This World, This Life

Well, this is turning into a rum old year. If I had made any, my New Year's Resolutions would have largely been shot to hell by now, as they would have included exercising more, losing more weight (and boy, do I need to!), publishing my book and progressing the other two projects in hand (that's the memoir and the travel book), and re-jigging the ten year old and fading Around The World In 80 Expense Claims  blog (this last on the basis that retirees aren't known for submitting the things). I managed to do that, at least, and you're reading the results.  I'm pleased with the way This World, This Life looks, but it's struggling to be honest.  I don't think the writing is particularly bad and the increase in pictorial content make it look fresher, and in any case I'm not after a Pullitzer (or whatever the blogging equivalent is).  It's basically a hobby for me that I hope(d) would entertain other people too. The problem is, while the old one ...

It's a Tuesday in June.  So far, summer has been nothing to write about: the typical Warsaw late spring, early summer heat and clear blue skies have been few and far between.  Instead of the odd cloudburst at the end of a muggy day, we have suffered fairly persistent rainy days throughout May and into this month.  For once, England has seen better weather than here. But today, it's been better.  Yesterday was better still, with a temperature close to 30C, but today's 27C has been fine, mostly blue skies but with cloud bubbling up now and then.  Right now, it's close to 11 in the evening, and the temperature is cooling steadily (but still a comfortable 21C).  The clouds have mostly cleared away, and there is not a breath of wind.  It's a quiet, still evening. I'm sitting in my rocker on my 5th floor balcony, surrounded by potted plants and scented candles, blazing away.   The shared courtyard garden is deserted but in full bloom, a...