Still trying to get my head around how Hugo implements RSS. I thought I was there but then realised that my feed is only showing summaries of posts and not the full content. I know I edited the rss.xml file so that full content would be shown, but given the above, have to conclude that it was the wrong file. However, since then I read that it could be due to using a older version of Hugo, which is something I know I need to address. When I installed Hugo, against my better judgment I did so via a Linux package manager, which is a source usually several versions behind.Given I also want to ditch the Nextcloud server, it’s probably time to do a clean reinstall of the Raspberry Pi OS. Not a daunting task, but does require that I first check that everything that needs to be is backed up. Probably a job for the weekend.
Author: Stephen James
Sitting in the garden enjoying the sunshine a short while ago we heard the chatter of a swallow and there it was, one of ours, on its favourite spot on the telephone wires.
Setting the clocks forward an hour last weekend should dictate that I have trouble waking up early enough. So as the exception to prove the rule, I have woken at about 4:30am most mornings since, which a week ago would have been 3:30am. Go figure. I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled for more swallows but none so far beyond the [lone arrival on Tuesday](https://strandlines.blog/2021/03/30/first_swallow/).Thursday was exceptionally hazy with [Saharan dust](https://twitter.com/metoffice/status/1377525671476477952?s=21). The briefest of showers deposited a disproportionate and comical quantity of dust on the car.Had my Covid jab this morning. Looked to be a very efficient setup at our local community hospital. A sterling effort being made by the NHS and volunteers. Just starting to feel under the weather. Fingers crossed that it won’t get any worse than this.
Beautiful weather today. Blue skies, warm sun and a warm breeze. And on that presumably Mediterranean airflow, surprise surprise, my first swallow of the year.
Watched two films over the weekend. [The White Tiger](https://m.imdb.com/title/tt6571548/). I found it really compelling. Reminded me of F. Scott Fitzgerald in its portrayal of the wealthy, their careless use of privilege and the subsequent damage to those around them. Balram’s charisma made me want to root for him, but in his efforts to break away from poverty, his means-to-an-end methods render him no better.[Annihilation](https://m.imdb.com/title/tt2798920/). Oozes atmosphere. The ideas explored are thought provoking as any good sci-fi should be. I often find that the ‘reveal’ in sci-fi or horror can be a let down after a good build up. Annihilation is more successful in this regard, with enough ambiguity there to maintain the sense of mystery. Although the final scene still manages to slightly disappoint with its genre trope…but I can forgive it that.
Had the invitation to get my Covid jab. All booked in for next Saturday. Went for an early appointment to hopefully give me time to get past any side effects over the weekend.
Found myself in circumstances earlier this week that set off major anxiety. I should have known it would happen as the anticipation had been rumbling around my head for days. It was the full on racing-thoughts-angry-sweating-tight-chested-backed-into-a-corner-fight-or-flight variety. Carried on for much of the day so I was exhausted by the end.What did help though was discussing it with my wife. She could see it going on so very sensibly suggested we take a moment to talk it over. And that helped in a big way.We both knew the other knew what was going on, but getting it out in the open helped diffuse my anxiety. I couldn’t stop it altogether but an acknowledgment of the situation allowed me to take a step back, giving me the perspective of an observer more than a participant. And of course, the cascade of terrible scenarios that I had built up in my mind never happened…..
Further to my post about the sonic boom, the evidence for the meteor theory stacks up.
Yesterday afternoon, out in the garden. At 2.55pm a loud boom up in the sky, just to the south. A little like the sound of the live firing we sometimes hear from Salisbury Plain, when the MoD are playing with their toys. Except this sound didn’t stop there. It continued with a kind of stuttering, throbbing quality, like a whole series of lesser ‘booms’, appearing to move to the west. For perhaps half a minute. Long enough for us to discuss it while it happened. The sky was overcast so there was nothing to see.I have heard sonic booms in the past. Including that of Concorde. This sound however, was quite different to any I’ve previously heard because of how long it continued for. As an aside, a few months before Concorde was retired from service we were walking on the North Somerset coast. We heard a sonic boom out to the west and shortly after spotted the unmistakable shape of Concorde high above us. Fun to see such an iconic aircraft before it disappeared from the skies.Looking around online it’s clear that yesterday’s noise was [heard across much of the southwest](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-56475333), shaking windows and causing ducks to jump in the air! The RAF say it wasn’t them. One theory is that it was caused by a meteor as there appeared to be one seen over Jersey at around the same time. It had never occurred to me that [meteors can cause sonic booms](https://www.sciencefocus.com/space/can-you-hear-a-meteor/).I’d be very intrigued to know if it could be confirmed this was the source of yesterday’s sound.
The dry summer has lasted well into September. Funnily, it was early in the month that we used the wood burner on a couple of cooler evenings. The rest have been very mild. All change last week, with gales and plenty of much needed rain.
Yesterday we collected conkers. Have no use for them. Just like to look at them, enjoy the feel of them in the hand.
