Evoking my childhood

I had a quite intense day trying to sort out the legal issues concerning our development of Lansdown Hall. I managed to meet with two key people who accepted the urgency of our requirements so that our working group can progress at our next meeting on Monday. I came away with a sense of relief.

The meeting was at the District Council offices at Ebley Mill, Stroud,, and while I was waiting in reception I saw a collection of artefacts relating to the history of that important building. The installation was supplied by Stroud Museum and was a real test for my low-light photography project. So much so that I am blipping something else.

Helena bought another jigsaw recently at a charity shop and when I saw it, I immediately recognised the painted scene of my childhood. It is the main high street in Southend-on-Sea in Essex, where I was born and spent the first few years of my life. My grand-father's family had been involved in the town since Victorian times and one of the family friends were the Garons, whose restaurant was situated on the right hand side of this scene; you can see the white awning sign next to the bus. We used to go there for special family meals very regularly, often on Sundays or before going to the cinema nearby. You can also see the name Garons above one of their shops with the white awning, on the corner to the left of the bridge.

My uncle knew I liked steam trains, as did he, and he arranged for me to be shown around the steam engine shed at Shoeburyness, a couple of miles away towards the mouth of the Thames estuary. This bus used to go along the seafront, past our house at Thorpe Bay and then on to Shoeburyness, as you can just see on its headboard. The steam engine crossing the bridge on its way to Fenchurch Street in London, was exactly like the one I was allowed to drive a hundred yards out of the shed, aged about eight. So as I mentioned I have been evoked, rather pleasantly. It encouraged me to shoot the jigsaw this way, like a mandala. I probably did two-thirds of the 'work' in finishing the jigsaw yesterday, which I enjoyed very much.

I must rush now as Helena is waiting for me, so we can watch the second episode of Tutti Frutti, the 1980s Scottish tv series starring Robbie Coltrane and Emma Thompson as the wonderful Kettles. I haven't seen it since it was first transmitted and it is a treat.