Unplugged

Somehow didn't sleep too well and after being up at 5:00 am for a while, I lay down again later and fell asleep until 10:00 am. There followed a hectic dash to get to my GP by 11:00 am closing time.

Just managed it and was quickly seen to with only a 5-minute wait. The eye streaming may have been some kind of allergy even though it didn't really react positively to allergy eye drops or pills but it is now at least an infection and I have been given some new eye ointment to squeeze in. The blocked eardrum was really irritating me last night and when doc took a look, he said it was indeed blocked. There followed a very disturbing quick wash out with some warm liquid. Doc showed me the contents that came out! I looked away quickly somewhat embarrassed and all Blipers will be pleased I didn't photograph it. My bees would have been impressed though.

It was a wonderful relief to walk back to the car and hear properly. I ought not to publicize the fact as it's very useful to be able to claim one didn't hear the odd command.

Picking up the prescription at the local chemists in Erkheim, I took the Blip of the river "East Günz" that has two arms that run through the village. Despite the heavy rain yesterday there was no flooding around here. The East Günz also runs through our parish and has been the cause of several largescale flooding. The water board and most villages and parishes along the river had agreed to new flood defence measures but it was all put into question by a referendum held in Erkheim which voted against it. Seemingly most of the village inhabitants are not themselves in danger and in an unusual display of "dis-solidarity" disunity, left their fellow citizens at the mercy of the elements.

I am not sure exactly what the state of play is as the parish council is only bound by the referendum for five years and that time must now be up. The water board has published its plan again this week on the web so maybe there has been some rethinking. I haven't had the time to read through the documents.

Our house is indirectly affected by both the East and West Günz (which flows through Ottobeuren) as when they are full, our local stream and river can't cope and floods. So it is in all our interests that action is taken. And of course all the others further down the system such as the village of "Egg on the Günz" (seriously) the village where the East & West arms meet before flowing to "Günzburg" (Legoland Germany) and there into the Danube where all the really big dramatic flooding happens in such places as Passau and all the way down to the Black Sea.

Like so many things going on around us in the world, looking at things purely from a selfish insular perspective is both stupid and ultímately will have it's cost to us all.

(One negative part of being able to hear again was the awful sound of the parish council workers who were strimming the banks of the river very close to where I was standing. Actually reminds me I need to do our property too but for the moment will accept the "other" view that every green plant and every weed has it's right to exist.)