A Shriek In The Night.

It it not often these days that we hear the shriek of a Barn Owl here in Exmouth. Their population total is down to about 3000 for the whole of Britain. These birds had a disastrous breeding season last year, when a cold, wet spring reduced the rodent supply in their food chain. I was glad to hear one early this morning. A rare scare.

Pictures Of Women.

"Men's" magazines are full of pictures of women.

"Women's" magazines are full of pictures of women.

Therein lies the difference.

Reflective Old Age.

A LIFE WELL LIVED: Being old is not an illness or something to be feared but a wonderful period for reflection and self-discovery. Life just assumes new priorities. Often we find we no longer have much in common with people from our past. It’s not sad or depressing, simply part of life’s natural rhythm.

Young people see old age through their own prism. Old people may be alone but most of us are far from lonely. A life well lived with memories and experience is comfortably supporting. The fear of loneliness belongs to the younger generation.

John Frizell, Northallerton, North Yorkshire .
(Sunday Times 13 January 2008.)

Shoes In The Changing Room.

As a completely uncertified student of primates in their human form, I have been studying the correlation between age and how you place your shoes in the gym changing room. So far I have only been allowed my field study in the men's changing room, so my findings are inconclusive.

For the sake of brevity; and because this is a blog and your eyes are already glazing, this is an outline of my findings: -

1. Age: 5-10 Will kick shoes off and leave where they fall. May be collected by attendant adult, but don't count on it.
2. Age: 10-15 Generally wear trainers of the less than exclusive kind, if their parents can get away with it. Left untidily on the floor in no particular order.
3. Age: 16-25 Now seem to use more expensive trainers. Perhaps this explains why they are often placed with care on the bench seats, despite notices not to do so. Some still use trainers with Velcro fasteners, but this is not definite proof that they still have not learnt to tie laces.
4. Age: 26-50 The trend now moves to working shoes. Leathers for office and Camel Style boots for the outdoor trades. These are back on the floor, but not tidy.
5. Age: 50-70 Still use office shoes if they are not worn out. Otherwise; deck shoes, sandals or loafers. These are placed neatly and primly together under the bench.
6. Age: 70+ Back to kick off and leave. They don't call it "second childhood" without reason.

Let's face it with a study like this, I should be certified.

Postal Delays.

This made me angry today:
The parcel office stated on a card they left in my letter box, that they opened at 07:00.
When I went there at that time, a hand written note on the door said - "Open at 8 am".
When postal workers are not on strike, they are often not at work.