Aside from getting very cold on the way back, I enjoyed the visit to the RGS.

‘The speaker, the Renowned yachtsman Conrad Humphreys describes his team’s re-creation of one of the greatest voyages ever – Captain Bligh’s 4,000 mile journey – in a replica open boat, with similar rations and traditional equipment’  the website said, and it was fairly true. The différence was that they were always within 200 metres of a rescue ship, and were helped whenever they got into trouble, which for me changes the complexion a fair bit, but perhaps I’m being harsh… or I thought perhaps I was until Conrad mentioned that back in 1789, most of Bligh’s boat mates died within weeks of reaching their destination….. somewhat proving that they had it a fair bit harder than in the re-creation?  Also Conrad admitted that he hadn’t found it very hard himself, something that I doubt those that survived to make it back ultimately to England would have said.

My mysterious night sweats continue, last night yet again. Perhaps it’s just that I now drink so much water every day, it has no option other than to pour through my skin once I’m horizontal?

Tomorrow, as well as my now daily gym visit and legal endeavours, I go to a gig in a pub a few miles away. Bus travel now  being my conveyance of choice, I’m becoming fairly familiar with bus numbers. I’m not sure why everyone doesn’t go by bus, at least for some journeys, as it’s all so accessible to pretty much everyone, in London at least.

Without having been injured, i dont think that I’d ever have discovered that?

I went just down the road and under the subway earlier, to get me to the Thames in time to see the  Boat Race, or more accurately a few seconds’ view of it, after which they’ve gone by and are receding from view.

As I was watching it on my phone in advance of them getting to where I was, I was surprised when they suddenly appeared, about 2 minutes before I expected them to.  I hadn’t realised that there was a 2 minute delay in the coverage compared to real life. It did strike me as a bit odd,  until I thought about it. It’s only a theory but I think perhaps they were guarding against live televising a terrorist incident, or that WW2 bomb going off near Putney Bridge, which would have made a fair bit of mess ( as it was intended to by a different enemy 75 years ago ).  Happily, there was no such disruption and as usual it wasn’t really very exciting, with one team leading from start to finish.

Amazingly I am today spasm free so far. It’s been a long time since I have been able to say that. I’m in the chair that stands me up and I’m not hanging on whilst I jerk around, which hasn’t happened for ages. It’s not clear as to why, but I suspect the passing of the UTI and not being blocked up ( bowel wise )  combine to make my body more at ease. It’s not as though I’m sleeping  well, and I’m still waking up in the night drenched in sweat most nights, including last night  ( no idea why ) but today London was warm and sunny, so perhaps that just agrees with me ?

Tomorrow I go with Marky P, Pat and Jo to the RGS to hear one of the guys from the ‘ Mutiny ‘ series on Channel 4. The voyage of Captain Bligh, after his ejection from the Bounty by the mutineers was recreated, albeit with a support boat not far away, for TV.  Unlike the real thing 230 odd years ago, no one was going to die from starvation or being shot or being eaten by cannibals or from falling ill, but hey. It’s definitely the sort of challenge I’d have enjoyed, although I don’t think that sailing whilst a bit hungry or thirsty, and with an annoying Scouser in the crew for a few days before he was kicked off ( rather than shot ) with the safety boat a few hundred yards away, can have been too hard.

It’s all relative, hardship, and depends on your own experience and psyche.

Good morning sunshine.
How is sunny Chiswick?
I feel like I haven’t been over in ages.
I relate to your alien stories. ***** is 21 and it hasn’t got any easier. You may want to consider a longer time period attached to the unnatural behaviour ?
It’s probably easier for you and I to cope/accept this behavioral style, since we were both so goddam awful.
***** (goody 2 shoes) can’t fathom how these boys can behave the way they do. My boys are no worse than I was.
I can always predict what they are going to do and what they are up to. Because I did it all myself.

Love and kisses.
***

Having taken the 6 year sabbatical during the ages of approx. 13 to 19 yrs, I can report that I thought it was an awesome time in which I totally knew better, and was way smarter than anyone else in the world. Lucky for me, having actually continually fucked up in that period and having been an utter nightmare to be around, I was able to resume to normal life and carry on without retribution, due to the kindness and good grace of others.
Just affirming the phenomenon, and wishing you patience and wisdom as you endure xx