Hairy Horse Chestnut

My journey from Christchurch to Waterloo took 4 hours this morning, twice as long as it should have done. My booked service was cancelled and I then had to watch three other trains speed past the platform before one eventually stopped. That train was then later halted by an 'incident on the line' and had to be diverted via a very roundabout route through the back turnings of south-east London, getting threaded in between all the regular metro traffic. The conductor was excellent and kept us posted with a witty running commentary. When we left the main line he described it as like turning off a motorway onto a B-road. I bet the signaller quite enjoys the challenge of such a day. This is the third time I've been derailed by a tragedy like this in almost as many trips down south. That doesn't bear thinking about, statistically.

It was rather odd to have a day in London and end up blipping a tree. This Horse Chestnut was found in St. John's Churchyard, Wapping. I don't ever remember seeing anything quite like it before, sprouting leaves directly from its trunk and main branches. Is this normal? All I know is that it's incredibly beautiful.