Monday Mump

Some time ago the small hut next door to us, used by many local organisations, was condemned because it contained asbestos.  Eventually this was sold at auction and nothing happened.  Nothing continued to happen for some time until a neighbour informed me the building had been sold once again, at a small £50,000 profit to the original buyer.  Nice for some.
Eventually plans appeared to create a three story dwelling rising high enough to block the sun and allow residents to peer into one anothers windows.  
This would not do!
I, alongside others, put in loud and well written objections. 
Our landlord had a fight on his hands as they would be on his land and he was not happy about this.  He as a retired lawyer knew what to do.
Eventually, at local council speed, the plans were blocked.
All went quiet and quite suddenly new plans appeared and were approved and I cannot recall if we had time to object. The new plaans allowed an ugly two story building, garage on ground floor with four 'Studio flats' above.
Nothing happened.
Nothing happened for some time until one day men arrived and knocked down the hut with what I thought was little care for asbestos removal.  Maybe this was a ruse?
Later men began to clear the ground.
Eventually men began to dig holes and progrees was made.
However they did not know, and were not happy, about the sewage pipe from other neighbours house.  This ran right across their site.  Tee hee, he was not happy but thought it funny.  Therefore plans had to be altered.  
Much later concrete was poured into the holes previously dug and the alterations to sewage attended to.
Lorries carrying those gray 'Breeze Blocks' so called because they allow the breeze into your house arrived and dumped them.  One man was seen to be busy mixing cement and mortar and laying a line of said bricks in appropriate places.
Then it appears they knocked down other neighbours fence in the belief it belonged to this property, the trees beside it also were theirs they thought.  Other neighbour helpfully awakened them to the situation as it happened to be, his trees, his fence, your money ta much.
Nothing has happened since.  
Other neighbour has contacted the builder and received promises but no action.  He wrote, he called, he gets nowhere.  He believes the builders company has gone bust or just got fed up with the whole thing and dumped it on the developer, whichever greedy little Tory he happens to be.
We are left wondering what will happen.  
Will a builder appear, will the site lie like some half developed for years?  Will it be sold off to another chancer?  We cannot tell but stand back in amazement at the efficient manner in which housing is developed in the nation.

I love blue flowers.
I know not why but I love blue flowers more than most other colours, bright and cheery though many be.  These small beauties, and blue flowers it appears to me are mostly but not all small, are found in a box outside another neighbours door.  She has spent all her money on alcohol and flower boxes and very pretty they look.  The number of letters that lazy postmen shove through my door for her making me walk round there to pass them on indicate how many people are chasing her for cash.  Her use of a maiden name fooled some but not all I note.  Maybe if she took all the empties back and got twopence for each she could clear her debts, but maybe not...

 

Blethering

This is now an aged example of what ruins cities, towering glass blocks!  If memory serves me right this is 'Millbank Tower,' a 60's monstrosity that houses rich folks in their vast office space with views over the sprawling city, unless of course it rains.  
London of course has not only been filled with such glass horrors but has taken such creations a step further by adding daftness to invention.  Buildings now bend, are mistaken for cheese graters or just sit like a pile of abandoned glass like the 'Shard!'  All this because of a steel frame inside.  That frame allows the builder to go high and wrap his building in glass or brick.  It was once just the money mad Americans who filled their cities with such heaps, mostly built with brick.  That nice attention seeker Mr Trump own one or two in New York, the 'Empire State Building' I think it is called, a construction as hollow inside as he himself appears to be.  
Would you believe that somewhere in Yorkshire (or is it Lancashire) in the distant past a Mill owners began this type of building.  Memory fails to remember the details but by using such a steel frame, well Iron in his case, he created a mill six stories high, powered by water at first but later by steam.  This was the forerunner of all these strange sights that litter our world today.  Rather typical that it was someone from that part of the world to begin it, don't ya think?

This is me trying to earn money for Christmas.  Now why would I be thinking about Christmas when we are still in Autumn and it is only half way through October?  I am thinking about Christmas because 'Selfridges,' that bastion of greed and selfishness has revealed their Christmas window displays today!  

IT'S OCTOBER!

