Then this morning JT finds this on Hewlett Road…?!

I was amused to find this tagged on the wall of the Quakers’ building in Trinity Lane… The name belongs to a young renegade who used to attend Balcarras School and somehow ended up on our Alpha Course there. He was a nightnmare! In fact, so much so, that JT and Scott bogwashed him in a stream at Bourton-on-the-Water! This is not usual youth policy so you can tell that he must have wound us up somehow… Yet, I liked him. At heart he was a really decent kid, a bit hyper but kind and funny. I was devastated (and slightly felt that I hadn’t been hammering home the Alpha-type messages very effectively) when a few weeks later he was expelled!!

It seemed like a shame, because he wasn’t really bad, not compared to the kids in my year who bullied people shamelessly (even to the point of some of the victims attempting suicide/self harm etc) and got away with it. This kid was just naughty, not bad.

So it was heart-warming to know that he still exists and still causes trouble (I think?!) and I was particularly glad to see that he has been thoroughly put in his place by another artist who has labelled him “NOOB” (newbie artist). This actually made me chuckle aloud. Go on Ashley, sort it out but don’t go changing too much. (He probably didn’t even write this of course…)

For the sad arty type like me (and the cool kind of fella like Steve Clarke), a finding like this little sticker with a toaster printed on it in a tube train is like finding buried treasure to a pirate (er…I think).

This is not a Banksy, but another famous graf. artist (famous in the ‘underworld’ I guess) who pastes toasters everywhere, particularly in London. I was gutted when I discovered these toasters, which are almost identical to a design that I did some years ago of a toaster for a clothing business!

Needless to say I got some pretty weird looks for photographing the wall of a tube train…

*sigh* Here is me, thinking that we can’t ‘cheerlead’ for Si without special T-shirts for the occasion. Now, spot the blonde…

Spotted her yet?

Yes. Graphic designer sticks transfer UPSIDE-DOWN on T-shirt and is seriously running the risk of brandishing the message “OG NOMIS OG!!” to the whole of London. In a fit of almost tears, JT gallantly turned the shirt inside-out and ironed some bigger letters on the right way up for me so that I could wear it properly.

This weekend was great. We trundled off to London on Saturday and adopted Louise and Mark’s flat/hotel for the weekend. The flat is beautiful and overlooks Kew Gardens! It is wonderfully peaceful and was a great opportunity to chill out.

On Saturday we headed into London and did a bit of V&A (see amazing chandelier photo), Harrods (so many pretty handbags and some real kitties!!), marveled at the sparkles in the Svaroski shop (and fainted at the prices), did a bit of Oxford Street and wound up in Bella Pasta for a yummy tea!

I feel so small when we go to London, the buildings are at least 3x as tall as Cheltenham and there are so many people looking very important!

On Sunday (today) we legged it into the centre again to watch bro-in-law Simon run the marathon. In the 24+ degree heat I was in awe at his 3 hours 31 minute run and moreover at the fact that he didn’t seem at all phased at the end, he had just gained a slight limp. I am a very proud sister-in-law. It was all a bit crowded for me after that and I got a bit scared, but we made it home, watching a beautiful sunset all down the motorway.

Today, I have not really got anything to say. Not even anything pointless. In fact, when I think of blogging today I adopt the goldfish hover stance, where they shake their heads from side to side and silently open and close their mouths. So tonight we are off out to dinner with Mark, Sophie and the Rayfields. I will have a lot to write about after this. Then we are off to London to take in an art gallery, stay the night at Mark and Lou’s and then watch Simon run the marathon!! All rather exciting for one weekend so I will let you know what happens…

Take 5 mins to do this. It’s worth it.

1. go to www.google.com
2. click on “maps”
3. click on “get directions”
4. type “New York ” in the first box (the “from” box)
5. type “London” in the second box (the “to” box)
6. click on “get directions”
7. Scroll down to step 23!!!

I love it!!

This made me chuckle in church yesterday as well… It is a grave stone which finishes with the words: “His mortal remains are deposited in a vault nearly beneath”… Nearly underneath is the “Info Desk” - WARRRGGHHHHHH!!! Welcome to Trinity MUHUWAHAHAHAHAHA *insert scary laugh*!!

This is Luke (who looks like he has a lightbulb idea coming out of his head?!) This boy spent from 9am-12am yesterday, voluntarily soldering cables in church. Nobody knows, nobody saw, but I just wanted him to know that we really appreciate him! This is the kind of thing he does all the time and usually without thanks.

JT was also doing the soldering and I think that despite a long day, they enjoyed listening to a vast collection of 80’s music, eating a curry, and playing with wires… I suppose it was a perfect ‘boys day/night in’ in one sense!!

Yesterday whilst in church (about midnight), JT and Luke were just finishing their day’s work. I was getting a little restless by this point and whilst wandering around, stumbled upon some amusing photographic fodder… The first was one of my great graphic loves: safety signs. Now I have taken off the captions in order for you to replace them with your own if you feel so inclined.

I have no idea what people who make these things are on, but I reckon one looks like a device that is “suitable for disposing of a dead body”!!