in which horsemouth gives a good account of himself

'I am writing from guercino's home town and in a better mood than I was yesterday..'

having been in venice and ferrara goethe is on his way to bologna. he has stopped off at the painter guercino's home town of cento. 

horsemouth (as you know) is out in the wilds 

he has been for slightly over two years now. he has only recently moved the last of his stuff from the room in london and in truth there is still some stuff jammed in the backroom (out of sight and out of mind - hopefully). 

he has been at the bell-ringing for slightly more than a year (one night a week) and is beginning to make progress with it. 

he writes this blog regularly and has expanded onto substack. he goes for regular walks on the common. he plays a bit of guitar. 

this is probably not enough activity for him

the town (hereford) is the best part of 45 minutes travel away (and in the region of £8 bus fare return). for this reason (and because the book shopping there is a bit limited) he does not go there much. abergavenny is similar (perhaps very slightly better). hay-on-wye (where they at least have books) is a two/ three bus journey (at a minimum) without a car.  it is probably just as well that hay is a way. 

horsemouth needs to up his activity.

that said things keep attracting him back to london.