Looking ahead

Someone commented here about the number of times I mention going to the bank -- well, here's another. I got my act together reasonably early and went in to town, with a grand plan of doing my bank business, shooting some blips around the nearby Canal, and then looking round the shops for a couple of non-Christmas presents which are needed for the weekend. There's a Housewarming party on Friday and a 60th Birthday party on Saturday, and I can't arrive empty-handed for either occasion.

Unfortunately, the plan quickly disintegrated. I did my business in the bank okay, and did some blipping, but ... I still haven't got used to the new camera's battery pack and how much useable life I have when the display icon no longer shows at full strength. It was so much simpler with the A620 which took AA batteries so that I could get emergency replacements even I didn't have my re-chargeables with me, but that no longer applies. The red flashing warning came on much sooner than I expected, so I was very rushed and had to abandon my planned leisurely stroll. I also abandoned the planned shopping excursion because I thought I might just drop in the spare battery pack and head back out again later (I didn't, of course, because the bitingly cold wind was too bad to entice me outside my cosy house interior).

This is a detail of a fine sculptural piece in the courtyard of the Industrial Development Authority building in Wilton Place. The whole piece can be seen in context here in another shot I took some months ago, but my reaction today was quite different. The figure's stoicism struck home today, and seemed apt in the context of my next-door neighbour's current situation. She's really being dragged through a bit of an emotional mill, but she's bearing up remarkably well. The latest development is that a post-mortem was scheduled for this afternoon, but the family still have no formal word when the body will be released so that they can finalise the funeral arrangements.