Skywatch (67)

Uploaded by nat_mach on December 15, 2012 © All rights reserved

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The great thing about winter mornings is the fantastic sunrises!

Join in!

London Bridges (1)

My bridges start with the first bridge you go under in Central London as you make your way upstream.

Tower Bridge

The impressive Tower Bridge is a suspension/bascule bridge. The bascule is the opening part which allows boats to continue upstream and the suspension supports the roadway before it reaches the towers. Opened in 1894 it is a Grade I listed structure. It was the development of the commercial docks at the end of the 19th Century which necessitated an eastern crossing, and the design is intended to be sympathetic to the nearby Tower of London

London Bridge

The unprepossessing London Bridge (often confused with it's more colourful Eastern neighbour) is at least the fourth bridge to cross the Thames in that position - and is the oldest crossing point in the central part of the city. The Romans and then the Saxons had bridges here. Then came the famous medieval bridge, lined with buildings (even a church) and also the grisly habit of sticking traitors heads on pikes at the gatehouses. That bridge stood for over 600 years. Its stone replacement in the 19th Century lasted just over a hundred years. It slow subsidence into the river necessitated its replacement and it was sold and shipped piece by piece and reassembled at Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

The latest bridge was completed in 1972 (and doesn't it look like it was), and is a busy conduit of both traffic and commuters from London Bridge station on the south side to the City on the north side. One of the 'rights' of Freemen of the City of London is to drive their sheep over the Bridge - it was actually any livestock and the right was not to drive the animals but to not pay the resulting toll; sheep were most valuable - and hence the half remembered 'right'. As a Freeman of the City, at the 800 year anniversary of  the mediaeval bridge I took the opportunity to lead my sheep on the bridge. It was a cold, wet day, memorable for the recalcitrant sheep and the smell of wet sheep (and dog).

Driving my sheep

A bridge goes over

There are a a lot of things in life that it is impressive if you can list them from memory: the actors from the Magnificent Seven (I can't, I just had to play 20 questions with the Better-Half to remember the name of the movie!). 

Then the Kings and Queens of England "Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee, Harry, Dick, John, Harry Three, Ned the twain then Richard Two, Henry Four, Five, Six then who? Edwards Four, Five, Dick the bad, two Henries and then Ned the lad. Mary, Bessies, James the vain, two Charlies and then James again.William and Mary, Anne Gloria, four Georges and Victoria. Edward Seven next and then George the Fifth in 1910, Ned the Eight soon abdicated and George the Sixth was coronated; and now we have Elizabeth and that's all folks (until her death). 

The States of America is a feat (I like most people seem to manage about 46) and even better if you can follow that with the state capitals (matched to their states). Or for the faint hearted, how about the Great Lakes?

My favourite to list though are things connected with London. There are 32 Boroughs that cover London, there are 25 wards in the City of London, and there are 14 road bridges crossing the Thames in central London, which I toughed on in the post about the Thames.

The bridges in the East for me are easy, I live in South East London and I cross a good few of them regularly. The further West we move the more confused I get. Naming the bridges is interesting not just because it is a show-off thing to do, but also because all the bridges have fascinating histories. We'll meet a few of them over the week.

Sunday Social (33)

 

Linking up with Ashley and Neely for the Sunday Social

 

• Top 3 favorite kinds of food
  Since my evening out at Chrysan I discovered I really like Japanese food. I also have to go with Indian (a creamy curry, nothing better) and a good old fashioned English Breakfast.
  
•  First 3 things you do in the morning
  After falling out of bed? Watch BBC Breakfast, have my breakfast (tea and toast) and get ready for the day (weekdays only!).
  
•  Last 3 things you do at night
  Put my ear-plugs in, settle the cat on his blanket and say goodnight to the Better-Half who does not go to bed at nine o'clock.
  
•  3 TV shows you NEVER miss
  There are a lot more than three, so I'll guess we'll go with my favourites (not necessarily currently airing) - Burn Notice ("My name is Michael Westen, I used to be a spy until one day..."), Suits (love the theme too "Greenback Boogie") and Castle.
  
•  3 places you want to visit
  Travel for me is a nightmare. Crutches and suitcases don't go together. I'm scared of flying. Hot weather exacerbates my MS symptoms. Most places I see on TV and think "I'd like to go there" aren't very realistic. Putting that aside however... New York (I went there over a decade ago and I'd love to go back); Egypt (most specifically I want to see the pyramids) and South Africa (Cape Twon in particular as my mum when there last year and it looked amazing).
  
