Life and Vincent

Smile - Day 6

2012-02-16T17:00:00.000Z

Pity it has to be thanks to slimey Leslie we get to see this hand shot.

Here's looking at you, kids

2012-02-15T19:13:00.002Z

Big and not-so-big cats were in a lazy mood, but the squirrel monkey was in the mood to chat.

My big boy Dandy likes to chat, too - but do you think he'd give me his usual 3-minute discourse? No chance! He did demonstrate his pneumatic drill of a purr, though.

Smile - Day 5

2012-02-15T17:00:00.001Z

Today, it's just pure handsome gorgeousness.

A Taxing Time

2012-02-14T18:25:00.006Z

I received three tax coding notices today, two of them informing employers to charge me tax at 40%. Even more surprising was that one of them was with regard to an employer I left in August 2010, and not a single one applied to my current employer. Considering I had a conversation with the tax office last year about their unilateral decision to remove my tax allowance from my pension, the only income that will remain stable forever, I was, to put it mildly, somewhat bemused.

It took me 25 minutes to actually get through to a human being. Meanwhile I had to listen to some really naff music interspersed with the same message over and over again that I could find lots of information on the website. NO, I NEED TO TALK TO A PERSON! At the very least, they could change the message (and the music) every few minutes, couldn't they?

I spent 15 minutes thrashing the matter out with one of the tax officers, and knowing that they are overworked and understaffed thanks to the same government that has frozen my pay till kingdom come, I was determined to be polite, sympathetic and, if possible, lighthearted. I'm glad to say that I managed this, and even raised a laugh for the poor, beleaguered woman.

I then had to phone the National Insurance office about a related problem, and though this call was answered more quickly, I still had to spend a further 15-20 minutes of my life trying to sort things out. Even so, this evening I have had to put my problem into print so that I can send it in. So there go a couple of hours I'll never get back.

On the plus side, I've managed to get another letter printed in my TV listings magazine, the BBC's "Radio Times". This time, I wrote about the pronunciation of the newly honoured ROYAL Borough of Greenwich. Ever since the run-up to the Millennium celebrations, I have regularly had to cringe to hear broadcasters use the posh, yuppy-incomer (or alternatively New York) pronunciation of the name. "Grennitch" they say, oblivious. "Grinnidge" true locals say.

The Cutty Sark before the restoration.

And in a recent programme about the restoration of the tea clipper The Cutty Sark, the young Queen, speaking at the 1957 opening of the tourist attraction created by putting the ship into dry dock, called the place - TA-DA! - Grinnidge. It's the Queen's English. Literally. I rest my case.

And as a reward the Radio Times is sending me some audiobooks, including Oliver Twist read by Martin Jarvis.

(Just a reminder of the tragedy that befell the ship during the restoration, when a fire ripped through what was left on site - luckily much of the original timbers had already been removed to workshops elsewhere.)

The Cutty Sark on fire, May 2007.

The day after the fire.

Smile - Day 4

2012-02-14T17:00:00.000Z

After yesterday's belly-bounce, today we have the groin grope.

Cutting Edge Punishment

2012-02-13T17:36:00.002Z

I tossed up between staying at home this afternoon and vegging out, or strolling to the shops to take advantage of some less freezing weather. The outing won.

My route to the shops takes me across a small river, through a new housing estate, and under a railway bridge, where I cross the road to the shopping centre.

There was a loud noise that I couldn't identify (there's also a large building site nearby, and the sound reminded me of very intrusive drills). As I advanced, I realised it was a helicopter, which was confirmed as this vision rose just above the rooftops:

It must have been ticking over nearby - can't imagine where it had managed to land in a busy town centre - but this was confirmed when I reached the road, and found a serious traffic jam, and a road ambulance and police cars along the roadside. Inside the shopping centre, the central square was cordoned off and the Sainsbury's supermarket was closed. A police support officer was informing people that there had been a stabbing. The victim was on his way to hospital, his assailant was under arrest. The supermarket staff had been sent home in shock and the crime scene techs were inside doing their stuff.

I overheard later that the victim was the store's security guard, but this was unconfirmed.

There is just too much knife crime in the UK, and the penalties just don't keep up with the seriousness of the crimes and the resulting maiming and death. I am no fan of Sharia law, but I guess having your hand chopped off would stop you ever stabbing anyone again.

