Thursday, 14 November 2024

Objection lodged

I woke up at seven thirty and posted my YouTube Morning Prayer link to WhatsApp, then lay in bed until eight fifteen listening to the news, but unusually for me didn't go back to sleep. Not that the news was that interesting. It was a mild and sunny day, so I made an effort to get out of the house and walk in Llandaff Fields. It was interesting to observe the different composition of morning walkers, mostly couples, many of whom said Good Morning when passing each other. There were fewer mothers with children and the children's playground was almost empty. Each group has its own social rhythm I think. I spotted a Jay foraging in open grass and in a grass heap the other side of the wall from the playground, and got some pictures I'm pleased with. It's the first time I've seen a Jay in this place. In effect, it adds to the Jay habitat territories I can keep on my watch list.

Clare cooked prawns with stewed veggies with rice for an early lunch. Then I drove her to UHW's School of Dentistry for a mouth examination. He has developed a strange sensation of her tongue being burnt, for no reason she can think of. When I got home, I started drafting a letter of objection to the imposition of parking permits in our neighbourhood. Despite an increased number of cars in the area in the years we've been here the frequency of occasions when I've been unable to park nearby hasn't grown excessively, and then it's almost always overnight. More cars yes, but some residents are away a lot, visiting or working away. Only occasionally is the street full around the clock, if an event keeps people in the city. For the most part there is sufficient turnover in cars needing a parking space. Reserving some spaces with a permit scheme changes the balance of supply and demand, forcing competition between residents un-necessarily. It's not as if civil parking enforcement officers can keep up with offenders. Those who park in yellow line zones get ticketed randomly, not regularly. Maintaining permit checks seems like a waste of resources, when there are many offenders not being fined for parking illegally where road safety is compromised.

At four, I interrupted work and went to Thompson's Park to photograph the sun setting in close proximity to the Wenvoe telecoms mast. It reaches the south side of the mast just a fraction above the horizon, and in a couple of minutes appears to move to the north side of the mast as it disappears from sight. It's a trick of perspective which occurs when the autumnal and winter sun moves east to west low in the sky. It almost seems to roll along the distant horizon. By four twenty two, the sun was gone for the day.

Clare walked back from UHW after what she described as a thorough examination lasting half an hour. More tests are required and another appointment in a few weeks time. After supper I completed my letter of objection, sent it off and received an automated acknowledgement. I wonder how many others have written? It'll be many weeks before a decision is taken, no doubt.

I was trying to remember how the last episode of 'Inspector Montalbano' actually ended, so I looked for it on BBC iPlayer. It's the only one of the thirty seven episodes available there now. BBC viewing rights for the rest have now expired I think. The last one appeared some time after the rest. If I remember correctly, it was only after author Antonio Camilleri died that the final last story could be published and made into a movie. I didn't watch to the end, as I didn't want to get to bed too early.

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