The red hellebores are opening up, looking fresh and bright as a spring day. (I'm thinking ahead!) These are the same flowers that months from now will fade and darken and draw a collection of aphids. It's hard to believe that's even the same plant, isn't it?
The white ones are looking good, too.
I had a busy day yesterday, considering I barely left the house. I finished my book about the Lusitania, which was very good, particularly the account of the sinking itself. I didn't realize that the ship sank in only 18 minutes! I always thought a shipwreck was a protracted affair, like the Titanic, which stayed afloat for almost three hours -- but I guess a torpedo is different from an iceberg. Imagine being a finely dressed cruise passenger, having a fancy lunch, strolling the deck, and 20 minutes later you're floating around in the ocean in a sea of wreckage. (If you're lucky.)
I also planned our trip for February break. Dave and I are going back to Spain -- this time to Málaga, Córdoba, and Granada. We plan to visit the famous Mitchell and San Geraldo, as well as take in such sights as the Alhambra and the Picasso museum. I went to Granada many years ago, in 1994, but I only dimly remember it, and I've never been to the other two cities. Dave hasn't seen any of them. So we're looking forward to that! I booked our flight and our hotels, with two nights in each place.
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| Saturday self-portrait in a pub hand dryer! |
I finally got our lava lamp working -- sort of. I thought the bulb had burned out, so last weekend I took it to our local hardware shop and we put another bulb in it -- and nothing. Dead as a doornail. So I left it for the hardware guys to repair, which they offered to do for £30. (Yes, I realize I could have bought a new lava lamp for probably less than that, but it's the principle of the thing. I don't want to throw this one in a landfill.) I picked it up on Saturday with new wiring and yesterday bought a new bulb, and it now works -- but the bulb is five watts stronger than is recommended for the lamp, which means it gets just a bit too hot, and all the wax tends to linger at the top of the cylinder. I suppose I need to get on Amazon and order a proper bulb.
This is a lot of trouble for a lava lamp.
Finally, the tree guy came last evening to look at our fallen branch so he can give an estimate to the landlords for removing it. He said he'd give three estimates -- one just for the fallen part, one for the entire tree and one for tidying that whole area in the back of the garden. I'm guessing the landlords will go for the first option, but that's fine with me.
You're not working with the student...but the request has given you different inspiration in your photos.
ReplyDeleteYour lava lamp will outlive many of us I think!
ReplyDeleteYour trip to sunny Spain sounds wonderful. We love visiting that region and will be there again in two weeks time. Although today's news has made me anxious about our train journey
I hadn't even read about the train crash when I posted this! Yeesh.
DeleteSo glad that you weren't in that area of Spain yesterday......I would have been so worried that you might have been on one of those trains. Hoping that Mitchell and Geraldo were OK...don't remember them saying much about going on trains! Our neighbour next door is from Malaga....she might well know someone!
ReplyDeleteThe crash was north of Cordoba and usually I hear about them heading south toward Malaga, so it seems unlikely they'd be involved. I hope!
DeleteFrances: We love traveling by train here, but haven’t been on one since November, nor have we traveled north of Córdoba in recent years. Such an awful tragedy.
DeleteWe had a lava lamp but it would not work in summer with aircon blowing cool air in its direction. It would not get hot enough to melt he wax.
ReplyDeleteThe photo of you in the pub bathroom is great.
Malaga was in the news here tonight, but not for good reasons. Regardless, trains are still the safest travel option the world.
I wish I still had my 1969-vintage lava lamp. I had another since then but it was in my office in San Diego and I gave it to one of my staff when I left. The famous Mitchell and Jerry are so excited to see you guys!
ReplyDeleteBook your Alhambra tickets asap!
ReplyDeleteThat is a clever photo of you in the dryer, just like the fair mirrors of old.
ReplyDeleteAt least the people you call to ask for quotes actually turn up! That's not a given here. Love that photo -- very interesting. I know they have some free fix-it clinics in London for small appliances -- a friend volunteers at one. Not sure where all it is but for future reference, worth a look. (Can a lower watt bulb be easily added? Hope so!) Cordoba/Spain, all that sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThe hand dryer image is very spooky. Like a still from a horror film. Disturbing to say the least. Not a picture you would want to show to a small child as it could cause nightmares.
ReplyDeleteI like that you were reading all about a ship sinking in 18 minutes ... and then you booked flights. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe hand dryer photo is inspired.
You're going to meet Mitchell and Jerry?! That's so great! I can't wait to hear all about it!
ReplyDeleteOh you just know the landlords are Option 1!!
ReplyDeleteI kinda like the Hand Dryer Selfie.
Taking a selfie mirrored in a handdryer is one idea I've not had myself! I usually try to be in and out of the toilet at "my" pub as quickly as possible :-D
ReplyDeleteThe hellebores are beautiful!
As soon as you mentioned Cordoba I thought, oh, a summit meeting!
ReplyDeleteLucky all of you.
I wonder if the owners will think ahead and get the tree removed, so they don't have recurring bills as branches come down. Unlikely.
That should be a fun trip. Seems like half the time will be spent arriving and leaving hotels though. Glad you got your lava lamp fixed but 30 pounds seems a lot just to rewire it.
ReplyDeleteAnother vacation to look forward to! Sounds like fun.
ReplyDeleteTravel On My Man & So Dig That Selfie - I Run Both Of My Lava Lamps At Least Once A Week - All The Best With That Tree
ReplyDeleteStay Hip ,
Cheers
Spain in February sounds lovely. How do you feel about a third wheel?
ReplyDeleteThe hellebores are beautiful. I wish I could grow them here, but no.
I can't EVEN imagine what shenanigans you and Mitchell will get up to. It boggles the mind!
ReplyDeleteWhy does it excite me so much to know that you and Dave will be visiting with Mitchell and SG? I don't know but it does. Plus- oh yeah- SPAIN!
ReplyDeleteThat's going to be great.
I had not heard of the train wreck. That's horrible.
That's a very weird photo. I'll stick with the planned trip. It sounds like a great place to go for a few days.
ReplyDeleteSpain sounds like a great idea! I'd love to see that Picasso museum. Take lots of photos. That is one very, very shiny hand dryer. It's perfect for an artistic selfie!
ReplyDeleteI bought a lava lamp for one of my kids many years ago. As I recall, the thing lasted all of a few months before it would no longer work. So I'm sure you could have got one for cheaper but it probably wouldn't last very long. If the one you repaired is one of the originals, you likely did the cheapest thing by repairing it.
ReplyDeleteI love the selfie! It's bizarre, but that's part of the appeal. I think I schedule my posts at a time of day you often miss them, so please go by and put your two cents in on my latest post. I'm trying to make a photo decision. Thanks!
ReplyDelete