Tuesday 23rd February 2021

The good news I woke up and felt 100% better, and that improved with coffee, 2nd coffee, breakfast and another coffee. That is a relief, and as always, you don't realise how sit you felt until you start to feel better. So it goes, so it goes. And for the day, the beg news was I had the first of two online courses. For me its just two days, but for schoolchildren and students its been like this for months. So, I'm not complaining. Much. So, we were up early. Seems that pruning the buddleia over the weekend put my shoulder back to how it was ten days back. So I have to use the ice pack and then use the large rubber band to stretch the muscles. Sigh. Jools went straight to work, so I listened to a podcast, then started work at just gone seven to catch up on mails all ready for the start of the course at eight. And what can I say: seven hours or so, in a MS Teams meting, along with eight others and the trainer? It was dull, dull stuff. We had plenty of breaks, and a long lunch, and bit by bit we learned how to work safely on wind turbines. Because I am to audit the processes. Lucky me. So, the day passed slowly. But I passed the exam, and could go forward to the second day. So much winning. I went out for a walk, because I needed to clear my head. So, went up to Nelson Park Road, as I realised in twelve years of living here I had never walked down it before. I know. So, up Station Road, then down through the houses, the last street before the down slopes down to the Deal Road and Martin Mill beyond. Houses and bungalows, all neat and tidy, nothing exceptional. At the end I could cut down to Collingwood or Hardy, but decide to be really stupid and walk the track at the end to join up with another path leading to and from Windy Ridge. I say stupid as this is usually a mudbath, and coming so soon after the snow had melted seemed a little dumb. But it had dred out mostly, in a week, and there was just one short muddy path. Out from the woods, I turn up the hill to Collingwood. A white mare watched me from over a fence, but I didn't go to say hello, as you don't want to upset the owners in these COVID times. Along to Fleet House, then back down across the field, now passable as the ground beguns to dry out. I met the people who had made a meadow among the trees, we talked about what I was snapping, butterflies, birds but not orchids. Just as well, I'd still be there. Back home, made a brew and prepare dinner. And for this feast, something new: Kachamak, or polenta. I followed the recipe and made a saucepan sized polenta brick. But the good news is I know where I went wrong, and will be better next time. We had stir fry and pank chicken too. All good stuff, though the flavoured oil for the chicken gave off something like CS gas fumes when hot. Nasty. Anyway, we ate well. Washed up and sta down with a coffee in time for the latest Norwich match. Away, playing Birmingham on the poughed field at St Andrews where we played Coventry the week before. Pitch still shit, limited good football, and the midfield never really got going. But in the last 15 minutes, scored two good goals to cruise to a 3-1 win and be 10 (ten) points clear at the top of the table.