#1116 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn weather2 Comments

I have high hopes of Storm Bert who is rumbling in this morning.

I have never had a bad experience with a Bert. Berts in my experience are mostly clean old gentlemen wearing a hint of Old Spice aftershave. Berts who have fallen on harder times may not be as clean or fragranced but they have always seemed amendable. Bert is a solid working-class name. Bertie is more of a socially mobile name, George VI was known as Bertie, short for Albert.

I would rather ask a Bert to do a job than I would a Bertie.

Right now Bert is harrumphing down our chimneys and making the trees sway.  I quite look forward to painting him when he has revealed his stormy personality.

Snow hit Devon and Cornwall Thursday. We saw nothing of it on our little peninsula that juts into the sea. But the effects of it made the day quite a challenge.

Hugo was due some more jaw surgery so we set off early to the vets. No vets had made it into work from their homes on Bodmin Moor or Dartmoor. All surgery apart from Hugos was cancelled. I left him in the hopes of  vets arriving eventually.

There are only two major roads that take traffic in and out of Cornwall and Devon to the wider world of everywhere else. Unknown to me one of them, the A30 had been closed at 5am which is why the vets were struggling.

The less efficient of the two roads, the A38, became overwhelmed. The A38 is the road I use for the 20 minute journey to and from the vets. In total I should have spent one hour twenty minutes on the A38. Thursday, my actual total was closer to 5 hours. I could have planned my day so much better.Hugo on the other hand had a blast of a day. No surgery, a late breakfast and ample opportunity for cuddles with veterinary nurses who had time on their hands.

In the time it has taken me to write these few words Bert has gone from gusty to glum. He may not be one of the nicer Berts of my aquaintance.

In other news the festive window dressing is finished. Father Christmas/Santa in a sailing boat arrived. I started making a window feature after seeing them in the back streets of Chelsea and Westminster about 10 years ago.

From the inside
From the outside

Today I discovered there is a trend for frontscaping a house.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/nov/23/doorscaping-stir-up-sunday-christmas-traditions-silver-sixpence?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR34hiftyFCvaGLpEl5MSjxpJ8rJMMx9UQR2J1ml6EU9PeFp0gy_GiAeDKQ_aem_SarZRnvZrpouSER2NS-nSA

I’m not sure how I feel about this.

#1115 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity1 Comment
The mountains of Arcadia

Beach or mountains? Which do you prefer? Why?

I am firmly a both kind of person in the visual sense, the two combined are very special. I am a gazer at Mountains, I have no need and not the right knees for  ‘ conquering’ mountains. Unless they are fairly small versions.

I was in Arcadia, a mountainous region of Greece, recently. A wonderful place to walk and enjoy mountain air and village life. Only days before I was on an unspoilt beach on Spetses Island.

Spetses

Both locations got a full 100% satisfaction grading from me. Both offered huge fresh figs and good coffee. No need to choose one over the other. Both are fabulous especially if figs and coffee are involved.

Figs @theoldmortuary

P.S. Jane, I include more art in my blogs for you xx, but my figgin’ photos are OK too.
Figs in Cornwall @theoldmortuary

#1114 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn abstract photography1 Comment

Pools of light, an observation in 3(4) pictures.

Yesterdays morning dog walk was full of visual texture. The picture above is two photos superimposed as the early morning weather went from cold and bright to foreboding in the blink of an eye. If blinking an eye took five minutes.

Similarly this vertically cut tree stump bathes in the sunshine while showing off its toxic fungus growth.

Then one last pool of light, with a hidden menace.

All taken within about 15 minutes and  half a mile between them.

I was going to write a blog about the joy of morning pools of light in the late autumn sun, when I realised that each one hides a threat of sorts.

Thursday thinking.

Cover picture is all 3 pictures Superimposed. I love it. Yet it hides. Bad weather, poisonous fungi and a trained lethal killer. All in 15 minutes of a dog walk.

