tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38184297769222004562012-02-19T12:39:24.573-07:00When to the sessions of sweet silent thought I summon up remembrance of things past... Sonnet 30jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comBlogger4001100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-3073697671992274602012-02-19T09:58:00.000-07:002012-02-19T10:22:26.887-07:00

Trafalgar Square, with the Neslon Column monument in the background. Horatio Neslon is Britain's most famous naval hero, killed in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The British Royal Navy took on the combined fleets of the French Navy and the Spanish Navy. 27 British ships against 33 French and Spanish ships. Ships lost: France & Spain - 22, Britain - 0. Unbelievable. Coincidentally, the

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-32696943684671328612012-02-19T09:57:00.004-07:002012-02-19T11:37:02.666-07:00

So begins the letter of confirmation from the owner of the Istanbul hotel that we just booked for a three night stay, starting February 25th. The hotel was recommended by Jay, the Turkish exchange student who lived with us in 2000, and now lives in Istanbul, his home town. And he knows the people at this hotel. It looks like a great boutique hotel, in the old part of the city, close to

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-5511728224196571442012-02-18T16:11:00.000-07:002012-02-18T16:11:57.871-07:00

It's a two-iPad, two-iPhone, two-laptop night. 

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-52494136531895380102012-02-18T12:10:00.000-07:002012-02-18T14:51:04.067-07:00

Gloomy charm. That's how Wikipedia described this pub. Robin, Lynn, and I agree. We've never found gloom so charming. It's assumed that Samuel Johnson must have frequented Cheshire Cheese, since it's just a minute or two walk away. There's a restaurant room across the hall from the bar, but it's slower so we ordered food and ciders from the bar. The food was delicious (Cottage Pie and two Steak

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-61952248870645071492012-02-18T09:41:00.000-07:002012-02-18T16:32:06.338-07:00

Samuel Johnson wrote A Dictionary of the English Language (published in 1755). He was "arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history." Among his many literary accomplishments, he wrote an influential annotated edition of Shakespeare's plays. He had six scribes working for him. He thought it would take three years. It took nine years. Two of the scribes died before it was

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-50616606888802132852012-02-17T16:40:00.002-07:002012-02-17T16:41:22.300-07:00

Our Thursday outing in London (galleries, Dr. Johnson's house, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese) required a lot of walking, but fortunately we'd planned the day so that everything was within a reasonable distance. The walk gave us a chance to see some street sights that we would miss in the Underground. On the walk from the Saatchi Gallery to the National Portrait Gallery we passed Buckingham Palace.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-84461619534518324962012-02-17T13:55:00.004-07:002012-02-17T13:55:58.811-07:00

Most of yesterday's plans ended up on the "done" list, but not all. When we arrived at the National Portrait Gallery for the Lucian Freud painting exhibit, around 3:00 pm, we discovered they were selling tickets for a 5:00 entrance time. Because we had plans to go to Samuel Johnson's house at 3:30, then meet friend Lynn at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese at 5:30, we had to postpone the Freud visit. But

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-64100035830822081092012-02-15T11:27:00.000-07:002012-02-15T11:27:44.404-07:00

February 25-28.  Stay tuned...

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-2883558148019661022012-02-14T13:51:00.001-07:002012-02-14T16:27:40.574-07:00

Robin's class was rescheduled from Wednesday to today, to accommodate some student scheduling issues, including a make-up class session for one of the students. While Robin taught classes, I found a quiet spot, did some writing for a couple of hours, then joined her class for the last hour or so. Robin uses one of the library computers after class to look up some Shakespeare books she needs

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-20960107204984240402012-02-13T09:01:00.001-07:002012-02-13T13:41:55.857-07:00

Monday Morning Moon Meeting. It's a confusing title, I know, but alliteration in headlines makes you look smarter. Or is that not working? Maybe not. In any case, we met Jon Moon for coffee at Costas coffee shop in Uxbridge's town centre. Jon is a consultant, an author, and a leading authority on document clarity and impact. His book, titled How to make an impact, is a regular in Amazon's top

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-45825962602883026502012-02-12T13:58:00.003-07:002012-02-12T13:58:49.863-07:00

OK, I'm getting wild and crazy now: white chalk on black paper.  At the end of the day we all took our drawings into another room, taped them to a wall, and held a brief exhibit. I can now say that I've studied Shakespeare and exhibited at the Battersea Art Centre, in London. I'm officially big-time. This is either a cute, young London artist, or Hollywood Casting planted her here to

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-53326078336162863352012-02-12T13:21:00.002-07:002012-02-12T13:29:39.247-07:00

There were two rooms to sketch in. The smaller room had a couple of models in it. The larger room had at least a dozen models posing all at once. Later in the day more models showed up and joined in. I stayed in the large room since there was more than I could draw anyway. The variety of styles being used during the day-long sketch session was amazing. The photos below show some of the

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-3407620054669465412012-02-12T11:39:00.000-07:002012-02-12T13:05:13.803-07:00

The Battersea Floor. Sounds like an epic poem, doest it? It's actually just the floor of the Battersea Art Centre building. While I sketched upstairs, Robin was in the Battersea Art Centre lobby studying and reading. She noticed some very cool mosaic work on the lobby floor and shot these photos. Mosaic bees were scattered about the floor. Robin asked a young man sitting behind the

