July 14th – On my return, I needed to call on a pal in Newtown, so I headed up the canal past Ogley Junction. Whilst passing, I noticed a delivery of sectional piling and plant, and wondered if the Canal & River Trust had got it together to stabilise the slipping local embankments.
I guess time will tell…
July 11th – My return via Walsall for some shopping took me up through Yewtree, Delves, Highgate and over Church Hill. Rounding the corner on the cycleway, at the foot of the old, disused steps down to The Ditch (that’s the name of a place, honest), a fantastic display of flowers.
What a splendid ride for a Friday at the end of a very, very hard week.
This one is for Bob. Spotted today just before Brownhills town centre, Mom swan and just five cygnets. I didn’t see any other swans at all until back by Aldridge marina and that was a solitary adult so it looks as though two of the cygnets have been lost. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news Bob
Fear not! This family are, I think, from Pelsall. Yesterday evening I spotted the Catshill brood up by Ogley Junction, and 7 were present in a neat line with mum and dad, presumably heading somewhere to roost.
Cheers for keeping an eye out. The youngsters are now nearly the size of their parents. I’ve been wondering when and how they learn to fly – that must be a thing to witness…
July 10th – Mission complete. It’s been a hard few days working on a rush job, and I finally handed it on now, and the crisis has passed. I returned home via Stonnall in the late evening light, almost too tired to cycle up Shire Oak Hill.
Cresting this hill – always, always hard work from any direction – is a personal nemesis and when tired, it’s punishing. But once at the top, it’s pretty much a freewheel downhill to food, rest, a good cup of tea and the welcome of family.
It’s over, for now. A great relief.
July 7th – New Street, New… wet feet. 8am on a Monday morning, and water trickles through the ceiling and onto the floor of the new concourse. For a supposedly refurbished building, there aren’t half a lot of faults with the new New Street Station. The seems to be a permanent array of leaks, this one at the top of the escalator to Platform 7. Several others were in evidence.
What’s most worrying is that it hasn’t rained for a couple of days…
I wouldn’t pay ‘em in tap washers.
July 5th – I popped into Aldridge, and spotted this job ad that I don’t think I can refuse.
Kids today, eh?
June 30th – I guess we’re halfway through the year now, and in high summer. It certainly seemed like it as I cycled home along the canal this evening – the greenery, the light, the still, clear water. The peace.
It also occurred to me that after 6 moths of opening out, we’re now closing in again, but summer will hopefully be around for another 10 weeks or so yet.
It doesn’t seem ten minutes ago since I was wrapping up warm and wondering if I needed to change to winter tyres.
Where has this year gone?
June 28th – At Waitrose in Lichfield, an intriguing shopping list left on the clipboard of a discarded trolley. ‘Dr. P (Doctor Pepper, I assume), Cream Soda, Flake, Bounty, Marathon, D/eck (Double Decker?).
That’s a wicked chocolate and pop binge, or one hyperactive children’s party.
All these years, and Ye Olde City still can’t bring itself to think of Snickers either…
June 28th – I was in Lichfield on an errand. There was a parade of the Mercian regiment, which saw old soldiers and the public turn out in droves.
Later, there was drinking and high jinks including these two speeding characters.
I hope I’ve as much oil in my lamp at their age. Terrific fun.
June 25th – One the way to work today in Telford, I passed, as I usually do, a tall beech hedge. My attention was snagged by the bright, crisp red-green new growth, and the intensely geometric nature of these gorgeous leaves.
Each leaf different, but similar. Macro, and fascinating. Never really studied them before, but these were remarkable.
Funny the things you sometimes see afresh by chance.
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