Tonight, they kiss. Jupiter and Saturn, in reality, are as close to kissing as Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. Today, the Winter solstice (in the Northern hemisphere), Saturn is twice as far from Earth as Jupiter. Jupiter is 886 million km (551 million miles) from Earth and Saturn is 1.6 billion km from Earth. They … Continue reading / view photos Last night, they were flirting
Category: Culture
Goodbye Maradona
I don’t normally get upset when someone famous dies but I was sad to hear about the death of this towering presence during my formative years. I first came across Maradona when I saw a clip of him as a child. His control of the ball was mind-boggling. I’d never seen anything like it. Growing … Continue reading Goodbye Maradona
Once in a blue moon
We spent the last weekend before the second lockdown in England doing normal things. Saturday started with some breadmaking (not sourdough this time). Avoiding the tube, we travelled to Greenwich Market on the Thames river bus. This service has been rebranded Uber Boat by thames clipper. Greenwich Market was quieter than normal. There were fewer … Continue reading / view photos Once in a blue moon
Kew and Camden
These are not ordinary times. I was glad, however, to have a weekend that was mostly normal. I was in Kew Gardens and Camden Market. Nowadays, even members can’t rock up to Kew Gardens and waltz in. You must book a slot in advance. Our plan was to go to Kew on Sunday but everybody … Continue reading / view photos Kew and Camden
Steve Jobs, Pixar and Disney
I’ve just finished reading The Ride of a Lifetime by Bob Iger, the recently retired CEO of Disney. Part of his story with Disney is his relationship with Steve Jobs. Today, nine years ago in 2011, Steve Jobs passed away. Probably the most well-known book on Steve Jobs, with its white cover, is Steve Jobs … Continue reading Steve Jobs, Pixar and Disney
The Rosie novels
I was a bit sad last night to finish The Rosie Result, the final book in the Don Tillman trilogy. I slowed down as much as I could. Bill Gates recommended the first in the series – not personally but on his website. He normally recommends non-fiction. So I thought I’d give it a go. … Continue reading The Rosie novels
Lockdown in Birmingham
For an unrelated reason, on 23 March, I went to Birmingham. I’d planned to stay a week. Later that day, the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced that the UK would be going into lockdown! I could have got the train back. I think it was permissible to return home but I wasn’t sure. However, … Continue reading / view photos Lockdown in Birmingham
Walking in Birmingham
In the 1980s, someone I worked with, Ken, often spoke about Birmingham in the office. Most of us had never been there but had heard the cliches about its dreariness and joked about it with him. Ken stayed in London during weekdays but went back to Birmingham over the weekend. Eventually, he invited a few … Continue reading / view photos Walking in Birmingham
Cannock Chase and Stafford
Cannock Chase in Staffordshire is an area of outstanding beauty. The dense woods are a wonderful place to walk and relax. We did a short walk there in the limited time we had on Saturday before going to Stafford. I noticed how much more friendly people were in Cannock Chase than on the Gorring walk … Continue reading / view photos Cannock Chase and Stafford
Pigs in Notting Hill
This Sunday, in trying to avoid coronavirus-drenched crowds but still wanting to make the most of the British summer, we turned to Stephen Millar’s book, London’s Hidden Walks. We went to Notting Hill. It was an illuminating day. The origins of the name Notting Hill are uncertain. An early version, Knottynghull, was recorded in 1356. … Continue reading / view photos Pigs in Notting Hill