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-47218208857805174862012-02-11T16:42:00.001-07:002012-02-12T04:06:20.559-07:00

A long, tiring day started with an early morning hike to the Tube station in 14° weather. That wasn't as bad as the hour long tube ride in an unheated train. Some trains were "faulty" and some closed for scheduled weekend engineer maintenance, so the trip took longer than it should have, and we had to change trains a couple of times due to the closures. By the time we got to the Battersea Art

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-48036410323674701922012-02-10T15:35:00.001-07:002012-02-10T15:35:15.475-07:00

A quick sketch of Robin working, to warm up for tomorrow's "drawing theatre," using the charcoal sticks I bought this afternoon.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-1075162496137913942012-02-10T12:32:00.000-07:002012-02-10T12:44:53.926-07:00

Haven't left the flat for the past two days, except to go out this afternoon to an art supply store and buy a new sketchbook and some charcoal for tomorrow's drawing session with London Drawing at the BAC (Battersea Art Centre), on the south side of the Thames. This morning Robin held a three-hour Shakespeare tutorial session in our flat for Wally & Maria. Just sitting nearby and listening,

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-33731028427972767112012-02-08T15:32:00.000-07:002012-02-08T15:32:37.026-07:00

We went to the Brunel campus early today for Robin to give a Mary Sidney presentation to a class in the Shakespearean Authorship MA program. She made some minor changes to the presentation since I last saw it, and it was great, as usual.   If you haven't seen one of her Mary Sidney presentations, she's been asked to present at the Esther Bone Library in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, on Thursday

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-58675108853468294772012-02-07T09:50:00.000-07:002012-02-07T10:12:31.056-07:00

Crazy Horse Paris doesn't allow photos, so from memory I've reconstructed the event.  As a Brit artist once said to me as he was drawing, "I think I've captured something here!" Or maybe you had to be there.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-57902270103983809822012-02-07T06:55:00.001-07:002012-02-07T06:55:29.930-07:00

There are lots of security cameras in the Tube stations.  Hmmm, suspicious looking character on the far left screen. Never mind... just some American taking a photo of himself on the security screen.  The Metropolitan line is gradually putting new train cars into service. They're roomier, cleaner, quieter, and smoother. All of the cars are connected and you can walk all the way

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-17046614992552422142012-02-06T14:38:00.001-07:002012-02-06T14:38:05.037-07:00

The Sunday morning view from our Paris apartment, with a light dusting of snow.  Every night and every morning there was an amazing amount of street noise. Even though we were on the 7th floor, voices and footsteps below sounded like they were right outside the sliding glass balcony door. But Sunday morning it was surprising how quiet it was, and how few people and cars were out and about.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-58488423117161629722012-02-05T16:30:00.001-07:002012-02-05T16:30:29.792-07:00

After a 30 minute walk in frigid 16 degree weather to the train station, we had several hours to do something with, so we went across the street for some toast and coffee, and to just get out of the cold. When we returned to the train station, we realized something... there's no heat in Gare du freakin' Nord, other than an occasional space heater that passengers are gathered around like homeless

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-7947403254019700582012-02-05T03:55:00.002-07:002012-02-05T03:55:35.653-07:00

Woke up this morning with snow falling. It stopped snowing around late morning so we're going to walk to the train station, as soon as the landlord comes by to check us out of the apartment. Robin on the Montmartre steps. The other guy is photographing art on the wall. Looking at menus. Historical marker. Robin likes mosaic art. One of the stores on Pigalle, the naughty

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-86876055104575141082012-02-05T03:44:00.001-07:002012-02-05T03:56:27.790-07:00

The Metro entrance nearest our apartment. Love the Metro signage. A newer terminal. The Musée Montmartre. Not open while we were here. But a cool street to walk along. If you don't take the funicular, you get to use the steps. At moments like this, we're glad we're young. Still loving the signage. lf it hadn't been so cold, I would love to have waited around to

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-90392644126895413582012-02-05T03:27:00.003-07:002012-02-05T03:27:40.324-07:00

Art along a long set of steps going up the hill to Place du Tertre, shown below. Not many artists here in the winter. When spring and summer get here, this place is seething with artists. An interesting mosaic in the Metro. One of the cafes that surround Place du Tertre. In warmer weather there would be an accordion player in this photo. Eiffel Tower from the edge of Place

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-17216610056091135602012-02-04T15:30:00.003-07:002012-02-04T15:30:46.017-07:00

Got a late start today. Felt great. Musée d'Orsay, and its great great collection of Impressionists paintings is on today's list. Stopped on the way to the Metro for lunch at the Hope Cafe (not the one in Hope, Arkansas... the one in the Montmartre arrondissement of Paris).  The Hope Cafe. I had a hamburger. Very very good. Maybe just a half-notch below Santa Fe's famous Bobcat Bite. I hope

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-142212596482328072012-02-04T14:45:00.001-07:002012-02-04T14:46:25.579-07:00

After Friday's visit to the Cézanne exhibit, we walked to the Louvre Museum. Not to go to the Louvre, but to find the Apple Store that's supposed to be nearby.  As long as we're at the Louvre, we might as well go in the gift shop since I'm looking for another sketchpad. This place is amazing even if you don't buy a ticket to go in. Just enter thru the glass pyramid and wander around the

