Resisting Temptation

On the second Bank Holiday Monday this month, Bath Street once again became an illegal car park but having photographed it many times before I resisted the temptation today. I can assure you though that there were more vehicles on the pedestrian only part of Bath Street than on this resident's car park.

It really is getting beyond a joke now and it's time something was done about it. Today there were toddlers and young children running down the street as well as adults wandering about but the vehicles were still speeding up the hill as though they had every right to be there. If someone doesn't get seriously injured or worse soon, it won't be for the want of trying!

Blowing in the Wind

After yesterday's rain, the sun came out again today which the cats enjoyed in the garden until the wind got up and continually spooked them. It also caused a flag in a neighbour's garden to billow out and talking of flags many more are springing up in anticipation of the World Cup. It was another uninspiring performance this afternoon though as England took on Japan in Austria. They didn't score themselves but won the game 2-1 and with that kind of luck they might even do well in South Africa.

Raining Footballs

Today has been a miserable day here though so we took shelter in the Co-Op as we waited for a bus to take us home. The build up to the World Cup continues and stickers on the window made it look as though footballs were being showered down on passers-by as well as the rain. 

You have to feel sorry for those who work all week and then the weather is not very good at the weekend but it is set to improve and should be better on Bank Holiday Monday. It's not unusual though at this Bank Holiday - I remember a number of long weekends in Scarborough at the end of May and it was usually cold then although we were fortunate with the rain - that usually waited until we were in a caravan on the North Yorkshire Moors in the middle of August!

In The Garden

Haven't been very far today so here's a picture from a little corner of the garden - forget-me-nots, aquilegia and fuchsia.

NHS Goodies

There's been a vehicle parked outside the library at least a couple of days this week trying to encourage people to give up smoking and offering a lung test. As we're non-smokers we didn't bother but today it was joined by an ambulance with a trailer attached so being the nosey sort, we went along to see what it was all about.

It was from the East Midlands Ambulance Service and they had lots of information available about strokes, 5-A-Day and the NHS in general. We were asked to sign up to receive information about the Ambulance Service such as when to phone for an ambulance or when to phone for a doctor. At first we declined but were eventually persuaded and we were given a pack that means we are now members of the NHS Foundation Trust. We were also presented with a cloth shopping bag containing a notepad, a pen, a keyring  and more leaflets. It's probably all done with the best of intentions and the leaflets contain a lot of useful information but I can't help feeling the money spent on the goodies would be better redirected to patient care.

Islands In The Green

A few weeks ago  (see 15th March), there were islands of different coloured crocuses here but now there are only islands of weeds and cow parsley where the mowers have gone around them.

Eng - er - lund! Eng - er - lund!

World Cup Fever is beginning to make its presence felt with flags being displayed from business and residential properties alike to say nothing of those fluttering from vehicles. And the displays of national pride will only increase in the next month or so but the team will have to play a darn sight better than the experimental squad did last night against Mexico.

 

Although England won the game, Mexico can feel hard done by and for long periods they looked the better side. It's goals that count though but our national side will have to show a marked improvement if they are to make an impact in South Africa. It would appear from this article in the Daily Mail that not everyone in the country is behind the team as a foreign bus driver ordered a mother and her children off his bus as he found the England shirt being worn by her two year old offensive. Personally I find his attitude offensive and if he doesn't like it here, he's free to return to his own country any time soon.

Tanning Weather

Another glorious day today with the added benefit of a cooling breeze but I can see at least one business that may not be to happy at the moment.

Artificial tans will soon become a thing of the past if this weather continues but there's not much chance of that as the forecast is for the temperatures to drop by ten degrees C over the next day or two. It could be the winter woollies again by the end of the week!

It Still Goes On

It still goes on - the hot weather that is. When I got in the car this afternoon the outside temperature gauge was reading 32C but after a couple of miles it had dropped to 28C. That's still in the eighties Fahrenheit and it's come on us so sudden that we're just not used to it. Even the players at a local cricket match didn't hang about in the sun too long and had gone in for their tea at 92 for 9 after 24 overs. The batsmen had obviously thought it was too warm to stay at the crease for long.

Although it's a cricket ground now, when I was in my prime and playing football, this was our home pitch and the weather was often like this for the first match of the season but that was September, not May. And talking of football, I watched the Championship play off on TV yesterday and thought it was a much better match for the spectator than the FA Cup Final. Let's hope the upcoming World Cup matches are just as good.

Is This Summer?

