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.

After Dropping Diana Off At Work,

I continued on to Norwood Lakes, 

there is no car park here so it is on street parking only, so a walk to the park passing the rather nice house at the entrance, 

in the park some maintenance was on going, 

bolting a bench to the ground, I guess some idiots had tried to throw into into the lake, 

clear skies, and it was hot! 34 degrees I am lead to believe, Lee and Sue are in Sir Lanka and the Maldives, out there it is only 35!

looking towards one of the pair of grebes had been nesting, they had now gone, I suspect the nest had become waterlogged, 

the small island in the middle of the photograph was where a pair of grebes had been nesting as well, I had a few photographs of them from my last visit here, 

and here they are, out of the camera, 

and cropped a tad, 

the same here, 

I did not do much else when I returned home, it was so hot, so I only played with these two, lots more to play with when the weather changes and I am inside on the computer, onto my evening meal,

first a read and a sherry,

followed by bangers & new potatoes with spring beans, 'Cheers!',  after my meal a documentary, titled, 

Natural History Museum: World of Wonder, what a wonderful look at what goes on behind the scenes at the museum, I then fancied a period type film, so,

The King, it was, I had watched it before, but just fancied watching it again, after which I started a series based in Sicily, 

ll Gattopardo, The Leopard, the first episode of which I found most enjoyable, the sets and costumes so unbelievably good, I am looking forward to the next one, as it finished Diana arrived home, so a coffee and a chat as we watched a episode of New Tricks after which Diana was off to bed, for myself a play with the camera looking at the moon, 

I cropped this slightly,

and made the same photograph black & white, after which I too was off to bed.