Beautiful day

A couple of days before we dropped TYM off at uni [he's made lots of friends and is having a ball btw....the word on the street is that he might have even picked up a pen and done some work this week!] he shouted that there was a rainbow at the back of GBT. Like the rainbow itself. that moment was transitory, but I shall treasure the memory of it. I just about managed to get a photo before it disappeared.

If we're talking all things beautiful please allow me to leave you with this song "Beautiful Day" by The Levellers. Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Arilx

Covetous

I don't think [at least I hope not] that I'm by nature an acquisitive creature. It gives me great pleasure to enjoy and admire new things or see other's possessions, but the process hardly ever gives me a dose of "I wants" You can imagine what a nightmare I am come birthday or Christmas time then as I am asked "what do you want?" and I draw a blank. One year I think my Mum could hardly believe it when I asked her for one of those extendable feather dusters. However, she bought me one [along with other far more exciting things] and it's been an absolute godsend. I've used it loads.

Unusually for me this year I knew exactly what I wanted...I'd seen it earlier this year on the Irish Archaeology Shop....now nearly everything on there makes me covetous [aside from the beard beads...I probably could grow my own facial hair at this stage in my life if I so chose, but I don't think it's something I really want to aim for!] Ta-dah....one Celtic Triskele bracelet. Yum yum!

Thanking you kindly Mr GBT!

Arilx

Landmarks in our County Town.

Chichester is the county town of West Sussex and I could probably count on one hand the number of times I have visited. There are other places with which I am much more au fait, but deciding it was high time to remedy this situation, we headed over to spend a few hours. Being a soul who likes to spend time really looking at things and getting a feel for them I was reluctant to spread myself too thinly, so instead I just pinpointed a couple of targets. In effect this means that I have barely scratched the surface....n'er mind there's definitely a return visit on the cards!

Supposedly this is one of the "best examples" of a market cross in the country. That, of course, may be pure tourist marketing claptrap, but whatever the hype it's a big beast sat at the centre of four streets and is one of the iconic images of the city. It was commissioned by the former Bishop of Chichester, Edward Story, in 1501 and was originally set up as a shelter where the poor could trade their wares whilst being protected from the inclement weather. Later on it fell into disuse and was considered for demolition in 1807. Thankfully, common sense prevailed and it was saved. Nowadays it undergoes a regular programme repair and maintenance resulting in some very sensible, recognisable carvings and then some gloriously dotty stonework dating from the older to the bang up to date. No prizes for guessing which camp I was in! Camel anyone?!!

Arilx

"What will survive of us is love."

This is the so called "Arundel Tomb" of Richard Fitzalan, 3rd Earl of Arundel [c1307-1376] and his second wife Eleanor. His 1375 will stated that they were to be buried together "without pomp" in Lewes Priory. The demise of the Priory during the dissolution meant that the tomb was moved to its current site in Chichester Cathedral at a later date. To see the two of them holding hands is just so very touching and all the better now that the latest research shows it to be an original feature and not a medieval invention by the Victorian restorer, Edward Richardson, as had been feared [info from the accompanying sign]. It is one of the earliest recumbent knight tombs showing evidence of real affection between a couple. It was the inspiration for Philip Larkin's famous poem which I have added the photo of in below. I've known of this tomb for a while, but was hazy about its whereabouts. It was, therefore, a lovely surprise to chance upon it last Friday.

Arilx

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Oh my gourd!

Aah October...the traditional month for squashes, pumpkins and gourds. Footage of those massive pumpkins people grow [any mega sized veg draws my attention actually] always fascinate me...the sheer effort that goes into growing something of that magnitude. Perhaps then you might understand why I got exceedingly overthrilled when I spotted a massive pair of gourds in the distance on my whip round TYM's university city of choice.

A closer inspection proved that they were about as real as the china horse in front of them, but hey ho you can't win 'em all.

Since I was last on here officially [I schedule posts quite often] I've matured by a year. We played hooky from work and had a day out, but having then followed that by this weekend away working at the NEC [one of our best shows ever😁] I am very weary today. Could I then ask if the lady in the front row wearing the scarlet hat with the purple ostrich feather would be so kind as to pass me the matchsticks please? I shall definitely have need of them in order to convince my client later on that I am bright eyed and bushy tailed. Hopefully, I will catch up with my backlog of blog reading once I've dealt with the domestic trivia that's built up here at GBT later on!

Arilx

Mesmerizing

This short little film has a slightly trippy, kaleidoscopic feel to it. Who knew there was such beauty to be had simply viewing wood being sawn up. Hope everyone has a good weekend...I am going to be working along side Mr GBT, so had best behave!

Arilx

Dogs on the Grog

Sometimes I see something and my brain just screams "What?!" This was in the hotel foyer last weekend. It would appear that there may be a problem with the local hounds imbibing too much of the old jungle juice🐶 I rather liked finding this bit of light humour in an unexpected place!

Arilx