The Past



The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.

L. P. Hartley   1895-1972 

Wednesday 22 April 2009

Senior Screen

Wednesday and another visit to the Odeon Senior Screen.

This time to see lots of naked romps in a film called The Reader with Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes and really good and enjoyable story to.

Michael, a young law student and Hanna a tram conductress  embark on a secret affair, only for Hanna to disappear. Years later, she appears as a defendant in a Nazi war crime trial and a secret is uncovered that will impact on their lives forever.

Go see !!

Sunday 19 April 2009

Monochrome Monday - 20th April


Monochrome Monday is a 1940's postcard from Italy.

Catania -Quattro Canti e Via A. di Sangiuliano. 


For more 1940's postcards of Italy see one of my other Blogs - Pictures of Italy at http://petrus-buenasera.blogspot.com 

How's that for advertising ?

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Saturday 18 April 2009

Spring Time !!


Yes it's Spring Time in England - at last ....



All the usual gaudy flowers in bloom - tulips and grape hyacinths .


Primula and primroses adding some colour to the garden .



It's a busy time of the year for gardeners.

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Tuesday 14 April 2009

ABC Wednesday - M for Manchester



M is for Manchester - England's second city ( not everyone might agree on that ! )

Here in the centre next to the Town Hall stands a statue of Prince Albert the husband of Queen Victoria. the canopy surrounding the statue is starting to go green and looks like it needs a clean.

The name of the square is of course - Albert Square ... and looking rather quiet as the picture was taken Christmas Day !

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Sunday 12 April 2009

Monochrome Monday - 13th April


Another Monochrome Monday and for a change not another photo of my distant relatives ..

Not sure who this fellow is .. or is it a lady ?  Perhaps Charlie Chaplin ? 


You'll find him or her in the Municipal Park at Elche - now I'm sure I can see a moustache !!

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Friday 10 April 2009

Beamish - Pit Head Railway


Another picture from Beamish the open air working museum near Durham.


Here we have reproduced a typical pit head yard with locomotives and track.

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Wednesday 8 April 2009

Beatrix Potter


I'm searching my collection of photographs for something decent to show - an here's one from a show - the Southport Show - taken a few years ago

Beatrix Potter at this very famous garden show which attracts people from all over the country - so get out there in your garden  this Easter Weekend and garden, garden, garden !!

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Tuesday 7 April 2009

ABC Wednesday - L is for London


L is for London and I guess G is for Gherkin  - here's the skyline of the City of London with the famous " Gherkin" building - a somewhat distinctive sight ..


Officially 30 St.Mary Axe in the City of London the 591 foot high building was designed by Lord Foster and completed in December 2003.

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The one to watch ..


Manchester United F. C. have a new star in the making - 17 year old Italian Federico Macheda known as Kiko.

Born in Rome in 1991 he began his football with Lazio and only moved to United because Italian regulations do not allow clubs to sign under 18's as professionals.

Sunday saw him score the winning goal in a 3-2 win over Aston Villa - a really important game which helped the club stay top of the Premier League.

So watch this space ...... !!!

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Monday 6 April 2009

Allotment 3



Another morning spent at the allotment - it's now starting to take shape - shallots planted already. Below is a picture of our latest handy work - built a retaining wall with old pavement slabs.

I thought all this gardening work would help me lose some weight - it did the first week but I'm afraid the weight loss has gone back on.

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Wednesday 1 April 2009

April 1st - an action day


April 1st saw us not only attending the Senior Screen Cinema but eating at Frankie and Benny's - a UK chain of New York Italian Restaurants - American/British 1950's style.

Very nice meal BUT they do not take cash - only cards - to us oldies this seems very strange . No doubt some Marketing expert decided that this was the way forward.

The film was by the way A Bunch of Amateurs with Burt Reynolds playing a faded film star who gets tricked into playing King Lear in an amateur production in Suffolk, England.

A very funny film -   Imelda Staunton,Derek Jacobi and Samantha Bond co-starred .

Worth watching.

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Penguins - move your cursor and take them for a walk !!

Say it as it is ......


Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land amongst the stars.

Look around !!!

What is this life, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare?


W. H. Davies  1870-1940