An interlude with Bob
Up early doing some writing, then dealing with the door people who rehung the door and fixed the problem. Then down to Preston Park and off to Trafalgar Square where I watched people scrabbling about between the paws of Landseer Lions at the Base of Nelson's Column and being unenthusiastically controlled by people with whistles. Some folks wandering around with St Patrick's day Irish tricolour hats and so on, young women with shamrocks on their cheeks.
Bob had been a bit delayed, and arrived saying he had vision problems and chest tightness. After a quick triage it seemed that it was a migraine, and that he had been rowing this morning on his rowing machine. He bought some migraine pills and we found a cafe. However as we walked in, the Italian bloke inside was weirdly rude, and so Bob turned on his heel, to the denunciations of Italians as we left. I helpfully reminded him that he was a cazzo as we left. Thence across the road for a drink and a sandwich. These seemed to have therapeutic efficacy upon Bob. We then went for a drink. The coke helped Bob, and the pint certainly helped me.
Bob had been a bit delayed, and arrived saying he had vision problems and chest tightness. After a quick triage it seemed that it was a migraine, and that he had been rowing this morning on his rowing machine. He bought some migraine pills and we found a cafe. However as we walked in, the Italian bloke inside was weirdly rude, and so Bob turned on his heel, to the denunciations of Italians as we left. I helpfully reminded him that he was a cazzo as we left. Thence across the road for a drink and a sandwich. These seemed to have therapeutic efficacy upon Bob. We then went for a drink. The coke helped Bob, and the pint certainly helped me.
Then to the National again, having been there last week with Lorraine. Went to see the Australian Impressionists exhibition, which was wee and quite interesting, and interesting for me to compare to the Canadian plein air painters. Enjoyed mooching about in the National, and Bob and we found a fascinating painting by Salvator Rosa called Witches at their Incantations.
Thankfully Bob sufficiently recovered at this point to go on something of a pub-crawl through some of the most characterful pubs in London, we popped in at The Seven Stars, The Princess Louise, and the Cittie of York from where we loped off to find a Chinese restaurant, which was surprisingly good. A cheery evening, and something Bob and I have done periodically for years now. Long may it continue.
Fond farewells with Bob at Charing Cross, and we got the tube, and made our various ways home.
Below A detail from Witches at their Incantations I snapped at the National, by Salvator Rosa (1615-1673). Particularly liked the wax doll with pins being shown to a mirror. The Princess Louise, one of the many splendid pubs we stopped at. This one a grand old gin palace, with lots of compartments. Miraculously this photo of the bar area makes it seem empty, it was in fact rather rammed.
Thankfully Bob sufficiently recovered at this point to go on something of a pub-crawl through some of the most characterful pubs in London, we popped in at The Seven Stars, The Princess Louise, and the Cittie of York from where we loped off to find a Chinese restaurant, which was surprisingly good. A cheery evening, and something Bob and I have done periodically for years now. Long may it continue.
Fond farewells with Bob at Charing Cross, and we got the tube, and made our various ways home.
Below A detail from Witches at their Incantations I snapped at the National, by Salvator Rosa (1615-1673). Particularly liked the wax doll with pins being shown to a mirror. The Princess Louise, one of the many splendid pubs we stopped at. This one a grand old gin palace, with lots of compartments. Miraculously this photo of the bar area makes it seem empty, it was in fact rather rammed.
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