A new building seen from Tower Hill. A bit tall but it does match other nearby buildings.

I am going to write a rant about some hideous buildings around central London, especially south of the river - but later. The sun is shining now and I am going out to bask before we get into real winter.

Suffolk countryside: making the most of summer.

The countryside is usually less impressive for me than the seaside, but I had to stop to take a picture of this on Sunday.

Lorna and brother - Roger - in the rock gardens, Southsea. About 1948

1940s: Roger was born in November 1947. I am not sure that this does either of us justice, but notice my dress. My mother was a dressmaker (so also 'good with her hands'). The smocking was all hand done, from gathering the material to doing the embroidery. I did learn how to make clothes and do embroidery from her - but rarely make such things now. But when I do make something, I get huge pleasure from it.
I also remember the shoes and the rock gardens.

Tower Bridge preparing to open. The olympic rings have already been lifted up to the pedestrian bridge.

 I think I have seen it open once before - not impressive as I lived down the road for a year or so from 1971. It had already opened 15 times today.

A large, well used barge comes upstream.

The bridge opens.

The barge goes through in a stately manner.

Seen today as Aidan and I had lunch by the river. We also noted that it could not go much further as London Bridge does not lift.

I walked back to Aldgate underground and I was able to walk a lot faster and further than previously due to lack of side effects and an increase in fitness.

Sailing past St Abbs Head in Matilda -  2004

I have gone round St Abbs lots of times since in different boats. I had no idea that there is real wild life under the keel.
Zapped out still -  much as yesterday

River Deben Nessie?

Seen on River Deben at luchtime - why should Scotland have all the monsters?

Surf on Long Sands, Tynemout h - 2009. A metaphor.

Happy New Year to you all

And thanks again for reading my blog and for your various comments and emails - I really appreciate them.

The picture - this is a metaphor for us entering the rough waters of the year ahead. Not without excitement and fun - we hope.

Across the car park, boats and railway to the river

A view from my window - I have to lean out and use the telephoto lens - but even so - I can at least know if the tide is out. And in the other direction - lots of large logs seem to have washed down river looking a bit like Loch Ness (or rather Deben) monsters. Woodbridge busy with people walking around.

Back to proper blogs with pictures.

St Katherine's Dock, London

Another day - another marina.
I lived about a mile away when I was a post-grad student and walked around here then and many times since. I had hoped to sail in - but I think this an impractical plan even before I sold the Southerly. Today - lunch overlooking this basin - and I saw a kestrel over the moat of the Tower of London - a very nice day.

Keeping the sea back  - work at Thorpness

The big bags get lifted and piled along at the top of the beach to stop the waves undermining the houses and the cliffs.

I like the rough waves breaking on the gravel shore - probably the end of the autumnal sun and frequent trips out to the coast.

The cliff view last week - I took the other one from the railing to the middle left.

Minsmere nature reserve - I went by car so did not get this view

Saturday - Lorna goes to Minsmere. Typically I found more geology than birds - on the beach and near the entrance (bottom right of picture). Needless to say - drank a lot of tea and was exhausted when I got back.

the City from London Liverpool Street station entrance

Thursday: The combination of old and new caught my eye. Had lunch with Rhoda and then wandered round a market and some shops. Bought lots of thermals and drank specialist oolong tea.

Thorpness meare - a man-made lake

Another fine place - rowing boats for hire, with loos and tea room all within a few meters of each other. The car park and beach not far away.

I have now taken the anti-coagulent for some weeks and assume it has done the trick as I am no longer breathless. But I don't feel as well as I did before the clots developed. It maybe that it won't get any better or it maybe that a bit more rehabilitation is needed. Either way - one way ahead is to have little treats - today's was to go to Aldburgh and investigate Thorpness (after a regular gym session). Helped by bright sunshine and thick clothes against the cold wind.

Week in Woodbridge 1

From Bawdsey beach - looking upstream across the Deben to Felixstow Ferry;
sea kale in flower in the foreground

20-50 hrs: I do not expect this week to be typical - for one thing there is more wind and sun forecast than usual. And I plan to do more sailing things than usual.

Monday - to the gym (geology group not meeting today) and then packed a load of beach-survival-things to go to the beach to look at the waves and gravel. But a lot of fussing around the flat - clearing the gear from being on rescue yesterday, filing papers, answering a couple of emails. I make it out eventually and go to the shops on the way  to Bawdsey Quay, (about 8 miles away) where I park the car overlooking the river - eat - drink coffee - watch the waves - usual things. Both an early and a late lunch.

Eventually walked out to the beach along the footpath - put on a lot of clothes due to strong and cold wind. The waves in the river almost show in the picture. Took pictures of sea kale, gravel, waves and a few plants. Collected two kilo of gravel for an experiment (of which more later - but probably unsuccessful). Returned to the car and grossed out in the tea room. Then back to Woodbridge. 

Nothing much since apart from eating a small supper (due to a lot of eating during the day) and doing some editing on the U3A website - it needs to be done asap.

9-25 hrs. Instead of working on Joomla! I am watching this - Bell Rock - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00y6hym/The_Lighthouse_Stevensons/

21-00 hrs: Orford beach - only accessible by boat. To the left - the open sea:  to the right - the River Ore.
I went on a river trip for an hour - wearing every stitch of clothing I could get into. http://www.orfordrivertrips.co.uk/ The boat was picking up fishermen - so I got to go ashore for a walk.  Good stuff and continues to convince readers that I am really living a holiday-life here. But I had done three hours writing documentation before I left.

More season's greetings

11-00 hrs: This was the view of the Deben that I came across as I came up to the river wall last Monday. It was breathtaking and the picture does not do it justice. It is a proper winter scene to wish everyone a good holiday. 

The river path is now open again and I am intending to walk through this view when the sun comes out - but with mud and no frost.

Later - There is still ice in the woods. I had a lovely walk through some woods and then along the whole length of the river wall.  Managed not to over-eat (yet) and have done a lot of writing and playing with screen images and layouts using Wiki-media. A happy day.

Ice and mud

9-20 hrs: Ice forms over the mud at low tide - some mixed with snow. We wondered what happens when the tide comes in - does the ice float or does the water run in over the top. As the rising tide was during darkness this week - I did not observe it. But I do offer the picture to show what seems to happen.

The tide comes in and lifts some of the ice and breaks it up. This is carried upstream and  downstream on the tide. When there is no obstacle - it floats off downstream or melts. When, as in the picture, there is something  in the way, the ice stays put in large slabs. Some ice seems to stick to the bottom and get covered in mud after a couple of tides. The process leaves a lot of mud for the birds and some ice for us to look at.

 

16-00 hrs: Looking left and right along the Thoroughfare in Woodbridge. As I have reported before - people around here know how to enjoy themselves! I had hog roast for lunch from a stall - - and the snow has melted.

I get to Mornington Crescent

9-45 hrs: Not everyone gets here.
I walked from Camden - the Rules do not say how you get from one place to another - so maybe it is a new rule that you have to walk!

Followers who haven't a clue what this is about - you have to hear it played - look at the wikipedia article.