I have a job interview tomorrow in Belfast. I have ironed my white shirt, and shined my shoes, for tomorrow. Fortunately, tomorrow’s interview is in the afternoon. So I can tie some loose ends in the morning.
Tomorrow is also the last day before a fortnight of a severe Lockdown in Northern Ireland. I feel like Number Six from ‘The Prisoner’ at times, recently. And Belfast normally resembles ‘Dawn of the Dead’ at this time of the year. Imagine tomorrow.
In the Eighties, there were tv commercials here for an English Insurance company called Commercial Union – with a Citroën 2CV crashing down a cliff. Their buzzline was, “We won’t make a drama out of a crisis!” That’s my motto for Covid-19 survival. It’s not precisely ‘Fight Club,’ but I am better equipped for underground lifestyles than others.
I ended up having to apply for a tax book to get my car back on the road. And the guy I bought the car from will pay me back the £25 I had to pay – by postal order – to apply. Then, I spent the road tax online. As Benjamin Franklin said, “The only sure things in life are death and taxes!” 😐
Today, I drove to the Chemist in Coagh – to collect a repeat prescription- then withdrew cash at Ballinderry Post Office to last a week, or more. My local shops deliver to the homes – until now, I paid them either by bank transfer or PayPal. Tomorrow, I will get gloves and masks from The Hub in Cookstown, buy A4-sized picture frames at the Home Bargains beside there, and get photographs at a Chemist in Magherafelt- to renew my driving licence. (the one I have expires in June)
Today, I improvised the gloves and mask rules, wearing work gloves and a Jason Voorhees Hockey Mask for this afternoon’s errands. At least, I have a sense of humour. 🙂
The picture frame is for handwritten lyrics of an album track by Mansun – I paid the singer by PayPal. (Check out his solo work) Considering that Italians and Spaniards are singing from the balconies, I need musical therapy, too. 🙂
It’s unseasonably mild here, but that means rain. However, it will get cold; leading up to the weekend.
I got a record player, which I ordered last week online at Curry’s PC World. It arrived last Friday. The day before, I bought an LP in Belfast. ‘SAHB Stories’ by the Sensational Alex Harvey Band; from 1976. Played it twice – first time, there were a few scratches. But, last night, scratch-free. 🙂
Yesterday, I was at a Christian Café in Stewartstown and heard Schizophrenic voices in my head; saying, “Hail Satan!” My friend from Desertmartin says it’s a reaction to the change in medication – raising my Citalopram to 30 mg – while my Key Worker says it’s the effect of stress. I reckon it’s both.
Today, I feel better. Prayer and outreach do help issues pass. Lifeline Helpline is a Godsend for me.
I bought a free-range chicken on Thursday, at the butcher with a 10% off discount through the voucher from my Slimming World group, and have the bird in my slow cooker until roughly 1 pm today. However, I gained two pounds in the past weigh-in.
Later, today, I will visit my neighbour. While Ireland faces the All-Blacks in less than an hour in the Rugby Union World Cup Quarter-Final. I reckon we’ll beat them, but get walloped by England in the Semi-Final; I tipped England to win the whole thing before the tournament began. 😀
My Christmas Day was low key. Went to The Hub in Cookstown for Dinner. Enjoyed the Crack – as in enjoyment 🙂 – and music, but didn’t eat much of my dinner. Wasn’t that hungry. A friend I talk to from Magherafelt said that her kids with Autism had Pizza for Christmas dinner; the daughter didn’t eat much of hers either. Picky eaters, us! 🙂
I had to top up my data for last month whenever my brother was here until New Year’s Day. Coming to think of that, I won’t renew the contract on my WiFi – in September 2019 – and will probably stick with using my Android as a WiFi hotspot as it has 4G here. Living in the sticks is damn expensive.
Also, I cancelled my WordPress plan for my homesite and also cancelled the hosting Namesco provided. I now just have email forwarding with them and the opportunity to redirect my domain to my Adobe Portfolio. No paintings since my last blog post, but I do have photos from the Ulster American Folk Park. The roads I took there weren’t ones for ‘giving her Dixie’, though. 😦
Hopefully, I won’t be affected by the Intel Processor data compromise should I update my Mac OS X. Pain in the Bum…..Bum Bum Bum Bum! 🙂 Get 007 to sort out SPECTRE. 🙂
My oil furnace was air locked again, but yesterday I got barrels from my uncle to buy emergency kerosene and he bled the furnace afterwards. We got the white smoke in the end. My uncle quipped, “Pope elected!” 🙂
Last Tuesday I visited Dublin; driving to Maghera park-and-ride and then taking the X4 to Busaras and then returning during the witching hours of Wednesday morning and driving back. At first I wanted to attend a Meetup for Creatives, however it was cancelled and I decided to arrange a visit with my ex-Landlady in order to ensure I didn’t waste the ticket.
My experience of Dublin underlines the huge changes it has experienced, with the Luas and Cycle Lanes. Though I was told London is worse for cycle lanes. I tried to jay walk to get to Connolly Train Station, to get a DART to Howth Junction, but just about live to tell the tale. The red man never turned green, EVER. We’re just plebs in Dublin. 😦
My ex-Landlady made dinner for me, her husband, herself and her grandson she was looking after. Chicken, spuds and broccoli. Lovely Jubbly.
Then on the way back I noticed kids wearing memorial Gaelic Football Jerseys that I have in Adult form. Turned out the family were from Ballinderry and were getting off the same bus I was getting at Cookstown. But we had to wait outside for the bus after Busaras closed at 11 pm; our bus left Dublin at Midnight. But we were able to board about 20 minutes later.
But I had to take it easy today. I worked yesterday and was exhausted afterwards, didn’t fully recover from the trip.
But I’m so glad that I went.
Paintings:
Purple Brain: (dedicated to Prince)
Toilet training a Puppy: (leaves little to the imagination)
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