Back from lunch now. Got as far as the first major puddle before giving up on trying to reach Kingston. Couldn't bear the idea of a service station sandwich for lunch, so settled in at Cafe Rouge for a nice poulet facie avec saute potatoes and spring greens, washed down by mineral water and cappucino.
Meanwhile, back in Clapham, our ridiculous 18th-century drains managed to keep the flood at bay. My neighbour Septimus cleared a few leaves out of the back one and it was fine after that but the front is very slow despite all efforts to clear it and the water level rose to the top of the front door step. Yikes!!!! - get contents insurance fast!!!! - a couple more inches and my little nest would be inundated.
Hoping the rain will keep off for a while - I'm sourcing portable water pumps, sandbags, etc even as I blog.
Friday, July 20, 2007
live blogging from Kingston
Rain much eased, but still falling. Water level has fallen on the London Road. Our basement is full of yucky oily brown water. Most cars seem to have been evacuated.
More importantly - what a day to come to work in old leaky shoes and have to go to buy lunch!!!
More importantly - what a day to come to work in old leaky shoes and have to go to buy lunch!!!
live blogging from Kingston
An apocalypse of water! The deluge is here!
- and the fire alarm has just gone off. Everyone is ignoring it.
- a pallet has just floated down London Road and into our carpark. Stuck going down to the Underground car park.
- people are photographing the Niagra down the steps into the underground carpark.
- our colleague L has just taken off her shoes and gone downstairs to rescue her car - before the carpark is completely underwater!!!
- and the fire alarm has just gone off. Everyone is ignoring it.
- a pallet has just floated down London Road and into our carpark. Stuck going down to the Underground car park.
- people are photographing the Niagra down the steps into the underground carpark.
- our colleague L has just taken off her shoes and gone downstairs to rescue her car - before the carpark is completely underwater!!!
here I am
Yeah yeah I know. Sorry. Work & stuff, plus no home computer. Still - I WILL be better!
Update:
1) Teeth all fixed. Nice dentist, nasty hygenist. Really vicious.
2) New mortgage in the process of being fixed. Hooray!
3) New 'phone and new contract package from Orange. Very nice new 'phone. Very very nice. Yum Yum.
4) New window being made - will take three weeks. Blah, and blah to Norwich Union too.
5) New paint samples on walls.
6) New bike all serviced. Very very scared to take it out on the road, let alone cycle to work. But I must.
7) New lamps from Habitat, New bedlinen from John Lewis, New caffetiere, towels, lampshade, clothes
8) Extrememly expensive and insane impulse purchase from Oliver Sweeney (sale, but still) - drippingly gorgeous New Shoes. They're so lovely I licked them.
9) Oh God. Diary of a shopaholic, or what??!
10) New furniture delivery from Habitat tomorrow!! Yay!
Update:
1) Teeth all fixed. Nice dentist, nasty hygenist. Really vicious.
2) New mortgage in the process of being fixed. Hooray!
3) New 'phone and new contract package from Orange. Very nice new 'phone. Very very nice. Yum Yum.
4) New window being made - will take three weeks. Blah, and blah to Norwich Union too.
5) New paint samples on walls.
6) New bike all serviced. Very very scared to take it out on the road, let alone cycle to work. But I must.
7) New lamps from Habitat, New bedlinen from John Lewis, New caffetiere, towels, lampshade, clothes
8) Extrememly expensive and insane impulse purchase from Oliver Sweeney (sale, but still) - drippingly gorgeous New Shoes. They're so lovely I licked them.
9) Oh God. Diary of a shopaholic, or what??!
10) New furniture delivery from Habitat tomorrow!! Yay!
Monday, July 02, 2007
No Smoking
Smoking has become illegal in all public spaces in England (hooray!) I have just learned that the concept of ‘public areas’ extends to company cars, and that the government requires all company vehicles to be issued with ‘no smoking’ stickers. Ha ha ha.
One of my colleagues smokes like a mucky chimney and arrived at work this morning saying he had broken the law 4 times already.
At present, I am more exposed to cigarette smoke than I have been for a very long while. Our office is in a quite small unit in a ‘mews’ complex, with french doors opening onto a balcony corridor. Guess where the smokers think they can light up.
My desk is right next to the french doors, and another of my colleagues is a fresh-air fiend. So the doors are mostly open, and the smoke mostly blows in back on to me.
