Rainbow Square, Gloucester

We were going south, to Weston, with a view to seeing the current build of the See Monster. As we approached the southbound ramp on the M5 I causally glanced (I wasn't driving) at the map on my iPhone to see the motorway stopped from Bristol to Clevedon. So we went north.

The rainbow buildings were on our list anyway. Bristol has long had an association with colourfully painted terraces, and now Gloucester artist Tasha Frootko (yup) has begun a project on several streets in the city near the Kingsholm stadium.

As we walked along the first of the streets to be painted, the artist opened her door! She effusively explained her project and the challenges she had experienced in getting it running, and before I knew it Janet was invited inside to see the rest of her house! I pled grubby walking boots. ;-)

The main is from Rainbow Square, and was completed by her fellow collaborators, Zoe and Eloisa. I sometimes feel Gloucester needs a bit of a lift, and these buildings certainly offer something along the right lines! I've made a terrible montage of two sides of St Mark Street, as well as Janet doing what she does best and me doing nothing at all.

We came back to listen to the King. Well, any excuse for raising a glass, eh. I heard in his voice both the love for and loss of his mother, and also a slightly less welcome admission that he might have to be a little more normal. I am hopeful he rethinks that. Normal has got us here.