On the trail of the mystic scaup ...

.... which, for those of you not in the know (yes, that did include me at the start of today), is much like a tufted duck but without the tuft and with a grey back. Hmm, that probably doesn't help you much either, does it? Sorry ...

To ease the pain, here's this morning's meditation:

Meditation 83

God speaks
from above the Covenant Box,
somewhere between
the angels.

You can’t see him,
but you feel his weight
on your shoulders
like the deep enduring sky.

Sadly we didn't find the scaup during our day's outing to Titchfield Haven, though we did manage to spot plenty of those dang tufted ducks, plus a million and one black-headed gulls, not to mention shovelers, teal, black-tailed godwit, the odd curlew and this year's new bird (hurrah!) the buzzard. Great stuff. We also remembered not to eat at the cafe (it's rubbish ...) and took our own lunch, which included chocolate chip cookies from Budgen's. To die for indeed.

And, talking of death, we were much amused to be following a company car on our journey down which bore the legend "Paranormal Investigations". Yes!! That is sooo absolutely and perfectly the company I want to work for. Sadly they didn't have a ghost-busters' logo on the side and in fact the whole thing was very subtle. Also sadly there was no website, but only a phone number which I can no longer remember. Sigh. But ah I long to be their receptionist. It would somehow bring to fruition all those Dennis Wheatley novels I read in my teenage years ... Not to mention that it's given me quite a sparky idea for a story or two, so I'll have to let that one bubble under for a while for sure.

Mind you, I'm obviously pretty confused at the moment, as I thought it was yesterday when I couldn't understand what TV was on, but in fact it's tonight. Yesterday was fine - QI followed by Not Going Out, and everyone's happy. It's tonight I can't get my head round. Where on earth do the days go? Ooh, and the daffodils are most definitely out down south - which is lovely to see. So much so that it's inspired me to buy a plant in Waitrose on the way home tonight. It's a pink begonia which I've christened Betty. I fear for her safety though as it's well known amongst the leisured classed that I am a serial killer of plants. If anyone has any begonia advice or tips, please do let me know before Betty breathes her last ...

Today's nice things:

1. Poetry
2. Birds
3. Paranormal investigators
4. Plants.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website - the scourge of all begonias, everywhere ...