COVID, Retirement Age

The morning was grey and overcast, the temperature supposedly 16° (though I’d never have believed it), breezy, with occasional light drizzle. I pushed hard early, and my thighs suggested that I mig… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID Eight²

This morning’s weather seemed so promising that I ran sans hoodie for the first time this summer. The temperature was 11°, the skies held light clouds, low pollen, and my limbs signalled cooperatio… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

Sixty-Three

Yet another lovely morning, 10°, though the Home Office reports a medium pollen count. That squared with my experience: I struggled with my breathing most of the way. My legs kept strong, though, a… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

Sixty-Two

One might think that 11° would make for a very warm morning run indeed, but a moderate breeze kept things cool. My breathing felt heavier (but low pollen, so…), but legs and general comfort sustain… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Sixty-One

The sky was a bit cloudy, but the temperature was 9°, with no prospect of rain. On the other hand, every physical system involved in running rebelled against me this morning — achy joints, stiff mu… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Quarantine and a Half

Sixty days is a long time to spend at home. The morning weather was pleasantly cool and clear, my knees felt fine, low pollen, and a gratifying 9:19 mile. Morning Office and hot breakfast. I poked … | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day 59

7°, rusty painful knees at the start of my 9:42 mile, lightning early grocery trip, Morning Office, hot breakfast, Legends of the Jews, Sam Ward laboured more than two hours to clear about eight sq… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID Quarantine + Eighteen

A chilly morning at 3°, but a rapid run — 9:29. I spent much of the morning working to make an English-language version of the Plague Cross posted to Twitter by Fr A. Schrenk. Since then, others ha… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Fifty-Seven

Clear skies, 1° (in mid-May! Come on!), not too rusty or lethargic, and a mile at 9:44. Morning Office, fruit breakfast, and headed on to work. Not much came by way of original writing, so I churne… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Fifty-Six

Not so cold, not so breezy, all clear and a satisfactory run of 9:39. Morning Office, shower, hot breakfast, and then to my book outline. I got a couple of paragraphs written, but it was slow going… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Fifty-Five

A bitter cold morning, 0° with breezes, and a sluggish time: 10:04. Fruit breakfast, Morning Office, and on to the day. I was very pleased with my weekend of work on Legends of the Jews, and though… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Fifty-Four

Goodness gracious, 4° with gusting wind feels icy! That did not stop me from putting in a pretty good mile — yes, it may have provided a necessary motivation, since I came in at 9:34, but heavens t… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day 53

I woke up to a lovely morning, clear and mild (11°), and had a good run despite the medium pollen — 9:39. I said my Office and made a hot breakfast, listened to the Radio Four Sunday Worship commem… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

A Full Deck of COVID Days

Every morning I give myself permission to skip my morning run, but every morning I end up putting my socks and trainers on to go ahead. This morning dawned temperate, calm, 11° with medium pollutio… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Fifty-One

The warmest morning of the year, I think, at 11°; medium pollen, medium air pollution, and the feeling from last year of being heavy and sluggish. The mile came in at 9:51, though, which is not una… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day 50

This should be some sort of household jubilee, with celebration at having completed a half century of housebound obedience. Alas, no one is in a mood for jubilation; mildly satisfied determination … | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

Covid World, Seven Weeks of Days

Seven weeks is a long time to spend without getting out and about. Just saying. This morning dawned crisp (3°) and dry, with medium pollen. I didn’t feel any particular challenge in getting limber,… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

Covid World, Day Forty-Eight

We watched Spooks late into the night, so I planned to skip my morning run; alas, I woke up early anyway, so I went ahead to run in the 6°, low pollen, creaky-limbed conditions. Came in at 9:50 (th… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID Forty-Seven

I had a productive day, and I don’t have much more to report. Run weather was 9°, medium pollen, 9:39. Spent a lot of time on the monograph outline. Mushroom, aubergine, other veg over rice noodles… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

Covid Forty-Six

Grey morning, with the sense that there had been recent showers (the overhang at Sainsbury’s protected dry pavement, but the unsheltered pavement was wet); I forgot to check the temperature, but I’… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID Forty-Five

A lovely morning, 5° and breezy, but didn’t feel so bad. Medium pollen and harder breathing, but an adequate 9:51 mile. Hot breakfast, and I allowed myself a relaxing start to the day, with a view … | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Forty-Four

The Home Office says that the pollen count today is ‘medium’, though I sensed that my breathing was rougher than it had become over the months, especially the last few weeks of daily running. The t… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

Life As We’d Better Get Used To It, Day 43

The weather was a bit nippy, but clear and not too pollenated (at least, I wasn’t bothered by it), limber and comfortable for a brisk 9:32 mile. Fruit breakfast and a slow start to business — some … | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Forty-Two