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-48946615354805687672012-02-04T13:53:00.000-07:002012-02-04T13:53:51.566-07:00

Two Americans at an undisclosed location. The view above is outside of Chez Fancis where dinner was included as part of our Crazy Horse show tickets. The dinner was pretty darn awesome.  The food was as good as the ambience. Chez Francis. The Metro entrance is just a few steps away. Crazy Horse is a couple of doors down the sidewalk. The view from Chez Francis. Smoked

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-71757767621762917222012-02-03T10:36:00.001-07:002012-02-03T11:05:35.331-07:00

After the Cezanne exhibit, Robin and I made our way over to the Cafe de Flore, one of the most famous cafes in Paris since the 1800s. As we enjoyed our quiches, wine, and hot tea, I recognized someone a couple of tables away having lunch with a couple of women. A Hollywood movie/TV star. I was going to post his name, then thought "What if he's here on a secret project, what if he's enjoying

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-68007584639227818432012-02-03T10:13:00.003-07:002012-02-03T10:18:32.456-07:00

We set our alarms for 7 a.m. so we could catch the Metro to the part of town where we have tickets to a Cezanne exhibit at 10 a.m. Things were going smoothly until we got to the elevator on our floor (7th floor) and pushed the button. No elevator. We take the stairwell, get down one flight and run into a woman with a small kid and a baby in a heavy stroller coming into the small, circular

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-14045661246566923872012-02-02T14:17:00.000-07:002012-02-02T14:17:02.286-07:00

When we arrived at the Paris train station, Gare du Nord, we followed the directions we'd been given to get to the apartment. The signage in the Paris subway is not nearly as fool-proof as in the London Underground. After taking a couple of wrong turns in the tunnels when we had to change trains, we found our way and ended up in the correct general neighborhood, Montmartre.  We started walking,

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-71850107506924962042012-02-02T08:14:00.001-07:002012-02-02T08:14:14.406-07:00

College pals. Continued speedy recoveries to you, from Montmartre.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-61796603569797133602012-02-02T07:48:00.001-07:002012-02-02T07:48:44.129-07:00

Having a late afternoon snack in Montmartre.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-25576494795728902132012-01-31T15:41:00.002-07:002012-01-31T15:45:10.527-07:00

I haven't left the flat for two days, trying to recover from a nasty cold in time for the Paris trip on Thursday. Feeling much better, Robin, Maria, and I walked to Uxbridge town centre and met Wally (coming back from spending the day at the Brunel campus) at the Metropolitan for dinner. A special 2-for-1 deal, £6.45. A visitor popped in for a tuna fish snack just before we left. Wally

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-82428768477976172492012-01-31T15:23:00.001-07:002012-01-31T15:23:52.663-07:00

In preparation for our side trip to Paris, I've been researching various sights and museums that we want to see. In addition to the Crazy Horse show and dinner, and the Cézanne exhibit at the Musée du Luxombourg, I've penciled in a tour of the Paris catacombs, the Paris sewer (sure to be a gut-wrenching experience), the Musée d'orsay (formerly a train station), Musée du Montmartre, Musée Rodin,

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-59663553508845355452012-01-29T13:16:00.000-07:002012-01-29T13:16:03.968-07:00

From London, Paris is a 2.5 hour train ride. Reason enough to hop on over there next Thursday, returning Monday. I've never been under the English channel before. Sounds fun. I've made reservations for the Cézanne exhibit at the Musee du Luxombourg, and a dinner/show combination at the Crazy Horse cabaret. From what I understand, Crazy Horse is a wholesome place with lots of good entertainers

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-31626184204615978892012-01-28T14:55:00.000-07:002012-01-28T14:55:15.877-07:00

A pint and a half pint of cider, after a few sips. I'm not a drinker, just an appreciator of pub tradition. It's hard to walk past the Uxbridge station without grabbing one more photo. The lighting fixture design in our flat is what I'd call "Post Modern Alcatraz." I mean that in a good way. Flatmate Maria works on genealogy projects.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-936215043707318932012-01-28T06:28:00.000-07:002012-01-28T06:28:51.265-07:00

I've signed up with The Drawing Theatre (a part of the London Drawing organization) to participate in their first event of 2012: The Drawing Theatre - With Spirited Bodies. They invite "a cast of up to 30 models to create a progressive day-long scene, morphing and moving throughout the day. Prepare to leave your regular life drawing class at the door."  Sounds interesting.  Another quote:

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-66416949895043023862012-01-27T08:55:00.001-07:002012-01-27T08:55:34.582-07:00

A lonely pea was waiting at our table. Not many blogs deliver this kind of photo documentary drama. Yeah, I know, there's a good reason for that. Nachos, or what must pass for nachos around here. I know they're nachos, because the chips are nacho-flavored chips. Brilliant! Robin savors the view of the historic St. Margarets Church across the street.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-69948233122264031512012-01-27T07:16:00.001-07:002012-01-27T08:35:03.361-07:00