In the early eighties I worked for this company.  Operating from the warehouse in Paddington I spent a delightful three years being driven around London delivering parcels until I stupidly agreed to go inside the vast warehouse and work myself into the ground for eight hours a day there.  Luckily I broke my leg and after nine months was transferred to the vaster accounts office where futility and self serving was a daily occurrence.   Not the worst job I have ever done but foolishly I remained for a couple of years when I ought to have ran for it and found decent folks to work with elsewhere.  Stupidity is of course my main talent so I remained.
One thing was clear when it comes to money grabbing this store knows all the tricks and one of them is Christmas.  The Santa Grotto is always busy with long queues forming, and if the grotto is placed badly these queues hold up the whole store.  Just remembering the crowds makes me shake inside.  How lovely it was trundling around London reminding the driver that he ought to stop at red lights, so much better than the closet that was the office space.  The space was OK but it was full of people and a Kalashnikov was considered a suitable item, in my mind at least!  Oh move on quickly...

Well it's nearly over.  In a few weeks we will know if the Americans have been stupid enough to elect Donald Trump as President!  Only the USA can land themselves in this kind of mess.  Other nations have political systems which ensure politicians stand for election, none ask rich rabblerousers to do so.  Trump appeals to the worst in the US stirring up hate and fear like no-one else, appealing to those who feel far from government and appealing to the All American myth, whichever way the people choose to believe it.  Policies?  There appear to be none, talent, none either, actual desire to do the job?  None!  l think he stood for a joke, an attempt to snub those who snub him and like Boris Johnson and David Cameron over here it went wrong and now he may well end up as President!  

What is the alternative?  Hilary!  At first site she is obviously able to do the job, she saw it as wife of a President, believes she ought to have had it last time, and has experience failing miserably worldwide before.  All the required skills are there.  The trouble is much of the US hate her.  Some disagree with her policies, many disagree with her.  So far little in the way of rational reasons why have emerged suffice to say that is the situation.  
So which way will it go?  The only one laughing is Putin.

 

Neck Straining

The neck straining began yesterday outside the station at the Great Eastern Hotel as was.  London as folks know is a place where allowing the sky and sun to be seen is considered dangerous so narrow streets and high buildings are required.  Victorians did indeed build some attractive creations and can still be found everywhere the skyscraper builders have not yet trespassed although some are a wee bit over the top for us today.  Maintaining them must cost a bomb also, however that is probably not a phrase allowed in central London these days.  This slab of a hotel does look good even if the street itself is a mess.

Sauntering down towards the river while London rushed past uncaring I managed to get two monstrosities for the price of one.  There are as you know plans for a hundred towers more in the offing, another of Boris Johnson's plans to enrich himself and his friends showing success.  Of the two shown the far away one is the most absurd, pointless in design, absurd in looks and built simply to launder cash, I forget who was behind it but I am sure 'Private Eye' will know.  The one in front is known as the 'Walkie Talkie' although those who's cars were burnt and melted by the sun reflecting of the windows may have used other terms.  The 'Shard,' for it is indeed he, in the distance is supposed to reflect on the many church spires of times past or a possibly broken glass.  I think it reflects on the money grabbing con men who made money out of it.

The Lloyds Building which opened in 1986 remains the first of the absurd buildings that desecrate London.  However according to Wiki 'The building is a leading example of radical Bowellism architecture in which the services for the building, such as ducts and lifts are located on the exterior to maximise space in the interior.'  To me it looks daft.  Naturally this is the youngest building to ever achieve Grade 1 listed status and the architect himself became world famous and was as such allowed to build more daft buildings for rich folks with no taste elsewhere.  I prefer this false Greek frontage on the old building even though nobody realised the frieze ought to have been brightly painted as in Athens in times past.  You can see the sewage pipes of the new building behind if you really wish to.

Opposite Lloyds stands St Andrew Undershaft.  This church was recorded as far back as 1147 and has stood in its present form since 1532.  While the inside has been renovated constantly the building itself has withstood both the Fire of London and the Blitz without problems.  Now however it is surrounded by the towering absurdities on all sides.  Just imagine for a moment the individual people who have stepped through that door over a thousand years!  Consider their lifestyles, their position in society and the world around them as time flew by.  I can easily imaginen their thoughts on seeing this lot today.  The 'Gherkin' or 'Cheesegrater' behind may have had other names offered it since it was erected, I think my opinion may be guessed at.

