Month: May 2020

Last clap for carers?

A little London lockdown 29.5.20

We clapped for carers last night, perhaps for the last time. Though I have a suspicion we’ll be out rattlin’ those pots and pans again before we’re done with this damn virus.
The picture you see was taken outside the Catholic care home at the end of the street.
I’m no Christian but this is a beautifully run place and we always look forward to their Christmas and summer fund raising fetes.
The daughter volunteered there for a while, dishing out dinners to the old and frail.
When I irritate the daughter, she threatens to have me incarcerated there. Who knows could happen, but not yet please.
Lockdown restriction are being slowly lifted, we can now meet up to six friends or family members in parks and private gardens.
My friend Simon will get to see his new grandson Frankie. Lovely.
Went to see Alfie and the boys at Convent Garden market to pick up the fruit and veg for the week.
The strawberries are spectacular. Mrs Preen set fair to make strawberry jam.
Strawberries mean Wimbledon and summer means cricket and the Chelsea Flower Show, but not this year.
So many activities that are part of the London summer scene are nowhere to be seen.
The weather continues to be spectacular. No rain, but after the UK nearly sank beneath the waves in one of the wettest ever Autumns, I’m good with that.
Yeah you’re right, that is Rusty. Rubbish at social distancing.

Thames path to Putney

A Little London Lockdown 25.5.20

I took the bike to Putney along the Thames path.
Just started using the Strava app, thanks to Gyuri.
23K 1 hour 50 mins
Lots of toddlers and families about so low speed.
It’s not a clear run to Putney, you have to get off at certain points and use the road, but it was a beautiful day (26c). Sun, sun, sun.
It felt a bit like the High Line in NY, but somehow lower.
Lots of little gardens along the way.
On the road near Albert Bridge I saw a young couple riding a Vespa
And I thought…
It’s a beautiful sunny bank holiday, you’re young, you own a Vespa and you’ve got your bird on the back.
Does life get sweeter?

Michael Caine owns a flat in that building. Not many people know that. Well he used to, we did and interview with him there in 1999.

Battersea Powerstation. Who’s going to buy all these flats?

Covent Garden

Lockdown Lowdown 23.5.20

SPAD Dominic Cummings in big trouble for breaking lockdown.
Toy MPs piling in on his behalf, presumably told to do so by No10.
Wonder if it’s worth burning so much political capital on him, just a day after screeching U-turn by PM on NHS staff having to pay for their care.
Beautiful bank holiday weekend.
C-19 infections way down in London.
Lockdown seems to be breaking down, hope this doesn’t mean a second spike.
Roads in our neighbourhood being closed to through traffic.
Very happy about this, but let’s see how it works out.
Yesterday changed an inner tube on my bike. #quietlyproud. Haven’t done that since I was 15, don’t think we had YouTube videos then.
Helped pack up the firm’s offices in Holborn.
Homeworker bee from now on.

Took another 8am Saturday morning trundle. This time to Covent Garden.

Doesn’t look much does it? But in the 80s this was the Zanzibar Club where a bunch of us fools had more fun than was strictly necessary.

Shuttered Soho

Lockdown Lowdown 16.5.20

Took the bike and trundled up to Soho at 8am this morning to see if it still existed. It’s been my preferred place to have fun for more than forty years. Plenty of nothing going on now.