Afternoon break at Queens Head pub. Ann Boleyn's head to be specific, which had recently been removed when this pub opened. So sentimental, these Brits. The main difference between the pub then and now: Wi-Fi.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-41072204468659071492012-01-25T15:44:00.002-07:002012-01-25T15:44:39.737-07:00

The walk to Robin's night class on the Brunel campus takes us past this DayCare next to a major road. It's after school hours and a fox wanders nonchalantly through the school yard. Where's Winston when you need him? If you wait too long to trim tree branches from the school yard fence, they're really hard to remove.  Signage in the UK can be confusing. But some symbology is

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-34850483877246302662012-01-25T05:33:00.003-07:002012-01-25T05:38:08.148-07:00

If you want to leave a comment, but don't see a "Post a Comment" text box, it's probably because multiple articles are being displayed on the same page. To make a Comments text box appear, click the headline of the article you're commenting on. The page will refresh to show only that article and a Comments box. Add a comment, then click the "Publish" button below the Comments box. Click the

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-73857939535420230782012-01-24T11:05:00.002-07:002012-01-24T11:22:20.295-07:00

This drizzly morning, flatmate Maria and I took a walk in the rain to catch a bus to a second-hand store to buy four sturdy wooden chairs that will replace the four super-flimsy metal folding chairs that we're currently using. By "using" I actually mean "avoiding-like-the-London-plague." Especially after seeing one fold up in an unintentional way with Wally in it. Delivery is scheduled for Friday

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-62100398669655742982012-01-23T16:41:00.000-07:002012-01-24T11:33:42.209-07:00

I'm at least part Scots-Irish, my birthday is St. Patrick's Day (March 17), and I've never been to Ireland. Ergo, we're having a birthday party on March 17 at Murphy's Bar in Killarney, Ireland.  Robin and I will be staying in a double room, upstairs over the bar, for four nights, from March 15  through March 18, returning to London on the 19th. Family and friends welcome. Strangers

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-68995409656607713512012-01-23T08:18:00.000-07:002012-01-23T08:18:15.504-07:00

Photo taken in December 2011 Pauline Elizabeth Williams. Died January 22, 2012, age 102 Pauline Elizabeth was born on January 5, 1910, in Greenfield, Indiana, to Chauncy and Lula Gardner. In 1921, when Pauline was 12 years old (and a tomboy), her mother and father, two younger sisters, Grandpa Catt, Aunt Cora and Uncle Charley, and three cousins piled into three Model T Fords and made their

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-37636497232910857742012-01-22T14:35:00.002-07:002012-01-22T14:53:20.393-07:00

If you'd like to leave a comment, I've activated that feature. A friend or two thought it would be fun, and I agree. Meanwhile, thanks for any comments that you add.  John Winston The Bloodhound thanks you also. I'll pass along any bloodhound comments to him.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-14923297892198319362012-01-22T12:24:00.002-07:002012-01-22T12:38:26.350-07:00

Oxford friends Lynn, Neal, and Winston The Bloodhound picked us up this morning for a drive to Marlow, a beautiful small town on the Thames River (56.75 miles to London, as the Thames flows). When I asked how far back Marlow goes, Neal said "All the way." That's a long way back. Winston The Bloodhound. Five years old. He was raised as a hunting dog, part of a pack of 21 bloodhounds. Winston

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-53258931549112440362012-01-21T15:21:00.001-07:002012-01-21T15:25:14.228-07:00

When I was in Robin's class, one of the students had a Shakespeare studies book with them. On the cover was a photo of Mark Rylance in a play on the Globe Theatre stage.  Not many guys can wear something this green and still look cool. Respect, bro. If you missed the earlier blog about Mark, check out the January 14 "Jerusalem" article, archived on the  right side of this page. Wally & Maria just

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-20617565906000638552012-01-21T12:40:00.001-07:002012-01-21T13:13:47.084-07:00

Tomorrow morning our friends from Oxford, Lynn and Neal, are picking us up for a Sunday visit. I don't know what's on the agenda, but they're lots of fun, so I'm sure there'll be something blog-worthy and more exciting than today's agenda, which was pretty boring, consisting mostly of Internet researching, tea-making, and crumpet-toasting. A short while ago I switched to wine-sipping and Internet

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-13446927852819205522012-01-20T14:15:00.000-07:002012-01-20T14:15:05.793-07:00

A few pages from the sketchbook.    Paula, a student in Robin's class. Very nice, English, married to a Turk, and speaks Turkish (and English). Robin in class, with lines 9 and 10 from Sonnet 81. But you knew that. I'm supposed to memorize all of Sonnet 81 by the end of the semester. I think I can do that, but not without some Strongbow cider and some extra study sessions at the pub. Boats parked

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-19522165780131676822012-01-20T08:33:00.000-07:002012-01-20T08:33:41.103-07:00

Tap dance class on the 1st floor of a campus building. I know, it looks like the 2nd floor, but here the 1st floor is called the Ground Floor and the 2nd floor is called the 1st floor. Wacky Brits. Computers for students in the Lecture Centre. Notice the type on the glass says "Made in Brunel." Does that mean the glass? The building? The students? The computers? What exactly is made in Brunel.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-53840307482776551382012-01-19T16:26:00.003-07:002012-01-20T04:21:43.521-07:00

