Thursday, June 11, 2020

How We Used to Be


I spent the entire day yesterday on the couch.

On the plus side, I finished "Swallows and Amazons," which I enjoyed much more after I finally got into it (around page 130). I can see why it's so popular, appealing to a nostalgic sense of what it was like to grow up in Britain in the 1920s. As blogger John Gray commented on my last mention of the book: "Swallows and Amazons -- how we used to be." Outdoorsy and adventurous, but also polite, law-abiding and capable. I'm sure this is idealized in the common memory -- surely there were people in interwar Britain who were couch potatoes and drunkards, just as most Americans weren't cowboys or Pa Ingalls. But I get the appeal. As for the plot, it was surprisingly mild -- I kept waiting for something disastrous to happen, for someone to drown, or sink the boat, or set the island on fire. But it never did.

My main objection is that there's an awful lot of sailing lingo. Sentences like, "Roger, run forward to coil down the painter." I have no idea what that means. I suppose I could look it up. If I cared.

Anyway, I didn't do anything else of consequence. It rained much of the day.


Olga's dog-walker, Francisco, sent me some photos of our girl out on her daily walk. (Obviously, given the sunshine, these weren't taken yesterday!)


It's nice to see her out with other dogs. I sometimes doubt her ability to socialize, living in a one-dog household, but Francisco says she's fine with the others.

I've been getting more bizarre spam e-mail. Lately someone's been trying to get me to apply for a concealed carry permit so I don't get arrested for carrying my handgun (!) in the state of Massachusetts, where I have never lived. Why on earth am I on that mailing list?!

(Top photo: A colorful house near Willesden Green, last week.)

17 comments:

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Woo-hoo! Olga's got a boyfriend! Love his curly hair. I wonder if they have eaten spaghetti together like The Lady and The Tramp?

P.S. Don't tell Mrs Kravitz that you have a hand gun or you'll soon find yourself back in Massachusetts!

Anonymous said...

We do like to romanticise our past and forget about the bad things, which is a bit relevant during BLM protests. On the couch watching tv while you dog walker walked the dog? The mysteries of spam! I am hounded about Bitcoin and I am not the least interested.

Steve Reed said...

YP: Eating spaghetti is about all they'll do together, because Olga is spayed and probably not hormonally inclined toward much else.

Andrew: I know, it seems crazy, but I do walk her in the mornings and on weekends. We employ the walker because we work weekdays under normal circumstances, but coronavirus has upended everything! Still, we keep them on for the sake of the economy and their business. I don't get Bitcoin either!

Ms. Moon said...

You've just reminded me that I dreamed about dogs this morning. Just as I woke up I was on a search for a dog who had befriended me.
Very strange.
Are you getting that spam in your email or on the blog?
How odd.

The Bug said...

OK, I'll take a stab at the painter situation: "Roger, run forward to lower down the small boat so we can use it to get to shore." I know that's probably not right at all, but I have read some fiction that had sailors in it, so I thought I would try. Now I'm off to google :)

Vivian Swift said...

I got sidetracked and didn't comment on yesterday's post, but I have to tell you how beautiful your photo of the flying birds is, and how much I loved seeing two grown men "walking" their parrots in London. Those birds must love their humans, since they have the chance to fly free but they return to their keepers. I wish every parrot has such an enriched captivity.

Moving with Mitchell said...

I wouldn't want to see that house every day, but it is fun as a photo.

Glad Olga can socialize, given how superior she must know she is.

I've never received any mail about guns. But, I've got to cash out my Bitcoins. I think I've now got €16 million in at least one of the accounts... that I never knew I had.

I had all these clever interpretations of "Roger, run forward to coil down the painter," except they weren't actually clever... So, never mind.

Anonymous said...

Love those photos of Olga. The dog walker has a good eye for Olga's beauty.
We've been getting a lot of spam comments on the blog. Someone keeps wanting to tell us the true meaning of our secret names or some other b*llsh*t. I'm so glad we put up comment moderation. These robots are merciless.

Sharon said...

Colorful house...indeed! Sometimes it feels good to do nothing at all. Of course, these days I'd like to have a little more to do. Great photos of Olga, especially that last one. That one is frame worthy.

Red said...

During the pandemic I have been without a book so when the library opens I'll be there.

Linda Sue said...

email has been weird lately, I thought they only favored me, glad to know that they are spreading the love.The strangest are always the one's who know my password and demand ten thousand bit coins or they will publish the video of me masturbating- Oh please do, i would LOVE to see that! I think whenever we unsubscribe and are asked our email address to do so, that email is sold to every scam under the sun.

A day on the sofa sounds like my day every day.
Olga looks glad to be with her fellows.

Edna B said...

I love the photo of Olga with the daisies. I live in Massachusetts, and I'm getting that email too. I don't know why, I already have the license. Strange. I rather like the colorful house. No, I wouldn't paint mine like though. A day on the couch with a book is very healthy for your soul. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.

37paddington said...

Olga and the daisies is beautiful. She has so much personality, your Olga.

Peter said...

I have been getting the same email about a carry permit. I do live in Massachusetts but I don't own a gun, nor do I plan to. I always wonder why me when I get one like that.
Cheers Peter

jenny_o said...

Olga in the daisies is a lovely photo. Your dog walker did well with that one.

I once registered by email for a conference call with an American charity, and for a long time (until I unsubscribed, in fact!) I got political party emails. I figured they sold their email list and was not impressed. Maybe you've been targeted the same way.

Beth Reed said...

Oooh I just love all the pics of Olga and the house. I love the colors but I don't think our place would look good but on that house I think that it is perfect. I have to agree with the others. That photo of Olga and the daisies is just adorable...
Have a fantastic weekend... xx

Steve Reed said...

Ms Moon: Maybe your dreams are telling you to get another dog. HA! This particular spam was in my e-mail. I still don't get a whole lot on my blog, fortunately.

Bug: That's a good guess! I think a painter is a line on the boat. No idea why it might be called that, though.

Vivian: Yeah, these birds seemed so happy with that guy. I'd be nervous having my parrots out like that, but I'm sure it's better for them!

Mitchell: Hey! Those are MY Bitcoins!

Robin: I haven't had the "secret name" one yet! I don't particularly care what the meaning of my name is. Maybe the bots know that. :)

Sharon: Isn't it great? He did a good job!

Red: Can you download e-books? That would keep you reading until you can get a real one.

Linda Sue: HA! That's hilarious. I haven't had that one yet, but yeah, I say, DO YOUR WORST!

Edna: At least you LIVE there so that e-mail makes a lot more sense for you! I have a feeling someone in Massachusetts used my e-mail address for some purpose in the past, because I get offers for car insurance as a Mass driver, and notices about job opportunities in Worcester, and a bunch of other stuff like that.

37P: She really DOES have personality. We were so lucky to get her.

Peter: I know! I guess they're just not targeted at all.

Jenny-O: Could be. Charities do often sell their lists as a way to make money. (Or they used to. Maybe they stopped because I'm sure it annoyed their donors!)

Beth: I know! Those colors on that house somehow DO work, but on most houses I think they'd be kind of atrocious!