Mea Culpa

The last post...Attention Please!

2006-06-04T18:45:00.000+01:00

Bye Then!

Blogger has been fantastic, don't get me wrong - it's great for lots of people -paricularly those new to blogging or those as lazy as me who want it all done for them and for FREE (just click through a few of the tons of other Blogger powered blogs using the 'next blog' button up there on the top right hand side).

Certainly, Blogger will improve, evolve and the user numbers will continue to multiply - nowt wrong with that I say.

Having said all that, it's no good if people using browsers other than Internet Explorer can't view it properly! Internet Explorer is of course the most widely used browser around...

There are many people (including me now!)

have come to realise that IE has a few too many flaws and have switched to one of the wide range of alternative browsers

(why? ¦4 popular free browsers).

There is a new blog idea in the melting pot at the moment...I wont be publishing the new blog address for a while cos I'll be messing around with another online idea.

If you did enjoy my mad ramblings and photos and would like to continue following my journey through this wonderful life, please feel free to contact me at spanglycloak AT hotmail dot co dot uk and I'll check if your name's on the list to get the new address.

Sincere thanks to all readers and contributors - esp the ones who didn't comment publicly but were regular visitors/emailers. You know who you are ;)

The last photo here? Well, that's simple! Of course it has to be of the person this blog was started for/about. ...the person who's the inspiration for everything I do.

See y'all soon partners...

now, "let's go!"

Merly x

July 2006 - UPDATE:
OK! I don't like to see anyone left out of the picture (so to speak).
So I'm adding this bit to direct anyone who I haven't told!
Mea Culpa's spanking new home
is over here!.
The new place is much nicer I think you'll agree. It's powered by Word Press.
All the entries from this blog have been moved over, so you won't miss any of the unquestionably interesting and oh so funny posts (?)
It's not just the layout that's improved. Finding your way around is easier too thanks to those catergory thingys.
(Aw come on, you've already experienced Word Press sites surely?)
What? You want another reason? OK, just one more...
The majority of the (newer) photos are much more viewer-friendly; They can be seen in different sizes and therefore much more detail. Now you can comment on just the picture as opposed to the blog entry (I wish more ppl would comment on the blog itself though, so ignore that bit! - and YES I do have quite a few visitors, thank you...tsk...).
The photo-viewing improvements are because I'm using Flickr now. If you've been living here or here since 2004, you'll probably want to get up to speed - read about Flickr on wikipedia .
People told me I'd never look back once I'd got the hang of Word Press. Getting the hang of it was a breeze. Looking back? Nope.
Well, I don't know about you, but I've hung around this dusty old blog for long enough.. Follow me...

'Grass'

2006-05-25T20:27:00.000+01:00

'Horfield Common c.1900'

2006-05-25T11:50:00.000+01:00

Horfield Common c.1900

Well, it's Horfield Common Circa 2 days ago - the obvious photoshop tweaking kinda gives it away, not to mention the kid on the mountain bike...

click it to see the full size and see how much oversharped noise I added.

At Night pt2

2006-05-25T10:45:00.000+01:00

Whilst I was on the suspension bridge on Tuesday night, I bumped into this fella:

I got chatting to him and although he was obviously busy on an assignment, he was very approachable and even found time to chat about what cameras etc. he uses and the best DSLR (for a bumbling amateur like me).

He's Alan Russell from Zed Photography Ltd.

He told me that he's the official photographer for the bridge people and was taking shots of the new lighting which has adorned the bridge since the Brunel 200 celebrations started earlier this year.

I left him to continue his shoot and I walked across the bridge to take these pics:

I thought my little digi compact coped quite well given the scarce available light!

It was quite cold and VERY windy atop the bridge -

well, that's the excuse I'll use for the shaky pictures

(note to self: next time, wear coat and take tripod/bean bag)

At Night

2006-05-25T10:30:00.000+01:00

View from the Suspension Bridge looking out over the South East of the city & river.

Issa's World

2006-05-23T20:08:00.000+01:00

Just thought I'd post about this lovely little blog that i've been following for a while now:

Give it a click!

Of course, I could be biased because their youngest was born on the same day as Daniel - but really it's worth a read - I know of one friend in particular who'll definately get all broody reading it! ;) - especially this part .

Banksy & Banksyesque

2006-05-22T13:31:00.000+01:00

I really like this creation by Banksy.

It's one of the first things I noticed when I moved to Bristol.

Anyone who's travelled through Stokes Croft will be familiar with this.

It's a bit faded now, so come on Banksy, get your stencils out and get back from the big Smoke for a while!

I'd post stuff from his site, but just go have a nose around it yourself.

Banksyesque

This one isn't a Banksy creation, but employs the same stencil/spray technique as much of B's work does.

Last of Sunday's Harbourside pics

2006-05-22T09:48:00.000+01:00

This part of the harbour - toward the city centre - is L shaped.

The female rower sped by as I took this - maybe she should be the search & rescue contingent instead of that old tug boat.

Round the bend, you can see the bars and eateries that make up

The Waterfront area.

The building on the right with the blue netting on top is being demolished.

The tall building left of centre (Colston Tower) isn't being demolished - it's not scaffolding, it was designed like that.

The bridge with the horns on it is 'Pero's Bridge'. The bridge is named after Pero Jones, who came to live in Bristol as the slave of plantation owner and sugar merchant John Pinney in the 17th Century during Bristol's slave trade days. The two horns provide a counterweight to raise the bridge.

You can do one of those 360 degree panorama things of the view from the bridge here .

To the left of Pero's Bridge, you'll notice a pale stone building, set back from the others along the Waterfront (you might need to enlarge the photo to see it). Well, that's the Pitcher & Piano bar/restaurant. That's where you should take me if you want to impress/inibriate me. It's also where I sincerely plan to spend the first evening after winning the lottery, buying food and drinks for everyone before ~~checking into rehab~~ travelling a lot

(travelling sun-fri only of course cos Saturdays are a lotto win all of their own for me :D ).

And here endeth Sunday's photo jaunt.

I'll have a P please, Bob

2006-05-22T09:35:00.000+01:00

It's a capital P frenzy.

Only?

2006-05-22T08:53:00.000+01:00

One of the last remaining goods wagons (or whatever they're called)

on the harbourside.

It really caught my eye because of the 'ONLY' bit on the side

- I know it's so, back in the day, no one put anything else in it- but, like you'd want to!

It also works on the level of 'Calm Down Dears, it only acid'.

I had to include a photo from the side of it, showing the maker's plate...because...

ok, only because it's vaguely near to where I grew up.

I did, I did grow up.

Vaguely.

Riverbank

2006-05-22T07:59:00.000+01:00

The Lloyds TSB building.

