Monday 30th January 2017, 4.05pm (day 1,985)
Not an exciting day today, so here’s an abstract. I like the lines, the slash of pink. Flimsy disguise for the fact I was in the pub at 4pm on a school day, however.
Pub mirror
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Tag Archives: photos
Urban cormorant
Sunday 29th January 2017, 11.40am (day 1,984)
A lack of cheap hotel rooms in the centre of London led to us staying last night in Stratford, on the doorstep of Olympic Park, venue for the 2012 Games. We went on a walk round there this morning. This counts as East rather than Central London, but is more than urban enough and, as is obvious from this picture, sees the occasional football fan now and again (though not this weekend).
When I first saw this cormorant perched on a post beside the unseen River Lea below, I genuinely thought it was a fake, put there as some vaguely cute piece of urban design when all this was built a few years ago. Then it moved. I wish I could have got a better photo of it — I had another one, a close-up, which made the wings look amazing but the head was out of focus and it didn’t locate it in this bizarre geographical context. I guess if birds like this can turn up in central London we may occasionally be doing something right with the environment.
Old Spotted Dog stadium (Clapton FC)
Saturday 28th January 2017, 3.25pm (day 1,983)
With nothing else much to do while Clare was on her course today I took myself on the latest stop on my recent tour of obscure football stadia and took in a game from the Essex Senior League, Clapton v Barking. Clapton are notable for having a big ‘Ultra’ fan group, but they are a club with a history, having been founded in 1878 and still playing at the same ground they always have done, the marvellously named Old Spotted Dog stadium. The result — Clapton (here in red, white and black) 4, Barking 2. Better than my lot managed today anyway.
Leeds station bar, Friday night
Friday 27th January 2017, 6.40pm (day 1,982)
Clare’s doing a course in London tomorrow (Saturday) so it seemed like an opportunity to get in a weekend away. Late trip though, so we were passing through Leeds station when Friday night was becoming busy.
Terracotta Army (illuminated)
Thursday 26th January 2017, 5.50pm (day 1,981)
Whereas last Chinese New Year, Exchange Square in Manchester displayed an inflatable dragon, this year we are graced with this illuminated plastic ‘terracotta army’, which may or may not be the tackiest thing I have seen in a while. Still, if the purpose of the display was to get mentions on social media, it has succeeded, going on the number of people taking photos of it today. Including me of course. Or perhaps I was photographing the crowd. But it doesn’t matter does it? The end result is the same. It is what we do now.
Victoria station canopy
Wednesday 25th January 2017, 2.00pm (day 1,980)
Sunny but chilly day in Manchester, trains being obedient. Got out of the house at least, even if it wasn’t a very profound change of scene. However, some very good travel news received today — looks like in two months’ time I will be in Japan for the first time in my life, a long-cherished dream destination.
Not very busy
Tuesday 24th January 2017, 4.55pm (day 1,979)
The title of this post is meant in a practical sense. To see a Hebden pub this empty at 5pm is very rare. It’s the end of January, no one has any money. I certainly don’t.
But there’s an existential meaning to it too. It’s been an extremely uneventful period, last week included (I might have gone to Moscow, but I didn’t do much). It’ll change. Slowly. But it will.
Another Hebden heron shot
Monday 23rd January 2017, 9.05am (day 1,978)
Today was not the first time that I have been grateful to spot one of Hebden Bridge’s resident heron population on my only excursion out of the house. Days otherwise spent at home, marking, are not the easiest ones on which to fulfil the daily photo brief.
I say ‘one of’ the resident herons but I suppose there’s a better than even chance that this is the same bird as appeared on 25/5/16 and 17/2/16 — look at the earlier shots for yourself and see what you think. The markings are more or less the same and I guess as predators these are territorial beasts and like to keep coming back to the same spot. If it is the same one this would make it the second bird (after the local muscovy duck) to definitely appear on the blog more than once. And looking back at those other pictures does, at least, indicate just how much these guys can fold up those amazing necks of theirs.
Stove fire
Sunday 22nd January 2017, 4.15pm (day 1,977)
I did say there was going to be little to get excited about this weekend (or for the next few days, come to that). In fact this picture is taken in the same place as yesterday’s. Warmth like this was much needed today, a grey, chilly day. About that point in the winter where you really start getting fed up with it.
Reconnecting with the family
Saturday 21st January 2017, 3.40pm (day 1,976)
It’s nice to travel, but it’s also nice to come home. So the family can feature on the blog for the first time for a while (as a duo, anyway). Not much is going to happen in the next few days, and it doesn’t look like we can expect the sun out, so I foresee more of this kind of thing.
Being 42 