Routine, cars, sport and music.

Tuesday 13th August 2024

Son W had his bariatric operation on 9th July after waiting more than three years. It has taken until now to get back to something like normal, if there is such a condition. There have been more medical appointments both for him and me but for the moment they have become less frequent and we are back to a vague routine. Routine is strange, when it is in place there is a tendency to resent it to some extent because of its relationship to boredom. But, after a period of problematic activity, it is welcomed when it returns. 

Model making has been on hold during the period, but I have now returned and finished  the Fiat 500. It is not one of my best. During the lay off period it was left on my worktable in strong sunshine and some of the paintwork has been affected, but I have allowed it to join my little collection of what I regard as iconic cars, so it has now joined the Porsche turbo, the Lotus seven, and the Citroen 2 CV.

The next project is well well underway. The Auto Union type D from 1939 is for me one of the most exciting looking racing cars ever produced. The design was by Ferdinand Porsche, with his characteristic rear mounted V 12 supercharged engine., The Type D won over eight major events in the 1938/39 season before the outbreak of WW2. That was an era of flamboyance when drivers had little protection and could be seen leaning in their cockpits as they cornered at speed.

The Matchbox kit dates back to 1983 and from a video I have watched there are probably some fit problems but I haven't got that far yet.

The finished Fiat 500. Not one of my best. There were problems getting the body shell fitting over the chassis/engine part and a lot of handling of the body messed things up, and paintwork was damaged by long periods of strong sunlight whilst left unattended for several weeks when I was handling more pressing matters.

The engine turned out  well. Its door can be left open so it can be seen

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Work in progress. The 3 litre V 12 supercharged engine for the Auto Union  Type D.

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Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen

I am one of a six person book reading group. We meet in rotation, monthly, at each-other's houses. Last week Tony was sat next to my CD shelving. He pulled out a CD from the hundred or so. Why I don't know, but I said to his wife Mary I bet that is Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, and so it was. Tony then  mentioned that Messiaen's Turangalîla Symphony 1946/48 had been performed a few days ago at the Proms and I remembered I had recorded it. I was not aware of this monumental work, and when something is discovered anew like that it has added value on that first acquaintance Goodness knows what are the logistics of putting on this extravagant performance with its variety of obscure and conventional instruments and several specialist soloists, but it is all worth the BBC licence fee in one hit.

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Our return to routine was also  progressed be the finalising of the Olympics.

Impressions:

I have much respect for the two BBC teams headed by Clare Balding and Hazel Irvine and their well informed ex Olympian colleagues. However, they were far too often left for long periods to fill in and chatter away so that even their broadcasting expertise was stretched to the point of frequent repetition and less meaningful comment - I did feel for them at times, but they battled on.

No comment about the boxing gender thing. Far too contentious.

The Olympics overall as always for me were compelling and accentuated by only coming round every four years.

Two clichés stick in my my mind:

Not really a cliché, but used perhaps first by Michael Johnson and then picked up by many others - the word "jeopardy."

And, "He/she left it all on the track/in the pool"

And, when some unfortunate performer is miles behind with no hope: "He/she's got s lot of work to do."

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