Another Day, Another Walk

Since going back to work I get so much more exercise, all walking but better than before. Today I was not at work though, as I had a hospital appointment for some tests. I am pleased to say that they turned out ok, and other than worrying about the appointment I had a nice day. 

View from the platform. I like all the horizontal lines, the different textures and how grim it looks. 

Pre-appointment walk (I was an hour early) up St Thomas Street where I was pleased to discover large ants taking over a train carriage in the air. I have not heard of Vinegar Yard, but it looks great. Not even sure if it is open at the moment, but one to remember for the future. 

This delapidated warehouse was just round the corner. 

It was wet and misty and all the tops of the buildings were in the clouds. 

Scary owl to deter pigeons at London Bridge. 

More mizzle.

I liked this poster. I was sitting too far away to get a good picture but you get the idea. 

In the loo. Too like a face not to take its picture. 

At the coffee van where I got coffee when I had finished in the hospital. 

Hands, Face, Space. No people in shot as it was really quiet. On the train too. 

The train stopped on the way to Lewisham and showed me this view. I got the train there to feed this week's cats who live right by the station. 

I got slightly lost on the way to the bus home. I thought I might walk to Blackheath as it is not far but I went up a street I have never been along and ended up on the heath rather than in the village. This was in the underpass which was my way out of the dead end street. It was worth getting lost as I like it a lot. 

The street that the underpass led to was a how the other half lives place. Massive Victorian mansions, possibly flats but I think some were whole houses. I came across this blue plaque to someone called Samuel Smiles. A great name I had not heard of. He was a Scottish author and government reformer. He thought that new ideas rather than new laws would lead to more progress. He wrote a book called 'Self-Help' which promoted thrift and attacked materialism, and cited hard work and education as the route out of poverty. All sounds pretty sensible to me! Sensible Sammy Smiles. 

These two gardens were my favourites.

Do Not Push

Not the village. Looks like the edge of the world. 

But was the edge of the heath. I walked across it to get a bus. One drove past me even though I was at the bus stop. So I got one of the ones that goes everywhere. It went back across the heath then terminated in the village. So I had to get another one. I should have just walked all the way!

 

Lots of Pictures, Not Many Words

I take so many photos on my phone and am very bad at taking them off. I don't think I use the cloud, although I may be surprised. The cloud in a massive machine somewhere in a desert or something. Don't trust any of it. Anyway, I have taken some off the phone tonight, and here is a random selection of them. I started working in a new school in Camberwell this term. Some of the pictures are from wandering around there. It is a nice school so I don't mind the extra travelling too much. I have worked out how to wear my glasses and mask so they don't steam up and I can read. It makes a change anyway.

Gothic Court can't decide which font it likes best. 

This place makes mysterious things. I think it may be scenery or someone's art. 

Massive onions.

A dish of smaller glass dishes that recently went to the charity shop. Not sure why I took a photo of it but I just noticed my toes opposite the lion's toes on the rug.

Back to Camberwell. This bath full of red geraniums is in Bath Place. 

Madeline having her hat fitted.

                       uy67-this is Bolly's contribution to this post-he just ran across the keyboard!

A face in a paste jar, looking through the little window.

Back to Camberwell again. These are the pigeons of doom. That's what they made me think when I saw them all lined up against the dark sky.

This is Bearsted where my Mum lived. This part is the Green. Mum lived in another part but not far away, and I like visiting here as it is beautiful. 

Fresca, these are for you to see little boots. This is Naked Rupert. He came just with the boots, and that is what his label from the charity shop said. Well, it actually said, 'Naked Rupert, Not A Toy.' I have kept the label as it made me laugh!

I gave him a scarf so he is not so naked anymore. 

The view from the 18th floor in Lewisham where I am feeding cats this week. I could not live at this height!

Clay girl in a van near there. 

Man painting a mural today on Trafalgar Road. 

Amazing sunflowers just up the road that I saw when I was on my way to collect my car from Kwik Fit. I bashed the wheel rim and tyre on the kerb and gouged a chunk out of the tyre. I am so annoyed with myself. £150! I need to be more careful. 

But I did see sunflowers, and this lovely paint splatter near the garage, so something positive. 

 

Autumn Wardrobes, Junk Shopping and a Racing Girl

I bought these two dolls ages ago, and they have been sitting around with no clothes, just covered with something or other the whole time. They are cheap versions of the very expensive ball jointed dolls and I have these two, a sleeping one, and a different long haired one. They are made in China, obviously, and I cannot decide about them. They have a cold prettiness, a vacant Stepford wife kind of stare and ridiculous shoes. But now they also have outfits. The stripey dress is from an old pair of my trousers I found in Mum's loft, and the handbag is from a chamoix leather I found under her sink. The rest of the clothes are crocheted. 

Cold, but stylish!

This is the other long haired one, and she has a dress made from one of Andy's old shirts. As I have been hand sewing, I try to use already existing seams to save time. She has a stretchy diamante necklace as a hairband, and is sitting with Daddy bear from the three bears from Portobello market with Linda Sue. They are very firmly stuffed bears, probably with sawdust, and are very well made, all with slightly differently shaped faces. They originated in Belgium. The crown is from Linda Sue and the bear loves it. . 

Here is the sleeping one and her outfit. She is a little scary. 

The difference in expression and the feeling they give off couldn't be greater than between the China girls and the Girlettes. They are obviously warm and friendly and wouldn't mind getting mud on their clothes. They all have new hats, as the winter is coming and they want to be warm when we go on visits. Racer wanted an R on her hat, and Madeline just wanted a colourful one. Minnie wants to be ready for Halloween, so went for a green witch's hat. 

Minnie and Madeline waiting for their individual photos.

A few spouts and handles from the beach, as you never know when you may need spouts and handles. The shopping trolley was £1 in M and S and the man was a good salesman. I nearly said no, but then thought the girls would like it. 

I found this book in the loft and brought it home for Racer. I think she likes it.

 

Open for Happy Eyes

More journal pages. I stick things in here and in my Book of Books where I record the books I have read and the first and last lines of these. The book of books mainly has magazine pages I like and sometimes other things I want to keep. My journal has anything I want to keep but don't know where to put. At the moment mainly things from Mum's are being put in.

But this label came from somewhere else, not sure where. Presumably a book. Actually I think it may have been on an envelope.

I found a set of Spirograph pieces in the loft. I used to love them and had forgotten all about it. So for a few pages there are lots of spirograph patterns. Quite addictive.

The boot prints are from a load of Bratz doll shoes I bought, thinking the Girlettes could wear them. When I got them home I realised that they only fit the legs of Bratz dolls as they have a small hole for their leg to poke into. They do make good prints though. 

I also found a whole bag of transfer letters at Mum's which I have been using. 

Also Mum's. A set of alcohol pens with lovely intense colours. 

Wallpaper from her bedroom-from a roll I found in the loft, a die-cut she had lying around and the mystery slide. 

Corona virus slogans recently and not so recently used by the government. 

Patterns on peices of pottery found on the Thames Estuary.

The Girlettes before they arrived.

An old postcard of mine with lovely hats. I have been making hats for all the small dolls and these are inspiring.