Birthday

It's my wife's birthday today and we began it with breakfast in bed - Buck's Fizz and croissants! Then we went up to London and on to the "London Duck Tour". If you've been around Central London you've probably seen it - an amphibious craft from the second world war, now painted yellow and a tourist ride around London. Two other modifications, they've put a roof on it and removed the machine gun from the bonnet!

The great thing about it is, not only does it tour round the roads of Central London, it also drives in to the river and we went from Vauxhall Bridge (where there is a slipway) up to Westminster Bridge and back. See photo below to prove it.

Then we had lunch in Strada at the Royal Festival Hall (with a little help from Tesco vouchers). Finally we walked back along the river to Tower Bridge, then to Fenchurch Street Station and the journey home.

A very pleasant day, rounded off with supper at home. We weren't very hungry after out 3 course lunch, but fried egg on toast fitted the bill nicely! And completely scuppered any last shred of my wife's diet today. But it is her birthday! Back to yoghurt and Ryvita tomorrow!




Westminster Bridge with County Hall (where I worked many years ago) and the London Eye.

Life - Past, Present & Future

Today I came across a poem that I wrote when I passed the milestone of 50 years old. Of course that was 10+ years ago now. Anyway, I thought you might enjoy it. Perhaps doggerel is a better description than poem!

Life - Past, Present & Future

Shout hip hip hooray, I'm 50 today!

The prime of my life has now come my way.

No ageism here, 'cos 50's OK!

But casting my mind back to my youth if I may -

With no tele to watch, then games we would play;

A packet of sugar - one and threepence you'd pay

And decimal coinage was miles away!

And if one was happy, one said one was gay.

But back to the present, for here we must stay;

The legs start to ache, the hair's really grey

And even my suit is starting to fray!

But if from the subject I'm tending to stray

Let's look to the future; to stand, come what may;

Keep contact with Jesus, your fears he'll allay.

Whatever comes to you, just follow his way.

Now to misquote the advert, I'll finally say,

The Spirit each day, helps you work, rest and pray.

(Eric Baldwin, July 1997)