well wrapped up

an experimental self portrait without flash


that's better - now you can see my fake fur hat from LIDL in Denmark


the pavement was clear of ice and snow halfway to the pharmacy, where I had a monthly repeating prescription to collect

well - ample if uneven rock salt in Crabtree Dive by the pharmacy and medical centret

no way will I risk walking my usual route into the shopping centre

turning back Merton House looks good and clear

kids have made a big snow ball

sweep a bit and salt a bit - they left out this bit of the pavement in Bosworth Drive but at least the bus stop had all its glass and sheltered me from the winds


I got off the 97 bus at MacDonalds but turned back because of the slippery pavement

upstairs looking back where it was clear on the Macdonalds car park (above the good entrance to the shops)

and turning 180 degrees the canopies give a reasonable chance to enjoy shopping in inclement weather - to the left the fruit and vegetable stalls

I went into the greengrocers to buy carrots

looking back
looking back again by the WEST ENTRANCE HALL Chelmsley Wood shopping centre which I blogged a couple of days ago, and most of the shops are boarded up - is this where the demolition and renewal will take place first?
We are going to get a new library too.

14 February and Valentines day is upon us
and I never have sent nor been sent one in all my 71 years

and note above the antenna / aerial farm on the telephone exchange and sorting office which I can see from my windows

new to me SHANG HAI chinese restaurant and take away.

a big stairs down the the street level by the other bus stops


I am going to try this - nice idea from LLOYDS TSB
saving money the easy way SAVE THE CHANGE a neat computer programme for the bankers which rounds up each debit card payment - beats a teapot in the kitchen

SOMERFIELD gave me a thicker shopping bag free in exchange for 3 throw away ones

half price is still expensive but that small piece of pork belly from Holland is my meat for a week

and I grabbed the last bread stick / flute for 47 pence

and I increased my stock of the cheapest porridge oats

29 pence for a high fiber loaf of wholemeal bread
I will freeze some down - which slows me down from taking too many snacks

at last a decent label for old eyes - but LIDL is best for labelling BIG and ABOVE the goods

rubbish pile reduced in price AKA junk pile wher I found some fine coffee

Dufrais cider vinegar from France


now which checkout ?

all I bought at the check out


out side the store and t his floor is dangerously slippery when damp but popular because it is easy to get the chewing gum off polished terrazzo

the balcony from which I snapped is not too good either
blogged Wednesday, January 31, 2007 shopping for bread and the Radio Times


just one wet mat and a wet floor on turning back

and a warning cone CWSC own it

next i headed for ARGOS

and met this window cleaner from Scotland.
He is a retired fireman who came south for 3 years, but stayed worked for Birmingham fire brigade for 31 years and is still around on his pension. I got some tips becasue my big windows need cleaning again - he uses Fairy Liquid and he gets his tools from London.

I like catalogues ever since the model railway catalogues from Bassett-Lowke and the others.
ARGOS NEW CATALOGUE stillis useful as a weight too - Argos - Don't shop for it. Argos it!

the little lady asked me to put up her umbrella for her - it was stuck - and a wist of my wrist losened it. I never was a boy scout but doing a good deed every day makes me feel great still

but why did ARGOS have the canopy taken down?

they smelled tempting and I fell for them in the cold.

John F. Kennedy made a famous speech at the Berlin Wall, when he said, "Ich bin ein Berliner." Literally, this translates to "I am a jelly donut" - jam doughnut in England

Dunkin' Brands, Inc - Franchise Opportunities:
"Dunkin' Donuts is represented by more than 6,590 worldwide points of distribution, including approximately 4,815 units in the United States. Even still, there are many markets across the country in which we are underrepresented."

and I was please they were so small - five for £1 - meant I felt less guilty.

but the slippery slope down to the 97 bus stop looked scary

this todler in red felt shut in when we were on the 97 bus on the way home

I went past my usual stop because this pavement was virgin snow and ice

I had to remember the "scandianvian" walk to be sure footed on ice - no heel and toe but place your foot flat with your centre of gravity and full weight over it

by the parade of shops thepavement is clear and sheltered.

some kids got all accusing over this photo (small) FISH AND CHIPS £1.99 - up from £1.50
they thought I had taken a picture of them - so after some words we got to know each other better.
slippery again past the pub

and new snow her too

finally back on the seventh floor landing in my big best boots from the Scout Shop in Copenhagen Denmark

all hung out to dry over the night storage electric heater in my hall

later it began to snow more



and I love this moment of changing light on Bosworth Drive

and on the car park below my kitche window



these are my sharpest knives reserved for meat

I sliced and diced that pork and cut of most of the fat to throw away.


I have rubbed the strips in curry powder,
and the second cut ends in cinnamon
and after a trip in the soup in the pressure cooker it tasted really good.

GOOGLE PERSON PLEASE READ THE CODE AND FIX YOUR IMAGE SERVER
more examples of upload errors :-

blogger portrat test failed again

and again
and again