I was up at my usual time this morning. I had breakfast, checked my email, etc and then asked myself “What now?”

Tigger is working the late shift today but, in addition, she had a clinic appointment at 9 am and was enjoying a little extra lie-in.

It suddenly occurred to me that if I hurried, I could be ready to go out with Tigger when she left for her appointment. No sooner thought of than put into action! I also had a ulterior motive, which will become apparent.

Into the busy streets

We went out into the busy, rush-hour streets. The sun was shining, making things seem a little more cheerful, but the air was chilly, the more so because of the strong, gusty wind.

Entering Great Percy Street

We crossed Amwell Street and entered Great Percy Street. I stopped to photograph the garage which was open with mechanics working on vehicles. I am always attracted to garages, firstly, because my father was a motor mechanic and, secondly, because I used to work in a garage during vacations when I was a student. The smell of motor oil and petrol always revives happy memories.

The path between gardens

We walked along this path that runs between community gardens. If it has a name, I have not been able to discover what it is. I refer to it as the path between gardens.

The Amwell Practice

We reached our destination, the Amwell Practice in Nairoji Street and went in.

The waiting room

When Tigger went for her appointment, I stayed in the waiting room. As this was empty at the time, I felt it was acceptable to take a photo. (I wouldn’t have done so had there been patients present.)

A couple of years ago, the waiting room would have been full of patients waiting to be called by their doctors. Post-pandemic, face-to-face appointments are replaced wherever possible by phone or video calls. It always strikes me as strange to find myself in an empty doctors’ waiting room.

Passing through Spa Green

When Tigger emerged after her appointment and set off for her workplace, I proposed to accompany her part of the way. We crossed Rosebery Avenue and walked through Spa Green where its war memorial was basking in sunshine.

Aboard the 153

From Spa Green we entered St John Street and there caught a number 153 bus. This bus would take Tigger part of the way to work and even during rush-hours us not usually crowded.

London Wall

We left the bus at the stop near All Saints Church in London Wall. Beside the bus in the above photo you will see the establishment that I hoped we might visit (the “ulterior motive” mentioned above!). Tigger had skipped breakfast – as required for her appointment – and I was hoping we we would have breakfast (the second for me!) en route.

Caffè Nero

As it happened, my luck was in because Tigger was quite happy to catch up on her missed breakfast. We crossed the road and entered Caffè Nero.

Coffee and croissants

We ordered coffee and croissants (no prizes for guessing!). We couldn’t tarry too long as Tigger was anxious to reach the office, on time if possible, or at least, not too late.

Old Broad Street

We bade our tearful adieus here, on the corner of Old Broad Street. Tigger then walked further along London Wall to the stop for her next bus.

Liverpool Street Station

My route took me along Old Broad Street to Liverpool Street Station. It was still quite busy as was only to be expected at that time of day. In the photo, I am riding the escalator down to the main concourse.

Aboard the 153

I went to the bus station next to the railway station to catch a 153 bus for home. Fortunately, I didn’t have long to wait and was soon on my way.

Now I must think of ways to fill in my time until Tigger returns home this evening.

I mentioned a while back that I was having problems with my hitherto faithful Toshiba laptop. In December, I took it to Curry’s to see whether it could be repaired. It could, but as it was now quite old, I decided to buy a new laptop.

I chose a Dell Inspiron and since then I have come to cordially hate the wretched thing. The main reason for my dislike is that it has an intermittent fault. This takes the form of an unstable mouse pointer that darts about madly, making the computer impossible to use. I discovered that I can stabilise the pointer by closing the computer for about 20 seconds. The pointer then behaves, possibly for a couple days but sometimes only a couple of minutes. I have to keep interrupting my work by closing the computer.

Curry’s were unable to help because when I took the wretched thing in to them, it of course refused to misbehave. While I understand that intermittent faults are difficult to deal with, I was less than impressed with Curry’s seeming lack of interest in my problem.

This morning, I went online to Dell to try to obtain help from them. I tried to access the settings they suggested I change and at that moment the cursor decided misbehave: it neatly turned off the trackpad, leaving the computer unusable!

Aboard the 73

All I could do was to stuff the PC and its cable into my shoulder bag and cart it round to Curry’s when they opened at 10 am, by number 73 bus.

Arriving at Curry’s

Fortunately, I was the only customer at the repair counter and I was attended to straightaway. On my previous visit, the (male) assistant had shown a lack of interest in my problem, as though he had already decided that it was insoluble. Today, the (female) assistant was a lot more helpful.

