Yea, though I walk through ........ - # 04/10

Get thee behind me!  Who tempted me to do this?


"And the devil took him up onto a high mountain and said - "Cast yourself down.....and I will give you the whole world" - "  (more or less that's just what he said - I read, it so it's true).


I did cast myself down and I did get up again. I can't stop myself now.  Up and down all day long.  It's the challenge, you see.

Conceptual art - # 03/10

Another "hi-tech" offering from the camera phone which encapsulates a number of stages in life, or perhaps "event concepts".

The bed doesn't match up to Tracy Emmin's world-acclaimed artisitic achievement, but the good thing is;  It will not be there much longer!!!!!  Very soon, this bed will be cleared from the living room and I will start to live normally again in my house.

I've been taught to manage going up stairs, and the zimmer frame has been replaced by sticks and I'm told that the time has come to "Get outside and walk about".

The weather is absolutely AWFUL with torrents of rain, grey cloud and low temperatures.  Therfore I would rather contemplate the second item - The Watercolour above the bed.  This vibrant and sunny work of art cheers me up whenever I look at it.  It's a painting of a street scene in Cuba. 

So, that's it: a bit of gloom relieved by a bright and vibrant outlook.   

Champagne photography - # 02/10

In the world of optics the name of Carl Zeiss is legendary and stands for perfection.  Therefore, I'm not so sure what old Carl would make of this rendering from the Zeiss branded lens on my new Nokia 5800 camera phone.


I'd say that the colour rendering is good, but that the product lacks the excitement that comes when you meet a person or a object that has very clearly defined character traits that you can can "savour" in your mind and, if appropriate, by touch.


I love to speculate on the moment when the legendary monks discovered that they had invented champagne, and wonder what they thought about that moment of excitement.  Or did the first experiment turn out a bit like this effort from Zeiss via Nokia?


Anyway, for me it's a little like really good champagne, because this is the photo of my first "real" coffee, made exclusively by me, in the kitchen (my Zimmer Frame standing close by) to which I - sort of - walked.  It's also an early attempt to discover just where the benefits of the camera phone really lie.  (I think I know that already - even if they are a little bit "unclear").

Russia through my window - # 01/10

Don't worry about the room. Look at the birch tree and the way it catches the light. (Lying in my bed, set up in the living room) I have the pleasure of spending hours looking at this scene.  I had to snap it with the lens available because for the time being that's how life is: just be grateful for what you have, and indeed I found I am rich in friends. 

In Russia there is tradition of painting gorgeous miniatures on little lacquered papier machee boxes.  There are, I recall, three distinct styles (names escape me) and I collected them when I travelled on business to Russia.

The birch tree and everything about it captures those lovely paintings that are so uniquely Russian.

For those of you who worry about me: I am now learning to walk again and trying to bring my useless shoulder back to its normal power and range of movement. My right leg is re-inforced with a very long titanium metal bar, and this is screwed into my hip to stop the leg dropping off!  At least that's what the x-ray looked like when I saw it.  It was indeed a "nasty fall".

In a month from now I hope to be "normal".  Thanks for all your kind wishes.

Structure of resilience

I knew i might find a use for this.

The Wellington bomber was noted for its extremely reliable structure which resisted collapse when attacked.

I am deeply moved by all your msges of support.  All will be addressed, but pse give me  time.