•  3 people you can always count on
  Again, a lot more than three. The first in line are: the Better-half, he puts up with my moaning about work, looks after me when I can't look after myself and generally keeps the house running; Mutti (my mother) we can talk on the phone for hours several times a week, and even though she's had to put her life together again after my Dad died she still always find time for me and my brother; my bridesmaid and mother of my god-daughter, an amazing friend who has always been there for me. I have to mention some of the other people who are so important to me: there is my nearly-mother-in-law, really like having a second mother; my darling friend who lives just a couple of stops away in Greenwich who has seen me through the best of times and the worst of times; my other darling friend who lives what is forever away in London on the other side of the river; and my cousin, who as we spent so much time together growing up is like a sister. Yes I cheated and had more than three. I could go on too, I'm lucky to have so many special people in my life.

 

Miscellany Monday (3)

 

• The threatened snow (severe weather warning alert) has yet, and the emphasis should probably be on yet, to materialise. The light dusting didn't help several of my colleagues' journeys into work, but it did improve mine by about 15 minutes as people decided to leave their cars at home.
• The darn lift is still broken. That's been a week now. The ironic thing is that the reason that the lift is broken is because they came out to fix a different fault, and I suspect did something that broke it again. It worked for about two days.
• I have to learn to crochet. I bought the cat a new blanket on eBay Small and crocheted, it would, I hoped stop him trying to sleep on the expensive cellular one my Mum brought me for Christmas. It is such a hit that he needs another one for his other favourite sleeping spots, and then another. 

Beautiful sunrise

The famous blanket

Freaky gargoyle in Woolwich

 Happy Monday!

National Rubber Ducky Day

Who doesn't have a friendly little yellow duck in their bathroom? Or in my case a lot of friendly little ducks in rainbow of colours!

13th January is National Rubber Ducky Day. Not because in January 1992 29,000 rubber ducks fell off a cargo ship in the Pacific Ocean (that happened three days earlier on the 10th January) and they are still washing up today. No it is because Ernie on Sesame Street has a rubber duck and its birthday is 13th January. The 1970 song on Rubber Duckie song on Sesame Street helped the meteoric rise of these rubber bath friends, so it is only fair!

So, happy Rubber Ducky Day, and meet a few of my friends.

Traditional rubber ducks, in yellow

My name is Pond, James Pond

Charity Ducks, raising awareness for Breast Cancer

Flying Virgin Atlantic, still need a rubber duck!

See you next year!!

Sunday Social (32)

Linking up with Ashley and Neely for the Sunday Social

 

New Year, new friends. Back to the beginning so you can find out all about me (in case you missed it before).

 

1. What is the name of your blog? How long have you been blogging?

My blog is London Calling - it's all about London; living there, working there, going out there. I've been blogging here since 2006 - but I had two blogs (lost to time and the internet) before that so probably overall about 8 or 9 years.

 

2. Why do you blog?
I like to share bits of London (my favourite City), the antics of my cat, strange things that catch my eye, great days out - and anything that crosses my mind.

3. What is the first blog you ever followed?
I just spent several minutes about that, and I'm not sure that I can actually remember. We're talking several years ago here! I think it was probably a health related blog written by one of my online friends with MS, probably Access Denied

4. What is your favorite post you wrote in 2012?
This one about Friends. I love the picture (which is my brother and cousin when they were small), and the way technology affects our lives fascinates me.

5. What are your blogging goals for 2013?
First; enjoy! When blogging becomes a chore then I've lost touch with what it's all about. Second, keep writing. I always start well and the get lazy. Who wants to read if you've nothing to say.

6. Name your top 3 favorite blogs.

 I have to choose only three?! I have so many! OK - I'm going to choose three I love that maybe you haven't read, so you'll find something new to read today:-

tomroyal.com - Tom is a journalist, so he writes excellent posts (first reason to stop by), he also loves cats. I found his blog when trying to cheat at Assassins Creed when I landed on this post.

 

Serendipitous - I have now idea how I met this lovely blog, but there are beautiful photos to go with great little posts. I just love the title too. 

Fresh Eyes on London - even a born and bred Londoner can learn something new, and this is the place to do it. Again wonderful photos too!

 

Underground

Happy Birthday to the London Underground. 150 years ago today the first journey took place from Paddington to Farringdon. Look out for special celebratory events all month.

London's other residents

There streets are crowded with people, whether they are workers, visitors or tourists. However there is another group who feel just as entitled to their position in town.

Keep you eyes open around outdoor cafes and other little corners to see what the pigeons are getting up to. What others leave behind they'll happily finish off!

A river runs through it

London is where London is because of the Thames. The river rises in Gloucestershire, and runs for over 200 miles before eventually joining the North Sea at the Thames Estuary (dividing Essex from Kent).

