Brentford Belle

A picture of Ruth's letter to the Foreign Secretary- the full text can be read via this link https://www.ruthcadbury.org/post/ruth-cadbury-mp-raises-bbc-world-service-funding

The BBC World Service plays an invaluable role at a time when the world is more dangerous & more divided.

It offers a trusted & much needed voice from conflict zones around the World.

I've written to the Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper urging the Government to act to keep its funding.

23 hours in an online Queue, but success ! Now have tickets to the V&A Bowie Archive.

Neon sign surrounded by works barriers. It reads "The Music. The Flavours. The Languages."

New Sign In Hanwell today.

Bottles of Tuborg Fiçi and Tayto Picked Onion (The BEST Tayto).

Tuborg and Tayto, after a Bank Holiday painting the fence.

Finally, I can post this video I've been hanging on to since somebody sent it to me.

Anyone got a video of a hare having the shit scared out of it by a curlew — ah, don’t worry, got one anyway!

I am writing a policy pamphlet. Here are all the ways to demonstrate I don't really have a policy answer, that I need to avoid:

a. You call for a "national conversation or debate"
b. You suggest that what is needed is “a change in culture”
1/

A collage of four Victorian circus performers standing in front of a circus tent, with flames rising up in the foreground.

The Toronto Circus Riot broke out on this day 170 years ago — sparked by a brawl between angry clowns and firefighters at a Victorian brothel.

Here's my annual thread about one of the strangest stories in Canadian history...

Good morning, London! Off to sign stock at Forbidden Planet, then I get on a train! The weather is cloudy but mild and we just passed the British Museum which, alas, I do not have fifty years to do a museum commentary on.

An old red double decker bus, with an advert for Ty.Phoo tea on the side. Destination indicator reads "Canal Festival. Free bus."

Old Route master on Brentford High Street

Crowds of people on the left, and an old Route master in the distance on the right.

Brentford Canal Festival going strong.

Programmer: What do you mean they only have one name?
Me: That is their name. Period.
P: But everyone has a surname. That's how names work!
Me: [deep breath as I access Deep DM Character Naming Knowledge] We are going to sit here for a while as I give you a brief primer on how names have been.

Ack! No, outlook, I do not want AI “coaching” on how to write emails.

In the immortal words of Douglas Adams, go stick your head in a pig.

So the last few days got me thinking about some research I did into horrible ways people die in coal mines, specifically mine gas.

(I read about a lot of coal mine disasters when I was working on the next Sworn Soldier book. Never be a coal miner in the 1800s if you can avoid it.)

Glad to see the Hanwell Ukulele Group again at the Hootie.

Fridge magnet for Tirzah Garwood, beyond Ravilious @ Dulwich Picture Gallery.

This was good. Glad I got to it.

Blackthorn Blossom forming an arch.

Blackthorn Blossom on Barnes Common

One Swan without a head and a Swan's head on its own.

Kew Archives Swan magic trick.

The famously quirky Osterley Bookshop is closing down West London's much-loved curio, a bookshop in an old tube station, will be closing as a bookshop, the owners have announced, although they will remain in the building.

The famously quirky Osterley Bookshop is closing down

www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/the...

West London's much-loved curio, a bookshop in an old tube station, will be closing as a bookshop, the owners have announced, although they will remain in the building.

Oh no.

Not Osterley Bookshop closing too.

Taller black and white Dog which has just been in the water.

Wet Dog

Brown and white spaniel in motion.

Dog

Three small grey dogs with colourful sweaters.

Dog, dog, dog.

Small white and brown dog, in a hurry.

Dog

Small dog with a red sweater.

Dog

Yellow Labrador

Dog

Palladian Villa in West London, walkers, joggers and dogs in the foreground.

Chiswick House, Boxing Day.
Dogs, dogs, dogs, dogs, dogs.

Cards (always some you can't find anywhere else).

Books. Military history on right hand side, gardening to the left

Book. Destination Nowhere. A South Mimms Motorway Service Station diary.

Books. Fashion on Left hand side. Transport straight ahead. Travel and Country guides on the Right.

What's it like inside the Osterley Bookshop? Something for everyone.

A lovely bookshop lit up in the early eve.

Annual Pre-Christmas trip to Osterley Bookshop to pick up interesting books, cards and a "lucky dip".