OK, it’s not a tragedy, but I was horrified, when booking our next shopping delivery, to find that it will be in March. Yes, two months of the year have already slipped by and we don’t seem to have made much progress. Not only that, but it’s just a week until the end of the month and I have nothing ready to submit. Even worse, I seem to have lost the drive I had when I was in this situation last month. I have also had to plan for a lot of submissions to magazine where I have a long history of rejection, so I’m not likely to have a successful month either. Looking to the future, I wonder if I’m fated to deliver a post like this in the third week of every coming month. Or will I simply buckle under the pressure. February is a bit early in the year to give up on good intentions, even for me.
Julia went to see Flying Scotsman yesterday. It is running on the Nene Valley Railway for a couple of weeks. As you can see, she took some pictures. She would have taken more, but he platform was crowded and she got pushed around a bit. I, meanwhile, was able to stand in the front porch and watch it go by. Once the trees are in leaf again, I won’t be able to do t5hat, but for the moment I can. It reminded me of the time I was about three years old. We had a shop in Blackburn and there was a section of railway track across the road where you could often see steam trains. Well, it was the early 60s, and a diesel locomotive was a somewhat futuristic beast. I remember thee excitement of first being pulled by a diesel. It was very sci-fi, like something out of Gerry Anderson. It was a nice nostalgic moment in a day of worries.
We watched steam trains going by from the 1940s from our kitchen window. We had to wait for 6 trains to go by before we were allowed to leave the meal table
Nostalgia – now that’s something to remember. As for the Flying Scotsman – what a wonderful sight that must have been when it was in full flight.
Yes – watching it on the Nene Valley Railway is a bit like getting a Derby winner to pull a milk cart. When it was the world’s first 100mph steam loco on the nearby East Coast Main Line it must have beennmagnificent.
As small children, we used to like standing on the bridge over the railway near our house and getting covered in smoke as the Golden Arrow express rushed down to the coast. Was Julia tempted to have a ride on the train?
No. If you are on the train it’s £30 for two short runs along a fairly uninteresting line. Stand outside and you see the magnificent, glossy6, iconic locomotive.
Good point
When we were in Preston she went on an excursion on “Sir Nigel Gresley” on the Settle-Carlisle Line. After that, all other trips pale by comparison.
You will get the creatives forces flowing again, Simon. I have no worries you will prevail! I am still waiting for you to write book of poetry.
Our Wynken cat lost her battle with cancer this past week.
I’m sorry to hear that Lavinia. I miss your blog, including the news of the cats and the various cat commentaries.
I’m working on it! Just not very quickly . . . 🙂
Yes, a theme a song for your motor scooter! Have you watched the movie Thelma? It’s an American Indie movie, which means the pacing is deliberate, but it features the great and good June Squibb and, ta-dah!, a scooter.
Just had to look it up – looks like a great film, with some great cast members. Unfortunately we can’t register two seater scooters in UK. 🙁
It is a good film but a very leisurely one.
🙂 I have plenty of time . . .
You submitted a bunch of work and made soup. Win win. Now work on the theme song for your new motorscooter show
I was thinking of something along the lines of “Born to be Mild” . . .
There you go….
Unfortunately my inspiration took a nap after that. 🙂
😉
It’s my age . . . 🙂