Movember Day 7. Entering new length territory, albeit with some patchiness.

Vaguely aware of C’s sunlight alarm at 06:00, but was pretty much asleep until 07:30. Yoga nidra, and was falling asleep by the end and wanting to snooze into the morning. But I had an appointment in Winchester for 10:00. After a wash and breakfast we drove from Old Alresford, surprised how quickly one can get to the city. After the appointment, looked for hiking socks but only Rohan survives – Blacks and Millets gone. Found a really nice coat  that I’ll maybe get for xmas or maybe buy before then.

Came back via the Worthys to buy log bags ahead of getting a big order or collecting some from Brockwood. Really good garden centre/farm shop called The Good Life. Had a fire with some of the ash wood tonight – what a treat a log burner is! So adjustable yet all the fire building fun of an open fire.

Lunch of a mushroom pie I’d bought from a pie shop in a trailer in Winchester, then a snooze (of course). Painting time! C did the back door and I did the end window of the lounge, or the walls around it. Supper and Pointless on iPlayer through the Wii. Hard to believe I’ll be in that same studio come Tuesday! In the audience, not competing – at least not yet…

Looking at Devon hotels for the Birthday trip gift we didn’t take this year. Decided on Jan/Feb rather than this year.

Due to grooves in the memory foam mattress and it being too sinky now, we decided to turn it over and use the reflex foam side. Far preferable so far! Reading the quaint Alresford Forum magazine before writing this. It looks as if they still don’t use a desktop publisher, but make prints for each add and arrange them on the page. All manner of little clubs, societies and groups.

Was awake in the night quite a bit. These days when this happens, I usually listen to music while scanning the body over and over for sensation. It means I’m relaxed and doing good work, even if not asleep. By the time to get up, though, I’m usually in a deep sleep cycle and it takes until 0930 or so to be fully awake.
At 8-something I commuted to work from Old Alresford; a nice drive over Bramdean Common then over towards Woodlands before cutting across the A272 and up the hill to Brockwood, for a shower then to the office.
Preparing more texts of questions within talks so that audio extracts can be created by a volunteer. Wondering how to get a valuation on our archives collection.
Lunch: pasta with mushrooms. Kale side, with parsnips.
Snooze.
Verifying a direct recording in the afternoon.
Worked on the UK bank accounts, a second job, after work. Got my first payment through, which helped with the new fridge freezer I bought for C.
Pointless: start of new series. Always a fun and interesting watch, and I like to play along, and wonder how I’d do in the studio. I’ve applied to be in the audience, which will happen w/c 10 November, if it does.
Supper: Potatoes, beans, cheese – the usual.
Briefly planning leaving arrangements for the surf trip tomorrow. Going in two cars instead of the usual one, as F is staying longer than the rest of us. This time tomorrow – before – I’ll be in Croyde, Devon. And the temperature will have dropped from 20C a few days ago, to 11C…
Film night with J and S. Watched Blue Ruin, an above average indie revenge movie. Unpredictable, especially not knowing how capable the ‘hero’ is. Captivating while it lasted. At one point it was like a Home Alone for adults. Then the usual post movie discussion. I just read that it was funded by Kickstarter.

Movember Day 2. Nothing much to report. I suppose for the proper experience I should shave my chin to highlight the moustache already. For sure when I get back from surfing.

Movember Day 1. Slight scratchy spikes. Business as usual.

Woke at 0630 with the sunrise alarm clock. Lie in for half an hour while C did something feminine, and probably painful, to her legs in the bathroom. Yoga nidra 45 mins. Which is always like have a couple of hours more sleep.

Washed, breakfasted then we both drove to Old Alresford to be in for the fridge freezer delivery. Highly recommend buying electrical goods from Coop’s online electrical shop – the delivery company gave a one hour slot, so no waiting around all day. They were a bit early and after last week’s struggle up the stairs and damaging the compressor, it was a delight to leave the work to the two delivery men.
The Liebherr looks great! SmartSteel finish that doesn’t leave finger prints visible all over it, and a white LED light that doesn’t look all warm and… wrong, like in most fridges. Going to have to change my bulb now too. Big fridge, small freezer, just right.
Sorted out the walk-in cupboard, putting the second shelf in place and putting things where they now belong. Homes for things.
Tried to replace my car battery but the securing bolt was corroded and I didn’t have quite the right tool. Luckily the guys at Pheonix Auto Services were still there and immediately offered to do it for me as they were leaving. No charge. Another highly recommended company. They had to use something like a crowbar to wedge it out.
Took the old battery to the recycling centre. Car starts on the instant now. They thought the old one could be the original with the car – so 12 years old!
Coop in another form, for groceries and zero beer for upcoming movie night.
We both bought chips for lunch and ate them with fried eggs on the back stairs which go to the garden. Autumn sun.
Snooze.
Washed my car. Chatted with the neighbour, the niece of the landlord – who is a proper landlord, as in he lives in a stately home and C rents from him. The niece’s dog, Ouch, hasn’t got used to me yet, being a new man in the courtyard, and the jack russell having been ‘rescued’ from a grumpy uncle and so is somewhat man-weary and a bit snarly. She’d been hunting today and then readying for a party at the house. It’s another world. One I can’t help but be fascinated by.
Changed the shower hose for a longer one. Changed the fridge freezer plug for a UK one, so it can be situated much nearer the back wall. The only complaint.
Yoga in the lounge, with tratak candle meditation afterwards. Supper

A bit of Gardners World then wrote this.
Probably to bed about 20:30. Am reading Russell Brand’s Revolution. But of course, the real revolution needs to be inward.