Finally!

A week and a day after moving out I have an internet connection again.  It's weird not being able to log on as and when I like but now I'm back and can catch up on things.

The move went well and the cats (Sooty and Sweep who I've yet to mention) have finally settled into their new surroundings having spent the majority of the week hiding behind the sofa.  They are now back to their old selves.

Last weekend was spent sorting through everything, labelling up boxes and storing away. Books have been taken to charity shops and other bits n pieces thrown away. 

After the move the next few days were quiet and it wasn't until Thursday that I actually did anything of note.

Thursday evening was a Bat Walk around Brueton Park.  Meeting at 8pm you spend 2 hours walking around the park with a bat detector.  There was quiet a few people there and after a lengthy but informative talk about bats the detectors were passed around and off we went.  We saw 3 species of bat. 2 types of Pipistrelle and also Daubentons feeding just above the lake.  It was a really pleasant way to spend an evening.

A quiet night in on Friday (pizza and Big Brother) and then into Birmingham on Saturday for the This Could Happen To You exhibition at the Ikon gallery.  The works on display were first exhibited back in the 70s. There are some great pieces.  The first being David Medella's A Stitch In Time.  A long piece of fabric is stretched across the gallery and you are invited to sew something to it.  It can be anything you like.  Some people have stitched their names but I also saw train tickets, football tickets (Villa and Walsall) and a Motorhead ticket. The most impressive thing was a bra with the words unstretched canvas sewn across the cups.  Having rummaged through my wallet I found an old permit to travel from Olton Station to Birmingham and just about managed to sew it on.  Clare stitched in an old library receipt for a book she had borrowed.

Other highlights for me included Peter Sedgley's Corona (1970), Roger Westwood's Train Window (1972), Harry Holland's Boarding The Plane (71-73) and Ian Emes' video French Window (the video for Pink Floyd's One of These Days).

After the gallery we headed home.  As we were passing Centenary Square a demonstration was under way.  It wasn't big but there was a heavy police presence.  President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan was in Birmingham to make a speech. The protesters were angry about the visit as they think he should have stayed at home as there is a massive natural disaster in Pakistan.  Floods have claimed over 1000 lives and rather than be there to lead his people he has taken off for Europe.  Apparently during the speech one man threw his shoes at him!

On the periphery of the demonstration we bumped into an old friend selling the Socialist Resistance magazine.  He was hungover and had not sold a copy. The asking price was 2 pounds but I bought a copy for a pound..  I haven't read it yet. 

Today we headed to Solihull Nature Reserve again. Clare and I took my parents as they had not been there before.  The weather was lovely and we spent a good couple of hours walking around and picked balckberries. Whilst on the bat walk the other night the Park Ranger told us that the reserve used to be a deer park and was part of Malvern Hall. He said that John Constable had visited and painted the park.  Having googled it it turns out it is in Tate Britain! Next time I'm in London I will check it out.

That's about it.  We got home early evening and despite my broadband being scheduled to go live tomorrow it has already been activated. Since getting in I have spent the rest of the evening messing about on here. It's good to be back!

Moving Out

You'd think I'd be used to this by now.  This will be the 7th time in the last 10 years and, as all my stuff is being stored,  I know I will have yet another move before I find somewhere to settle down. 

I'm looking forward to that as I have been separated from my record collection for the last 5 years. It's being stored at my parents.  I pay it a visit from time to time and usually find an LP or CD that I forgot I had.  I can't wait to get it back once and for all. Hopefully it won't be too long now before we are reunited and my parents get their spare bedroom back!

It's sad to be leaving here after nearly 2 years but it's time to move on.  I think I will miss the garden and all it's visitors the most. The fox, the Goldfinches and the butterflies have been great to watch and I've spent quite a lot of time out there doing exactly that. 

I'll also miss it's location.  The easy access to the canal and train station and just the general greenery of the area, although last week one of the neighbours cut down a beautiful willow tree that has been there for as long as I can remember.  It's really altered the view down the road now.

This is where the fun bit starts. My ideal place would still have a canal and train station at hand but would also have a decent pub nearby as well as a bookies and a bakery.  The area needs to have lots of trees and green spaces. I don't want to be out in the sticks. Need a town or city close by for gigs, theatre etc. Any suggestions?  I can't wait to start looking!

A very weird thing has happened.  I started writing this earlier and stopped when the removal van arrived. At the same time, another van pulled up opposite and nailed a for sale sign to the fence over the road.I'm not sure who owns the land opposite.  I think it was once part of the pub gardens and is basically just full of trees.  It's what I look out onto. It is is weird because I had been writing about the greenery and the willow tree being cut down and now all the trees over the road are in danger of being cut down too and the land developed.  I have taken this as a sign that it really is time to move on.  It will be a sad day when they go.

So, the majority of stuff has now been moved. The removal men were fantastic and the whole thing was done within 2 hours as I hadn't got far to go. Great stuff.  A weekend of finishing off and then it will all be done.  A new start!  It's exciting.