I had two jobs to do this morning. The first was to collect a repeat prescription from Kings’ Chemists in Amwell Street and the second was to take a bag of DVDs to the Oxfam Bookshop. By the time I had returned home and put away my boxes of pills, it was lunchtime.

Waiting for a bus?

After lunch, I decided to make good my resolution to take a walk each day, even though I was tempted to let this morning’s activities fill that role. Bravely, I set out, passing the stop in Pentonville Road where this unusual customer was apparently waiting for a bus.

Sunshine at the Angel Crossroads

I paused at the Angel crossroads to take this photo showing what a pleasant sunny day it was. The sunshine even warmed the air somewhat.

Wedge-shaped building

I set off down St John Street and noticed this building on the corner of Rawstorne Street. Because of the angle between the two streets, the building is wedge-shaped. Such buildings always fascinate me, leaving me wondering what shape the rooms are. Are they wedge-shaped too? I have never managed to visit such a building and see for myself.

Where three streets meet

On the left of the photo is the Dame Alice Owen pub that I have often photographed before. Three streets meet here, Wynyatt Street (in the background, right), Spencer Street (in the foreground) and St John Street (off to the left). This creates an open space with trees, a telephone kiosk, a planter and a cattle trough (mostly hidden by the leftmost tree). Such open spaces are welcome in my view as they relieve the crowded feeling of built-up areas.

Relief over the doorway

Further down is a building now occupied by London Metropolitan University. Over the main door is this fine relief. It no doubt contains a message of some sort though I am unable to decipher it. For this photo, I had to stand in the road which is either brave or reckless, depending on your point of view!

Entrance, Islington Museum

Near the university campus is Finsbury Public Library. Beside it is this rather understated entrance. Going down 15 steps (or using the wheelchair lift) takes you to the basement under the library which is the domain of Islington Museum. I went down for a look.

The museum – general view

The museum has exhibits that are strictly local and as it’s quite small, we visit it only from time to time.

A 1930s kitchen

I am always intrigued by room settings (which is why the Museum of the Home is one of my favourites) and my attention was caught by this 1930s kitchen. Slightly incongruously, the table and chairs are miniatures, suitable only for small children. Perhaps that was all that would fit into what is quite a small space.

Milk delivery cart

A prominent position was given to this fine old exhibit. It is a cart used by Lloyd’s Dairy to deliver milk to their domestic customers. It was made in about 1914 and continued in use until 1947. Milk would have been ladled from a churn into measuring jugs and then tipped into the customers jug.

Lloyd’s Dairy

This is Lloyd’s Dairy today. The signage is still the same but it is currently a hairdressing salon.

All from the same house

This cabinet contains a multifarious collection of objects all dug up in the garden of the same house. Each shelf contains items from one century.

Gent’s swimming costume

How about this piece of natty gent’s attire? It is a 1900-vintage bathing costume, discovered in the lost property department of the swimming baths. (Sorry about the unavoidable reflections on the glass.)

Sekforde Street

I next ventured into a quiet road called Sekforde Street. It is a residential street (apart from the pub) but has a building that interests me.

Finsbury Bank For Savings

This bank was built in 1840 and, strangely, placed here in a rather out-of-the-way street. It was squeezed in between houses – literally, because it is numbered 18½!

Manager’s Entrance

It has a special entrance for the manager.

Sculpted door-knockers

This door has sculpted door-knockers, each showing the head of a different animal carrying a cub in its mouth. Identifying the species is left as an exercise for the reader 🙂

Pedestrian tunnel

Later, I ventured into this tunnel which provides a way through a solid row of buildings.

Hayward’s Place

It leads into this pedestrian-only street of houses called Hayward’s Place. It looks to be a pleasantly quiet place to live.

This seemed a good end-point for my walk and I started back. I thought about taking the bus but as the stop nearest us is closed because of road works, it seemed hardly worth it. So I walked.

