The Beast With Two Backs

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Another pleasantly sunny morning gave way to a more overcast afternoon. Much of my day was spent in boring administrative tasks involving banking, form-filling, posting letters, sorting out a computer problem, paying a fixed penalty speeding fine, and finalising and paying for our funeral plans, and exchanging for sterling euros I had kept in a pot for four years. I therefore welcomed a drive out, taking in Brockenhurst, Beaulieu and Lepe.

Several of the forest pools are now foaming with water buttercups.

A virtually deserted Lepe beach was the scene of what I took to be sea defence works of some kind. Apart from a digger on the shingle, much of the equipment seemed to be on larger moored craft with smaller boats engaged in some kind of exploratory activity. Ferry boats and yachts crossed the scene as usual; a daredevil wind surfer delighted in taking to the air; a more upright water skier took advantage of the brisk breeze, and a black dog played fetch with a ball; all against the backdrop of the Isle of Wight.

As we left the car park we were careful not to disturb a beast with two backs.

We stopped off at Milford on Sea to purchase some Mr Pink’s fish and chips to accompany our pickled onions for our dinner at home.

 

47 comments

  1. It seems like much of the stuff of life was contained in your morning activities Derrick – I’m sure the fresh air would have revived you though – and of course fish’n’chips is always a winner after a long hard slog at the admin!!

      1. Because we drive too fast Derrick!

        I have had a number of speeding fines but I have been clear now since my last sneaky capture in Aberystwyth in Wales in 2011. I remain convinced that I was targeted because of an English registration plate but maybe I am just paranoid.

        What really annoys me is that Kim drives like a crazy person and has never once been trapped. Life is such a lottery!

  2. Ugh – your morning sounds like my very least favorite kind of day… Glad you rewarded yourself afterwards – you had TOTALLY earned it. I bet it felt great to get all that paper work done!

  3. We have managed to complicate the blandest and most mundane affairs of the society we are a part of. No wonder the urge to abdicate the matrix is so strong in some of us. The ‘beast with two backs’ is a serendipitous capture.

  4. Missed it first time around, Derrick, but I have now found the reason for your Othello title. I thought at first it related to that fascinating photograph of the dog (is that a yellow ball in its mouth?), fronted by the ‘dragon-backed’ creature (the spines of the weathered beach groyne).

  5. I’ve never seen water buttercups either. The first part of your day sounded a bit tedious, but the second part made up for it. In my books, fish and chips are always a winner, and who can resist a beat with two backs?

  6. That poor dog swimming in that nasty looking sea to get his ball back, the owner should have been thrown in after him.
    Must admit that the dog seems to be enjoying himself though.

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