Here's one I made earlier!

I had the day off work today. Whenever I book a random day off, I tend to do nothing and just potter about at home doing some housework. Now I have to blip, it's an opportunity to head off somewhere to see what I can find!

I went to the Imperial War Museum at Salford Quays. I've been wanting to go back for years and must admit it was a lot smaller (and darker) than I remember. I seem to have a penchant for bridges and steel structures as that's what catches my eye when the phone is in my hand. I would have never known this before!

The Bees in the City trail is now open in Manchester so I also managed to photograph 3 at Media City/the Lowry Outlet, plus 5 in Manchester on my journey home.

I met a friend for coffee, someone who has recently joined my crochet/knit group and is very lovely indeed! We had a great time having a chat, a coffee and a stroll round the Quays before ending up at the Blue Peter gardens. I was explaining the institution that was Blue Peter - empty toilet roll and some sticky back plastic anyone!

We spotted the Blue Peter ship in the corner and went to have a look but had to wait for a photo opportunity as a couple of men where taking lots of photos of it. We got chatting to them and it turns out it was Steve Blaylock, the guy who made the original sculpture in 1999, and his son. 

The ship was originally made for BBC TV centre in London and lived there for years. When the BBC was sold, the sculpture was 'shipped' up to the BBC offices in Manchester where it stayed until being placed in the Blue Peter Gardens.

Unfortunately, it was placed in an open area and it's right next to the tram stop. It seems someone - perhaps drunk or with a large bum - sat on it and buckled all the helm of the ship. He had literally just finished installing the refurbished ship so we must have been one of the first people to see it. His son kindly suggested that we could have a picture of his dad with the sculpture he made! He was very obliging.

Prior to this, my blip was already to post but this was a moment I would never be able to recapture.

It was a really lovely day and a much more memorable day off! 

Quote for today:
Here's one I made earlier.
- Blue Peter