United Reform Church

The United Reform Church(URC) in Greenbank, Bristol held its last service this weekend. They're moving out due to dwindling congregations and the church needing a lot of maintenance work.

I walked past as the service was going on. They were singing "What a friend we have in Jesus", and they sounded in fine voice, although the congregation was bolstered by people coming from other parts of the country.

They've been around for quite a while - 356 years it says on the poster - that means it was founded in 1652, if I've calculated right.

It hasn't been at this site since that time. It was originally sited on Castle Park. They moved to Greenbank about 100 years ago.

The building was designed by Sir Frank Wills, a scion of the tobacco family, well-known in Bristol. He was also the architect for Bristol Museum.



The church is a very distinctive building. It will be a shame if it's demolished. I think the plan is to keep the exterior and build flats inside. The adjacent hall will still be kept for activities.
So it could be worse, but I'm sorry to see it go.

Stapleton Road Station mini festival

This weekend there was a small festival on Stapleton Road station.

Window Shopping

This shop is Heaven on Earth in Colston Street. They sell all sorts of things you might find handy at a funeral - especially if it's yours.

On their website, the couple who run it say that the shop is the result of a mishearing - they had intended to open a coffee shop, but it ended up as a coffin shop instead. A likely story.




Ganesh the elephant god. Shown here with the traditional price tag dangling from his right arm.

Condoleezza Rice Interview

As a departure from the usual stuff on here, we now have an exclusive interview with U.S. Secretary of State,
Ms Condoleezza Rice.






Here is the full text below -








SB444: Ms Rice, why did you decide to come and talk to some obscure UK blog that's only read by two people and a dog?

CR: I didn't. You're making all this up.

SB444:But aren't you sitting here with me now?

CR: I'm afraid not. You're sitting on your own typing into a computer.

SB444: Point taken, but it would be a shame if we let that spoil the interview. Can we do it anyway?

CR: OK. What's your first question?

SB444:My first question is - What are your five favourite fish?

CR: Well, let me see... I would say my five favourite fish are halibut, hake, octopuses, sharks and mackerel.

SB444: Are octopuses really fish?

CR: Maybe not. I'll choose tadpoles instead.

SB444: Ok. Next question - you trained to be a concert pianist. Who are your all time favourite piano players?

CR: The pianist out of Chas and Dave - I never know which one is which! - and Les Dawson.


SB444: Did Les Dawson ever play the piano - I thought he just used it as a vehicle for his jokes?

CR:Pianos aren't vehicles, silly. Vehicles are things like cars and vans.



SB444:Next question - What's the capital of Canada?

CR:Ottawa.

SB444: Well done! That's exactly right. A lot of people say Toronto.
So, moving on to the next question, do you like The Singing Postman?

CR:Yes, Allan Smethurst was a great inspiration to me when I was growing up in Birmingham, Alabama. I used to dream of becoming a post delivery person in East Anglia.

SB444: So what went wrong?

CR: Well, I'm not trying to make excuses, but in between being Secretary of State, playing the piano and speaking lots of languages, I just found it hard to make the time. Still, who knows, maybe one day my dream will come true.

SB444: Who is your favourite Beatle?

CR:Definitely Ringo. If only they'd let him sing a bit more they could have really made the big time.

SB444: Were you ever on the Morecambe and Wise show?

CR: I don't think so. I believe that was Glenda Jackson, or that woman who used to read the news.

SB444: Last question - do you think anyone is reading this old tosh?

CR: I wouldn't have thought so, unless they're really stuck for something to do.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and attend to great affairs of state.


SB444: Thanks for talking to us, even if you are only imaginary.

CR:My pleasure.

Next week: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin talks about his previous career as a Butlin's Redcoat.

Radio 4 comedy

Bleak Expectations
2nd Series of the Dickens spoof. Very funny, in bits.

Fordham and Lipson Crazy names, crazy guys. I heard this last night - quite funny.

Sorry - Fordham and Lipson is the wrong programme and is definitely Not Funny
Sorry for any distress caused.
The one I meant was A Week with Adam Buxton
Usual rules apply: available for seven days only.

Sprinkle Brigade

Sprinkle Brigade Gallery

Clevedon Pier

There's lots of pebbles on the beach.





