August, 2023

Found a secondhand copy of Riddley Walker in our local Oxfam Bookshop. It’s an apocalyptic SF nove set locally here in Kent. This copy’s got an intro by an enthusiastic Will Self. It’ll have to go on my tsundoko for the time being as I’m wirkinh my way through the…

Somehow our switch was dropped (probably not the first time) and started malfunctioning. The issue seemed to be one connected with power. It was pretty straightforward to open the switch up and take a look inside. I made what repairs I could and cleaned off the dust and… it was…

Went for a walk around the ruins of Thurnham Castle today. It’s the remains of a Norman earthworks castle. I enjoyed the ruins much more than I expected and the area around is full of twisty paths through woods and sharply descending steps. Jan and I explored some of the…

Phew! Finally put a new battery in my iphone. Made a couple of mistakes – and lost one miniscule screw – but all seems well. Phone is working. It was something that HAD to be done as the old battery was lasting about an hour between charges.

Visited the Devil’s Kneading Trough near Wye today which has a lovely view of southern Kent from the Downs. It was exactly the right length of walk for the kids. Alice picked blackberries.

“Frodo was alive but taken by the Enemy.” So ends The Two Towers. My slow read of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings now advances into The Return of the King. Gandalf returned. The Ents laid siege to Isengard. Saruman’s power was broken. Gollum led Frodo and Sam into a…