The warm weather has meant a brisk trade in bedding plants for Garden Centres and DIY Stores. It's also meant that there have been a lot of lily-white legs on show that have not seen daylight for many a month and it must be quite warm as my elbows have also been given an airing - something that never usually happens unless there is a heatwave! We could be being lulled into a false sense of security though as the forecast is for the temperature to drop by some ten degrees next week and as it is a Bank Holiday next weekend, we all know what that means. Anyway it's warm, it's pleasant so let's enjoy it while it lasts.

Slow Down

There was more evidence of the tar spraying and road resurfacing today with signs requesting drivers to limit their speed to 10mph. These two signs were on the corner at the cemetery.

I don't know if they had any effect but maybe if they had been there some time ago, then the cemetery wall and railings would not have been demolished where it looks as though a vehicle went through. There's been a temporary fence there for months now and I seriously wonder if it will ever be repaired. It's obviously not high on the council's list of priorities - spreading grit everywhere that flies off the road and onto the pavements obviously is.

Hot And Sticky

It's been really warm today and probably the hottest day of the year so far but it was a humid sort of heat and made a lot of people, me included, hot and sticky. There was an operation that started on Park Avenue that could also be described as being hot and sticky - that of tar spraying.

I don't know whether the large puddle at the Park Road/Park Avenue junction where the the tar spraying operation began was a result of the operation or just a leak in a water pipe or even some other reason but I was sorely tempted, having done a fair amount of walking today, to remove my shoes and socks and dip my feet in it. Just to make it clear though, I resisted the temptation.

Gardeners' Nightmare

Continuing the gardening theme this flower/weed is a marvel of creation.

The dandelion from just one flower creates hundreds of seeds and while it can be perfect in its symmetry it is a nightmare for gardeners if allowed to grow among the flower beds. Fortunately this one was well away from my garden but once those seeds are set free on the wind, who knows where they'll end up?

First Of The Season

With a picture of a bee on Sunday and a moth yesterday, I could have continued with the insect theme and posted an image of a greenfly today. For most of the day whenever we have left the house we have been plagued by the little blighters - there were millions (literally) of them swarming about! However I decided not to give them the satisfaction of having their photo taken and resorted to my original plan postponed from yesterday.

This peony flower burst from its bud yesterday and became the first to do so. Two more have opened up today and it looks as though there will be two more tomorrow. There are also another twenty plus on the plant so I'm hoping the rain doesn't come and dash the plant down as has been known in the past. I am still astounded at the rate at which the peony grows. Only about a month ago it was hardly showing and now it seems to be growing as I watch it. Hope it's not related to the triffids!

Butterfly In Disguise

I was going to post a picture of a peony today the first flower of which has just opened up in our garden but then I spotted this creature on a wall about a quarter of a mile from home.

A quick Google for "camouflaged moth" brought up many similar images which lead me to believe it's a Pandora Sphinx Moth BUT as this is a North American moth I'm not absolutely certain that it would be seen in the UK so my identification may not be correct. It's certainly one that I've never knowingly seen before in these parts which is why I've titled this post "Butterfly in Disguise". So calling all lepidopterists out there, is my identification correct or not?

As Busy As ....

You should all know the continuation of "As busy as" is "a bee" and we've heard of their decline recently so it was good to see one feeding on the heather in our garden today.

According to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, the UK had 27 species but 3 are now extinct and others are seriously threatened. As they are important pollinators they are vital to the human race so we should welcome them in our gardens.

Accordion Convention

You could be forgiven for thinking there was an accordion convention in Ilkeston today as there were two buskers on Bath Street. One was outside the Jonathan James shoe shop opposite the Albion Centre.

The second was further down the hill outside Wilkinson's store and he interspersed his accordion music with further pieces played on the flute.

Meanwhile in the Cantelupe Centre at St Mary's Church, our friend Janet who has only been playing the accordion for a year was undertaking a sponsored two hour play to raise funds for Christian Aid. I don't know how much the buskers collected but Janet's effort will raise over £300 for the charity when it is all collected in.

This'll Be Fun!

Ilkeston's Annual Charter Fair is held every October in the centre of town but for three days this week, Thursday till Saturday, there's a Family Fun Fair being held on Gallows Inn Playing Fields.

Another attraction to this Fun Fair is that all the rides are very reasonably priced at £1 which should encourage a good attendance especially when compared to the fares charged at the Charter Fair. I'm sure there is a lesson for the economy. Bring the prices down, sell a higher quantity thereby creating a higher demand and benefiting the labour market whilst maintaining the profit margin from the increased sales. Or is that too simple?

Cold Spell

I went for a haircut this morning and as it was the last of my current appointments, Peter made me several more to take me into 2011. Last night was the coldest May night since 1996 - you can almost guarantee that when I have my hair cut, there will be a cold spell in the weather. So if you want to know when the temperature will drop between now and the New Year, just ask me when I'm due for another haircut!

