Monday morning

eclipse1
Originally uploaded by tamaranth.

Last Monday I was lounging in a hammock, 30 yards from thundering surf, watching through sea-mist as the new moon slid in front of the sun: reminded that I am a minuscule life-form on an astronomical body, and that all around me, always, vast objects are dancing and orbiting and rushing through space. Feeling privileged to be an eye, a witness, a creature capable of perceiving this phenomenon. Easy to understand that this is a sacred, a terrible and wonderful thing.

(Does anyone know, by the way, if there's any special significance to an eclipse just before the beginning of Ramadan?)

This Monday, I've been clearing up cat-sick. But it's a lovely sunny morning, the light mellow and almost green, and I'm about to cycle to my yoga class.

Beware of the Wildlife

Last time I came off my bike in London, it was a source of copious amusement for bystanders.

Just now (having swerved to avoid an especially gormless squirrel, and jack-knifed the bike) I was invited indoors to sit down, given a glass of water and some tissues, and generally looked after.

I came off surprisingly lightly: was sure I heard the crunch of breaking bone as my face met the lovely suburban brick road, but nose (never my best feature) is only a little swollen, and not bleeding much. Hideous headache, though, and assorted other aches. Am giving myself the afternoon off job-hunting, which was due to start, er, this afternoon. Sofa + cats + sunshine seems much more tempting.

If you see a squirrel, run it over. From me.

Gaiman, Rushby, dead kittens

Anansi Boys -- Neil Gaiman
Hunting Pirate Heaven -- Kevin Rushby

In other news, my entire head hurts (especially the front): and the ?new RSPCA ad* on TV has made me cry buckets.

Thanks to everyone for sympathies re face/road incident. Much appreciated. Will try not to do it again. (And my last bike accident -- not counting falling off into a puddle that was rather deeper than it looked when I started to ride through it! -- was about 13 years ago: not a bad average, even considering that I didn't ride a bike at all for a decade or so ...)

*sleeping / dead kitten. I don't watch TV very much and hadn't seen it before.