Tuesday 12 May 2015

Mass Observation - One Day Diary - Tuesday 12th May 2015

I wrote this account because I was taking part in mass observation where large numbers of people write about their day.

I live in Uckfield, Sussex with my Mother. I am 52 years old. I am single. I work as a training consultant.  This wasn't a typical day because I am having a few days off. Usually I work in Birmingham or at home.

I happened to have a day off on 12th May.
5:30am
Woke up. Checked phone for updates. Drew curtains to gentle sunshine, cooing of pigeons.
5:45 am
Switched on WiFi. Fired up laptop. Checked Twitter, Facebook and email.
6:07 am
Updating my todo list, held in a spreadsheet.
6:25am
Sorting my photos from yesterday's visit to Boothland Wood, Uckfield.
6:35am
Mother's emerged. Retreating to bed with cup of tea, biscuits, Sussex Express and laptop.
7:00am
Radio news (BBC 4). EU regs on conservation being "reviewed"; more people my age having strokes :-/
7:05am
Check items @UckfieldNews to find out what is happening locally. Includes change to train times; scarecrow competition. Uckfield News is an ultra local news service with website, Facebook and Twitter.  This sort of news is becoming very important. The people running the service often send personal messages with useful items.
7:15am
Checked weather on met office web site. Says it will be a bit dull this morning, sunnier this afternoon.
7:25am
Recorded nature sightings from Boothland Wood visit on iRecord.
7:50am
Recorded wildlife observations from Bushnell Trail camera in spreadsheet.
8:42am
Went to get paper from Tesco Express. No Guardians. Met town councillor who was busy untangling notice board
8:44am
Diverted to town and got Guardian and Radio Times from independent newsagent at top of town.  Heard the screams of swifts.
9:05am
Have flicked through paper. Incensed at the vitriol towards fallen leaders. David Milliband/David Steel, the worst offenders. Giggled at the return of John Major style pants (on David Cameron) in Steve Bell. Reminded that satire comes from punching upwards. Nice article on the success on English Sparkling wines are doing well. We quite often have Surry/Sussex/Kent wine.
9:29am
Flicked through Radio Times. Like the look of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. Enjoyed phrase "welter of weirdness"
9:40am
Got ready to go out. Packed everything in camera bag, cleaned teeth and put laptop away.
10am
Mother and I got into my 11-year old Volkswagen Polo and went to Ashdown forest, about 20 minutes drive from home.
10:20am
Stopped at Millbank car park, joining one other car and 2 HGVs nearby. We went to the wood immediately next to the car park to see the bluebells. We also saw unfurling ferns, bright green beech leaves, crab apple trees a (probable) badger set and much more. We met a woman riding a horse, accompanied by a black retriever. She asked if we were taking pictures of the birds and I said I was taking pictures of the bluebells.
11am
We drove up to the Ashdown Llama Park. We bought 2 tickets for approx. £11 and spent an enjoyable hour and a half looking at the animals in the park: llamas, alpacas, horses, chickens, pigs and sheep. There were also wild birds such as pied wagtail and swallows.
12:45pm
We went to the restaurant for lunch. Mum had carrot and coriander soup. I had sausage, egg and chips with an apple juice. Total cost was £11.75.  About a dozen people came in while we were waiting. Mostly older, but one youngish couple. Mum, as always, tidied the table before leaving and the woman sitting at the next table commented. They went on to talk about the weather.
1:30pm
Mum bought some cards and fudge from the shop. When we were leaving, I almost fell over a pair of mating peacocks. There were 2 males and 3 females. The male, who had been mating, displayed his tail for long enough for me to get a photo.
1:40pm
Drove back through the forest. Two deer crossed the road in front of the car. I slowed but didn’t have to brake hard. There are many accidents caused by deer in our area.
2:00pm
Got home, put car back in the garage, put kettle on for tea, checked Twitter, Facebook and email.
3:05pm
Sorted photos from the day’s outing and chose some to put on Facebook and Twitter.
4:54pm
Received email with agenda and other documents for Neighbourhood Plan meeting.  The idea of the Neighbourhood Plan is to give local people a chance to decide where development should be in the town, what should be preserved and what should be changed.  Printed and browsed through documents.
6:25pm
Had tea comprising beef bourguignon (from chilled packet) and some Denbies sparkling wine.
8pm
Cleared up some Neighbourhood Plan items – sending emails etc.
9:30pm
Had hot chocolate drink and started typing up these notes.
11pm
Bed.

I found this very interesting to do and the experience was enlivened by some great people, who live tweeted their mass observation using #12May15. It was humbling to get insight into other lives.

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