Saturday 22nd July 2017, 1.10pm (day 2,158)
The holidays have started, and a sunny day brought the crowds out into Hebden Bridge town centre today. All needed refreshment…
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Blackshaw Head Chapel
Friday 21st July 2017, 8.50pm (day 2,157)
Venue for Joe’s fortnightly extra-curricular entertainment (involving the mass genocide of small lead figures representing orcs, wizards and other fantastical beings). Normally we leave him to it but tonight we went up to this Victorian chapel on the moors to get dinner at the nearby pub and celebrate the fact that I’ve been off work today and will remain in this state for the next 16 days. The pools of light and colour in the chapel caught my eye on the way back home.
Waiting for the graduation ceremony
Thursday 20th July 2017, 12.15pm (day 2,156)
The twice-yearly graduation ceremonies give us the chance to dress up in our finery and enjoy some pomp and circumstance. Opportunities to do that are getting fewer in the world so let’s embrace them while they still exist. And as ever, congratulations to all the students as well.
The storm finally comes
Wednesday 19th July 2017. 9.50pm (day 2,155)
As the day wore on, what had started out as ‘close’ weather became downright ‘muggy’ until negotiating the outside world became like wading through treacle. Finally, the storm broke and we got some much-needed rain. It was one of those days at work where I just didn’t really have time to take a decent photo, and anyway, evenings have largely disappeared from this blog at the moment so let’s use this one (in fact this is the latest picture in a day since 9th March). We can call it ‘Storm Study (blue and yellow)’, if you like.
I am the fly
Tuesday 18th July 2017, 9.20am (day 2,154)
Anthropomorphism: the attribution of human characteristics or behaviour to an animal or object. Hard to avoid, particularly if you are the maker of a Disney movie. But I still say this fly looks proud enough to me. And like it’s enjoying the sunshine.
Tired
Monday 17th July 2017, 3.35pm (day 2,153)
It’s actually not a bad place to catch forty winks, the train home — I manage it frequently. Like these two gentlemen, I am tired…. but have now just three days left before my summer break.
Nectar…!
Sunday 16th July 2017, 2.15pm (day 2,152)
Another one of these time-of-year things, annual photographic events — you’ve seen this flower (wood cranesbill) before, not to mention insects plunging themselves within, to extract the bounty.
Catering facilities, Salford City FC
Saturday 15th July 2017, 1.50pm (day 2,151)
My 2017-18 football season opened at Salford City FC and a pre-season warm-up game against local rivals FC United of Manchester. The hosts won 2-1. You can read what I thought about the game, and see photographs of the day taken by someone much better at that kind of thing than me, if you purchase the next issue of When Saturday Comes (advt.). Salford City have big plans but their stadium, for all its recent renovations, is still pleasingly non-league in many ways. I like this catering van, its garish and gratuitously sexist decoration, and the worshipful posture of the customer.
Drained
Friday 14th July 2017, 1.05pm (day 2,150)
Some rivers and lakes around here are somewhat lower than is usual, that is true, but this picture does not represent some heroic water shortage in the north-west of England. Rather, the Warland reservoir is being renovated, so has been drained, its bed exposed and returning to its natural state. There are some bleak panoramas up on the moors round here and the lack of water here doesn’t do this particular one any further favours.
Graduation balloons
Thursday 13th July 2017, 9.00am (day 2,149)
It’s that time of year again. It crossed my mind today that it’s now twenty years since I first graduated, in July 1997. Gosh…
