Tuesday January 7 2020

07:30 I wake Lois up with a cup of tea in bed - she has an appointment at 9:30 with her chiropodist: for a few weeks she has been suffering from a corn between her toes, which hurts her when she's out walking or that kind of thing.

09:30 We drive over to Bishop's Cleeve. Lois checks in at the town's "Village Clinic" while I go into Lowry’s cafe next door. It is relatively early and it is nice to see the café empty: the old crows of the area have not yet appeared. Old crows are certainly a real nuisance - and they ruin things for all of us other old crows, Lois and I usually say. good grief, what a crazy world we live in !!!!

Currently, I am the only customer in the café - I grab the "good" couch on the ground floor and order a cup of coffee and a piece of Victoria sponge cake - yum yum!

09:45 The area’s old crows begin to turn up one by one, or in pairs, but fortunately most of them clatter up the stairs to the first floor, thank goodness. Good grief, what madness !!!!

10:15 Lois joins me after her appointment and we order another 2 cups of coffee and another 2 pieces of cake.

Lois comes in the cafe and we enjoy two more cups of coffee

and two more pieces of sponge cake on the cafe's "good" sofa - yum yum!

She's quite happy with her chiropodist’s  treatment - he told her she had "unusually supple and flexible toes," which was nice. A bit of a shame that it is now far too late to take advantage of this talent in her career, in show business or in any other fields, I have to say haha !!!

11:00 We come home and I take a look at my smartphone. I see Morten Ingemann's latest cartoon, and I get a bit of a shock, to put it mildly.

Morten Ingemann, my favourite Danish cartoonist

Ingemann is my favourite cartoonist - no doubt about it. He is particularly interested in ugly, obese, middle-aged or older people, the kind of people that most cartoonists rarely pay attention to.

He knows all too well that middle-aged or older people tend to be interested in family history, family trees and the like, and talk incessantly about their ancestors. But it is also true that even the young can sometimes become really proud of their ancestors' abilities and accomplishments, as a result of what they pick  up from their parents, which is nice.

In today's cartoon, we see a little boy boasting to his buddy that his great-grandfather knew all too well that the Titanic was going to sink - and not only that, but also his great-grandfather desperately tried to warn everyone about what was going to happen.

Titanic passengers stroll past the ship's lifeboats

shortly before the ship went down, circa 10-14th April 1912.

My goodness - what a man he was, that little boy's great-grandfather! And I talk to Lois a little bit about all the Hebrew prophets who tried to warn the children of Israel of various imminent disasters, although without much success. And often those prophets were just yelled at, instead of being thanked, which was a bit ironic, to put it mildly.

In Ingemann's comic strip today, the little boy's buddy reacts with amazement at the old man's prediction, and he asks the first boy what happened next. And it turned out that unfortunately the old man was "thrown out of the cinema", which was a bit harsh, Lois and I think. But that's just how modern life is today - no doubt about that!

12:30 We have lunch and afterwards I go to bed and take a gigantic afternoon nap. I get up at 4 pm and we relax with a cup of tea and a piece of Christmas cake - yum yum! My first taste of Christmas cake, since Daria, my lovely Romanian dentist pulled out one of my top teeth 5 days ago.

Daria, the Romanian dentist with the good, relaxed conversation skills

and the charming smile, pictured here with a typical clinic patient

17:00 I sit down with the computer and read another 4 pages of Anna Grue's Danish crime novel, "The Further You Fall", which is our U3A Danish group's current project.

We are all old crows in our group, so I also compile vocabulary lists for each page to save our members from having to look up the more difficult words in their dictionaries - they all unfortunately have very poor short-term memories, to put it mildly. Good grief, what madness !!!

Anna Grue's Danish crime novel, which is

our U3A Danish group's current project.

Two roomies, Lilliana and Sally, have been killed in two separate murders, roughly at the same time, but by two different murderers, which is weird. Lilliana, a cleaning assistant, gets garrotted in the evening at the advertising agency where she worked.

Sally, however, was murdered somewhere out in the wilds. Her body was dumped on a deserted beach located just outside the city. She was a Nigerian prostitute and the local police have so far been at a loss as to why and how she disappeared - there did not seem to be a single clue to her murder.

