Jab two

Following jab one noticed at reference 1, no effects aside from feeling a bit tired on the day, a follow up text message at the beginning of the week. Made an appointment for this morning, and having explained my special needs, jab two successfully administered. Administered by a one-time army nurse, who must have done a lot of jabs in her time, who explained that hardly being able to feel the needle was more a function of the needles being very fine and sharp these days - I think she said a third of a millimetre. A far cry from the more robust instruments of yesteryear.

All seemed to be running very smoothly. Reasonably busy at around 11:00 when I arrived, quietened down by 11:30 when I left. A receptionist told me that queues ebb and flow during the day. While my inoculator told me that, despite maybe 100 staff being there at any one time - a seven day a week, but not, I think, a 24 by 7 operation - no cafeteria facilities for them, beyond laying on some biscuits and drink making facilities.

Given that all kinds of food is served on race days, there must be kitchen facilities. And the last time that we went on a race day, I think there was plenty of caravan grub - the sort of thing now called street food - dotted about the car park outside. So I don't suppose it would be difficult to organise something - maybe just get a suitable caravan to come along. Perhaps the organisers asked and found that people- that is to say staff - didn't really want it, so didn't bother. Plenty of other things to keep them busy.

I am reminded that on the afternoon of jab one, I took a look at reference 2. Which has sat in the study ever since, under a shifting pile of other books. I shall get it out this afternoon and read some more! In the meantime, I offer the snap above, with a hunted grizzly bear looking more like a plump and jolly cat. But then, I have never actually seen a grizzly bear on the run.

PS 1: celebrated on return with some kippers from Craster, via Waitrose. The last set, a few weeks ago now, had not turned out terribly well, but I am pleased to say that today's were good. Maybe serving them more or less straight from the fish kettle, rather than via the oven, helped. Maybe it was the time of year. I puzzled about the fact that we always took them grilled when I was a child - which, having got used to the simmering in water approach - I think I would find a bit strong now: far too much salt, tar and nicotine.

PS 2: a new-to-me advertisement has popped up in my gmail, from a new-to-me outfit called Patagonia. I rather liked their opening line about being 'a designer of outdoor clothing and gear for the silent sports: climbing, surfing, skiing and snowboarding, fly fishing, and trail running'. Not being a fan of the other sort when I am out in the wild, sadly not something I do much of these days. Presumably Google picked up on the fact that I send and receive emails from the rival outfit called Cotswold. While Bing guessed, rightly on this occasion, that I wanted the clothes not the place, this last being some way down the list.

Reference 1: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2021/01/big-tent.html.

Reference 2: Across the wide Missouri - Bernard DeVoto - 1948. 

Reference 3: Hunting The Bear - Alfred Jacob Miller - c1858 - The Walters Art Museum.

Reference 4: https://eu.patagonia.com/gb/en/home/.