It was a few degrees warmer today (9°C) than recently but rather cloudy. We had several tasks to perform and these acted as the backbone on which to hang the skeleton of our walk.

Chapel Market

First, we went to Chapel Market. Although (as you no doubt remember) the market is closed on Mondays, the shops are open (those that are allowed to open under the current restrictions, that is).

Tigger is in there somewhere

Tigger needed to go to Superdrug and while she was inside, I preferred to wait outside, remembering to stand away from the door to avoid people forming a queue behind me!

The fruit and veg shop

We paused at the fruit and veg shop, not to buy anything, but to admire the colours and to wonder what the brown vegetables were in the basket in front in the left. We concluded that they were probably yams.

The pet shop was open

The pet shop was open and, as we always did in the “old days”, we looked to see if the pet shop cat was visible but he was not.

Church of St Silas

In Penton Street, I took a photo of the Church of St Silas. Whenever I pass it, the name gives me pause because “Silas” is the pseudonym I gave my neighbour in the flat above whose death was an important event in our lives (see Death of a pigeon-fancier).

I think they’ve had a delivery!

This shop in Penton Street was open and I think it’s fair to say that they’ve just had a delivery! Good luck with carrying in and storing that little lot!

Blossoms at the reservoir

We entered Amwell Street but turned into Claremont Square, passing the reservoir, where we spotted these blossoms glowing pink against the darker grass. More indications of spring.

Magpie in a tree

This magpie was being very active in a tree. I couldn’t quite see what he was doing but, from watching other birds along the way, I suspect he was eating berries.

Parakeets
Video by Tigger

Back in Amwell Street, we spotted two parakeets in a tree. They had found a crop of berries and were making the most of the opportunity. Tigger made a video of them as we passed under their tree.

Parakeet
Photo by Tigger

Later, Tigger obtained this closer view of a parakeet (they don’t like you coming too close) and you can see the pretty green plumage.

Snowy white blossom

In Lloyd Square, we were impressed by the snowy white blossom of this tree.

There were more!

Then we turned the corner and there were more!

Like little bells

Nearer the ground, these plants were boasting new growth like little bells.

I needed to pick up something from the doctor’s surgery and while I was doing that, Tigger looked around and found more pretty things to show you.

Flowers by Tigger

Cats by Tigger!

Yes, well, we like cats too!

Having visited the surgery, I rejoined Tigger and we made way to Myddelton’s deli. While Tigger ordered the coffee, I went to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription and then joined her in the deli. We then started for home.

At the site of the second water leak (see yesterday’s post), we discovered someone’s archaeological trophies laid out on top of a bollard.

Archaeological trophies

Someone had carefully sifted through the pile of earth excavated to reach the leak and had found pieces of old crockery and other items that must have lain buried since the road was built. Then, having collected and displayed them, they went away and left them there!

Still leaking

On the way home, we passed the supposedly repaired leak which, as you can see, is still leaking, much as it did before. The Thames Water van that I mentioned yesterday, was parked in the same place, more or less beside the leak. We concluded that it must be a van whose driver lives in the neighbourhood and uses the square as a car park. Its presence beside the water leak is thus a coincidence.

And to finish, here are a couple more flower pictures from Tigger.

Flowers by Tigger

Today I went for a “proper outing”. It was only to Sainsbury’s for the weekly shopping run but it is a step back to normality after being unwell and is therefore welcome.

Tailback in Pentonville Road

For quite a few weeks already, gas repair works have reduced traffic flow in Pentonville Road to a single lane. Whether these works are the only reason or whether there are other contributing factors, it causes a continual slow-moving stream day and night. It’s usually not too difficult to cross the road but you have to watch for cyclists, motorcycles and electric scooter riders threading between cars and buses at speed and without due care and attention.

White Lion Street

I took this photo of the eastern section of White Lion Street, not for any reason other than that it part of that Islington that I have come to know and love as my home territory. Vehicles are not allowed to turn left into the High Street at the bottom of Pentonville Road and would-be left-turners are sent down here instead. This is why an apparently minor road attracts a lot of traffic.

I have probably mentioned previously that White Lion Street takes its name from a tavern for drovers that was here in the 18th century. One of the few facts known about the tavern is that it possessed a bowling green, a not uncommon feature of taverns of the time.

The Farmers’ Market

The Farmers’ Market takes place on Sundays and has done so throughout the pandemic. It has always looked busy, as it does again today. We have never bought anything here – perhaps we should.

The stall selling plants and greenery was set up in White Conduit Street, as usual. It boasts a large spread on both sides of this now short street. The White Conduit was a stone water channel supplying various establishments in the 18th century. Whether the source was a well or a spring, I have yet to discover – descriptions of it vary, making it hard to form a unified image. The street used to be longer than it is today, its latter length now buried under Sainsbury’s car park and, possibly, Tolpuddle Road.

Angel Centre refurbished

After our shopping was done, I hurried on ahead of Tigger to Mercer’s. I did stop on the way to take a quick snap of the Angel Centre. Builder’s barriers have been in place for several months hiding the works that have been in progress. The barriers were down today, allowing a view of the results. Not a lot seems to have been done except to add a walkway from one side to the other, passing under the angel’s wings. I will take a closer look another time. The wings, by Wolfgang Buttress, date from 2003. The Council planned to remove them but they were saved as a result of a citizen’s campaign, though I believe some kind of modifications are intended.

Chapel Market

I also took a photo of the street market – such as it was. These days it is but a shadow of what it normally is on a Sunday. What stalls are in operation (and at least one of them is run by the fruit and vegetable shop behind it) seem to be doing good business. A market has been in existence here from the later 19th century but the street has been called Chapel Market only since 1936. Before then, it was known as Chapel Street after the nonconformist chapel, St James’s Pentonville, that was sited here but was demolished long ago.