Smile - Day 3

2012-02-13T17:00:00.001Z

Anyone for a belly-bounce?

Smile - Day 2

2012-02-12T17:00:00.001Z

Hands up all those who ever thought they'd one day lust after a trousered knee!

Warmest unheated place in Europe?

2012-02-11T18:21:00.002Z

I think it's fair to say that Europe is in the freezer at the moment, bizarrely as a result of global warming, which has melted the Arctic ice, setting off some kind of reaction which is likely to freeze our butts off for many winters to come, possibly forever.

Meanwhile, my little conservatory (a sort of small, glass garden room) absorbed the sun falling on it from the south and attained a temperature of 60 degrees F/15 C by 1.30pm. Sadly, by 3pm, with the sun sinking, it was getting pretty cold, so I don't think I'll move myself in there permanently just yet.

Smile - Day 1

2012-02-11T17:00:00.000Z

Far from smiling, Det. Goren clamps his mouth shut to avoid inhaling any of the dentist's fatal laughing gas.

Amends - Day 12

2012-02-10T17:00:00.002Z

Man Mountain. Woof!

Odds-Off

2012-02-09T18:27:00.003Z

Someone made a very intresting point to me yesterday.

Bearing in mind that I have discovered that I am at 3 degrees of Obama two different ways - my friend knows someone who used to know him, adding my second string - and that there is only one of him in the whole world; remembering that I actually have a connection to TWO US presidents; given that I am two degrees from Che Guevara, a unique man whose life should not have touched on mine in any way, and who is dead.

Thinking of all this, how is it, as my correspondent said, that I don't know a single lottery jackpot winner? There have been hundreds of them over the years. This 6 degrees business means I should know someone who knows someone, etc, etc...but I don't. Diane, the last two Euromillions winners come from Nottinghamshire, which is your neck of the woods. Do you come within any small number of degrees of them?

If not, statistically I think we have to say that the lottery is a fraud, and NO ONE EVER WINS!

Amends - Day 11

2012-02-09T17:00:00.000Z

The penny drops.

Amends - Day 10

2012-02-08T17:00:00.000Z

Lean my way, please, Det. Goren.

Happy Birthday Charlie

2012-02-07T18:58:00.004Z

It can't have escaped many people's notice that today is Charles Dickens' 200th birthday.

Have a great one, Charlie boy.

Sadly, I'm really not fond of your prose...

Amends - Day 9

2012-02-07T17:00:00.000Z

The smile doesn't last long, unfortunately.

Amends - Day 8

2012-02-06T17:00:00.000Z

At least Bobby finds time for one little smile.

Amends - Day 7

2012-02-05T17:00:00.000Z

"I'm the wack job." And we love you for it, Bobby.

How many degrees of a legend?

2012-02-04T19:33:00.003Z

I was pretty pleased to be in just 2 degrees of Vincent, and Bill Clinton, the latter making me just 3 degrees of Barack Obama. But a chance conversation yesterday, reminiscing with a friend, gave me a big surprise.

When I was in the 6th Form at school (nowadays known as Post-16) it was common practice for schools to have modern language assistants. These were native speakers, students working as tutors to help school kids with conversational French, German, Spanish, etc. As I was studying French, I had regular small group or individual sessions with our French assistant, who happened to be Algerian. One day, he mentioned having met Che Guevara. I was too stunned to enquire further, but it now occurs to me -

I am 2 degrees of Che Guevara!

And as you know me, you are 3 degrees away.

Wow!

Amends - Day 6

2012-02-04T17:00:00.000Z

"I'm sorry, Alex, you know we have to do this." Thanks to Bobby, she finally gets proper closure.

Amends - Day 5

2012-02-03T17:00:00.000Z

Bobby proves he can drive better than Alex. He doesn't even need to watch the road!

Amends - Day 4

2012-02-02T17:00:00.000Z

The wallflower at the funeral.

Amends - Day 3

2012-02-01T17:00:00.001Z

Bobby doesn't look as if he's feeling very trusting towards his fellow officer.

Meanwhile, please check the post below, which now has the correct picture!

