in which horsemouth asserts control over that which he controls

one of the things horsemouth did when he returned was play musicians of bremen volume 4 which he hasn't listened to now for a number of months.  amárach stands out as particularly strong, it may be the best thing they've ever done. 

howard is ill (he has the flu) so no zoom beers to round out the week.

lots of walking yesterday. the sun was shining (the weather was sweet). 

he went out on a walk up to the chemist where his jab will be and then back down through the marshes. (he should have timed it really). he is still not full of the joys (but anyway). a friend recommended taking his shoes and socks off and standing on some real earth and grass. grounding she said. he might just do it. 

later he went out walking and there was a hail storm. 

he recognises he is disappointed with the grittiness of his existence in the seaside towns.  it is a sad place at the moment. it is, as his mum would say, a bit basic. he could, it turns out, have returned a week later to no ill effect (he would thus have escaped needing to have even an opinion of recent events by not being around for them. or maybe they would only have commenced once he returned in any event). 

because he was up early the day seemed interminable. in the end he put on a jumper, got a glass of ricard and went to bed early. he did do some reading on the dreyfus affair, the chapter of hannah arendt's the origins of totalitarianism; - antisemitism IV: the people and the mob a present from his brother and his wife (thank you). 

now horsemouth knows that, in addition to various art students, various institute of ideas types have been reading this of late. this is a bit interesting seeing as they were noted brexit supporters and the book has  harsh things to say about the mob and plebiscites and is thus  a difficult book to take as your guide to these dark times if you have supported people in their plebiscite decision. and yet this is how this penguin classics edition (the attack of the killer seagulls edition) encourages people to read it.  

to horsemouth we have witnessed a number of popular (and populist) rebellions against the neo-liberal globalised society by the excluded (or more patronisingly 'the left behind'), MAGA, brexit, various national movements that dissent from the EU consensus. horsemouth does not think any of these movements will take people where they really want to go (or indeed anywhere progressive) but it cannot be argued that they aren't real. 

still now he has his morning coffee and the sun is coming in the window (mildly).  this evening filling in the census (and a phonecall from his mother). in the week 6 hours of online work (broadband permitting) and 3 hours of face to face work (visor) with 4 hours of travel on public transport (facemask on). at the weekend the equinox and the week after a meeting of the communal endeavour, horsemouth gets jabbed (for the first time YAY) and he changes electricity and gas suppliers. 

the changing leccy and gas suppliers is really just a means of redeploying excess energy and of signalling an investment in the house. (horsemouth asserts control over that which he controls). it may necessitate a one off payment to the previous supplier to pay for the excess winter usage.