Sunday 22nd October 2023, 10.45am (day 4,441)
It is said that Birmingham has more canals than Venice, and it’s a believable stat once you start walking around the place.
King Edward’s Wharf, Birmingham
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Author Archives: Drew Whitworth
Under the M6
Saturday 21st October 2023, 10.40am (day 4,440)
The water is that of the Tame Valley Canal. Above, thunders the M6, doing its rounds just north of Birmingham. Whoever marked the crossing point of these two transport arteries with this piece of work was inspired. Someone else’s art, again, but worth sharing.
Pinball wizard
Friday 20th October 2023, 2.55pm (day 4,439)
“He stands like a statue, becomes part of the machine, feeling all the bumpers, always playing clean… Plays by intuition, the digit counters fall, that deaf dumb and blind kid, sure plays a mean pinball….”
OK, this guy’s probably not deaf, dumb or blind, but hey. The Tilt bar in Birmingham has 20 fine altars at which to worship. Dammit though, that’s a pub two days in a row. But I am on a long weekend.
The Old Picture House, Stafford
Thursday 19th October 2023, 11.25am (day 4,438)
Wetherspoons, the pub chain, are a company of ambiguous attractions: but one thing they do have going for them is good taste in premises. The Old Picture House in Stafford is magnificent. I suppose it would be great if it were still a cinema but at least it is in use. And yes, I was in there at 11.25 in the morning, but hey, so were several other people.
The eyes have it
Tuesday 17th October 2023, 9.20am (day 4,436)
I could have been taking a photo of all sorts of things here in this Manchester back alley. But I’m going with the eyes in the background.
Roof garden dummies
Monday 16th October 2023, 12.40pm (day 4,435)
Seeing as the garden in question is on the roof of Big Hands, the micro-gig venue round the corner from my office — and no, I’ve never noticed them before — perhaps Roof Garden Dummies is to be the name of some emergent punk/student band, to be appearing (possibly) on a digital feed near you at some point in the second half of this decade. If I was in The Zone, I might consider founding them myself. But possibly Kraftwerk already did it.
Crummock Water
Sunday 15th October 2023, 10.25am (day 4,434)
No further comment to make. There are many worse places to be on a sunny (if cold) Sunday morning.
The Low Moor sculpture park
Saturday 14th October 2023, 1.30pm (day 4,433)
Just beyond the fence at Low Moor railway station, in Bradford, are stored these bizarre sculptures, or possibly they are some kind of carnival float. I really have no idea what story these make together, though. A close-up was no more revealing, so let’s go with this long shot under stormy skies instead.
In the food queue, Avro FC
Friday 13th October 2023, 7.35pm (day 4,432)
A Friday night out, for me and for them. And why not spend it at a football match. It was damn cold though: as 5ºC seemed a reasonable estimation I’d say it was about 15ºC cooler than my last one, on Sunday. We all needed some warm food.
