Archives: flood

9:00 & I’m still not at work. Train just leaving Rochdale.
I’ve had to catch a bus to get here. The Summit tunnel is flooded – no trains do run. Bah.
Still – at least I’m on the comfort of a train now, although I have to type on my lap.
Hope for better running on the way home…
All this rain is of course doing wonders for the attic ceiling – which is still not fixed. It still leaks around the chimney breast & is now worse that ever (basically because it’s been raining so much. Weather permitting (an actually day without rain) they will be back to look at it again. They were sure they got whatever the problem was last time, but it seems not really… It all starts to dry out – but that’s because the weather is dry… then when it rains it’s very difficult to tell if it’s getting any better – whether it’s still drying out. It takes really crap weather – persistent heavy rain for you to realise it’s still not fixed proper. This time it took a little longer to get them back to look at it because we had to get the keys back off Louise’s mum (who had them in case she was needed at short notice when the baby was born). She forgot to actually bring them the day Jude was born anyway. We had left Louise’s set with Andy & she effectively hid those for us by putting them ‘in a safe place’. Hey ho. So – as I say – they will hopefully be back to look at that this week…
How is my progress in the attic going – decorating & such a like? We.e.e.e.lllllll….. I’ve made good progress stripping the skirting boards, but I have not really got as much done as my conscience allows me to.
All this malarkey getting to work makes me feel should have stayed at home today.
A pleasant weekend. We did not go out anywhere, but there was no real antagonism about that. On Friday we all went to get haircuts… well – not Louise & Jude. It was mainly for Eve as her fringe was far too much in her eyes. She didn’t really seem to mind it, but it must have tickled & got in the way rather. We can see her now! She was a little reluctant – so I sat in the chair with her – she standing on my legs – while the barber (lady) cut her fringe & trimmed the back & sides to tidy. I was on the verge of needing a cut – so was good to sort them, & Jack just had a general trim. The kids where a little loud (Eve is just naturally loud – but funny with it – not really annoying) but the barber & clientèle seemed fine about it. Barber kept them engaged & no sour looks from clientèle. All went rather well for such a risky venture.
Both Jack & Eve slept through the night last night. No tears & crying. Louise had to change Jude’s nappy at some point – so perhaps her walking about in the night doing that reassured Jack & Eve. I dunno – they so rarely do that; it’s a treat when they do.
Manchester looms – time to stop.

Stormy night. The wind was raging & the rain thrashing. The river in town was the highest I’ve seen it… it’s normally at 3, but it’s now 15… but I’ve no idea what the measurement is. It certainly looks dangerously fast.

Bit tired, as for one reason or another I did not get the best night’s sleep. However, I do not feel fatigue tired as I have been of recent.

America (& its British lap dog) started ‘the offensive’ on Afghanistan last night… sigh. Well, I guess it was inevitable, but it does not make it less palatable. Ended up watching a Panorama documentary last night, that seemed to end up vilifying the Taliban leadership & nearer claiming that Bin Laden bank roles their government & engineers the leadership. A bogeyman, it seems, with a pathological hatred of the Western world… If that is the case how has he come to be that way? What, in his upbringing & philosophy has brought this into such a focus? All that the documentary felt like it ended up being a justification for wiping the Taliban off the face of the Earth. They are a foolishly repressive regime, & in some way’s, like the Khmer Rouge, want to rewrite history in a nation for their own ends. The way it was all presented made me sceptical for a more balanced argument though. A balanced argument at the moment seems out of the question. The part of the documentary I wholeheartedly agreed with was that, if Afghanistan is left without assistance, after whatever means are met by this blasting then it will only create more trouble later. It needs help to establish the stability & order that the Taliban claimed they would bring when they came to power. The people there have suffered war & deprivation beyond many western minds imagination.

sigh…

I wonder what it’s like to be American & have such wholesome righteous indignation to cover any doubts & worries.

Still not finished the wallpapering in the bedroom! Well, I have but all except a little patch above the door. It’s delightful to have got thus far. Now I need to put the clear varnish on to finish it all off. I have been distracted by fatigue & silly things; like my printer running out of ink & how to get my mac to record analogue input so that it can be converted to Mp3. I’ve sorted the latter – a little app called “Coaster” helps, but I need to use something better than a dodgy old Walkman with a bad connection on the right hand channel before I can record with any quality. That will have to wait until the attic is sorted & the mac & stereo are closer together.

What have the kids been doing? I feel I should talk about them, but I have trouble thinking of details & anecdotes. They play well together, they are loving & sweet.