18 February 2024

We’ve had quite a few nice days with some reasonably bright and clear skies and Spring-like temperatures. In mid-February. What’s that about? Lady Penelope was even out pruning roses the other day. Me? I’m still more or less confined to quarters with the sciatica pain. Small improvements – it seems to go from “not bad” to “unbelievably bad” to “not too bad” before reverting to “brutal” again. Nights are the worst, of course. There seems to be no position in which I can get comfortable.

Speaking of which, I ran across an advertisement for these mobility scooters the other day. Perhaps I should place my order now.

Were it not for the sciatica, we would now be in LA with Ben, Brex-Anna and Max after a splendid few days in Hawaii. Fortunately, our dear friends Chip and Leca have been collating a list of the finest eateries in the vicinity so that when we do get to go, we’ll be prepared to enjoy the best dining experiences available.

As those of you who know me well could have guessed, I have been indulging in a bit of Netflix binge watching during my confinement. Amongst the many programs I’ve seen, one in particular stuck out – Onboard the Transcontinental Race – a documentary about a cycle race which takes place annually in Europe. Although the route varies, I think, each year, competitors essentially cycle from Belgium/Northern France to Greece or thereabouts.

The Transcontinental is a single stage race in which the clock never stops. Riders plan, research and navigate their own course and choose when and where to rest. They will take only what they can carry and consume only what they can find. Four mandatory control points guide their route and ensure a healthy amount of climbing to reach some of cycling’s most beautiful and historic monuments. Each year the riders cover around 4000 km to reach the finish line.

Rather like the Iditarod dog sled race in Alaska, the cyclists race 24/7, grabbing an hour or two of sleep here and there. By the end of day two they are already sleep-deprived and utterly exhausted facing only another ten or so days of similarly gruelling cycling. I “think” the winner completed the route in about 10 days. The cut-off time was 14 days and one poor chap arrived at the finish about 3 hours after the deadline. Therefore, he didn’t officially finish and gets no recognition of his achievement! Too bad.

Penelope and I watched the 1987 film Bagdad Café the other day which was splendid. I’d never heard of it before but it featured in the Guardian’s TV tonight a few weeks ago so I recorded it. Some of you may be familiar with the series of the same name starring Whoopi Goldberg which grew out of the film but it was completely new to the two of us. There’s only one word to describe it – Wacky! If you catch it streaming anywhere give it a go.

YCNMIU
This week’s YCNMIU comes once again from the utterly dysfunctional and deliberately malevolent Home Office. A woman has been told she must leave the UK and her husband and ten-year-old son despite a court ruling in her favour and correspondence from the Home Office confirming the court’s decision. So, once again the Home Office has decided to ignore a court order and do what the hell it likes. You have to wonder who makes these decisions and why they are so deliberately malicious.

In contrast to that bit of vile news, we have our own bit of Home Office “good news” to relate. Enjoy it, these nuggets of good news are few and far between. Ava, having jumped through all the necessary hoops and hurdles, has been granted her permanent right to remain in the UK. So, I guess we can look forward to her receiving a letter telling her to leave any day now.

We are so proud of her!

And finally, I saw this cartoon in, I think, the New Yorker. It explains, in some part, why Penny enjoys her Book Club outings so much.

Meanwhile, keep happy, keep smiling, keep exercising, be good, be careful, and keep safe. And be gentle to wasps and bees.

Lots of love to you all,

Greg