Sat Nav

And of course he’s got satellite navigation. (Ralph, I’m talking about) He calls it ‘sat nav’ it (why do people have to abbreviate everything?)

I’ve got to admit, it’s pretty amazing. Spooky though; the idea that some woman up in the sky knows where your auntie lives in Sheffield!

Nobody needs maps any more. (You can buy beautiful road atlases in the ‘Pound Shop’). But every gain has a loss: there is something romantic about maps: they give you a real sense of adventure: the idea that you are going somewhere. And also you get a perspective: you can see where everything is – even the places you are not going to pass through. You get a sense of scale.

Oh, and Ralph was also telling me about something called ‘Google Earth’. Apparently with this you can home in to any part of the world you want – and see what is happening.
‘You can even zoom in and watch your neighbour sunbathing in the garden.’ Leered my employer.
‘What’s wrong with a good pair of binoculars in the back bedroom?’ I retorted.
‘Luddite’ he scoffed.


I’m not knocking technology though – where would we be without it? You wouldn’t be reading this, for a start! Which reminds me: my ‘counter’ has disappeared – so I don’t know how many actually log on to this blog now. Nobody posts a comment. For all I know this deathless prose may be floating around somewhere in cyber space.

Cyber Space. What a mind-boggling concept. I believe you can actually have cyber-sex now. How do you do that? Do you get a virtual orgasm? Well it’s probably less messy.


The sun is shining as I type. That makes a change. It has been like winter here for the past week or so: cold and rainy. I may get a chance to go for a spin on my motorcycle today; I’ve still got it: my 30 years old Honda Benley – practically in showroom condition. It’s very ‘low tech’: 4 gears; carburettor instead of electronic ignition; drum instead of disc brakes, and six instead of twelve volt electrics. Very comfortable though.




I spend a lot of time on my own – even though I am cohabiting. Sometimes I think you can be more lonely when you are with someone that when you are on your own.

But all this philosophising won’t get the cows milked – as my old grannie used to say. (I don’t know why she said this – we didn’t live on a farm).

Anyway, I must be about my business: first stop, the lavatory – or as Ralph would call it: the bog.