annanotbob2's Diaryland Diary
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Flowers
I was all set to join a mental health group swim tomorrow morning - it's been a week since I went in the sea and I'd really like to keep it going a bit more, but it's been raining heavily and the Surfers Against Sewage map says this: "Pollution Alert: Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours" Honestly, fucking Southern Water, paying out massive dividends to shareholders but letting the infrastructure fall into such disrepair that it's barely fit for purpose. If we hadn't had such a dry summer we'd've hardly been able to swim at all. The mental health group - some kind of independent set-up - said they'd be meeting anyway, by the cafe for coffee, chat, maybe paddling, whatever, but I don't feel brave enough to just turn up alone for that. I could manage getting into the sea, I think. Maybe the next one, in October.
Today I tidied my art room! Yay! Go me! Not very well - I did too much piling things up and finding a space where I could ram it all in, so the floor and the desk are clear-ish, but finding things will be tricky. I need to get going on the preliminary work for swapping the rooms round. I think step one is a vicious cull of my clothes. No, step one is buying some bin bags, ready for a vicious cull. Maybe tomorrow.
In the middle of tidying I went to Friday art group at the museum. I'm starting to really love this group. I feel accepted there, by the other members and by the teacher, able to just sit and get on if that's what I want, or chat a bit, ask for advice, whatever. I did another echinacea painting, probably the last as it's M's birthday next Wednesday and it's for her. These are the four, in order:
I still like different aspects of each with no overall favourite. I wore my mask again today as Covid cases are on the rise as are hospitalisations for treatment of it. Fuck that. This is the only indoor activity I do that feels risky, being indoors in a fairly small room. The choir is indoors but in a church with a big high ceiling and all the doors and windows open. Can't sing in a mask anyway.
Tonight Strictly started again - definitely autumn, then. I do love it. Two same sex couple this year and Ellie Simmonds - multiple gold medalist in the Paralympics - who has dwarfism. I can't imagine how she's going to dance with Nikita, but I'm sure there's a way or they wouldn't have offered her a place. We'll find out tomorrow.
Today I am grateful for a nice walk on the beach after art, then a coffee at an outside table watching a small child of indeterminate gender build a complicated structure with pebbles and shells. They were loving it, working carefully for ages. Very pleasing. Good night.
12:57 a.m. - 24.09.22
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