition.
    I’ve not eaten there, but in checking up to make sure that “The Elephant” was still a going concern before recommending it, (you know, with COVID and all 🙄) guess what popped up? A review on a delightful looking spot named “Ollie’s? Who knew???

    Not too late to arrange a few night’s stay. . .

    And Lad? As it ‘is’ your birthday week? Apparently you’re not getting any younger 😘. Good guess is that Ollie will be a hit down there, especially at his namesake eatery!

    Regardless of the uncontrollably uncertain English weather, and wherever you decide to do your ‘birthday’ season, best wishes for a fabulous “Birthday Week”.

    Oh, I wouldn’t have suggested any of this but was very taken with the beautiful sentiment that your Julie is planning on spending your special week with you.

    PS. Torquay can be quite Romantic as well! 😉

    Cheers
    CT

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    1. I found this in Spam, Chris. A ‘double-comment’ that obviously aroused the Security Service of WordPress.
      Devon is nice, but too far from Beetley for a ‘casual’ visit. (We have other stuff to do around here this week)
      Devon is over 300 miles from here, around 5 hours 15 minutes by car. In England, that is a LONG way.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. Sigh. . . The family just doesn’t keep any light Jet resource in the UK at the moment, Pete. Just Majorca and a couple of places in the Caribbean I’m afraid old chap, or Id offer them up.

        And, blast, as I’m headed to a wedding late this upcoming week or I’d offer up mine. . . 😉

        The wedding bit is actually true, but it is in LA, so we’ll be doing the eco-friendly thing and drive.

        But seriously Pete, I’m quite aware of the geographics of the U. K. I guess I’m just not sensitive to juants of this distance.

        When Terrie and I lived the SF Bay area Lake Tahoe used to ~300 miles and we did that trip literally every other weekend in ski season for years, nasty snow coated alpine roads and bltheringly stupid drivers to boot. Now my kids live ~350 miles west in Anaheim, CA (home of DisneyLand) and Terrie and I do that trip with narry a thought.

        As such? I suggested it as a great birthday adventure! Think of Ollie’s excitement seeing his name in lights! Sleep on it? 🤠

        Cheers!
        CT

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        1. We just have a very different attitude to ‘road trips’ here, obviously. 🙂
          And with diesel for my car currently selling at £8.55+ a gallon, ($11.20) costs of the trip have to be considered when you are living on pensions.
          Best wishes, Pete.

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  21. yes, we have to find a way to balance the goodness in life with the negative things happening. I agree that taking a week to celebrate your birthday is the perfect thing to do. happy birthday week in advance

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  23. Congrats on your upcoming birthday…..always a great sign when the birds of Spring show up again….ours have not yet arrived…..Ollie should be happy that the weather may improve…..Be well my friend chuq

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  27. I find the same comfort from watching the birds in the garden and the reserve, Pete.
    I like the idea of a Birthday week of celebrations, something to copy.
    Enjoy the company of your loved ones, the good weather and celebrate the small pleasures and wonders of life.
    Best wishes from us all with a big pat for Ollie 🐾🐾
    Dina Xx

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    1. Thank you, dear Dina. When I lived in London, I always had a ‘birthday week’. I would do something every day, and eat out most nights. I have to reduce that somewhat now I am retired, but still hope to have a pleasant time.
      Pats delivered to Ollie.
      Love from Beetley, Pete and Ollie. X

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