Amends - Day 2

2012-01-31T17:00:00.001Z

Don't know why I like this shot...and this is the one that should originally have appeared yesterday!

Amends - Day 1

2012-01-30T17:00:00.000Z

Time to start displaying my new caps from the Dutch dvd.

Never noticed before - baby's in his sockies!

Endgame - Day 14

2012-01-29T17:38:00.000Z

Bobby needs me NOW!

Endgame - Day 13

2012-01-28T17:38:00.000Z

I'm sorry I upset you on your deathbed, mummy.

Climbing Mount Olympics

2012-01-28T17:33:00.004Z

When I was leaving the National Gallery on Thursday, I was beguiled by the fountains with their red underlighting. I clicked a picture including the Olympic countdown clock. I didn't intend the flash to go off, but it did, making the whole scene look like night, when it was barely dusk. I think it makes a better, more colourful picture though.

Today a flier came through the door about transport and parking during the Olympics. Apparently the only parking in the Olympic park will be disabled parking. Everyone who has a ticket for an event will get a free travel pass.

So those of us who paid for the whole show, and had no chance of geting tickets (OK, I didn't try, but even so...) will be paying to travel on overcrowded buses and trains while the visitors filling them up will get on free.

Most people will consider that, as we are some miles away across the river from the stadiums, we will be relatively unaffected here. But the light railway system takes 45 minutes at most to go directly to the Olympic site. Plus the equestrian events take place in Greenwich Park, just 4 stops along.

This rankles with locals, as it really isn't suitable. It's too small, and IT'S A WORLD HERITAGE SITE!!! No escape to its quiet green hills and stunning views for those of us uninterested in the whole spectacle. Will we ever get it back the way it was?

Curmudgeons Are Us!

Zoo Baby Day

2012-01-27T19:57:00.004Z

Those sweet little girls are just growing so fast. They are already as big as medium-sized dogs, and they're barely five months old. They spent some time chasing round in circles with each other's tails in their mouths, but I couldn't quite catch it on camera.

During the keeper's talk, dad Lucifer treated us to a full series of roars, which rounded his little daughters up pronto. Sent some shivers down my spine, too.

Endgame - Day 12

2012-01-27T17:33:00.000Z

Get ready to kill Brady in 5-4-3-...

How not to put on an exhibition

2012-01-26T18:41:00.010Z

The National Gallery in London has been the host of a much vaunted exhibition of Leonardo Da Vinci. Getting tickets was not easy - by the time you'd got to the check-out phase of the website, th ticket you were about to buy had been snapped up by someone ahead of you in the process. But I did managed to snaffle one for today, even though I started to try and buy as soon as tickets went on sale.

For me, the big attraction was that both the London and the Paris versions of the painting The Virgin of the Rocks were to appear in the exhibition, their first time in same room ever. I've seen each painting in its gallery many times, but to see them together would have been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. What could possibly go wrong.

Well, the massive numbers of people allowed in during each hour of timed entry tickets was a problem. But it was as nothing compared to the curator's decision to exhibit the two paintings, not side by side, but at opposite ends of the gallery!

People were standing in the middle of the room turning their heads this way and that, trying to compare the two over the heads of the people standing between them and the paintings. It was not possible to see details from such a distance. The only place where they appeared side by side was in the film at the end of the exhibition. Well, sorry, I can put pictures of them together at home to better effect.

The man responsible for this expensive farce is curator Luke Syson. All I can say is, I'm glad he's soon off the the Met. I'm just sorry they didn't entice him away before he made such a botch of what could have been the most amazing exhibition ever.

Endgame - Day 11

2012-01-26T17:32:00.000Z

You don't believe Frank looked after you, Bobby? I'd be surprised if you did!

The richest man ever to visit Deptford

2012-01-25T18:40:00.002Z

I was born and bred in Deptford, a very poor part of south east London. In my grandparents' day dockers worked whenever there were ships to unload, and didn't when there weren't; railwaymen built new railway lines until they were all built. The tallyman lent money till payday (what's so new about payday loans?) and unemployment was rife. The docks and surrounding area were bombed extensively during WWII, and I grew up among ruined buildings (great for playing in!) alongside the public park that had been made out of the gardens of the 17th century diarist John Evelyn's manor house...or what was left after Peter the Great of Russia had himself wheeled through the hedges in a wheelbarrow. I suppose in absolute terms, the Tsar of all the Russias might have been richer, but today Bill Gates visited Deptford Green School.