Being from Louisiana, I can assure you that Cajuns would love it here. Lots of canals, some people live on their boats, and there's pub access to the canals. On the negative side, I doubt the fishing and alligator hunting is as good as in Louisiana canals, and I didn't see any boat parties or hear any Zydeco music. But just a couple of Cajuns could fix that, I'm sure. To open a lock you use the

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-79246601542525138782012-01-18T06:58:00.002-07:002012-01-18T07:02:37.954-07:00

A daily reminder that we could soon be amongst the living here. Can't wait for that upgrade.  Turn right at the sign, go under the train overpass (behind the sign), and you're headed towards the Uxbridge town centre, a 15 minute walk, give or take a pub or two. The train going over the overpass in the background is the Metropolitan line, judging by the maroon color on the sides of the cars.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-70810361187193905082012-01-17T15:42:00.014-07:002012-01-18T05:28:51.424-07:00

I sat in on one of Robin's classes today. Now I can say I've studied Shakespeare at a London University. In a Shakespeare play (and in Elizabethan society) characters sometimes refer to each other as "you," and at other times as "thee" or "thou." It's not a careless or casual choice, and the choice of words tells us all sorts of things about the characters and their relationship to each other,

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-62175073189227445972012-01-16T14:37:00.002-07:002012-01-17T13:50:20.631-07:00

We took a late afternoon walk into downtown Uxbridge to buy a few things at the Pound Store (everything costs 1 pound). Some things are 3 for 1 pound.  Just a couple of doors down the street is the WHSmith store: office supplies downstairs and a book store upstairs. Also upstairs is the downtown post office (always a line of people there) and money exchange windows for converting currencies. The

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-90547946585247726952012-01-16T07:52:00.003-07:002012-01-16T07:54:28.233-07:00

A great thing about being in the London area is there's an unlimited selection of things to sketch. So I've decided to sketch things that capture the essence of London. Like the chair drawing above.  To quote a British artist I met in Santa Fe (imagine a posh British accent), "I think I've captured something heah (here)." Fine Art Tip: Notice how I've artistically transformed an ordinary chair

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-69517642132998880582012-01-15T14:10:00.003-07:002012-01-15T15:01:39.097-07:00

Both Wally and I are keeping up with the NFL Playoffs.  Wally is a 49ers fan. As of a few minutes ago, I'm a loyal Green Bay Packers fan. In several more hours I might be a loyal New York Giants fan, if they beat the Packers. In searching for an internet connection for watching the games, I subscribed to NFL Audio Pass in order to listen to playoff games. After subscribing, I saw a Game Pass

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-76384248109498692522012-01-14T10:08:00.000-07:002012-01-14T10:08:53.840-07:00

Sometimes the choice of seating on the train is unlimited. Making a train connection at the Baker Street Station sends us deeper underground. The really deep tunnels have escalators. If you have a fear of escalators, you're outta luck. Waiting for the train. Not very exciting. Unless you're from Santa Fe where this kind of fun is very limited. Robin reads while I wait for the train doors to close

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-64692260134154391752012-01-14T07:17:00.001-07:002012-01-14T07:22:54.744-07:00

What a great night. We met Wally and Maria for an early dinner at an Italian restaurant across the street from the Apollo Theatre. After dinner they hiked over to another theater to see Shrek (the musical). Very high praise. As I shot this photo, a young man waiting in line for a Saturday matinee ticket said "Just 19 hours to go!"  Unless I misunderstand, this review puts Rylance above Olivier.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-26910026753407136942012-01-13T04:17:00.001-07:002012-01-13T04:22:51.526-07:00

Why is the play named Jerusalem?  Jerusalem is a hymn based on William Blake’s poem And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time.The hymn serves as an unofficial British National Anthem, similar to the role of America the Beautiful in the USA. The last verse goes like this: Bring me my bow of burning gold:Bring me my arrows of desire:Bring me my spear: O clouds, unfold!Bring me my chariot of fire!I will

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-75413833824814111262012-01-12T15:19:00.002-07:002012-01-13T04:39:57.706-07:00

I don't mean to get Tebow on you here, but: At 5:37 this afternoon Robin checked her email and received a message from her secret source (Theatre Throat) saying a second ticket had become available for Friday night's production of Jerusalem, starring Mark Rylance (Saturday night is the last performance). The email said that Theater Throat had obtained one extra ticket and could hold it until 5:

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-37827065287619458232012-01-11T14:35:00.001-07:002012-01-11T14:44:52.196-07:00

Did you know...? If you click on a blog image, a larger version of the image opens (if there is a larger version). If there are multiple photos in the blog, thumbnail images are shown at the bottom of the window. Click a thumbnail to show that photo full-size, or click the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard to cycle through the images. To returen to the blog page view, click anywhere

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-78975711463332286042012-01-11T14:20:00.000-07:002012-01-11T14:20:49.271-07:00

Waiting for the pedestrian walk light to turn green while a couple of suspicious characters lurk nearby... probably Shakespeare Doubters, who are know to operate in this area. The suspicious characters turn out to be Wally and Maria, our flatmates. And, just as I suspected, they're Shakespeare Doubters. You'll never guess what the conversation was about as we enjoyed lattes at the Brunel campus

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-31625390316703185392012-01-10T12:28:00.003-07:002012-01-10T12:47:51.923-07:00

