This is some kind of service panel in the sidewalk on Finchley Road. Isn't it amazing where weeds will grow? Even in the middle of a busy sidewalk, they're growing in the bolt holes, getting only as tall as the passing foot traffic will allow.
I had one of those days yesterday. From the very beginning, I felt under pressure. I was late to work because I had so much to do here at home before I left, like walking the dog and making the bed and blah blah blah. Of course Olga dawdled on her walk, as is her way now -- nothing happens with any urgency -- which only exasperated me further.
Even my co-workers were joking about the star-crossed events of my morning, which continued when I got to work. Our landlord's maintenance team scheduled someone to come and fix the washing machine drain at our flat, but I got no advance notice so of course neither of us were home. The repairman (known euphemistically as an "engineer" here in Britain) called me at work and I told him I could be home in 20 minutes, which is mostly true, but he would only wait ten. So I had to send him away. Argh!
I finally got to work on the library inventory just to put myself in a quiet headspace where not much could go wrong. The good news is, we've lost nothing in the non-fiction collection all the way up through the 700s (Dewey decimal). That's pretty impressive. Of course, as I told our boss, maybe it's a sign fewer people are using the books!
I had a doctor's appointment in the afternoon after work -- mostly routine stuff. I have two brownish spots on my face that I wanted the doc to evaluate, and I also asked about some blood tests that I probably need every now and then as a guy in his mid-50s. I don't think any of it will amount to anything, fingers crossed.
Here's a peculiar sticker I found on a bus shelter in Swiss Cottage. Is it one of those honey bears? I'm not clear on what this could mean. Maybe it's just supposed to be interesting. I took its picture so I guess it succeeded on that count.
Anyway, the good news is, last night I was able to reschedule the "engineer" to come today. Dave will be at work (his students have a performance) but this gives me a good excuse to stay home and catch up on stuff around the house and in the garden. So hopefully you'll stop hearing about our washing machine problem after tomorrow!
The shot of the weed is wonderful, and so is the fact of the weed. The sticker is odd and interesting. I do wonder why. Yay on the washing machine. Lots of engineers in the world these days.
ReplyDeleteWell, don't say yay yet! We're still waiting!
DeleteI read the most recent update on the washing machine. I’ll change yay to oy.
DeleteSteve, my interpretation of that sticker is 'Glue Head' It looks like the top of some of my bottles of glue but with ears, maybe some drug symbol of the kids, you know, sniffing glue? Having some experience through Grandson that is what I think, could be entirely wrong. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteAs for your 'engineer' not calling, this is a trait of many now. The nurses just turn up for Tom and I get annoyed. Considering that almost everyone has a mobile phone, how long does it take to give someone notice of their intended arrival.
Have a nice weekend both of you.
Briony
x
That's an interesting take on the sticker, and entirely possible! The ears don't look like bear ears, but they don't really look like people ears either, so I'm not sure what to think.
DeleteIt looks like one of those soft plastic bottles with a squirt nozzle, for honey, we have them here now and again.
DeleteI do hope that drain gets fixed and fixed properly. Make sure he understands the dishwasher drains into it too.
ReplyDeleteIf he ever shows up, I'll be sure to fill him in on all the details!
DeleteI'm so glad the engineer can come today and hopefully you can get that all straightened out -- and it takes care of the dishwasher, too!
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing like a Murphy's Law Day, though hopefully it's just the one day and not a whole week!
ReplyDeleteYeah, dear God, that WAS a Murphy's Law day.
DeleteThree of my four children are having car problems. Sometimes you just have to wonder.
ReplyDeleteSunspots!
DeleteWhen I see weeds like that it reminds me of the lyrics by Leonard Cohen,
ReplyDelete"There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in..."
The persistence of life gives me hope.
I also hope all goes well with the plumbing fixes today.
I too find weeds growing through cracks a hopeful sign! Nature WILL be victorious.
DeleteThat is definitely a honey bear on that sticker. Good job on the barcode scanning! You sure are moving along quickly. Good luck with the washing machine leak problem!
ReplyDeleteI wonder why someone felt the need to make a sticker of a honey bear?!
DeleteNow you need to get started on the fix to the warped flooring - always something! But life comes on through the cracks, hopefully not the cracks in the floor.
ReplyDeleteThe floor will even out a bit when it dries. It's never been very flat, probably owing to past floods! LOL
DeleteIt looks like an Aerial photo
ReplyDeleteIt does! Like an oasis in a very geometric desert.
DeleteThe sticker looks like an ad for those jars of honey in the shape of bears.
ReplyDeleteHere's good appliance wishes coming. Gah. I wonder if you've got tree roots in that pipe further down.
I suppose anything is possible, but there are no trees on that side of the house so the risk of roots seems unlikely. (I think the pipe is mostly above ground, through the wall.)
DeleteSome days are like that when nothing seems to mesh quite right. Hope the washer gets fixed! If you're like me, you'll be watching it for quite a while for any sign of the leak to return. I've become paranoid about water! Ack.
ReplyDeleteProperty owners always say water is the ultimate enemy!
DeleteI hope that "engineer" made it to your house today and fixed your leak. One less thing to worry about.
ReplyDeleteWell, not quite. He's supposed to show up today, now. :/
DeleteDays that do not go right does happen from day to day. Once I get out of my routine my entire day is shot. I am hoping that the leak is fixed properly.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the others that the shape of the sticker looks like the honey bottles they sell here.
The first image made me think of the title "A Tree Grows In Brookland" for some reason. I have no idea why, but I love it when life finds a way in a world where destruction seems far to normal.
I hope that you Olga and Dave have a great weekend and that all goes well with the plumbing. Have a great day. xxx
I loved "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn." That's a great book!
DeleteI hope someone will have the answer to what the sticker is. The ears are more like dog ears than those on a honey bear (we have bee hives, therefore we have lots of honey bears, too)
ReplyDeleteDid you intentionally use the word sidewalk twice in that first paragraph?? 😉 I notice YP hasn't commented today.
Yeah, the ears were throwing me too! I seem to talk about sidewalks a lot but I swear I am not just baiting YP. LOL
DeleteI'm glad you found a task to put you in a better head space! I'm not sure what's going on with that sticker, but now I would really (really really) like some honey!
ReplyDeleteSticker paid for by the International Honey Marketers Assoc.
DeleteHerman Munster's bolt went through his neck horizontally. This one looks like a vertical screw head to body fixing.
ReplyDeleteHa! THAT's disturbing.
DeleteSome days we shouldn't get out of bed.
ReplyDeleteTrue!
DeleteI came back here to see if anyone had figured out what that sticker was...and to say that some days just suck.
ReplyDeleteIf nobody's using them then it's time to "de-accession" them. I know librarians can be quite zealous about that.
ReplyDelete