Past it.
Grey paint, streaked
Massey Fergusson (maybe)
with rust and parked behind,
the station near to the pretty,
irregular rows of black septic tanks.
the loose looming gravel pit
out of nowhere
reaching machinery up towards
the watchtower.
March 13, 2010
The rusting tractor (at Collingham Station)
Beers on offer at the Strugglers, Westgate, Friday 13th March, 2010
Brewsters Marquis 3.8% £2.65
Draught Bass 4.4% £2.70
Brampton Golden Bud 3.8% £2.65
Timothy Taylors Landlord 4.3% £2.65
Brewsters Decadence 4.4% £2.75
Greene King Abbott 5% £2.75
Poachers Lincoln Best 4.2 £2.75
Guest Beers at the Victoria Union Road, Friday 13th March, 2010
Clarks No Angel 4% £2.95
Very poor showing this week. Let’s go round the corner to the Strugglers.
March 12, 2010
The night train
They stood there, 10 travellers on the platform waiting for the night train. It was cold but not as cold as it had been. We were coming out of winter and into spring so despite the late hour there was the slightest hint of freshness in the air.
The connection wasn’t a good one so we all had to hang around, having mostly got off the express, I guess. The onward journey was only a short one, maybe thirty minutes. It wasn’t as if we had the whole night ahead of us which somewhat reduced the dramatic effect.
March 7, 2010
The Sunday Morning Relax
Classic FM on the radio provides a relaxing background to streaky bacon with one egg, over easy, and steaming black cawfee.
Sunlight streams through the slats in the blind in the kitchen window.
There is no pressure and I sit quietly on the pew, in the corner, uninterrupted. No jobslist, no hassle. I feel my shoulders loosen up and relax.
March 1, 2010
There are trees in Northumberland Avenue
There are trees in Northumberland Avenue
They were not cut down during the war
To provide spars for spitfire wings
To prevent them being a fire hazard during the blitz
Or to stop spies from hiding in their branches
And listening in on conversations
“Being Prepared”
“Being Prepared”
Selfridges Sell Fridges
Hitchin a lift
Fir StClass
NE Wark
Y Ork
E Scalator
Simple harmonic foot
The unfinished roof
Five elephants before the fall
I’ve just checked and the car keys are still in my pocket
I can see clearly now the book is closed
Vince’s flowers
Tsunami warnings over the weekend
Hawaii
Australia
New Zealand
Central America
Pacific Islands
Isle of Man
February 28, 2010
mind thegap
mindthegap
m indthegap
mi ndthegap
min dthegap
mind thegap
mindt hegap
mindth egap
mindthe gap
mindtheg ap
mindthega p
mindthegap
February 27, 2010
Guest beers at the Victoria Friday 26th February 2010
York Yorkshire Terrier 4.2% £2.95
Batemans Miss Canada 4.1% £2.95
Batemans Salem Porter 4.7% £2.95
Brains SA 4.2% £3.05
Batemans XXXB 4.8% £2.95
Seem to be getting a predominance of Batemans beers on the guest list in what is advertised as a Batemans pub!
wobble bottle
We all need a bit of stability in our lives. For some it is easier than others.
February 21, 2010
Mascot
At 1 o’clock the ground was already bustling with people as the mascot reported for duty. The parking attendant orchestrated. A room at the back of the club shop provided the kit for the day.
Yellow stewards bibs abounded. Black clad doormen, wired for sound, occasionally touched an ear and accepted his presence as he entered the inner sanctum, a place known only to players, managers and mascots, the elite.
Life’s a struggle
Life’s a struggle, when you are a paperboy and it has been snowing all night. As I drove out to get some coal in the Jeep this morning I passed a paperboy trying to make headway on his bike. It somehow made me think of the Pony Express and how the mail must get through.
In this case it wasn’t just the mail. It was the Sunday Times, Telegraph, Express, News of the Screws and others. This doesn’t quite bring the same sense of urgency especially as I long since stopped taking a Sunday paper in favour of reading it all on the internet.
Returning with a boot full of fuel and birdseed I saw another paperboy laden down with a heavy shopping trolley. His face was a picture of grit and determination, the attraction of payday on a Saturday outweighing the obstacles to getting the job done.