Deptford Green was the first school I taught in, and it's the school my student Alex's brother now attends. He was one of the students chosen to attend the function, so I followed the news with interest.

Endgame - Day 10

2012-01-25T17:27:00.000Z

Right at this moment, Bobby hates the Captain.

Endgame - Day 9

2012-01-24T16:45:00.002Z

A happy moment - even if Bobby was just going to use the photo his mother gave him to link her to Brady.

Endgame - Day 8

2012-01-23T17:32:00.000Z

I'm only half way through my Endgame album, so I think I'd better indulge us all with a few more pictures from that tearjerking episode.

This picture of Bobby's reaction to Frank's enquiry about their mother's affairs "being in order" speaks volumes. Who needs words?

Endgame - Day 7

2012-01-22T17:17:00.000Z

Bobby loves his mummy. Sometimes she even loves him back.

Credit where it's due

2012-01-22T14:36:00.003Z

Just watched Don't Go In The Woods. Watching the credits at the end, I noticed that one of the First Assistant Cameramen (wot, no women?) is called Nicholas Deeg.

Unusual surname. My German cousin Hartmut Deeg lives in Rochester, New York, to be near his kids, but I don't know their names and ages. I wonder if I have a young cousin who worked on Vincent's film?

I see Hawk D'Onofrio and a young Bogosian also assisted.

Preview

2012-01-21T18:18:00.005Z

The French version of Season 7 on my Dutch DVDs (???) has a couple of interesting features.

First, the title:

Clever of them to put it in wonky.

Then they actually put the title of the episode itself in the opening credits:

Which makes me wonder why the original version doesn't do the same. (For those who doen't speak French, the title has nothing to do with "Amends", it means "Nine Years After").

Endgame - Day 6

2012-01-21T17:01:00.001Z

Classic way to organise your thoughts and gain control of your emotions - Bobby looks down.

Endgame - Day 5

2012-01-20T17:36:00.000Z

It takes a lot to shock Bobby.

Shop to Drop

2012-01-19T19:46:00.004Z

I love shopping. I hate shopping. It's so difficult to get what I want in my size. But I enjoy looking - for a while. Yesterday I found some vivid turquoise skinny jeans in the supermarket, part of their range designed by "How To Look Good Naked" presenter Gok Wan. It didn't hurt that they were half price.

Today I found some bright orange jeggings. Irresistible.

But my search for boots seemed fruitless. I tried every single shop. I know you always find things in the last place you look, 'cos why would you continue looking after you've found it? But I had literally looked in every single shoe shop and department store in two town centres, and in the last shop left I found these:Now it can snow.

Con Artists

2012-01-19T18:56:00.002Z

I'm sure none of my readers will be surprised at this description of a bank in this day and age.

I just received a letter from my credit card provider, which is also my bank, to say they are raising my "personal" interest rate to almost 16%. This is at a time when the base rate is just 0.5%. This is because the "status of my credit file has changed".

I am supposed to check the credit reference agency my bank uses to see if there is inaccurate information in my file. This appears to be free, but you have to sign up to £14.99 a month once the free 30 days are up, with no indication of quite how you cancel.

Since my bank, and my bank alone, would have provided all the information to the agency, my details would only have changed if they had changed them.

Am I wrong to assume that the bank and the credit agency are in cahoots to steal my money any way they can? 'Cos with a house I paid £12,000 for that is now worth a third of a million, a tiny mortgage, no recent credit purchases, and a reducing credit card debt, my credit profile should stellar.

Endgame - Day 4

2012-01-19T17:22:00.000Z

A rare smile - even rarer as it's thanks to Frank!

Lucky You!

2012-01-18T20:04:00.001Z

You didn't hear this joke on the radio and nearly crash your car.

Question: How many men does it take to wallpaper a bathroom?
Answer: Three, as long as you slice them very thinly.

Endgame - Day 3

2012-01-18T17:02:00.000Z

The strain of dealing with Brady is already showing.

Endgame - Day 2

2012-01-17T17:01:00.000Z

Above and beyond the call of duty - our Bobby visits Wally Stevens.

