Breakfast in The Conservatory

Still not decorated, still lacking its floor covering, still without its proper shelves and storage space; but on sunny weekend mornings, even in winter, we have breakfast in the conservatory and watch out for any birds visiting our garden.

(Scrambled egg on toast by Joseph. Silly grin by Judith.)

Merry Xmas

Off to Gail's in west London for Turner family jollities in an hour or so. You can tell departure time is drawing near -- sky's gone dark grey, raindrops are sprinkling down on the glass roofs of orangeries and side porch... We'll be back 27th, when public transport resumes (not boxing day, as I thought was the plan, Z). Rain now fairly pelting down, w8nd howling, etc. One of the joys of new orangery, I've found, is being able to sit there snug under cover, watching the drama of the weather howling and sleeting out there. Love and seasonal best wishes to y'all, be in touch in the new year or even when we're back home contemplating jigsaws, painting, reading, more painting etc...

Aha! taming the wild neep neeps...

Aha! I've found the way back in here, using my new Google Nexus tablet device. And also worked out how to get back into my emails on both this and my creakingly antique laptop, which I need to replace with a younger model after the Xmas prices go down. Hours of fun, for certain definitions of fun. Builder #2 arrived today, for 2 days work before Xmas break. Main job will be the attic stairs. But that'll be in new year. So far we have back fence fixed up. And he's just starting on fitting up internal divider and shelves for the understairs store and under landing cupboard. Local Friends of Earth Xmas meal tonight, at the curry place it goes to almost every year!

60th Birthday Dinner

Bloody hell -- am I really this ancient? So it would appear -- and here are some photographs to prove it, showing me sitting amongst my birthday cards and enjoying a meal of roast ham and vegetables, followed by a birthday cake with sparklers. The sparklers, unfortunately, refused to light except individually, which rather spoiled the planned effect; so we settled for waiting for each lit sparkler to burn out, then carrying the cake away to consume elsewhere. "Elsewhere" in this case being the Monday night (extended) repeat of last Friday's Have I Got News For You, which in early 21st century Britain is really the only political programme worth watching.

The Wugster is on Google Street View!

Google Street View normally pixelates out people's faces, except when they're facing away from its camera. Idly checking up to see how much of Tottenham had been covered, I found that not only did our house appear thereon but that there is a Judith in the front garden, turning round to close the front door behind her as Google's Mapping Car drove past!



The pale blue hat is the giveaway for us, of course. A diagnostic check of what she was carrying that day -- a green gardening bag and a bundle of poles -- suggests that she was on her way to the Maysie Memorial Garden which she maintains at the top of the road. Sure enough, a drive up the road and a look at the garden shows the blue-hatted Judith, toiling away!



You are encouraged to check this out for yourselves, and zoom in for more detail. You can also drive around our local area -- we suspect that this bit of mapping was done in the summer of 2012, when the car wash opposite us was still operating: it has since been closed and the site sold for housing, which is much more appropriate for our residential street.

I Am Now Officially An Old Man

Free travel throughout the TfL area from a week tomorrow!