I may have mentioned (though, if so, I cannot find where) that we recently had a little visitor. After an unexplained absence, which we thought might be permanent, said visitor has made a triumphant return.

Tigger named this small person Ari, short for Ariadne, which could also be construed as ‘Arry, short for Harold, if her/his gender turns out to be male.

I’m sure you are now hoping for a photo of Ari so, without more ado, here is one we prepared earlier.

Ari (or ‘Arry)
Photo by Tigger

This is a characteristic pose adopted by Ari (as I shall call her/him), which Tigger calls her “pilates position”. She remains still for long periods and then turns up, still between wall and ceiling, but further along.

I imagine that winter is a hard time for spiders, given that there are not many insects about, and having somewhere warm to stay must be very appealing.

At full stretch (in the “pilates position”), I estimate that Ari is about 2 inches long. One informant, more knowledgeable than we, has tentatively identified her species as “common house spider” but I protest that there is nothing “common” about our Ari!

…and relax

When we returned from shopping, Ari had adopted a more relaxed pose.

As I write this, Ari has been for a little walk – all of 18 inches – but had stopped once more, this time in the relaxed, “spider-normal” position.

I will update “Spider News”, if there is anything to report. The arachnophobes among you (who won’t have read this far, anyway, should avoid posts with “spider” in the title).

Today is the day for that special appointment that I mentioned. It is when we go for our second Covid-19 vaccinations (see Appointments with a needle (Part 1) for background).

Hearing that the government was planning to postpone the second jabs, a policy criticised by WHO and other expert bodies, we were relieved when today dawned without a our appointments being cancelled or postponed.

Shooting the sun in Claremont Square

Before that, however, we had an errand to run in Amwell Street. In my account of trying out the laundry service offered by Amwell Dry Cleaners (see here and here), I left out one important detail: when we checked the returned laundry, three items were missing. So this morning, we went to ask whether these items had been found. This is crucial if we are going to continue using their service. I’m happy to relate that the items had been found and were duly returned to us. So far, so good, and we will use their service again.

Sunshine in Mylne Street and Claremont Square

Although it was cold, the sun was shining and there was no sign of the threatened snow (see photo above) that could disrupt transport. This was a relief as it was important that we keep our appointments and not be late.

The 476 bus arrives

As on the first occasion, I navigated to go to the medical center and Tigger navigated on the way back. We took the 476 which deposited us in York Way beside King’s Cross Station. (I cheated by using the Apple Maps app on my phone, whereas Tigger needs no assistance in finding her way around London.)

York Way where we changed buses

At the same stop we changed to the 91 which took us almost to the door. (Yes, that’s my shadow in the photo.)

Aboard the 91

During lockdown, we are not supposed to travel outside our immediate neighbourhood unless it is for legal reasons such as going to work or attending medical appointments ut as the latter was the case, we were acting quite properly.

Hornsey Road and Hanley Road

From the bus stop called Bavaria Road, we needed to walk a little way along the main thoroughfare, Hornsey Road, and then turn right along Hanley Road, where the medical centre is situated.

Hanley Road

We followed Hanley Road on the left side which was the sunny side and therefore warmer than the shady side!

One of the neighbours
Photo by Tigger

Along the way we met one of the neighbours. He said hello and then indicated that he wanted to go into the house. We couldn’t help with that, of course, and so bade him adieu.

When we arrived at the medical centre, we were quite early – over half an hour – and I thought they might not let us in so as to avoid overcrowding. Also, our appointments were about two hours apart so they might expect us to go away and come back for Tigger’s later appointment. Instead, they let us in straightaway and gave us both our vaccinations. We are now each the proud possessor of a credit-card sized card that records our vaccination details – useful if we ever have to prove that we are vaccinated.

Waiting 15 minutes before leaving
Photo by Tigger

After the vaccination, you are asked to wait 15 minutes before leaving in case of after effects. While waiting for the hour of our release, Tigger took this photo of me. It is rather unflattering but I decided to post it as I am sure you can bear it!

Hanley Road and the medical centre

Navigating in her turn, Tigger took us to a bus stop in Hanley Road itself. From the stop, I took this photo looking back towards the medical centre which is on the corner with Ormond Road.

Archway

The first bus, a 210, brought us here, to Archway, where we transferred to a 390 which brought us back to King’s Cross.

Pentonville Road

At this bus stop at the bottom end of Pentonville Road, we caught a 214. This too was Tigger’s suggestion because it stops right beside Saint Espresso where we thought we could buy coffee to take home. Unfortunately, they were closed even though the staff were still within.

Islington High Street

So we walked to here, Islington High Street (perhaps you recognise it from previous photos). Why? Well, because..,

Starbuck’s

…here lives a branch of Starbuck’s. They were open. So we bought our coffees and made quickly for home.

So what about the future? We are not silly enough to think that we are now “immune”. For one thing, the vaccine is rated 95% effective, meaning that we still have a small but positive chance of becoming infected even though vaccinated. In the second, it takes time (I have seen three weeks quoted) for the body to produce the full complement of antibodies. So care is required during and even after the ensuing three weeks.