Endgame - Day 1

2012-01-16T15:00:00.000Z

A mountain to climb. Please.

In the centenary year of Titanic 1...

2012-01-15T15:46:00.003Z

...0ne idiot crew presents Titanic 2 - The Italian Job.

Their evacuation drill included: Women and Children Last and The Captain Gets Off The Ship First.

Let's hope the 40 missing are still alive somewhere inside and are brought out alive, like the 3 survivors the hero divers already rescued.

Rocketman - Day 7

2012-01-15T15:24:00.001Z

I wish he'd hug me like he does that case.

Rocketman - Day 6

2012-01-14T17:21:00.001Z

It was SOOOOOOO hard to capture this sweet moment!

Rocketman - Day 5

2012-01-13T11:05:00.001Z

I just want to sink my finger into that adorable tum!

Fate Intervenes

2012-01-12T11:14:00.003Z

This interesting purple slipcase for Season 6, with the even more interesting Dutch writing, was to have been my Region 2 version of the DVDs (I've been capping and posting from the Region 1 copies) but it was not to be.

A large gouge in the envelope went right through and damaged the box inside. So, for the first time, I have to return an item to Amazon. Pretty good going really.

It's not currently available (obviously Bobby is popular in The Netherlands, unless other Brit Vixens have also been in action...yes Diane, I know, you sent me the link!), so they cannot replace it. I think I'll take the hint of Fate and wait till it comes out in Region 2 English version.

Season 7, which I only had on home-made DVDs complete with watermarks etc, arrived in the same envelope in perfect external condition, which is lucky. Or again, did Fate arrange things this way?

Rocketman - Day 4

2012-01-12T10:34:00.002Z

The face of a man making intelligent enquiry.

And of a sex god.

Rocketman - Day 3

2012-01-11T18:20:00.001Z

Dignified and statesmanlike.

Till I rip his clothes off...

Rocketman - Day 2

2012-01-10T17:36:00.002Z

Pocket Rocket Alert!

Rocketman - Day 1

2012-01-09T17:39:00.002Z

Thinks: How can I make women hot for me?

Well, that pose is a great start!

Silencer - Day 7

2012-01-08T13:49:00.003Z

Poor baby has a cold. Can I breathe for you, sweetheart?

Silencer - Day 6

2012-01-07T16:57:00.001Z

Man-hunk alert - shoulders as wide as the world.

Silencer - Day 5

2012-01-06T11:03:00.001Z

Peekaboo!

Silencer - Day 4

2012-01-05T18:52:00.002Z

Just how does he look so gorgeous all the time?

Silencer - Day 3

2012-01-04T17:35:00.003Z

Curls, eyelashes, lips and stubble. What more could a Vixen ask for? (OK, naked body...)

Justice At Last

2012-01-03T17:49:00.004Z

Almost 19 years ago, in April 1993, this young man, Stephen Lawrence, age 17, was murdered by a gang of youths in Eltham in London, stabbed to death at a bus stop. I remember seeing it reported on Teletext almost immediately as a racist murder, but strangely the police didn't treat it as such. After all, Stephen and his friend Duwayne Brooks were black, weren't they? It must be a drug thing.

With this mindset, the police couldn't help but mess up the investigation, and it was far too long before they took it seriously enough to harvest evidence.

Even when they started to investigate in earnest, they failed to achieve a conviction, and the case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence. As a result of the case, a lengthy public enquiry took place which concluded that there was institutionalised racism in the Metropolitan Police. Stephen's parents took out a private case against those believed to be the perpetators, but this too failed.

Four years ago the police began a review of the case, which led to these men, Gary Dobson and David Norris, being brought to trial. The reporting of the trial has been painful, as mistake after mistake by the police and forensics experts were highlighted. It sounded as if cross-contamination would lead to an acquittal. Then there was the forensics expert who had deliberately taken the labels off evidence when he lost his job.

Today, at last, these rabid racists have been found guilty. Three of the original five gang members have still not been brought to justice. But at least, tonight, two aging thugs are behind bars for this savage crime, and the Lawrences finally have some measure of closure.

The bus stop where the attack took place has a memorial plaque, which has been vandalised and now has a security camera trained on it.