(I know this photo lacks...everything - but then have you seen my other 200 blog photos?)

Baggage

2006-05-22T07:34:00.000+01:00

Snails have chuffed it then.

Search & Rescue

2006-05-22T02:13:00.000+01:00

If you do decide to go for a swim in the harbour - you'll be ok if you get into difficulties - this response vessel is on standby to

chug and trundle along to your aid.

God's Garden pt2

2006-05-21T20:03:00.000+01:00

God's Garden itself is actually just a small patch of grass which used to be part of the moorings beside the river Avon (before it got re-routed to form the Floating Harbour in 1809).

There still evidence of the old river course:

The Mooring Posts:

Some old lock gates leading into the Bathurst Basin:

(you can just see them under the bridge if you click the pic) The lock gates became redundant when the wall was put in.

Theoretically, it's ok to swim in I guess - seeing as the water quality in the basins, wharves and harbour which make up this area, according to the council, has "improved significantly" - since raw sewage stopped being pumped into them just 15 years ago. Well it would.

(BS council quote): "Now only dilute sewage enters the Harbour during times of very heavy rainfall to avoid the centre of Bristol from flooding. Some diesel spills occur periodically from boats or work on the harbourside. The quality now approaches the standard set in the Bathing Water Directive 1976". (view article)

Yep, 1976.

Still, I'm sure it's lovely. Before you all come to Bristol and spend a summer afternoon skinny dipping, keep in mind not to dive too deeply into the 13ft of silt...

Didn't they used to use this stuff for Fuller's Earth?

no one remembers F E, but it's great to cure thigh chaffing and sore skin...

Honestly it really is.

YEY! - it seems my rambling nature is back!!! woo!

Anyway, I enjoyed my (very early) Sunday morning photo jaunt around God's Garden. Tis a nice spot for a precious half hour at lunchtime for the office crowd in summer I imagine.

I suppose, at a push, you could smuggle a dog in to the garden - just clean up after him/her - think of the water quality.

I then walked across the road, down Wapping Road to the Floating Harbour itself for a nose around - see the posts above - I'll keep the narrative to a minimum!

You can see where I was on this Google Map

(other details about the 'New Cut' here)

No Dogs in Heaven

2006-05-21T18:03:00.000+01:00

I disagree totally with this divine doggy discrimination. I'm certain it's not true though: I still go with the ethos of this 1989 film:

One previous owner...

2006-05-18T23:24:00.000+01:00

Would've been nice if they'd told me it was Satan!

666 - geddit?

(oh, and the speedo was wrong, naturally)

Airbus A380 jet flypast

2006-05-18T13:49:00.000+01:00

The Airbus A380, the world's biggest passenger jet, has landed at London's Heathrow Airport for the first time. Making its UK debut after a flight from Berlin, the giant twin-deck plane had earlier flown over the two UK Airbus sites that designed and made its wings. Staff at the facilities in Flintshire, and Filton, near Bristol, cheered as it passed low above them. The 555-seat aircraft and its crew are visiting Heathrow to test the airport's facilities before flying out on Friday. "This is truly a monumental day in aviation history," said Heathrow's managing director Tony Douglas.

(text source: bbc.co.uk)

The Big Brother chocolate rush

2006-05-18T01:10:00.000+01:00

As if I ever need an excuse to snaffle loads of choccies!

"[Big Brother fans are expected to buy more than 16 million KitKats over the next two weeks in a bid to get their hands on a golden ticket. The Channel 4 show has hidden 100 of the tickets inside special bars. One of the lucky ticket-holders will be chosen at random to win a place in the Big Brother house. The special KitKats go on sale on Friday morning. Sales are predicted to exceed 16 million, according to organisers of the contest. Woolworths has shipped over 500,000 bars and will open its city centre stores an hour earlier at 8am to cope with the expected rush. Alison Rhodes, head of confectionery, said: "We've named Friday KitKat day at Woolworths. There are KitKats in windows, KitKats at the front of the store, KitKats at the tills and thousands of KitKats in every store room. "This is one of the biggest events in the confectionery industry for years and Big Brother and Nestle have pulled off one of the cleverest pieces of marketing ever." On May 19 last year Woolworths sold 3,000 KitKats. This year the figure is expected to be 20 times higher. Big Brother 7 launches on Thursday night and presenter Davina McCall will give out full details of the Willy Wonka-style contest. A Channel 4 spokesman said: "This is a first for Big Brother. Nothing on this scale has ever been tried before in a reality show. "We are always looking at new ways of trying to find brilliant housemates and the golden ticket feels like a genuinely exciting way to do so." ]" Story from

José González - 'Veneer'

2006-05-16T22:53:00.000+01:00

Veneer is the album I've been listening to over all others for the last week. I bought it quite a while back, but now it's having it's first 'played to death' period - i.e an album played more than the others for a few weeks then put away for 3-6months (sometimes longer), to be wonderfully rediscovered! It's perfect for listening to on a beach I imagine.

(which is all I can do until I'm 63 and can afford a~~n exotic~~ holiday again after the mortgage ends!...no, really...)

It's gorgeously lazy listening - but don't be fooled, it'll grab ya before you know it!

My favourite lyrics from it:

Calm Down Dear!

2006-05-16T13:11:00.000+01:00

I know this has being doing the rounds for some time...but if it annoys you -

CALM DOWN DEAR!

Click pic for the eSure remix video

Shiny Happy

2006-05-15T11:37:00.000+01:00

For James

2006-05-15T10:37:00.000+01:00

James: You know how you absolutely love the Cillit Bang commercial?

Well, click this ;) It'll take your mind off revision.

Steve wanted to include this for the same reason!

More Random Graffiti

2006-05-15T10:00:00.000+01:00

It is indeed.

ohhh..kayy....

# "Bring me sunshine... OLIVES? "

2006-05-15T09:20:00.000+01:00

True, you'd never have caught Morcambe & Wise singing that. I'm not going to slag it off though; it shows they have passion for their product. Also, it's the longest sign I've ever seen!

Don't Tell Den Perry...

2006-05-14T23:55:00.000+01:00

...but Brian Potter has moved.

Two Wise Monkeys

2006-05-14T23:22:00.000+01:00

There's no chance of the 3rd monkey (who says nothing) being present when D & dad are together! - he'd be appalled by our sheer incessant chatter.

Council Letters

2006-05-14T22:36:00.000+01:00

allegedly real quotes from letters to Islington Council's Housing Department

"I want some repairs done to my cooker as it has backfired and burnt my knob off."

"I wish to complain that my father hurt his ankle very badly when he put his foot in the hole in his back passage."

