31.12.2023 Happy New Year's Eve!

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 Sunday 31st 42F/6C. Bands of rain and a south-easterly wind. Up at 7.15 after two false starts filling the fire bucket. 

 8.00 62F/17C in the room. Time to start stoking the stove. Another batch of recalcitrant kindling. The beech catches fire better than the skinny, softwood sticks split from pallets

 8.15 First hint of it getting lighter outside. 

 9.00 Drizzle. Almost light enough for a walk. I doubt it will brighten much if I wait any longer.

 9.30 Back again. I didn't go far. The light rain and cold wind made it unpleasant. I am wearing the latest, charity shop, hi-vis jacket. It is warm enough and fairly comfortable. Apart from the stupid pocket on the upper sleeve. Which inhibits normal arm movement when walking. 

 The genius of some drooling idiot "designer." Working light years above his pay grade in an inflated office space. Probably inbreeding or nepotism or both. May even have their own parking spot outside the fire trap, sweat shop, packed full of child slaves. 

 Well, it does say Made in China. Warning enough. At least my purchase of a recycled jacket does not directly contribute their corrupt, genocidal, warmongering dictatorship. Nor does it end up on a storm tossed, rotting heap on a beach somewhere. As a result of some corrupt, recycling mafia dumping material waste out of sight, out of mind. 

 8.30 Dinner was sausages, peas, carrots, mashed potato and gravy. I was overgenerous with the latter but luckily nobody was watching.

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