Homing Pigeon?

I noticed this chap a few days ago while limping towards Sainsburys.  I was impressed by the efforts to hinder pigeons, of which there are many sleeping on the roof here overnight, from perching on the windowsills.  I am always impressed by birds as they consider the many ways in which they can not only make it through the day, but also improve their lives by simple actions.  Here, one bird, by the simple action of smashing the window, possibly while flying at high speed with his eyes closed, has gained entry to the top floor of this very ancient building.  

This building stands in what is called 'Little Square.'  This marks the spot where the early market first arose over 800 years ago.  This came about by the Bishop of London, who owned this side of the town, persuaded King John, he of ill-repute, to allow a market here weekly.  King John considered for a few moments the tax raised by such a market, his debts obtained by fighting very badly when claiming France as his kingdom, and allowed the market to begin, and added one down in Chelmsford around this time also.  The tax played on his mind I reckon, more than the cabbages available on the ground.

This building, wood and plaster, has stood here for a great many years, I suspect several hundred, but I have not got that information to hand.  

The block of houses contains four shops on the ground floor, as a market should, most are in good condition still, however, the one at the end, where the pigeon roosts, is somewhat less tidy.  There is a shop at a the bottom, which I think is now closed.  A first floor for accommodation for those who like to 'live above the shop,' and this top floor for pigeons to look down on you.  Like too many shops in the town life appears far from this one.  I think the owner, or tenant, has another along the way, but I could be wrong.  Either way, someone needs to look into the building, accommodation and a shop all in one, in the centre of town, just off the main drag?  Someone will make money here surely?   

Pigeons as Bored as I.

I passed this day of wild excitement by visiting the shops and buying the wrong things.  Clearly my limited memory is going.  Not only do I make tea and forget to drink it, visit shops and forget to look at the list scrawled to ensure I do not forget, but I also fill the washing machine, add soap and forget to switch it on.  I expect any time soon to be found wandering around a park far from home while a police helicopter overhead tries to find me in the dark by use of thermal imaging.  This all depends on me remembering to actually go out of course.

I passed the old water tower, now used as flats, adorned by the local pigeon population.  This appears to be their gathering place, I saw them flock for a while later, possibly because of danger, possibly because the boys were having a laugh.  When in London, the view from my window took in the church opposite where pigeons lined the long roof.  The square tower belonged to the rooks and the few wood pigeons remained in the trees.  At regular moments the birds would gather and chat for a while before returning to their food gathering duties.  All organised, no union required, and this went on for years, and probably still does.  

As you can tell, nothing else happened.

More football shortly, this is unfortunate as it means I cannot hoover the floor now.  Shame, it will have to wait another week...

All the posting appears to be done, and I am ready for Christmas, are you?

Maudling Monday Again

Like our pal on the roof I enjoyed watching the rain from a viewpoint today.  Scurrying up to Sainsburys and back was sufficient air for this lump of fat.  Naturally I scrolled through the papers and discovered that nice Rupert Murdoch's paper 'The Sun' has been losing some £86 million this year.  Apparently paying for all the lawyers that lost the case to the famous people hacked by his editor that did not know it was going on cost around £26 million alone.  He could have bought a reasonably good centre half for that price if he looked around.  He could certainly have obtained a journalist or two for a great deal less.  Still I suppose journalism is not Rupert's way is it.
He did claim that 36 million or more click on his 'Sun' website, not mentioning the 'Mail Online' claims 80 million hit theirs, neither mention that most are the same small number of people going round different items.  The number of 'bots' sent by Conservative Central Office and that nice Mr Putin, a friend of Rupert, also account for a large number of 'clicks' on comments columns.  Still as long as the advertising comes in to pay for it all, what's that?  Oh dear, advertising falling also?  
It could be worse, he could own the 'Daily telegraph' as that has lots a million readers under the present boss.  The Barclay Bros will let you buy it for around £500 million.  Any takers?

I have thought of a new party game.  It's called connect new phone to facebook or BBC.  This entails making the victim install these 'apps' and then log in.  The one who does so quickest, or the one who avoids throwing the phone pout the window is the winner.  Why do these things act like spoilt children?  Why do they not do what I want?  I am getting there but I have to keep lying down in a dark room every so often.   I will however show my great niece I am not a 'technophobe,' unless I fail to get through to her on the text bit...

