Dharma and I went to London yesterday. I had to pick up my new passport from the embassy and we thought that I could just as well do that while Anthony works down there. So passport, a visit to Hamleys, Anthropologie and lunch with the husband.

I have to say the thought of travelling down to London with Dharma by myself was quite daunting. I had loads of “what will I do if…” scenarios rushing through my head. I have to keep reminding myself that you can cross every bridge only when you get to it. A few plans were made like: I cannot take the tube when I am by myself with her AND have the buggy or that I would walk from Euston Station to Tottenham Court Road but then take a taxi from Regent Street to the Embassy and then to Euston Station.

I kept positive. Telling myself that I would be ok. After all women do this after day. It’s only London. I’ve been to London so many times. I love big cities. I can do this. And so on. I was going to keep a positive attitude all day – no matter what.

Little did I know that my day was going to be made a good experience thanks to the kindness of strangers.

When we arrived at New Street in Birmingham our booked train was cancelled. Ok, more time to find a nice magazine for Dharma, get myself something to drink, go to the toilet and have a play in the waiting room. Turns out Dharma loved the waiting room. It echoed. Most people didn’t seem to like Dharma shouting “echo, echo” but a couple across from us found it very funny.

The next train was hopelessly overloaded due to the cancellation. I got on in first class as there was no way for me to squeeze on anywhere else. Earlier in the morning I had thought: “Oh, I so would prefer to travel first class.” And now here I was with Dharma in First Class. The conductor came and let me sit here in first class with my standard class ticket. I even got coffee.

A kind stranger helped me get off the train.

A kind stranger helped me down the stairs. And then up again.

A kind stranger showed me the right way.

A kind stranger hailed a taxi for me. On Regent Street!!!!

The embassy didn’t make me wait for 2pm to pick up the passport, they let me in 20 minutes earlier to pick up my passport.

Another taxi driver and he let me out just outside of Euston Station so I didn’t have to walk the stairs.

A kind stranger helped me on the train.

A kind stranger gave up his seat on the train so Dharma and I could sit (that man is a true angel for sure).

Met a nice young German chap on train who helped us get off the train and cleared a path for us.

I do think though that receiving kindness has all and everything to do with my change in attitude and smiling at people. And in accepting help. Asking for help. Wishing for help. There is no need to do everything by yourself. There are millions of people out there who can lend a hand.

I am a kind stranger to someone. Maybe you can be a kind stranger to someone else. Just imagine what kind of world this would be. A kind one. Right.

Love Thursday is inspired by Chookooloonks.

Photographed by !zzaj

My first flickr upload

I shot this selfportrait on my way home. The train was quite empty and I had the chance to experiment with my new Sigma 50mm f/1.4 lens. And guess what? I love this lens!

– License

Barneveld, The Netherlands, originally uploaded by Photographs by Jim.

A shot out the car window, with some nice results I think.

Here are two abstracts, both the same image but photoshoped differently. The first image I feel works really well as an image in its own right, whilst the second would make  a great background, maybe for a wedding invitation or something similar… 

Both of these images were composed with milk & water… Believe it or not!

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Part 2 of the fireworks from Guy Fawkes Night 2009.

“FINALE”

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“PATTERNS OF FORCE”

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“STARBURST”

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Tiggles

I love animals and I always have done. The first pet I can remember was my Bunny “Hasi” (not the most inventive name considering that “Hase” is the German word for rabbit). He was suicidal and tried several times to kill himself in the bucket with water, chewing the TV cable etc. He did die of an electric shock in the end. Poor thing.

We also had several budgies and canaries and one of my budgies could talk. He was called Peter and was blue white and very clever.

My best friend as a kid called Eva had two dogs a Giant Schnauzer and a Leonberger, called Pollox and Leo (again not such an inventive name, but I had nothing to do with it this time). I loved those dogs, especially Leo. I don’t know if you have ever seen a Leonberger (if not click here or here). Leo would follow me and Eva around everywhere, we would ride on him (trust me they are huge when you are 4 years old), he would settle whereever we played as we got older and roamed in our local area he would trott behind us (you could take him for walks without a leash, not so Pollox who was lovely to those he knew and loved, but he is a hunter at heart…and didn’t like tall men or women). I so often think of these dogs and especially Leo, there is no doubt that once we have a bigger house and Amber cat is no longer with us, we will get a Leonberger (a rescue Leonberger of course… ).

I also had cats when I was little and my cat Stromer was a lot like my Tiggles is now. He would pick me up from the bus stop, sleep curled up next to me (occassionally on the lap, but I was too fidgety), we both like the large ledge above the coal burning stove in the bedroom, I would read there and he would sleep. He was a really clever cat and certainly knew how to work his charme, we talked a lot, Stromer and I. I miss him but he has been in cat heaven for a long time now.

And now of course, we have our three cats and I would have more animals if I only had the space (and money). One day I will.

Amber

Now a word about Xmas: Please if you read this and consider getting a pet for your kids, partner or whoever for Xmas – DON’T. PLEASE, DON’T. A pet is not something that you gift to someone. A pet is a commitment and getting an animal for your family should be done very conciously. It is a commitment by you to the animal for as long as the animal lives, pets may be cheap to buy but keeping a pet costs money, it will demand time and attention, it will need a place to go when you are on holiday and it might throw up, wee, poo on your carpet. My Tiggles was a Christmas present to someone who then fell pregnant in the New Year and got rid of her, this is not nice. Now, we are obviously grateful that we got Tiggles and she was lucky to find a new home, but not many animals are. The shelters are full with pets needing a new home.

I always feel very connected to people who love animals just as much as I do (or even more), so why not check out my Mondo Beyondo friend Jo’s website WAG, BARK, LOVE… all the beauty and love of dogs.

So, off to feed my little meows.

Buxton

I have created a new page to mark every hundredth image to be posted on Flickr. This was originally a recurring and updated post but it was becoming so large and repetitive, I felt that it was better simply to dedicate a page for the topic instead.

 NINE CENTURIES FROM FLICKR 2005 -2009

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Welcome to the first part of the Guy Fawkes night display, from Irlam, Manchester.

“ASCENT”

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“SPRAY AWAY”

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“BIG BANG”

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“FIREWORK”

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A collection on images in honour of Guy Fawkes/Bonfire Night, 5th November 2009.

“SPIRIT OF GUY”

The bonfire itself, taken at Prince’s Park, Irlam, Manchester

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“ENVY IN THE SMOKE”

The initial flash of a fountain 

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“ABSTRACT EXPLOSION”

A single spark, captured…

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“SPARKS”

A pair of fountains… Believe it or not!

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“DETONATION”

Honestly not as dangourous as it looks, but still don’t try this at home

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This is a collection of images from the Irlam Bonfire on Friday night, this time taken by my girlfriend’s children. I like all these pictures, all showing the fire at its’ best, just before it collapsed, as they invariably do…

GEORGIA (8)

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WAYNE (13)

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AMY (11)

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KYLE (5)

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