My Nose

I am reminded to post a short note to say that my nose, though still a bit sore, is getting there. I cannot as yet guarantee totally quiet nights - for me or anyone else in my vicinity. A favourite family book that as far as I know was looted by my father from somewhere in Germany in 1945, was a volume of Wilhelm Busch's poetry and cartoons. I could not understand the German words, but Busch's famous and pioneering cartoons left a lasting impression. I have found this apt cartoon on the internet to illustrate my nose, though mine was never in a bandage like this!

Breathing a sigh of relief

Three years ago, before I joined the Pearce Group, I had been rather unhappily working as a budget and resource planner for the aircraft manufacturing giant - Airbus. I had worked at the Technical Centre on Filton Airfield for over two years and though I enjoyed some aspects of the job, I found that management methods were overbearing to say the least. Today's news of thousands of European job losses comes as no surprise to me.
The massive plane, the A380 is assembled, as are all the Airbus fleet, at the Toulouse factory final assembly lines in France, from parts brought together from all the manufacturing plants in Germany, UK, France and Spain - a logistical nightmare in itself, but massive delays caused by problems with the aircraft electrical systems, and lack of firm sales has meant that a restucturing of the company has become inevitable. I am glad that I left when I did!

Fritallaries

Spring is Here
Photo taken Dartington, Devon, 2004

The Rocky Shores of England

Photo taken looking vertically down the cliff, North Devon, February 2004

Comet McNaught at Cape Town

Pictures sent on to me by a friend. An amazing view of Comet McNaught from Table Bay, taken last month.

In the bottom picture, the comet appears to be cascading down the slope of Lions Head (Table Mountain to the left) and in the top picture, Venus can just be seen to the left of the crescent moon, just above the horizon on the right!

My Photo of the Day

Brunel's steamship the SS Great Britain, now restored and conserved in the dry dock where she was originally built in 1843. A "must see" for any visitor to the City of Bristol and well worth looking at her history [see link above].

My Photo of the Day

A couple of Swaledale sheep I met in North Yorkshire last September.

Biodegradable at last!

From this week's New Scientist comes the news that at last, "disposable" nappies, (that's diapers to our North American cousins) are at last being made from biodegradable materials. I have often spoken of the previously incontrovertible fact that since their invention and unless incinerated, every single used "disposable" nappy IS STILL IN EXISTENCE - Somewhere!

Disposable diapers are good for time-strapped parents but bad for the environment, clogging up landfills and taking years to biodegrade. Now the first nappies to be fully degradable are set to hit supermarkets in Australia and New Zealand. Developed by SeNevens International of Como, Western Australia, they contain an absorbent felted "fluff" derived from eucalyptus trees and a leak-proof layer made from oil-based gel mixed with cornstarch instead of plastic. They biodegrade in six months.

In Hospital!

I have been in Southmead hospital for two days! Last time I stayed in a hospital overnight was for an eye operation in Birmingham in 1950!

This time nothing serious but I'm now resting after having had Septoplasty to improve and correct [I hope] my breathing especially at night. In the past my nose, large as it is, has created much snoring noise and sleeplessness in others who have lived in the same house as me, and this has caused me some embarrassment. At times I have experienced the medical condition known as sleep apnoea which is when the breathing stops and one involuntarily wakes oneself up with a loud compensatory gasp. [Or of course if one does not wake up, it doesn't matter any more! RIP]

Tonight I will have taped to my finger, an oximeter which will record my oxygen levels throughout the night and I am hopeful that there will be no forther apnoea episodes now that a clearer airway has been chiseled out! In the morning I will return the oximeter to the hospital for analysis and so I will record here at a later date on progress towards a good night's sleep for one and all!

My Photo of the Day

Crannog - A reconstructed lake dwelling on Loch Tay in Scotland. A place well worth a visit.