Eccentric Amblings and Ramblings From Gnat Bottomed Towers

Arilx

I invite her to my home. She says to me "What's all that junk you have here?" She is pointing at a large plate that was my grandmother's favourite serving plate. On this plate are two blackbird feathers that I came across while walking this morning, and a pine cone that my sister sent to me, and a string of amethyst beads that I sometimes wear, and a picture that I found last Spring of a she-wolf with her cubs, and a windfall apple from my garden and a yellow scarf that was a gift from my friend. I tell her it is flotsam. She stares at me confused. So I explain that this is my altar, that its contents change constantly according to what the universe floats my way. I explain to her that this altar is a reflection and an acknowledgement, a comfort and a challenge, a reminder of the past and the present and the future. A week later she invites me to her home. In the middle of a shelf in a bookcase there is a space between the books. And in the space there is a little

A quite extraordinary palace both inside and out. I walked through the grounds last week on my jolly to the city. The rather splendid knitted version was in the window of the cafe where I partook of a little light refreshment. Not everyone is or has been so taken with it including one Mr Noel Coward who summed up his personal opinion of it with his usual aplomb and withering wit. The Pavilion Cost a million As a monument to art. And the wits here Say it sits here Like an Oriental Tart. Arilx

These past couple of years I have been driving rather than walking to work and as a result, I have been listening to more up to date music on my local radio station. I'm not by any means bang up to date but I do at least recognise some of the tracks the small person plays on Spotify. Remembering who they're by is an art form I have yet to master! Over the past few weeks I've been hearing this. Now I know it was last summer but this is very recent for me trapped in a folk wilderness as I have been these past few years. I am perfectly capable of yawling along from start to finish but now I have looked up the lyrics on youtube I find that they bear little or no resemblance to what I have been singing. I am curious to know now what gobbledygook is spewing forth from my cakehole! Ghost-Ella Henderson Then there was this last week. Even though I am an old fossil I am aware that this is an elderly track and yes it's Take That. I like some of the stuff they've done

When my son was a small person elephants were his world. We had an entire herd and with them he played the most incredibly imaginative games. We had concerts, parties, he made spaceships, built houses for them you name it he probably did it.  Inevitably I would become involved even to the point of agreeing to making an appropriately themed birthday cake one year. First and last time I have ever used shop bought icing! Every single one had a name and almost took on their own personalities. As an only child with mild Aspergers they were also incredibly important to him as a comfort when he had not found acceptance at school or needed something familiar to settle him back into his rigid routine when he was trying to deal with the changing and challenging outside world beyond the comfort of our front door. They were often fraught days for both of us and many a tear I wept in private as I feared for how he would adapt as he grew older and whether he would be able to form

Shoreham's a mighty fine place to while away a few hours...if it's a mooch you fancy this is the perfect place. The church in the background is St Mary de Haura [meaning haven]. Originally the town was set up as a port by the Normans and its harbour is still commercially active. Along with the hobbit doors...sorry I mean Adur portals the town has recently had a new pedestrian bridge spanning the river built. However, the local populace are not happy as a year on it's still not complete. They're showing their discontent by tying shoes onto the fence bordering the unfinished part. If it's a bit of retail therapy you're after then there are a fair range of independent shops alongside the more commonly found charity shops and chains. It's just as well it was closed otherwise a few balls of wool might ahem have found their way home with me! One or two random shots for your delectation This rather splendid sun dial works if

Fortified....and for once not by sherry......no I am talking about Shoreham Fort aka Shoreham Redoubt. Built in 1857 against possible French attack it would seem it was too little too late and by 1873 a report not only found that it was obsolete but it had inadequate defences. The recommendation to demolish it and rebuild a fort that was fit for purpose was not followed through so the remains can still be viewed for free today. In the intervening period it's been used as a film set and was part of the Emergency Coastal Battery during WWII. Nowadays there's a dedicated team of volunteers who put in many hours restoring the buildings and their longterm aim is to open a museum on the site. On certain days through the year they offer guided tours. Reading up about it on my friend Wikipedia I am now able to stun you with the following regurgitated facts I have gleaned about its construction. View along the gun platform. This rather interestingly shaped building is cal

This is Shoreham airport- another destination ticked off on my weekend of jollies. I've been before but it was new to my chum S and she, having had a rough old ride of late, needed a break. Designed by Stavers Tiltman and opened on 13th June 1936 it remains fully operational. The terminal is looking a little sorry for itself at the moment festooned in scaffolding as it undergoes major redecoration. It will look amazing again once it's finished. In the foreground you can see the Shoreham Airport Community Memorial to those who lost their lives during the two world wars and those who made a contribution to the airport. The propeller is from a B26 Martin Marauder Bomber which came down into the Channel in June 1944. Although it's been restored the dent in the left blade has been left as it was found when recovered. It was a dreich kind of day so the views weren't marvellous. The viewing platform is currently closed so these views were taken through the glass door. The

Leaving aside the Norman beam the interior of the church does not disappoint. There are beautiful details from different historical eras. The first image is the Millennium window by Sue Wallace. Victorian window and painted ceiling. Last but most definitely not least the stunning Norman carvings. These two are King Stephen and Queen Matilda An elf [apparently] and a cat. Random faces- as ever I regret that the visual joke has been lost in the mists of time. The Norman arches and some of the details thereon. Perhaps the limpets are a reference to the church's connection to the seafarers? A complete treat. Arilx

St Nicolas is situated in old Shoreham and is a church that has seen some history in its time. It's a local church and struggles with the upkeep costs [£110 to maintain a day] so it has a careworn appearance but it is a little gem. Dedicated to the Bishop of Myra or known more commonly to us as St Nicolas, he is the patron saint of seafarers and one of the figures behind our Father Christmas. Built as a late Saxon church some remnants of that first period remain but architecturally it screams Norman at you with later additions. How about this for a cracking Norman door. I am programmed to look for a porch so managed to completely miss it the first time round! I've never seen a zigzag window before. A couple of the gravestones that caught my eye. I thought the juxtaposition between the heavily ornate one and the very plain one made an interesting contrast. More tomorrow- don't want you all to suffer photo overload! Arilx