Rare Uxbridge mug. Robin and I made another trip into Uxbridge for more groceries, stopped at Starbucks and bought this mug. I'm sure you can buy this mug anywhere in the world, but for a coffee mug I love the strong graphic impact. Or maybe Uxbridge is the only place in the world you can get one of these. It's much more inspiring than the usual sunshiny, floral, and butterfly feel-goody designs

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-89893060814782908102012-01-09T16:41:00.002-07:002012-01-09T16:45:57.621-07:00

One of the hardest-to-get theater tickets in London is for the play Jerusalem, starring Mark Rylance. Without naming names of certain nice people, and possibly causing those certain people grief when other desperate friends are looking for tickets, Robin was able to score one "and possibly two" tickets to the Friday night performance. I'll go along, just in case the possible second ticket

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-69922494677175701202012-01-08T16:00:00.002-07:002012-01-08T16:03:02.008-07:00

At about 4 pm we decided to walk into Uxbridge so I could shoot some photos and tryout the new shortcut we found on Google Maps, a little side street, Montague, that runs up the side of The Gardners Arms and cuts at least 10 minutes off the walk to the town center. It was getting dark, but that can be a good thing when it comes to photography. The Gardeners Arms pub. Our shortcut, Montague Road,

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-70997299367652974622012-01-06T14:12:00.000-07:002012-01-06T14:12:04.235-07:00

WMR&Me (Wally, Marie, Robin & Me) decided to try the nearest neighborhood pub, The Gardeners Arms. Inside and out it pretty much looks like 99% of all English pubs. It wasn't crowded and the patrons who were there seemed to be regulars. Of course Robin strikes up a conversation with Frankie, the young blond woman who's with Oscar, a small King Charles Spaniel (also a regular here). And Wally,

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-34608409381600140262012-01-05T10:51:00.003-07:002012-01-06T04:37:05.576-07:00

Sorry for the incomplete article that was posted a day or two ago. I was blogging from a phone app and did something wrong, then lost my connection, then... well, as they say here, things got a bit twitchy. So I've repaired the twitchy stuff. We've been here in London barely 8 hours and I've already got more stuff on my "gotta-do" list than I can do this week. That's partly because we met

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-32593800540127999152012-01-04T17:28:00.001-07:002012-01-04T17:28:53.765-07:00

Wow, who knew Continental Airlines provides art supplies on the Albuquerque to Houston flight. Can't wait for the live nude models on the Houston to Heathrow flight. What?!

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-10972956116804015382012-01-02T10:12:00.001-07:002012-01-02T10:12:29.073-07:00

For a couple more days I'll be wrapping up deadlines, packing a few clothes and lots of digital devices, along with device chargers, adapters, cameras, loading essential software onto a laptop and posting a few test entries to jtchatter.posterous.com and jtchatter.blogspot.com. For the next three months we (Robin & me) will be blogging from London and who knows where else. Certainly we'll report

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-10959698241894107542011-11-26T15:33:00.000-07:002011-11-26T15:33:46.933-07:00

Almost time to dust off the jtchatter blog again and prepare for another London trip in Janu ary. At the moment I'm on a Southwest Airlines flight halfway between Chicago and Albuquerque, pleasantly surprised to learn that the flight has Wi-Fi available. More later. Or soon. Or whenever.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-24980904404635399412011-01-21T16:50:00.003-07:002011-01-21T16:53:55.801-07:00

I didn't have time to sketch as much as I planned to. It's pretty hard to sketch while shooting photos and video and running up or down Tube station stairs. At least I dusted the cobwebs off the sketchbook and tried to remember which hand to draw with.     Always studying.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-76706607380160367342011-01-19T08:10:00.000-07:002011-01-19T21:16:16.946-07:00

Amazingly and surprisingly, one of the movies available on the flight from Heathrow to Houston was the fairly recent release, Inception. A reeeeealy weird mind warping movie. I didn't exactly follow 99% of it, but it was interesting -- something about being able to enter other people's dreams and implant an idea into their sub-conscious, and oh yeah (this is important) you can build anything for

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-17193693063115411902011-01-18T14:13:00.000-07:002011-01-18T14:13:49.519-07:00

...but when a lot of people are standing on the train, due to a lack of available seats, it's downright unbelievable that you'd take up an extra seat just for your McDonald's burger and whatever is in the blue bag. After four or five Tube stops you moved your stuff over closer to you, but that was probably because you saw me taking pictures of you. Oh well, maybe there's a reasonable explanation

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-3785658639417445202011-01-17T10:33:00.000-07:002011-01-17T10:33:16.718-07:00

Always lots of interesting signage everywhere. The photos above and below are of the same building. Robin noticed this sign and said she's never tasted fridy, but it must be good if they're advertising it. A fruit & vegetable stand on Fulham Palace Road, the neighborhood's main street.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-55793070066497379712011-01-17T10:23:00.000-07:002011-01-17T10:23:42.268-07:00

 This is the Twynholm Baptist Church on the corner of the street where our B&B is located. Sign makers must have some sort of Helvetica Special Sale going at all times here. I can understand using Helvetica for generic signage, like for "Post Office," but what's up with using it on churches?  At least it's size is subtle. Oops, no it's not. You know guys, you could have made the name even larger

