*Warning: Picture heavy entry*

Yes, that's right. It's been a while since the last. But we'll have a little photo safari and more. So go make a cup of tea while the pictures load. Or hit Escape if you don't want to see them.

I got up at 6:45 this morning. Can't remember the last time I've been up that early. I had to get out to the bus quickly. It was a strange morning. So early that the streets were almost empty. No cars, no people. Just early morning sunshine and the sound of singing birds. Not a bad feeling at all.

My mother had gotten me a little scared about the busses. When I told her how early I was going she said "oh the busses will be packed when it's that early in the morning". I hate packed busses. But luckily they weren't packed after all. Reasonably full, but nothing to worry about. And I'm getting used to the route to the hospital now. I don't like new bus routes, going places I haven't been before. But when I learn the stops I get more confident about it.

Got to the hospital just fine. That whole road is the hospital. And you can't even see the end of the road. All the buildings on both sides are hospital buildings. And it just goes on and on. The laboratory where I'm going is at the opposite end of the road of course. It takes ages just to walk down there. But I got there. Got in. Got my blood sample taken. The nurse commented that I seemed to be there often. Yes indeed. I'm becoming a regular at the hospital.

But that all took 5 minutes. Then I rushed back to the bus. But because of that darn long hospital road I missed the bus. So I had to take a later one. Which meant I missed my second bus. So Instead of waiting for 30 minutes I walked. This has happened all the times I've been at the hospital so far. I miss the one bus, then the second, and then I end up walking.

Despite the missed busses I got to Kvickly too early. Needed to do some shopping. But I had 20 minutes to spend before they opened. I spent the time on my little safari.

I went round the side of Kvickly. And right on the other side of the busy road there were stairs leading down...

It really was an amazing descent into peacefulness. On one side a busy road, a shopping centre, lots of people.

On the other side stairs leading down into a nice little park.

I had never been there before. I had gone past it on the bus and peered down trying to see what lay beneath. But now was the perfect time to go see for real.

Just a small park. A small breath of fresh air in the city. The kind of park where you can take your dog for a walk.

The kind of park that has a couple of small ponds.

The kind of pond where two ducks might peacefully swim around and have a good time.

You know me. You know how I get with animals. They make me happy. I have no idea how to tell female and male ducks apart. But I would like to think it's an old married couple, a happy little duck family. They had the whole pond to themselves. Only disturbed by me and my camera.

There was just something so nice about it. The way they peacefully glided through the water. Reminded me of a video clip Skye sent me from her vacation. Of a seal swimming in the water. Sure seals and ducks are very different. But it was just that peaceful and natural glide in the water.

A little miracle. A little peaceful spot in the middle of all this industry and hurry and fast cars. A little sunshine on the green grass.

Try and overlook the plastic bag in the water. No matter how close to paradise there will always be a little worm in the apple if people are there.

Maybe I'll go back there sometime. Sometimes. Just stand there and watch the ducks. Feel the sun. Smell the grass. Overhear the quiet murmur of nearby cars. That has to be good for the soul somehow.

What a nice break from all this hospital business. What a perfect way to take my mind off things.

You may look at those pictures and think they're nothing special. They're just ducks. Ducks. Nothing more. But they're special to me. And I like that. I was talking to Skye and we theorized that my amazement of nature and animals was probably because I'm just "discovering" them now. After so long time locked up in my room. With no relationship to animals or nature. I'm like a kid seeing snow for the first time. Except I'm grown up so I can both get childishly excited but also appreciate it on a deeper level.

Or something like that. Maybe the ducks are getting to my head.

That was about my day. Now it's a nice weekend. On Monday I go for the eye tests. Then it's back to work. I miss working out in the gym. It'll be nice to get back to that. And to try out my new pants and jacket at work.

Before I go I just want to mention Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away again. I finished watching it and I have to recommend it. I absolutely love it. It's just beautiful and very peculiar indeed. It's so much better than the usual Disney stuff. Look, even Ebert loves it! Actually looking at reviews on the net it seems like everybody loves it. And it was the biggest selling movie ever in Japan. When it came out. So it's not like I get any street cred for liking it.

I found (ahem) some screenshots. Lookie.

Yes, yes. I know. I'm going overboard. Just like with the ducks. I must learn to control my excitement. I just think it's a wonderful movie to watch. And don't those pictures make you want to watch it? You could do worse. And they don't even break out in song at any time!

I love No Face. In his quiet phase. And the two fellas in the last picture. Hehe. They're actually the giant baby and a bird turned into a mouse and a.. smaller bird? Insect? I don't know. They're just cute.

I did actually restrain myself. I had twice as many pictures. That movie is just full of wonderful images.

Check out the trailer. And eh, ignore the Disney hyperbole. I guess they distributed it in America. Sort of ruins the "better than all the Disney movies" argument. Oh well.

It's one of my favourites of the movies I have watched the last few years. And don't tell me it's a kiddie movie. I'm childish but I'm sure adults can appreciate it too.

Yes, so that's all for today. If you're feeling tired or sad I recommend you go out and see if you can't find a pond in your neighbourhood. Or rent Spirited Away.

Quack!

soundtrack: pumpkins - there it goes (880810)