Happy Pi Day! 3.14, that is. And another thing to divide us from our UK friends, where the joke doesn't work.
I remembered this recently when I got one of those scary official brown paper envelopes from the British gummint, telling me about something that will happen to my (so tiny, why do they bother) pension. It will happen, I thought, on December 4. Nice of them to give me so much notice, I thought. Then remembered, ah, brits count the date differently. They're telling me about something happening on April 12. In that case, a suitable period of advance notice. And they're increasing it, yay. So now it will buy TWO cups of coffee, well, can't complain.
And, not pies here, but a batch of raisin sort of scone things, I guess. Handsome Son visits this afternoon and I needed something to go with the statutory pot of tea
Then, since yesterday's reading and watching wasn't too inspiring, I thought I'd right the balance with this rattlin' good read, now a permanent resident on my Kindle, only way I could get it, the library having none of this writer's work.
Recommended by the Hatttatts, whose Hattatt blog, check it out is great to read and follow. And they're meticulous about returning the compliment, much appreciated.
Anyway, this writer is not only very entertaining, but a friend of theirs, and they were quite right in suggesting I read him, since I like Donna Leon and all her Venice based books involving police procedure, mysteries, danger, history, and the geography of Venice from the eyeview of someone who's lived there for ages.
The atmosphere comes across as it does in Leon, which is one of the great reasons for reading both writers. And the narrator has a humorous take on what's up. And there's mystery, and ancient wealth and all sorts of good ingredients. So there you have an unreserved recommendation.
I can not say the same for the godforsaken habit of changing the clocks twice a year. It's unsettling for days, when the light is all wrong for the time of day, and you're not hungry at the "right" times, and animals can't tell time, so their owners are being hauled around until they get used to it, and you have to show up for appointments all weird. And little kids get all upset. I see little advantage to it, and I don't care what they say about waiting for buses and farmers, I say shenanigans.
Also by the time I've got the kitchen wall clock down and reset, it's time to climb up and do it again.. My old car, a 99 Honda Civic, had a manually resetting clock, so I didn't bother changing it, since it took several pages of the owner's manual to do it. It also lost a bit of time as it went. So people would look at my car clock and I'd explain, no, it's one hour and seventeen minutes wrong, just think about it, it will come clear. At least it did to me. Then in the Fall, it would be about 23 minutes wrong, but nearer, anyway. Since I'm not running a nuclear reactor, or launching rockets, I don't need to be too exact.
Oh, I must recommend that book to a blogging buddy who adores Venice!
ReplyDeleteThe writer has lived there for years, walks it a lot, I'm told, so the geography is authentic.
DeleteYes. I think it is long past time to stop with the ridiculous time changing.
ReplyDeleteI expect if it comes up red states will refuse to comply!
DeleteThe daylight savings time, as a kid, made Earth feel special to me, science and all. As an adult, clock adjustments aside, it still feels magical.
ReplyDeleteThat's a viewpoint I'd never thought of. Thank you.
DeleteHappy Pi day! Not real thrilled with the time change--our critters don't care what the clock says! They know when it's time to eat! Funny about your car clock. The wiring in my old jeep has gone haywire to the digital clock, so that every time we start the car it cycles through all the numbers several times before settling down who knows where. No need to worry about changing that one!
ReplyDeleteThe need for the time change escapes me too.
ReplyDeleteI prefer DST as I am not an early riser and I like the extra hour of light in the evenings. my sister is the opposite. she will bitch for a month that it is dark when she gets up. but I agree, the changing back and forth is bullshit. pick one and stick with it, preferably the DST.
ReplyDeleteMy car clock was always exact when my OCD granddaughter rode in it close to daily. Now I let it stay wherever it was set by whoever set it last and explain the difference to anyone who asks, It may be right somewhere in the world.
ReplyDeleteI haven't checked my car today. I wonder if it set itself.
DeleteYou are lucky to get an increase in your British pension, and I will never get an increase. It's because the USA has a reciprocal social security agreement with the UK that Canada does not have.
ReplyDeleteThe UK has social security agreements with Canada and New Zealand, but no yearly increase in the UK State Pension.
I noticed that in the cover letter. However the agreement means that social security is reduced by the amount of the British pension. You have to declare pensions and be investigated before you can start to draw social security. Does this apply in Canada? I'm not any better off really than before I started drawing the Brit pension. I hadn't known about the deduction when I set it up.
DeleteTo be clear, I started the Brit one at 60. The soc sec at 62, both at first eligible age. At 62 was when I found out that the first one was reduced by the amount of the other! Surprise!
DeleteI.e. soc sec reduced by amount of Brit pen.
DeleteI'd be happy to stick to just plain suntime. In our extremely red state, abolishing DST is brought before the legislature every year, and every year it's shot down.
ReplyDeleteAnd - Pi Day here! Pumpkin pie, with no crust and made with a butternut squash.
Chris from Boise
Now that's a Pie Day I can get behind!
DeleteI can easily do without the time change twice a year and I think most people feel that way. Great minds think alike - I drove a 97 Honda Civic for many years and it was the best car I ever had!
ReplyDeleteThey were great. The engine was still sound as a bell when I had to trade it in because the body was falling apart.
DeleteThe best car we ever had was a 1992 Civic. Drove it for 200,000 miles, till an unfortunate collision with a deer in 2017. The car and the deer both died, the occupants unscathed. I still miss it.
DeleteChris from Boise
Whenever I get annoyed at my gizmo filled modern car, I sigh about my lovely old Civic. Never failed to start in 20 years of all weathers. Never broke down. Never needed more than routine maintenance. I've canonized her by this time!
DeleteReading through all the comments, I think I like Salty Pumpkin's best. Always a different perspective. I do want to thank you for reminding me to change the clock in my car. Yes... it does seem like I just did that. You'd think I'd remember how, but no... I have to look it up every single time.
ReplyDeleteI find that twice a year is not often enough for me to remember it. It's new learning each time.
DeleteI don't care for DST. Takes for ever to get used to the change and then - yes! - the light is always wrong!
ReplyDeleteYes, yes. Today I woke at what I thought was the usual time, light right, ready to get up, toddling about finding robe, etc., and checked the clock. One hour later than it felt like. My body clearly is rebelling against the imposed change. No appointments today, so fine. I'll eat when hungry, sleep when tired and so on. Neener!
DeleteI'm working my way through those books that I have always meant to read and have been sitting on the shelves at home. The Japanese have a word for it. And, can I ask, what is the pi joke? :)
ReplyDeletePi is 3.14(and a lot more numbers), the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter In American usage it also reads as March 15. In British dates, it doesn't compute at all.
ReplyDeleteI forget the Japanese word for that book reading phenomenon, though I know a lot of people dealing with it.
March 14, fat fingers.
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