'things... have suddenly become precious' ('optimism in the face of the void')

'speaking of daniel defoe, I was met with major illness last year and robinson crusoe was the only novel I wanted to read. I found myself on a most unexpected island, aged 45, and in recovery after surgery I needed to hear that beguiling voice again, that make-do and optimism in the face of the void.' 

- paul lynch: author and film critic. the guardian, 6th october 2023.

abram tertz says something similar of robinson crusoe, but in his case he was in a prison camp. (a voice from the chorus - interesting tertz (sinyavsky) was born tomorrow 8th october but in 1925). 

'such things as planting vegetables, sewing clothes or making a table can be remarkably demanding and crucial jobs, fraught with hazards and pitfalls, and calling for the employment of all kinds of cunning stratagems.... it is no longer a question of satisfying the flesh (or the spirit), but of responding to things which from being commonplace and insignificant have suddenly become precious. robinson crusoe's law ..' 

horsemouth spent the day yesterday pulling the ivy off the outside of the house. no scything or digging, but he did do some watering. ok no. he tells a lie. he dug up some potatoes for dinner. it was bandcamp friday so he recommended a cassette put out by jacken elswyth on betwixt and between.  horsemouth even managed a quick walk on the common (lots of dog walkers). 

he was impressed by the luxuriousness of the ivy's growth. the size of its leaves and their fleshiness. 

horsemouth thinks he may have gone about getting the ivy off the wrong way. the fact that he got the ivy off considerably above the height he was working at encourages him to believe it might still work (or perhaps he could get into fishing for it with a long pole the way window cleaners do it nowadays). 

he's hoping the remaining spring onions grow (so that he can have a tomato salad). and it should be nice and warm over the weekend. 

it's a bright morning (with a slight haze). later on today a warm day (and a warm tomorrow).  worldwide it has been the warmest july, august and september on record.