Having put away the shopping and had lunch, we went out again. The sun was now hidden by clouds and it felt unpleasantly cold. We would go for just a short walk because it was already past 2:30pm and Myddelton’s closes at 3pm on Sundays.

Cloudy sky

This picture shows the conditions, cloudy but dry so far.

Reservoir flowers
Photo by Tigger

Tigger photographed these pretty flowers through the railings of the Claremont Square reservoir.

The Curvaceous Tree

Yes, it’s the Curvaceous Tree again but I have become very fond of it. If it were possible to have a tree as a friend, I would choose this tree.

Cat glimpsed

In Myddelton Square, we always look out for the two cats. We hadn’t seen them for a while though we knew that they still lived here. We both spotted one of the cats and I took this photo but…

The cat
Photo by Tigger

…Tigger, with her better camera (in the iPhone 12), took this close-up.

Window box

We admired this window box with pretty flowers and variegated leaves.

Myddelton Square Garden

I took this photo over the railings of the garden in the square. There were some people sitting in the garden but very few, no doubt because of the cold.

Perched in the trees

I was amused to see that most of the garden’s pigeons were perched in the trees though I’m not sure it’s any warmer there than on the ground.

Open a day too soon

I have previously mentioned this barber’s shop (one of three in Amwell Street) because of the “to let” sign outside. I wondered whether it referred to the shop or the residential accommodation. That question answered today: not the shop. We were surprised to see the shop open and the barber inside, wearing his working overalls. They are not supposed to open until tomorrow so he’s jumping the gun.

Skyscape
Photo by Tigger

On the way home, I was carrying our coffee, and so Tigger took this skyscape photo. It looked as though it could rain so we were happy to hurry home.

Cake and cream

With our coffee, we had the remainder of the “Easter Cake” but with a little addition: cream! How luxurious!

That’s it for today but as Tigger is scheduled to work Wednesday to Friday this week, we have two more days added to the weekend. I just hope the weather improves a tad. That would make it perfect.

It’s Sunday once again and thus the day for shopping. As I have mentioned often enough, we go to the local Sainsbury’s store for this. We long ago acquired a joint-account Nectar card which gains us “points” on our purchases. These points are translated into a monetary value that can be set against your future purchases. Of course, the amount gained on each purchase is minuscule but we save them up throughout the year and use the credit to offset the extra spending at Christmas and the New Year.

Each week, Sainsbury’s/Nectar sends us a list of products. If we buy these, we earn extra points. Now, of course, this is a primitive form of “social engineering” whereby, seeming to make us gifts, they are trying influence our buying choices and make us buy more than we would otherwise. This may be one reason why an estimated 25% of the food bought by families is thrown away, i.e. wasted.

So, the points game consists of a deep strategy whereby we try to purchase the offered items but only as long as they are products we would buy in any case. We consider it valid to buy more than we would otherwise do, but only as long as the products will keep and we will use them up eventually.

Last year, our Christmas shopping bill was paid for in its entirety by our saved points, so it’s not a matter to pass over lightly.

Sunny but cold

Perhaps I should set a quiz, showing you photos of familiar places from my posts and inviting you to name them. But if I did that, I would have to offer prizes and I’m too miserly to do that! 🙂 Yes, above is Baron Street. As the caption says, the sun was shining but it was rather cold.

The Farmers’ Market

The Farmers’s Market was in full swing and I can’t imagine that tomorrow’s relaxation of the lockdown rules can make much difference to it. This is all to the good, of course, because the food supply is crucial to our health and even survival and every food supplier whose business fails is a matter for concern.

The main market

The main market was not as busy as I would have expected. The usual fruit and fish stalls were present and the key-cutting stall but that was about all. Perhaps there will be a renaissance next week.

I queue therefore I am

Is it true that the population divides into two groups, those who shop at Sainsbury’s and those who shop at Waitrose? Of course not, but it sometimes seems like it. Waitrose opens later than Sainsbury’s on Sunday so we have a chance to see “Waitrosers” still queueing while we are on the way home. No sniggering in the ranks, please!

Fairly busy

After our shopping run, I sped ahead to buy the coffee. I stopped to take a photo and Tigger, hauling the shopping, caught up with me so I hurried on again.

At Mercer’s, I found a couple queueing outside and had to wait with them. Tigger caught up with me and proposed taking the shopping home and coming back to meet me.

There was a long wait because the couple ahead of my wanted food as well as drinks but I was served at last.

When I emerged, Tigger had not arrived yet. I stopped to take this photo but, having the cup holder in one hand, I had only one remaining hand to take the photo. Unlike Tigger, I have not yet mastered the art of one-handed photography: sorry it’s a bit jerky.

I met Tigger again on the way home.

Will we sally forth again later? Wait and see!

It’s a cold, wet day today which doesn’t invite us to long rambles. It was more of a “once round the square and take the coffee home” sort of expedition.

Repair complete

The repair to the water leak in Claremont Square has been completed and they’ll no doubt be along one day to take away the barriers. I must say that they’ve made a good job of it.

Claremont Square and reservoir

This picture shows how dull and grey the conditions are but doesn’t tell you how cold it felt. You have to take my word for that!

Myddelton Square

Following an oft-trodden path, we entered Myddelton Square. We didn’t see the Circling Cyclist today but…

Family on wheels
Photo by Tigger

…saw this family on wheels. What amused us was that, while the front two riders were pedalling away as though their lives depended in it, the third member was apparently asleep!

Vine beginning to flower

Tigger’s sharp eyes noticed that the vine on the façade of this house had begun to flower. I couldn’t see it – perhaps you can.