The Great Fire of London in1666 began in a bakers shop, the Blitz had other causes, and this monument was subtly created to commemorate the fire.  I suppose at one time it stood out above the crowd.  Now it peers through the gaps in the buildings although it is itself lying lower down towards the river.  Christopher Wren, who with Robert Hook (who done most of the work) created the Monument, put forward plans to create a London featuring wide streets and easier access plus less chance of fire damage but this fell apart as those who owned parcels of land wished to keep their hold on their spot.  This is a shame as the new London would have been easier to pass through today had he got his way.  However all those narrow alleys piled high with money grabbing uncaring Londoners going from wine bar to pub would not be an attractive romantic draw for the tourists.

Helpfully the monument describes how the fire started and other relevant details.  I know you will take delight in learning the details.

Ugh!

Were the blueprints creased when they made that one?  In the background stands another of Richard Rogers mistakes.  His wife apparently called this one also 'Cheesegrater' and Rogers at least had sufficient faith in the thing to move his company offices into it.  I say that serves him right! 

Bring back the Luftwaffe to finish the job I say!

The Mayor of London had a cycle event on yesterday and a million bikes of all sorts went round and round each and every one determined to be where I was crossing the road.  There were myriad stewards placed here and there carrying poles saying 'STOP' and by these controlling the traffic flow.  I spoke to this chap as I passed encouraging him that he only had eight more hours of this ahead of him.  He laughed and considered meaningfully walloping me with the pole so I moved on.  The stewards were excellent folks, mind you some found English difficult, the locals like this chap were helpful and competent in there duties.  The whole atmosphere was a happy friendly one, so unlike the London I knew.

Peoples of all ages, sizes and from many parts of London and around appeared willing to cycle around in circles on these normally 'death trap' roads.  Cyclists are often treated badly by car drivers however when I used to cycle there (being younger) I managed by avoiding heavy traffic and using my head.  This is not always the case and cycle messengers get the reputation they deserve.  The heavy traffic full of lorry drivers who cannot possibly people up close and miss bikes that cycle right up under them, plus careless drivers and careless cyclists do not make for comfortable riding.  The young girl killed the other day appeared to be in a position where the driver could not possibly see her and sometimes I wonder about cyclists in town.  Common sense tells you to let big vehicles go first and stay clear of them.  No problems yesterday as far as I could see and this was a well organised day and all appeared to enjoy.  However I hear one or two accidents occurred in the 'Ride London' race which takes folks round London and out into the far suburbs today.

 There were the tallest folks riding around and looking happy about it.

And this was the smallest!  Whether he made it all the way round I know not but what a bike to have on a day like this?  Surrounded by cycling family members he appeared happy enough if a little confused.

Looking up again at the Guildhall tower.  The limp English imperialist flag hanging unhappily has been worn out by the noise from down below.  This is where the cyclists were controlled from, stalls abounded, music blared, food smells rose along with the smoke of burning lunch and bikes were placed under the feet of innocent passersby as they forced their way through.  Too much for little me.

Here too stewards abounded but it was difficult to identify the stewards from the riders wearing Hi-Vis vests.  Were they all stewards or just using a vest to advertise 'Prudential' who were sponsoring the day?  I know not.  The newer guildhall buildings are seen behind and the place may have been open to visitors but I declined the opportunity if they were and looked for greener grass elsewhere.

At Bank this choir based themselves in the middle of the road and swung away throughout the day.  They appeared happy enough as did the audience.  However why female riders park their bikes so that I fall over them as I try to get away was a question that was not answered!  Bah!  

The Other Big Town Trip.

From the window of the five past eight bus this morning I snapped as well as I could the sun shining on the local harvest.  One problem city dwellers (Known as 'Townies') fail to comprehend is the delay caused by a tractor wending its merry way to the next field along.  While farmer Jones is contemplating his profit, added to by the generous EU, CAP which is why he is merry, the vehicles behind are filled with smouldering folks who were not in a hurry when they set out.  The trail behind a vehicle dropping lumps of mud from his giant tyres can stretch for several miles. Today I smiled benignly at the people in just that position as they were headed in the opposite direction to my bus.  They however did not respond kindly.  There is little to beat sitting upstairs on a near empty bus in the early morning as I am sure you know.  Had I ventured out an hour or so later a bus full of chatting women and screaming brats may well have been my lot.  I also noted that according to my timetable a bus left here every twenty minutes, however a returning bus only departed every thirty minutes!  Three go out and only two return, a mystery indeed. Could there be a depot somewhere with dozens of buses waiting around for their drivers to return I wonder?  This reminds me of the No 8 London bus rescheduling in the late 70's.  The drivers pointed out that had they followed the timetable ALL the buses would be travelling in the same direction at one time!  Tsk!     

