This could be useful: Jewelboxing. via Cal.
When initials go bad
Nice
Following on from Gordon’s exhortations to be nice to each other, I’d like to point out how good I was to pull out the credit card that someone had left in the machine outside the Abbey in Tunbridge Wells yesterday and take it in to hand to the receptionist there. Hels was full of praise for me doing that, but, honestly, it was just the natural thing to do. The thing is, a whole bunch of people must have walked past the loudly beeping machine with the obviously protuding card and done absolutely nothing. I guess it is the typical British reaction to "not get involved".
And whilst I’m being nice, I’d like to warn all readers to watch out for MyDoom, a new virus that has appeared in my inbox three times already today.
Pretty Polly
Today’s special
Sign observed at the coffee bar on Barnham railway station:
Today only!! Free poly cup with every coffee, tea or hot chocolate!
I like that coffee bar.
Crime-fighting hero
Forgot to mention (which goes to show how thrilling it was) – on our way back to Tunbridge Wells last night, we took a small detour to try and find the local branch of Waitrose which is a bit tucked away. When we found it, we discovered a small fire burning in some waste paper and card, and some youths sauntering away. I did my civic duty, put my underpants on over my trousers, and called the fire brigade.
Undoubtedly, for my troubles, I’ll be getting a call from the police when they investigate it, although I’m not sure that they should bother.
Tube map
Happy New Year
2004-themed greetings and best wishes to all grayblog readers!
The promised Review of 2003 is in development and will be posted here soon. At the moment, I’m just too pooped after last night’s celebrations in the company of family, friends, food and drink.
Season’s bleatings
Well, I’ve nearly finished wrapping the gifts – just the last few tags to write, then I have to bag everything up and decide which gifts Hels will have to wait until Boxing Day for (so she has some to open when we are at my parent’s house).
Then I’ll quickly tidy the flat, sort out a bit of laundry, deliver a couple of Christmas cards and then drive off to Tunbridge Wells for the start of the food and drink!
This will be the last update until after Christmas. Remember to keep an eye out for progress of Beagle 2. Aside from that, remember the true meaning of Christmas – a distorted winter solstice festival that was hijacked by Christianity in an attempt to win over pagan tribespeople in Europe, that is now the preserve of business and corporate policy. Enjoy!
May all your mince pies be well filled.
Walk in the park
A visit to London yesterday for dinner with friends as well as a visit to the Serpentine Gallery to see the exhibition of photographs by Hiroshi Sugimoto. Pictures of nothing much at first glance, being in the main large monochrome seascapes, but revealing, on closer examination, a subtle texture of ripples, waves, clouds and stars.
It was the first time that either of us had been to the Serpentine, which is a rather neat and small building, glowing brightly in the darkness of a winter evening in Hyde Park. Its small size is actually an asset – no risk of getting "galleried out" at the Serpentine.
Even more impressive in Hyde Park was the brightly lit and shimmering Albert Memorial. In any other city in the world, such a structure would be the centre of massive tourist activity and would feature in every postcard. London simply has too many significant structures, and the Memorial is all too frequently overlooked.