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-61768471325533051812011-01-17T09:57:00.003-07:002011-01-17T10:03:32.944-07:00

Robin has been searching all office supply stores for over a year now, and no one here has ever heard of plain ol' manilla folders (see above). The only kind you can buy are the kind that have a metal strip for hanging on the metal rods in a filing cabinet. We might take a screen shot like the one above and carry it into an office supply store and see what they say. It'll probably be something

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-26718529401997189512011-01-17T06:14:00.002-07:002011-01-17T06:25:06.342-07:00

Covent Garden is an area of London, and also a specific piazza that's full of special shops, street performers (musicians, magicians, etc.), and cafes. Above, a quintet performs for a patio and balcony audience. These people raise money for charities, visit and entertain at rest homes. Covered with pearl buttons, they're called the Pearly Kings & Queens Society.  The Apple Store at Covent Garden.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-31614119632540152732011-01-15T12:40:00.000-07:002011-01-15T12:40:43.137-07:00

iTubePeople Research Paper #2: people who sat near me on the Tube. For scientific reasons, I'll try to categorize the various species. A Sleeper and a Reader. Three Readers. Although they could also be Studiers. More research needed on these three. Could be a Worrier or a Psycho. Glad I'm not sitting next to him. Three Teenagers. Often seen in packs of three or more, as shown here. Their

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-68264902596902459772011-01-15T12:16:00.000-07:002011-01-15T12:16:41.302-07:00

We cancelled plans to go to Highgate Cemetery and stayed in most of the day to work on our computers. We did take a mid-afternoon break to try a nice little Italian coffee shop just a block from here. Nice place, good coffee. Better coffee than Starbucks. Closer than Starbucks. Not as crowded as Starbucks. We decided to have an early dinner at Southern Belle. This sports pub is just several

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-19089683740012647742011-01-15T08:05:00.000-07:002011-01-15T08:05:14.787-07:00

These two showed up outside our window minutes after a cat wandered through the small backyard area. They stayed a few minutes and then left.  Is it just me, or do they look like they're planning something mischievous?

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-51396854818049666882011-01-14T16:22:00.000-07:002011-01-14T16:22:56.745-07:00

The trip back to Hammersmith featured the two basic kinds of London train travel: Uncrowded, as shown above as we left Hampton Court, and Crowded, as shown below as we near Hammersmith. Apologies for the blurry photo, but I couldn't move so I just tapped the camera button and hoped something was there.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-52446500754164307022011-01-14T16:16:00.000-07:002011-01-14T16:16:54.965-07:00

When we left the Hampton Court Palace we found the Prince of Wales Pub a couple of blocks from the train station and relaxed with a pint of cider before taking the train back to Hammersmith. We met Harvey, the Foxhound-Greyhound mix. He's a regular here. Very nice dog. He and Robin hit it off right away. Should have gotten his pmail address. He's actually the third dog we saw come in during our

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-50814340663560133152011-01-14T16:06:00.002-07:002011-01-14T16:08:35.880-07:00

We got a too-late start for our Hampton Court trip, but took off anyway. Several Tube transfers, a train trip, mad dash from the Hampton Court train depot across the river bridge to the front gate and... missed the last entrance time by about ten minutes. They let us in so we were able to wander around the grounds for about an hour, but we couldn't go inside. It's amazing how uncrowded this place

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-36283355406107427472011-01-13T15:46:00.002-07:002011-01-13T15:47:19.506-07:00

The Movie. Two minutes of video. A week of memories.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-62884291763804731382011-01-13T14:10:00.002-07:002011-01-13T14:18:03.905-07:00

Robin and her mother are playing Scrabble tonight. No, Pat is not here visiting us. She's at home in California. They're both using a Scrabble app on their iPads, Word for Friends. When one player has made their play, the other player gets a notification. Both players can see the same game board, but can see only their own un-played letter tiles.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-71427106607272574412011-01-13T12:53:00.000-07:002011-01-13T12:53:59.560-07:00

We worked at our computers all day, then took a late afternoon walk to explore the neighborhood some more. The Thames River is about 10 minutes from here and the Thames Path is a nice pathway for joggers, bikers, and pedestrians. Facing the river are upscale apartments and offices. Even though it was getting dark, there were several rowing teams on the river practicing whatever they do, escorted

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-33178884386922191762011-01-13T11:21:00.013-07:002011-01-13T11:37:05.738-07:00

From the Associated Press: The tech slang word “app” was voted the 2010 “Word of the Year” Friday by the American Dialect Society. I actually know some people that were using that word extensively way back before 2005. And of course it was being used long before that by some people. In case you wonder what the strange app icon is on the bottom row, it's Rendezvous, the first version of what

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-7491703954971404992011-01-12T17:37:00.008-07:002011-01-12T18:12:17.180-07:00

We spent the entire day in our B&B room, working on real projects with deadlines. But that’s not the only Wicked part.  This evening we took a bus to the West End Theatre District and the Apollo Victoria Theatre, to see Wicked, the story of a friendship between two girls who first meet as sorcery students and end up in Oz to fulfill their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-26376430441377052112011-01-11T16:40:00.001-07:002011-01-11T16:43:47.019-07:00

I'm pretty excited about this. Our friend Richard Kindersley (renowned artist, sculptor, stone-carver, designer, etc.) has invited us to dinner at the Chelsea Arts Club this weekend. Chelsea Arts Club membership (waiting list) is by invitation only. Two members who've known you for at least two years have to recommend you. The club was formed in 1891 on the instigation of James Whistler (gulp).