The Sekforde

I passed along Sekforde Street again where I took a photo of the pub which is called The Sekforde.

Tubular seat

I walked up St John Street and noticed the seat (at least, I think it’s intended to be a seat) made of tubes. It doesn’t look very comfortable. (No, I didn’t try it.)

Spa Green

This time, I left St John Street and passed through Spa Green. It was looking calm and beautiful in the sunshine.

Feasting pigeons

Someone had left bread and the pigeons – both feral pigeons and wood pigeons – were enjoying the feast. The bread was in slices and the pigeons were tossing these in the air, hoping to break off pieces.

Sadler’s Wells Theatre

I exited Spa Green into Rosebery Avenue and crossed into Arlington Way beside Sadler’s Wells Theatre. From here, I was soon home and quite glad to sit down for a rest!

It is Sunday and therefore the day on which we perform our main weekly shopping run. We also need to continue moving stuff from store back to home. But first…

Cafe Sizzles

First, we betook ourselves, plus shopping trolley, to Cafe Sizzles for brunch.

Speciality bread stall, Farmers’ Market

Cafe Sizzles is just within the boundaries of the Farmers’ Market that takes place in the upper end of Chapel Market on Sundays. This bread stall was one of those dedicated to speciality products.

Pigeon jamboree

As we crossed through Sainsbury’s car park, we saw an unusually large gathering of pigeons, probably members of the population inhabiting Culpeper Park on the other side of the street. But why were they here? I can only suppose that someone had been feeding them.

Queueing at Sainsbury’s

We had timed brunch so as to arrive at Sainsbury’s just after they opened but we in fact arrived a couple of minutes early and had to join the queue of waiting customers.

At the checkout

We had soon collected our purchases and made our way to the checkouts. You may observe that the screens erected around the checkouts during the pandemic have now been removed except for a relatively small screen directly in from of each checkout person.

The crockery stall, Chapel Market

As usual, from Sainsbury’s, we passed through Chapel Market on our way to Mercer’s to pick up our coffee. The market seems now to have settled into its post-pandemic configuration. There are many fewer stalls than in the “old days” (before Covid) but the stalls that are present are the same ones from week to week, the crockery stall being one of these. It will be interesting to see whether, as time passes, the absentees will return.

Loading the trolley

Having returned home and put away the shopping, we had a little rest over coffee and then set out for the third phase of today’s business: shifting stuff back from store. Today we were concentrating on smaller items and so we were able to use the shopping trolley, having removed its bag.

As usual, it was Tigger who organised the work (well, to be honest, 99% of the stuff is her property!), and I just lent a hand as appropriate.

The second load ready to go
Photo by Tigger

If you compare the state of the lock-up shown in this photo with previous photos, I think you can see that we have already reduced the heap by a noticeable amount. According to our contract (which we can extend, if necessary), we need to empty the store by end of business next Saturday. Will we succeed?

Last load for today
Photo by Tigger

This is the state of affairs when we moved our last load today. If progress seems slow, you have to realise that each load shifted implies work to be done at home.

As well as shifting stuff from the store to home, we also delivered a large bag of donations to the charity shop. There will be more yet!

Over the coming days, we will be sorting through everything and getting rid of items that can be put out as refuse, recycled or donated to charity. In that sense, the operation has been a useful experience despite the fact that its ostensible reason – the electrical inspection – failed to materialise. Any reduction in the amount of clutter in our tiny flat is to be welcomed!

Having moved a goodly fraction of our belongings into store for an electrical inspection that never happened (see previous posts), we now have to start moving it all back again.

Cafe Sizzles

To give ourselves courage for the Labours of Hercules ahead of us, we started by going to Cafe Sizzles for brunch.

Safestore

When that pleasant distraction was finished, we walked to Safestore and borrowed one of their 4-wheeler trolleys. We took this via the lift to our 3rd-floor lockup and loaded a few items onto it. Having already experienced using such trolleys to put stuff in store, we knew not to load it too heavily.

