Reading for pleasure again

 A slow start to the day, dealing with detail to do with two different funerals, then cooking lunch in time for Clare's return from study group. I dropped of the list of attendees for tomorrow's funeral at Eileen the verger's house on my way to the Coop for some broccoli and mushrooms  When I came to pay and scan the little Coop card linked to Clare's account it didn't work. The checkout clerk said the bar code and numbers on the back had become illegible. Clare rang up and ordered a replacement, another convoluted process involving proving who you are. I wonder how long this will take to arrive?

While cooking, I listened to the last couple of Reith Lectures on A.I. with the BBC Sounds app on my phone. It's interesting to reflect on the way the discourse has become focused on deep philosophical and ethical issues. It was good to be reminded of how dependency on smart technologies can in the course of a few generations lead to the loss of working skills which have sustained humankind for millennia, as these are inherited and learned by doing. Also interesting to note that a spiritual perspective or religious thought plays little or no part in relation to questions of meaning addressed. The spirit of the age I suppose.

Grocery shopping after lunch, then a short walk in the park, returning while it was still light as the temperature was set to drop even further, draining pleasure from the fresh air experience.

We had a nice chat with Rachel before supper. Afterwards we watched the wonderful 'Winterwatch' programme on BBC 2, then I printed the eulogy and order of service ready for tomorrow's funeral. Chores done I sat and read 'Invierno en Madrid' for an hour before bed. Two fifths of the way through a 500 page book in Spanish. So slow, but it's a while since I last had the right kind of energy and freedom to relax with a book. I've not lost interest in it, and can pick it up again easily after stopping and continue. I think it's helping my understanding of how Spanish works, as its a translation from the original English so much of the subject matter and ethos of the story is familiar, making it easier to decode the narrative. An engaging experience.