Downhill all the way today

Swimming this morning before the tennis. A woman who is always there in the mornings when I'm there, but who never says hello - I always say hello first - actually nodded to me as I came in this morning (she was first in). When we were in the (communal) showers at the end, she was shampooing her hair, eyes closed. Carrying on with our burgeoning friendship, I asked her if she was going to watch the tennis. She ignored me.

I asked her again. A bit louder,
'ARE YOU GOING TO WATCH THE TENNIS?

No answer.

Then she took out things from her ears!

When I asked her a third time I discovered that indeed she was.

Back home in time to help Andy win. But no, it was not to be. I blame the commentators. When they say, 'Murray's got this game under control,' that's it. Downhill all the way.

We accidentally went to the Tarantino movie this afternoon. I have been to one of his before and hated it. And he was a complete prat in his Channel 4 interview. But I've read some good reviews of it, and someone I know said they loved it. And so, when the Times 2 for 1 offer came in, and the list of films wasn't too inspiring but included that, we decided to go. Perhaps it was the two glasses of leftover prosecco with lunch that clouded my judgement...

I have never sat through such violence. Mainly because I don't go to those kind of films. ('But you went to a Tarantino film!', I hear you saying) There were at least four long sequences of graphic violence during which I had my eyes closed and my fingers in my ears. Only good manners prevented me from going 'LA LA LA LA!' loudly to cover the awful squelchy sound effects and screaming.

The trailers, too, were 'action' movies. Bruce Willis in one and Stallone in another. Shooting a dozen folk at once, jumping through plate glass windows unharmed, with a boyish grin (not Stallone, his face doesn't move any more), a clever one liner and a scratch on the forehead. What rubbish! You can't tell me there's no correlation between America's love of the gun, all those hideous school shootings, and glamourised graphic movie violence. In fact, that question was put to Tarantino in the Channel 4 interview and he got all uppity and refused to comment.

Anyway, after the movie, which I almost quite enjoyed at the beginning, I went down town to get a night shot. And there was a full moon! I rushed to a spot where I could see the castle and the moon and set up my tripod. It was very windy, so all the belts and straps on the camera and tripod have to be wound around. I have learned that they DO move the camera enough to blur the photo.

I just got one shot and the moon disappeared. Now, it might have come out again, or it might have disappeared for the night. I decided to cut my losses and make a run for my bus, as I knew it was coming soon. But no, when I got to the stop and checked the timetable, the last bus went at 5.30!! Some bus service.

The full moon did come out again as I walked through the Meadows and as there was no bus, I could have stayed and got another photo. This will have to do.