See, I told you.










ON the pier.
It costs £1:50 to go on.


Fishermen







There''s a little cafe at the end of the pier.








Restored Victorian drinking fountain.

















Moody modern sculpture on Wain Hill.











St Andrew's church. Built in the 12th century.
Right on the coast.
It's on a walk called the Poets Walk.
Coleridge and Tennyson used to live in Clevedon and often walked here.

Post boxes

I'm at that stage in my life when I'm starting to take an unhealthy interest in post boxes.
The stand alone ones are called pillar boxes.

In the UK they are red and have the initials of the reigning monarch on them.


This is a Queen Victoria one. You can just about make out "VR" (Victoria Regina).




Smaller boxes are built into walls.




Although I prefer post boxes, I will look at telephone boxes in an emergency.


Clevedon has millions of pillar boxes.

One curious fact about them is that they come to life on Midsummer's Night and dance around the town.
They're mostly harmless, although one man was swallowed by a pillar box in 1993.

He was found in a sorting office three weeks later, wrapped up with string and brown paper and happily none the worse for his adventure.

Manhole covers of the world. Part 2

More manhole covers from around the planet.

These were discovered in the Corn Street area of Bristol


This model is called the Stanton Warrior.
There is a local band called the Stanton Warriors.






This is a pretty one.
But why is it worn so much on one side but not the other?
Who can tell?



This looks modern, but based on Celtic designs.
The wording says "Innovative Products".

What I did on my holidays

Ragwort and mullein.

For my holidays this year I went trespassing on the railways.

It's cheap unless you get caught ( £1000 fine), or worse, get squashed by a train.

There's lots of lovely wild flowers between here and St Werburgh's.

I scrumped some apples from a tree growing by the track. There's always apple trees by railway tracks because train drivers throw the cores from the window.


St Werbs church from the railway.

Mouldy Tomato

I've got about a quarter of a mouldy tomato for sale, if anyone is interested.
Mostly mouldy, but some parts may still be edible.

I despatch first class post with Royal Mail from the UK.

Excellent investment opportunity.
Genuine reason for sale.

Sensible offers only. No timewasters (unless holding current valid TimeWasting Certificate)

NHS

On Wednesday it was the 60th anniversary of the founding of the National Health Service in the UK.
I celebrated by being ill.

I went to the Admissions Unit at my local hospital and said,"It was me. I did it."

They asked me to describe the symptoms. I said they were a dysfunctional American cartoon family.

Gutter

"We're all stars, but some of us are looking in the gutter."





Look, I know this isn't very interesting, but it's either this or lots of E's, OK?

Eee eeeee ee eee ee eee

E ee eee ee Eeee Eee ee eee eeeee-eee eeee ee.
Eee ee e ee eee eeeee ee eeee eeeeeeeee ee eee.
"E ee eeee ee eeeeeee ee ee eeee?"
"Ee eee eeeeeeee ee eeeeee!"

Eee ee eeeeeeeeee eee eee eeeeeeee e!!!


Eee eee ee eee (ee e eee eeeee ee)




E

George II

I found a coin from the era of George II. He reigned from 1727 to 1760.

They say that behind every old coin is a blurred sink and that's certainly true in this case.

London Town

I've been to London, which is a large city in the south-east of England.

It took less than two hours to get there by train.
I'm old enough to remember the days when long distance travel meant
weeks spent sitting on a goose, so the railway is a great improvement.

In London I saw ...




A fruit stall

and a shop selling shoes*




*I think it sold bags as well.

Some Trees

If you've never seen a tree before, then this is what they look like.






A wild rose flower. Sorry about the insect.
It refused to leave and, as a stranger to the area, I had no legal power to compel it.

More uninteresting photos coming soon.

Mars Landing

This photo shows a place where no human eye has ever set foot.

To be honest, they're not missing much, are they?

More Garden Photos

Yes, it's time for some more photos from my garden.
The interesting thing about these photos is that they are almost exactly like the ones I put up last year.

So here we go ...


The damsel fly. A regular visitor.

They come every year but only for a few days.

And this is what they get up to.


These are pretty.







Forget-me-nots. A bit blurry. Sorry.

Black Cat