Stephen had wanted to be an architect, and the Stephen Lawrence Architectural Centre stands a mile or so from here, its aim to encourage young people in their pursuit of a career in architecture. Even before it was finished, the expensive patterned plate glass was vandalised, and stood boarded up for what seemed like years. I wish that could be the end of such evil.

Silencer - Day 2

2012-01-03T17:42:00.002Z

I love to see him hunkered inside his warm jacket.

The Wrong Arm of the Law

2012-01-02T15:07:00.002Z

Solicitors (for my non-UK readers, these are lawyers of the workaday, but still very well-off, kind, who handle home conveyancing and wills, rather than the people who represent you in court, who are called barristers) should of course be upright, honest and capable of keeping one's business to themselves.

As my will needs rewriting, I walked into an office in the local shooping centre and made an appointment. "You'ree lucky," I was told, "We have 10% off will-writing at the moment." As prices were from £85, this seemed to be quite a good deal.

On receipt of the first draft, I was informed that the cost would be over £100, so when I returned the draft for amendment, I asked for a breakdown. This bill duly announced that the cost was £85.50 including the 10% discount, plus VAT (Value Added Tax) at 20%. Mmmm.

Included in the pack there was also a document from somenone else's file, complete with her name and phone number.

Today I phoned her and told her how I came by her number. She was not pleased. What's more, she is being charged the "standard fee of £85" (no mention of discount). So apparently this company is dishonest, incompetent AND breaks confidentiality.

Think I'll go elsewhere. But hey, thanks guys for the draft, so I can present the completed article to the new firm.

Silencer - Day 1

2012-01-02T15:03:00.002Z

I'm sure this shot was never intended to be frozen for all time, and for our delectation. Yet here it is!

Brother's Keeper - Day 7

2012-01-01T12:15:00.002Z

Don't worry, Bobby, it's not Frank, just the sucker he sold your coat to.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Ghostly Encounter?

2011-12-31T16:57:00.003Z

OK, I know he lived to 100, and died over 8 years ago, but I saw Bob Hope at the shops today.

No, not that Bob Hope. The Bob Hope was born in Eltham, part of the London Borough of Greenwich. The Bob Hope I saw was born in the north of England, he only lives in Greenwich.

I worked with him at Kidbrooke School, also in the London Borough of Greenwich. He's retired now, having taught at the school for decades, and the closest he came to the Hollywood of his namesake was teaching this man:

Because Jude Law went to Kidbrooke Shool.

And of course, Jamie Oliver did his School Dinners programme there.

No wonder Americans think all the English know each other.

Brother's Keeper - Day 6

2011-12-31T16:52:00.002Z

Poor baby looks so unhappy when he hears there's nothing that can be done for his mummy.

Brother's Keeper - Day 5

2011-12-30T10:34:00.002Z

This was a tough one to catch. It's blurred. It's poorly composed. But it's his tongue in full flick.

Brother's Keeper - Day 4

2011-12-29T18:52:00.001Z

When Bobby Met Frankie.

Pengies and Cubs

2011-12-28T20:05:00.004Z

No prizes for guessing where I went today.

The new penguin exhibit has been open since May, but these are the first pictures I've taken of the residents.

For a while I could only see one cub, who was sitting with dad. Then mum gave them both a feed.

Finally mum took a rest while big sister supervised a bit of meat-eating.

Brother's Keeper - Day 3

2011-12-28T20:01:00.002Z

Don't frown, baby, let Val kiss it better. Whatever "it" is.

Planners' Folly

2011-12-27T18:25:00.006Z

The friend I spent Christmas Day with lives a 30-mile drive away, and to get there part of my journey is along the M25 London Orbital motorway. This bridge runs across it at a place called
Polhill. For generations Polhill was a place of beauty, where families would go in spring to pick bluebells. Then the developers decided in their wisdom to reduce it to a cutting on the motorway.

The story is that, when planning the motorway and its crossings, exits and entries, thsoe responsible looked at a map, and at this site saw a line. "Aha!" they said, "There's a road. We must build a bridge across the motorway to accommodate it." And so they built this award-winning scissor arch bridge.

