Greenwich

When you're Top Nation, you can decide where time begins, so Britain has the Zero Meridian Line. Here is the clock at the Greenwich Meridian, from which Greenwich Mean Time is measured. The line is marked on the ground, so you can stand either side and have your picture taken. And people do!

The old Royal Observatory has been little more than a museum for years. The current observatory is at Herstmonceux in Sussex. Fans of Longitude might like to know that John Harris's famous clocks are displayed in the museum.

The Royal Naval College has become part of the University of Greenwich. Under the right-hand tower is the Painted Hall. King Charles II and William and Mary had the buildings erected by Wren and Hawksmoor on the site of the Tudor Greenwich Palace. The vista between the wings is breathtaking when viewed straight on, with The Queen's House perfectly placed between them. Here you can see it from an angle. It was built by Inigo Jones for James I's Queen, Anne of Denmark, but later completed for Charles I's wife Henrietta Maria. It is flanked by colonnades leading to other parts of what is now the National Maritime Museum.

Viewed from the hill on the other side, the view would be equally spectacular, but for the development on the Isle of Dogs opposite with hideous skyscrapers such as the Canary Wharf tower.

Broad Shoulders

How I love Vincent's broad, square shoulders. Sloping shoulders just don't do it for me.

Who's a pretty boy?

He's been so lovely for so long. How can I not have noticed sooner?

Prayers, please

My cousin George is the life and soul of the family. He's pictured here with my cousin Joyce at her daughter's wedding last August. It was a great family occasion.

He's led a blameless life, a hardworking non-smoker who'd rather have a pint of tea than a pint of beer. He always loved steamrollers and steam engines, and has rebuilt Land Rovers and old army vehicles over the years. Now he has found out that more than 40 years ago, in one of the hard physical jobs he has done in a lifetime of work, he inhaled asbestos, and now has an asbestos related lung tumour. He's about to undergo radiotherapy. The doctors have not committed themselves to a prognosis.

I don't have faith in a god, but if any of you do, please pray for him. He deserves a long and fruitful old age.

Tower of London

Begun by William the Conqueror in the late 11th century, the Tower of London was designed to deter further attempts at invasion. It was added to over the centuries by other monarchs and housed many prisoners charged with treason and awaiting execution, most famous among them Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn. It houses the Crown Jewels and the ancient Royal Armoury, including Henry's rather large suit of armour and his horse's armour, too.

The only person to enter through Traitor's Gate, by boat on the River Thames, and come out alive, was ELizabeth I.

The White Tower, William The Conqueror's stronghold.

A view of the ancient walls and some of the towers.

This green is now used for walking the dogs of those who live in the Tower, but it used to be the moat. Some people would like to see the moat reinstated.

Traitor's Gate, with tudor buildings above.

A Yeoman Guard (Beefeater)

Visitors come to the Tower in their thousands every day.

It is said that if the ravens ever leave the Tower, England will fall, so the birds are pinioned to stop them flying away. They have lovely aviaries to keep them safe at night, and dedicated keepers to pander to their every whim. They all have names.

Bark

I just watched this movie the other day. Vincent is so sweet and vulnerable in it. I love it when he plays parts like that.

Hair!

No hair on head, hair on face, hair on chest or on...wherever, he's just edible.

Lancaster

Here continueth the history lesson. Lancaster is an ancient town in the north-west of England. As the name suggests, it dates back to Roman times. The huge castle gate is named after one of the early dukes of Lancaster, John of Gaunt. In the mid1970s the Birmingham bomb trials took place in the castle, because it was regarded as a very secure location (no transporting prisoners from jail to the courtroom). In the seventeenth century, the Lancashire witches were incarcerated here prior to trial. During the tour you can be locked in one of the dungeons. With the door shut there is NO LIGHT whatsoever. Scary.

The Priory is 14th century and is in a beautiful setting next to the castle. The train station is amazing. A Victorian confection, it has battlements! Other highlights include Atkinson's, a tea and coffee emporium which is impossible to pass by when the aroma wafts out. As far as I know it still contains the old apothcary type jars.

In the 1960s a plate-glass university was built on Bailrigg Hill just outside the town. This is where I spent my student days, lounging on hillsides watching the wildlife. Or lounging in the copious bars quaffing ale. You decide which is true...

A Quick Test

I know two things about the horse,

And one of them is rather coarse.

I was going to look this up, as I can't remember who wrote it, but I am handicapped by a parrot on the shoulder. Anyone help?

For JoJo

Well, JoJo, at last some less than flattering pictures of our boy. Many thanks to Ann for sending them to me.

Good Luck

I love this movie. It's funny and has a feel-good factor in spite of the basic tragedy of VIncent's character.

The photos were supposed to be in order, but Blogger shuffled them. So what - they're all of Vincent, aren't they?

No Luck

I still haven't met JoJo's challenge of finding a bad photo of Vincent. I think I need a blown-up version of the first picture, though...

Twiglet

Twiglet was such a cute kitten, very affectionate and good-natured despite her rough start. It's lucky that I called her Twiglet because her colouring was like the yeast extract covered pastry snacks, not because she was like a little thin twig. Because now she's a typical tortie - ie. VERY chunky. Luckily, though, she doesn't have the typical naughty tortie nature. She's still adorable.

Sunday D'Onofrio

Some of these photos I got from a French VDO fansite, others - well, I save everything I find and I honestly can't remember where half or them come from, so apologies if they're yours. All I want to do with them is delight VDO fans, so I hope no-one minds.