Sometimes we canter.

I am struggling to make sense of it all this week. There were multiple red flags at the beginning of the week, but after braving the storm, I got the green light, and it turned out rather fine.

1.

In case you missed it, a major incident has occurred. Storm Ciaran was a ‘weather bomb’ according to the Sky News website. Sounds pretty scary. And according to my Mum, this bomb went off in Southsea. I can also report that the ‘ground was saturated like a wet sponge.’

I met a lady who was pleased the schools were closed. “Why’s that?” I asked, “It’s the storm; everyone must stay indoors and be safe.” She was clearly off to the seafront with her dog, partner and a take-out coffee to watch the waves. Probably take a selfie like the man on the ITV News website in Folkstone. One local described the conditions as “like a scene from a disaster movie.” It was horrendous. Never seen anything like it. After the storm had apparently passed, my son and I were in the dentist’s waiting room. The dental nurse was very concerned about us, asking if we were okay and if we managed to “stay safe.” “No, we didn’t, that’s why I’m here,” I mumbled, struggling to speak. “The weather bomb blew all my teeth out.” I opened my hand to reveal the three I’d saved from the massive wet sponge that chased me down Avenue de Caen.

FFS, it was a bit of wind and rain that a quick Google shows headlines and photos that don’t even make me feel like writing. Of course, I am sure many people suffered, and I am sorry. According to ITV News, a train driver saw a kid’s trampoline on the line. OMG. It was such a challenging situation that they (do you like how I sidestepped he or she or….?) just about managed to take a photo of it. This must have been the ‘disaster movie’ the chap was talking about. Sounds like a living hell. Imagine the scene. A packed commuter train hurtling into Southampton Central screeched to a halt so the driver could take a picture to share with his socials. In the carriages, screaming children don’t look up from their iPads. At least this major incident has revealed why trains stop randomly for no reason: The driver is up front puffing up his lips and taking a selfie. At least they stop, unlike the woman on the M27 I saw last week.

The world has gone mad, and it’s all because of the world’s longest-running soap opera called The News. Recently, we’ve had various compelling seasons: the War in Ukraine, the Pandemic, the Cost of Living Crisis, and the Credit Crunch. I can’t remember what title they gave Brexit, but needless to say, it whipped all the avid viewers (51%, to be precise) into the same fear-based frenzy as other episodes. It’s OK, Mum (who lives in Dorset), a bomb didn’t go off in Southsea. I was there. Challenge for the week: don’t watch, listen or read The News until you read TFTW next Friday. Deal with what you actually experience, and I’ll buy you a pint if you genuinely think you’ve missed out.

2.

The new Beatles song landed this week. I missed that, avoiding the news. But, you see, people, my Dad, in this case, tell you things they know might interest you. What happens if no one watches The News anymore? That’s something to worry about. Anyway, the new song is OK, and I am sure it will bring many people joy. It’s an act of creativity but a bit nostalgic for my liking. It reminds me of going to see The Silver Beatles in 1995. I can still remember being sat there thinking: Paul’s lefthanded. This is all wrong. John and Paul stood with guitars pointing left and right. Forget Can’t Buy Me Love, the way they stood together made The Beatles. I’ve not been to a tribute act since – though Elvana looks interesting – an Elvis and Nirvana tribute act. It’s hard to fathom, but it works.

I’m finding new music on Spotify, so I’m off to see Gerry Cinnamon in a couple of weeks. He’s my new second-favourite Scot. I will spend the next two weeks learning some lyrics. I’ve already got the chorus to Canter down. Easy peasy.

3.

Great Britain was a peninsula of Europe until relatively recently. That’s right, no boat was required. You could walk along a massive chalk Anticline straight into the heart of Wessex. Kill a wild boar for tea and sit around the fire with your lunar-worshipping friends, all sporting elongated skulls. These Mesolithic people came from Malta to set up camp here. Women led them. They didn’t turn into pansies when the weather turned bad. And they made the first marks on the ground at Stonehenge. We have evolved quite nicely since these early days, with my incredible daughter reporting that she enjoyed ‘Drunk Bingo’ last weekend.

4.

I’m off to see a finished project this evening (I hope you don’t mind, Roger) before a drink at a bar in a Sawmill with my sister and family. But mostly, I’m looking forward to a yet-unplanned weekend adventure. Cannae say better than that.

This week’s web links include some music, nothing about the storm, an article on elongated skulls, more lipstick, and drunk bingo rules.

Feel free to let me know if you have any comments or suggestions. You will always find me at carl@carlarchitect.co.uk.

All the best

This Week’s Links:

I’ve been very interested in the Neolithic and beyond recently. So here is some info on a forgotten goddess cult.

Elvis x Nirvana = Elvana

Gerry Cinnamon: Sometimes and Canter

A newly listed house in Camden. Not a property you would expect to be listed.

A raw chocolate cheesecake that only takes 20 minutes to make.

Art in Egypt, some terrible, some interesting.

I love Stourhead, so this place took my interest.

The lipstick link was so popular last week that it will be a regular feature.

And to finish your Friday night: the rules of drunk bingo…..

Main image credit: PA – A man takes a selfie with a wave crashing into Folkstone Harbour.