On Spanners and a Single Blessing.

Today the cyber glitches came not as single spies but in battalions – glitches in Blogger, Skype, and my online bank account, all of which caused confusion, frustration and delays.

This afternoon I made three attempts to get some autumn gardening work done. I did so because I was encouraged by the light white cloud, the sunny periods, and the general air of calm and settled weather. Three times I got half way through the job when the black stuff appeared, closely followed by rain. On the third occasion the rain was heavy and driven by the sudden onrush of a gale force wind. It was also accompanied by a blizzard of falling leaves which seemed to take great delight in making clattering noises everywhere. That was when I yelled at the universe and asked it just how many spanners it had at its disposal to throw into the machinery of my life just because it can. I received no reply and I doubt it did any good.

That’s how my life is at the moment. Every day I get one or more spanners landing in the machinery of my activities and bringing matters to at least a temporary halt. It seems to be getting worse, and I’m certainly growing very tired of it.

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But today there was one redeeming feature which blessed the occasion of my walk. The Lady B’s dear mama came down the road in her Audi (Audis seem to be catching on in that family), slowed, smiled and waved. It was the first time I’ve ever seen the Lady B’s dear mama drive an Audi, but it mattered little since she does have such a lovely smile. It even looks authentic, which I happen to consider important.

I like the Lady B’s mama, you know. I always have. I think she is now the only person in the whole wide world who may be relied upon to slow, smile and wave when she passes me in the car. She is also the only person currently domiciled in the Shire with whom I welcome a conversation. Having said which, there is of course the matter of Honourable Sister. I think I would very much like to have a conversation with her, too, but Honourable Sister occupies the inner sanctum of some remote and impenetrable part of the palace. One imagines a regiment of hardened personnel securing the labyrinthine approaches from the likes of me. Whether they be eunuchs or a detachment of the Praetorian Guard I couldn’t say, but I imagine it’s something along those lines.