Flowers in the vine

This close-up shows the flowers better though their colours don’t stand out very strongly against the brickwork.

Window boxes

On several windows in the square, the window boxes were beginning to flower nicely. I took photos of just two of them to be going on with.

Myddelton Square/River Street

It had begun to rain while we were walking round the square and so we now made for the deli.

The deli

Reaching the deli, We ordered coffee as usual and then saw an interesting-looking box with a cake inside. It was labelled as an Easter cake – whatever that is – but looked delicious. So Tigger bought it.

Oddly-behaving crow
Photo by Tigger

On the way home, we encountered a crow that was behaving oddly. Usually, they give humans a wide berth but this one walked about near us, emitting guttural crow sounds. This seemed quite anomalous behaviour to us but we did not understand it, unfortunately. Each time it bobs its head it is cawing.

Briefly on a car
Photo by Tigger

The crow perched briefly on a car, still emitting the noises. We decided there was nothing we could do and so walked on.

As I mentioned, it was quite chilly and I was quite glad to reach home.

Easter Cake
Photo by Tigger

The Easter Cake was ceremoniously liberated from the box. It was sealed in a plastic wrapper and was quite fresh.

Coffee and cake

We had our coffee and a good lump of cake each with it. It was as delicious as it looked in the shop.

Just in case you are wondering why I have lowered my standards so far as to drink my coffee out of a cardboard cup, it is because the cup I used before – my favourite – has been reassigned to tea duty. I shall have to think about acquiring a “proper” cup for my takeaway coffee!

The tiny beetle whom I call “the small visitor” (see yesterday’s post) returned this evening and remained on my computer screen long enough for me to take some photos, of which here is one:

The small visitor

The photo was taken with my iPhone 8 and cropped in order to “enlarge” it. There is naturally some loss of detail. Remember, too, that this small creature is about 2 millimetres long. Just imagine how thin the kegs are and yet they are perfectly articulated, allowing the beetle to walk without slipping on the smooth surface of the screen and even when upside down under the computer.

It also has wings enabling it to fly and can fold the wings away under the wing-cases. A true marvel.

Why does it visit my computer? I have no idea but something seems to draw it there. Nor do I have any idea where it comes from or where it goes between visits.

I say “it”, as though it is always the same but, for all I know, there may be many of them and each visitor may be a different individual. For now, though, I will assume it is always the same one and refer to it as “the small visitor”.

My walk today did not work out as planned but, rather than waste time on that, I will show you a few of the photos I took along the way.

White Lion, 1898

At the bottom end of White Lion Street (that joins the High Street), there are two plaques representing the eponymous White Lion. They are not vestiges of the original tavern, however, as the included date of 1898 testifies. That was the date when this building was erected.

Junction of Liverpool Road and the High Street

This is the busy junction where Islington High Street meets Liverpool Road (coming in from the left). The High Street actually veer off to the right to become a quiet side street but the roadway continues uninterrupted as Upper Street.

People may wonder why, if there is an Upper Street, there is no Lower Street. In Elizabethan times there was indeed a Lower Street, and the two, Upper and Lower, formed boundaries to the then village of Islington. Lower Street was later obscured, partly by the present Essex Road. There is some indication that its nether end may be what is now known as the High Street.

Sunny interval in Upper Street

The morning had been sunny but in the afternoon, the sun gave way to clouds. There was one sunny interval and I grabbed a photo to record it!

Islington Green

I decided to walk across Islington Green, which provides a welcome green oasis between busy main roads. Despite the name, this patch was never the village green though it is the remainder of a much larger piece if common land where local inhabitants could graze their cattle. There is a rumour that a plague pit lies beneath the green but I am uncertain of the truth of this.

Bellanger, cafe and brasserie

I stopped to take a look at Bellanger’s, a French cuisine restaurant and one of our favourites for special occasions. At one point it looked as though the pandemic had killed it off but then came the good news that it is after all reopening. They were installing machines, possibly heaters, because when restaurants open again on April 12th, they will be permitted to serve customers outside only.

Waterstones Bookshop

I couldn’t see any lights or movement inside the neighbouring Waterstone’s, but I imagine they too are preparing for the great day of reopening.

Essex Road

My route took me along Essex Road, a road I would describe as useful rather than pleasant to walk in.

The Queen’s Head

Reaching the Queen’s Head pub (which I have photographed in a previous occasion, I know), I turned left into Gaskin Street.

Gaskin Street

A rather ordinary street, neither particularly pretty nor interesting, Gaskin Street once held a chapel which caused it to be called Church Street. It was renamed in 1937 after the Revd George Gaskin, D.D. (1797-1829) who was attached in some capacity to the nearby Church of St Mary.

Rothery Street

Leading off Gaskin Street is another nondescript street, this one called Rothery Street. Apparently, it is named after lawyer William Rothery (1775-1864). What is curious about that is that Rothery is listed as being an Admiralty referee on matters connected with the slave trade. I wonder how long before this connection is discovered and the street renamed.

St Mary’s Path

The foregoing street leads us to the picturesque St Mary’s Path that runs beside the once burial ground, now gardens, of St Mary’s Church.

St Mary’s Church

From here we have a semi-veiled view of the church or, at least, we do until the leaves return to the trees and veil the view completely.

St Mary’s Garden

I walked through the garden which was fairly crowded with both adults and children, in spite of the cloudy sky.

St Mary’s from the garden

I took this photo in the garden. Because there were so many people, discretion was necessary. The street photographer’s mantra is: Be quick, don’t make eye contact, move swiftly on!

It was my last photo and after taking it I returned home to await news from Tigger, on her way home from work.