London used to be a bustling port, a hub of shipbuilding. There many quays and wharves (now converted into flats, offices and shops) bear witness to the rich history of the Thames. From Rotherhithe to Woolwich the banks of the river were littered with docks; which fell into disuse when shipping turned to containers and the docks were to small or too shallow for the new vessels. Some of London's tallest buildings now surround the former docks at Canary Wharf.

Settlement on the North side of the river provided excellent natural defence, the Thames was once wider than it is now in many places (the water-gates on Somerset House and the Tower of London bear witness to this).

The Thames Uploaded by nat_mach on August 7, 2012 © All rights reserved

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Today there are fourteen road bridges, six rail bridges, two foot bridges, two road tunnels, two foot tunnels, and of course the Woolwich Free Ferry that cross the river in Central London. The underground and DLR also cross on tunnels and bridges, the Jubilee line alone crosses the Thames four times. From Hammersmith in the West to Woolwich in the East. Of if you prefer you can hop on the Thames Clipper service which stops at various piers on both sides of the river.

The Thames may no longer be the commercial life blood of the City it once was. Now it often poses more of a threat. A tidal river the level of the water varies daily within established parameters; but storm surges coinciding with high tides and rising water levels put the City at risk from flooding. The iconic flood barrier (ironically made possible by the containerisation that killed the docks) provides protection to the City upstream from Woolwich. There is a visitor centre at the Barrier, and it is worth the trip.

Thames Barrier

A set by nat_mach

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Sunday Social (31)

Linking up with Ashley and Neely for the Sunday Social

• Do you plan to change any of your eating habits in the new year?
  No. I did that last year. I had a 'lifestyle course' and I made a lot of changes then; more fruit and vegetables, brown bread instead of white, smaller portions, etc. Not much left to do!!
  
• Any workout tips to get us back in shape after the Holidays?
  Due to my physical limitations I'm not much of one for workout. I do highly commend swimming though. Feels relaxing at the time, but very good for an awful lot of muscles!
  
• What is your favorite thing you did over the Holidays?
  I didn't really 'do' much. I spent a lot of time with my family and the cat, which is always nice.
  
• What is something you hope that you accomplish in 2013 that you did not in 2012?
  Find more productive ways to spend the time I'm not working (which as my part time status increases will exceed the time I am working). I also want to drop a few more pounds!
  
• Name 3 things happening this year you are excited about and why.
  2013 is an exciting year for me!
  • First, this year there are two NFL games at Wembley. This means to lovely days out - and one of the games involves the Jaguars for whom I have a soft spot for (they are from the same place as the Gators the team I support in College Football).
  • Next, although my job is becoming more part-time I am really excited about my new role; there will be a lot of challenges, but I have my own goals to set and meet which is going to be great.
  • Lastly and most importantly, my wedding. My Better-half and I are tying the knot this Summer. I have vowed not to turn into Bridezilla, but a girl can still be excited about marrying the man she loves can't she?!

Goodbye Christmas

The not so traditional version of the 12 Days of Christmas.

And here we are at Twelfth Night. The feast of the Epiphany. It is time to take the decorations down and say goodbye to Christmas for another 12 months.

Hope you enjoyed the Twelve Days of Christmas. I certainly enjoyed wandering down memory lane!

Orphaned musings #1

When I was in my teens and early twenties I used to keep a diary. If the internet had been then what the internet is now I would almost certainly inflicted my inner ramblings on the world via a blog. Much as I do now; but, trust me, the things I had to say and what was on my mind was really not worth sharing back then!

In addition to keeping a diary I also used to write poetry and short stories. Somewhere some of these may survive. Sometimes I drew or painted. 

Now I don't write poetry and if I'm creative it is with photos or making digital art. I do still have an art set and once in a blue moon I dust it off, I think maybe twice in the last five years?!

Mont St Michel

Uploaded by nat_mach on September 19, 2011 © All rights reserved

Twelfth Day of Christmas

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me... twelve drummers drumming.

I think the writer of the song went to the same parades as me. Along with the pipes in the pipe and drum bands are of course the drums. There are drums in all the bands, my favourites being the horses who carry a drum on either side.

Drums is something I do know about. As part of A-level music you had to play in the Orchestra. Sadly my violin playing (the only qualifying instrument) wasn't anywhere near the standard required, so I had a crash course in percussion and became the percussionist. Depending on the piece it can be a thankless task. you get about a quarter of the music that the rest of the orchestra does as a lot of it (especially when playing the timpani) requires "48 bars rest". You have to pay attention so that you don't miss your cue from the conductor when it is time to join in! I eventually lost my spot as there was somebody who actually studied percussion as and instrument, and could do the elusive drum roll (which I never mastered). To be honest I was glad to give it up... I hated trying to tune the timpani, I have no rhythm (the irony is not lost on me) and I frequently missed my cues daydreaming during the long rest periods. Give me the choir any day!