Loaded and ready to go
Photo by Tigger

This is a picture of the third loading of the trolley. After bringing this one home, we needed to take a rest.

The loaded trolley has to be taken by lift from the third to the ground floor and then into the street. Dragging it over uneven pavements and across roads is no picnic. At home, it has to be unloaded and its cargo stored in temporary heaps to be sorted and arranged later.

The return journey
Photo by Tigger

In the photo, we are taking the empty trolley back to Safestore. Tigger is pushing and I am pulling as well as directing it.

Today’s last load
Photo by Tigger

We managed four loads today. If that doesn’t sound much, all I can say us that it’s more tiring and time-consuming than you might think.

Awaiting our turn at the deli

After returning the trolley to Safestore, we set off down Amwell Street to the deli. We felt that our efforts deserved to be rewarded with coffee!

Sitting outside the deli

We had brought a cup carrier with us but, despite the chill in the air, we decided to drink our coffee sitting at a table outside the deli, where we could be entertained by things going on in the street.

Tree in blossom
Photo by Tigger

On the way home, Tigger noticed this tree in blossom. That’s a hopeful sign that spring is coming. It can’t come soon enough for me!

Security – of a sort
Photo by Tigger

Someone has delivered a package to this address. Finding no one at home, they have left the package on the doorstep and discreetly covered it with the door mat. No one would spot that, would they?

Tomorrow is another day and I expect we shall move a few more loads from the store to home. For now, we are planning on an evening of relaxation!

London’s traffic is flowing more normally today, as it recovers from the effects of the tube strike. We are are dining out this evening and will meet near the restaurant. I was travelling there from home, Tigger from her place of work.

Aboard the 153

Tigger reminded me by text that the nearest bus stop was closed because of road works. That meant I had to dash to Tolpuddle Street for my bus. Happily, I arrived in time and off we went!

Under the Barbican

I left the bus at the stop called Beech Street which is in the tunnel that carries the road under the Barbican Estate.

The Barbican Cinema

Nearby is the Barbican Cinema in whose cafe we planned to meet.

The Barbican Cinema cafe

Fortunately, the cafe was not busy and I was served straightaway.

Green tea

I chose to have green tea while waiting for Tigger to arrive.

In Côte Brasserie

As soon as Tigger arrived, we went next door to the local branch of Côte Brasserie. The restaurant was fairly busy but they found us a table and attended to us efficiently.

Prix Fixe menu

I chose from the Prix Fixe menu because I saw something on it that I like. I chose…

Wild mushroom soup
Photo by Tigger

…wild mushroom soup (the item that made me choose this menu) and…

Chickpea Taboulé
Photo by Tigger

…Chickpea Taboulé. Both dishes were very good, especially the soup. I could have happily had a second helping!

Mushroom Cassoulet
Photo by Tigger

Tigger chose a mushroom cassoulet from the main menu.

Waiting for the bus

Afterwards, we had to wait for a bus in a cold, rainy street. Luckily, we had only two minutes to wait before the bus arrived.

Aboard the 153

The bus sped through the Barbican tunnel (as you see in the above photo) and carried us quickly back to the Angel. We had enjoyed our evening out and a propitious start to the weekend!

As I mentioned yesterday (and in other posts), I am trying to make myself go out for a walk every day, something that needs determination on the days when Tigger is at work and not here to encourage me. I am pleased to say that today I did plan a walk and actually carried it out. Yay me! 🙂

First, however, I needed to go shopping.

Dead lamp

When I went into the bathroom and pulled the light switch, instead of being rewarded with steady illumination, I found myself subjected to a light that flashed on and off, on and off… The bulb is rather a complicated thing (see photo), a sort of curled-up neon tube. They are fine and give a good light… until they don’t anymore.

Fortunately, I had a replacement which I quickly installed but, as these lamps can be temperamental, I thought it best to buy a new one straightaway.

