COVID-19 UPDATE FROM SOLIHULL: 23RD MAY, 2020...

Covid-19 Solihull Update…

(Saturday 23rd May 2020)

So, mostly decent weather again this week, despite some baying winds but at least I’ve been able to explore both Hillfield Park and Dorridge Park, just a very short drive away from the house.

ODD SIGHT...

QUIET...

Both places were decent and offered just over two miles of walking without the hassle of crossing roads, away from the sweat and spit of joggers and because we walked on grassy areas, those wheezing, dressed for the Tour de France cyclists were also avoided.

Dogs were evident just about everywhere, however. No problem with that unless the owners allow their dogs to ‘investigate’ me, whereby a cold, snotty nose brushes my leg, or the possibility of the creatures jumping up with dirty paws lurks. Those owners simply and jauntily tend to exclaim, “Come on, Bonzo, this way…” with no semblance of an apology for the intrusion, or as happened to me, “Don’t worry he won’t hurt you…” Really? If it tried, my left foot volley might just have emerged from retirement… 

Another trip to Alcester was pleasant enough at riverside but Yarningale Common was again the highlight walk of the week, across fields and through trees to Claverdon village. Great weather, crows attacking buzzards, sheep seemingly afraid of my camera but calves looking quite stunning within their electric fencing area.

ALCESTER...

Returning from Yarningale, a pair of rather obese chaps, possibly twins were cycling near Shrewley, extremely slowly, yet both were dressed in full cycling gear. Their bikes were smart racing frames but they had just managed to negotiate a slight incline and immediately pulled up to regain breaths. Hmm…

CALF AT YARNINGALE...

BUZZARD HARASSED...

Clapping for the NHS, teachers and carers on Thursday involved my camel and his wooden bell, which was bought in Dubai some years ago… The neighbours were a little concerned about the evil expressions demonstrated by The Camelling and they seemed wary of the likelihood of him spitting. He was becalmed, however…

EVEN WEARING A MOROCCAN SOCCER SHIRT...

When I was around 11 years old my mum won some money when her numbers were drawn out on a neighbour’s Catholic ‘tote’ and she bought me a record-player from her winnings. I was so pleased but the bass sound of the player was so awful that records sounded tinny, something I hated. My Aunt Ivy, had a radiogram however and the bass was decent on that and when she and her husband Jack bought a better one, we acquired their older version and suddenly, music took on a different dimension for me…

So, when I sat out in the garden this week, the following is what happened… 

The Barking, The Belching & The Scratchy Heavy Metal

A warm day, a wicker chair,

The sun’s fire beginning a late afternoon descent,

First hovering above,

Then perching upon,

Before hiding amongst an alder’s unkempt boughs

And its lustrous green May foliage.

Then I began reading…

A quiet day, set fair,

The birds’ songs beginning a late afternoon descant,

First flying above,

Then perching upon,

Before chirping amongst the alder’s stilled leaves

And its decorous May foliage.

But I continued reading…

Then the small dog began barking, incessantly,

Encouraged by its owner’s ignorance,

Until the birdsong was largely inaudible;

Then the obese neighbour switched on his music:

A tinny, constant, unbound nuisance…

Until the small dog’s yapping stopped abruptly,

Disparaged by the heat and its owner’s insouciance,

Yet like a dentist’s drill, scraping, infallible,

The belching neighbour persevered with his music:

A scatty, insistent, background permanence…

Pete Ray

May 23rd 2020

The small dog has often been allowed to bark its annoying bark from around 6am, resulting in the locality receiving a nasty wake-up call…

THE VIEW...

The neighbour played very tinny heavy metal music, admittedly not loudly, unlike his belching from several beers. 

The sound became an insistent background scratching noise, rather like a 1950s dentist’s drill carrying out a filling in my younger days. 

THE SUN DROPPED...

The ‘music’ hurt more however, wrecking a pleasant and relaxing read in the garden and reminding me that without Covid-19, the dog’s owner might have been out walking with her vile pet and the neighbour might have been at the pub… 

IN THE GARDEN YESTERDAY:
BULLFINCH, COWFINCH & DOUBTLESS THEIR OFFSPRING WILL BE ARFINCHES... (JUST JESTING...)