Mordred’s Conception

This morning I posted my final photograph of the Filling Facebook with Nature project.

Kingsbury's Lane flooding

This is it. It featured in my Kingsbury’s Lane post of 14th January 2014.

Jackie continued with the clearance and soil replenishment of Margery’s Bed. I rendered a certain minimal assistance in carrying away weeds and clippings, and carting compost. Aaron and Robin continued with the fence project.

I then scanned the rest of the recently discovered black and white negatives from the end of 1983. First of all, I found I had more of the October Covent Garden trip, reminding me that Giles had brought Ben along too.

Ben on Giles's shoulders 10.83

Ben perched on his father’s shoulders to watch Punch and Judy,

Giles (and Ben) 10.83

then they both enjoyed ice creams,

Sam 10.83

and eventually joined Sam

Giles, Becky and Ben 10.83 2Giles, Ben and Becky

and Becky on the barriers.

Soon after this Jessica and I travelled up to Nottinghamshire with Sam and Louisa, and renewed our friendship with Maggie and Mike Kindred who lived in Southwell’s Dover Street. It was as a consequence of this trip that Mordred was conceived.

The reason for the visit was for me to run the Newark Half Marathon for the first time.

Sam and Louisa 10.83 1Sam and Louisa 10.83We took the opportunity to visit Bulcote Lodge, Jessica’s family home from the age of 8. Our two children had not been there before because their maternal grandparents had moved to Wiltshire some years earlier.

Sam and Louisa 10.83 3

Sam was particularly intrigued by the sundial near the front door. Louisa wasn’t.

Sam 10.83

The duckpond had now dried up.

Jessica and Sam 10.83 1

Bulcote’s Holy Trinity Church lies across the road from the house. Jessica contemplates the place of worship to which, more than twenty years later, Louisa was to return to marry Errol.

Louisa 10.83

On this occasion the toddler was asleep in the car.

Derrick and Louisa 10.83 1

Back at Dover Street, we wandered around the small town,

Jessica and Louisa 10.83 3Jessica and Louisa 10.83 4Jessica and Louisa 5

and, from the garden,  I photographed Jessica and Louisa having fun in the kitchen.

This evening, Jackie and I dined on veritable fusion food, consisting of the remains of yesterday’s chicken piri-piri meal combined with the contents of a doggie bag brought back from Royal China the night before, and the Culinary Queen’s savoury rice. This was followed by syrup sponge pudding and cream. Jackie drank Hoegaarden, and I drank Carles priorat 2011.

35 comments

  1. I loved that you decided you’d be Mordred! I never knew you had some darkness in you 🙂 That photo of you in a sweater vest with Louisa is fantastic.

  2. If you ever go back to Southwell, try looking round the Chapter House in the Minster. It is full of Green Men and would fit in nicely with your lovely garden!

  3. What lovely photos, almost like a filmstrip. It is always a treasure to go back and revisit history through family photos. I treasure those of my children also…they are up and gone in a flash!

    1. Only on Cryptic Crosswords; I also illustrated a book on London’s Victorian Cemeteries (“The Magnificent Seven” written by John Turner). Thank you for reading and for asking.

  4. Derrick – I just love the photos through the window – so sweet and touching. And a half marathon?? I am a runner, as well: another thing we have in common! (Although I have never done a half marathon.) I am guessing that your running days are behind you, lol. Mine may be soon behind me, as well, if my right knee has a vote.)

    1. You are right about my running days being behind me. I did, however, run other distances, including 18 marathons. I did far too much for my joints – or maybe it was the cricket and rugby 🙂

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