Dr Dolittle

I should start by mentioning that this blip is dedicated to three people, three people that all played a part in me ending up in this place to take the shot.

1: Thorntons Digital who gave me an impromptu lesson last night in my camera basics. Without this I wouldn't have been wandering around the Arbouretum this lunchtime with my AV seetting actually switched over.

2: Symi's finest ex-pat whom I promised a series of Lincoln landmark blips. I mentioned the beautiful park in Lincoln, the Arbouretum as a potential blip, so I found myself there backed up by Angies knowledge. For Clare I shall be returning this week to actually shoot the park again!

3: The kickboxing squirrel whisperer Mischa. Her very funny guide to talking to the animals the other day gave me some ability to entice this little fellow to me. When I saw him I immediately recalled Mischa mentioning that when she shot (not literally) a squirrel she was plagued by guys coming up to her asking for dates or peanuts. Now I had no peanuts on me, so I figured that even if someone came and requested one I'd just offer a date instead. I was hoping by being a guy it would be girls who approached. In the end the only people who gaveme more than a glance were three men in bright jackets stood around smoking fags. I think they should have been gardening.

Anyway all this merriment ended with me taking a picture of Tufty (English in-joke there. Anyone? Tufty Club?) appearing to square up to me. I expect he'd heard the rumours about people with cameras having peanuts and popped over to get some. When he arrived and discovered I'd come bearing no gifts for him he started to get shirty and squared up to me looking tough. Obviously I apologised for the inconvenience and suggested he stay away from the lake. There have been rumours of some asylum seekers from Albania actually killing the ducks and swans for a light snack. Personally I didn't see any such people armed with cutlery and condiments, but I didn't think it was worth Tufty risking it. Anyway then we chatted about Jordans break up for a bit, and marvelled at the insight of Sandra (23) from Ilford, todays page 3 girl, who feels Baby Doc Duvalier probably has a right to return to Haiti to finish the abhorrent job he was suspended from back in 1986.

Haha okay thats all lies above. Like I'd discuss Jordans break up for any reason other than taking the piss.

Opened some interesting negotiations with potential clients today, one of which my boss asked me to target. When I say interesting I use the term extremely loosely as there is only so much interest one can get from discussing the forklift truck license requirements of 40 warehouse operatives.

Other than my time with Angie last night (thanks again) I have done very little. Bit of sleeping, bit of TV and a bit of working. I'd love to have some amusing anecdote to end on but sadly I feel today is a let down. I have a sneaky suspicion that many of my subscribers are here for the occasional chuckle at my misfortune and dreary take on things around me. This means of course that they (you / they, whatever) are probably not here for the photography!! Whatever reason you lovely people keep popping by and leaving your kind comments, thank you. Blip is pretty much the highlight of my day presently, the only thing that stops me becoming a ridiculous parody of Jim Royle from the Royle family.

Can I also apologise to my friend from across the pond for the three blatant English references. I expect for you that was similar to those odd moments on Friends where someone cracks a joke about American culture that I laugh at but don't really get. So just for you I'll explain all three.

Tufty Club was a road safety initiative back in the 80's where kids went to a club on a Thursday tea time to learn about being safe from a six foot squirrel. You got stickers and everything.

Jim Royle is a lazy oaf who spends all his day sat in his special chair on the comedy show The Royle Family. He doesn't work, and do so that reference wasn't that good.

The 'page 3' reference is from our biggest circulating national newspaper for idiots 'The Sun', which features a girl on page three posing topless. Along with the picture there is invariably a little blurb from her (showing her age) discussing the days events, ie 'Sam (22) from Romford is appalled that petrol is £1.23 a litre', or 'Peta (19) thinks that cheese should be made illegal so those who are lactose intolerant can live a normal life' etc.

Hope that helps