Ticking Stripes

4.30 - Wake and switch on computer (sad to say this is normal!) Browse Flickr and surf internet ensuring all muscles exercised before getting up at 6.
6.00 - Domestics + breakfast
7.30 - Leave with Niobe. Am tested on definitions of "deontological" and "teleological" - get responses wrong and will be tested later (and its not me who has exams!)
8.00 - Drop N at school
8.15 - Park and walk to station
8.28 - Train to London
10.19- Arrive London - tube to Covent Garden



10.45 - Walk through Covent Garden Arcade - they've heard I'm on the way and have hung out the bunting! Spot a row of elephants - quick blog picture opportunity - snap away quickly - meetings at 11. Grab coffee and sandwich.



These were large models of elephants decorated by various artist and are scattered across London apparently to raise awareness of the plight of the Asian elephant - on the edge of extinction. (I suppose the idea is modelled on that of the Cow Parade which appeared in several cities a couple of years ago)





10.55 - Arrive Somerset House



Somerset House used to be the HQ of HM Inland Revenue but it's now used to house the Courtauld Gallery , a deli and has a varied range of activities taking place all year. (obviously in addition to still housing sonme of our offices). It's apparently the most outstanding 18C building in London (so it says in the guide book) - it doesn't always feel like that when I'm ensconced in the bowels of the building in rooms with no windows, mice and peeling paint!



11 - meeting 1
12 meeting 2
1 - meeting 3 - all these are career development conversations with very lucky graduates who are destined to be working and supporting mimisters in a few short years.
2.30 - Walk back to Leicester Square in search of lone elephants spotting two outside the Royal Opera House.



This one is "Charmed" adopted by Sarah Duchess of York.





Next to her was Ferrous - so called because of his oxide finish - loved the rusty streaks on this one ...



And the extra elephant detail on his back



It was a lovely day and I started to get a bit snap happy -



liked this juxtaposition of old and new phone boxes... which would you use?



And this lovely old 1902 lamp post...



ribbons fluttering outside Penhaligons



You always know when summer's on its way when the Pimms boards appear!



Quick snap for the Cath Kidston lovers



and yet another All Saints window picture (Have seen these on lots of blogs but do enjoy the display - just worry at one enterprise having so many)Tell me - what is the collective noun for a group of Singer machines? A bobbin?



3.05 - Tube to St Pancras
3.25 - Hurtled through St P aksing why I had hung about taking pictures when I had a train to catch - I just did!
3.30 - fell on train giving strong indications of a very unfit middle aged woman. Get papers out to work within the invisible boundaries of the train table marked out by ladies with coffee wearing winter coats and faces which said "don't encroach on my bit of the table"! One manages to spill her coffeee over my notebook. Wonder whether she did it on purpose. Make plans and lists for team for tomorrow. Drop off with mouth open (only realised when I woke). Wondered whether to make public apology but decided my humiliation was already complete.



5.30 - walk back to car , drive to office. This was the Revenue's flagship building for a number of years but it has fallen out of favour and bits are now being sold off. Quite interesting to work in two such prominent building in the same day and reflect that the more modern one is unlikely to be around in another 200 years!
5.40 check e-mails, set up more meetings, become indignant that I'm the only one in the office but rush to see what I can clear before leaving
7.00 - Drive home accompanied by "The Archers" (my guilty obsession)
7.30 - Collect Niobe
7.45 - Arrive home and decide no energy to cook. Time better spent loading washer etc. Await test on definitions (see above) aware I haven't retained earlier explanations. Prepare to explain that part time mum - sorry - mum working part time (subtle difference) doing old full time role is feeling a little fragile, fully accepts that she is lacking in many areas , that no I haven't booked her driving lessons and that Yes I promise to try harder.
8.15 - Give up on the day, upload pictures and devoid of brilliant ideas for a blog post decide to tell it how it is.

Hope you're enjoying the sunshine!

Love Wend