This morning I used a comb for the first time in many years (and although my scalp hair isn’t really long enough to need combing yet, my beard needed the attention). That actually didn’t happ… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Ed Balls Day Edition

Happy Ed Balls Day! The weather this morning was rainy, so although I felt a strong inclination to push my creaky limbs to make a limbering-up run, common sense prevailed and I missed out my mornin… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Forty

Moderate temperature, 9° with high humidity and high pollen, so my breathing was more laboured than under clearer conditions.The story this morning, though, was the time it took to limber up my leg… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Thirty-Nine

Woke up to a crisp 8° — I’m not sure why it felt so cool (I think I even saw traces of frost on parked autos), but it skies were clear, fish would have been jumpin’ and the pollen was high. I could… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Thirty-Eight

Up early in the morning, so I had less than zero excuse to not take my run. 6° and overcast, but pleasant enough for running. As it turned out, I had neglected to hit the right button at the right … | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Thirty-Seven

After ten days of assuring myself that it would be all right to take a day off running, this morning I did so. I mean, ‘take a day off.’ I woke up stiff and achy, and running seemed as especially u… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID 36

Another lovely, clear day. The morning temperature was 6°, but my joints were stiff and the spring pollen count is high; breathing and limberness were suboptimal, and my time was sadly (but not sur… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID Thirty-Five

That’s five full weeks of isolation and distancing here. No coffee at Rick’s, no brunch at Queen’s Lane or the Vaults, no reading and writing at the Bod, no leisurely break-time afternoons in my st… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID Thirty-Four

Another chilly morning at 5°, distinctly gusty breezes, stiff limbs, but a satisfactory 9:40 time for my mile. A tutorial at 8:00 with one of my Orielenses (video-tutoring to Korea, a first for me)… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID Thirty-Three

Another chilly start, with light gusts and headwinds. I started out creaky and rusty, and the chill took over when my legs would ordinarily have limbered up. My muscles stayed tight all through, an… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

Reasons To Be Cheerful

Over the weekend I remembered how much I love Another Green World. | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

Found In Augusta

By popular demand — or at least, by suggestion from a couple of people — I tracked down my copy of the photo of Si as an apprentice in Old Fort Western. I had remembered his hair as being blonder t… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID Thirty-Two

Honestly, one day I will skip my morning run. It’s not as though I enjoy it; it’s just become part of how my day begins, and does help me understand myself to be taking care of my body (along with,… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Thirty-One

So, the government has indicated its expectation that we’ll remain locked down for another three weeks at the least. Although we’re getting a bit restive with our confinement, the risk of contracti… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Thirty

This makes a full month of quarantine. My low-level anxiety and distraction remain — I don’t expect that to change any time soon — but apart from that, each day resembles an ordinary home-based rea… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World Day Twenty-Nine

Clear morning, 4°, and my mile came in at 9:38. Fruit for breakfast plus a consolatory crumpet. The rest of the morning and afternoon I spent reading, with wee breaks for lunch, for squandering tim… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Twenty-Eight

Another cold morning, though not so windy. 3°, and straight ahead 9:45 mile. I made an early foray to Sainsbury’s for supplies, then indulged in my full home breakfast (two eggs, two hash brown pat… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Twenty-Seven

Another optional day, another run. I don’t like running, but it’s become routine, and that alone carries me through. One of these days I’ll begin taking a longer path, but I haven’t quite fig… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Twenty-Six

I had given myself permission to skip a day’s run on Easter Day, but I decided to go ahead, that I might as well just run; afterall, I was anticipating a big Easter breakfast. I considered very bri… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

Easter Day, COVID 25

Happy Easter! I had been planning on giving myself a day off running, since I’d run every day of Lent (note for sticklers: I missed out three days when Margaret and I went to Wells for the first we… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

On Streams and Places

There’s been an almighty stramash in the past week or so concerning the importance or insignificance of praying from church buildings when videocasting services. The Archbishops of Canterbury and Y… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Twenty-Three

This morning’s mile went smoothly, temperature about 11°, adequately limber. I didn’t feel especially great, but the time came in at 9:35 (personal record, by a good long chalk). Then I made a quic… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Twenty-Four

This morning’s mile went smoothly, temperature about 11°, adequately limber. I didn’t feel especially great, but the time came in at 9:35 (personal record, by a good long chalk). Then I made a quic… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day 23 / Good Friday

Morning run was all right: 9:55, 10°, nothing very special. Today being a fast day, I had my minimalist breakfast of one apple and one tangerine, said my Office and set to reading Newman. My hair i… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago

COVID World, Day Twenty-Two

This marks three solid weeks we’ve spent in mostly-isolation (save mile runs, exercise walks, and at-distance talk with semi-visitors). On one hand, meh, it’s not so hard. I mean, we aren’t short o… | Continue reading


@akma.disseminary.org | 4 years ago