Byron Hamburgers
I ate in Byron Hamburgers at Islington Green tonight. It was good and it made a nice change for me to have a real gluten-free hamburger and chips.
I also got to thinking about the similarities between my father and Lord Byron.
For a start they were both poets, although my father’s output wasn’t very large and was much less famous and was meant to be spoken with a Cockney accent. But then my father was probably a better printer than the noble Lord.
They both married women with the surname of Millbank, although Byron’s wife had a spelling of Milbanke.
And then just like I am a computer programmer, so was Lord Byron’s daughter; Ada, Countess of Lovelace.
But that’s as far as the links go.
How To Dispose of a Silly Hat
Princess Beatrice was criticised for her hat at the Royal Wedding.
Now according to reports, she has put it on eBay, with the proceeds going to charity.
Good for her! Let’s hope it raises as much money as Myleene Klass’ bikini did!
Credit Where It is Due!
It is difficult these days to find what you need and when you do I think it should be rewarded by a small plug.
When I needed some pictures framed, an old friend of nearly forty years recommended that I try A + B Glass in Stoke Newington High Street, who do windows, mirrors, tabletops and picture framing. I’ve had quite a few reframed and they have certainly done as good a job as I’ve found and at a price that is very competitive to what I used to pay in Newmarket or Cambridge.
I would point to their web site, but they don’t have one. If you need A + B Glass, they are at 124, Stoke Newington High Street, N16 7NY with a phone number of 020-7254-4541. Here’s a picture.
A + B Glass and Framing, Stoke Newington
Since they have replaced three of my double-glazed panels in my windows, that had been broken when I bought the house. Again, friends said the price was very reasonable. They also came and measured one week, giving me an estimate at the time and then delivered and installed the new panes late the next. It was completely hassle free.
One thing that they do is give you a bill immediately, so you can do a transfer immediately over the Internet. I often think that one of the causes of bad cash flow in small businesses is their tardiness in sending out bills. So if it takes three months to arrive, you feel entitled to wait another three.
As I said in this post, if it’s a direct transfer and it fails, it usually isn’t your fault. Cheques have this amazing habit of getting lost in the post. Thatb is if you can find your cheque-book. But it seems that bank transfers are very difficult to lose on the Internet, unless someone makes a typo and then the system hopefully flags it up.
How Not To Win Friends and Influence People
If you read this blog regularly, you’ll know that I hate junk mail and have a sticker on my letter box to discourage people to not fill it up with unwanted paper.
But some people obviously can’t read.
Two were from a new grocery store down the road. As they don’t take my Times vouchers, I think it highly unlikely now, I’ll ever use them.
The other was from a gardener and judging by the number that were blowing around in the road, because he put them under car windscreen wipers, he wasn’t very popular either.
Greece Melts
I like the Greeks, but it would appear that the rest of Europe will soon lose patience with them.
They had yet another General Strike yesterday and it wasn’t peaceful and quiet.
The Times today says that a Greek default could provoke another banking crisis. Certainly, the amount we’ve lent to Greece borders on the suicidal.
There was also another report last night, where it was said that Greeks were drawing out their money in cash and sending it abroad to safer countries.
I think we should all beware of giving gifts to Greeks.
Top 10 Controversial Adverts
This report on the BBC lists the ten most controversial adverts.
I’ve never seen any of them!
It just shows how much I’m influenced by advertising. The only influence, it would seem to have on me is not to watch or look at it.
My Rolex Keeps Stopping
My last present from C, a Rolex from her, engraved with “J Xmas 2007 and Forever. C” is not running too well and I have to keep adjusting the time.
Is this all part of a fiendish joke to make sure I remember her? Not that I need reminding!
The Blind Beggar and His Dog
After the cemetery, I crossed under the railway and made my way to Globe Town, intending to photograph the Blind Beggar and His Dog by Elisabeth Frink.
Elisabeth Frink's Blind Beggar and His Dog
Elisabeth Frink was born in the same village where I used to live in Suffolk.
I know times are hard, but surely this important sculpture by a world-famous artist can be displayed better.
An Abandoned Jewish Cemetery
Walking around London, I get amazed and sometimes very sad.
An Abandoned Jewish Cemetery
This picture was taken at a virtually abandoned Jewish Cemetery in Bancroft Road behind the Mile End Hospital.
Yesterday, I was amazed at finding this cemetery without any information on either my map or the fence and saddened at its state.
The Anonymous Widower 