I live in Uckfield, Sussex with my Mother. I am 52 years old. I am single. I work as a training consultant. This wasn't a typical day because I am having a few days off. Usually I work in Birmingham or at home.
I happened to have a day off on 12th May. |
5:30am
|
Woke
up. Checked phone for updates. Drew curtains to gentle sunshine, cooing of
pigeons.
|
5:45
am
|
Switched
on WiFi. Fired up laptop. Checked Twitter, Facebook and email.
|
6:07
am
|
Updating
my todo list, held in a spreadsheet.
|
6:25am
|
Sorting
my photos from yesterday's visit to Boothland Wood, Uckfield.
|
6:35am
|
Mother's
emerged. Retreating to bed with cup of tea, biscuits, Sussex Express and
laptop.
|
7:00am
|
Radio
news (BBC 4). EU regs on conservation being "reviewed"; more people
my age having strokes :-/
|
7:05am
|
Check
items @UckfieldNews to find out what is happening locally. Includes change to
train times; scarecrow competition. Uckfield News is an ultra local news
service with website, Facebook and Twitter.
This sort of news is becoming very important. The people running the
service often send personal messages with useful items.
|
7:15am
|
Checked
weather on met office web site. Says it will be a bit dull this morning,
sunnier this afternoon.
|
7:25am
|
Recorded
nature sightings from Boothland Wood visit on iRecord.
|
7:50am
|
Recorded
wildlife observations from Bushnell Trail camera in spreadsheet.
|
8:42am
|
Went
to get paper from Tesco Express. No Guardians. Met town councillor who was
busy untangling notice board
|
8:44am
|
Diverted
to town and got Guardian and Radio Times from independent newsagent at top of
town. Heard the screams of swifts.
|
9:05am
|
Have
flicked through paper. Incensed at the vitriol towards fallen leaders. David
Milliband/David Steel, the worst offenders. Giggled at the return of John
Major style pants (on David Cameron) in Steve Bell. Reminded that satire
comes from punching upwards. Nice article on the success on English Sparkling
wines are doing well. We quite often have Surry/Sussex/Kent wine.
|
9:29am
|
Flicked
through Radio Times. Like the look of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.
Enjoyed phrase "welter of weirdness"
|
9:40am
|
Got
ready to go out. Packed everything in camera bag, cleaned teeth and put
laptop away.
|
10am
|
Mother
and I got into my 11-year old Volkswagen Polo and went to Ashdown forest,
about 20 minutes drive from home.
|
10:20am
|
Stopped
at Millbank car park, joining one other car and 2 HGVs nearby. We went to the
wood immediately next to the car park to see the bluebells. We also saw
unfurling ferns, bright green beech leaves, crab apple trees a (probable)
badger set and much more. We met a woman riding a horse, accompanied by a
black retriever. She asked if we were taking pictures of the birds and I said
I was taking pictures of the bluebells.
|
11am
|
We
drove up to the Ashdown Llama Park. We bought 2 tickets for approx. £11 and
spent an enjoyable hour and a half looking at the animals in the park:
llamas, alpacas, horses, chickens, pigs and sheep. There were also wild birds
such as pied wagtail and swallows.
|
12:45pm
|
We
went to the restaurant for lunch. Mum had carrot and coriander soup. I had
sausage, egg and chips with an apple juice. Total cost was £11.75. About a dozen people came in while we were
waiting. Mostly older, but one youngish couple. Mum, as always, tidied the
table before leaving and the woman sitting at the next table commented. They
went on to talk about the weather.
|
1:30pm
|
Mum
bought some cards and fudge from the shop. When we were leaving, I almost
fell over a pair of mating peacocks. There were 2 males and 3 females. The
male, who had been mating, displayed his tail for long enough for me to get a
photo.
|
1:40pm
|
Drove
back through the forest. Two deer crossed the road in front of the car. I
slowed but didn’t have to brake hard. There are many accidents caused by deer
in our area.
|
2:00pm
|
Got
home, put car back in the garage, put kettle on for tea, checked Twitter,
Facebook and email.
|
3:05pm
|
Sorted
photos from the day’s outing and chose some to put on Facebook and Twitter.
|
4:54pm
|
Received
email with agenda and other documents for Neighbourhood Plan meeting. The idea of the Neighbourhood Plan is to
give local people a chance to decide where development should be in the town,
what should be preserved and what should be changed. Printed and browsed through documents.
|
6:25pm
|
Had
tea comprising beef bourguignon (from chilled packet) and some Denbies
sparkling wine.
|
8pm
|
Cleared
up some Neighbourhood Plan items – sending emails etc.
|
9:30pm
|
Had
hot chocolate drink and started typing up these notes.
|
11pm
|
Bed.
|
I found this very interesting to do and the experience was enlivened by some great people, who live tweeted their mass observation using #12May15. It was humbling to get insight into other lives.