Days 43 & 44 - Shoes and Snow - 29 & 30 November 2010

My space bar is only working intermittently.  It's very irritating.  But my photos have nothing to do with that.

Yesterday I was back to work - and back to lunch breaks meandering around. Look where I ended up:

Then today, I awoke to the first snow in London this season.  Thankfully we got off lightly compared to some areas of the country, although I'm not looking forward to walking along the pavements tomorrow. On my way home they were very wet. Tomorrow it's not supposed to get above freezing. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Here's the train tracks today, and no, the black and white setting hasn't been used.

Days 41 & 42 - Apple and Frost - 27 & 28 November 2010

So with a heavy cold I didn't feel like leaving the house on Saturday.  The most I did was get food really - so here's some of it... an apple!

On Sunday I did venture out - to Sainsburys to get more food - around 2 in the afternoon.  However, it wasn't warm as evidenced by this photo:

Days 39 & 40 - Centre for Mathematical Sciences and my home remedy - 25 & 25 November 2010

Yesterday I had to attend a meeting at the Centre for Mathematical Sciences in Cambridge.  It's an amazing building, and I managed to get a shot of it.  It doesn't show that the roof of the main building is covered with grass, or the size of the whole complex, but it gives some idea:

Then today I succumbed fully to the virus and stayed in bed.  Here's my take on a home remedy:

Days 37 & 38 - Euston and a very 'happy' crowd - 23 & 24 November 2010

On Tuesday of this week I had to go to Birmingham for some training.  It was unfortunate that my seat on the train was opposite a person who had quite a lot of germs emanating from them, and thus I managed to pick some of them up. It's been a bit of a rough week as a result.


Tuesday's photo is of the underground platform at Euston - with a train leaving.

Wednesday's photo presented itself rather unexpectedly.  I was heading home from work when I came across this very happy gathering of people spilling out of O'Neills pub across the road.  They wore green and white shaped scarves, and were chanting some sports anthems very enthusiastically, so I assumed their team had won, or something.  There was only 1 poor policeman trying to corral the lot, and not having much success.  I took this just as the police riot van showed up, and thus had to make a prompt exit afterwards, as they were all ushered in my direction.

If anyone can tell me what they were so happy about, I'd appreciate it. I just pity the clean up afterwards.

Days 35 & 36 - Traffic at night - 21 & 22 November 2010

So my brother sent me a miniature tripod to use - it's marvellous.  Not much bigger than a pen when folded up.  I've been able to make use of it the last 2 nights.  Yesterday, I used it on my way home from Northampton - going down the main street in New Barnet.  Then today, it was a street close to my work.

Days 33 & 34 - Pets - 19 & 20 November 2010

So I went back to visit my parents for the weekend.  My sister Sharon lives just around the corner, so I was able to persuade, with some help from Sharon and Dan (my nephew), their 2 pets to pose.  On Friday it was Bob, their dog. On Saturday Bob was asleep elsewhere, so Squittee their cat was happy to come in and hang out with us.

Day 32 - British Museum Lion - 18 November 2010

I suspect that, as I work close to the British Museum, it will become a bit of a haunt of mine over the winter months - it's one of the only museums in London that allows flash photography!  But for now, here's part of the outside, back entrance!

Day 31 - Russell Square - 17 November 2010

It was hard to believe that I'd been doing this for a month.  I'm so glad I started this - and that I've managed to keep it going.  I wasn't feeling too great last night, so didn't post this one then.  But here it is now:

Day 30 - Victoria Park - 16 November 2010

Due to technical difficulties where I work (the wireless was intermittant at best) I worked from home today.  It coincided well with a fog that lasted throughout the day.  At lunchtime I went for a walk into our local park - and took this shot.  The fog was worse in the morning and in the evening, so I probably could have gotten a better picture at those times, but to be honest, it really didn't look very inviting to go outside at those times!

Day 29 - Institute of Education - 15 November

So here's another view of the building I work in - the 'back' as it were.  I liked the light and the reflection of the sun/other windows.

Day 27 & 28 - Champagne and Tea - 13 & 14 November 2010

I spent the weekend at Heidi and Dan Veal's place, along with a certain Isla Winchester who passed her driving test this week.  This prompted some celebrations, which included champagne, followed by tea.  So last night I took the photo of the champagne glasses, and today of the freshly washed up tea cups!