The bells of St Peter's well ringing loud as I passed, a peal that went on for quite some time. Possibly they do this regularly as this is one of the Anglo Catholic churches that likes to be part of the town.  The not quite musty interior is lit only by the large window at the far end.  The dim light is sufficient for individuals needs, allowing some privacy in a busy town.  The bells were only heard dimly in this ancient church, which has its own mention in the 'Domesday Book,' would you believe!  The picture may indicate the interior was slightly lighter than it may have been to my eyes.  I find this quiet spot strangely attractive myself.

With a camera in the hand it is important to always look up when in town.   The horrid tardy shop fronts and entrances of today could hide past architectural delights.  Above the dingy entrance I noticed that this once was the 'Grand Theatre,' no doubt home to many great stars, and a few bum ones also, of the past.  Today it appears to be one of those 'clubs' young folks take delight in, although I myself canny remember why.  

Adjoining this theatre is another pub, this time however an interesting looking building that stands on the ground that since the 18th century bore the name 'Lamb Hotel,' although this has been changed many times in recent years.  I suppose there must have been a market nearby and farmers would gather for lunch here.  This present building dates from 1905 and the present owners have not defaced the building thankfully.  Sadly the High Street is a mucky place, not helped by traffic that has to pass through, there is little else that can be done to move it.  This pic does show what lies unseen above our heads.  Look up when out, but look down and ahead first! 

  

On the other side of the street stands the Red Lion Hotel, still operating as such, and with a history dating back to 1495.  The mock Tudor front dates back about 20 years however and quite a lot of pubs do themselves up this way to make themselves look older.  This I suggest is to attract the customer who likes his old buildings to look like his imagination tells him it ought to look!  Ah the teaching of History cannot defeat the wishful thinking of the individual!

On either side of the entrance stands these two gentlemen.  The one on the left appears to be wearing a crown (Henry VII would be King in 1495 followed by Henry VIII) but the other is less discernible.  Maybe he represents one of the town worthies, maybe a traveller, maybe the first or later owner.  I am unclear and find nothing to aid me.

I had to laugh at this sign.  The A120 is the straight road home, called 'Stane Street' after the Romans worked on it some time back, and normal weekly traffic numbers are very high.  The fact that the warning of advance works end with the words, 'Delays Possible,' did make me laugh!

Well might you ask what such dereliction is doing here.  This is a once busy car park at one of those 'out of town' shopping centres.  There are still several major businesses working there but so many have gone that this large car park has become disused and is dying slowly.  What are the chances of the Tories upsurge in the economy of bringing this back to life soon I wonder?  All around this area lies the beginning of development which has ceased since 2008.  I am not sure whether I prefer the wide open acres filled with beasties to the modern empty office blocks that ought to be arising there.  The economy requires it but we need open spaces.  Just passing by these fields, the ancient houses and wondering what life was like for the souls found there in days of yore does take away from the shopping experience that saw all charity shops visited and two books and a handful of birthday cards bought, still no jacket......  

What?  You have had enough?  OK, I will bore you with more later.....

Buildings

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Yesterday, as I hurried along to the meeting place, I noticed this house, with the sun shining on it, and was impressed by the design, if indeed there was a deliberate design as opposed to a builder just 'throwing one up. Victorian builders just built houses according to the way they were taught, probably from their fathers, and rarely used architects.  This one looked better with the sun on it and today the gray skies left it a wee bit depressed with itself. However there are some interesting aspects to the building.
    

This corner house must have cost a packet in its day!  This home is quite large, has bay windows and a turret!  Fantastic property when built, and a credit to whoever erected the thing.  I suspect however this one had some kind of architect involved. This is much to 'out of the ordinary' for the everyday builder. 

I am contacting the Office of Fair Trading about this.  It says 'Free Withdrawals,' yet when I withdrew thousand of pounds from it the bank demanded I hand it back. Something about using your own account they yelled. It does not make that clear I say. 

