After a nastily monotonous day at work and a divine cycle through York's rush hour streets, Daniel and I went to the Yorkshire Terrier's spoken word night. It was unusual but comfortable. Often I feel quite awkward in these places, but that was impossible here, maybe for the wrong reasons! We listened to Irish folklore told to a drum-beat, poems of the Yorkshire Wolds, and one poet comparing his "literary cock" to Camus' "absurd cock". It was absorbing, but we wanted alcohol and chat, and so we exited discretely when the opportunity arose.
Today I woke up too early - one of my favourite ways to start the day, as a matter of fact! Again the weather is amazing, and it filled me up with sunshine and energy. I arrived at Morrison's shortly after opening (I've started to compete with myself - how early can I get there this week? Today's effort is the reigning arrival time) and went mad in the fruit and veg section, plenishing my trolley with so many different colours and shapes in an effort to reflect my current delight in September.
I chose to buy a pear purely for it's aesthetic attributes. And figs that felt they would burst in my hand!
I made a trip into town for the mundane necessary tasks of the week - namely cheques and envelopes. But I couldn't resist the BOGOF offer in Borders. No no no. I had promised myself: no more books until I've read all the ones I already have. So I bought Ulysees, as I have been meaning to read it for ages (and will continue to mean to read it for ages to come, no doubt!), and some short stories by Oscar Wilde. The cover of the Wilde book is gorgeous, I am impartial to a red-headed woman, and I think this image may be ordered to hang on my wall.
It's from a story titled A House of Pomegranates, which sounds no less than magical and well-suited to my tastes! I also purchased The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Coleridge, as I have been meaning to buy it for a while. I fell in love with Kuble Khan while watching Pandemonium (a film about the crazy times of Wordsworth and Coleridge from the BBC - highly recommended when taken lightly), and have been chanting it outloud to myself this afternoon. The images it conjures aren't yet clear enough in my head, and I enjoy this mystery!
Frivolous spending continued when I spotted some beautiful dahlias at the flower market outside Borders. I love walking through town holding a bunch of flowers; it made me think of Mrs Dalloway. They are sitting in a vase on my table, observing me and my day in a very dignified manner, I must say.
On today's run I inadvertently found myself taking part in an army training exercise. Running accross Walmgate Stray, I heard some fast steps sprinting up behind me, and then a swift officer in khaki sped past. Not long afterwards, more steps were heard, and I realised that there was some training taking place. Not wanting to appear slow and inept around a herd of fit (they were fit) men, I picked up the pace a little. Looking back, there was a line of perfectly-spaced army officers running along behind me, with me leading the exercise at the front! When I reached the head officer man, shouting orders about speeding up and whatnot, I was quite tempted to continue with the exercise (especially after spotting a rather lovely dark-haired man sporting a black beret). Anyway, while giggling to myself on the last leg I came head-to-mouth with a rather beefy fly. Gross.
No comments:
Post a Comment