Partial observer

I give thanks for keeping on having a go at those feedplate screws...though they continue to resist. I give thanks for racking my brains for someone I could ask to have a go at doing it for me...though I've only thought of one and haven't been able to get hold of them yet. I'm grateful I thought of ringing the (fairly) local repair shop who did them up with an iron hand in the first place and have been working out ways of getting the machine there...though there's no rush as they're only agents and I've missed this week's collection. I'm grateful I thought of emailing an on line place who will collect and deliver...though their price turned out to be beyond my current means. All that remains for today regarding the matter is to give thanks I've done most of the sewing I meant to do for my holiday, that most of what hasn't been done can be done by hand... and that even at the slow pace I do this there should be enough time to complete it.

I give thanks for these pretty new earrings made especially for me...and that the things they were made to go with have already been finished!

I give thanks for lots of tennis to watch, an almost instant pasta bake with some rather tasty frozen Mediterranean veg, and a jam cream scone to eat while I did. I give thanks for downloading two paid apps on my phone. It's rare for me to even use free installed ones unless I have to, but these are the excellent marinetraffic.com and flightradar24 which not only show boats and planes (funnily enough) but also have very good maps unsullied by links to restaurants that have long since closed or route planners telling you how to drive the car you're not in!

I give thanks for Channel 4's excellent observational documentaries - in loos, in police stations, on dates or on night buses. I'm not naive enough to think they feature entirely unadulterated or unaware human behaviour, but they do a little bit and make me laugh out loud with joy, and weep at the poignancy of it.