Serendipity

Do you find that when you have a camera, unexpected events arise? The other week I happened to see a bride as she waited for her turn at the registry office in Hexham and photographed her, and so it goes on.

Today, I was in Newcastle early for an orthopaedic appointment for Arth and Aggie (more of that later). Afterwards, I drove to Clayton Road to post a parcel at the Post Office. I parked and walked, but the Post Office had disappeared, probably long since gone in the cuts.

As I returned to the car, I saw this man sitting in his open garage on his mobility scooter and selling poppies. He is 96 and had a distinguished military career. Last year he raised over £1000 for the poppy appeal.

He told me that he used to go around selling poppies. "I can't do it now", he said, "so I sit here". He was doing a roaring trade.

I drove to the centre of the city for an appointment with the Superdrug travel nurse and had the first of my Japanese encephalitis jabs. Lovely.

I also called into Bamburgh House which is an old office block, now used as artists' studios and meeting rooms. The receptionist was wearing a warm outdoor coat and I suspect she will need more as winter approaches. The place was very cold. I saw An Absent Presence by Rob Bowman and Alexander Nicholas, a combination of photography and sculpture for their Masters' degrees. "The exhibition will address both the presence and absence of the artist within the gallery setting, through modes of production which emphasise the removed act of creation, alongside a more explicitly hands on approach".  Hmm. I was too early in the day to see the sculptor at work. The photographer does not attend.  I'm afraid it didn't speak to me, but I'm glad it did to them.

Now to the news of Arth and Aggie. Aggie has settled down quite well after a steroid injection a few weeks ago. Arth is another matter. Today's xray shows a lot of arthritic changes. The consultant thinks I have torn the lateral cartilage again, but does not think there is anything to do surgically until I had a knee replacement. Arth's not ready yet, but I will be reviewed in 3 months.

I have to get my head around walking shorter distances and perhaps doing other things. Hmmm.