The Chalybeate

Sunday 26 April 2009

Rus in Urbs


In London for the weekend to visit friends, we did no traditional sightseeing, no shopping, no shows, no nowt apart from some very beautiful relaxed walking.

We stayed in Camden in a lovely early Victorian square which has been somewhat wrecked by the imposition of modern flats along one side and by the building of greenhouses and what look like educational accommodation in the old green space, but the original houses are still fine. An ex-cabinet minister lives two doors along from our friends.

Our Saturday walk was direct from the house. We were able to reach the lower reaches of the Grand Union Canal and from there walk westwards via Camden Market towards Wembley, passing through thick crowds to start with towards the deserted reaches of Kensal Green and areas of London that I'd hardly heard of before.

We turned at the Grand Junction Hotel, somewhere in West London, taking a drink served by the most unfriendly surly barman I've met for years; an Aussie I think, who was almost reluctant to serve us with anything, and certainly not the coffees which we'd asked for and which were advertised outside the pub. Fortunately it was only a couple of hundred yards from the nearest tube and railway; it only took us half an hour to return back to Camden.

:o)

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Wednesday 22 April 2009

Life's a bitch.....

We received a postcard from a couple of friends today: Jess & Alan, whom we've known since university. Over the last year or so they have each had some major health scares which are still unresolved. They have now decided that it's time to do the big trip while they can, so they've taken their camper-van off to Europe for at least six months.

I can only agree that it's the best thing to do. There's no point in waiting until it's too late - look at the reason that Moonface & I bought our camper-van in the first place. In some ways I'm surprised that they actually need a van, as they have loads of friends scattered around western Europe as well as two homes there, but as we really enjoy using ours and we appreciate its convenience and just plain fun, I can understand them completely.

So enjoy your time abroad, kids.

:o)

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Tuesday 21 April 2009

Selina the Slow-worm

Dumping rubbish on the compost bin today, I saw the slow-worm basking on the decomposing grass clipping on the surface of the pile, warmed by the combined heat of the sun shining on the compost bin and the rotting matter underneath it.

Welcome back, Selina, smooth and shiny as last year.


:0)

Thursday 16 April 2009

Italy


Yes, we've been to Italy on our holidays. Can you guess where?

;-/

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Tuesday 7 April 2009

Spring


Spring has arrived in the front garden. It's looking good, especially the celandines when the sun is shining.

:o)

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