"Their 18 year old son is continuously banging his balls against my fence."

"I wish to report that tiles are missing from the roof of the outside toilet and I think it was bad wind the other night that blew them off."

"The lavatory seat is cracked, where do I stand?"

"I am writing on behalf of my sink which is coming away from the wall."

"Will you please send someone to mend the garden path. My wife tripped and fell on it yesterday and now she is pregnant."

"I request your permission to remove my drawers in the kitchen."

"Can you please tell me when the repairs will be done as my wife is about to become an expectant mother."

"I am still having trouble with smoke in my built in drawers."

"The toilet is blocked and we cannot bath the children until it is cleared."

"Will you please send a man to look at my water, it is a funny colour and not fit to drink."

"Our lavatory seat is broken in half and now it is in three pieces."

"Would you please send a man to repair my sprout. I am an old age pensioner and need it straight away."

"I want to complain about the farmer across the road; every morning at 6am his cock wakes me up and it's getting too much."

"The man next door has a large erection in the back garden, which is unsightly and dangerous."

"Our kitchen floor is damp. We have two children and would like a third so will you please send someone around to do something about it."

"I am a single woman living in a downstairs flat and would be pleased if you could do something about the noise made by the man I have on top of me every night."

"Please send a man with clean tools to finish the job and satisfy the wife."

"I have had the Clerk of the Works down on the floor six times, but still have no satisfaction."

"We are getting married in September and would like it in the garden before we move into the house."

"This is to let you know that our lavatory seat is broken and we can't get BBC2." (from businessballs.com)

Reveller's Regret...

2006-05-14T20:41:00.000+01:00

Sunday 8.39AM :

The last two fancy dress partygoers embark on their long walk home down Gloucester Road.

8.40AM :

The bloke in the fat ballet dancer suit starts to wish he'd gone for the purple hat 'outfit'...

Horfield Police Station

2006-05-14T19:16:00.000+01:00

...except it's not a police station anymore. Imagine having that written in stone above the door of your flat. Oh and it's not an old photo - I did take it this morning, honestly.

It did look like someone was filming a 70's detective drama, what with the old car n all...

And now, The Gallery...

2006-05-14T01:16:00.000+01:00

Seeing as this is kind of a gallery of some of the more crappy and mundane photograpic offerings available online, I think it quite apt I should let you hear the soothing tones from 'The Gallery' from Vision On (a precursor to Take Hart / Hartbeat on childrens BBC1) - so right click this link to open it in a new window / tab or whatever and then drift around these pages, as you would walking around a modern shopping centre on a rainy day... I took the music from itiswhatitis.co.uk - but i'm sure thay won't mind, seeing as I've bought lots of their fine, funny and funky T Shirts in the past. Anyway...back to The Gallery ;)

Sunset over Horfield Prison

2006-05-12T12:57:00.000+01:00

Heartfelt

2006-05-12T12:47:00.000+01:00

Do Not Go Gentle...

2006-05-12T11:02:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was a deliciously long warm day.

I took this photo by the side of St Andrews Park on my way home.

The sun languidly dawdled off toward it's setting position and then, as if realising it had done a good job (over the UK at least), blazed ever more fiercely and defiantly for the last half hour. It made me think of Mr Thomas' "Do not go gentle into that good night... Rage, Rage against the dying of the light".

Dylan wrote about something entirely different of course, but I've very little control over where my quirky little brain wanders off to...

Should you wish to nick this as your desktop wallpaper - the original (2.62Mb) image can be found here. Why you'd actually want to is of no concern to anyone but yourself...Enjoy!

Memory Test

2006-05-12T10:44:00.000+01:00

These are the results of my Memory Test Not bad for an old git, eh? See what you get - take the Memory Test (by Tickle Tests)

well, obviously...

2006-05-12T01:12:00.000+01:00

The top part was probably smashed after they spelt 'glass' incorrectly

Left Wanting

2006-05-12T00:50:00.000+01:00

I saw this sorry-looking Fiesta parked in BS7 yesterday.

It had 2 flat tyres, a bashed in wing, smashed lights all round and no front grille...

Still, at least Arnaldo 'want buy' it...

I only hope for Arnaldo's sake that the owner spots this plea soon - notes written on toilet paper don't last long.

Down at Treblerock

2006-05-11T20:30:00.000+01:00

My travels took me through the St Michael's Hill area today - tis one of my fave areas.

Whilst walking through the muted hustle and bustle of St Michael's Hill itself (it's a busy street, but quiet too if that makes sense...), I saw a bloke dash out of a nearby pub -'bar @ 155'- with a pint of cider in his hand. The look of flustered glee on his face summed up the sentiment of anyone who's grabbed a drink in a brief moment whilst working on a hot day such as today.

The bloke turned out to be Steve, owner of the nearby Treblerock Music shop.

I turned around and stuck my head in the shop to introduce myself and to tell him how envious I was that he'd got his hands on a pint of ice cold Blackthorn in the heat of the late afternoon.

I asked him if it was ok to take a photo - and after I gave my hurried 'this is what I do blah blah' speech, he agreed!

He even offered to buy me a pint there and then!

I had to decline due to me driving/working - but...Steve: be warned - I'll be around that area at lunchtime next week - so put a pint's worth of coin behind the bar please - HA!

Anyway, here's Steve enjoying that well earned pint of Blackthorn!

Soon after driving off, I realised it was the same Steve who I'd seen/heard in a band called The Harrisons many moons ago - I'd took some girfriend or other (no names, no lawsuit!) to a pub where they happened to be playing - pretty darn good they were too as I recall.

Anyway, enough about guitar shops - because as soon as my sis gets wind of this, she'll be asking me to get her strings/plectrums etc etc (she's been playing guitar, acc mandolin and also everything windy for as long as I can remember). But if you are in the area, have a nose around Treblerock. I can't promise Steve will offer to buy everyone a pint - he probably will if you buy one of his guitars though...

Pizza Places

2006-05-10T23:28:00.000+01:00

Does anyone else find it slightly unnerving how Take Away food places

seem to know stuff about you - just because you phoned them

ages ago...once?

Well this site takes thing to a funny conclusion.

(Or should that be 'scary-vision-of-the-future-George-Orwell-was-right-conclusion').

Hit the pic below to hear the phone call

Junk Mail

2006-05-10T10:04:00.000+01:00

EXCLUSIVE!!! - BBC show sequel to 'Lost'

2006-05-10T00:25:00.000+01:00

Steve bellowed something about a sequel to Lost being shown on BBC1 the other morning, so I ran downstairs to see for myself...

Never Mind the Full Stops

2006-05-09T23:40:00.001+01:00

I can't wait for this new show - it's right up my street (Sarah agrees wholeheartedly!)

