Misfits Mid-Life Crisis Adventures in East London (Week 5 of Lockdown the Third).

Week 346 Saturday 30^thJanuary until Friday 5^thFebruary 2021.

Happy b’day this week George.

Since March last year the view out of the window in to the garden has become so important. I sit in the living room working while watching the neighbours’ cats, gangs of squirrels and birds on the feeders.  Something I have learned these last 11 months is that you don’t need to go anywhere special to appreciate nature.

Some days the feeders are crammed with Sparrows, Starlings, Magpies, Blue and Cole Tits, Pigeons and a couple of regular Robins.  Highlight’s last summer was spotting a Green Parrot and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, not at the same time of course.

Last weekend people all over the country took part in the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) Annual Big Garden Birdwatch.  All participants had to do was count the number of birds seen in an hour of their choice.  It didn’t matter where you were any open space could be used.

I decided to spend an hour on Saturday and another on Sunday using the best results.  With all the bird feeders full I sat inside because of the rain and waited.  Within a few minutes of me topping up the feeders, they become a hot spot of activity, last Saturday nothing.  It might have been the rain that kept the birds away.  I like to imagine them keeping dry in trees and bushes around waiting for a gap in the rain and daring each other to be the first to fly down.

Sundays counting session proved a lot more lively, here are the results that I submitted,

12 Starlings

2 Woodpigeons

1 Collard Dove

1 Feral Pigeon

1 Magpie

1 Robin

I get a lot of pleasure watching the birds; something so simple gives me so much joy.  This really has made all of the lockdowns easier, and work much more bearable.

Thursday this week while on the phone talking to another annoying customer I noticed what I thought was another squirrel.  I soon realised it was a bird, pressing the mute button I called my friend over who identified the stranger as a Kestrel.  Sadly I didn’t get a picture (blame the caller) by the time I got to the window the bird of prey had taken flight annoying our regular population of birds as it passed over head.

I really enjoyed taking part in The Big Garden Bird Watch; next month when I have some spare money I might join the RSPB.  Once I am unlocked I am planning on visiting a number of nature reserves to do some serious bird watching, until then I am very happy looking out of the window watching the birds hopping around the garden.

And Now For Something Completely Different……

Felt very sad to hear that Captain Sir Tom Moore had passed away.  During the last year he has been such an inspiration a hero to millions who will never forget him.  Of course I haven’t forgotten all the everyday heroes in the NHS at all levels, the emergency services, bus and train drivers, supermarket staff.  There are so many people that I don’t have time to mention who have stepped up these last 11 months to help keep all our lives as normal as possible.

Captain Sir Tom Moore is a different kind of a hero, the ultimate influencer, a man that should be looked at as an example of what is good in the human race.  I never met him, but like so many others I felt I did, that he was indestructible.  Every one of the 111,264 (as of 4.49pm 5th Feb, source Direct.gov.com) deaths is sad and upsetting, but there was something even more sad about the passing of a man who raised so much money to help people he would never meet.

And Finally……

Flicking through channels last weekend, I caught a glimpse of The Blob singing on The Masked Singer.  I said to my friend that’s xxxxxxx (I won’t name them, as there may be people reading this who has not seen it) to me the voice so recognisable.  The next day readings the entertainment news i discovered I had been correct.  If ITV would like to hire me as a judge, I’m very much available at a reasonable rate.

My Mid Life Crisis Conts……

This week I have mainly been watching:  

“Bonding”, (S1, ep 4 to ep 7)(S2, ep 1 to ep 8).  “BTS: The Conjuring 2 (Behind The Scenes)”, (FaceBook)(22/11/17).  “Click”, (30/01/21).  “Dead Pixels”, (S2, ep 4 to ep 6).  “Death In Paradise”, (S10, ep 5, TX: 04/02/21)(ep 6, TX: 05/02/21).  “Enteebe”, (2018).  “Farscape”, (S3, ep 12).  “Fringe”, (S2, ep 15 to ep 17).  “Hidden Secrets Of Air Force One”, (FaceBook)(26/09/20).  “Mike Skipper Still In Lockdown Quiz”, (FaceBook)(30/01/21).  “Nebula 75”, (FaceBook)(S1, ep 1, 15/05/20)(ep 2, 16/05/20)(ep 3, 17/05/20)(ep 4, 31/05/20).  “Nobody’s Looking”, (S1, ep 1 to ep 8).  “Not Going Out”, (S11, ep 5, TX: 05/02/21).  “Pretty Little Liars”, (S1, ep 1 to ep 9).  “Star Trek”, (S1, ep 18).  “Superstore”, (S1, ep 1 to ep 11).  “The Expanse”, (S5, ep 6 & ep 7).  “The Graham Norton Show”, (S28, ep 15, TX: 29/01/21)(ep 16, TX: 05/02/21).  “The Last Leg”, (S21, ep 3, TX: 29/01/21)(ep 4, 05/02/21).  “The Royle Family”, (The Golden Egg Cup, TX: 25/12/09)(Joe’s Crackers, TX: 25/12/10)(Barbara’s Old Ring, TX: 25/12/12).  “Travellers”, (S2, ep 2 to ep 7).  “Z Nation”, (S2, ep 14 & ep 15).  “Zapped”, (S1, ep 1 to ep 3).                                       

