Today the unrelenting gloom developed as the day progressed. The leaden sky became more so, although the temperature was reasonably warm when, this morning
I jammed more than 20 of our garden refuse bags into the Modus, leaving about 10 in our pile.
After lunch, Jackie having secured a half hour slot at the Efford dump, off we drove joyfully to abandon our rubbish, only to be denied entrance because the gatekeeper did not have us on his list. The man was as helpful as he could be, but despite my best negotiation skills, including pleading age and infirmity, all he was able to do was give us a direct telephone number which was perhaps more helpful than the on-line process previously used.
We returned home, had a cry, and I made the call. I did discover what had gone wrong but cannot be bothered to dwell on it. We have to start the process all over once more tomorrow.
The back drive is quite some length, so we unloaded the bags quite near the gate to make them more accessible to the car when we needed to fill it up again.
While I was there I produced a few photographs of the drive before taking a short trip into the now gloomier forest.
For the seven years we have lived here, and no doubt far longer, the scaffolding protecting passing vehicles from the possible collapse of this dilapidated building on a bend along Silver street has been gathering a rich rust patina. It seemed to fit our mood to stop and photograph it. Then we went home.
This evening we dined on spicy pepperoni pizza and plentiful fresh salad with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Fleurie.
Oh my goodness, that dilapidated building looks very distressed indeed. I can imagine your frustration at the dump. Better luck next time. 🙂
🙂 Thank you very much, Sylvia.
There’s nothing like bureaucratic entanglements to add zest to life, eh? I am rather fond of those photos of the dilapidated building. It looks like Nature is doing her best to overcome the effects of human neglect.
Indeed, Linda. Many thanks 🙂
So sorry you didn’t gain entry to the tip, how annoying. I haven’t anything for the tip but I’m building up a plentiful supply for the charity shop. I seem to be having a massive autumn clean and sort out! Getting ready to hibernate!
Thanks very much, Sue. Sorting out is one of the benefits of restrictions.
Red tape! If that dilapidated house was in this country it would have been stripped bare within weeks! Lovely photographs of it though.
Thanks very much, Anne. I can imagine the materials would have come in useful for some.
Sorry for your problems at the dump. That must have been frustrating for sure. I would take a gloomy day if it meant we could get moisture.
I’ll bet you would. We hope for rain, too. Thanks very ,much, Mrs W.
Your welcome
I enjoyed the suitably morose illustrations of the dilapidated building but the garden pictures were remarkably cheerful considering that you had just had to unload your bags again.
Just a little bit to cheer us up. 🙂 Thanks a lot, Tootlepedal
I love dilapidated buildings.
PS The system for depositing rubbish works much better in France
I’m sure our next go will be better, Sheree. Thanks very much.
I’m so sorry it was mission unaccomplished, Derrick. That’s always so frustrating. Perhaps your next trip will be less gloomy and more successful.
It will be, Jill. Many thanks.
😉
Oh darn. Hope your next appointment is soon.
Ah, well! Thanks a lot, Peggy
This does seem like Sisyphus’ labor, I am sorry to say. How much does each of those bags weigh, Derrick? You did get a great weight lifting workout, albeit unexpected.
The hot pink roses are delightful.
The bags are no weight, really – just a bit prickly 🙂 Thanks very much, Dolly.
You are very welcome, Derrick.
oh what a bummer. so sorry, Derrick. and the decaying buildings are so pitiful! on the bright side, the flowers are stunning especially the hot lips salvia and fuchsia! 🙂 🙂
🙂 Thanks very much, Lola. We’ll just have to be patient.
I see familiar booking problems every day at the koala hospital. Visitors book, receive their confirmation only to be told their booking was either cancelled (for various reasons) or they booked the wrong day. The Covid booking system we are using is not easy to decipher and it’s usual us volunteers that have to give the deflating news. Total visitors for the hour is 30. Often people double book. Some double book group bookings leaving us unable to assist covid system errors. Of course visitors are disappointed and we almost cry with them in many situations but then they’re are the disappointed AND the abusive.
