Misfits Mid-Life Crisis Adventures in East & West London and Surrey (The NEXT Chapter).
Week 231 Saturday 17th until Friday 23rd November 2018.
This week has not been great. Originally I was going to write about the dark raincloud that seems to be following me. Instead I want to tell you about an experience with nature last weekend, one that really made me happy, if a little stressed.
“This really is how i felt at the start of the week”.
Last weekend my best friend wanted to continue brushing up on her driving skills at the centre we visited a few weeks ago. This is a series of roads on private land, a safe place for learners and people who are qualified but haven’t driven for a while to practice their skills. In between the roads is grassland with a steep verge beside one of the straight road leading up to housing.
“Real art, Courtesy of JBomb”.
My only complaint about the centre is that there are no lights, when it’s dark its pitch black! For a seasoned driver that’s not so much of a problem, but for less experienced ones this can be tricky. I witnessed how difficult it can be because a couple of other drivers thought they were on the “Top Gear” test tacking when taking a tight corner in the dark at speed. I might work in a call centre, but can confirm that MOZ executed a perfect emergency stop when we spotted a lump moving on the tarmac in front of us.
“Aries picture of the Week, what a cutie”.
The Hedgehog was minding its own business in the middle of the road. I needed to decide quickly, should it be placed on the grass beside/between the roads or in the undergrowth near the verge. The latter seemed like a safer bet! The hog was carefully wrapped in my fleece (thanks Helen for recently giving it to me) but I could still feel the ends of it spines through the material. Once uncovered in the undergrowth Hedgy totally ignored me and wondered off.
“Winter sun”.
A couple of laps later, MOZ made another excellent unplanned stop, because in the middle of the road was another Hedgehog. I would like to think that the “J Walker” was the same animal because this was the exact same location, but I can’t be sure as the first one didn’t tell me its name! Even though there were not many cars on the circuit at that late time there was a good chance that it would end up a sticky smudge looking like a “John Squires” painting if left on the tarmac. This time I climbed the verge and placed Erinaceus Europaeus (yes, I looked that up) on a ledge with a hole at the end which it scurried into straight away. Yet again there was no “thank you”, not even a backward glance. All I saw was a large wobbly bottom disappearing into the darkness.
“Everywhere i look, all i see are cranes in London these days”.
For the rest of the session all I could do was scan the road looking for moving lumps and bumps. I am pleased to report that no further animals were seen. I mentioned to her that I really don’t to visit again in the dark because it’s just too stressful. Seeing these Hedgehogs was really special. The only time I have ever seen a live one was a long time ago at school, when one was brought in for the class to frighten and prod with a thick glove. Otherwise I have only witnessed them sadly as fatal road traffic victims. I do know that there has been a huge decline in the number of Hedgehogs spotted these days. This is partly due to all the extra traffic, but also because of the building work taking place on land that they used to inhabit. Another factor is that people have paved gardens and driveways and replaced fences that they used to travel through gaps and holes.
“I don’t look good in the morning, the afternoon or the evening”.
When i am out and about I wonder what wildlife could be in the bushes just waiting me for and other lardy meat sacks to vacate the area so that they can come out only to be predated by fiercer animals. I do hope the Hog or Hog’s I encountered keep out of the way of speeding cars. What a wonderful unexpected experience.
“I really do doodle shiz while at work, it helps keep me sane”.
And Now For Something Completely Different……
Visited the bank this week which opened late! Once inside i was told the reason for the delay was because they couldn’t open the safe, and were worried they might have triggered the alarms.
“Surrey in the early evening”.
Maybe I should have looked behind the desk, just in case there was a person bound and gagged trying to signal for help that the branch is being robbed. There is a possibility I have seen to many films!
And Finally……
“I know which one i would choose”.
Cough and sneeze season has commenced. All over there are people spluttering and excreting ooze from various orifices all over their faces. I bet the Hedgehogs wouldn’t act like this, “Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle” would have taught them better.
Indulge Me For A Moment……
“Celebrating my fave timelord in style”.
Happy 55th bday to the greatest time travel TV drama ever on 23rd November. “Doctor who” started in 1963, and is still going strong. If you have never seen the very first episode search for “An Unearthly Child”. Have your reviews on my desk Monday morning, sharp!
“Writing this Shiz, loving Jennifer on 12 Monkeys”.
My Mid Life Crisis Conts……
This week I have mainly been watching:
“12 Monkeys”, (S4, ep1 to ep 11 ). “BBC Children In Need 2018”, (TX: 16/11/18). “BBC Children In Need 2018: Mastermind”, (TX: 16/11/18). “Blue Peter”, (ep 5042, TX: 22/11/18). “Click”, (TX: 17/11/18). “Doctor Who”, (S37/S11, ep 7). “Frasier”, (S4, ep 4 to ep 12). “Have I Got News For You”, (S56, ep 7, TX: 23/11/18). “Lego Masters”, (S2, ep 3, TX: 20/11/18). “Louis Theroux Altered States: Choosing Death”, (TX: 18/11/18). “People Just Do Nothing”, (S5, ep 2). “Salems Lot”, (1979). “Space Dive”, (TX: 04/11/12). “The Apprentice”, (S14, ep 8, TX: 21/11/18). “The Apprentice: Honest Subtitles”, (S4, ep 8, TX: 21/11/18). “The Apprentice: You’re Fired”, (S13, ep 8, TX: 21/11/18). “The Graham Norton Show”, (S24, ep 8, TX: 23/11/18). “The Last Leg”, (S15, ep 5, TX: 16/11/18). “The Mash Report: Season 1 Best Bits”, (S1, ep 7, TX: 17/10/18). “The Sky At Night”, (TX: 18/11/18). “Tomorrows World Live: For One Night Only”, (TX: 22/11/18). “Van Helsing”, (S3, ep 1 to ep 7). “Will & Grace”, (S10, ep 6). “Zapped”, (S3, ep 6).
This week I have mainly been listening to:
“Aggy Fox And Dana Podcast”, (ep 4, 18/11/18). “Anti Social Show”, (ep 63, 16/11/18). “Brian Gittens And Friends”, (ep 47, 22/11/18). “Chasing Earhart”, (ep 66, 17/11/18). “Griefcast”, (ep 15, 20/12/17)(ep 17, 03/01/18)(ep 19, 17/01/18)(ep 60, 21/11/18). “Iain Lee (Highlights)”, (16/11, 19/11, 20/11, 22/11/18). “LBC Podcast: Mystery Hour”, (22/11/18). “LBC Podcast: Nick Abbot (Whole Show)”, (17/11, 23/11/18). “LBC Podcast: Nick Abbot Habit”, (S2, ep 3, 21/11/18). “NASA: Houston We Have A Podcast”, (ep 72, 23/11/18). “NASA: In Silicon Valley Live”, (19/11/18). “NASA: Rocket Ranch”, (ep 6, 20/11/18). “Skeptiod”, (ep 650, 20/11/18). “Soundtracking With Edith Bowman”, (ep 116, 19/11/18). “The Adam Buxton Podcast”, (ep 84, 17/11/18). “The Rabbit Hole”, (ep 67, 18/11/18). “Morrissey”, “Kenickie”, “Ash”, “Smith”, “Toto”, “Depeche Mode”, “Biffy Clyro”, “Richard Ashcroft”, “Ian Brown”, Simple Minds”, Bill Medley And Jennifer Warnes.
Misfits Mid-Life Crisis........ 