Live entertainment

There's something really special happening this weekend (14th, 15th & 16th December). If you want to have an amazing time and just want to stay local to The Shire, you must go to the Greenwich Circus Festival down by the Thames Barrier.

If you do anything this weekend, go to this festival. It's a must-see event, in fact it's a must-do event as there are circus skills to try out too. On Saturday evening, there's a cabaret show called Midnight Circus which sounds intriguing followed by live music, drink, food, drink.... Man alive, I'm booking up now.

Click here to book online

Hangar Arts Trust
Unit 7a, Mellish House
Harrington Way
SE18 5NR

Cycling makes me feel sick

If travel sickness is your thing, maybe best to avoid riding a PUKY bicycle. The company has a strap-line of 'Motion Makes Clever'.

Sorry chum, but for some, motion makes sick bags important.

There's going to be a Royal wedding!!!!

I've had an exclusive insider scoop. There's going to be a Royal wedding this year. Oh my God, I can't wait. I'm putting on my top hat, tying up my white tie and brushing off my tails.

May I send my heartiest congratulations on behalf of the good people of Plumsteadshire to Harry and Kate. We are jus..... Hang on, there's something afoot. Do my eyes deceive me or is that a picture of Harry?

What the heck, I'll order a box for family and friends anyway.

Catch That Train

My post bag has been bulging this week with requests for information about a train I recently mentioned. That being the one near Falconwood.

Well, it sounds like a bit of an unknown gem in these here parts o' the shire.

The train is run by the Welling & District M.E.S. (model engineering society to us common folk), and it sounds like they'll be evicted from the Falconwood site next year. Boo. Here are the open days:-

14th & 28th June 2009

12th & 26th July 2009

9th & 23rd August 2009

6th & 20th September 2009

4th October 2009

They aren't open the public apart from these dates, so do go along sooner rather than later as you know you'll just keep saying 'ah, I'll go next fortnight', and so on and so on until it's 5th October and that's it. Gone forever.

On these days, they open between 2pm - 5pm. Last orders at 4.30pm.

Here's a funny new-fangled map to locate the train.

View Welling & District M.E.S. in a larger map

New discoveries

Surfing around last night, I came across a couple of websites I particularly liked.

First up is Lumilyon, an artist who works in the realms of magic realism, objet trouvé, digital art. Lumilyon's work is incredibly evocative, so much so you can almost smell it (I mean that in a nice way of course).

Secondly, and in a very different vein, is Kipkay. This is one super-geek who makes essentially really dangerous things and loves playing pranks. He is basically a schoolboy at heart, messing around in science class refusing to grow up. He harks from the fabulous past before the phrase 'health and safety' was invented. As I lack scientific prowess, I wouldn't like to try these inventions as I'll probably blow the shed up.

Knickers

I took a photo of witch's knickers in The Shire.

I'll post a pic when I get time to.

more Nellie

Well it would seem that elephants are like buses, you don't get one for years and then two turn up at once. Not strictly true as I'm just being frivolous; I saw the same pink elephant again yesterday and it brought a smile to my face. Simple pleasures eh? I don't know what the elephant means though.

Moving onto a less cheery subject, I only have to say the tragic words 'KITCHEN CADDY'.

I guess like most people, I'm all for recycling. My recycling bin has always filled up much more quickly than the refuse bin, but my kitchen is now bin heaven. One for dry recycling, one for refuse, one for milk & juice cartons and then the KITCHEN CRAPPY. Oh yes, how can I forget the small pile of newspapers to line the bottom of my new addition?

This must also affect the changing use/aesthetic of the English garden. Oh, once were pretty hedged and bordered with pansies (no sniggering at the back), see roads around Shrewsbury House - dey is well nice innit? Then the horrible curse of driveways came along. Concrete all over the front garden and more recently, impressed concrete, see Welling. And once were one black bin, we now have two plus black refuse bags flanking our front doors. Such a horrible view of our homes. What must Betjeman think of this?

elephant

This evening, I saw an odd thing in The Shire. It was a pink elephant on top of a little van. I hadn't taken any non prescription substances and I even have a photo to prove it. I sent my man from Magnum to capture the beast.

Elephant sightings in Plumsteadshire are rare, but I do think I have seen another one around Herbert Road.

Is it the same one?

This is most peculiar.