Tsk Boris!

We welcomed the end of one of those constant US hurricanes today.  The rain battered down for a good while and will be a constant menace for a few days pleasing farmers and those with gardens but few others.  The rain also pleased the pigeon who happily made use of the heavy rain by turning it into a shower and twisted this way and that to ensure the entire body was cleansed.  Downstairs people passed by huddled under umbrellas, hats over heads, winter coats brought out of the cupboard, while the bird just sat there enjoying the weather.  I often wonder how birds and animals survive in differing weather conditions but this bird has learned how to make the most of the situation quite happily.

 
Boris fought the Law and the Law won!
Announcing the result of the Supreme Court this morning Lady Hale said:

"The court is bound to conclude, therefore, that the decision to advise Her Majesty to prorogue Parliament was unlawful because it had the effect of frustrating or preventing the ability of Parliament to carry out its constitutional functions without reasonable justification."  ITV

This decision was 'unanimous!'

This is quite an interesting step.  The court has ruled that Parliament must debate, Boris avoided this by deceit and while the court made no decision on the man himself it is clear he must go.  He has lost five major votes, kicked out 21 of his own MP's including the 'Father of the house' and Winston Churchill's grandson, and we have yet to discuss his latest wheeze with a US woman to whom he passed £125,000 for her business.  Hmmm...
John Bercow has apparently rushed back and insisted the House will resume at 11:30 tomorrow morning, not that he wishes to see an interesting Prime Ministers Question Time, but for democracy to rule!  MPs everywhere are once again packing their bags, leaving their 'paid for by someone else' holiday and returning to their constituency preparing for work.  The question 'What do we do now?'  Is the unanswered one as nobody has an answer to that.
Life is exciting but where is this taking us now?

Up on the Roof.

The need for fresh air and sunshine forced me out today.  This was good as the light was bright and the townsfolks were meandering about, some showing off their new bikes, scooters and clothes, others seeking shiny things in the shops now open.  

I soon found myself on the top floor of the large car park from where I thought I may get a picture or two of the town.  Here I noticed windows dirtier than mine existed though to be fair it is difficult cleaning windows through those bars.  

    
Old cottages in the distance once used by weavers they say.  Narrow houses now but large windows for the time.  The attic, now divided, once ran all along the roof space allowing for long bales of cloth to be laid out.  A good example of the craft that once flourished in this area for hundreds of years.

I was much taken with the sign saying "Pedestrians: Way Out" and pointing to either direction.  There are no stairs and this means the only way out is through the 'window' on either side.  I went on further myself...

 
The low lying sun leaving a kind of blue haze in the distance caught my attention.  Such a sun is wonderful, bright, cheery and blinding at times.  So bright that my sister a few days ago left a shop, was blinded by such sun and walked into the closed door!   This left her flat on her back being attended to by the staff who it must be said treated her well, this was in Livingstone.  They fussed while she just wanted to go home.  At home everyone laughed, I laughed, and at the doctors he laughed, she just suffered a bruise or two and hurt pride, but she is used to that.  

In among the Victorian and mock Victorian chimney pieces on show we can see the benefits of being a country town, the masses of trees in the distance.  These lie among the farmland that developers are desperate to turn into concrete and mass money in offshore accounts.  Most of the populace are not so keen.  The town has grown from 30,000 to 40,000 in the 20 years I have been here and lost some of its innocence with the introduction of 'London overspill' and the like.  A type of less friendly person is appearing and this affects us all.  People are less likely to speak in passing as they used to do though many still do and 'old folks' constantly complain about the changes, as they do.

 
The mist does create colour changes which I love.  Darker nearby and lightening with each item in view as it heads off into the distance.  Some were complaining tonight that driving was difficult with the mist, I suspect it will be worse first thing in the morning.  Not too much traffic just now mind.  Next Wednesday I suspect before life as normal returns.

While standing there on this near deserted open top floor of the car park I noticed the pigeons suddenly take flight as if aware of a predator of some sort.  Two flocks took off in different directions, joined immediately by all other hangers on, yet remarkably quickly settled down once again.  I could see no obvious enemy so it may have been a false alarm.  It does show however that being a bird is not an easy life.  The weather, lack of food and predators mean you are forever looking around for danger.  We are much safer that we realise, a bird is constantly afraid.  