Oink. Oh well, I have my legal rights and it looks like I’m going to have to exercise them. How to make friends and be popular in your new job, lesson 1., coming right up. Watch this space.
One of my colleagues smokes like a mucky chimney and arrived at work this morning saying he had broken the law 4 times already.
At present, I am more exposed to cigarette smoke than I have been for a very long while. Our office is in a quite small unit in a ‘mews’ complex, with french doors opening onto a balcony corridor. Guess where the smokers think they can light up.
My desk is right next to the french doors, and another of my colleagues is a fresh-air fiend. So the doors are mostly open, and the smoke mostly blows in back on to me.
Oink. Oh well, I have my legal rights and it looks like I’m going to have to exercise them. How to make friends and be popular in your new job, lesson 1., coming right up. Watch this space.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
rain, rain, rain
All those annoying know-it-all voices claiming we were on track for the hottest summer ever have gone a bit quiet. I’m just saying.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Dali and Film
I reconnected with my sanity after the break-in at the Tate’s Dali and Film show. My brother was down from Cambridge with a friend, so we all met up on Sunday afternoon. The exhibition, and indeed the Tate, was deliciously and surprisingly empty, which allowed a relaxed viewing experience and an even more relaxed tea-time experience afterwards. Indeed, we got the best table in the upstairs café – right on the windows overlooking the river, the Millennium Bridge, and St Paul’s. St Paul’s was framed by beautifully arranged cranes – lots of building happening in the city right now.
My impeccably Marxist tutors at University left me with a distinct feeling that Surrealism was a Suspect Project, and that Dali was the biggest fraud of all. So I was delighted with the exhibition – a really interesting look at his work in film and its impact on his painting. Personally, I think his collaboration with Hitchcock was the highlight.
I suppose this is what Art History is – once people begin to forget the immediate ideological context and their own position relative to it, their response to the image becomes slightly more open to other influences.
Tea was so restorative. I had a delicious watermelon and ginger smoothy, and a faultlessly executed rhubarb crumble. The Tate is so lucky it has some of the most spectacular spaces in London for its dining rooms – the Rex Whistler room at Tate Britain and this glassed-in room perched over the river and the city. Wow.
Dali and Film
Tate Modern
1 June - 9 September 2007
My impeccably Marxist tutors at University left me with a distinct feeling that Surrealism was a Suspect Project, and that Dali was the biggest fraud of all. So I was delighted with the exhibition – a really interesting look at his work in film and its impact on his painting. Personally, I think his collaboration with Hitchcock was the highlight.
I suppose this is what Art History is – once people begin to forget the immediate ideological context and their own position relative to it, their response to the image becomes slightly more open to other influences.
Tea was so restorative. I had a delicious watermelon and ginger smoothy, and a faultlessly executed rhubarb crumble. The Tate is so lucky it has some of the most spectacular spaces in London for its dining rooms – the Rex Whistler room at Tate Britain and this glassed-in room perched over the river and the city. Wow.
Dali and Film
Tate Modern
1 June - 9 September 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Weekend News roundup
The Observer had a strange headline this last Sunday – something about Tony Blair knew the Americans had no occupation plans for Iraq before we went in. I thought everyone knew that already? – the only new bit of this story seems to be that Tony’s old friend Peter Mandelson was now claiming this. Et tu Brute, etc etc etc. I suppose Peter has to prepare for a post-Tony future. But this is probably too little too late to appeal to Gordon Brown.
The big news this weekend was the great flood of Britain. I have to confess to unwitting callousness – I was annoyed on Friday to be caught by a few random raindrops on my way back to the office from lunch. Then I saw on TV news later that night about the utter deluge everywhere else. Oops. On Saturday, The Times said that this was in fact a well-known meteorological phenomenon called the ‘return of the westerlies’ which happens every June and is in fact a mini-monsoon season. I’d never heard of this before! Silly to schedule stuff like Wimbledon, Ascot, etc etc for June when the likelihood of rain is quite high.
I’ve made a new friend – I haven’t yet learned her name. She came up to me on my way home on Friday and on Saturday showed a great deal on interest in the sausages I was grilling for dinner – definitely casing the joint to get through the windows.
