I realise the weather in Petts Wood may be a little different to Catford, but this morning's forecast is very similar to earlier, even 2 days old, predictions for today, and it looks like we are all going to be drowned. There are only two reasons for hope. A little while ago there was a small crack in the grey clouds, and for a few minutes we had some sunshine. Also the forecasts says midday, and just midday, could be dry (as in free from rain). Are these good omens for a more enjoyable days at Petts Wood Calling, or more likely just clutching at straws. There is no hope from the BBC forecast. If anything that might be worse, although mainly in the amount of thunderbolts scattered across the forecast. Bot forecasters agree that today is going to be on the cool side with just 17° C.  Tomorrow may be dry with sunny spells in the morning, and later in the afternoon. It should also be warmer with at least 19° C, or more likely 20° C.

  Yesterday was a day when I did lots of little things, and plenty of resting/being lazy. I also managed to control my eating  just about. As I already confessed in the morning, I did have a double (small) helping of pork flavour instant noodles for breakfast. My lunch was two tins of soup - one being the ultra low sugar Tesco cream of chicken soup. The other was a a chicken and mushroom soup, which I must admit was very nice, but it did have a bit more sugar in it.

  Most of the little odd jobs I did during were concerned with getting stuff ready for Petts Wood Calling. It included making sure the batteries in my rarely used waterproof cameras were fully charged. I think I am going to need them today if the weather forecast is even twice as bad as it really is. I made a final decision on what main cameras I would take, and the lenses for them. Plus I checked the batteries were full.

  There was other little things I did that were insignificant by themselves, but needed to be done. I am using my rucksack style camera case, but that doesn't have room for all I want to take. I am going to take my courier bag as well. That now has a small bag of ginger Biscuits in it. They have too high a sugar content to enjoy more than one a day (if I am being very strict with myself), but they will provide a boost during a long day with no food after breakfast until possibly quite late in the evening.

  I also put a few other things in the courier bag. There is a face flannel that I might change for a small towel. A carrier bag in case I do some shopping on the way home, plus things like tissues and stuff. Just before I leave I'll put in a bottle of chilled water - possibly two, but one will probably be enough because I usually pop out for an occasional Guinness at The Daylight Inn (where I have been promised a free pint or two in return for some photos of the pub).

  After my poor sleep i tried to have a couple of snoozes today. The silly thing is that I can remember laying on my bed with my eyes closed, but I am not sure if I ever fell asleep. It is all going to be a bit of a rush this morning, and I won't have time for a lie in. Last night's dinner was just some sausages. I washed them down with a very carefully decided amount of whisky - enough to get me to sleep easy, but not too much to keep me awake.....or something like that.

  I stayed up to watch QI last night. It was just sufficiently old that I only remembered some of it, and so it still had some entertainment value. It finished at 10pm, and I went straight to bed - rather later than originally intended. I read for a short while, just to finish the last couple of pages of a short story, and as far as I can tell, I was probably fast asleep by 10.30pm. For nearly 4 hours I slept OK, and then something broke. I am sure I slept very little until about 6.30am when I got up.

  I am unsure why I couldn't sleep, although there is probably a big clue in the dreams I had when it seemed like I was awake, but obviously sleeping. I can't remember any details of those dreams, but I am pretty sure they were influenced by the knowledge that Petts Woods Calling is going to be a very unpleasant experience in the heavy rain. I'm lucky in that I can shelter in the green room behind the performance hall that we are not allowed to use. Apparently the last time it was used, 3 or 4 years ago, the floor was slightly damaged (some say just lightly scuffed). The organisers offered to pay for the damage, but have been barred from using the hall ever since. That is a shame because it made a far more fluid experience, and the theatre lighting made for some great photography. Anyway, we can use the green room to store equipment and personel, and it has real toilets - those who pay to watch the show have to use portaloos.

  I was hoping for lower blood glucose readings this morning, and I got them after being quite careful yesterday. The new meter said 8.2mmol/l, and the old meter said 8.1mmol/l. Curiously enough, 3 or 4 days ago those readings were reversed. It is more evidence of how unreliable blood glucose meters are. They are great to show a trend, but the actual readings can be out by 10 or 20%. Despite those low readings I feel pretty crappy this morning, and I am going to be taking a couple of paracetamol before going out.


 I think it is safe to say that beyond shaving, shampooing, and showering, the main item on today's menu is Petts Wood Calling. It is possible that I might come home early if I feel it is just too wet to work. In fact I will be going home in one sense. I have no desire to stay to get more than the first 15 minutes of Glamstar, the headliners, photographed. I don't really like them. All that glittery glam stuff with silly great platform boots, seems a bit creepy to me. Oddly enough, I really like their alter ego as Run For Cover where they just cover classic rock songs - and do it damn well.

  In fact there are just two bands I will lavish a lot of attention on, and they are Burning Chrome and Ferrets. The Dirty Perks are fairly good, but I don't have any affection for Mahogony Souls or The Kristian Baker Band. I think Ransom may be OK, but either Fat Salad or The Heat may be poor entertainment for me. Oh well, it is a good event to practice my photographic skills, but I am not sure how keen I am to subject me and my best cameras to torrential rain. I will have a hooded raincoat, and I am taking my two small waterproof cameras with me. Maybe they are going to get a lot of use today !