I Played With A Few Photographs,

from my last trip to Norwood Lakes,

the problem was that the grebes were just a tad too far away, 

they looked sharp when I cropped the photographs, but when printed up to A3, they were just not good enough,

which was a shame as this one looks like a nice family group, 

luckily the pigeons were a bit more obliging! I had dropped Diana at work at 05.00AM so I picked her up in the afternoon, arriving home Diana started looking through some of the things we need for our upcoming cruise, in the evening we were out for a treat, 

onto a number 54 bus, we alighted here, the Kathmandu Masala,

a couple of poppadom's as we pursued the menu,

as it was warm we decided on a bottle of cold bubbly, 

'Cheers!',

our starters, for Diana King prawn puri, and another 'Cheers!', for myself a mixed kebab,

our main courses after a long break arrived, 

we had one each of a chicken, prawn and lamb, with aloo gobi, peas and mushroom rice and some stuffed nan bread,

I rounded off the meal with a calypso coffee, the bill with service charge came to £118.32, we both reminisced the fact that 7 years ago when we first arrived back from living in Thailand, £60 - £70 would have bought the same meal! over the road to the bus stop and home,

as usual, 

we overordered and brought a few bits & pieces home with us, no prizes for guessing what my Saturday evenings meal will be! at home it was a Poirot for the rest of the evening, after which Diana was off to bed, for myself, 

ll Gattopardo, The Leopard, I watched a half of the next episode, it was just so good, but as it approached the midnight hour, I too was off to bed.

I Had A Double Booked Day,

it was Diana's day off, 

normally we would got out for the day, a drive or maybe a train somewhere, but I did not know that it was Diana's day off when I volunteered to help paint the photography club shed, let me explain, the Beckenham Photographic Society, that I am a member of meets during autumn, winter and spring, every week at the Harris Primary Academy Beckenham Green, St George’s Rd. Beckenham. BR3 5JG. when there are shows or exhibitions the club stores its equipment, show boards, stands etc. in the grounds of the school in a shed which the club bought, and today the club is going to paint it, so Diana is off to Hastings with Kai, and I am out into a hot, dry, blue sky day, 

into the green, 

the Beckenham coat of arms,

across the green, 

a sweet chestnut tree in the middle,

to the right,

the graveyard, 

but for myself straight on, to the school,

 

and here is the shed,

although the wood was treated, it was not treated very well, 

so a Ronseal spray and paint to the rescue, 

Andrew started, 

then other volunteers helped out, 

for my sins, I was the man with the brush, 

after a coat was applied, I then went round to smooth things out by brushing the sprayed areas, 

all mucking in, John brought along his sprayer as well, meanwhile inside Roger and Brian were taking the photographs out of the frames they were in when the club put on a 6 week display at the 

Park Langley Delicatessen,

one entire wall was used, from end, 

to end,

and guess what?

one of my photographs was picked! fame at last!

back to the shed, all of the outside was by now sprayed/painted with a number of coats, there was a slight problem, as I mentioned it was hot, so light clothes and shoes, but here is the problem, I had no lightweight clothes or shoes that are old or paint stained, but,

 I now have a lightweight pair of shorts, a 'T' shirt, legs, 

and of course brand new matching shoes, but I have a cunning plan, I will say my sneakers are in the style of Maison Mihara Yasuhiro, Peterson paint-splattered sneakers, and hope no one will tell the difference! painting finished and everything put back inside the shed we all said our farewells,

as I made my way back across the green and into Marks & Spencer's, I bought a sandwich for my evening meal,

past the graveyard that really does need a haircut, 

and a empty front area of O'Neil's, normally at the weekends and evenings this would be packed, but today, all back to work, 

into the park and past Foxgrove lodge, 

in the front garden, 

the paeonies,

were really putting on a good show, 

by the front door, 

a clematis was in flower, lots of them!

the aroma of this rose, 

in the air as I approached it, 

then past the snail mail box and home, where I watched a couple of documentaries, when Diana sent me some photographs of her day out with Kai,

off before I left the flat this morning,

they arrived in Hastings,

and had to have a bite to eat, 

fish & chips has my vote every time,

then to the front,

for ice creams,

and a pose,

or two, and what trip to the seaside with the weather as it is,

would not be complete without a dip in the sea? 

and here she is, one of the few people in the sea,

Diana said the water was really cold,

day over and back on the train, I think the girls did a bit of shopping as well! Diana arrived back after my evening meal, so it was time for a film, for tonight,

 Young Guns, staring Casey Siemaszko, Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Emilio Estevez, Lou Diamond Phillips and Dermot Mulroney, young men are hired by a rancher who is murder, his workers are deputized to bring the bad guys in, but shoot them instead, the workers are on the run, and then the trouble begins! as it happens Diana was a tad tired, a busy day and tomorrow a 05.00AM start, so she was off to bed, for myself another episode of,

ll Gattopardo, The Leopard, which was excellent, I am looking forward to the next episode, after which I too was off to bed.