I went outside to chat. She was very friendly – I don’t know much about cats but I got definite ‘make love to me now’ vibes. Quite large – maybe pregnant?? – very silky black fur and quite as friendly as a dog. Exquisite little designer collar, bell and heart-shaped ID disc, which she refused to let me read. Really, a Clapham cat shouldn’t be quite so comfortable with strangers, even if they are grilling sausages.
As I tickled her tummy she started sneezing, which made me wonder – are cats allergic to people who are allergic to cats??
The big news this weekend was the great flood of Britain. I have to confess to unwitting callousness – I was annoyed on Friday to be caught by a few random raindrops on my way back to the office from lunch. Then I saw on TV news later that night about the utter deluge everywhere else. Oops. On Saturday, The Times said that this was in fact a well-known meteorological phenomenon called the ‘return of the westerlies’ which happens every June and is in fact a mini-monsoon season. I’d never heard of this before! Silly to schedule stuff like Wimbledon, Ascot, etc etc for June when the likelihood of rain is quite high.
I’ve made a new friend – I haven’t yet learned her name. She came up to me on my way home on Friday and on Saturday showed a great deal on interest in the sausages I was grilling for dinner – definitely casing the joint to get through the windows.
I went outside to chat. She was very friendly – I don’t know much about cats but I got definite ‘make love to me now’ vibes. Quite large – maybe pregnant?? – very silky black fur and quite as friendly as a dog. Exquisite little designer collar, bell and heart-shaped ID disc, which she refused to let me read. Really, a Clapham cat shouldn’t be quite so comfortable with strangers, even if they are grilling sausages.
As I tickled her tummy she started sneezing, which made me wonder – are cats allergic to people who are allergic to cats??
Friday, June 15, 2007
crime scene
This is the window the burglar forced to get in. He inserted a tool to unlock the latch, then 'popped' the sash over the (chubb) window locks and pulled it down - leaving very minimal damage to the window and only scuffing the woodwork paint. He then tried to lever the secondary window open, several times, leaving huge gouges in the metal frame before smashing the glass. He was then able to climb in, closing and relocking the outer sash behind himself (he left through a back window).
The police found a few smudgy fingermarks on the outside of the frame, left by someone climbing out. Inside he wore gloves and wiped down behind himself.
He left a few muddy footprints on my cream sofa.
Anyway, so that's the story. I am now in conflict with Everest about replacing the window - despite charging me £72 for a call-out I have no say over when they will come, the date or even the time. And their telephone operators have clearly been trained by watching Catherine Tate videos - it's all "Whatever, I'm not bovered". It's now almost a month, and I haven't even been quoted for the damage!
So now, Norwich Union have written to say they are sending in their own claims people to sort out the damage - after originally telling me to get a quote, and after me paying Everest £72 to quote.
Absolutely the only reason I am still considering using Everest is because they were the installers of the original windows and using a different company to replace a window will affect the guarantee.
Similar issues are happening with Visa and mastercard. The 'secure' postal people they use to deliver cards are utterly frustrating. No British company believes in personal customer service any more. Even getting the police to come out and do a security check is just not happening. I would say my Bank, Barclays, has been the best organization I have dealt with over this so far.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Whole Foods
Whole Foods' new shop in South Kensington has been picking up loads of publicity. I was a huge fan of their shop in the basement of the Time Warner Building in New York, so had to go check this one out.
The range and brilliant quality of the food, and the amazing presentation of it. I just had to have two huge artichokes from a generous pile, and also garlic stuffed olives and fudge from Burnt Sugar, to which I have become instantly addicted.
So it's a great place to expose oneself to major temptation - but bring lots of money!
The range and brilliant quality of the food, and the amazing presentation of it. I just had to have two huge artichokes from a generous pile, and also garlic stuffed olives and fudge from Burnt Sugar, to which I have become instantly addicted.
So it's a great place to expose oneself to major temptation - but bring lots of money!
keyring, part III
Sparkles the Lobster became Sparkles the legless lobster - not surprisingly, he was a bit all bling. One of his legs came off and fell down the floor grill at Tate Modern's Dali and Film exhibition, so I thought that was a bit appropriate. But then his tail came off too. I repaired it but the weld is very weak, so Sparkles has been retired for his own safety.
I have now purchased a boring but ok for now and very sturdy red leather keyring from the British Library, where I was yesterday. Great fun in the reading rooms researching - I adore the place.
I have now purchased a boring but ok for now and very sturdy red leather keyring from the British Library, where I was yesterday. Great fun in the reading rooms researching - I adore the place.
