After a somewhat chilly start by mid morning it had warmed up and there was even a little blue in the sky. But by the time I got through the list of jobs I had written up for myself things had gone back to our normal overcast gloom though I did spend a little time sitting outside with a cup of tea and a book. Things had all changed at our local library which has been closed for a few weeks for refurbishment. No longer do you hand your books to a real person but instead you scan your books and your library card and press icons on a screen. I did my best to have a problem with the system but it was easy to use and I even renewed a book that was still at home. Somebody has made a lot of money out of this system and I wonder how many people lost their jobs. It's not as if there were ever any queues or crowds of irate customers. Do we really need to be automating everything and putting people out of work? Maybe I'm a Luddite as I'm not a fan of the automatic checking in system at my local doctors' surgery and wonder how long it will be before you are asked to input your symptoms before talking to a real person. Romas & Vicky showed me how to use the self-checkout at Tescos where you scan your own shopping and then pay the screen. I think that would mainly be useful when you are buying a few items as you have to leave the bags in place until the end.The computer knows the weight of every item you scan, to prevent you putting things in you haven't scanned but I can see that these do help ease the queues in the supermarket. I do like some technology in the right place, even silly things like having touch lamps which are great by the bed when you aren't really awake. I have the oldest phone possible because I only use it occasionally and with my 'old age' sight it is hard to see details on the screen without getting out my glasses. So an i-phone is not in my wish list. Also I object to my personal location being tracked and recorded 24/7. Why should there be a record of where I am at all times? (That's what happens if you have an i-phone.) I am now getting to grips with my Mp4 player after a helpful tutorial from Romas but most of the time I prefer to work with just natural sounds around me. I have thought about a Kindle or other reader but then I would have to pay for books while for the moment the library is still free. My 'desire' is something that hasn't been invented yet. This is a small, hedgehog sized, automatic solar charged mower that would stay permanently on a lawn, nibbling the grass in the same way rabbits do, compacting the cuttings and depositing them in a set place. Think of having a beautiful lawn without ever having to push a mower again. Perhaps I should patent that idea!
The brief flash of sun and warmth this morning brought out the butterflies searching for nectar on the newly opened sedums.
Now here are a few pictures from Vicky & Romas' (& Vytas') weekend at Loosely giving some of the flavour of a Sealed Knot muster. This was something we did for quite a few years when the boys were little. (Thanks to Vicky for the photos.)
There is generally a lot of hanging around at the beginning of a battle as the regiments are sent into position to provide as authentic as possible spectacle for the general public to watch.
I thought this photo showed the spirit of a good 'push' which is why I chose it but now I can identify Romas bang in the middle - black jacket, black breeches, hairy bare leg and dark green sock around his ankle. It is at about this point that people can get squashed or hurt in various ways and after 1 battle where I joined in with the pushes I much preferred to be a water carrier.
A rather sweet picture of Romas.
That's our friend Sam in the middle (yellow gloves) then Romas to his right with grey gloves and next to him Vytas with brown gloves.
I understand that the beer tent was most enjoyable!
1 comment:
Ruta...I, too, am a Luddite when it comes to all the technology is use today. I admit the self checkers at the grocery store are handy; however, over here the ones that permit a large shopping to be run by are pitiful and stop more than than they scan. So, where's the advantage? To the profit margin of the store...less employees less cost. I have a cell phone for emergencies only. I do have a Kindle--I've re-read many classics useing it because they are free to download. I must add, my adult children and grandsons are very much wired into this "brave new world" and they consider me a dinosaur. That's okay with me because I prefer to deal with people not electronic things. I do realize that I must learn to incorporate some of this "new technology" into my life, but I plan to hold at arms length as much as possible for as long as possible.
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