Footbridge at Hungerford

A bit of a late post, but Hungerford's new curvy footbridge over the Kennet and Avon Canal is up and running and a pleasure to use.

Hugerford Footbridge

Hungerford's elegant new footbridge is starting to take shape. Meanwhile crossing the old bridge on foot is even more perilous than before as the remaining footpath is only a foot or so wide.

Poo

The joys of working with autism in the soft play room - watching those little arms rising from the sea of multicoloured plastic balls with a turd in each hand!

Updated Blogger Interface

I've just encountered the new Blogger interface.  All I can ask is "Why?!" (It's no improvement)

Old school

Just found a diary entry from 1986, nearly 20years after I left as a boarder at Lancaster Royal Grammar School.
Visited Lancaster.  What a small town, and on what small scale it is built.  Change was minimal, but it appeared that inertia was the cause, not conservation. The school was deserted, but open. Not a brick had changed, no texture altered.  The same paint on the same door into Ashton House, and I stood looking until I could hear it slam twenty years ago, and feel my own feet leaping up the stone steps and the texture of the red tile floor. I went inside to the smell of muddy rugger boots and dubbin, wash basins and the same hard pink washing soap.  Drove around for a while with a sad feeling, but I know not why.

Speedwell

The school grounds are fifty acres of wildlife heaven. This sprig, picked from a carpet of Germander Speedwell and smuggled home wilting in my pocket is thriving in a glass of water on the kitchen window ledge. A pinch of Demerara sugar helped.

Autism and Mental Health.

15th Jan. How I needed this weekend off.  It’s not the changing of pads, dealing with outbursts or clearing up messes.  It’s looking into the sad grey eyes of a mute autistic boy with mental health problems, knowing there is nothing you can do except give him kindness;  and wait and hope while the psychiatrists experiment with pills in the hope of hitting the right one..