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18 May 2024 (Saturday) - Before the Late Shift

As I peered into Facebook I saw the spring break holiday season had started. Several friends were off here and there. That’s why I like Facebook; I’m very nosey.
There were a couple of posts that made me chuckle. Someone was after contact details of a celebrity footballer who lived locally; they were hoping to involve him in a charity event they were organizing. This chap’s nephews and niece went to the scout group I used to be involved with. I lost count of the amount of times we were promised an appearance from this chap at fundraisers and special events over many years. We never once saw him.
A kite-flying friend had the hump because he was expected to cover for a colleague “who had been taken seriously ill with a case of it is Friday afternoon and the sun is shining” (to quote him verbatim).
A colleague was very proud because her son had been announced “Boy of the Year” at Boys Brigade. I’ve warned her about Boys Brigade before. It is great fun, the boys (and girls!) have all sorts of adventures and activities, but all the time slowly and insidiously religious claptrap is being forced onto them without their realizing. There really should be a law against brainwashing children in that way…
I saw four Facebook friends were having birthdays today. I sent birthday wishes to the ones I am vaguely in touch with, and wondered who one of them was. Presumably from the mutual friends we have I must have met her whilst working in Canterbury. But I don’t remember her at all.
And I saw our Munzee Clan had reached Level Three.
 
I went upstairs and woke “er indoors TM and the dogs, and then spent a few minutes browsing Facebook marketplace for old baths. I soon found myself looking at a new (different) car. Much as I like my car, I miss my old Espace. I could fit so much into it. If I do find a cheapo bathtub, getting it home will mean hiring a van. Back in the day I could fit everything into my old Espace.
 
Being Saturday morning we drove round to Dog Club. Attendance was down a tad with some of the usual suspects on holiday. Apart from one little spat early on, all went well. It usually does.
Some people turned up just as we were leaving; we stayed with them until the next group arrived, and so having failed totally on Steve’s “guess the lyrics” contest on the radio on the way there, we missed the mystery year contest on the way home. However I was given a question… When did Princess Diana die? 1997. I remember it distinctly. It was a Saturday night when I was working.
 
We came home, had a cuppa, and I counted up the money in the Dog Club pot. We ask for one pound fifty pence per session per dog… how on Earth did I end up with a spare nineteen pence?
Then leaving “er indoors TM and the dogs, I set off.
 
I went to work via Willesborough. During last week someone on one of the Facebook pond forums asked if anyone lived in Ashford as he would like some advice. Needless to say the keyboard warriors were out in force offering sarcasm, but it turned out the chap only lived a couple of miles away. I said to him that I was no expert but would come and have a chat if he liked.
The bloke has a rather good pond; far bigger than mine. It isn't very old though, and the water is rather murky. I think the chap has the same issue that I've had for years - too much light and no plants making use of it. I've come to the conclusion that a garden pond will always have a certain amount of photosynthetic life in it, and if you don't stick in ornamental plants yourself, the pond will grow green algae of its own. Which is why I've set up the bog filter, and am looking to expand it. I suggested he might build one. Or two. He's got space to build two rather big bog filters and make something of a garden feature out of them. I got rather enthusiastic as I spoke about what I would do if it were my pond. In retrospect I might have been a tad too enthusiastic; what I had in mind is rather ambitious and would cost several thousand pounds to do. But looking at his garden the chap seems to be rather good with his hands. I hope he does build a couple of bog filters; they would look good. I hope he sends me photos of when they are done too.
 
From Willesborough I went on to the late shift. I'd rather not work weekends; I'd rather not work at all. I suppose I've got a decision to make. My pension money covers my expenses and gives me a little over too. Working gives me money to squander on ponds and garden and second hand bath tubs. Is having the extra money worth the effort of doing the work? For now I shall continue, but if I have many more shifts like today’s I won’t be continuing for much longer.
 
I came home to find the house in silence. No one dared make a sound. Darcie Waa Waa TM is having a sleepover and “er indoors TM had got her settled. Heaven help anyone who wakes her.
I wonder how long she will stay settled before the dog snogging starts.

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