 
Pointing a camera at a bright sun offers a dark picture.  I could have fiddled with it but could not be bothered decided this was a decent enough image.  I found it strange having come from Edinburgh and having lived 20 or so years in London finding the town so flat.  This was one of the few high places from which to see the town, the Town Hall roof is another and one day I will get up there, but being able to look south and see a few roofs fading off gently into the distance was strange to me.  It still is to some extent. 

Nice Day...

As I teetered my way up to Sainsburys this morning I glanced around the slowly filling car park and failed to notice any English flags today.  Possibly they were all over in the corner, beside the recycling bins...?  The social media was far from sociable today, only Scots, Welsh and Irish appeared keen to comment on last nights game, sullen resentment appearing to be the approach from English quarters.  I like that!   One chap gave the sad "Scotland didn't get there" reply and I saw him off with "UKIP are raging!"  Now he will not speak to me, him being black and that I mean...
However the suggestion that Nicola Sturgeon ought to make July 11th a national holiday in Scotland has as far as I know not yet been debated in the Scots Parliament.

A man masquerading as a US president has been found wandering the streets of the English capital surrounded by high security.  Police for many areas have been drafted in to protect the public and Humphrey the Downing Street cat has hidden itself away after hearing comments about Trump and his love of 'pussy.'  
There have been some daft US presidents, in the 19th century one or two were not exactly civilised, but in recent days we have become used to a more sophisticated politician than the market trader now in that office.  Others have brought opposition, Reagan and Dubya among them but none have been regarded in such a low manner than this lout.  What a shame for decent Americans.

Apart from ensuring Englishmen suffer I have done little but waste away today.
I think it was worth it!

Wander in the Mist

After a hard days work yesterday, I began at 9:30 and didn't finish till 1:30, I then spent the rest of the day getting over it!  Life would have been easier had people not kept coming in to the museum, I considered locking the door at one point as I could not finish the page of the book I was trying to read for people asking questions.  

One delightful couple arrived from Idaho to seek out the town's history and wander about for a while enjoying the type of sights they do not see in the wide open spaces of home.  Such make life worthwhile in the museum.  The ratty ones grumbling because the afternoon talk had to be postponed as the speaker was sick did annoy, especially as they demanded to know why no-one phoned them as they could have taken the speakers place.  Not having booked we did not know their number but that apparently was not a good enough reason!  She was female...

    
This morning I woke just before seven.  A glance through the stained glass window, stained with dirt that is, showed the morning mist was hanging around.  This I thought was a gift from Jesus this morning so throwing on some rags, grabbed the camera and began wandering the streets.  
The mist took a while to dissipate and I took a while to wander so we got on well.  Passing people speak easily at that time of the day, at least in this small town, and snatches of conversation broke out as people wondered why a madman was taking pictures before the shops opened.  One man was eager to get his daughter out for pictures as she was studying photo journalism, a good job I say, but as all 17 year old's do she was glued to her bed, probably until midday!   

The windscreens reflected the changing temperatures.  One man grumbled that this was the first time he had been out scraping his windows before moving off.  Just wait a month and it will be frozen in the mornings, time then for old newspapers across the screen.  The good days have passed us by and Autumn is at it's normal temperatures now, little cause for those expensive sunglasses until winter has passed.

     
'Twas on a Monday morning that the gas man came to call.'
Since that morning several months have passed and the gas mains in this street have not yet all been reconnected.  Changing the gas pipes from the old lead ones to long yellow plastic ones has not been an easy task for the workers.  Each house requires amendments and not all householders are around at the right time.  The changes to the traffic caused by closing the road has been great for those of us who walk a short distance down here, people have however been going round in circles attempting to find their way in to the street.  It will all be over by Christmas.

Where are people going this early in the morning I wonder?  Some are rushing to get to work, others taking the dog out, or in one case the dogs with cat attempting to follow.  Still others pass by engrossed in their thoughts strolling who knows where from nowhere it appears.  It is surprising how many people in this small town are unknown to me.  Many pass by daily and can be recognised, others pass as if in the night and are never seen again.  I could see a short story writer sitting on the bench finding material for a story here.  The young, the old, the lonely, the troubled, all pass this way their stories untold and disappear into the mist.