Blue Is The Colour

Well the election issue seems to have been resolved finally with the Blue Party (Conservatives) combining with the Orange Party (liberal Democrats) to form a government pushing the Red Party (Labour) into opposition. At the weekend the Blue team (Chelsea) pipped the Red team (Manchester United) for the Premiership title and last night the Tangerines, another variety of orange (Blackpool) overcame the Tricky Reds (Nottingham Forest) in the semi-final of the Championship play-off while Cardiff and Leicester, both Blue teams will go head to head tonight for the other place in the final. If all goes to form one of the Blue teams will win that match and beat Blackpool to gain promotion.

Yesterday also saw Fabio Capello announce his provisional England squad for the World Cup in South Africa. When England won the World Cup in 1966 they wore red shirts in the final - not a good omen this year! So if they are to have any chance of victory this time round, maybe they should consider changing to a blue strip otherwise, if they are not in the same half of the draw, I can see a team like Italy (Blue) beating Holland (Orange) in the final and England being also-rans again.

Rape Of The Countryside

Ilkeston is a linear town mainly in a north-south orientation which means that from many places you are never very far from a view of the countryside to the east or to the west. At this time of year with the rape beginning to show up yellow in the fields, the countryside is even more noticeable but I wonder how many people actually "see" it and how many are so wrapped up in their own circumstances that they miss it completely.

Lilac Time

It's more like March than May but nature doesn't lie and lilac is adding more colour to the season. Lilac is supposed to grow best in full sun and well-drained soil but this one is doing quite well in the cold and windy conditions that prevail at the moment. Just imagine what it would look like in the optimum conditions - for myself, I just wish it was a bit warmer!

Carry That Load

Blue skies returned to Ilkeston this morning but there was still a breeze and high above the rooftops a large crane was manoeuvring a swinging load into position.

It reminded me of the present political situation as support swings from one party to another, someone still has a heavy load to carry.

Wide Open Spaces

There were wide open spaces and several empty stalls on Ilkeston market this morning. It could have been to it being a Bank Holiday week with the traders away somewhere or perhaps they are fine weather traders although I don't think that is true. The weather wasn't great though with temperatures only about 50F.

It has to be added though that the market is a shadow of its former glory and has gone downhill particularly since the debacle of the Council's offloading exercise. It certainly makes you think, when you realise the controlling political party locally also polled the most votes in the General Election, about what the future holds in store for us nationally,

Oh No!

"Have you seen the election result?"

"With this hat on? What do YOU think?"

There'll be a lot more scratching of heads and covering of eyes before all this is sorted out. And even then, more than half the country won't be satisfied.

Election Day

Part of the Town Hall was transformed into a Polling Station today as the country elected a new government. Three men representing the main political parties in the country will be hoping to be Prime Minister when the votes are all counted but with the prospect of a hung parliament, perhaps the phrase on the MacMillan Cancer Support poster attached to the bus shelter is more than a little prophetic for at least two of them and possibly all three.

'Touch Me Feel Me'

I don't know what it refers to but someone had discarded a sign - that's polite speak for dropped some litter - which read "Touch Me Feel Me" at the side of a footpath near the town centre. Fortunately the plants it was resting against were not nettles but I didn't risk touching them anyway!

I still don't understand though why they cannot dispose of their rubbish in a more considerate way.

Power To The People

"Power to the people" is not a political comment or talk of a revolution. Nor is it a reference either to Robert Lindsay, Wolfie Smith or the Tooting Popular Front but just a view of the Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station from up near No Man's Lane as I took advantage of the weather just before the cloud rolled in.

Mind you the way the election campaign is going I wouldn't be surprised to see a revolution before long.

May Bank Holiday

The picture today really needs no comment except to say it's just another Bank Holiday and Bath Street contrary to popular belief is still a pedestrian zone. Not that you would know it by the number of vehicles parked there again.

If the illegally parked vehicles don't give it away, the weather almost certainly will. There have been a few sunny intervals but for most of the day, it's been cold,wet and windy. As I said, just another Bank Holiday.

Thirty Three Years

We've been to Markeaton Crematorium in all weathers during the last thirty three years and today was one of those with a cold wind and a hint of moisture in the air. The reason for today's visit was that it is the anniversary of my Dad's passing so it has become a tradition to add our floral tribute to the hundreds of others that have been left by bereaved families.

The day he died is still a vivid memory but it's a sobering thought to realise I'm three years older now than he was when he died.

The Merry Month Of May

Somewhere in the country today there were probably people dancing around the maypole but the closest I came to a maypole was this one carrying telephone wires and I can assure you I wasn't dancing around it!