We shall therefore continue following the rules of social distancing, wearing masks, etc., in short whatever rules are in force at the time, until the pandemic ends. Not to do so would be unwise for our own sake and cause unnecessary risk to others.

Tigger is at work again today, meaning that if I go out, I will have to go on my own. Fortunately, I do have an incentive in the form of an important letter to put in the post. After lunch, I will see whether I can whip up enough enthusiasm to face the cold and go in search of a post box and whatever turns up on the way.

———-

Hire bicycles in front of Doubletree Hotel

As you see, I did manage to go out. My eye was caught by this line of brightly coloured hire bicycles in front of the Doubletree Hotel. What caused them to congregate here, I wonder?

Wild Kong

It’s been a while since I photographed Richard Orlinski‘s Wild Kong from close up. At first a novelty, it has in time become a familiar part of the environment. While I still remain somewhat dubious about its value as a work of art and its cliché view of these peaceful creatures as violent, I have become quite fond of it. The landlords of the property behind it seem to be having difficulty in finding tenants.

Pillar box, White Lion Street

There are two posting boxes that I generally use but today I thought I would try a different one. (Variety is the spice of life, to quote a phrase!) There are two pillar boxes in White Lion Street, one at each end and this is one of them. It bears the cipher of Queen Elizabeth II and it occurred to me to wonder whether, 120 years from now, people will regard such boxes with the same interest we show in those of Victoria’s reign. It’s possible, I suppose. Passing time renders some things more interesting and other things less so.

St Silas’ Church Gardens

Nearby in Penton Street is the Grade II listed Church of St Silas. In front of it is a small open area that was once the graveyard but is now designated the St Silas Church Garden. I went in for a look but the weather is too cold to spend time sitting on a bench.

Bed for a rough sleeper?

I noticed that one of the benches had been moved under the shelter of a porch. Closer inspection showed what was possibly bedding, indicating what might be the temporary bed of a rough sleeper. Some of London’s churches allowed homeless people to come inside to sleep but lockdown has closed the churches leaving rough sleeper to find other resting places.

A sign of the times

Beside the church runs Risinghill Street where this door, with its sign about social distancing, is at present firmly closed against would-be visitors. A sign of the times, indeed.

Police Station, Tolpuddle Street

I crossed into Tolpuddle Street, home of the local “nick” or police station. With many police stations (or “police offices”, as they now seem to like to call them) being closed down, I suppose we are lucky that this one has survived, at least, so far.

An extensive building

Then again, it is quite an extensive building and is no doubt capable of serving a large area. I have never visited it, my rare interactions with the local police having been carried out over the phone.

Yellow lines? What yellow lines?

It seems that police drivers are not bound by the same parking rules as ordinary folk are. Several police vehicles were parked, on both sides of the road, beside yellow no-parking lines. But who is going to be bold enough to put a parking ticket on a police vehicle?

The path beside Sainsbury

From Tolpuddle Street, a pedestrian path runs through Sainsbury’s car park to White Conduit Street and thence to Chapel Market. I thought I would go this way as I made my way homeward. The path and the streets turned out to be quite busy.

Chapel Market was busy

The reason, perhaps, was that Chapel Market was in full swing. There were only about half the usual number of stalls but they seemed to have customers.

The Alma, closed

This is the Alma, the local pub. It is closed at present, of course, but in “normal” times was quite busy. I have never set foot inside in all the time I have been living here. Not that I have anything against pubs – I haven’t – and we have visited another local pub, the Castle, for their Sunday veggie roast. (See, for example, Lunch at the Castle.)

Ryness – electrical suppliers

The last place of note that I passed before reaching home was this branch of Ryness. This is where we buy our light bulbs and, occasionally, other electrical items. They too are currently closed but the company also has an online store. I photographed it because I always look at their window display when I go past. Their window is always ablaze with lights, showing off lighting fixtures both domestic and festive. I’m just glad I don’t have to pay their electricity bill!

At home I made a warming cup of tea and settled down to await Tigger’s return from the her toils in the City. We have the weekend before us and the first couple of days of next week.

Tomorrow, we have that special appointment. Have you remembered what it’s for, yet? 🙂

Tigger has been required to go in to the office today. This is our first separation since just before Christmas and it consequently feels odd. Added to the cold weather, her absence acts as a disincentive to bestir myself and go out.

Happily, there are some chores that I have to attend to and that will require me to visit Amwell Street.

I have to fetch the laundry from the dry cleaner’s (see Lockdown and laundry). Also, I have to post a letter and call in at the chemist’s to pick up our repeat prescriptions. I could also call in at Myddelton’s for a coffee but, as I will have my hands occupied with the laundry and what I collect from the chemist’s, I don’t think I can manage it all without spilling coffee over myself and everything else!

It’s supposed to be a couple of degrees warmer later so I will have an early lunch first and foray forth after that.

———-

As planned, I set out after lunch. To my surprise, it actually felt warmer than the advertised temperature. It was quite pleasant in fact, just a pity that I couldn’t simply go for a stroll.