I feel your pain, disappointment and even annoyance but I’m sure the man appreciated your patience…albeit it didn’t lead to a successful outcome.
Oh I do despise this Covid-19 pandemic and the roll on problems it creates.
I hope all works out for you soon.
Thank you very much for this, Chrissy. The man and I were very civil to each other and I made it clear I had no problem with him.
We have too many Covid booking systems here in Australia. There’s one where we use mobile phones to take a picture of a abstract picture. Problem is, Samsung phones don’t recognize it, which is a huge problem for us since we both own Samsung phones.
I don’t mind the discussions the disappointed visitors share. I agree entirely with the “only book on line” system. I know many dozens of people who don’t have mobile phones or internet. 🙁
I like the little coffee shops where you just need to leave your name and phone number on a pen and paper list and sanitize hands before entering. Simple 🙂
🙂
Thanks very much, Chrissy. There is a possibility over here that even the coffee shops will be unable to open soon.
We heard that on this evenings news. 🙁
oops. auto speller error. Should read: “but then there are the disappointed AND the abusive”.
So frustrating when you fail to accomplish a task because the system didn’t work as it should have. Hope it all goes smoothly the next trip.
We are ever optimistic, Rosaliene. Thanks very much.
Lots of gloom Derrick, but definitely no doom, tomorrow’s a new bloom
Another poem from your loom, Ivor. Thanks very much.
Nothing like taking a shot
At lightening the load
When the day seems heavy
And gloomy the road
Good job, Ivor!
Thank Jan, and adore your little rhyme..
I liked yours, too!
I do enjoy promoting exchanges like this
Oh dear…that was a disappointment for you, it’s always such a great feeling having got rid of rubbish or recycling. I hope your next try will be successful.
We’ll look each day – none today. Thanks very much, Agnes.
Our tips are like gaining access to Fort Knox. Better luck next time.
It will be. Thanks a lot, Gary.
U doet het toch netjes … Je zou ze de kost moeten geven, die hun tuinafval gewoon ergens langs de kant van de weg, in het bos of voor de deur pleuren … Op de snelweg liggen vuile poep-pampers langs de kant. Het ging zeker stinken in de auto . . . Op parkeerplaatsen kan je je afval in containers dumpen en daar ruim ik ook veel plastic op … Als ik dan roep: “Kan je die plastic-troep voor je poten niet oprapen?!? De hele parkeerplaats schoon maken hoeft niet, dat doe ik wel.” Kijken ze me raar aan, zo van: Wijf wat mot je en zeggen dood leuk: “Het is niet van mij.”
Ik vind wel, als u die moeite neemt, om het netjes weg te brengen … Ik zou gillend gek worden!
Ik heb nog veel meer noten op me zang, maar het hoeft géén roman te worden. Amsterdam, 23 – 9 – 2020,2.25 uur … Hollandse Zomertijd * http://www.friedabblog.wordpress.com * Good night!
Thanks a lot, Frieda
Oh no…and back to it tomorrow! I hope will be the good one!
Thanks very much, Ribana
The woes brought on by the new normal are, well, woeful. At least the structurally unsound building is fenced off so as to at the least discourage trespassing.
Thanks very much, Maj. The building hasn’t shifted during our time.
There’s something fascinating about dilapidated buildings. I’m not sure what it is.
History, textures, colours? Thanks a lot, Liz.
All of the above!
🙂
The fiasco at the refuge centre was ridiculous. It’s beginning to sound like you are in possession of radioactive waste. Sometimes we become victims of our own ‘standard operating procedures’.
That crumbling facade does look gloomy. Any laws to deal with that?
I don’t know the law in this respect, Uma, but I imagine there has been plenty of time to invoke it. We’ll dump the waste eventually. Thanks very much.
How frustrating! I’m sure those bags will get where they need to go eventually. Take good care, you two!
They will. Thanks very much, JoAnna.