Today, for the first time, local police are hearing news of a possible trail to follow. A local man, a locally well-known "weirdo" and alcoholic, saw a black woman being stuffed by a man into the boot of a blue passenger car - the man had to force her into the trunk, according to the witness: the woman was totally unwilling, which sounds totally plausible. Who would choose to be stuffed in a car boot ha ha ha!

part of a comparable police reconstruction photo,

depicting this kind of incident

18:00 We have dinner and then spend the rest of the evening watching some television, the first episode of a new series of "New Lives In The Wild" - the programme's host is the charming Ben Fogle.

An interesting episode, and especially fascinating to Lois and me, because it is about an area that we have been reading about, as members of Scilla's U3A Old Nordic group, in the old medieval Icelandic sagas. 

The group's current project is Njal's saga, which is about a massive feud in the 900’s that was started after two women, Hallgerd and Bergthora, quarrelled over the seating plan for a wedding reception.

Flashback to the 10th century: Hallgerd and Bergthora's feud initially originated

from an unexpected brawl that broke out over the seating plan for a wedding reception

timeline for the 3 most important events that took place

in this part of Iceland over the centuries

Tonight, Ben Fogle’s host is a man named Hákon, an ex-carpenter and independent businessman from Reykjavik, who gave up his previously stressful lifestyle to live on a deserted island in the middle of a glacial Icelandic river, alone for most of the year, with occasional guests coming and staying in one of his "yurts" - large dome-shaped tents covered with felt or fur, traditionally used as transportable housing by nomadic people on Central Asia's steppes.

Hákons island, with Hákon’s house and “yurts”

Hákon had become an alcoholic before deciding to move to the island. He eventually became a total abstainer, first and foremost because he suddenly realised how much extra time it gave him.

He is proud that the piece of land he cultivates on his island has been tilled for over 1000 years. And like Prince Charles, he believes that plants grow better if you talk to them every day.

We see Hákon and Ben climb Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano that erupted in 2010 and caused massive problems for flight trips in 2010.

And we see Hákon catch a massive trout in the river - and the two men eat it raw, with a little bit of soy sauce - yikes !!!

Lois and I cannot “read” Hákon 100% to our own satisfaction. He's not a hermit - he says he likes to feel he could fly off to Paris, at the drop of a hat, to enjoy a cup of coffee at a pavement café.

And he has some friends in "the neighbourhood" - we meet Aran and Lilja, two of Hákon's old friends. To Lois's and my surprise, Lilja is a total extrovert:  and we haven’t the faintest idea how Aran keeps her satisfied (if he does). She must surely be reduced to climbing the walls during the long winters - my goodness !!!! 

You can't tell us Lilja doesn’t drink ha ha ha!

 (from left to right) Håkon, Aaron and Lilja

photo from the old days when Håkon was not yet a teetotaller

at a bar in Rejkjavik with Lilja

My god, what a crazy world we live in !!!!

22:00 We go to bed - I read about 20 pages of my bedtime book before drifting off to sleep - zzzzzz !!!!

Danish translation:  tirsdag den 7. januar 2020

07:30 Jeg vækker Lois med en kop te i sengen – hun har en aftale kl 9:30 hos sin fodterapeut: hun har i nogle uger lidt af en ligtorn mellem tæerne, som gør hende ondt, når hun er ude på gåtur eller den slags.

09:30 Vi kører over til Bishops Cleeve. Lois tjekker ind hos byens ”Village Clinic”, mens jeg går ind i Lowrys-caféen ved siden af. Det er forholdsvis tidligt, og det er rart at se caféen mennesketom: områdets gamle krager er ikke dukket op endnu. Gamle krager er sikke nogle gener – og de ødelægger tingene for alle os andre gamle krager, plejer Lois og jeg at sige. Du godeste, sikke en skør verden vi lever i !!!!

For øjeblikket er jeg caféens eneste gæst - jeg snupper den ”gode” sofa i stueetagen og bestiller en kop kaffe og et stykke Victoria sukkerbrødskage – yum yum!

