All going well then

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I might not work in a lab at the moment, but you can never quite get rid of the microbiologist in me.

Not only did I do this test from a specimen that I took from my own good self…

I also predicted the result. Correctly, nogal.

Look, I’m anything but surprised.

Given the information that I am getting from the school after last week’s trip, this is a clear case of Tour Pox. I could use the old English term: “There’s a bit of it going around”, because there is, but that won’t help anyone who has got it.

We’re going away for a long weekend, starting this afternoon, and I’m gutted that I’m not going to able to do all the stuff that I was planning on doing, but while nothing will get rid of this any time soon, a change of scenery, some fresh air and a lot relaxation – and staying away from other people! – is surely the best way to pass the time while I’ve got it.

And it’s nowhere near as bad as that episode a couple of years ago. Thank heavens.

5 points

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I’m enjoying Series 19 of Only Connect in the few minutes of my spare time at the moment.

Thanks to my daughter’s drawing of a certain bird to get one of her Cubs’ badges, I was able to guess this one after the very first clue:

That’s 5 points to me, while the combined efforts of Jezz, John and Jane didn’t even manage to get the link at all. Can you see it?

I’ll share the answer below.

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That’s a silver-eye, a pink-eye, a black-eye and a red-eye.
I don’t blame you for not getting the bird: I wouldn’t have done if it wasn’t for the drawing, (and shouldn’t that be in italics as a Linnaean name?) but it seems to get fairly simple after that.

Of course, Z.lateralis is the Australasian equivalent of our own Zosterops virens, the Cape White-Eye.
Which would still fit the question.

Least said, soonest mended

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Still under the weather. But definitely on the mend. Loads to catch up with tomorrow, so hopefully this improvement continues.

Here’s a QP of the inside of the Robben Island lighthouse:

Those LEDs visible to a distance of 44km, thanks to the Fresnel lenses surrounding them.

And the only lighthouse light in SA that oscillates by switching the lamp on and off, rather than by rotating.

The more you know…

I tried so hard

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And got so far.

But in the end it doesn’t even matter.

I’ve failed to get my tasks done today. All was going “ok” until about 3pm, when this thing suddenly hit me, like an Eben tackle.

Is it a virus? Is it too much sun? Is it as a result of utilising bipolar, wax-based methods of illumination over the last week?

(Because I have.)

Possibly.

But everything hurts and my temperature homeostasis has fallen completely apart: flinging itself wildly between shaking because I’m too cold and… er… shaking because I’m too hot.

Please contact your chosen Deity soonest, and get Him/Her/Them/It to sort this out.

Thanks in advance.

The stress

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As I mentioned yesterday, we spent the day at a wedding in Stellies.

An amazing celebration, topped off with that rugby match, and a tight South African win.

What a win, but oh, so tight.

Because it was a wedding, we spent half time on the dance floor. As you do.

‘Ave you seen me dancin’? I mean, really dancin’?

I never realised that dancing was so good for stress, but you can clearly see exactly where half time was on my watch.

To me, this actually proves that there might be something almost accurate in these measurements.

It also explains why I needed a stiff drink and another boogie once the game was over.