Frank Whipple

Walking back from the footy yesterday (4 wins out of 4!) I saw this in a small park near Bethnal Green station (not far from where my girl lives!). My first thougth was that it was put together by a gardner who, on the point of retirement, decided to leave his mark in bloom. I looked up the name when I got back and the only famous Frank Whipple (to be honest I was surprised there was even one) is an artist who specialises in painting nuns with big whimples. Seems as though the subject inspiration came from his name. The pictures remind me Beryl Cook stuff: vaguely amusing but pretty simplistic when you get down to the detail. Maybe, I thought, the shape beneath the name in the plants is supposed to be a whimple. Then I cam across this article and it shows that the Frank Whipple is in fact much more worthy of note. He's a 101 year old who still cares for his disabled daughter. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/house-and-home/gardening/whos-frank-an-east-london-community-project-is-making-a-horticultural-hullabaloo-of-unsung-heroes-1727734.html

I used to get my students to collect oral histories (based on the premise that 'with every old man that dies a library burns') as a way of acknowledging the importance of ordinary people in history. This is an even better way of celebrating the contributions of real people.

Spurs V Doncaster

Spurs prove this whole 'strength in depth' thing everyone is talking about.

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start of a conspiracy

I don't know if you saw West Sham V Spurs today. The Irons went one-nil up thanks to a very good goal from Carlton Cole. Seems that he immediately regretted it as he put the ball (the wrong way) through to Jermain Defoe who scored Spurs' equalizer. Everyone makes mistakes you might say but look at this:

Carlton Cole is keen to be given the opportunity to forge a successful strike partnership with Jermain Defoe for England. The West Ham striker produced an outstanding 45-minute display when he stepped off the bench in the recent friendly against Holland as the Three Lions hit back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2. Defoe bagged both goals for England, but it was Cole's excellent all-round contribution and his link-up play with the Spurs striker which caught the eye.
(Original article from yesterday here: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11685_5508488,00.html)

It was truly defense splitting pass, the like of which we rarely manage. Maybe Cole thinks he won't get back in the England squad unless he shows how well he can play with Defoe. A watching Fabio Capello must have been impressed. I think.

Camping in Wales

Spent a few days in Wales with the boy. Highlight for me was the mini 'survival' afternoon. Weird, beardy bloke made us eat mushrooms and grass then got us to build a shelter. I was very proud of this even though the building was done mostly by the boy as I found myself collecting and foraging. Photo doesn't really do it justice- I reckon it would have kept most of the rain off us.

The problem was the midges. This is my arms. That wasn't the worst place they bit me either.Another highlight was the slate slag heaps and the slate mine. Seeing how those blokes worked was salutary to say the least. We are top of the league!

we are top of the league!

Warning: overuse of exclamation marks may follow!!

Leapfrogging Arsenal!
Beating Hammers on their patch in their cup final!
3 wins out of 3!
Come from behind!
Defoe and Lennon on fire!
5 goals away from home on Wednesday!
Beat Liverpool first game!

So it won't last but I needed to get my gloating off my chest. This is literally the best start Spurs have had in my life! Last time we won three on the trot at start of season was 1960!

Photo

This is the sort of thing you can do with a bit of time on your hands and a Traveler DV5000 camera- 6o quid from Aldi. When I think that I spent 600 quid on a breezeblock camera that needed loads of pricey tapes not so long ago it amazes me (and makes me want to cry). This is done with the two in one option- no photoshop, just line it up and click. Working out positions and keeping camera still are simultaneously biggest problem and half the fun. On the one hand I am pleased with the creativity and effect. On the other I am concerned that this sort of thing makes me a real nerd.

summer holiday

Despite promising myself a relaxing time I seem to have spent about 3 minutes actually relaxing since last week of July when I finished work. So far I/we have:

• Helped best mate move house
• camped in Essex for 3 days (I know, don't ask)
• Been to Wembley twice and seen four footy matches. One was OKish.
• decorated bathroom
• cleaned out cellar
• decorated bedroom
• moved stuff around a lot
• not hoovered
• thought about hoovering a lot
• been to London 3 times
• driving to Europe tomorrow
• done loads of other stuff too but my brain

Anyway, have a good summer. I'm so tired, work may actually come as a reflief.