Watch the trailer and you'll see why. Perhaps I should forward a photo or two and see if I get any royalties from BBC4...

EEK!

2006-05-09T20:41:00.000+01:00

Picture the scene - a lovely warm afternoon, you go for a sit down on the grass and get your nose into a new book (B**locks To Alton Towers: uncommonly British days out - a very good read by the way!). Then this bloody great big thing pulls up!

OK, so it is an airfield...but that's quite beside the point.

Action against an action...

2006-05-09T20:16:00.000+01:00

Dumping will be prosecuted?

Maybe they had the other meaning of 'prosecuted' in mind - but then that'd mean 'dumping will be carried out'...dunno...

No Intention

2006-05-05T11:11:00.000+01:00

Rather stern (arsey) signs like this have been cropping up on 'footpaths' around here recently...

I used to just call them pavements and leave their intentions out of it.

R2-D2 goes shopping

2006-05-04T13:35:00.000+01:00

It's Star Wars Day! Yes, yes May the 4th be with you and all that...

This is the best I could do for 'SW Day' today whilst wandering around a deserted early morning Cribbs Causeway, waiting for the MoT test to be done on my car.

- looks like they only sell Dalek antennas though...

Enterprising?

2006-05-04T11:30:00.000+01:00

Not to be outdone by the oh so delicious 'Goat's Feet' , this butcher has pushed the boundries of everyday cuisine a little further... Maybe he just wanted to up the steaks. (Sorry...)

My quit smoking stats

2006-05-03T11:36:00.000+01:00

A quick update of my 'smober' status: Quit for one month, one week, six days, 19 hours, 11 minutes and 11 seconds. 895 cigarettes not smoked, saving £221.55. Life saved: 3 days, 2 hours, 35 minutes. Go me! (oh, and if you don't know what the 'all your base' bit is about, be thankful you've not been snarled up in the virtual world as long as I have)

Well...

2006-05-02T23:26:00.000+01:00

...they do say "Baby see, baby do"

Daniel, you can certainly hold a camera steadier than your old dad! x

Wordy Rapinghood Weekend

2006-05-02T00:28:00.000+01:00

We had a wonderful Bank Holiday weekend. Daniel has really come into his own since his time away on the Isle of Wight with his mum. He's loving his new found skills with speech! He delighted in telling me, when asked, what noises various animals make: Lion = 'arrrrr' (can't do the full roar / raaar yet) Donkey = 'EEE!!' -(pause for a few seconds) - 'orrr' (softer) Cow = (purses lips) 'mmmmm' Dog = 'raff-uff' Sheep = (puts hands on head and points 1st fingers skywards to imitate horns a la bull-style) followed by a short single 'Bah' But perhaps the sweetest one is... "Me-ah" for a cat! Bramble was referred to as 'Me-ah' until he'd had enough of the squeals of delight, the shouts of "me-ah , MEEAHH!! , the general adoration etc - and legged it over the garden wall. At this point, D turned to me and dolefully announced " Oh...Meah gowne..." (the word 'gowne' is always accompanied by both hands raised vertically at the side of the head in the style of Steps doing the Tragedy dance). Daniel drew a line under this particular event by planting loads of kisses on his right hand (well, lots more kisses than are required to fill the average 22 month old palm) and blowing them in the direction of the departed 'me-ah' (who was by then basking in the sun in the long grass of my neighbour's garden). Other words flying from D's lips this weekend (words on a VERY frequent flyer ticket) included; 'Oh nuh' - 'Ohh Deeahh' - 'Wowwww' 'Nonee' (Noddy) - ' Ah..Bay-bee!' (when looking at photos of himself taken the day before) - 'uh? mmm...yeh' (every time he picked up my phone - followed by 2 nods of the head and 1 more "yeh", before closing phone/ putting it down) - Momma/Da-Dee/Nananana ( all 3 said in a loop) - 'Nana! Nana!!' (every time my house phone rang - Kim says it's not always her mum on the phone at their place!) - ' nor-nee, nor-nee nor-NEE!' (at the sight/sound of a police car) 'bibble bibble phfffft' (strictly speaking not a word but a sound made with or without fingers on mouth - maybe an early form of vocal rambling...sorry sunshine, that'll be from me...) There were only 2 tiny faux pas in the middle of these wonderful and countless spoken exchanges; At the park on Monday, a little girl grew impatient on the steps waiting for D to ready himself at the top of the slide - she nudged him and said 'GO!' Daniel, responded by smacking his lips together a few times, leaning back to eye his foe, shouting ' umm? MMM... NAH! ' and firmly staying put until HE was ready. It was a momentary act of defiance that amused the various assembled parents and one which would've made any union activist glow with pride, such was the stern look on his face during his brief sit-in. (oh, they were sharing a see-saw moments later, so all's well) The other was; whilst he was sat in his 'Winnie the Pooh Treehouse' playhouse, I asked him to point to the characters on the walls of it. Then I pointed and asked him who each one was - Winnie the Pooh was correctly identified as 'poo-beah' so was the bumble bee ('bEEEeee'). I then asked "who's that Daniel?", pointing to Piglet. The reply came sharp and triumphantly loud. 'Momma!' Oh Deeahh indeed...

More Flowers

2006-04-29T00:30:00.000+01:00

Ah, no wonder the more discerning types throughout Bristol call on me to make their gardens look wonderful!

I've got my first proper landscape design to do over the next few weeks which is very exciting. I'm going round to measure this, photograph that again on Sunday afternoon and do a few sketches too. I'll be doing all the 'what should go where' and a very good builder friend of mine will be working wonders with decking, walls and other such things. There's quite a lot of earth moving/levelling to do before said friend does his stuff, so I'm hoping my knee will hold out - me lumbering around and cursing isn't a good look.

Money-wise, the big bucks will go (rightly) to the builder and has to be shared among 2 other gardeners (ooh, I can boss them around...erm...yyyeah, right...)- but I'm gonna make sure the (money) devil is in the detail on the design front a little too.

I'm particularly excited about it because the client has said from the start what she definately wants, doesn't want, roughly how much dosh she's earmarked for the project - but has otherwise let me have free reign as much as possible from the outset. Perfect! Although it's not a job that will bring in perhaps the maximum of what it should, it's in an area that will be seen by many people on foot and it's also on a commuter route and therefore it should lead to ...something!

Oh, and it's between my house and where Daniel lives, so I get to see the finished article regularly too! I'll post pics if the client permits it to keep you 'culperers' updated.

He's Back!!

2006-04-26T13:03:00.000+01:00

It seems like an age since D went away, but now he's back!

