Bright And Early,

I was off out past the snail mail box, 

I was going to London, I had managed to upset my camera by pressing a few buttons in error, and had somehow locked up my camera, 

so off to Beckenham Junction station, arriving in London a couple of tubes and I was here, 

at Covent Garden tube station, thankfully no strikes today,

I made my way along Long Acre,

passing lots of fashion shops on the way, 

making my way here, to the Fujifilm House of Photography, 

where I meet James, a really knowledgeable and helpful chap, he was so patient with me as I took notes on what to do if it happens again, many, many thanks indeed to James, who is by the way a Board Game Master, out of Fujifilm and back to the tube station, on the way a bit of street theater, 

a group in pink it appears were selling water, with flavorings, their website is here, looking at it this is where I have a decision to make, which would at £22.00 I buy, a 330ml tin of flavored water, or two bottles of my favorite spiced rum? if you have to ask you have not read our blog very often!

back to the station, 2 tubes later, 

and I was hurtling past what was Battersea Power Station,

and Battersea Dogs Home, arriving in Beckenham I picked up a parcel for Diana, 

then a walk past the green, 

and just before the church, 

a visit to Marks & Spencer's to pick up my evening meal,

back past the green, 

and into the park, 

the peonies opening any day now, 

the side garden looking so nice, 

this bush, I am not sure what it is looking full of colour, 

blue skies with fluffy white clouds, 

as I made my way back past the snail mail box and home,

looking out of the window, one of the foxes was just waking up in the early evening sun, and the camera with its replaced settings worked perfectly, 

feed me!

then time for my evening read and sherry, 

for tonight a chicken, bacon and leek pie, 'Cheers!', there was not Midsomer Murder on this evening, so a couple of films it was, firstly, 

Hercules, it was a great all action, fun movie as several one man armies combine to beat the evil king, then a fun romp through the world of dinosaurs,

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, if you are into the Jurassic franchise this will be right up your street, great fun as the battle to save the dinosaurs continues, after which Diana arrived home, her cold a lot better, but she is still not 100% her usual self, we watched one from Poirot before after midnight we were off to bed.

Diana Was Due Home Today,

so a visit into town,

to pick up a few bits & pieces, then home to play with my new tripod, and that is when the problems started, I must have somehow switched the camera on, and in trying to mount it hit a number of buttons, anyway, the camera seemed locked into just the aperture ring working, I could not alter the shutter or ISO speed, I played with a few buttons, I even looked on the Internet to see if there was anything I could unlock, but with no success, so today this will be a short post as I go to London and visit the Fujifilm House of Photography, back to yesterday, when Diana arrived home her cold was at least a little better, but it was a miserable holiday for her, after our evening meal and the usual Outback Opal Hunters Diana decided on a film, 

Chinatown, this for myself is one of those 'if you have not seen it, buy, borrow or steal a copy' films, beautifully set, every actor just right for this film, John Huston a tour de force, after which Diana was off to bed, for myself a Bangers & Cash before I too was off to bed.

First Thing,

as I started the blog,

we had a couple of guests in the garden, I have a feeling it is a mother and one of her cubs, normally when there are 2 or more foxes there is normally an almighty great squabble if they get too close to one another, but these two do not seem to mind each other and just concentrate on eating, 

I spent the day fine tunning some of my photographs, a shelduck, (Tadorna tadorna),

a couple, 

of a young heron trying its wings,

one of the most spectacular ducks in the UK a mandarin, (Aix galericulata), 

and a couple of Egyptian geese goslings, (Alopochen aegyptiaca), during the day I had a few chats with Jay about the web page I started, but it was all way too much for me, so he is helping, I say helping, I should say totally making it again, as I had made a complete pigs ear of it, I am amazed at how talented he is, all of this brought me up to my evening meal and a Outback Opal Hunters followed by a Deadliest Catch, at 8.00 in the evening a 2 hour Midsomer Murder followed by a Have I Got A Bit More News For You, after which a Bangers & Cash and I was off to bed.

Sunday Again,

as Diana was still in Kraków,

I decided on a Sunday lunch in town, so out past the snail mail box,

and the side garden to Foxgrove Lodge, 

the red rhododendron looking so nice, 

this one with a busy bee in attendance, 

as I approached the bridge, an incident, earlier this morning a police helicopter was circling over the town,

and this I guess is it, no idea what had happened, 

past the green,

and the graveyard, 

still in need of a haircut!

down the slope, 

and into Papilio, 

a table for one by the window, 

I arrived early, 

I had the place almost to myself, but other dinners soon started to arrive,

a look out of the window, 

my drink arrived, I went with that and the 3 course Sunday lunch menu, 

I started with the smoked salmon, 

crispy pork belly for my main course, 

I was so full I went with just the mango sorbet dessert, 

with my wine the bill was £57.15 including service charge, if you fancy a delicious Sunday lunch out the menu is above,

as I made my move for home, other restaurants were spilling out onto the pavement, 

into the park, and past Foxgrove Lodge, 

lots of people going in and out of the park today, I spent the afternoon watching a few documentaries, in the evening a few photographs from Diana, 

the girls had organized a day excursion for one day, 

looking at the sights,

another day to the top of a local mountain, part way in a funicular railway, 

to admire the view, 

over the valley, just a shame about the mist and rain!

another trip, to a food and drinks day out, 

sampling local delicacies, 

Diana also sent a few videos, in town with the weather, 

and of a local stream, well all of that rain has to go somewhere!

and a food and drink sampling, with a fact about vodka that many may not know, back to the UK after a snack in the evening there were a few Midsomer Murders showing back to back, so 2 of those brought me nicely up to the late night edition of Have I Got News For You, before I was off to bed.