Fence

This afternoon I treated the front garden fence with Red Cedar Cuprinol. I believe that this might be the oldest standing front garden fence in Aldborough Hatch - for it was constructed by me (yes, by me!) when my eldest son was two. Steve from over the road told me to use brass screws - which I did. I have treated the fence with Cuprinol every year - but did not do so last year for some reason. In all those years I have had to replace one top length of timber - on the righthandside as you face the house. One morning we found that a vandal had smashed the top paling. I went to B & Q to replace this and on my return Babs Sinclair called to apologise. Babe, who was in her 80s, had fallen and smashed the top paling. I told her that she was the oldest vandal in town and Babs laughed all the way home to 43 Spearpoint Gardens.

And in case you wondered, the fence is 52-years-old.

Mint

I have posted the following letter to The Managing Director,
PZ Cuzzons (UK) Ltd., MANCHESTER M22 5TG for it does say on the bottle that they would love to hear from me.

Dear Sir,

For some years I have used your Original Source Mint and Tea Tree Anti-bacterial Handwash.

I enjoy the aroma and find it serves me well in keeping my hands fresh, clean and free from anything nasty. I am, you see, an eighty-five-year-old who enjoys life and wants plenty more of it, thank you very much. 

But one thing intrigues me about your excellent product and I write to seek you help, for the matter has been giving me much concern over recent weeks, to the extent that I wake in the middle of the night and lie there pondering – which can be painful at my age, as you will appreciate.

On the front of the container you have inscribed the statement: ‘3,203 TINGLING REAL MINT LEAVES ARE PACKED INTO . . .” followed by the name of the product (and the capitals are yours, of course). How, I have to ask, can you be certain that there are precisely 3,203 tingling real mint leaves in each and every bottle? Who in your organisation counts the leaves? Is he or she a permanent member of staff? What is his or her job title? Are there occasional vacancies? If so, I would be happy to pop along to Manchester from time to time (for there is a good train service from the Metropolis), although this would have to be arranged when my daughter is available to feed Socks (who is my faithful sixteen-year-old cat, in case you wondered). Finally, which variety of mint is used in your product – I have grown about ten different strains in the past, but these days cultivate the garden variety 

I am a keen gardener and you may be interested to know that my late wife enjoyed a cup of mint tea. These days I make my own mint sauce for the days when I enjoy a lamb chop or two. I have never counted the number of mint leaves I use to make mint sauce, but may do so in future if you think it is wise. Please advise on this point.

Please reply as soon as possible for the matter is a worry and at my age too much worry is not good.

More Carnival

Here are some more shots from the Notting Hill Carnival. Yvonne and I first went to the Carnival some 30 or so years ago. Richard, our youngest son, was about ten. We agreed that is we became parted we would meet up at Notting Hill Gate station at 6pm. Within minutes we were separated! Yvonne and Richard went to the lost children's area - but were told by a policeman that they did not deal in lost fathers! We had a good day - and met up at 6pm.

I believe that was the only time Yvonne went to the Carnival. I went again in 2004 with Heather, Luke and Marlon. I have photographs to prove it - but would be in BIG trouble were I to put them on here today.

Over subsequent years I have been to the Carnival with Rob and Heather, riding on top of the float housing Rob's sound systems. It has been great fun and I have enjoyed taking photographs. Rob went this year but Heather decided to have a break - and she had work to catch up with too. So I went alone and on foot. I have to admit that I was a little nervous for my legs are not what they used to be - and I tire after a few hours especially if I am standing. I left home at 10am and arrived back at 6pm. I guess I stood in one spot for about four hours, although a security guard told me to sit down on a step to a house after about three hours which I did for ten minutes - but photography called! I used the telephoto lens which Graham gave me recently for the first time.I hope my friends will enjoy the shots.

Notting Hill Carnival One

At 10am this Bank Holiday Monday, I set out for the Notting Hill Carnival. I arrived home about 6pm or so after a wonderful day. I am, to put it mildly, a bit shattered, so I will keep it very short in text. More tomorrow. I went alone by public transport, walking slowly. Here to whet your appetite are just a few shots. I used the telephoto lens which Graham gave me on my Nikon for the first time, so it was a learning curve. A superb day in a tremendous atmosphere of fun and laughter - and that's just the police!

To The Globe

On Thursday 23rd August, Paul and I enjoyed Shakespeare's AS YOU LIKE IT at the Globe Theatre on the south bank of the Thames hard by Southwark Bridge. We walked from St. Paul's Cathedral over the Millennium Bridge (WIBBLY-WOBBLY BRIDGE). Great fun. We had a seat - but Paul knew a thing or three and purchased cushions for us to sit on for the wooden planks were mighty hard. I am not sure that I understood what was going on all the time so I must now buy the text and read it - I caught onto most of it. Paul, of course, understood every word and innuendo - but then he would, of course, for he is a bright lad and scholar to boot. Dinner afterwards in The Swan was good, but we had a taxi to Liverpool Street Station for my legs were beginning to give out!

To the south of the river

London today - and this time to the south bank of the Thames. I started out at Tower Hill Station and walked over Tower Bridge. The men practising sword fights in the Tower moat and the padlocks on the wire caging of the bridge were fascinating. City Hall glistened in the sunlight. I walked along the Queen's Walk, through Borough Market (my favourite London Market but I resisted the temptation to browse), on to the Globe Theatre (where I will be with Paul on Thursday seeing 'As you like it'). Over the Millennium Bridge to St. Paul's (and the inevitable red bus!) where I went inside (as a Friend I have free entry at anytime) and there I met with a lady who volunteers on Tuesdays - Yvonne and I worked with her at the Redbridge Night Shelter over many years. I would guess I must have walked a good four miles for my legs were beginning to give up. The 26 bus to Liverpool Street and a Radio Cars minicab from Ilford Station home - I really could not have walked another foot when I land on my front door! Socks was pleased to see me. A wonderful day - from 10am till 5pm - in warm sunshine most of the way.