At Mercer’s, I was the only customer and was therefore served quickly. We had managed to fill up our loyalty card and so received one coffee free of charge. Yay us 🙂

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It was good to have a “normal” outing again. Though I am not fully recovered I think things are moving in the right direction. We have things to do at home today and so that will be our only outing. Tomorrow, though, is another day and we shall see what it brings.

On Thursday, I became a little unwell and by Friday (yesterday) things had reached a stage where I felt it would be better to seek medical help. I made a brief outing to the GP surgery but stayed indoors for the rest of the day.

My condition has improved somewhat today but I still don’t feel able to go for a long outing. Tigger did some shopping for me and when she returned we went out together to fetch our coffee from the deli.

We did go round Myddelton Square before calling at the deli but then came straight home. My photos – and the commentary accompanying them – will not be very interesting but, all being well, I shall recover soon and “normal service will be resumed”.

You will remember that, after many months of water wastage, the leak in Claremont Square had been repaired.

Leak repaired

This was what it looked like when the barriers were finally cleared away.

So, imagine our incredulity when, today, this was the scene that met our eyes:

Leaking again
Photo by Tigger

It is leaking again and, if anything, flowing even faster than before. I am not a water engineer and have no idea of what can go wrong, so I will reserve judgement on the matter and wait to see how long it takes for them to attend to it again. You might be able to decipher the blue label reflected in the water: it belongs to a van emblazoned “Thames Water” so perhaps they are aware of the new leak though there were no people in or near the van.

No one working

Meanwhile, the second leak is still in suspended animation. Having dug a hole, they have gone off and left it. What is worse, is that they have had to close the road, putting people to inconvenience while they do nothing. Nul points for organisation.

Clear water

The hole has filled up with water, of course. We were glad to see how clear it is but slightly bemused by the blue colour. Perhaps this is caused by something in the earth rather than being a quality of the water itself.

Myddelton Square

Tigger suggester we take a turn around Myddelton Square and I agreed. We have walked here (and taken photographs) countless times before but I have become fond of the place and its sober but elegant Georgian style houses. Even minor changes strike us and evoke our interest.

The gardens

We didn’t go into the gardens and I made do with a photo. I looked to see whether the “squirrel lady” (see Thursday’s post) was there. She wasn’t but I have no doubt that we’ll see her again one of these days.

Coffee in view!

We turned the corner and the red shade of Myddelton’s deli came into view.

Having bought our coffee, we made straight for home. After even such a short walk, I was glad to sit down and drink my coffee. I look forward to recovering my energy and venturing further afield but, for today, it was enough.

Today is set to be cloudy and cold all day. Tigger is at work and not here to encourage me but I did manage to persuade myself to go out for a walk, albeit a brief one. Even though it was short, it provided some surprises.

They’ve filled in the hole!

Yesterday, I said, somewhat sarcastically, that Thames Water would no doubt fill in the hole “one day”, that is, hinting that it would take them a long time to deal with it. Imagine my surprise, then, at finding it already filled in!

That’s not all, however, and another surprise awaited me further down the road.

Mylne Street closed to traffic

I found Mylne Street closed to traffic and for a good reason: they have dug up the road in order to deal with the second leak!

A two-man team

They have already dug quite a long way down, as you can judge from the man standing in the hole. This appears to be the usual pattern with works of this nature: one man doing the actual work and the others standing around watching him!

Bag to catch the leaking water

There was a pump in action to remove the leaking water from the hole and I saw that outflow had been directed into this bag, perhaps to prevent it spraying muddy water onto the cars and pavement.

Muddy puddle

The outflow had created this impressive puddle on its way to the drain on the left.

Myddelton Square Gardens

I went for a stroll in Myddelton Square gardens. There were a few people here but noticeably fewer than when we had come here with our coffee. The change in the weather was obviously the reason for the difference.

A promise of spring

These daffodils growing in the shelter of a tree offered hope that spring is still on its way in and that the dull, cold weather of the last couple of days is but a temporary setback.

Three species

There were not as many pigeons and other birds as usual but I counted three species here, wood pigeons, rick doves (feral pigeons) and crows, mixing amicably enough, perhaps because there was plenty of food.

Feeding the squirrels

I had noticed this lady standing near a tree but hadn’t paid her any attention because I am used to people doing strange things in parks, whether performing exercises or meditating or whatever. But then I saw a movement in the tree, then several: squirrels. She was feeding them and said that there were five of them. I tried several times to photograph them but they moved very quickly and disappeared again immediately. It was fun to watch, though, and was the highlight of my walk.

Old drinking fountain

I left the gardens by the top gate and came home. On the way, I photographed the old non-functional drinking fountain though I’m sure I’ve already photographed it. Let’s hope the better weather will return soon and encourage me to take longer walks.

The weather has turned wet and, in consequence, our “walk” was reduced to a quick dash there and back. We had business to see to and, having taken care of it, returned home via Myddelton’s.

Lloyd Square in the rain

The above photo will give you some idea of the conditions – not at all suitable for drinking coffee in the park!

Leak nearly repaired
Photo by Tigger

It turns out that the workmen I saw yesterday at the water leak in Claremont Square have done good work. A new access point and cover have been installed and all that remains is to fill in the rest of the hole and make good the road surface. They will no doubt do this… one day.

We spied a neighbour at the window and Tigger naturally took a photo.

A feline neighbour
Photo by Tigger

The behaviour of the human members of the household will have changed radically because of the pandemic and I wonder whether their domestic pets are puzzled by this. Perhaps in the case of young ones like this kitten, though, that behaviour will be what they are used to and it will be the change to normality that they will find puzzling!