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In the opera, Aida, (not one of my favourites) the two lovers are fatally walled up in a vault - a static sort of execution that suited the great tenor, Pavarotti, whose bulk left him immobilised in latter years. As I did "the box", the idea passed through my mind |
Yesterday was a perfect day for me, nothing to do with the weather. A day of modest physical achievement, some intellectual exploration, quiet contentment, and a musical revelation to end it all.
THE PLAN To rise at 8 am and assemble a garden storage box kit. Fairly straightforward DIY, some tricky bits,
THE PLAN (amended) Languished in bed with VR, discussing our respective parents and noting our radically changed opinions regarding those who brought us into the world.
THE PLAN (resumed) Late start at 11.10 am. Inserted 30 self-tapping screws to secure the click-fitted box structure. The cost: one small hand blister.
THE BREAK May one add Worcester sauce to egg mayo on toast? The jury's out.
THE CLIMAX When complete, the box lid rises automatically, slowly and prettily via two piston-based levers. To install these do-dahs one crawls awkwardly into the box. Everything is cramped and the levers must be held “closed” to fit their slots. But how to hold them closed? Scotch tape. Or rather Scotch tape’s misbehaviour. The tape's tendency to tangle works for you; when tangled it becomes an unbreakable rope, easily holding the compressed levers. And easily cut away afterwards.
THE AFTERMATH Misused Scotch tape was my idea and I was cock-a-hoop. Made myself a Bloody Mary and VR a G&T.
THE DESCENT INTO LEISURE Evening meal was a fry-up; bad news if you’re thinking of living another 30 years but that is not our intention.
SOMETHING CULTURAL We have a magnificent DVD of Mozart's opera, Cosí, recorded in multi-channel format. Which means in group singing (from two to six people at a time in Cosí) you hear each separate layer quite clearly, provided your amp is also multi-channel. Yesterday I noticed this for the first time
Plus a 2018 Pouilly Fuissé from The Wine Society
In the words of some Spanish guys I climbed with: "Un día completo"
ReplyDeleteSir Hugh: It could also be expressed mathematically/electronically - employing an assymetrical parabola if such a thing exists. A steep (almost vertical) rise to a very short plateau, followed by a shallow downward curve typical of the 63% discharge of a capacitor. The latter a detail I picked in August 1955 and which has stayed with me ever since. As you would
ReplyDeleteWhat was included in the fry up? Our VERY occasional high fat, unhealthy breakfast include biscuits (not cookies) with sausage gravy and eggs (okay, and bacon, too). The other night we had hot dogs, beans, and tortilla chips. Usually we cook and eat healthy, but every once in a while eating without a care in the world is a sinful pleasure.
ReplyDeleteColette: Our fry-up - quite a memory exercise. Two chippolatas (ie, thin) sausages, two fried eggs, two rashers of best back bacon, large mushroom, bought-in pancake medley from Waitrose (swanky supermarket) consisting of mushrooms, sliced potatoes, bacon cubes, onion slices.
DeleteOMG - that sounds good.
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