Isabel Rogers

Look at us getting prepared.

Last year I had to drive an 80-mile round trip for mine. This year a nearer pharmacy has started doing it, but I'm still not eligible on NHS. Very aware I'm fortunate to be able to get one anyway.

England is now experiencing a significant Covid wave, after 10 months of relative quiet The latest Covid situation in England and a look at where NHS services are as we head into winter

After a long pause, I've just done another England Covid & NHS update as we head into the autumn/winter season.

TLDR: we're in a significant Covid wave now, the NHS is stretched, get boosted if you're eligible.

christinapagel.substack.com/p/england-is...

That's me all jabbed up for covid: ninety quid and probably feeling rough all weekend but I'm thanking brainy scientists for inventing it. Just wish the NHS covered more people though.

*reclines on fainting couch for weekend*

exactly all of this. I'm not religious but Francis and Leo seem to be good at it.

They were used to me being close to the feeder as I pottered about, and it kind of went on from there.

Doomed to be a pleb then. ah well

coal tit mid-takeoff from my hand (holding seeds), wings outstretched, flight feathers unfurled

Coal tit startled away from a snack, by another coal tit. Looks sunny but this was only last week.

It's mainly me resting my phone somewhere comfy and pressing the button a lot. While trying to tell Zig not to eat all the dropped seeds.

Do I have to grow my hair long?

It has an ending with less jeopardy in the next post!

Underling on my arm (covered in green jumper), watching other coal tit select its seed

Other coal tit has big fat sunflower seed in its beak. Underling has hopped forward to my cuff, but still on jumper

Underling reaches forward and snaffles seed. PHEW. This all took about two seconds. It's all go

5) damn it. I'll just stand on this green hedge thing and wait for my turn
6) right, you've got yours. Creep forward 3...2...1
7) at last

fin

my hand holding sunflower seeds throughout dominant coal tit currently eating on my palm. we can just see the head of Underling peeping over the ends of my fingers, which it is gripping from the underneath, having landed upsidedown on a black ops mission

Underling's shoulders now visible, while dominant finishes choosing seed

Dominant gone. Underling looks hungrily at seed on now hand empty of birds

Underling midflight as it was aiming for the seed but (out of shot) another dominant is coming in to land. It's all feathers and feet and confusion

Today in Coal Tit Adventures, a plucky underling's story in 7 parts:
1) approach from underside for stealth
2) peep higher to scope out sitch
3) all clear?
4) yes! the seed is MINE WHOA NOPE NOPE INCOMING ABORT GO TO SAFE HUMAN HEDGE

YESSSSS. Changed my life completely

*snort* I'm guessing (could be wrong) you're talking prose. Now imagine editing some poets. lawks

So many times. And the only two writers who have ever told me they don’t like being edited were a) men b) assholes and c) wrong.

I can only imagine the conversation he was having at his dream cocktail party. He was definitely being snarky about someone.

*nibbles* hmm doesn't taste right but I'll put it in anyway

Yes, that's true. And the crumbly lintel is in a different place - haven't heard about that yet. It could well be worse than I even know. BUT foundations dug for extension so that is kind of exciting.

There is nothing more adorable. NOTHING

I'm going to need all the upbeat anecdotes I can muster, after today... (saggy section of wall needs to be taken down completely and rebuilt)

BREAKING

In a new video, Dolly Parton, the Queen of America, says she’s going to be ok.

We get all sorts.

Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.

Jesse from The Fast Show emerging from his shack, tousled long grey hair awry, trousers held up with baling twine, wellies with turndowns, rumpled open neck shirt under a filthy padded jacket

I occasionally pass a house with a permanent front garden display: astroturf, double swing seat, two life-size mannequins dressed according to the season, surrounded by about a million flowerpots. That does not convey how creepily disturbing it is.

Today the owner was there too. Did NOT disappoint.

have a little lie down

Best to clarify. Wouldn't want to set an error-strewn Tony rumour loose.

oh yes indeed

low sunlight over field with rough reedy patches and birches and conifers across the burn on the hill. Distant hill a perfect shallow cone. Clouds swirl overhead but the sun shines in from the west through a clear patch. Greens and golds and browns and all autumnal colours PUT THEM STRAIGHT INTO MY VEINS

closer view of the turning birches on the near hill, which when I took the pic were flickering in the breeze

this light, man

(not even any pano shot or filter - this is how it bloody looks)

!!!