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-15498425514985976052011-01-11T16:03:00.000-07:002011-01-11T16:03:27.518-07:00

Robin's first class was great, nice students, interesting presentation, no problems getting to the Brunel campus on time, good weather, and a celebratory pint of cider after class in The Hub, the student pub in the middle of the campus. Preparing for class. Pints of cider in The Hub.

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-26709782293867042382011-01-11T15:46:00.003-07:002011-01-11T15:52:10.641-07:00

A visual study of people sitting near me on the Tube. Important work. Someone's gotta do it. More to come. Waiting to depart the Uxbridge Station on the Piccadilly Line.  Interesting looking guy. I'd guess he's a secret agent, but he's not wearing all black. This guy is wearing all black, but I'm pretty sure secret agents don't wear hats with ear flaps. He raised the iFlap on his hat so he can

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-74309774204213888872011-01-10T17:24:00.006-07:002011-01-11T03:37:21.925-07:00

Tomorrow we take the Tube into Uxbridge for Robin's class. Counting the walk to the Hammersmith Tube Station, the train ride, and then the walk from the Uxbridge Station to the Brunel Campus, we'll need close to two hours to get there. No complaints, though. The Tube is usually pretty entertaining. Like watching someone put on their makeup. Or listening to personal phone conversations. I also

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-62813962644762476282011-01-10T15:01:00.005-07:002011-01-11T03:34:35.143-07:00

We discovered a new exercise program today: climbing the 311 steps of The Monument. The Monument was built between 1671 and 1677 to commemorate the Great Fire of London (isn't that about the same time they were building mud houses in Santa Fe?). The Monument The Fire began in a baker's house on Pudding Lane on Sunday, September 2, 1966. It was extinguished on Wednesday, September 5 by smothering

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-22942568213891430222011-01-10T05:10:00.001-07:002011-01-10T05:12:02.770-07:00

On the way home from the Brompton Cemetery we decided to try one of our neighborhood restaurants, Ottoman, "Authentic Turkish Cuisine." The atmosphere was nice and the food was great. Robin says the cacik (pronounced jajeek) was the best she's ever had. And she's tried more cacik than anyone I know. Other than Jay, our Turkish exchange student from Istanbul. On second thought, I think maybe he

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-27449321860474133162011-01-09T18:31:00.001-07:002011-01-09T18:33:48.667-07:00

Today we walked to the Brompton Cemetery, one of seven cemeteries created by an act of Parliament in the mid-1800s because inadequate burial space and high mortality rates were causing severe problems. Like no place to put the dead. Bodies were being buried just a few feet deep between houses, shops, and taverns. The most famous of those cemeteries is Highgate, which we plan to tour next weekend

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-31512385481713687922011-01-08T14:29:00.001-07:002011-01-08T14:29:50.977-07:00

Today friends Lynn and Neal drove in from Oxford to deliver the Robin-stuff they stored for her. After unloading the car they drove us to the Science Museum for great lunch and an afternoon of entertainment and enlightenment. England has mandated that all museums are to be free to the public. A great bargain, especially when you have friends that drive you there and buy you lunch. I wonder if

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-55508205104688972812011-01-07T15:27:00.003-07:002011-01-07T16:00:17.963-07:00

A very short stroll in the neighborhood looks promising. Lots of shops and small restaurants very close by, including this Thai restaurant named @Thai and a popular-looking Turkish restaurant. We also took note of a pool hall / bar with BBQ. No telling what's another block or two away. Like the big Hammersmith Shopping Centre. We'll check it out more this weekend. Thai restaurant Friday night

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-17778955296802231652011-01-07T11:05:00.003-07:002011-01-07T16:04:58.118-07:00

Rather than stumble through the Tube system with heavy bags, we took a cab into London, to the Hammersmith area where Robin rented a small B&B apartment. Small, but twice the size of her dormitory room last year. I wondered how the cab driver in Uxbridge would know how to get to some obscure address in London, until he pulled out his GPS, entered the address, and just followed the lovely female,

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-53027041372959027972011-01-06T12:30:00.000-07:002011-01-06T12:28:08.848-07:00

Walking from the Brunel campus back to The Red Lion, we passed the gated entrance of a graveyard and decided to check it out. It was about ten times larger than it looked from the entrance and had lots of interesting monuments, many in various states of disrepair. This one got the expected comment from Robin: "Typewriter apostrophe! Arrgh!"

jthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03896147710356511843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3818429776922200456.post-38818071451418164792011-01-06T10:44:00.002-07:002011-01-06T11:07:24.152-07:00

Interesting day on the Brunel campus. Robin went to the campus branch of HSBC (a huge bank here) to change her existing account to a fee-free account, as she'd been told she could do when she left here last September. But no, to do that, you have to provide proof of residence, which Robin has. Not just any proof will do. You must show proof of being a resident of a property that has been

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