Saturday 22nd August 2015

Friday

And what is this looming on the horizon? Oh, its the weekend, but before then we have to get through Friday, aka the day of meetings. And what I learned from this very morning is never to believe anything what you are told, even in a minuted meeting. I say nothing, but maybe half of it. So having got the information, I act on it the way I have been told, and guess what, it was all bollocks. Or at least half of it, and in following the list of instructions, I manage to piss off various people.

It came as a relief to find that the second of the major meetings had been cancelled, and so it was a relief with all work having been done, I could switch the laptop off. And although I intended to go out for a walk, as the morning had been glorious, but first I had my attention taken by an old episode of Time Team, and by the time that finished, cloud had rolled over, and what with it being three in the afternoon, it was really too warm for walking, so I listened to some stuff on the radio, and waited for Jools to come home sometime after half four.

I sit out on the patio, watching various butterflies land on the plants we have, snapping them when I could. I take a call from my friend Gary saying the butterflies he bought over the web had hatched out, and was now father to a fine Swallowtail butterfly. Could I bring some cow parsley? Now, cow parsley is one of the most abundant plants in the countryside, but it is very late, and it took some finding to find a couple of plants that had not gone to seed. Why did he need it? for the butterflies, as they are fussy eaters.

So we arrive, and in a box filled with plants of various types which the butterfly did not want, was a single brilliant Swallowtail.

Swallowtails are rare in the country, and are protected, so this is a continental cousin, bought legally on the web. I try to get shots, but it is my first time with a flash and lightbox, but I think one should be OK> In fact, they were all over-exposed, but I could rescue them, although not perfect.

We go home for dinner; breaded chicken, corn on the cob and yet more leftover pasta salad. I think we can see the end of it now, which would be nice. It only takes half an hour to prepare, and with a fine bottle of ice cold beer, we sit down to dinner just before seven.

By now, the day was very warm indeed, even with the sun beginning to set in the east, the day just got warmer and warmer. At nine, one we had watched The Don, I go to sit outside to watch the stars come out, it is still warm, but a gentle breeze makes it bearable. I have a whisky, and finish a bottle of 12 year old, meaning that what with it being a special week and all that, that i should really open the special bottle. Many years ago, when I worked offshore, I went up to London to buy a 25 year old Glenmorangie, and it has sat on a shelf ever since. I did try to sell it last year, but no takers. So, someone said I should save it for a special occasion, and I think that my birthday is good enough.

So, I get the box down, pull out the foam box, open that. I am now at the wooden box. That is easy and there is the bottle. 70cl, £200 worth of golden nectar. I pop the cork, pout a tenners worth and go back outside. It has a slightly smoky aftertaste, but with nutty undertones. And it is wonderful. My head is full of, yes its nice but is it ten times the price of normal whisky nice? I don't know, probably not. But it is very nice indeed.