See you on the flip side

 From the bus window on my way to Tate Britain… again, the goodbye tour. Probably goodbye for the rest of my life so I made the most of it. I spent about five hours , taking my time to examine art.  My idea of the very best way to spend a day.

I get all goosebumpy approaching the Tate from the bridge, the sort of excitement one feels when going home , if “home” is the best place on earth! There are a few Blake’s in a room next to an artist inspired by Blake- compare and contrast sort of set up. Really, they are not at all comparable. Can’t beat Blake! 

So much fabulous art, you will just have to take a trip yourself to see it up close…you can almost smell the paint…intoxicating.

I walked across the bridge, sun still shining. Miraculously flowers are still doing well . 

Back before dark , I went in to a few charity shops , I got a couple of little things for Flora. The shop nearest me has just undergone a face lift, it has become fancy , unaffordable and unfun. And white!

Tomorrow I may go out around the neighborhood but not make a day of it. Must get the flat cleaned , it already is but must make sure there is absolutely nothing left undone. 

I have consumed too many sausages and too many packets of biscuits. England is kicking me out for being greedy. Real World Goodness. Two sleeps at Heathrow and then , in an instant, will be back to raccoons, deer and the city of subdued excitement. I have ideas, though. Must set up studio space and get on with it. Creativity has been on hold in this tiny dangerous flat- so much for plans. Expectations , plans, goals, lead to disappointment. Sometimes we are under the illusion that we run our own show. The gods laugh , trip us up just to get their jollies. This particular one is giving you all the New York City salute.

Here are some pleasing sculptures to gaze upon . Making your eyes happy!

Snow, Brixton, goodbye

 By the time I got to Brixton, the rain had turned to snow. Wimpy snow but snow just the same. I went to Brixton to see about my phone . The EE SIM card wants a top up but I am only here for four more days. The human told me to top up enough to get by, enough to call a cab  when I depart. But I still have four pounds thirty on the card. That should do it. Taking  a chance. 

Besides I needed to go say goodbye , have a farewell look around, and talk to some friendly folks. Brixton village has changed since I got here, many shops have moved out, many are in the process. It’s pretty sad. But here are the last dregs of color and whimsy , to leave us smiling as we go. To remember Brixton in a great moment.

“Super cute , no one loves you, Lala”. 

What is “ virgin  Hair”? 

Theresa May, as Home Secretary, decided to make a “ hostile environment” for the Windrush  generation and their off spring. Just another reason to loathe creepy Theresa, a genuine Trump move from her tiny mind. Brixton , mostly Jamaican, suffers from that white cruelty, having established a vital community , only to have it taken away, gentrified , whitened. Some deported back to Jamaica, a land two generations away, a land they have never known.  Much like trump and his ignorance re: Mexicans. 

Anyway, another reason to feel sad, in case you are running out of  reasons to feel sad….pretty sure there is no shortage. 

A new charity shop has opened there. Fresh paint, nicely organized, well lit. I fancied three coats , but one was 160.00 pounds, one was 85.00, and the other was 56.00 .  So it goes .

The end. 

Came back to the hole, cup of tea , Hot water bottle, another episode of “ The Repair Shop”, and  that’s it.

That was my farewell to Brixton, rather , Brixton’s farewell to us all, Damn, I hate goodbyes! 

Love London town too much

 This was spectacular when it was working. Aquatic horologist clock , built to work in the early eighties but has not functioned for many years now. There was a water tank on the roof that , on the hour, tipped into the bucket things , which tipped onto a series of bells and chimes to mark the hour. The six figures of gardeners spilled their watering cans in a trough that held plastic flowers on floats ,so that the water level would make the flowers appear to grow. The gardener on the left would spin out facing the street to dump water on anyone below. 

Neal’s yard , Covent garden, that whole area is inspiring, textures and color- just cool! My attachment and love for London just increases every waking moment. Sorry my mini iPad’s photos are so poor, but they may give you an idea of how utterly amazing this city is. Multicultural is probably the best part- it is only 53% white. Bellingham is so white it looks like a perpetual snow storm,bland. I will miss diversity .i will miss everything. A woman on the bus who has lived here for eight years , originally from L A , said she would never go back. She also said that if I could come up with a viable business could park it here…not so sure that was fact. It entertained me to think about though.

From the bus” mind your head” Dulwich library- y’all know how dangerous libraries can be, particularly if the masses are difficult to control when they get ideas! 

What I will miss most is the excellent quality of the old … this ,for instance, the everyday vendor’s booths in the apple market. Beautiful.

It’s been a treat❤️. When I lived in south London in my youth, I did not even have enough money to bus anywhere. Occasionally would sneak on to  the tube, never got caught…otherwise I would have likely been kicked out of the country forever. Crazy youth. 

I am so lucky to have been able to revisit several times with enough cash to take the bus wherever I want. Cash is a wonderful thing, folks! On Friday this week , the day before Heathrow, Cara and Jason and baby O, will be here for two weeks. I hope to see them at least for one day ! Timing is everything ,isn’t it. flora likes her new baby cousin, Olivia. Flora s also prepping for her little brother… finally a boy baby,  to be born in early spring. There is much to look forward to, I suppose. I just wish I could look forward from London…

Too many photos, a splendid day

The horrid weather sat me right down. I slept for a day, discouraging  the achy  threat of  a cold or something sneaking up on me. Today, however, all is well , fit as a fiddle , they say. Weather cooperated, not a drop of rain, temperature was also mild. I went for a walk and a bus  ride into town.

I was mostly curious about a pop-up shop in Covent garden- vintage clothes sold by the kilo. Nothing there for me , though I did fondle a red leather jacket, soft and worn, I could use the leather for making another thing, but I slapped my hand away, and left.

 Covent garden is delightful especially when the Christmas or summer crowds have gone elsewhere. Today was perfect. I have made a friend who works in Pollocks toy shop. We exchanged information, she sang for me which I recorded on my phone, lovely woman! There were things I wanted to buy, but did not, because  I haven’t even got an inch to spare in my bag. 

The hoards have dispersed, it is nice to go into the city center again, just in time for me to fly out of here. Dang! Anyway , nice walk around. Passed by a vintage clothing shop, I did not go in ,it was just too tempting! As you can see by the stylish mannequins in the window. 

Fatal attraction! 

If you are female and you are out and about , you take note of every available public loo. Since I was close enough to the crypt I walked there, used the loo and checked out what may be offered for lunch. Some sort of noodle stuff and the usual meat pies. Instead I went to the sausage cart sat on a stone ledge and ate with the pigeons. They are an interesting group. I tossed most of the bun to them, as you do, but they played a game of peck, chase and toss the bits -“football bun.” There were no winners,  there were no losers, either. Just a fun  game. Until a little boy ran into the middle of their skirmish-game over they had to ,once again, take pigeoning seriously , flap about frantically and act frightened , to the delight of the growling child. 

The sky was beginning to darken so I caught the bus to head on back to the hole.

From the bus window , quick shots passing by, I especially love the barber shop guy with his apron “ old lives matter”. 

I got off at goose green and took a different side street back to hole. This is a nice little neighborhood.i will miss it,, you know…

A very good day, I must say. Thank you sky, and thank you blogsters , my people, for coming along with me. Now a cup of tea and some brandy filled chocolates, boots off, and something about trains  on television . Love ❤️