Chimneys

The winter sun was just at the right angle to illuminate the chimneys of this row of Georgian style houses on the far side of Claremont Square. These are some of the larger houses with four floors and consequently, a lot of rooms. When these houses were built, electricity and central heating were still in the future. If you wanted to warm your house, you had to do so room by room by lighting coal fires. Hence the impressive rows of chimneys above each house.

Nowadays, the clean air laws forbid coal fires but I can remember, when I was a child, how in winter the streets would be filled with acrid smell of burning coal, wafted down from chimneys by the breeze.

And, of course, where there are chimneys in use there are chimney sweeps. That too, I remember, and my mother fetching me to touch the chimney sweep’s sooty shoulder “for luck” as he knelt at a fireplace with his brushes and canes.

Nowadays, if I’m feeling the cold, I just twiddle the thermostat which controls the gas central heating. The fireplaces that once warmed the rooms that are now our little flat have disappeared, their locations concealed by plaster.

Amwell Street

I turned down Amwell Street, our local “village high street”, though it is becoming ever less villagey as time passes. Shops where you can do your daily or weekly shopping have all but disappeared. Myddelton’s deli is the noble exception, thriving because of the quality of its wares and its sideline of providing catering for offices, conferences, etc. It also delivers to a wide area including that legendary world where London cabbies are said never to venture: South London!

My first task was to post my letter. Amwell Street does at least still provide facilities for that!

The pillar box at the post office

I posted my letter in the pillar box outside the post office. Did you say “What post office?” Quite so: it was here, its premised now occupied by this rather anonymous-looking property office, snatched away from us, protests notwithstanding. Fortunately, the pillar box remains in use.

The chemist’s

Then I called at the lovely old chemist’s shop. I don’t know how old it is but its sign and, more importantly, its range of small drawers, each labelled in gold paint with the abbreviated Latin name of its contents, suggest the Victorian era.

The interior, apart from the drawers, has been remodelled many times. Most recently, of course, this has been to add transparent safety screens.

Carrying my bag of medicines, I went to collect the laundry. I then had a long (well, it seemed long!) journey uphill dragging a heavy trolley. I couldn’t summon up the necessary nervous energy to take any more photos or to think about possibly buying coffee. For that I will wait until Tigger and I are out walking together again.

That may be on Saturday when we have an important appointment. Perhaps you remember what it is for. If not, all shall be revealed on Saturday!

Although it was a degree or two warmer and the sun was shining, it still felt finger-tinglingly cold though this was not enough to detract from our ramble, happily.

Sunny Pentonville Road

Walking along Prideaux Place, I was struck by the sight of the trees, illuminated by the almost horizontal rays of the sun.

Trees in Prideaux Place

They seemed to shine as though with their own inner glow. One of the gifts this winter had brought me is to remind me of the beauty of old trees and of my love of them.

Each beautiful in its own way

Each is beautiful in its own way and according to its kind.

Trees die too…

Sadly, trees die too, like every living species, or have to be cut down and removed to avoid infecting their neighbours with some pest or disease.

A face in the fanlight

As we passed this house, sharp-eyed Tigger spotted the tiny face in the middle of the fanlight. It is so small that you won’t be able to make it out even in the expanded photo. Is it unique to this house or are there others? I must see whether I can find other examples.

Playground train

We arrived in Granville Square and I spotted this train. I thought at first it was a mobile one but realised that it was fixed in place and part of the children’s playground in the square’s central garden.

Granville Square was part of the Lloyd Baker estate whose owner, Thomas Lloyd Baker, married the daughter of Granville Sharpe, the campaigner for the abolition of slavery.

Granville Square cat
Photo by Tigger

Meanwhile, Tigger was trying to attract my attention to the cat sitting on steps in front of a house. Unfortunately, the cat took fright and ran away to hide under a car and stayed there until we left the square.

Mosaic with house number

Some of the houses in the square had pretty mosaics on the front steps incorporating the house number. Are these original to the building of the houses? I don’t know for certain but I think it’s likely. Fortunately, these houses have not been renumbered as has happened in some other streets!

Two views of Riceyman Steps

Beside Granville Square is Gwynne Place. The Place is on a much lower level than the Square and the only way from one to the other is by these steps. Originally called Plum Pudding Steps, the Grade II listed steps were renamed Riceyman Steps after the novel of that name by Arnold Bennett.

Winter sunshine in Granville Square

Leaving the Square, we walked along Granville Street towards Lloyd Baker Street (do you see a pattern forming here? 🙂 ), where we stepped over…

Deflated balloons

…the sad remnants – deflated balloons – of a party, whether a Christmas or a birthday party, we didn’t stop to enquire.

Cheerful winter sunshine on Lloyd Baker Street

We climbed the slope of Lloyd Baker Street, enjoying the sunshine and its cheering effects in our mood, towards our coffee oasis, Myddelton’s.

Our elongated shadows

The sun was now behind us and so low in the sky that our shadows were elongated so that it looks as though I am on stilts! (I’m not, in case you’re wondering 🙂 )

The sun, about to disappear

I took this last look back at the sun (when shall we see it again?) before arriving at Myddelton’s. We there received the usual friendly reception and bought our coffees before making for home.