i should imagine that italian social workers will take a dim view of this kind of informal fostering arrangement

on their way to the fancy dress ball

proof, if it were needed, that the romans introduced cricket to the ancient britons

the self-appointed chairman of the jockey club

if you have tears to shed ...

just cos its amazing

when we close our eyes

bernini's "four fountains" in piazza navona ... with that crocodile drain, the fountain seems nicely allegorical of time's flow and renewal

ourselves when younger

oh, my aching feet !

the worst bit is coming down all those stairs from the cupola of saint peter's

we're flouncing off for a bit of spiritual edification in rome ...

and if we play our cards right ... i may come back with the franchise for the purveyance of papal indulgences in battersea and nine elms

"english, as she is spoken" ... katherine whitehorn broadcasting last weekend ... gratuitous picture of the lady when younger

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00hlsps/A_Point_of_View_20_02_2009/

the green man, sutton benger church, wiltshire

hardenhuish church, wiltshire, and the tomb of david ricardo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Ricardo

east beach cafe at littlehampton ...

... and it's view

sir robert clayton, dame martha clayton, and their baby at bletchingley in surrey

Here rests what was Mortal of Sr. ROBERT CLAYTON Kt. in the year MDCLXXX Lord Mayor and at his death Alderman and Father of the CITY of LONDON and near XXX years one of its Representatives in Parliament.By the Justest Methods & Skill in Business He acquir'd an Ample Fortune, which He appli'd to the Noblest purposes, & more than once ventur'd it all for His Country. He fix't the Seat of his Family at Marden, where he hath left a Remarkable instance of the politeness of his Genius, and how far Nature may be improved by Art. His Relations, his Friends, the Hospital of St Thomas in Southwark (of which he was the President) Christ Church Hospital & the Workhouse of London, were large shares of his bounty. He liv'd in the Communion of the Church of England & in perfect Charity with all Good men however divided amoung themselves in opinion The Welfare of his Country was the only Aim of his Publick actions and in all the various Efforts that were made in his time for preserving it's Constitution, He bore a great share & acted therein with a Constancy of Mind which no prospect of danger could ever shake.It's but Just the Memory of so Good and so Great a Man should be transmited to after age, since in all the private and Publick transactions of his life He hath left so Bright a pattern to imitate but hardly to be outdone.He was born at Bulwick in Northampton, Shire the XXIX day of September Ano: Dom: MDCXXIX and died at Marden the XVI day of July MDCCVII.Gulielmus Clayton Nepos et Haeres>D-D< href="http://emotionalblackmailers.blogspot.com/2006/09/sir-thomas-clayton-behind-saint-thomas.html">http://emotionalblackmailers.blogspot.com/2006/09/sir-thomas-clayton-behind-saint-thomas.html

... their only child died very young

post valentine's confession

i was too tight-fisted to buy a valentine's card so i had to get up early on saturday and re-cycle an image i'd painted for her some years ago when we lived in brighton

job done

early to rise on clapham common

from one kind of heraldry in royal tunbridge wells to ...

... another kind of heraldry in the wandsworth road

a life of luxury

looking across the flooded meadows of the river arun from stopham towards hardham

stopham bridge ... a lot of water has

leaves of frost form on an old sleeper as the flood recedes

a mossy roof by stopham bridge

trotton bridge

what a come back

the bbc radio five live sports presenter just announced that "blake" would be singing jerusalem before the start of this afternoon's rugby match at twickenham

shakespeare's seventy-third sonnet

That time of year thou may’st in me behold




When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang




Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,




Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.



















In me thou see'st the twilight of such day




As after sunset fadeth in the west;




Which by and by black night doth take away,




Death's second self, that seals up all in rest.

In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire,



That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,



As the death-bed, whereon it must expire,



Consumed with that which it was nourish'd by.

This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong,


To love that well, which thou must leave ere long.

who could resist ...