Six (Brief) Things…

…from the last few days

Thing 1 – Turtle

I went to Derby on Saturday, there to talk about my book (what else?). While there, I met this turtle. It was good. More cities should have random turtles.

It has, I gather, been around a bit (if its companion was there I didn’t see it).

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Thing 2 – Owl

Another fine thing about Derby is the museum and art gallery. The Hogarth exhibition was really good (with satirical paintings I’ve found it always helps when there’s a paragraph or two next to it explaining what the hell’s going on, and this aspect of the exhibition was particularly well executed) and I found a few minutes afterwards to commune with a load of dead birds, including this rather judgemental snowy owl.

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Thing 3 – Dogs doing what now?

Two days earlier I was in Bath with a similar mission (both events went very well thank you – just the one ‘this is more of an observation than a question’ in the Q&A, which isn’t bad going).

I feared that there might be an extra level of complexity in my search for the venue, simply because pretty much every building in Bath could plausibly be the Guildhall – even (especially?) the Waitrose down the road. But very helpfully it had the word ‘GUILDHALL’ emblazoned in suitably grand letters above the door, so I was able to rest up in the green room before taking the stage. Nice chair,

My little walk around Bath between event and train was entirely pleasing, not least this sign, which conjured up an image I haven’t yet been able to expunge. Talk about animal cruelty.

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Thing 4 – Parakeets

The rise of the parakeet in England over the last couple of decades has met with a mixed reaction. I’m in the “nice to have a couple around the place and they are fantastic flyers but I wouldn’t want to live near a thousand-strong roost” camp.

This is how far they’ve spread.

More here.

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Thing 5 – Escher Lego

The internet, as I think I’ve said before and will never tire of saying, is a strange place.

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Thing 6 – oh grow up no YOU GROW UP

Forgive me. I am very very childish. But not as childish as Olaf Falafel. If you want to find out exactly how childish he is, click on this sentence. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.

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