She fetched a mouse and used this to access my computer’s settings. She re-enabled the trackpad and, having listened carefully to my account of the jumping mouse pointer suggest reducing the sensitivity of the trackpad to see whether helped. Unlike The previous assistant, she told me to come back if the problem persisted and she would send the laptop away for testing.

Inside Curry’s store

As I was there, I thought I ought to take a look around the store, especially as it is virtually empty at this time of day. My heart wasn’t in it, though, and after a brief tour of the displays, I left.

Homeward bound on the 73

I boarded a 73 bus which carried me home.

I have used the computer on and off during the day and so far, the mouse pointer has behaved itself. That doesn’t mean that problem has been solved because we often go a day or so without the fault reappearing. It’s a hopeful sign, however.

Inside Pizza Union
Photo by Tigger

Tigger was working the late shift today and we decided to eat out this evening. We arranged to meet at Pizza Union near Old Street Station. Just as I went out to catch a bus, there was a heavy downpour of rain. Fortunately, I had a bus straightaway but not before I had become wet and bedraggled.

Cloudy skies from inside Pizza Union
Photo by Tigger

I arrived first but Tigger was not long in coming. We chose a table near a window. The view outside was wet and miserable.

Watching the Pick Up counter

At Pizza Union, you order and pay at the counter and receive an electronic pager. When the pager buzzes, your pizzas are ready at the Pick Up counter.

Having eaten, we had to confront the wet streets again and walk to a bus stop. Fortunately, it was barely raining, in contrast to the downpour in which I was caught earlier.

We let a loaded 205 bus go by and caught a 214 because we know that this bus is usually much less crowded. So it was this time and we easily found seats. The bus carried us home to the Angel. We changed our wet clothes and made tea. A relaxing evening ahead!

Baron Street – sunny but cold

We went out around 11 am for our usual shopping run to Sainsbury’s. The sun was shining but the temperature was still only a degree or so above freezing.

The Farmers’ Market

We passed by the Farmers’ Market,…

Going to the checkout

…collected our shopping at Sainsbury’s,…

Chapel Market

…hurried through Chapel Market and…

At Mercer’s

…called in at Mercer’s for our takeaway coffee.

I noticed that, unlike last Sunday, there were the usual numbers of people in the markets and in Sainsbury’s – so it seems that people have recovered from the change to the clocks!

Aboard the 43

After lunch, Tigger had an idea for a walk. This involved catching a number 43 bus. It was crowded but we found seats upstairs.

The Archway Bridge

The bus passes under the Grade II listed Archway Bridge that gives the district of Archway its name.

Somewhere in Muswell Hill

We left the bus at this crossroads in Muswell Hill. (The curious name is thought to derive from a mossy spring that was believed to possess miraculous curative properties.)

Everyman Cinema
Photo by Tigger

Nearby stands the Everyman Cinema. Tigger supposed that it would have a cafe and we went inside to look.

Cinema cafe

Tigger’s guess turned out to be right. There was a cafe and we found comfortable seats where we had coffee. The lighting was fairly dim – perhaps to help patrons to adjust to the darkness of the cinema.

Church of St James Muswell Hill

Leaving the cinema, we passed in front of the local parish church of St James. Originally built in Victorian times and rebuilt in early Edwardian days, it was badly damaged in World War II and rebuilt. (More details here.)

Muswell Hill Road

We set off along Muswell Hill Road to find Tigger’s intended walk. Clouds were gathering and the sun kept disappearing. The air was cold.

We reached a bus stop

To cut a long story short, we wimped out of the intended walk on reaching a bus stop! We decided to catch a bus for home.

Aboard the 43

We boarded a 43 bus, thinking it would take us all the way to the Angel but then the recorded voice told us that the bus would terminate at Archway.

Waiting for another bus

We baled out at a bus stop within sight of the Archway Bridge. We intended to catch a 43 that would go all the way to the Angel but it turned out the the next 43 was 19 minutes away. We therefore caught an earlier bus to start us on our way.

Self-defined famous pub

This bus took us to Highbury Corner near this pub that defines itself as famous. (I don’t know whether it really is famous or not.)

A glimpse of the Union Chapel

We walked round to Upper Street and a bus stop there. I photographed the Union Chapel through the branches of a garden while waiting.

