horsemouth mustn't grumble (and yet he does)

horsemouth went down and opened up the abbey

he's now half way through his abbey rota duty. 

on his way there he noted that the bin had been emptied already. on closer inspection, on his way back, it turned out the bin had been imperfectly emptied (ah well more for next time). 

horsemouth wheeled it up the drive. 

the thursday is the day horsemouth contemplates going to town if he has bottled out of doing it on a monday. friday is also possible. 

but he wants to go out on an expedition monday (so maybe not friday). remind him to mention this to his mum early. 

it's a bandcamp friday

horsemouth is recommending himself and rob lawson's far future village band. 

horsemouth mustn't grumble (and yet he does)

last night he read chapter 13 of millstone grit (the one about farming and gardening at the luckily titled intake farm). 

'I have not cultivated any land since I left intake farm; I had never done it before. the five years I spent there was the only period when I have experienced that delicious close association with the earth, the weather, the seasons, the plants and other creatures, which comes from working with them to produce a minimal livelihood...

my memories are of physical work that seemed idyllic, because I was not employed by anyone, and because it was part of my happy emotions about the world that was around me...' 

horsemouth is trying his usual strategy of reading the chapters of a book in  reverse order in order not to get trapped in the narrative of it, the patht through it that has become over-familiar.

on thursday horsemouth was out in the garden - picking some runner beans, checking on the few beetroot remaining.  he also watered in the greenhouse and picked a few tomatoes. then he went out for a wander on the common and took a few more photos (nothing sensational he feels). 

he didn't feel a rapturous connection with nature. the runner beans have done well this year (but everything else has been pretty much rubbish so far). perhaps the sprouts and the cabbage will surprise him. perhaps there'll be a second crop of peas. 

it is friday morning. in a little while he is off to open up the abbey.