    
It never ceases to amaze me how spiders create such wonderful feats of engineering without spending seven years at Mechanical University.  These tiny beasts, this one clearly hiding from the chill, has managed to build his web without referring to the instructions.  It appears near perfect with the dew hanging from it yet if it breaks he (or is it she) will soon be out repairing and mending ensuring that sooner or later lunch will be served.  
And they say there is no God...

Eye Watch You

Been quiet here recently, I ignore the news mostly as it is the usual ongoing stuff, the weather and being a fat slob has kept me indoors for the most part and nothing has happened except the stormy rain.  This Collared Dove, or bloody nuisance as it is called when calling for his mate outside my window early in the day, posed happily for me until he actually saw me behind the filthy back window.  He is about the only bird I see these days all the others have scarpered including the noisy Starlings who no longer squawk around the hanging feeders.  Maybe it is something I said?

   
The wind and rain battering the window forced me to do those things left undone for so long, cupboard cleaning, rubbish dumping and long lost object finding.  It is amazing what lies in cardboard boxes at the bottom of cupboards and I have just uncovered some slides from years ago of happy times and a black cat not necessarily connected.  Now all I need is one of those devices to transfer the pics to digital so I can see them properly.  
Sadly I also have two heavy boxes of photos dumped aside long ago that now must be gone through.  Some will be quite good but I expect I will have to be 'Donald Trump tough' and dump the ones that need not be kept.  The dust I will return to where I found it and remove it next time...
The lentil soup was another requirement that will be needed to keep me alive as I continue my calorie controlled diet.  I lost 4 pounds since yesterday by not eating and humping things which no doubt will return today, however the soup, which is too salty, will keep me going for lunchtimes.

The 'season of mists and mellow fruitfulness' comes at a price.  The price is a darkening sky, shorter days, colder temperatures and golden leaves falling from trees.  That last one is a bugbear for some around here today.  The rain and wind have loosened the leaves from countless trees and garden paths, streets and back alleyways bust be chock a block with these things today.  
In days of yore one of our tasks was to clean up such leaves, daily we would sweep as far as possible knowing that tomorrow we would have to do this all over again, and again, and again until no leaves were left.  This was not a job we enjoyed as there were daily tasks to accomplish at the same time.  We never complained or grumbled, no we didn't, we just got on with it and looked forward to next year.  
Round here one man not far from me insists on burning all fallen leaves and this delightful aroma reminds me of my Uncle George who did similar many moons ago.  Uncle George had a small fire and the smoke did not come inside, my local man enables his smoke to travel a great distance from the far side of the park and to establish a home in my room.  This delightful reminiscence will not be looked on as favourably as Uncle Georges is.

Once the weather ended its downpours I made it to the late night shopping and obtained no bread that satisfies.  The best stuff had gone and I had to make do with 'heat it yourself' loaves.  Greedy locals had bought all the decent stuff and left me hungry, or as hungry as anyone 16 stone could be.
At least I got a night shot of others failing to get the bread they wished.  How much better it is to shop when the masses have gone home, how easy it is, how quiet, how bare the shelves!

Saturday Stroll

I strolled along the murky river bank this lunchtime thinking it would make a change from the usual route.  Recently the council have upgraded the are with tarmac pathways and landscaping the grasslands however as I came in from the far side I noticed they had stopped half way!  What was the point of that?  Halfway down there is a small weir and from then on there is just a dirt path.  As it has been raining for yonks this is a near impassible swamp in places and muggings was trying to slither through here.  My opinion of the council varied with each slide into the mud.  

  
The sign at the bridge warning of either danger or punishment for playing or drowning in the river has as yet not had itself renovated.  Possibly the cash ran out just as they reached the weir and so it has been left to a later years budget.  Under this Tory government and Tory council it will be put back more than ever now.  
Note the sludge like effect of the rain on the water.  So much has slipped into the river with all this rain, the banks are eroding and the weight of water is rushing through at places tearing the banks down as it passes.  This is a small river just imagine what is happening elsewhere?  