Friday, June 08, 2007
Anniversary
My first blogiversary - missed!
Oh well, I had other things on my mind.
Still sorting through all the burglary admin - insurances, police, community crime prevention officers, victim support, security services, window replacement quotes, blah blah blah.
Resurrected my money tin to collect coins towards the new equpment. Luckily, my mum is going to send some money to help out, and my office is giving me a computer on permanent loan. So, I may have a new computer and camera before too long; and I'll just have to save my pennies for a new iPod and speakers.
This morning a man came to quote for a burglar alarm - for me personally and also a communal one for the front doors. Oh yes and cameras front and back.
Oh well, I had other things on my mind.
Still sorting through all the burglary admin - insurances, police, community crime prevention officers, victim support, security services, window replacement quotes, blah blah blah.
Resurrected my money tin to collect coins towards the new equpment. Luckily, my mum is going to send some money to help out, and my office is giving me a computer on permanent loan. So, I may have a new computer and camera before too long; and I'll just have to save my pennies for a new iPod and speakers.
This morning a man came to quote for a burglar alarm - for me personally and also a communal one for the front doors. Oh yes and cameras front and back.
Friday, June 01, 2007
Disaster Strikes
Woe. My catalogue of catastrophes continues - this Wednesday I returned from work to find I had had a break-in and all my electricals have been stolen - Nikon D70, iPod, Bose sounddock, a broken Canon SLR, and my apple mac. All gone.
Due to the fact I have been unemployed and dealing long-distance with my Father's illness and recent death, I have had no contents insurance. While I have just started a new job, I haven't yet reinsured, so I am totally exposed.
I can't afford to replace the stuff at all.
Presumably, I will continue blogging from work, although there will be no more pics for the forseeable future. To be honest I don't know whether this blog will survive at the moment.
Due to the fact I have been unemployed and dealing long-distance with my Father's illness and recent death, I have had no contents insurance. While I have just started a new job, I haven't yet reinsured, so I am totally exposed.
I can't afford to replace the stuff at all.
Presumably, I will continue blogging from work, although there will be no more pics for the forseeable future. To be honest I don't know whether this blog will survive at the moment.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
no news roundup
I had a newspaper-free weekend! So no news snippets this week. I suppose the big news was the absolutely apocalyptically bad weather. A Bank Holiday classic - brilliant sunshine Thursday and Friday; clouds appearing Friday evening; Saturday miserable with intermittent showers all day; Sunday - rainly and cold all day; Monday - ditto; Tuesday - sunny, just in time for the working week! Blah! My theory is that the collective thoughts of the 60 million inhabitants of these islands somehow affects the weather - we fear it so much we actually make it happen.
Headed out this morning at 8.10am and was surprised by the sight of an amorous drake determinedly stalking a duck through long grass. An unsual sight on our side of the common - the duck pond is over on the south side. I don't know whether she was trying to throw him off and just wandered over our way, or else the ducks felt the weather had enlarged their normal habitat considerably. Personally, I missed my normal trek across the Common this morning because I didn't want mud all over my shoes.
Headed out this morning at 8.10am and was surprised by the sight of an amorous drake determinedly stalking a duck through long grass. An unsual sight on our side of the common - the duck pond is over on the south side. I don't know whether she was trying to throw him off and just wandered over our way, or else the ducks felt the weather had enlarged their normal habitat considerably. Personally, I missed my normal trek across the Common this morning because I didn't want mud all over my shoes.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
new toy
A pinhole camera kit, bought at the Tate's "How We Are: Photographing Britain" exhibition. Finished assembling it, now to try it out!
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Country Affair
"A Country Affair" Happening this weekend on the Common. Traditional Bank Holiday Weekend weather, I'm afraid - bad and getting worse, right after a gloriously sunny working week. The gods are truly angry at us.
However, I have inside plans for this weekend, so I'm not bothered!
Friday, May 25, 2007
How We Are: Photographing Britain
I haven't forgotten my New Year's resolution. In fact, I went to the private view of the Tate's Hogarth exhibition, but didn't get around to actually blogging about it. Which was a pity, because the show was fascinating - there's so much social observation going on in Hogarth's paintings there wasn't really enough time to look at them all properly. I remember the Tate had to throw us out at closing time.
