Edinburgh Fringe 2015

1 Two flies are playing football in a saucer. One says to the other, “Make an effort, we’re playing in the cup tomorrow.” Tommy Tiernan

4 Never date a tennis player. Love means nothing to them. Matt Winning

5 Bonsai lovers are very tolerant people: they hate bigotry. Juliet Meyers

19 When I was younger I felt like a man trapped inside a woman’s body. Then I was born. Yianni

27 They say children give you something money can’t buy. Yes, poverty. Jeff Green

35 If you don’t know what introspection is – you need to take a long, hard look at yourself. Ian Smith

46 I wasn’t sure about this beard at first but it’s grown on me. Tez Ilyas 

Edinburgh Fringe 2015

Understanding

During my 3 hour trip to Blackpool I had a few thoughts.  I remembered the images made of interpretations of what a dog sees.  I see what I see.  I imagine you have a similar view, but your view is from a slightly different location.  If you are a dog, you might see this.  It might mean something different to you also.  Later in the day I heard a conversation from the radio programme called 'The Listening Project'.  A blind man spoke about his love of cycling.  It stuck me his view would also be  different.  The point?  Understanding others is a challenge.


I also thought about the classic bit in 'The Full Monty' when the four men are trying to learn their dance routine.  They found the timing very difficult until one of them pointed out that it was the 'Arsenal flat back four'.  This is an 'off-side trap' that has defenders running backwards in a co-ordinated line to force attacking players into 'off-side'.  The point is that the familiar context made sense and enhanced competence.

Other systemic thoughts.
Micro Anger- discussed on PM on Monday evening.  This is the drip, drip effect of comments that negatively put people down.  Fro example, where do you come from? answer 'London'.  Reply, 'no where do you really come from?'  Not an existential question but a question that excludes.

Life on Mars (Today programme.)  Discussed with the discovery of brine on Mars, the risk of introducing microbes into this ecosphere because it is known that extremophiles can exist in similar environment on Earth.

Open House London 2015

Target area- Islington

Saturday

1) The Goldsmith's Centre.  RIBA award winning centre.  Cursory glance - satisfying. Some interesting jewellery but not really my think.

2)  Ironmonger Row Baths.  Beautifully restored functioning baths.

3)  Diespeker Wharf.  Once a terrazzo manufacturer.  Now the home to a firm of architects.  Wonderful location by the grand union canal.

View from the roof

4)  Angel Building.  1980's building no one liked.  Good strong internal concrete structure. Site aided by the building being set back from the road to allow a roundabout to be installed.  It never was, so a new facade was built, creating a very appealing new building.

1980's concrete

5). Al_A Studio.  Friendly architects introduce us to their shapes, materials, and designs from around the world.

Evening supper at Danquine Polish restaurant in South Kessington.

Sunday
St Martins in the Fields.  A wonderfully crafted beautiful service, full of devotion.

6). Visit to the Sepentine Gallary  pavillion.
Lunch with the Singletons at The Lord Stanley.

Home.

Walking into the Sea

Miggie, Matthew, Margaret, Maya and Paul,

Heytesbury, Hooke, Toller Whelme  and Upton Lovell.

Iwerne Courtney, or Shroton,

Roger and Helen.

Chicklade, Cranborne Chase, Ludwell and Lambert's Hill,

Bulbarrow Hill, Marshwood and Alton Pancras,

Andrew, Rebecca, Peter and Frances.

Wardour Castle and Ansty,

Catherine, Bibs and Emre,

Pilsdon Pen, Fonthill Gifford and Devizes

Jean, Janet, John, Joanna and Jonathan,

Broad Windsor, Hambledon Hill and Hindon.

Chloe, Ayse and Andy,

Fishpond Bottom and Ansty

Knook, Hawkchurch, Urchfont and Maiden Newton

Jesse, Richard, Elizabeth,and Lis,

Tollard Royal, Marlborough and Lyme Regis

Wootton Fitzpaine's been our home

While Wessex Ridgeway we roam,

Let our motto be 'Panem et Circenses'

(Other partakers along the way have been Liz Bennett, Julia Tibbs, Angus, Jo and Colm, Jenny Barker, Sandra and finally Tom and Ellie.)

(Also Beaminster should have been included but I was having trouble pronouncing it.)

Explanatory note:  Panem is generic for big meals.  Circenses means let's do circular routes next time and cut out the car-shunt.

Thnaks also to Lis who chaked the spilling.

Dipping a toe into the Lakes

Sandwick (pronounced Sannick)

How about two Beach Huts, beautifully kitted out, on the banks
of Ulleswater?

After a mile of 'off-road' driving by Heather, our hostess,
we were the only ones around (except for the sheep, and the Red Deer.)

Andrew thought it would be good to walk to Helvellyn

Well, we made it

Elizabeth looking down Striding Edge

We missed the ferry home, so it was quite late when we got back

It could not have been more beautiful

Elizabeth found a hedgehog stuck in a cattle grid,
and saved it.

Dacre Castle, seat of the Northern Rebellion (History A'Level)

Joanna and Elizabeth climbing Coniston Old Man

Potters Party- and South Devon

Root House (Annex?) Near Ashbuton- Devon

Sarah's 50th Birthday in Plymouth

Our friends Liz and Mark in Salcombe

South Devon has some amazing plants

Andy and Sarah- in their natural surroundings

Salcombe- in the Mediterranean?

Margaret

Starrs 7 Torrs Challenge

Lunch on Haytorr

Where have you been?

Haytorr Quarry

Some fantastic cliff walking

Slapton Sands

Buckfast Abbey

Plymouth get together

Good food in Ashburton

Bigbury Artichocks

Our Lunch view on Burgh Island

4 feet behind our lunch view

Get together with the Potters

Lunch at Cawsands

The finale- Sarah's pension pot being cracked open

Dad's Facebook

Elizabeth's Gig- Raising funds for her gap year in Bangladesh and the UK

We visited Deene Park

Roger and Helen (I put this in so they would look at my blog.)

Mum week I

Mum and the girls (week II)  Kirby Muxloe Castle.

Margaret contemplating Stoneywell

The girls in further contemplation

James and Lis (contemplation)

Fruit de Mer at The Olive Branch, Clipston

Lis all at sea

Alex (James's sister)- a fine composition,