09:45 Områdets gamle krager begynder at dukke op én efter én, eller parvist, men heldigvis buldrer de fleste af dem op ad trappen til den 1. sal, gudskelov. Du godeste, sikke et vanvid!!!!

10:15 Lois slutter sig til mig efter sin aftale og vi bestiller endnu 2 kopper kaffe og endnu 2 stykker kage.

Lois kommer ind i caféen og vi nyder endnu to kopper kaffe

og endnu to stykker sukkerbrødskage på caféens ”gode” sofa – yum yum!

Hun er helt tilfreds med sin fodterapeuts behandling – han fortalte hende, hun havde ”usædvanligt smidige og fleksible tæer”, hvilket var rart. Lidt af en skam, at det måske nu er for sent til at udnytte denne talent i showbusiness eller andre felte – det må jeg nok sige ha ha !!!

11:00 Vi kommer hjem og jeg kigger lidt på min smartphone. Jeg ser Morten Ingemanns seneste tegneserie, og jeg får lidt af en chok, for at sige mildt.

danske Morten Ingemann, min yndlingsbladtegner

Ingemann er min yndlingsbladtegner  – ingen tvivl om det. Han interesserer sig især for grimme, overvægtige, midaldrende eller ældre folk, de slags mennesker, som de fleste bladtegnere sjældent giver opmærksomhed til.

Han ved godt, at midaldrende eller ældre folk har tendens til at interessere sig for familiehistorie, familietræer og den slags, og snakke ustandseligt om deres forfædre. Men det er også sandt, at selv de unge sommetider kan komme til at blive rigtig stolte af deres forfædres evner og bedrifter, som resultat af det, de hører, hvilket er rart.

I dagens tegneserie ser vi en lille dreng, der praler over for sin kammerat med, at hans oldefar vidste udmærket godt, at Titanic ville synke – og at oven i købet  prøvede han desperat at advare alle om, hvad der vil ske.

Titanic-passagerer spankulerer forbi skibets ombord redningsbåde

kort før skibet gik ned. Cirka 10.-14. April 1912.

Du godeste – sikke en mand han var, den lille drengs oldefar!  Og jeg snakker lidt med Lois om de alle de hebraiske profeter, der prøvede at advare Israels børn om forskellige overhængende katastrofer, men uden succés. Og ofte blev de der profeter bare skældt ud i stedet for, at blive takket, hvilket var lidt ironisk, for at sige mildt.

I Ingemanns tegnestribeserie reagerer den lille drengs kammerat med forbløffelse over den gammel mands forudsigelse, og han spørger den første dren, om hvad der så skete. Og det viste sig, at den gamle mand desværre blev "smidt ud af biffen", hvilket var lidt barsk, synes Lois og jeg. Men sådan er det moderne liv - ingen tvivl om det! 

12:30 Vi spiser frokost og bagefter går jeg i seng for at tage en gigantisk eftermiddagslur. Jeg står op kl 16 og vi slapper af med en kop te og et stykke julekage – yum yum! Min første smag af julekage, siden Daria, min dejlige rumanske tandlæge for 5 dage siden trak én af mine øverste tænder ud.

Daria, den rumanske tandlæge med de gode, afslappede samtalefærdigheder

og det charmerende smil, afbildet her sammen med en typisk klinikpatient

17:00 Jeg sætter mig med computeren og læser endu 4 sider af Anna Grues danske krimiroman, ”Dybt at falde”, som er vores U3A danske gruppes nuværende projekt.

Vi er alle gamle krager, så udfærdiger jeg også ordforrådslister til hver side, for at spare vores medlemmer for at måtte slå de sværere ord op i deres ordbøger – de har alle desværre meget dårlige korttidshukommelser, for at sige mildt. Du godeste, sikke et vanvid!!!

Anna Grues danske krimiroman, som er

vores U3A danske gruppes nuværende projekt.

To roomies, Lilliana og Sally, er blevet dræbti to adskilte mord, men i grove træk på samme tid, men af forskellige myrdere, hvilket er underligt. Lilliana, en rengøringsassistent bliver garrotteret om aftenen i reklamebureauet, hvor hun arbejdede.