Sadly, the line on the map was just...a line on a map! A multi-million pound line. No one checked it on the ground. If you google bridges on the M25, you find that the Kent Sub Unit of South East Road Construction Unit takes responsibility for the design of what is described as a "pedestrian bridge, the Polhill Bridleway". I have never Seen anything on the bridge, nor have I tried to find the way on to it, but if there is a way, it's certainly well hidden. Well, at that price, I suppose they can afford to hide their mistake.

Brother's Keeper - Day 2

2011-12-27T18:20:00.002Z

Just a hint of a smile - but enough to melt the heart.

Brother's Keeper - Day 1

2011-12-26T12:06:00.001Z

He wants me to talk - I'll talk!

Christmas Day Albatross

2011-12-25T10:15:00.000Z

I don't have any interesting photo editing or creative software on my computer (been disappointed too many times) so it's just Plain Bobby (if there is such a thing!) for Christmas Day.

I think he just realised he forgot to send our Christmas cards.

Albatross - Day 7

2011-12-24T17:44:00.002Z

Lookit da CURLS!

Albatross - Day 6

2011-12-23T19:05:00.001Z

Come to bed eyes. Only one answer to give them...

Feeling Smart

2011-12-22T18:57:00.003Z

A couple of weeks ago, I signed up with my energy company to be part of an electricity smart meter test, and today the meter was fitted. It's in the regular place under the stiars, and it uses a mobile phone connection to communicate with the supplier. So it can be read by remote interrogation, and can even receive text messages from them.

It also includes this gadget which lets me monitor my energy use by money, consumption or carbon emissions. I can follow my energy use by the day, week, month or year. (Well, as I've only had it for a day, I can just follow it by the day at the moment!)

Everyone will have to have one of these by 2020, and a smart gas meter will be tested as soon as the viability of the electricity one has been proved.

I do have certain reservations, such as what will happen to the meter readers and other people whose roles will be taken over by technology. The energy company said it will retrain them, but at what point do you just run out of jobs to retrain people for?

Throwing caution to the wind

2011-12-22T18:25:00.003Z

Earlier in the year, when I realised I had gazillions of pairs of earrings and they just weren't getting enough wear, I had a second hole pierced in each ear. I imagine you can guess what happened next - I started to buy more earrings! So now I'm back to square 1.

I've been thinking about getting a third set of holes done, but kept putting it off. Well, today, I went for it. Imagine these amethyst studs as just tiny dots a couple of millimetres across and you have the idea.

Now I have to wonder what will happen if they get sore or infected over the impending 3-day holiday...

Albatross -Day 5

2011-12-22T18:15:00.003Z

Post 3,401.

Another deservedly well-known and iconic picture. So fuckable.

Extreme Recycling

2011-12-21T14:19:00.007Z

Once upon a time everyone used to take their own shopping bags with them when they went to the shops. Drinks were bought in returnable glass bottles with refundable deposits. The streets were not full of non-degradable items that people couldn't be bothered to put in bins - and there was a bin on almost every lamppost.

Then there were no bins in the street, or at railway stations. They were deemed a security threat after the IRA put bombs in bins. People bought fast food and ate it as they walked along. They discarded the packaging where they stood, with no idea of taking it home with them. What we did take home went into the dustbin, which was emptied into a landfill. The whole developed world became a giant litter bin.

There are still precious few bins in the street, but what there are are often ignored, usually overfull, and do little to improve the state of our cities. The countryside is not much better, with people winding down their car windows to throw out their cigarette packets and sweet wrappers. They even throw out lit cigarettes in hot, dry weather, causing fires alongside our motorways. Most people rely on supermarket carrier bags by the dozen, unthinkingly accepted, frequently discarded before they even reach home, choking our rivers, polluting even the oceans so that the fish people eat has bits of plastic in it.

But we can now recycle much more stuff (of course, not using stuff in the first place, and the energy it takes to make it, and the energy it takes to recycle it, is better, but still) and in fact my own local council has just taken out a contract with a new, better recycling company.

But with the price of all kinds if metals so high, scrap yards are having a field day. I was glad when a load of scrap metal collected from my back garden disappeared from its pile in my front garden within a couple of days. It was intended to. I wouldn't have been so happy about it, though, if I could have foreseen how appalling the problem was about to become.