Well, on Tuesday this week I went with Catriona to the How We Are exhibition - the Tate's first show devoted to photography. It's as fascinating as the Hogarth beacuse of the interesting angles the curators have taken and the inherent sociological interest of how life has changed in the 170 odd years since photography was invented.
Either the curators are fans of Sarah Waters' novels, or Sarah Waters uses archive photography for research. Lots of the exhibition looked like illustrations for her books: Victorian cross-dressing music hall artistes ( I thought:"Ooh, that's a hunky sailor!" - who turned out on closer inspection to be a woman in sailor drag); photographs of women inmates of Victorian asylums on the outskirts of London (Fingersmith, anyone?); - and photographs of women firefighters in World War II.
How We Are: Photographing Britain
Tate Britain
22 May - 2 September
Well, on Tuesday this week I went with Catriona to the How We Are exhibition - the Tate's first show devoted to photography. It's as fascinating as the Hogarth beacuse of the interesting angles the curators have taken and the inherent sociological interest of how life has changed in the 170 odd years since photography was invented.
Either the curators are fans of Sarah Waters' novels, or Sarah Waters uses archive photography for research. Lots of the exhibition looked like illustrations for her books: Victorian cross-dressing music hall artistes ( I thought:"Ooh, that's a hunky sailor!" - who turned out on closer inspection to be a woman in sailor drag); photographs of women inmates of Victorian asylums on the outskirts of London (Fingersmith, anyone?); - and photographs of women firefighters in World War II.
How We Are: Photographing Britain
Tate Britain
22 May - 2 September
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Weekend News roundup
I'm slowly getting back in the swing - but not much caught my interest this weekend.
Why chocolate is 'good for teeth' - from Metro. The Cabury PR team desperately trying to reposition the brand after the salmonella scare of last year. However, they've chosen an uphill battle with this one. The British Dental Association immediately pointed out that the sugar content in chocolate is extremely bad for teeth. Cadbury were also hoping to tie their product in with good circulation and healthy hearts, but the British Heart Foundation swatted that down too, on the same sugary basis. Oh dear. Back the drawing board, Cadbury.
Actually, I spotted over a fellow commuter's shoulder another pro-Cadbury 'article' in Metro this morning. Unfortunately, I missed picking a copy up for myself so I am none the wiser.
The other big story this weekend was the FA Cup Final. I am not a football fan per se - however I do maintain a theoretical interest in order to be able to communicate with The.Lads.At.Work. Also some footballers are hot. I think Arsenal has the best-looking team at the moment; however I am a Chelsea supporter (glamour club; local; Jose Mourinho is such good value) so was pleased Chelsea won.
I have despised Alex Fergusson ever since he was mean to David Beckham, but even so I was pretty sorry for him losing - Manchester United didn't deserve to lose like that.
I love that Jose is a Yorkshire terrier fan. Does not compute.
Why chocolate is 'good for teeth' - from Metro. The Cabury PR team desperately trying to reposition the brand after the salmonella scare of last year. However, they've chosen an uphill battle with this one. The British Dental Association immediately pointed out that the sugar content in chocolate is extremely bad for teeth. Cadbury were also hoping to tie their product in with good circulation and healthy hearts, but the British Heart Foundation swatted that down too, on the same sugary basis. Oh dear. Back the drawing board, Cadbury.
Actually, I spotted over a fellow commuter's shoulder another pro-Cadbury 'article' in Metro this morning. Unfortunately, I missed picking a copy up for myself so I am none the wiser.
The other big story this weekend was the FA Cup Final. I am not a football fan per se - however I do maintain a theoretical interest in order to be able to communicate with The.Lads.At.Work. Also some footballers are hot. I think Arsenal has the best-looking team at the moment; however I am a Chelsea supporter (glamour club; local; Jose Mourinho is such good value) so was pleased Chelsea won.
I have despised Alex Fergusson ever since he was mean to David Beckham, but even so I was pretty sorry for him losing - Manchester United didn't deserve to lose like that.
I love that Jose is a Yorkshire terrier fan. Does not compute.
Monday, May 21, 2007
lobster invasion
My attraction to inappropriate keyrings continues.
After my lovely glass keyring from South Africa met an untimely but completely predictable demise, I had to have this super sparkly number from the V&A Surreal Things exhibition shop. Actually bought two lobsters - one a bright red squeezy plastic toy, which I intend taping to my 'phone's receiver in homage to Dali's 'phone.
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