I had him over at my place yesterday - I've got him on Saturday and Monday morning too!

Apologies to everyone I've snapped at / moaned to / ignored over the last couple of weeks.

P.S Play Doh - mmm! that smell... ahh!

Barbaric way to ease the pensions crisis

2006-04-25T19:43:00.000+01:00

A tiny bit of thought provoking grafitti scribbled outside a shop in Eastville.

Eat the old???

By the way, does anyone else remember those bubble gum machines like the one above?

Yeah, I know they only worked for about a year in the early eighties. Bazooka Joe's probably dead now anyway...

Free Chips Frenzy...

2006-04-25T18:51:00.000+01:00

A fish & chip shop in Northville was celebrating something or other yesterday. To mark this , they were giving away chips. Yep, just chips. People were queueing out of the door and onto the street when I passed by at 2pm. According to my two 'chip spies', people's hunger for deep fried potato slivers (and the thrill of getting owt for nowt) - was still evident at 3pm, 3.30, 6.30 and 9pm. It even attracted the attention of 2 local radio (meh!) stations apparently. I mean, really, would you queue for half an hour for 1 portion of chips?

...can i just say again - it was only chips...

(yes, I was ragged off because i didn't get any, but that's not the point...)

Blog-ahh

2006-04-24T20:42:00.000+01:00

Ahh! that's why.

Blog-ARRRGH

2006-04-24T12:27:00.000+01:00

anyone else having trouble with blogger today? my posts are stuck at ... 0%

"Dedication's what you need..."

2006-04-24T01:10:00.000+01:00

I just like the "this way" bit...hee!

It's quite obvious what BT dedicated it to. It's on this street:

On the Downs

2006-04-24T00:58:00.000+01:00

Saturday - early evening on the Downs on my way home (before my 'shopper to clubber' transformation..i'e having a shower!). Can anyone spot the 2nd hot air balloon in the trees? Well, it wasn't IN the trees.

The nearest balloon dipped scarily close to me just after this pic.

St George's Day...

2006-04-23T22:27:00.001+01:00

I see it slipped by today, barely noticed by many. Ah well, it's not like he ever set foot in England anyway! He was Turkish as most people know. AND...he's not patron saint solely to us Englanders anyway. He is also patron saint of: Aragon, Catalonia, Georgia and Lithuania. Oh and Palestine (where he was beheaded in the 3rd Century for getting arsey about the Roman's persecution of Christians - probably because he was kicking up against this persecution whilst he was a high ranking ...Roman soldier). Erm...and Portugal. That it? ...hang on... Also Germany and err... Greece. Aaaand..... Moscow, Istanbul, Genoa and Venice (second to St Mark). He's also patron saint of soldiers, archers, cavalry and chivalry, farmers and field workers, riders and saddlers. And thousands of English pubs... And probably anyone in the Transport & General Worker's Union. And anyone who supports 'Ingerland'. But in his spare time he is known to help those suffering from leprosy, plague and syphilis. Yep, he's their saint of choice too. It's believed that Saint George was adopted in England because the story in the 'Golden Legend' , a book (similar in factual accuracy and in depth content to many of today's celebrity magazines) printed in 1483 was similar to an Anglo-Saxon legend. Similar...pffffht! Poor old George's popularity faded after the Reformation when religious beliefs changed. He also lost ground as the all new, dead hard, gunpowder became the weapon of choice re: war and protection, making the lance and sword look like downright farty rubbish. In 1778 Saint George's Day was demoted to a simple day of devotion for Catholics in England. As if all that wasn't enough to start 'our George' spinning for all eternity in his grave, in 1969 the Roman Catholic Church set about another re-jig of its Calendar of Saints and downgraded Saint George to its lowest possible status - commemoration - which means celebration of his feast is optional. He has not been, as some people believe, abolished. As you can see, old George has had rather a rough time of it. Still, maybe he'll return one day to regain some of his lost status. Maybe by selling us a fine woven Turkish rug ....don't forget it's ok to barter and haggle with the patron saint of ~~Everywhere~~ England - just don't upset the TGWU.

Doctor Who sings!

2006-04-23T20:03:00.000+01:00

Karaoke night in the Tardis

A friend told me about this site last night (one of the few things I remember!). It's an brilliant idea that someone had since Tom Baker did the voices for BT's text to speech thing. Go on, have a listen - I defy you not to sing along! My personal favourite is 'Common People' Also, if there's no children around, you can listen to things you'd never imagine Tom Baker saying... (thanks to thedoctorsings.co.uk!)

For the morning after: "Bar Italia"

2006-04-23T16:54:00.000+01:00

"Now if you can stand I would like to take you by the hand, yeah,

And go for a walk past people as they go to work.

Oh, let's get out of this place before they tell us that we've just died.

Move, move quick, you've gotta move.

Come on it's through, come on it's time.

Oh look at you,

you,

you're looking so confused just what did you lose?

Now if you can make... an order... could you get me one?

Two sugars would be great 'cos I'm fading fast and it's nearly dawn.

If they knocked down this place,

this place,

- it'd still look much better than you.

Move, move quick, you've gotta move.

Come on it's through, come on it's time.

Oh look at you,

you,

You're looking so confused, what did you lose?

Oh, it's ok it's just your mind...

If we get through this alive I'll meet you next week,

Same place.

Same time.

Oh move, move quick you've gotta move.

Come on it's through, come on it's time.

Oh look at you,

you,

You're looking so confused, what did you lose?

That's what you get from clubbing it.

You can't go home and go to bed because it hasn't worn off yet

And now it's morning.

There's only one place we can go.

It's around the corner in Soho.

Where other broken people go.

Let's go."

Bar Italia by Pulp

(ok it's the evening after....)

By the way, if you're ever in London looking for a coffee place (for whatever reason!), I can think of no better place than Bar Italia (22 Frith Street, Soho) - it's been MANY moons since I dropped in there one morning (...) but to Italian coffee addicts like me, it's heavenly.

Shoppers to Clubbers...

