Weekend activities.

So, I began this sentence consciously with "so" as many politicians and pundits appear to do this when interviewed. It seems to have replaced "well" as a kind of filler word while you get your thoughts a little organised. Strange! 

So, we went out early on Friday evening to get into Manchester in time for a Loudon Wainwright concert. He's always worth listening to and live is even better. His support act was Chaim Tannenbaum, who has accompanied Loudon Wainwright, and other members of the extended Wainwright clan, on a fair number of occasions. This time he was promoting his own CD. As support acts go, I would say he was rather superior. 

Loudon Wainwright sang, among other things, his recent song about Donald Trump. It recounts how he had a dream that Donald Trump was elected president and ends by warning us that nightmares sometimes become prophecies. Here's a link to a recording. Loudon said it started as a joke but is becoming more serious by the day. If Hillary Clinton is elected he expects to be okay but should Trump win, he told us, he might be arrested! I wonder! 

After the show we had the usual dilemma about getting back home from Manchester in the late evening. In the end we opted for the last train to Greenfield, hoping that we might be in time for a last bus from there or possibly find a taxi - probably cheaper from there than from Oldham. In the event we were clearly too late for any kind of bus. I asked a taxi driver waiting outside the station if he was free. No, pre-booked for some chap called Ash. As we set off to walk, a voice asked where we were headed. Young Mr Ash, who has a contract booking with the taxi company, was going part way along our route and was prepared to share his taxi with us. So we had paid for our bit of the ride and had a much cheaper taxi after all. The sense of community and general helpfulness has not entirely disappeared from the world! 

The rest of our weekend has been very quiet and tame. Listening to quite a lot of Bob Dylan - probably provoked by his winning the Nobel Prize. Shopping and cooking and walks in the sunshine. 

Yesterday we made the decision to go for a walk as the sun was shining. By the time we set off the clouds were moving in. predictably! But at least we did not get rained on. 

This morning we woke to rain. Well, I didn't realise it was raining until I stepped out of the door to go for my morning run. But I was all sorted for running by then so I just put my hood up and ran anyway. By the time I got back, the rain on the window had woken Phil. A rather inauspicious start to the day all round. 

However, the day improved and this time we set off while the sun was still shining properly and had a windy walk up one of the local hills. 

Another weekend sorted!