A joyous solstice to all DU'ers -

A hymn to the solstice -
O Oriens,
splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae:
veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.
Translation:
O Rising Sun,
splendor of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

Sometimes it's not a battle of wits with the unarmed, but with a multiple amputee.

Are we seeing the next crypto currency? Lego bricks?

Moved SIM card to different phone and now WhatsApp chats are gone

We have a spare iPhone 5s and used that. Now the chats for WhatsApp are gone.
Not all of them. Just the recent ones.

Poem for Armistice Day - Dulce et Decorum Est

DULCE ET DECORUM EST

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime . . .
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori.

Wilfred Owen
18 March 1893 – 4 November 1918

Third Pfizer jab yesterday at the Centre de Vaccination

Went in at 09:00 CEST after my name was checked off the appointment list by the gendarme on door. Filled out a form with my information, including the date of the last vaccination and gave that, along with my ID to the lady with the computer.
Took a number and sat down. Listened to the guy who came in after me complaining about the wait, which made me laugh, as there were only six people there in front of him.
Five minutes later I was called and presented my ID and the filled out form. The doctor, who looked like he was twelve, asked if I wanted to answer questions in French or English. I have learned that when someone asks that, they want to practice their English. We got the medical questions out of the way, and then he asked where I was from, did I like living in Aix, and why I was in France. Got the injection, which I barely felt, and went to sit down for the required fifteen minutes to make sure I didn't fall over.

Drove home, and no ill effects or soreness. Walked into town, had coffee, then home, and 'did stuff'. Then, when I was cooking dinner around 19:00, I noticed that my arm was a bit sore. Went to bed at 22:00 with a slight headache and a very sore arm. Woke up at midnight for the usual reasons. Back to bed, but wasn't able to sleep, due to the headache, muscle aches, and general malaise. Finally, at 03:00 I took two 500mg paracetamol, which kind of, but almost didn't help. Restless sleep, and some sweating, but no fever. Another 500mg tab at 07:00 and back to sleep. I was then 'out' until noon, still with a bit of headache, though the muscle pain was gone, so another 500mg paracetamol. Finally, at 16:00 I got out of bed, had some tea, and have been up ever since. Still a bit tired, but not how I was feeling five hours ago.

So that's my reaction to the booster. And I'm fine with it. I know that my immune system kicked in, and I'll be as well protected against Covid-19 as I can be. Still be wearing a mask in shops, on public transport, and in really crowded outdoor spaces. Plus, I'll get my flu shot next week.

Changed the paracetamol dosage down to mg's. I know better.

'Underland' written by David Knopfler 2015 - written in the USA for the credits default scandal

“The King of nothingness is in command”

Musk proves, yet again, that he is more focused on profits than people. And yes, we always knew that

Musk's move of Tesla's headquarters from California to Texas goes further to show his absolute lack of civic responsibility.

And if I read DU correctly, the number of potential Tesla buyers here is pretty small. And hopefully, just got smaller still.

Best bumper sticker: I was an honour student. I don't know what happened.

On an old Volvo.

New Amsterdam - Still watching Season 1, but totally hooked.