Daily, we hear about disruption to trains because electrical wiring to the signals has been stripped out. Operations in hospitals have to be cancelled because power cables have been stolen. People's phones are disabled. Church roofs leak with theft after theft of lead flashing. Scrap yards are uncontrolled, and the government, rather than push through legislation begun by the previous administration, just has to make new laws of its own, and is in no hurry to do so.

A few years ago, before the problem became so widespread and serious, a Henry Moore sculpture was stolen from a sculpture park. Now a Barbara Hepworth has been hacked from its plinth in a south London park.

Whatever its price as scrap, the sculpture itself is valued at a quarter of a million pounds.

But not for much longer.

Post Script. I just heard a load of hammering in the street and looked out to find three men with various wheeled trolleys full of metal bashing away at a TV or some such item in a skip outside a house, trying to get the insides out. They also vaulted over someone's garden wall in search of metal stuff to recycle. Given that they didn't seem to have any idea of what was potentially theirs and what was other people's, I called the police. They didn't sound very interested.

What a surprise.

And if they were the ones who stole the Hepworth? Tough.

Albatross - Day 4

2011-12-21T14:14:00.002Z

So appealing.

The Sky's The Limit

2011-12-20T18:18:00.003Z

Or rather, Sky is the limit.

Last week, an episode of Criminal Minds on Sky Living was in its final quarter. It was a bit odd that the scene that should be showing was in a box at the bottom of the screen while other things were going on on the main screen. But then just as the demented dad was saying goodbye to his sick, dying son there was a voice-over, loud and prolonged, advertising the next programme, that drowned the moving dialogue out completely.

I managed to find a way to email them (they make it as difficult as possible), but recorded the programme on +1 and next day confirmed that they hadn't changed a thing. So I'll never hear the tear-jerking words spoken in that scene.

And the reply from Sky? "Thank you for your email regarding Criminal Minds.I can confirm your comments have been noted and passed on to Sky Living for there attention!!!

So not only do they employ unqualified amateurs in their continuity and technical departments, they pay people to answer emails - and be their interface with the public - who have very little grasp of correct English.

And for this "service" we pay.

Albatross - Day 3

2011-12-20T18:14:00.002Z

There's no logical reason why this picture should be so sexy.

Albatross - Day 2

2011-12-19T10:52:00.003Z

We continue with a classic Bobby head position, offering up the lovely neck we so want to nuzzle.

Degrees of Vincent

2011-12-18T18:58:00.006Z

While watching The King's Speech today for the first time, I spotted a thespian who made me realise that Colin Firth is just 2 degrees away from our beloved.

And here's the reason why:

The fabulous Claire Bloom played King George IV's mother, Queen Mary, in the film, and we all know her part in Season 3.

Albatross - Day 1

2011-12-18T16:39:00.002Z

Back to Season 6 for some fine Christmas Bobby, and a shot we all know very well:

Look, we growed!

2011-12-17T19:08:00.002Z

We are NORMOUS!

Doing It Wrong

2011-12-16T16:30:00.003Z

For some reason, my cats have always treated this igloo bed like a flat surface rather than a dome, and lie on top rather than crawl inside.

Add to that Beano's strange notion that he can hug Mitzi with his back leg, and you have a perfectly silly situation that is totally cat.

16-23

2011-12-16T16:25:00.001Z

SOunds a bit like an 18-30 holiday, only worse.

Luckily this is much better!

More 4

2011-12-15T16:11:00.001Z

Episodes 9-15 remembered.

Season 4 revisited

2011-12-14T18:34:00.002Z

I can't even remember making this series of videos from Season 4's episodes, but obviously I did, 'cos here is the first.

T-Z

2011-12-13T18:46:00.001Z

End of the road - for now.

PS

2011-12-12T18:18:00.001Z

Here are the P-S episodes:

H2O

2011-12-11T18:08:00.001Z

No, not water, the next section of alphabet in my collection.

Alphabetically speaking

2011-12-10T19:03:00.001Z

onwards we go.

I need to redo this

2011-12-09T16:05:00.003Z

and the rest of the A-Z, and include the later seasons. Big job!

Kiss Kiss

2011-12-08T18:57:00.001Z

For some reason, this video of mine has had over 65,000 views.