Aboard the 30

We caught a number 30 bus which carried us back to the Angel and home. I hope that the weather will improve soon, encouraging us to go out and about once more.

The warm weather that we enjoyed in Norwich fooled me into thinking that spring weather had arrived to stay. The cold snap has therefore come as a doubly unwelcome surprise.

Tigger returned to work, of course, and the cold weather inhibited me from going out. Even at home, we are not all that comfortable because the mad price of fuel means that we turn on the heating only occasionally in short bursts.

Looking along Pentonville Road
Photo by Tigger

This morning we bravely faced the weather. It was sunny-cloudy but only 3°C above freezing. Tigger took this photo looking along Pentonville Road during a sunny interval. You can see our old friend Wild Kong, the red figure on the right.

Myddelton Square

We took a turn around Myddelton Square, which was looking bright and peaceful when the sun shone. We looked for the two cats but they were not visible.

A Morgan Plusfour
Photo by Tigger

Tigger, who seems to like sports cars, photographed this one, a Morgan Plusfour. Perhaps it will cause a few readers’ eyes to sparkle. I have had a number of cars in my time but always “family saloons”, never a sporty model. I can no longer afford a car but can’t say a miss having one.

Coffee and custard tarts

We visited our friends at Myddelton’s deli and as there was a table free on the sunny side, we were brave enough to take our coffee outside. We had custard tarts as well. (I’ve made it a moving picture so that you can see the steam rising off my coffee!)

After our coffee break, we returned home. Despite the sunshine it was bitterly cold – it felt as though it was freezing even if it wasn’t quite that cold – and the idea of going for a ramble did not appeal.

Cafe Sizzles

When lunchtime cane around, we thought to cheer ourselves up by having a cooked meal at Cafe Sizzles in Chapel Market.

Cafe Sizzles was busy

As it was lunch time, the cafe was quite busy. Rather than draw attention to myself waving a camera phone about, I took a “discreet” photo round my arm 🙂

Chapel Market, top end

After lunch, we went for a little walk. We started along to top end of Chapel Market.

Penton Street

We entered Penton Street and turned left back towards Pentonville Road.

Wedding dresses at Mirror Mirror

The shop windows of Mirror Mirror were full of wedding dresses, ready for all those spring marriages.

Safestore

At the junction of Penton Street with Pentonville Road stands Safestore where we lately stored some of our possessions temporarily when we though we were having an electrical inspection on our flat. We may have to do it all over again if and when the inspection is finally arranged.

Goldfish pond

In Pentonville Road, we noticed this pond with goldfish in front of a block of flats. The fish looked very lethargic and I sympathised! The water must be near freezing.

We continued on and went home where we will stay now for the rest of the day. Perhaps the weather will be warmer tomorrow. We can but hope!

Did you remember that the clocks go forward one hour today? I remembered when I noticed that the only one of our clocks that is not radio controlled seemed to be running an hour slow. I suspect that in an age when people take their time from their computers, their mobile phones and radio controlled clocks and watches, many do not even notice when the clocks change in March and October.

Sainsbury’s – not busy

As usual on Sunday, we trundled our shopping trolley round to Sainsbury’s for the weekly shopping. Though we were a little later than usual, the shop was not at all busy.

Chapel Market – not busy, either

It was the same story in Chapel Market as I hurried through on my way to Mercer’s for our coffee. Are people compensating for the clock change by having a lie-in, I wonder?

Aboard the 73

After lunch, we went out and caught a 73 bus.

St Pancras

It brought us to the magnificent St Pancras Station.

A glimpse of the Eurostar platforms

We went to the upper level where we could see the Eurostar trains preparing to set out for fascinating destinations in Europe – that marvellous continent from which we have so stupidly disconnected ourselves.

Carluccio’s

We found a table at Carluccio’s restaurant.

Cake and coffee
Photo by Tigger

We ordered cake and coffee as a treat to conclude Tigger’s birthday holiday.

Pigeon tree

Passing in front of King’s Cross Station, we saw this tree full of pigeons. As you may know, I like pigeons and so I photographed the tree and its lodgers.

Aboard the 205

That was enough activity for today and so we caught a 205 bus. The bus was crowded, though Tigger managed to get us seats. As it was so full of standing passengers, I could only take a photograph through the side window as the bus carried us up the hill to the Angel and home.

Tigger returns to work tomorrow, sad to say. We have enjoyed a good holiday together, though, which is something to be grateful for.