1125 Biblical Rain

The first concern was the weather here although having gone to bed at 1am, and then got up again, and then read a little, there was no indication that we were to experience the tropical rains which had swept across Southern England and Wales. There had been rain and there has been rain since but light, although this means the planned trop to Newcastle for the outdoor concert is cancelled unless there is significant change and my mood also changes.

Having watched TV with live pictures and accounts from the rain storms which swept through the west midlands where up to five inches of rain fell in 24 hours causing widespread flooding disruption of trains, and block major motorways particularly the M5. The consequence is that many people were stuck in their vehicles over night. This morning traffic has commenced to get underway but significant areas have been flooded because the rivers are full as the water reached from the higher regions. Everywhere is saturated and everyone is commenting on the scale of and fierceness of the water deluge… biblical proportions, although there is the extremes of heat in central Europe. This puts everything else into perspective.

Friday July 20th. 15.00

A two hour walk which included a cup of tea and cream slice completed a photographing of South Marine and North Bents parks and the sea front which together with those previously taken should provide a comprehensive portrait. This walk was unexpected because of a grim weather forecast that most of the UK was to experience severe rain downpours with between 1 and 4 inches falling and the TV is showing areas in southern England under water, including one photo of the roadway under the railway bridge of the town where I grew up.

It was not as warm and sunny as yesterday, and a year ago the temperature approached 100 degrees. There was one discovery which pleasantly surprised in that although I worked in the town for twenty years and have lived for thirty in the area, today was the first occasion that I walked onto the beach from the amusement centre and the all weather sports and skate boarding areas, and found that with the tide out the sand stretched for over 100 meters. There was also a concrete pathway parallel to the inner roadway passed the sand dunes as far as the covered walkway. Because of the temperature and wind there were vast areas of unpopulated beach, but it was pleasant enough to sit outside with my tea and cake.

Living close to the brow of a steep hill I hope am not being optimistic that there is no danger of being flooded because of the comparative steep incline, especially as I have so much work at floor level.

Earlier 11.20am

I awoke at a reasonable hour i.e. 9am and the past two hours has not been focussed because of wanting to do various things at the same time. I have made some progress. Practical things include moving the audio unit from this room to the front and adjusting other furniture (sorting rubbish, washing up, cleaning the electric oven and preparing salmon for lunch)

I had difficulties printing out from Myspace until realising that having loaded the Epson web to page this is a printing device to be used and not the normal print button. This is better than before and works on MS not AOL, which is also where the MySpace IM logs on. Three new friends in two days, two music and one a cello jazz player but the big development is Russell who goes immediately to number 3 in friends list.

Commenced some transfer of working information and other records between computers but this has to be a process spread over the coming days and this time I will start with the organising framework.

5pm There is free open air performances outside the Sage at Gateshead tomorrow and Sunday afternoon. I look out and the skies darken so I will make my way to see Mabel and some shopping, but I am still in a relaxed mood, unsure about what to concentrate on next.