That Roof

There has been much talk of the new roof over the Centre Court. Its purpose is to allow Centre Court matches to continue even when it is raining, and the question was, "Who was going to be the first lucky user?" Today it has been used for the first time. Initially it was towards the end of a ladies' singles match, which was followed by THAT GREAT BRITISH HOPE (unless he loses, someone said, and then he's that Scots fellow), Andy Murray. He and his opponent celebrated the occasion by making the maximum use of the roof by playing a five-setter which lasted just under 4 hours. This is the view of the roof from the outside at 10.41pm just after the match had finished. It reminds me somewhat of a headless cockroach, but no doubt daughter number 1 could confirm that.

Let the Herring Gull(?) Speak

Oh no, there's another tourist in camera position. Will take the nonchalant pose...

...Then turn the beady eye upon him, as if to say 'who d'you think you're looking at?...

...followed by a loud yell, 'Well, are you satisfied?...

...and return to nonchalant as-if-I-cared pose.

Let the starling speak

Dear Mum, My London Holiday

Dear Mum, This is me in the plaza or whatever you call it next to the Tower of London, looking down at the wonderful old castle with another tourist. We do look a smart pair, don't we? (Actually the local lingo would say something more like 'we're a right pair, innit!')

Dear Mum, I thought you would like to see your smart-looking son all on his tod. I am sooooo sleek and suave, don't you think (innit)? I don't see why being a tourist should mean looking a complete mess. like so many humans do. I certainly tried to look my best for the photographer. I never once looked at him, you know. Just stood there looking as if I was about to fly away any minute. Keep 'em guessing, that's my motto.

Dear Mum. This is still me - but then you'd know me anywhere! I decided that the celebrity pose had been done enough and just turned my back on the photographer. I didn't look, but I'm not sure he was pleased. Anyway it presented another perspective on life. There's only so much you can enjoy, and he'd enjoyed my company quite long enough, I reckoned. I flew off after that.

Oh well; when duty calls...

...one has no choice but to obey, and after the thunderous demand of the adoring public that the blog should continue, so that they can continue to see photos and work out puzzles, it seemed best to satisfy what is evidently a deep need... In this case it is to work out which is the correct bridge out of the following list: Westminster...Lambeth...Vauxhall...Chelsea... Albert...Battersea.
(I'm sorry , but the individual pictures can't be enlarged for some reason.)

So Long, Farewell, Adieu

And (if you read the above title), Auf Wiedersehen - or should that be Auf Wiederbloggen?! Anyway this is to inform any of you who have so (im)patiently waited for the next rivetting blog to emerge that there will not be one as it will be going on a lonnnnnnnnnnnnng sabbatical. Some long years ago after a long period of having our doorstep milk being constantly pinched I told the milkman that I did not want to receive it from him anymore until further notice.Over 20 years have passed and that notice has not yet - nor will be - rescinded. And why am I taking this step? Well, mainly because I lack anything remotely worthwhile to add week after week, and it is sooooo unfair on people to be always looking (says he, giving people the benefit of the doubt that they do actually keep looking) to see what is new. Maybe they've already stopped in which case this notice itself will be unread - and I've told Giulietta. So that means probably only the fair daughters will be the readers. I am sure your lives, dear girls/ladies, will never be the same as a result, but there you are, bear yourselves up bravely, shoulders back, look the future full in the face and say, "Isn't life wonderful?" So, Byeeeee folks!

I have been walking along the Thames Path in order to photograph all the bridges from Tower Bridge to Walton-on-Thames. It has been very interesting, not least for the other pictures that I took as I went along, of aeroplanes going into or out from Heathrow, and various birds both static and in action. The days have been generally cloudy and cold, but hey, it's art!! One reason I have been doing this (and exercise has been a very useful by-product!) has been to be able to recognise them when I see pictures of them. As a start see how you get on with matching these bridges. They are not in order, but somewhere in there is Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Cannon Street Station Bridge, Southwark Bridge, Blackfriars Station Bridge and Blackfriars [Road] Bridge.

Scenes of the Heath part 1

2 angles of a thrush, though I don't which kind it is. Haven't looked it up yet. He didn't see me and was busy prodding away at the ground for food.

The curious case of the jumping. barking dog

This little chappie was a mite difficult to snare in the lens and this is the only picture which shows him reasonably.