Busy Boy

I am heading for an early night on this balmy and unseasonably warm March evening. Not Cat is full of the joys of spring. I was working from home this afternoon, so he was able to go out are lunch. He came in once for a snack, but yowled to go straight out again.
He was busy in the flower beds, pouncing on tiny creatures. He was busy on the walls, watching birds and surveying terrain. He was busy with the neighbours, rolling over and being petted. He was busy all the time. I managed to persuade him to come in half an hour ago. He wanted to go busying again, but I stood firm.

Cool Wheels

When did bikes become cool again?

I thought it tonight when some young men, with a couple of token young women, pedalled smoothly and sociably by the river, negotiating pedestrians and other obstacles with practised ease.

I thought it the other day when I took photos of these bikes, available for hire near Trafalgar Square,

One Year

It is a year ago tonight since Freddy the Gorgeous Boy, known on this page as Cat, died. Now, as then, I’m preparing for bed. Next Sunday, I am going to ask you to join me in the evening by putting lighted candles in your windows to remember all the pets we have loved and who have enriched our lives.
Last year I asked the same, both here, by email, phone and face to face. The word spread to more people than I could have ever imagined. Friends here and in foreign countries passed the idea on and I got messages telling me of people who I have never met in the real or virtual world lighting candles. People told me stories of their pets. I heard of much loved dogs, of guinea pigs, cats and rabbits. There were memories of ponies, horses, donkeys and pet goats. It felt like people had kept these stories bottled up, and there was joy in the telling. Everyone’s pet was the best, which is just as it should be.
So dig out your candles, chill that bottle of good wine, and on Sunday night, let’s remember all the great times we have had with our pets, and how much we have loved them.
Tonight, I’m going to have a single candle, a glass of wine, and repost one of my favourite pictures of Freddy taken eleven months to the day before he died.
Cheers!

Perfect Happiness

Wooden Witnesses

Walking across Trafalgar Square in March sunshine at lunchtime today, I admired, as I always do, the mermen and the dolphins in the fountains. I’m not too fussed by the latest occupant of the empty plinth. Maybe it’ll grow on me. As St Martin’s hoved into sharper focus I could see large puppet like figures in the portico. Something vaguely Mr Punch about them.

They were pretty big. Closer, I took a photo and looked for information.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Unusual

All three from East Dulwich, taken with my Nokia phone this afternoon.

First, a detail of the gate to the nature park:

Bad News

The phone rang. It was a colleague calling about some work. Then she asked me if I had heard about another colleague, a woman for whom I have a great deal of respect and affection. She is in hospital and not expected to come out. An investigation into suspected gallstones revealed cancer. It cannot be treated. This vibrant, intelligent woman, a more than sprightly seventy plus, is on palliative care. She is not afraid. She says we all have to die sometime. Apparently, it won’t be long. Her family are proceeding with the planned champagne tea today to mark Mothering Sunday, but she will not be there.
Fittingly, the bright sunny morning has suddenly changed and the sky is full of clouds.

Oh, Beautiful…

The tulips, again in the bathroom, were clearly on their last legs, but somehow, even more beautiful than when they were new.

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Aunt Kath had a friend who was an artist and painted stunningly gorgeous paintings of flowers. These remind me of her work. Helen, if you read this, could you supply her name please?

Aunt Kath’s Birthday

I just read this email from my cousin Helen. She had been showing Aunt Kath the post and the comments.

“Just managed to prise Mum away from your blog. That was a real success although she couldn’t read the comments she could see the pictures and the bold headings and loved it.
Well done, some lovely comments from your friends.”

Thank-you, everyone. Warm fuzzy moments all round.

Happy Birthday Aunt Kath

The best of aunts, my Aunt Kath is ninety-six today. Here she is with her twin brother, my Uncle Sid,

Spotted!

Who is the man on the left, all wrapped up in today’s sunshine, wearing an unattractive woolly hat as he walks away from his bike at the Elephant and Castle?

It’s Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, old Etonian, and tipped by some to be a future prime minister of this country. His quality suit under that dingy mac caught my attention as he locked up his rather nice bike. I was on the bus and rummaged for my ‘phone.

Not wearing a helmet please note.