Eleventh Day of Christmas

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me... eleven pipers piping.

Not the sort of pipers you were thinking of? My thoughts of pipers drift immediately to the annual Lord Mayor's Show. There are marching bands, pipe and drums bands, the whole lot. They are interspersed through the parade and provide uplifting marching. There are all sorts from schools to the Salvation Army to various Army regiments. 

I always harboured a secret desire to learn to play the bagpipes, although I think it would make me massively unpopular with my neighbours. As for other pipes, well I don't have the 'embouchure' for flutes (although I did once have a wooden one that I played badly). 

Tenth Day of Christmas

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me... ten lords-a-leaping. 

Who were these Lords, and why were they leaping? The only Lords that spring to my mind are members of the upper house in Parliament... the Lords Temporal and Spiritual. My memory is foggy as to whether or not I have ever met one of these Lords (Peers of the Realm). I certainly have written a few letters to some of them though, in my armchair activism mode. A full list of members of the House of Lords can be found here.

Ninth Day of Christmas

I wanted to be a ballerina, doesn't every little girl who sees "The Red Shoes"? My first efforts at ballet were cut short by my crippling stage fright and refusal to be a sunflower, or bumble-bee, or whatever five year olds are.

My next foray was when a friend and I, in our mid-teens, decided to take up ballet. I don't recollect either of us showed great aptitude for it. We also tried our hand at tap; the first class with a bunch of five year olds, subsequent classes on the half landing of a staircase from one of the girls in our ballet class. I can still remember "shuffle, step, change, step, hop, step, ball-change". This didn't last long either. I don't really have any rhythm - odd for someone who studied music seriously and played percussion in the senior orchestra. Mind you I was sacked from that job when they found somebody who could do a drum-roll and didn't fall asleep in the 48 bars rest!

The shoes lasted longest. I used the ballet shoes as slippers for many years, and the tap shoes (with the taps taken off) were excellent party shoes until I broke a heel!

Ballet shoes as slippers, my Uni days

Off to a party in my tap shoes

I always wanted to be able to dance 'ballroom' style. My parents were excellent dancers, I never really got the chance to find out... I have enough trouble walking these days!

2013 - New Year

Just waking myself up now, as we didn't go to bed until the wee small hours. We said goodbye to 2012 with our now traditional little family party; the Better-Half, my nearly-MiL, the cat and I. We let out the old year at midnight, and there were a few neighbours down the street to wave at for the first time in years!

2012 finished wet and windy, lets face it... it rained for most of December. The weather seems to have turned over a new leaf with the calendar though and this morning the sky is almost cloudless and the sun is shining.

I'm looking back at this post from last year.


As it turned out my dislike of the Olympics was misplaced. I had the main two weeks off work, so I never noticed the traffic. Although I didn't watch any of it on the TV I did have a lovely day out when my Mum took us to the Paralympics. London's moment of glory is passed now, although as it turned out it was a moment of glory.

My aspirations worked out quite well. I did eat healthier, thanks to the Healthy Living programme from the Council... more fruit and veg, no more white bread. I do drink less than I did. Excepting special occasions only once a week... and often not even that. I have probably put on a few Christmas pounds, but when I lose those I'm down a whole 14 pounds on this time last year... and what with the Healthwise exercise which, now I have equilibrium back (touch wood), will recommence; I'm in pretty good shape. As for the positive outlook, well it doesn't always work out - but I have lots of reminders to help me out.

2013 is a whole new life for me. My work has changed, I have a new role, a new job. It's only going to be three days a week but I'm pretty excited about my new challenges... and I am working on plans for the other four days.

Biggest of all though - we are now in the Year of the Wedding. The preparations so far have been quite gentle as it was so far away, but now it's full on planning mode.

Eighth Day of Christmas

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me... eight maids-a-milking.

I have never milked a cow. I've seen it done though. Growing up there was an Agricultural College in our village, and they had open days. These cows were milked by machines great barns of cows, standing chewing the cud whilst pints of milk were collected. On holidays in the West Country as a child I saw milking done the traditional way too. 

Of course there were my cousins' grandparents and their goats. This looms large in my mind as, although I've since developed a taste for goats cheese, as a child I couldn't bear goats milk. Let's be honest, if you are my age and had the 'free milk' at school you probably weren't fond of that. I imagine they were about a half pint bottle, delivered in crates and left outside until morning break. Not too bad in winter but distinctly unpleasant in Summer. It only took a few lactose intolerant children who brought juice instead before we were all demanding a release from break-time milk!