Now that was quite the disappointment. Holy cats! Those pictures of falling down things really captures the mood. Hope you have better luck tomorrow.
Still no bookings available today, Laurie. Not to worry. Thanks very much.
Well, rats!
I am sorry you and Jackie went through all that at the refuse center. Wishing you both a better day tomorrow.
The old dilapidated building is both sad and intriguing. I wonder if it is repairable and can be made livable again.
Thanks very much, Lavinia. Today will be better. 🙂 We imagine someone is waiting for eventual development opportunity.
How frustrating! But you know the saying Derrick, “some days, you’re the pigeon, some days you’re the statue”. Just got to roll with the punches these days.
So true, Gwen. I didn’t know the saying. How apt. Thanks a lot.
Some days you’re the dog
Other days you’re the hydrant…
Yup, I know that one!
Another I hadn’t known 🙂
East Midlands News is forever going on about flytippers. One evening it will be “Council make their sponsorship of fly tipping competition official”.
I know that you wouldn’t sling those bags over a hedge on the way back, and neither would I, but there’s a lot of people in Nottinghamshire who would think that they’d tried to follow the official way and not been allowed to, and now it was their own way of disposing of their rubbish!
I imagine so, John. Thanks very much.
I’m sorry to hear about all that you went through at the recycling center. 🙁 And now to have to do a do-over.
If they won’t let you in….again…put all the rubbish in boxes, put colourful bows on the boxes, and set them out on a curb…I’m sure someone will take them. 😉 😀
WOW! That dilapidated building became the subject of some amazing photos! Such history, textures, etc.!!! Beautiful, Derrick! 🙂
HUGS!!! 🙂
What a good idea, Carolyn, my nutty friend 🙂 Thanks very much X
😀
It’s all in the details, eh, Derrick? Some people would call that ‘the spice of life?’
That house looks like it would be rich in re-used wood, what is all the rage in house decorating these days!
No doubt, GP. Thanks very much
Very evocative pictures. I hope your next trip to the dump is more successful.
Thanks very much, Pat
I wish you composting luck! But I live the photos of the old building. Especially those of the roof and shingles and the wee bits of stuff clinging to the edges. They’d make for a nice gallery wall.
Thank you very much, Leslie
Love, not live….
🙂
Ugh, sorry to hear you made the trip for nothing… The weather and your photos illustrated the gloom well. Hang in there – it will get better. When our smoke was finally dispersed by rain, we all cheered! And when the sky finally opened and we saw blue, we just stood there, with big grins on our faces. It WILL get better.
Indeed. Thanks very much, Anna
Sorry you went through all of that Derrick to have to go through it all again…. Yes the weather has turned into its Autumninal mood today…. Bleak, wet and dark here too today Derrick.. A contrast to yesterday as I sat on our swing reading in the Sunshine…
And I am sure your evening meal soon put a smile on your face..
Sending thoughts your way Derrick… 🙂
Thank you so much, Sue
Reminded me of that old joke – How do you get 4 elephants in a Mini? – two in the front and two in the back! Rubbish joke!
My brother Chris, his friend and I, all 6’2″ or 6’3″ caused amusement when the three of us peeled out of friend Mike’s mini. Thanks a lot, Andrew.
You could have got 10 of me in there!
🙂
I’m sorry you had the distress of filling your car up to be turned away. Good luck for tomorrow. I think it is must be hard for some readers to imagine the dancing around involved in recycling / rubbish here. In Mississippi, they put everything out on the kerb twice a week. And I mean everything. There might be three dozen bags of leaves. I fully support recycling but in my area, the system is not fit for purpose and it drives me wild.
Thanks very much, Susan.
Your blog was so apt for my reading today, Derrick. I had just finished writing a poem titled, “If I Die This Afternoon.” Hah! May as well add to the gloom!
🙂
Thanks very much, as always, Jan
Bad news about the rubbish removal.
Thanks very much, Lindsey. We have a new booking slot on 1st October.