Favorite weather woman, the horniman and diversions

 The day looked promising, as weather goes. Carol , favorite weather person , has been  making weather happen on BBC for about 23 years. Her delightful personality and lilting Scottish accent carries the nation through the worst and best weather. When she starts her report it is always “gud morrrning” smiling effortlessly, and everyone believes that , yes, it is a good morning no matter if the weather is shite.

Sunshine expected for the day so I planned to spend it outside. The sixteen and a half acre garden/ park at the Horniman museum not far from here looked just right. Fewer people , interesting garden, beautiful overlook of the city in the distance.

  

It is a nature paradise, all sorts of plants , some unexpected  , tropical and dessert , and a small area for farm animals. Art crops up throughout the walk. Musical art with hammers hanging along the sides to play the instruments. The museum is brilliant for children especially, inside loads of anthropological displays as well as a great collection of taxidermist work. Live animals on the outside dead ones on the inside.

The imposing building in the background is one I see frequently on the horizon in East Dulwich. I have grown to admire it though at first, because of its mega sized solid structure , it looked out of place and bossy. It was built in 1964 , Kate Macintosh architect, and houses 300 flats with a few balconies , a communal garden and individual fire escapes, a definite plus for the city with horrendous fire history. It is called Dawson’s Heights. There are great photos in Mr Googles library, mine does it no justice at all. It has been described as 60’s space age cool, built in a time when quality was still a goal.

I bought cards in the gift shop, warmed up , the chill outside let you know you were alive! Just like back home, when the sun shines in winter you better pack an extra layer. In the shop the clerk asked me from where in Ireland I came.. I said “ America Ireland”, satisfied with that answer she said “ I knew you was Irish , could tell from your strong accent”. Must be the “ Rrrr’ s”. 

Caught the usual bus and since I was already headed that way I went  into the city . At Waterloo the driver ordered everyone off the bus. It was going no farther due to diversion. That’s the thing about busses , no warning. I got off at Waterloo, walked to trafalgar thinking to walk up hay market to Piccadilly Circus to my favorite BOOTS pharm to get stuff.  BOOTS are all over the place, you can always find one close by, but my favorite one is three floors with everything you could ever need. It is sparkling clean, antiseptic and well laid out. Drug store bliss! Anyway, the sun was going down so the decision was made for me, to head back to the spider flat. Got to the bus stop and the damned bus never came- another diversion. I walked a while until I found one that might work. By the time I got back, it was dark, good call.