Barriers

I spent a really lazy day. The earlier part involved feeding myself and finally getting round to sorting out the after-Gozo mess. Niall, the stalwart host when it comes to Grand Prix get-togethers, had mentioned that his door was open to watch TV coverage of the final race of the season (though without the usual country-themed lunch). I fully intended going over, since the Drivers Championship was still open to be won by either Massa or Hamilton and it's always more fun to watch something like this in company rather than alone, but I just couldn't get my act together and ended up watching it at home alone instead. There was much exchange of telephone calls during the course of the race, though, since ti turned out to be the most nail-biting conclusion to a Formula 1 season that I can ever remember.

I feel terribly sorry for Felipe Massa not to have ended up as Champion. It seemed as he took the chequered flag that he had prevailed, but then Timo Glock failed to control his car in the wet suddenly conditions and Lewis Hamilton got the last-gasp 5th place which was what he needed to take the title. I would much prefer Massa to be Champion than Hamilton. I don't dispute that he's a talented driver, but he's tuning into a nasty bit of work, and I have less and less time for him. Worst of all, of course, is the prospect of the sickening media glorification which is now in store. It's been bad enough before: now it will be insufferable.

Before settling down to watch the race I'd somehow summoned up the interest to take a short trip to the local shops for the usual grocery essentials. That's when I spotted this little lot. Bord Gáis (the Irish gas board) have been busy for the past few weeks upgrading the supply in my neighbourhood and they've been digging holes here there and everywhere. My road was more like a racing circuit series of chicanes than a suburban thoroughfare when we headed for Malta. I have to say that the contractors were as efficient as could be, and it was gratifying to see all the holes neatly filled in and road and footpath surfaces neatly patched when we got back. Every hole was guarded by warning barriers, and I came across a pile of these stacked round the corner on the way to the shops. They looked good in the bright sunshine, so they immediately turned into blip fodder.

I've back-blipped Halloween Superheroes and Handle this, in case anyone's interested.