 
The locals are car lovers in these parts however I am not so sure about the owner of either of these two.  As I recall they were standing there when I delivered up this road many moons ago and now with new houses built next door they appear to possess this small plot of land all to themselves.  Maybe someone lives within?  I should have knocked.  However it may be the owner is spending some time at Her Majesty's Pleasure in one of those ageing prisons that are so overcrowded we often release murderous thugs early from their sentences.  Possibly they will return one day and be somewhat surprised  that nobody has put some sort of ticket upon them.  These are not the only hulks slowly falling apart, and I don't mean me either.  When I think of it a trip to the inlets where yachts are stored usually reveals several eroding away and one or two well under the water.  Maybe this chap owns a rusting boat also?

The possibility of improving this are to make it an attractive spot in summer will probably never happen while we suffer under George Osborne's 'austerity.'  However even if money was spent the place might still be a wee bit rough.  People pass through from the town to the dwellings on the south side and while dog walkers and eejits with cameras may find pleasure in this it might take a lot more work to make this wee part of the town acceptable to all.  I think it may be worth it in the long run.  

My day was excellent and this was topped of by watching the Heart of Midlothian defeat the miserable Aberdeen by one goal to nil in the Scottish Cup.  The arrogance of the Dons in thinking they are bigger club than the Heart of Midlothian!  This was shown today when the one goal ought to have been joined by seven or eight more.  Onwards to the next round and dubious refereeing from the Glasgow mob.

Back to Normal

How nice to see the museum back to normal, short staffed, awkward questions, disappointed visitors, no-one making my tea, only one sale, heavy boxes to lift, my chocolate robbed, and having to look through 800 wedding photographs.
Not a child in sight, how quiet and tidy the place appears once it has been tidied up!  I did spend some time cleaning paint of one or two tables, the result of arts and crafts last week, that was required as the tables will be used for tea and biscuits by some group or other.  Otherwise I spent my time looking for photos and answers to a man's query.  Sadly there are no photographs of his street, little information and less to go on.  It just shows that we need to take pictures of our locale and place them where they are required, the local museum, for further investigation in years to come.  That is a hint by the way...
Tomorrow and Thursday I will spend time there again.  Where are all the volunteers these days?  At least in the morning I will make use of the bike, a massage may be needed later if anyone is around. Well if that's your attitude....

Once upon a time such as these were kept in 'Doocots' for use as meat during the long winters.  Where I was raised the 'Big Hoose' at the back on whose land our estate was built in the early fifties possessed one not far from us.  As kids we regarded it as some sort of witches house or a place to find rats.  In fact it was just an empty shell slowly disintegrating.  It still stands but I reckon it has now been roped off by H&S for safety.  I think these boys taking the sun early the other morning would not be as healthy as birds feeding on the one time fields of northern Edinburgh.  

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Saturday Pigeon Post

Football is back!
Today is the first day of Scottish football, well the wee cup began today, next week the real thing begins.  So for the first time in ages I was able to watch a proper game, until I got fed up as we knew who would win and went out for some wood glue.
Yes wood glue.
In trying to restore the door I am inserting each strut in it's rightful place, then doing it, and several others, once again.  Soon I will require to stick them down and wood glue will be useful.  However I have only reached half way and they are not keen to stay in place.
I walked away in disgust.
Nothing else happened.
I keep forgetting what day this is, a habit these days. 
There is something else I keep forgetting, but I canny mind what that is...

 

Morning Cycle for Fuit & Veg

Just after half six this morning I got on my clean, oiled, yet still rusty in many places bike, and forced my knees to whirl me around town.  As the blinding sun rose I snapped with my new camera, a present from above, this bird enjoying the rising warmth while trying to avoid the chill in the wind.  All around the birds were either finishing breakfast or like this one sitting in the sun awaiting a mate. Spring is in the air indeed!
The early morn is a lovely time to be up and about.  Traffic is slight, only those forced to work bleary eyed pass by, and occasional dog walkers, just as bleary, mutter 'Good morning' while following the English manner of pretending they did not see you until you speak.  The dogs are more open about their thoughts.  

   
'Ichabod' and I have been together now for almost 18 years.  One day I will ensure everything is in the right position and that the gears are at the right tension, until then we travel on happily, but very slowly! These days many have become infatuated with professional cycle racing and this area is flat enough for those who consider themselves manly enough to wear Lycra and tear along the roads for a hundred miles or so.  I worked with one or two who have done this around here, I am not one of them!  The term 'flat' maybe true in comparison to the Scottish highlands however I can assure you there are hills and long slopes which while a delight to go down are a pain to go up.  My attempts at the 'manly' approach failed long before 'Ichabod' arrived.  
Thinking on this in a couple of months the women's cycle race will pass by my door.  A letter recently fell through the door informing me of the road closures etc.  Such a shame the 'Tour de France' came close last year but never passed by my window.  At least the roads will get some treatment and we will all benefit from that.  Canny have a cycle race where potholes exist.

