'incalculable are the benefits civilization has brought us' (things/ spring cleaning)

that even paupers like horsemouth's housemates participate in the great material wealth of the western world (this is the problem). 

ok so it looks like we (meaning horsemouth and his audience) have missed festival wednesday (chaharshanbe suri) but that still leaves days until the equinox and then the 13 days of nowruz to celebrate, from the spring equinox on sunday to its ending with sizdah be-dar (the festival of nature, go to a picnic and play practical jokes) which horsemouth makes probably  the 1st of april.

the first day of farvadin (the first day of the year) in the solar hijri calendar begins midday on the 21st  after the equinox the previous afternoon  when the sun leaves its shortest shadow having risen almost diametrically in the east and set almost diametrically in the west. 

yesterday horsemouth got on with some house and garden cleaning (does that count?), probably yes, the days leading up to nowruz are the days for getting on with the spring clean. 

all this is the fallout of wednesday's major rowing and shouting. of course there is a limit to what can be done in the game of 9 spaces and 8 moveable tiles but still stuff can be more efficiently stored (until its eventual mythical 'chucking').  sten (following discussions with horsemouth)  has cleared the fire escape stairwell leading up from the basement door (as per horsemouth's wishes and the terms of his tenancy agreement horsemouth believes). the building waste (derived from sten's construction business) is now more efficiently stored in the front garden. this is not ideal (and may still be in breach - horsemouth will have to check). 

at some point the window sills/ door frames etc. on the front and the back of the house will have to be painted and space will have to be cleared to enable this (but that is probably a fight for another day). 

... and despite this horsemouth goes off to buy more books.

things: a story of the sixties (together with a man asleep) is by georges perec (harvill edition - oxfam, walthamstow, one squid). it begins with a quote from malcolm lowry. 

'incalculable are the benefits civilization has brought us, incommensurable the productive power of all classes of riches originated by the inventions and discoveries of science. inconceivable the marvellous creations of the human sex in order to make men more happy, more free, and more perfect. without parallel the crystalline and fecund fountains of the new life which still remains closed to the thirsty lips of the people who follow in their griping and bestial tasks.' 

this seems to point to the great material wealth of the western world (currently clogging the arteries of chateau horsemouth) but also its uneven distribution. 

taking advantage of some war or other the government have let it be (very quietly) known that they will not be making any efforts to cap MP's pay from other employments (nor the amount of time that MPs may spend on them) as that would be impracticable. horsemouth is so glad to hear this frank admission of the limits of state power. he has no desire to gripe  and be bestial. have a nice day lads (and don't forget to take the piss). 

meanwhile the workfarce will have their national insurance contributions increased and the capitalists will continue to take the lion's share of the profits from their enterprises. P&O are sacking the sailors and getting in temps (and this is the bit horsemouth hadn't realised some sailors were led of ships by security guards in handcuffs). 

fuck that shit. horsemouth has decided the game of work is not worth playing and has upped stumps and back to the pavillion. 

it looks like a beautiful day out. horsemouth will go out and spend some time reading sitting on a park bench. horsemouth has had his coffee. he's had his museli. time to go.