Sunday 19 March 2006 10:33

I have a bit of a thing about old stuff. Buildings, furniture, films, junk ... anything really. Once, in a much needed break from an unplanned, long cycling trip, I ended up in Wingate. I'd heard of the place, even watched a plane crash nearby (I was in Peterlee at the time) a very long time ago.

Anyway, I'm straying from the point. There was a little cafe; Johnny's. It didn't look very special; in fact the 1980s plastic sign was a little off-putting. However, the picture inside was totally different. The place had original Edwardian wooden booths, with lots of glass. OK, so it was a bit battered, but it had real character ... as did the owner. The coffee was very nice too. There were plans to make it a regular stop-off; and it did happen again, once, a few months later. The cafe's closed now, though; the owner died and apparently his sons didn't want to take the business on. It's all a bit sad.



Sunday 19 March 2006 00:35

I tried to upload a video clip of a mobile phone walking across a table, but somehow it refuses to work. However, it was a very good birthday party. Not mine, I hasten to add ... I don't have those.




Thursday 16 March 2006 23:16

There really is such a thing as synchronicity. Just as I was wondering what to do with myself on 15 June, I came across this on the Intranet at work.

On the 15 June, The Queen celebrates her 80th birthday and to mark this special day a National Service of Thanksgiving is taking place at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, starting at 11.15am. And we have 12 invitations for this unique event. The Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, other members of the Royal Family and distinguished guests will be attending this Service. You can be there too, if you enter a draw to win one of the invitations. All you need to do is email your name, home address and telephone number to xxxx by 3pm on 22 March. All applications will be put into a hat and 12 names will be selected at random. Everyone in the department is allowed to enter. Due to security issues, the invites can't be transferred to another person if you are not able to attend. Also, the invites are for one person only - they don't include spouses or partners. If you are one of the lucky ones who wins an invite, it will be your responsibility to make your own way to and from St. Paul's Cathedral. Buckingham Palace will be sending the invitations directly to the lucky winners in April. Good luck!



Tuesday 14 March 2006 23:30

Finally got around to adding entries from the older blog(s). There're some missing entries and pictures, to follow one day, and no doubt a few broken links. Meanwhile look on this link as temporary.


Thursday 14 March 2006 22:03

My routine over the past few evenings has been: eat, decorate, bath, read, internet, conversation with bird and/or rabbit, bed. In a desperate attempt to avoid this becoming habit-forming, or a path towards sitting twitching and rocking in a chair, I made some changes tonight: conversation with bird, decorate, eat, bath, read, housework, clean-out of rabbit's litter tray, housework, internet, then probably conversation with rabbit before bed. Oh, and nothing on earth smells as bad as rabbit wee. Absolutely nothing.


Thursday 13 March 2006 00:10

Years ago, I bought an album called Largo. I bought it because I loved one track. I used to play it over and over again; I still do sometimes. A little while ago, I forwarded to that track on my iPod, but I selected the wrong song. I found this. Been on my mind ever since.


Thursday 12 March 2006 23:58

Eels (2005) Things the grandchildren should know:

I go to bed real early

Everybody thinks it's strange

I get up early in the morning

No matter how disappointed i was

With the day before

It feels new

I don't leave the house much

I don't like being around people

Makes me nervous and weird

I don't like going to shows either

It's better for me to stay home

Some might think it means i hate people

But that's not quite right

I do some stupid things

But my heart's in the right place

And this i know

I got a dog

I take him for a walk

And all the people like to say hello

I'm used to staring down at the sidewalk cracks

I'm learning how to say hello

Without too much trouble

I'm turning out just like my father

Though i swore i never would

Now i can say that i have a love for him

I never really understood

What it must have been like for him

Living inside his head

I feel like he's here with me now

Even though he's dead

It's not all good and it's not all bad

Don't believe everything you read

I'm the only one who knows what it's like

So i though i'd better tell you

Before i leave

So in the end i'd like to say

That i'm a very thankful man

I tried to make the most of my situations

And enjoy what i had

I knew true love and i knew passion

And the difference between the two

And i had some regrets

But if i had to do it all again

Well, it's something i'd like to do


Sunday 12 March 2006 22:36

It's snowing!



Sunday 5 March 2006 01:25

Somehow, despite being a very sensible thing to do, building toilets in Trafalgar Square does seem inappropriate somehow. Particularly when they'd be more at home in one of those Ikea-like bars that seem to be springing up everywhere. On the positive side, though, there's no 20p charge.



Friday 3 March 2006 23:50

This is truly one of the best bridges in the country.


Thursday 2 March 2006 23:18

Give up on the idea of a relationship ... and just play music

Mark Oliver Everett 2005



Back to:
2006
Current