Alex Duval Smith writing for the BBC in Mali should get an award for writing this serious but amusing shaggy dog story
A must read! The story recounts a travellers lost hound a series of "dodgy encounters" and a final reunion with the traveller who returns to Mali from France to pick it up. mind you there's a great throw away line at the "tail" lol of the story! - - -
Here's a great "advert" for "Google moon" unwittingly (i think) covered by the Mail. A "Mystery object" is shown to be on the moon surface or more to the point partly hidden by its location seemingly in a "hole"
The end of the article also covers an iguana found on Mars! - - -
"the rise and fall and rise of the mini-supermarket" details how the big boys of food retail are cashing in on their current policy of opening convenience stores. You might have seen them, one Tesco version in particular opened nearby Chesterfield took over a failed pub on the edge of some urban sprawl and is making a fortune. It comes as no surprise though when the projected takings in these convenience stores are projected at £46.2Bn by 2018. Not covered by the story though, spare a thought for the "colleagues". With a small number of staff and longer permitted opening hours I guess the possibility for staff being "asked" to cover "others absences" will be greater - - - -
Closer to home
The decking project looked to be a bit of a wash out yesterday so I attempted to make it less like a mud wallow by spreading a bit of black plastic sheeting around. The weather however was reasonably kind so I stacked up all the various bits of "pergola timber" on the loosely laid decking boards before returning to the house looking for my "labourer".
Alas Sally was elbow deep in one of her favourite pastimes, baking and a tray of biscuits was in evidence through the oven portal.
I therefore returned to the project site and laid out all the various ancillary equipment, screws,nuts and bolts etc, to be used on a promised "brighter day" (today) on Sunday before returning to the house.
Just after dinner last night (Saturday) a neighbour, knocked on the door with a nasty looking wound over his left eye, this "brush with the edge of a door" was not though the cause of his concern. He had been escorted by Sally on Friday to hospital for a "treatment" and told to return there should any "problems" occur.
On Friday around 1830 he appeared at our door asking to be taken back to hospital and I duly obliged and we sped across "the tops" over to Chesterfield Royal Hospital. 3 hours later we returned with the advice of "take paracetamol" being the solution. The reader may detect a hint of sarcasm here! I blogged not long ago of a ridiculous day spent languishing in that hospital without any resolution to my problem so have little confidence in it, however I digress.
Sally volunteered this time and around 2115 she disappeared into the night over to Chesterfield to a clinic that the 111 operator had directed our neighbour to. At this facility an hour later they decided he should return to Chesterfield Royal and Sally sped across town to A & E there. It was getting rather late and so being a Saturday the A & E department had its "usual clients" with their "boys in blue escorts" so not a place you would volunteer to spend any more time than is necessary.
A mind numbing wait ensued and it was decided when he was finally seen that he should remain in hospital overnight.
A weary Sally returned at 0210 (Sunday morning) and we "chewed the fat" about the incident for a while before retiring! Should they not have kept him in on the Friday was my take! - - - Ah well that's what neighbours are for.
Enjoy the day
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