Another lovely turret, this time on a school entrance.  Those Victorians, or would this be Edwardian perhaps, knew how to build schools. I could not get near enough to get a shot of the sign above the doors, 'Girls' over one, and 'Boys' over another. Actually I could see the 'Girls' sign but not the 'Boys' one.  Now I notice it is under the turret! The foolishness of insisting the sexes mix all the time is a bad thing in my opinion. At our school they kids played separately and this had many advantages for all. Ideology has damaged much in education. Some things boys learn better together, some things girls learn that way.
  

Look!  Another railway picture! Great isn't it?  Oh really, well that's your trouble, your just a woman!  Real men would see this as an inspiration, a challenge and an opportunity!  The line brings a train load of who knows what to us, while the other line takes us into a new life maybe, or possibly the buffers of course.  I have been there already!

Even better! High above, well not that high actually, stands the frame carrying the electric powerline for the trains. I thought it made an interesting image, with the steadily moving gray clouds as backdrop. The occasional blue flash, especially when the non stopping express service flew past at 80 or so miles an hour, was missed by my camera. 


What a lovely day again. Another day trip, another good half hour, another enjoyable train journey.  Even waiting was enjoyable today.  I suppose it was the variety from my routine that did that.  Now of course my routine is out of order and I will have to spend all tomorrow attempting to find where I am.  Ah well.
And so to bed......


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Rotten Week

It's been a rotten week so far. The bug has taken what little energy and the even smaller amount of sense that I had and gave me that drained feeling. I was supposed to call a place re a job but what with lack off oomph and the fact that I am not fit enough to work 40 hours again has combined to make me feel lousy. It is amazing how quickly fitness leaves and how hard it is to recover. Wednesday saw me determined to develop stamina again by walking. Two long walks in the cold wind, followed  by another yesterday and amazingly I even got the bike out for a while! However all I have are blisters on the feet and aches everywhere else. Since the snow started I have not been able to get the bike out. Follow that with the bug that never leaves and I have done so little exercise it is only the blubber in front of me that stops me blowing away in the wind! At the back of my head a voice is calling, "Get of your backside and DO something you fat slob!" I am glad it is being subtle! However nothing appears to arrive. The job market for an lazy good for nothing unskilled male almost at 60 is quite small these days. Honestly I have used my whole intellect in this fruitless search and....hold on, I think that may be part of the problem! What now? I just don't know and am quite fed up with this directionless life.

This decrepit looking building dates back into the mists of time. They say it was around in the 14th century, probably the last time it saw a lick of paint, and now serves as a small, character filled (which means what I ask?) hotel. Once a large manor house, and now almost unnoticed at the end of the High Street, it is only around the back does the true age of the building show. How often it has been rebuilt or renovated I could not say however it does seem sad that such a character is hidden away from general view and espied (lovely word) merely from the back end of the multi story car park. Several building round here are like this. The front may be Georgian but round the back a more Medieval side can be glimpsed. Chimneys, roofs and 'Gants,' passageways between buildings, reveal the Netherlands influence from the days of the weavers a few hundred years ago. Pairs of cottages renovated into one expensive house show traces of the farm labourers of yesterday, the occasional 'Big Hoose' reveals just how much money could be made from weaving!  Streets built by speculative builders working together spread out from the centre of town. 

In the 19th century a joiner say, alongside a  bricklayer and possibly a plumber, would join together and buy three plots of land in a newly laid out street. Together they would erect three houses, without architects help, and each would sell one and put the profit to his family and then buying more land to repeat the process. By this method much of England's housing stock was built. The 'Feu duty' in Scotland hindered this approach and anyone building went upwards, hence so many tenements. The Scots are much more egalitarian than the stand offish English and such dwellings grew out of the old 'Closes' and 'Stairs' of past times. Naturally the lower down the social order the worse the building, but that happens everywhere, and still does! The Victorians were not ones to dwell on the past. Buildings that stood in the way of progress were demolished. Just look for Berwick Castle and be disappointed. Robert Stephenson tore it down to build his railway station, and used the stones in doing so! Only the 'keep' of Newcastle itself was 'kept!' The train just misses this as it passes by.  Without listing orders on buildings, often a pain to some, many buildings today would be lost to our heritage. It is not possible to keep all old buildings but so many are worth noting that care is required. After all if every 'old thing' was to be replaced what would become of us?

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