Day 26 - Cafe in the rain - 12 November 2010

When I saw the rain this evening, I knew where I was headed on the way to the station. There's this fabulous little alley, which I thought would look pretty good with wet pavement.  It did.

Day 25 - Poppy - 11 November 2010

In Flanders fields the poppies blow 

Between the crosses, row on row, 

That mark our place; and in the sky 

The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, 

Loved and were loved, and now we lie, 

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw 

The torch; be yours to hold it high. 

If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow 

In Flanders fields.

Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD

Day 24 - Marble Arch - 10 November 2010

Finally, a camera that can do long exposures.  I found a handy railing, and got the shot!  I call it Marble Arch, as seen through a red bus and other traffic!

I personally think it's pretty cool.  After taking this I went to see the film Red, which was fantastic fun!

Day 23 - Fallen Leaves - 9 November 2010

The new umbrella held up well this morning, and the weather improved by the time I neared work.  It was no longer a downpour, and more just spitting.  Yes, I'm British, can you tell?

Last week the leaves were still mostly on the trees.  This week, and with this weather... not so much any more!

Did you know that I have to leave the house earlier now - because First Capital Connect trains have to operate on a leaf timetable - they can't deal with leaves on the tracks, so have to have a timetable that's 3 minutes earlier.  This wouldn't irritate me, except that the last 2 days the trains have been 15 minutes late.

Day 22 - Sir John Betjeman - 8 November 2010

Today's weather was absolutely miserable.  I have a trusty umbrella, which has been pretty unbreakable, although it has turned inside out a number of times, it always flips back ok, totally intact.  That's how bad today's weather was - it broke my umbrella.

Trekking across London to my morning meeting this morning, with a broken umbrella, and no gloves (bad day to forget those), I really wasn't in the mood to take any pictures.  I did buy a new umbrella afterwards though, although that's not relevant here.

I ended up going to St Pancras station after work to find my photo opportunity, and this one presented itself nicely.  Whenever I've been up there before, this is usually surrounded by tourists (the bane of any Londoner's life), but not today.  So here he is:

I really enjoy the poems of his that I've read - we studied one of them for GCSE English Literature, and I can still near on recite the thing word perfect now, 12 years later.  Fabulous writing, even if he did later regret asking for bombs to come and fall on Slough!

Day 21 - Brazilian meat fest - 7 November 2010

So yesterday evening a group of us went out to a Rodizios restaurant - it's eat all you want Brazilian meat. It was very tasty, and lovely, and I ate far too much, and have had to baby my stomach as a result ever since.  This was one of the last cuts of meat they brought to the table.  Unfortunately not the best shot.  By this time I was feeling a little gorged, and my camera decided, right after taking this, that the batteries were dead.  It turned out that my camera was wrong, but by the time I got it to turn back on, the chap had left

Day 20 - Candle - 6 November 2010

So the plan was to go to the local fireworks display tonight, but for a variety of reasons, that didn't happen.  As I had planned to take the photo of the day then, it left me having to do something at home.  I decided to play with fire myself (always a good alternative).

Day 19 - Tavistock Gardens - 5 November 2010

Had another event today - which was held in a facility very close to where I work.  I have to walk past these gardens to get there.

I'm so glad it's the weekend - this week has been ridiculously busy!

Day 18 - Browns Restaurant - 4 November 2010

Had a work event held at Browns Restaurant in Covent Garden yesterday - it's a lovely place.  The function rooms are old courtrooms.  Here's the chandeliers that were hanging from the ceiling.

Day 17 - Morning Sunshine - 3 November 2010

Knowing that I wouldn't get a chance to leave the office at lunchtime today, I made the most of my morning walk to work in the sunshine.  I took this very shortly before I went inside the building.

I can't say enough how much I despise coming out of work when it's dark.  Bring back British Summer Time!

Day 16 - The BT Tower - 2 November 2010

I work fairly near this building/tower, so on my way to Oxford Street during my lunch break today (not buying anything terribly interesting, unfortunately), I decided that it was worthy of a photo.

Day 15 - A late rose - 1 November 2010

At lunchtimg, I thought I would go to a nearby garden area and take some pictures of the Autumn foliage.  However, as I was doing so I saw they still had some roses blooming.  I doubt it will be long before they are crushed by the frosts, but in the meantime, they are still beautiful.