In an effort to stop these virii that keep giving me nasty symptoms I am endeavouring to eat more fruit and veg.  After getting off the bike I hobbled, slower than usual, round to Tesco and obtained some of the goodies from there and the rest from my usual fruit & veg man.  That done I have already stuffed a healthy breakfast down the throat and am convinced this will keep me on the run! An attempt must be made to eat more fruit and veg as it is better for us than the muck we normally have.  So much we eat contains things that do us no harm if eaten occasionally but build up and make us suffer.  No wonder kids go mad with things when they are pumped full of sugar and additives and things we do not get told about.  I am reminded of that biblical king who went mad and ate grass like a donkey for seven years. The reason was obvious, Daniel the prophet refused the rich foods given him and ate veg, he remained healthy, the king stuffed only with the richest food became toxic and the grass cured him, though slowly. I am told this has been recorded elsewhere among others also but have no links.  I am sufficiently donkey like in every way to wish to avoid being found in the park amongst the pigeons and crows early in the day eating grass.  The council would not like this.

Now I have the day before me and my knees are beginning to seize up, I'm back off to bed! 

Dreich Day All Round

What a dreich day!  The sky remained gray, often filled with rain, and I wondered about between showers avoiding puddles in case the shoes leaked, they still managed it mind.  The highlight was jumping on the free bus to Freeport and buying two T-shirts that might fit!  I have had enormous trouble finding such garments that not only fit but do not shrink after the first wash. The charity shop is pleased with my buying so far this year.  These items are all made in the far east, usually China or Bangladesh these days, and the Chinese, mostly wee folk about 5 foot 3 inches tall appear fooled into thinking that what they call 'XL' is actually large.  Sadly to me it is more like what we call 'M' and that is before it is washed and shrinks to just above 'S.'  Just who decided asking Lilliputians to make clothing for fat folks better built people was a good idea I ask?  Tsk! These two T-shirts have been made by underpaid employees in a Sri Lankan sweatshop and at first sight fit well.  This means they will be down to 'L' by the first wash and probably 'M' by the second! Grrrrrrr!  Good job they were at a reduced price....

Now I think of it I buy jeans from Tesco, I no longer buy their shrinking T-shirts, and even though I buy the same size jeans each time each pair is slightly different!  The Rupees the Bangladeshi makes from this sale (£6) will not do much for her I guess.  

Nothing else happened. No news worth mentioning, no cards or presents fell through the door, no invites to parties or grub, nothing happened yet again! The kids will be off school now, standing at the windows looking for a fat man on a sleigh, not that you will see him fro the gray clouds above. The mums and dads will be looking also, at the next Credit Card bill when it arrives.  Many's a light will be turned off in those houses next month!  The media will be glad there is no real news, just the usual murder, corruption et al, and they newsrooms can relax and discuss their trips to South Africa, show the family their pictures and chat about the people they met.  The fiddling of expenses will be done later.  The football pages rejoice that they have removed the Spurs manager, one thing they have attempted since the season began, and are now looking towards West ham where the man in charge and his results will be the next to be put under the microscope, discussed (ignorantly for the most part) and his boss pressurised to sack him to give the press a story to fill their pages. Now I am not being cynical here, but they are!  

This is however the last week for a Christmas shop.  Panic buying will set in, men obtaining those frilly negligee's for their wives (returned and replaced with flannelette ones the week after Christmas), children will be demanding expensive goods not available in a any local shop, mums planning the dinner (as they ought) and some greedy shopkeepers rubbing their hands with glee while sympathising with their customers.  Soon be all over and Valentines cards will replace the Christmas ones and Easter eggs appear in the shops.

Mind you I like the eggs...

Life goes on however, whatever we fuss about.  The birds nestling in the wind shaken treetop care little for our concerns.  The face the wind as it howls towards them wishing the leaves had remained a little longer.  Our trials mean nothing up in that tree, life continues as it always has up there.

   

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