#1113 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn SerendipityLeave a comment

If you could meet a historical figure, who would it be and why?

I have met so many people in my life, a few who have or will become historical figures.

Just as you should not judge a book by its cover. Historical figures may not be as fascinating as history depicts them. Just like all humans historical figures can be a mixed bag.

Honestly I can’t reliably make a decision.  Obviously this is a personal opinion.

Were I to randomly meet a historical figure that would be just fine and rather fascinating. A chance to interact as equals, perhaps on a long train or aircraft journey. Somewhere that we are unable to escape one another until our book or a podcast lets us off the hook.

I suppose what I fear is not only managing my expectations but also the historical figures’ perceptions of me.

Would they give me, a non historical figure, just 30 seconds of small talk and move on when someone of more interest, to them, appears on the horizon.

#1112 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Poetry2 Comments

The book club I belong to is many things. Most definitely a meeting of minds. Our WhatsApp group bubbles with random thoughts that we share in between our monthly gatherings.

Yesterday an absolute gem of a poem was shared.

If Adam Picked the Apple by Danielle Coffyn.

There would be a parade,

a celebration,

a holiday to commemorate

the day he sought enlightenment.

We would not speak of

temptation by the devil, rather,

we would laud Adam’s curiosity,

his desire for adventure

and knowing.

We would feast

on apple-inspired fare:

tortes, chutneys, pancakes, pies.

There would be plays and songs

reenacting his courage.

 

But it was Eve who grew bored,

weary of her captivity in Eden.

And a woman’s desire

for freedom is rarely a cause

for celebration.

The Creation Myth was never high up on my Believable Stories List.

The practicality of attaching a leaf to anyone’s genitals for modesty was the first reality check.

In consequence I have never given the story much thought.

But what if the story was flipped?

So much to ponder.

Gathered Apples ©theoldmortuary

 

#1111 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn pondering3 Comments
May

What’s your favorite month of the year? Why?

Big question on a blog with a lovely number. #1111.

My favourite month is May with September as a very close second.

September

Weather, nature and crowds are my parameters. Late May is a gorgeous, vivid time of year with nature bursting out in all directions . The holiday season has not quite cranked visitor numbers up to intolerable, even if they are essential to the local economy. 

In September Nature is a little dusty and depleted by the Summer and Visitors but the weather is usually kind.

If May is Glamorous,then September is Shabby Chic, both fabulous in their ways.

A bit of googling suggests that my first choice is popular. The second not so much.

I have never worked in education but September always feels like a month of new beginnings and May the sharpness just before the languor of Summer.

May wins because it welcomes Summer but only by a little bit. May also has one extra day.

#1110 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn pondering1 Comment

A Sunday perspective. Are Sundays about reflecting on the past week or looking forward to the coming week?

I am never sure. During the past week we caught up with some former colleagues over a cup of coffee. We had the most delicious conversations about third party former colleagues, that we had all worked with at differing times or hospitals.

Two military men cropped up.  The resulting conversation is unlikely ever to be forgotten.

” Oh X, he was always so lovely, I can’t believe you didn’t realise he was gay”

” Y, nice chap, quite a stickler, maybe homophobic”

” Did you know he became a Wizard”

Conversations like this are the bricks and mortar of good friendships. The laughter in that moment was golden.

Here is another golden Sunday perspective. A super low tide and a long walk to the ferry.

#1109 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity1 Comment
Cardinals Wharf

Following on from the Blog of yesterday:-

#1108 theoldmortuary ponders.

The second longer walking part of our adventure and my commuting route took us along what has been known as the South Bank since 1951.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Bank

As a family I have walked this area all my life. My parents were great supporters of the Festival Hall and the Southbank Centre.

Even until fairly recent times it was possible to find free or very cheap parking spaces close to the South Bank of the River Thames.

Tate Modern a Contemporary Art Gallery occupies Bankside Power station. The point at which my walking commute took me over the river towards St Pauls Cathedral and Barts Hospital behind it.