Ryness Electrical

Fortunately, there is a branch of Ryness Electrical near us and they were able to supply a replacement (£7.99) and take the old one for recycling.

Sainsbury’s car park

After lunch, I set out on my planned walk, passing through Chapel Market and Sainsbury’s car park to…

The Angelic and Liverpool Road

…Liverpool Road where a pub called The Angelic stands on a corner with its clock permanently showing 8 minutes past 4 (whether in the morning or the afternoon, your guess is as good as mine).

Old Royal Free Place

I passed the old Royal Free Hospital complex which is now residential.

Gruesomely named pub

My next landmark was a pub on a corner. It has a gruesome name so I will leave you to read it for yourselves.

Shop with old signage

Next to the pub in Theberton Street is this old shop. Once belonging the G.E. Adams, it offered “Dairy and Provisions”. It is now residential and I found myself wondering how long ago it was when Mr Adams retired from business.

Gibson Square Gardens

A little further along Theberton Street, on the left, one comes to an elegant square, with a central garden, called Gibson Square. (This is also the nom de plume of the author of a certain well-known blog!) Open to the public, the garden is a pleasant place in which to stroll or sit and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.

Air vent for the Victoria Line

A curious feature of the garden is this structure imitating a… Well, actually, I’m not sure what it’s supposed to imitate. Its raison d’être is the Victoria Line that runs under the garden. An air vent was needed for this and where can you put an air vent in a build-up area but in a garden? The residents of the square were not happy about it but had to accept a compromise in the shape of this strange building.

Gibson Square and Milner Square

Continuing on from Gibson Square, you enter Milner Square. The division between the two is marked by a change in the design of the houses, as you can see in the photo.

Milner Square Garden

Milner Square also has a central garden but it is smaller than Gibson Square’s. It is also less pretty, being mainly occupied with apparatus for a children’s playground – though that also has value on its own account.

Just front doors?

Looking at the rows of houses delimiting the square, you might think all the doorways are entrances to the houses. You might miss the one that is different.

Entrance to Almeida Passage

One of the doorways is the entrance to Almeida Passage that runs right through the row of houses, leading you into Almeida Road.

Battishill Street Garden

Off to the left is Battishill Street which also has a garden. In the garden is something rather special that I had come to revisit: the Musgrave Watson Frieze.

The Musgrave Watson Frieze

It is too large to easily photograph in its entirety and my panorama shot above is just intended to show its size. Here are just three photos of sections of it:

Musgrave Watson Frieze, details

Here is a photo of the board explaining the history of the frieze:

Unfortunately, this fascinating piece of art and history is looking rather neglected and in need of care and attention, otherwise it will rot away and be lost.

St Mary’s Church, Upper Street

I walked down Waterloo Place into Upper Street. I thought about taking the bus but as one was not due for 15 minutes, I decided to keep on walking though Upper Street is not the pleasantest road to walk on. I passed St Mary’s Church and…

Islington Green

…Islington Green. I noticed what I had previously missed, namely that this park has been renamed Islington Memorial Green. I really can’t see the need for this and find it rather silly. It’s been plain Islington Green from time immemorial and I, for one, will continue referring to it by that name.

The Oxfam Booshop

Finding myself in front of the Oxfam Bookshop, I let myself be tempted and went inside. I climbed the 18 steps to the upper floor where…

“Le coin francophone”

…we find the coin francophone (the French language corner), as I call it. I wasn’t expecting to find anything new that I would want to read but, happily, I was wrong. I bought not one but two books! Then I scurried off home to make tea and try out my purchases. In case you are wondering what they are these are my choices:

With regard to the book by Bussi, this author is famous for his punning titles. Sang Famille sounds the same as the phrase sans famille, meaning “without family” or “alone in the world”, what the significance is of sang famille (literally, “blood family”) I shall have to find out by reading the book!