Gerry Anderson Watched This Week:

“Space 1999”, (S2, ep 7, TX: 16/10/76).

“Thunderbirds: Behind The Scenes: Thunderbirds The Anniversary Episodes”, (FaceBook)(23/08/20).

This week I have mainly been listening to:  

“A legitimate Salvage (The Expanse)”, (ep 31, 16/01/21).  “Anti Social Show”, (ep 90, 15/01/21).  “Changes With Annie Macmanus”, (S4, ep 10, 09/11/20).  “Coronavirus Global Daily Update”, (BBC World Service) (30/01/21) (31/01/21) (01/02/21) (02/02/21) (03/02/21) (04/02/21)(05/02/21).  “CNN, Coronavirus: Fact Vs Fiction”, (ep 232, 01/02/21)(ep 233, 02/02/21)(ep 234, 03/02/21)(ep 235, 04/02/21)(ep 236, 05/02/21).  “Daddy Look At Me”, (S4, ep 13, 04/02/21).  “Doctor Who”, (TeeVee)(S9, ep 2, 27/09/15)(ep 3, 04/10/15)(ep 4, 11/10/15).  “Doug And Elly Watch Telly”, (ep 5, 31/07/20)(ep 7, 22/08/20)(ep 19, 28/01/21).  “Game Of Thrones”, (S5, ep 1, 13/04/15)(ep 2, 20/04/20).  “Game Of Thrones, Rewind”, (TeeVee)(S1, ep 7, 16/09/18).  “Griefcast”, (S7, ep 1 (ep 127), 03/02/20).  “Grounded With Louis Theroux”, (BBC Radio 4)(S2, ep 10, 01/02/21).  “I Don’t Believe It’s Not Buddha”, (S1, ep 21, 03/02/21).  “NASA: Houston We Have A Problem”, (ep 181, 05/02/21).  “Nick Abbot (Whole Show)”, (30/01/21) (31/01/21) (05/02/21).  “Rob Beckett And Josh Widdecombe Lockdown Parenting Hell”, (S2, ep 4, 02/02/21)(ep 5, 05/02/21).  “Soundtracking With Edith Bowman”, (ep 228, 08/01/21)(ep 229, 15/01/21)(ep 230, 22/01/21)(ep 231, 29/01/21).  “Star Trek Discovery”, (TeeVee)”, (S1, ep 15, 12/02/18)(Short Trek, #1, 12/10/20).  “The Adam Buxton Podcast”, (ep 146, 31/01/21).  “The Audio Guide To Babylon 5”, (ep 11, 06/10/14).  “The Nick Abbot Habit”, (01/02/21).  “The Skewer”, (BBC Radio 4)(S3, ep 4, 03/02/21).  “The Smart 7”, (Trailer, 02/04/20)(ep 249, 02/02/20).  “Toby Hadoke’s Happy Times And Places – “Partners In Crime”, (9.1, 01/02/21).  “WTB”, (S1, ep 7, 04/09/20)(ep 8, 11/09/20)(S2, Trailer, 05/02/20).  “What’s Your Problem With Nick Abbot And Carol McGiffin”, (S1, ep 52, 03/02/21).  “Wolf And Owl”, (S1, ep 10, 03/02/21)(Bonus ep 2, 05/02/21).  “Morrissey”,  “Gary Newman”, “Aha”,  “Christine And The Queens”,  “The Housemartins”,  “Lilly Allen”,  “Peter Bjorn And John”, “Electronic”,  “Madness”,  “Laurie Anderson”,  “We’ve got A Fuzzbox And We’re Gonna Use It”.