2006-04-22T18:27:00.000+01:00

I love that short but distinct period around late afternoon / early evening at weekends when a hush descends on city centres. It's almost like all the shoppers scuttle away, too fearful to witness the end of the retail day. Some go home, put on their party frocks / trousers and return, regrouped and refreshed, to embrace whatever the night may hold. The perpetual collective thought from these Party Armies : "This could be the best night of our lives!", is almost as tangible as the litter blowing around the shop doorways... To every Party Army: I salute you! Tonight I'm out there...somewhere... Tomorrow I'll post what I think is THE best morning after narrative - but it might be afternoon if I'm *forced* into some all-nighter or other... ;) - A 'sweetening/safe thinking/mad as ****ing/happy bouncing/banging/luvdup feeling/chilling outing/dizzying/gigglying/carefreeing/impulsiveing/destiny fullfilling/the hell with him-her-them-that thinking/warm n fuzzying/nice nostalgia inducing/forgetting/whirlygigging/mind-globe-loo trotting/wry smiling/friend hugging/friend making/til it hurts laughing/money-ex-family problem-work-rationale-prejudice-old scores forgetting/face sucking/codshit talking/kebab eating/afterclub partying/taxi queueing/back to friends walking/chatting til daybreaking/sleepy smiling' night to one and all! x x

Tail tale update

2006-04-22T16:48:00.000+01:00

It looks like Bramble's gonna be fine! It may take a few months for his tail to return completely to normal, but all the same 'phew!!'

Baldy

2006-04-21T23:09:00.000+01:00

During the vet visits today, I noticed that one of my car tyres needs replacing. Great...more expense!

I checked with KwikFit first - £70.50 (but only if you print off the online quote and show it to them). I wouldn't go to KwikFit ever again anyway! Last time I went to KwikFit (Patchway) for a puncture repair, I was kept waiting as the 'technician' tried 3 times to fix it. Apparently because "the repair wont hold". I thought this was a little odd, as they normally pull a rubber plug through the hole, glue it on the inside and snip the excess rubber off the outside. Anyway, about 6 months later I was at ATS Tyres, having it replaced. The technician there called me over and asked where I'd had the puncture repair done. I said , "KwikFit at Patchway, Bristol, why?". The ATS bloke showed me what they had done at KwikFit - simply glued a small round rubber patch to the inside of the tyre - kind of like the patches you find in a bicycle puncture repair kit. I was told that this was potentially dangerous as the tear in the actual tyre had not been repaired and could have lead to a blow out at high speed. Scary seeing as I'd been up to Yorkshire 3 times with that on the front right wheel. The ATS bloke offered to put the old tyre in the boot so I could report it to Trading Standards - but I didn't bother... Anyway, enough digression - suffice to say I'd never recommend KwikFit to anyone but stunt drivers. ATS quoted £76 this time for the same tyre. And so to the point of this post... After looking at other big names and phoning a few local firms all charging between £68 - £79, I stumbled across something brilliant (in the tyre world at least...) - it's a place called

You go to the site, tap in the size of tyre, select which brand you want - when and where you want a fitter to come to...errr fit it - pay online (with no hidden nasties like the blue & yellow place!) and that's it! Marvellous. I ordered mine at 5pm today and they're coming here to fit it in the morning! Oh, and it was 25 quid cheaper than the worst of the above too. Hurrah for etyres.co.uk!

Go here if you just wanna see their groovy video :)

Well, it's been a depressing day and this was the only high point! Sad indeed.

Broken Tail?

2006-04-21T22:47:00.000+01:00

I noticed yesterday afternoon that Bramble's tail looked a little odd. He didn't appear to be in any obvious discomfort but there was an obvious kink in his tail. As the night wore on, he seemed to have slightly more movement in it. Before bed, I googled 'cat broken tail' and determined that if he was no better by early morning, a visit to my local vet would be required. This morning I noticed that, although he'd eaten and drunk normally, he hadn't used the litter tray. I phoned the vet and they told me to take him straight in. Once there, Bramble was examined and it was eventually decided that I monitor him closely at home today. Thankfully, he showed signs of movement and responded to pain stimuli (2 nips to the tip of his tail) which indicated his tail wasn't broken - most likely dislocated - so amputation wouldn't be necessary. Phew! He was given a pain killing and A I shot this afternoon. BUT... The vet then voiced concern though that Bramble hadn't passed water. I learnt there's a nerve which controls the bladder which runs through to the base of the tail which can become stretched or detached if the tail is injured (it's also commonly caused by some evil **** pulling hard on a cat's tail) - if damaged it might mean....yeah, that. I have to watch him tonight and pray that he'll wee for England. This is Bramble tonight:

Oh no...

2006-04-20T17:35:00.000+01:00

...he's been pratting around in the garden again with a camera...

Yep, thought I'd take a quick pic between rainstorms early this morning.

A touch of flash overkill makes this tulip look fake - but it's not I tell you.

Dead / Centre

2006-04-18T07:59:00.000+01:00

Greenbank Cemetery with city in background

Cue the Hardy poetry!

"AH, are you digging on my grave, My loved one? -- planting rue?" -- "No: yesterday he went to wed One of the brightest wealth has bred. 'It cannot hurt her now,' he said, 'That I should not be true.'" "Then who is digging on my grave, My nearest dearest kin?" -- "Ah, no: they sit and think, 'What use! What good will planting flowers produce? No tendance of her mound can loose Her spirit from Death's gin.'" "But someone digs upon my grave? My enemy? -- prodding sly?" -- "Nay: when she heard you had passed the Gate That shuts on all flesh soon or late, She thought you no more worth her hate, And cares not where you lie. "Then, who is digging on my grave? Say -- since I have not guessed!" -- "O it is I, my mistress dear, Your little dog , who still lives near, And much I hope my movements here Have not disturbed your rest?" "Ah yes! You dig upon my grave... Why flashed it not to me That one true heart was left behind! What feeling do we ever find To equal among human kind A dog's fidelity!" "Mistress, I dug upon your grave To bury a bone, in case I should be hungry near this spot When passing on my daily trot. I am sorry, but I quite forgot It was your resting place."

Guess Who

2006-04-17T11:23:00.000+01:00

Down on the farm

2006-04-17T10:59:00.000+01:00

Kim sent this phone pic of Daniel on Saturday. He looks like he's having a good time down there on the Isle of Wight.

Cloud Control

2006-04-17T10:05:00.000+01:00

At the top of Muller Road yesterday, on the way to shoot the pic for the post below.

Last ones standing

2006-04-17T09:24:00.000+01:00

These are the last couple of houses left prior to demolition on one side of Wordsworth Road, Horfield. The whole area is being regenerated. Houses such as these have been razed to the ground on account of them having 'concrete cancer' (this is where the metal rods inside the concrete - of which these houses were made - rust away, leaving the building essentially unsafe).

The developer has knocked down almost all 600 of these homes earmarked for demolition and has started building the first of 800 lovely new brick ones.

