Back to Trellick

Remember how Dave cut the cord on our electric lawn mower while working in the garden a few weeks back? Well, we finally got around to getting it repaired yesterday -- which is a good thing, because the grass was starting to look seriously shaggy.

Dave had tried to call some mower repair places, but none of them were nearby and none would pick up the mower. We'd have had to schlep it out to Wembley, for example, in a taxi.

He considered repairing it himself, but he couldn't find the tools he needed (like a wire-stripper) at our local Homebase. And frankly, I argued for a professional job, because I didn't want an amateur repair that was going to prove dangerous in the long run.

So he began calling electricians, and eventually found one who came to the house, repaired the mower cord for a nominal fee, and also replaced a fuse in our extension cord that blew out in the same incident. (And turned on a circuit breaker that we didn't even realize had flipped.) Long story short -- our mower works, and the grass no longer looks like the pelt of Oscar the Grouch.

In the afternoon, Olga and I got on the tube and went to Westbourne Park, a neighborhood near where we used to live in Notting Hill. We were meeting my former co-worker Lindsey and her husband Gav at a pub there -- being staffy lovers, they had specifically requested Olga's presence.

Olga and I were a bit early, so we visited Trellick Tower, where I used to go frequently to photograph the ever-changing kaleidoscope of graffiti on the walls of the courtyard. We checked out some of the new art, and walked through Meanwhile Gardens and along the Grand Union Canal. Olga clearly remembered where we were -- she knew which paths to take -- even though she hadn't been to this specific area in at least five years. Smart dog!

She was very amused by this boat.

Lindsey, Gav and I had a great time hanging out, with Olga snoozing on the canalside patio beneath our pub table. Even though we didn't really do anything strenuous, she seemed exhausted by the time we got home. I think any activity outside of her usual routine adds a degree of tension that manifests itself in a need for a long, long nap. (Which I totally understand!)

We found this sketch on one of the canal bridges. The caption says, "Leave Me Alone." I don't know whether that means lions in general, or this particular lion, or maybe the artist.

Anyway, I am off to Florida today. I'll be heading down to Gatwick momentarily. Coming to you tomorrow from the Sunshine State!