Sally blev myrdet et eller andet sted ude i naturen. Hendes lig blev dumpet på en øde strand, der ligger lidt uden for byen. Hun var en nigeriansk prostituerende, og det lokale politi har hidtil været på bar bund om, hvorfor og hvordan hun forsvandt – der virkede ikke at være et enkelt spor om hendes mord.

I dag for første gange hører det lokale politi nyhed om et muligt spor. En lokal ”original” og alkoholiker, så en sort kvinde blive proppet af en mand ind i bagagerummet af en blå personbil  - manden måtte tvinge hende ind i bagagerummet, ifølge vidnet:  kvinden var totalt uvillig, hvilket lyder total plausibelt. Hvem ville vælge at blive proppet i et bagagerum ha ha ha!

en del af et forligneligt politirekonsstruktionsfoto,

der skildrer denne slags hændelse

18:00 Vi spiser aftensmad og derefter bruger resten af aftenen på at se lidt fjernsyn, det første afsnit i en n serie af ”New Lives In The Wild” – programmets vært er den charmerende Ben Fogle.

Et interessant afsnit, og især fascinerende for Lois og mig, fordi det handler om en omegn, som vi har været i gang med at læse om, som medlemmer af Scillas U3A oldnordiske gruppe, i de gamle middelalderlige islandske sagaer. Gruppens nuværende projekt er Njals saga, der handler om en massiv fejde i 900-tallet, der blev startet efter to kvinder, Hallgerd og Bergthora, skændtes over bordplanen til en bryllupsreception.

tilbageblik til 900-tallet: Hallgerd og Bergthoras fejde stammede oprindeligt

fra en uforventet slagsmål, der brød ud over bordplanen til en bryllupsreception

tidslinje til de vigtisgste begivenheder, der fandt sted i denne del af Island

gennem århundrederne

I aften er Ben Fogles vært en mand ved navn Hákon,  en eks-snedker og selvstændig forretningsmand fra Reykjavik, der opgav sin tidligere stresserende livstil,  for at bo på en øde ø midt i en islandske flod, helt alene for det meste af året, med lejlighedsvise gæster, der kommer og opholder sig i én eller anden af hans ”jurter” - stort kuppelformet telte beklædte med filt eller skind, traditionelt brugte som transportabel boliger af nomadefolk på Centralasiens stepper.

Hákons ø

Hákon var blevet alkoholiker, før han besluttede at flytte til øen. Han blev efterhånden til afholdsmenneske først og fremmest, fordi han pludselig blev klar over, hvor meget ekstra tid det gav ham.

Han er stolt af, at det stykke land, han dyrker på sin ø, er blevet dyrket i over 1000 år. Og ligesom Prins Charles, tror han på, at planter gror bedre, hvis man hver dag taler med dem.

Vi ser Hákon og Ben klatre Eyjafjallajökull, den vulkan der udbrød i 2010 og voldede massive problemer for flyveture i 2010.

Og vi ser Hákon fange en massiv ørred i floden – og de to mænd spiser den rå, med en lille smule soysauce – yikes!!!

Lois og jeg kan ikke analysere Hákon 100% til vores egen tilfredsstillelse. Han er ikke eremit – han siger, han kan lide at føle, at han på en slip af en hat kunne flyve af sted til Paris og nyde en kop kaffe på en fortovscafé.

 Og han har nogle venner i ”nabolaget” – vi møder Aran og Lilja, to af Hákons gamle venner. Til Lois’ og min overraskelse er Lilja en total ekstrovert:  vi har ikke den fjerneste anelse om, hvordan Aran holder hende tilfredsstillet (hvis han gør). Hun må helt bestemt blive reduceret til at klatre op væggene under den lange vinter – du godeste!!!! Du kan ikke bilde os ind, at Lilja ikke drikker ha ha ha!

(fra venstre til højre) Håkon, Aron og Lilja

foto fra de gamle dage, da Håkon ikke endnu var afholdsmenneske

på en bar i Rejkjavik sammen med Lilja

Du godeste, sikke en skør verden vi lever i !!!!

22:00 Vi går i seng – jeg læser omkring 20 sider af min sengetidbog, før jeg glider over i søvnen – zzzzzz!!!!