As I remember, there was lots of wrangling between the local council (who owned the vast majority of the houses) and the development consortiums. Eventually, the original developers got ragged off and washed their hands of the whole affair. After years of nothing happening, the council eventually said, 'oh crumbs' (or something) and gave the land to a hasilty formed Housing Foundation for nothing. The homes will be mixed tenure with half being rented out by the Foundation and the rest sold off privately by the chosen developer: Bovis Homes. Now the displaced residents in that area can look forward to nice new homes at last! A bloke at work lives with his parents on the other side of the road in one of the few remaining condemmed semi detached houses (the adjoining one has been empty for 2 years). He told me that it's like living in No Man's Land. Still, it must be hard to maintain a sense of community with only 6 occupied houses on the street. Final thought: In that photo, it seems quite a paradox to have a reasonably well tended hedge (at the occupied property) in the middle of a doomed street.

Simnel Cake

2006-04-17T08:36:00.000+01:00

Ah, my last piece of Simnel cake. Never heard of it? Well, Simnel cake originates from Mothering Sunday (a long time before the New World - America - actually gave us the name 'Mother's Day') - the fourth Sunday of Lent when people traditionally returned to their 'mother' church. Now it is more generally associated with Easter, when it is often decorated with 11 balls of marzipan representing the disciples, excluding the bad bloke.

As you can see from my example, the 11 balls of marzipan have mysteriously disappeared.

I know, it looks like lasagne on a fruit cake.

Long way up

2006-04-16T10:48:00.000+01:00

I remember when this was all just shops.....

2006-04-16T08:55:00.000+01:00

This is the site of the Broadmead redevelopment in the centre of Bristol.

I heartily recommend a quick look at Groovebox's Photos on flickr to see just how many shops / flats/ houses / car parks / office blocks have been demolished.

They've gone a bit digger happy around here...

Now it seems the only things waiting at the bus stops are erm... cones

Happy Easter !

2006-04-15T16:56:00.000+01:00

wishing everyone a very happy Easter!

x x x

...and don't go mad on the chocolate, kids!

Good Friday

2006-04-14T09:00:00.000+01:00

This is what Christians believe is the timeline of Jesus' final hours: (collated as acurately as possible using different scriptures of the Bible) 6 am: Jesus Stands Trial Before Pilate (Matthew 27:11-14; Mark 15:2-5; Luke 23:1-5; John 18:28-37)

7 am:

Jesus Sent to Herod (Luke 23:6-12) Jesus Returned to Pilate (Luke 23:11) Jesus is Sentenced to Death (Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15; Luke 23:23-24; John 19:16)

8 a.m. Jesus is Led Away to Calvary (Matthew 27:32-34; Mark 15:21-24; Luke 23:26-31; John 19:16-17)

9am:

The Crucifixion "The Third Hour" Jesus is Crucified on the Cross Mark 15: 25 - "It was the third hour when they crucified him." (The third hour in Jewish time would have been 9 a.m.) Luke 23:34 - Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do now know what they are doing." The Soldiers Cast Lots for Jesus' Clothing (Mark 15:24)

10 a.m. Jesus is Insulted and Mocked Matthew 27:39-40 - And the people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. "So! You can destroy the Temple and build it again in three days, can you? Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!" Mark 15:31 - The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. "He saved others," they scoffed, "but he can't save himself!" Luke 23:36-37 - The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" Luke 23:39 - One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

11 a.m. Jesus and the Criminal Luke 23:40-43 - But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." Jesus Speaks to Mary and John John 19:26-27 - When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, "Woman, he is your son." And he said to this disciple, "She is your mother." And from then on this disciple took her into his home.

Noon - "The Sixth Hour" Darkness Covers the Land Mark 15:33 - At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.

1 p.m. Jesus Cries Out to the Father Matthew 27:46 - And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Jesus is Thirsty John 19:28-29 - Jesus knew that everything was now finished, and to fulfill the Scriptures he said, "I am thirsty."A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips.

2 p.m. It is Finished John 19:30a - When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "It is finished!" Luke 23:46 - Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.

3 p.m. - "The Ninth Hour" Events Following Jesus' Death:

The Earthquake Matthew 27:51-52 - At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. The Centurion - "Surely he was the Son of God!" (Matthew 27:54; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:47) The Soldiers Break the Thieves' Legs (John 19:31-33) The Soldier Pierces Jesus Side (John 19:34) Jesus is Laid in the Tomb (Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42) Jesus Rises from the Dead (Matthew 28:1-7; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-9) To learn more, hop over (bunny style!) to about.com

- back Sunday.

2006-04-13T13:48:00.000+01:00

Bottom of Nelson Street 6.30am

Window Art

2006-04-12T20:28:00.000+01:00

Spotted on the window of the former Dovercourt VW Dealership. They're almost to the standard of the briliant Banksy, who sadly left Bristol for the big smoke a few years ago. These don't appear to be spray stencilled on though. I didn't return to get a clearer image - I kinda like the reflection of the church over the road. Here's a closer look at one of the pictures: You have to admit, like most of Banksy's work, this is a much better way of leaving a message - or a tag (the bear's face in this case!) than just a scrawl.

Don't call it Graffiti -look at it- it's ART!!

Hard times for everyone...

2006-04-12T20:21:00.000+01:00

Pay Station Two

2006-04-12T12:15:00.000+01:00

Graveyard Shift

2006-04-12T11:15:00.000+01:00

This is a disused office block near Fishponds. The vehicles are all in a breaker's yard beside it.

It made me think of a load of ghosts turning up for work at their dead office block in their dead cars.

I was gonna post this as a GPC post

because although I removed a telegraph pole

from beside the building, I forgot to remove

some of the telephone wires!

Ah well, it's better than the original, no?

No respite for young people with MS

2006-04-12T08:05:00.001+01:00

This article is from the Society section of The Guardian newspaper today: by Alison Benjamin Wednesday April 12, 2006

Fancy a holiday in hospital? That's often what you can expect when you are a young person with multiple sclerosis (MS), says Val Hanna. The MS centre in Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, which provides respite care, is located in the grounds of a hospital, contains hospital beds, serves hospital food, and follows a strict hospital regime. "I was supposed to stay a week but I only lasted an hour," Hanna recalls.

Many of her fellow guests, at a more advanced stage of the degenerative condition, did require medical care, but Hanna, 34, walks with two sticks and can dress and feed herself. "I didn't need to or want to go into hospital," she says. Her second visit was less brief. With her carer out of the country, Hanna had no choice but to see out her stay.

Breakfast was at eight, lunch at noon, lights out after medication, with nurses making checks in the middle of the night. "Psychologically, it made me feel less independent - and keeping my independence is crucial," says Hanna who lives alone. Pat, her best friend and neighbour on the outskirts of Belfast, pops in to cook, clean and shop.

Hanna was diagnosed with MS aged 25. She was in the middle of a three-year degree in community youth work. "MS is the most common neurological condition [in] young people in the UK so there should be respite and residential care appropriate for their needs," she says. "If my condition got so bad that I had to go into a care home, I would be surrounded by older people who may have dementia. I need to be with people my own age."