My childhood walk was not as glam or easy as the South Bank currently is. Much of the area was still quite industrial and there were many bomb sites following the Second world war.

My favourite house location in all of London are rare 17th century survivors of redevelopment and Hitler.

Cardinal’s Wharf | A survivor of 18th century Bankside amidst two London landmarks

When Hugo was young we trained him to walk off the lead along the South Bank. The Globe Theatre was a favourite spot for a wee.

Unusually he did not wee here yesterday, but still chose a location with a similar theme.

The South Bank has also seen us on numerous riotous work nights out.  Not for us the dark nights around Christmas.  A mid-Summer pub crawl started at The Founders Arms not far from Waterloo Station at about 7pm and ended at The Globe Tavern about 12 hours later. There were many detours and adventures on the way. The Globe was chosen as it operated Market hours and was open to refresh the market porters of the wholesale market. Open at 6:30 in the morning.

Interesting blog below. I suspect this is the work of a blogger who did the same blogging course as me .I must check.

https://alondoninheritance.com/londonpubs/the-globe-at-borough-market/

The problem with a walk that I have done almost all of my life but with some big gaps of not walking it, is that my points of interest are entirely personal, not even particularly blog worthy I realise.

I will do better next time.

Below curvascious concrete at Tate Modern.

And a smelly reminiscence.

The old fragrance of a Power Station can be caught in the air here, a vestigia of a past life.

#1108 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity, walking4 Comments

Quite by accident my birthday became a bit of a Royal event.

To start with I celebrated by having a bath, I am not sure I remember when I last had a bath . I was reminded by a friend that Queen Victoria only bathed once a year, regardless of whether she needed it or not.

Then my breakfast destination of Marias Cafe in Borough Market had a picture of King Charles having a cup of tea with Camilla at Marias. The cheek of it, I already share my birthday with the King , our breakfast destination was always a little more exclusive and a little rougher round the edges than normal Royal destonations.

We hit Borough market early and enjoyed it without huge numbers of people. If offered the opportunity to do anything in London I doubt many people would choose to replicate their morning and evening commute from their last job. However, my commute was so interesting, but like all commuters, I couldn’t give it the time it deserved. Praising myself when I completed the journey in record time.

We took four hours and 10,000 steps to cover the same route that I habitually did in about twenty minutes especially on the inward journey to work. We were curious wanderers, and our curious wander will fill two blogs not one.

For starters please read this link for the market history.

https://boroughmarket.org.uk/market-blog/borough-market-began-with-a-bridge/

1000, years of history written by a much more competent narrator than me.

My relationship with Borough Market began as it rose like a Phoenix from a sad decline in the 1970’s and 80’s.

In the eighties I was living in Brighton on the South Coast and my commute into London by train,for courses, delivered me to London Bridge Station. I was used to passing a wholesale fruit and veg market as I walked to and from nearby London Teaching Hospitals.

In the late 90’s I started to study Fine Art and noticed that the previously down-at-heel market had a bright new buzz about it as I walked past on my trips to galleries and art institutions. And so began my tourist years. Joyful weekend visits to a bustling market filled with food and humans. My relationship with the market may have stayed at the frantic weekend tourist level were it not for an unplanned career change while I was living in London and the market was just a twenty minute train ride away.

I would happily have worked until retirement at University College, London, but fate had other ideas. My department was moved to a huge Cardiac Department at Barts Hospital in the City of London. My commute swapped from Central London, not far from Oxford Street and Marylebone, to the City. London Bridge once again became my station of choice, and I experienced the market’s quieter moments from six in the morning until midnight as I commuted for changing shift patterns and on-call commitments. The reason we decided to go early yesterday, we had the dogs with us and the crowds at busier times would not be good for them.

It is only in writing this blog that I have created a chronological understanding of my 40 year relationship with this   fabulous place. I will be back at Christmas at full on tourist season, either way it is a very special place.