Each year, 2,500 people aged 20 to 40 are diagnosed with MS. Hanna, a member of a Northern Irish branch of the MS Society, is campaigning for the country's health board to fund suitable respite care for young people with MS.

Her ideal would be a bungalow where young people can socialise and enjoy themselves, staffed with people who cook good food and are on hand to help with any problems.

As Hanna says: "Carers need a well-earned break, but young people with MS shouldn't be punished for it."

· ---At noon today, Val Hanna features on BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme, which is broadcasting a week of reports about MS. SocietyGuardian is media partner for the MS Society's MS Life conference on April 22 and 23 at G-Mex, Manchester.www.msconvention.org.uk

GPC # 4

2006-04-11T00:08:00.000+01:00

Ah, so that's where I've been going wrong. All I have to do to be irresistable to the ladies is cover my car in witty Playboy decals and black out my rear lights...

* No. 4 of the Great Photo Clearout series

Hard and soft pt 2

2006-04-10T23:45:00.000+01:00

Dad, NO more photos...

2006-04-09T20:00:00.000+01:00

... of me this week please.

OK. Sorry for the proliferation of Daniel pics - actually, I'm not.

He's going off with his mum for Easter, so I wont have any new photos of him for almost 3 weeks (!)

(untitled)

2006-04-09T19:17:00.000+01:00

Mr Sandman

2006-04-09T19:15:00.000+01:00

Ambush

2006-04-09T19:11:00.000+01:00

YAAAAAAAH!

Biscuit Accident

2006-04-09T19:06:00.000+01:00

'Tear Here', instructed the label, all innocent like. I did... It was only when the whole packet split open that:

I remembered I don't have a biscuit tin / barrel
I learnt that swearing doesn't help in this situation
I resigned myself to drinking tea. All damn day.

I've got around 10 left and I don't want to see another biscuit or cup of tea for a long, long time.

Time lost

2006-04-09T19:02:00.000+01:00

An absolutely enchanting clock, hidden away in a Clifton back street:

All quiet on Whiteladies Road

2006-04-09T19:00:00.000+01:00

Just words to songs...

2006-04-09T18:55:00.000+01:00

"I'm not dead just floating

I'm not scared just changing

You're my crack of sunlight yeah"

"I don't believe Adam and Eve Spent every day together If you give me some room there will be room enough for two"

"Oh I'm back up off the floor, and I won't get hurt no more, I've been waiting for this day when, you'll be back here with your lies, I hope you realise... Say something, say something... Say something, say something... You'd better do better than that!"

...I've been listening to Pink's new album I'm Not Dead and Hard-Fi's Stars of CCTV while photo-sorting and typing a couple of 'RAH!' letters.

Watch the video of the brilliant 'better do better' here (for a limited time) - very pertinent lyrics!

..."you think i'm gonna .....?"

Well spotted!

2006-04-09T18:54:00.000+01:00

After having a very fragile voice for the last 3 weeks (due to having a bitch of a cough and a bit of a rib squishing seatbelt mishap!), I was pleased to find only a hint of huskiness today.... The comment Andy (aka Swall) left about the bee made me laugh so much that I've gone croaky again. Well worth it though - thanks Swall for brightening an otherwise humdrum Sunday evening! I only wish there'd been two of them named Ronnie...

The Cheshire Cat...

2006-04-09T10:58:00.000+01:00

...only ever grinned as I recall. Bramble (who'd been asleep on my wallet) woke up, looked at my ATM receipt from last night and gave this rather unkind reaction to my financial position:

Workmate #2

2006-04-08T06:47:00.000+01:00

Meet Vino - he's a driver from the mean streets of London. I was going to say to him that - photographically speaking - he has an interesting face... but for me to say that to another bloke - esp at work - would lead to a fight! Anyway, here's YOUR moment of fame, Vino. I just hope this doesn't catch on - there's 1500 people where I work...thankfully, I only know around 30 of them.

photo of a photo!

2006-04-06T02:47:00.000+01:00

one last one for tonight - I wanted to see how this would turn out. I took the photo using the 'copy' (i.e paperwork) setting on my Nikon Coolpix - which gives a grainy B & W 'newspaper' type image on that setting.

The original photo? - oh, it's from the park posts a few weeks ago. I simply took a snap of the image on my monitor - no enhancements at all apart from one crop. Nice, eh?

Skin Saver

2006-04-06T01:58:00.000+01:00

This is Tony

Now, I've worked with Tony for longer than either of us would like to admit. This bloke 'covers' for me. Regularly. Well, daily. He's like a dad to me at work! Well, a dad who, (amongst other things) buys the beers after work, has introduced me to a few wonderful people (mainly females in their 20s and 30s over the last year!),

listened to my endless rambles and was the brainchild of the 'gardening equals cash' venture.

What have I done in return? Bought him the odd Klix tea and a KitKat now and then.

His expression on the above photo was in response to me saying, "I'll be in on time after my break tomorrow".

Oh, and he's not even 50 yet - probably the stress of (not) working with me. Hey, Tony - I'll be in early on Friday...

Dixons to close...

2006-04-05T13:15:00.000+01:00

Dixons announced today that it is to close all it's high street outlets and focus instead on it's online ventures. No great loss there -

I just hope that in their switch from bricks to clicks they remember to sell more upmarket goods for less...

Oh, Curry's are taking over the stores - so there'll still be a haven for sadistic shoppers nationwide :)

GPC #3

2006-04-05T12:54:00.000+01:00

This pic (from a few days ago) fell into the clearout bin due to the poor depth of field. Sorry Bramble

This pic (from March 2005) fell into the clearout bin due to lack of depth of the person in it.

Ladies: he's a real catch apparently... life & soul of the slumber party...

* No.3 of the Great Photo Clearout series

Lost Bee...

2006-04-04T10:31:00.000+01:00

...'having a minute' after stumbling drunkenly into the conservatory yesterday. It went off back to the daffodils for yet more amber nectar soon after I took this bugshot. Y'see... binge culture... terrible...

Spot the aphid...

2006-04-04T09:45:00.001+01:00

...at last, a way of shoehorning my useless 'greenfly facts' in (all 3 of them!)

1. A female greenfly born today (Tuesday), will be a grandmother by Friday.

2. Most greenflies don't need a male to reproduce.

3. If you cut a newborn greenfly open (?), you'll see it's next two generations inside (but then they'll all be dead - ladybirds will have nothing to eat - the whole food chain will collapse*..so don't).

Apparently.

Rest now, dear reader, for your knowledge has been further enriched.

*probably