30 July to 7 August 2026 - Diary Update

30 July - we have a smart new roof just three weeks after Tony the roofer came to inspect the leak in our kitchen. That roof lasted less than 30 years. The main roof was nearly 100 years old and was showing its age. Very few houses on our estate still have the original roofs, so it seemed a good time to relace ours.

30 July - Sale Sizzler number 4. I took a break and left Sue to take part. She ran the 5km in 24:19 and came 7th out of 17 in her age category. Results here.

1 August - Wythenshawe parkrun #676. A routine parkrun, with Sue chaperoning Owen on this occasion. Full results are here.

In the tea room courtyard, 11 of us - runners and supporters - wrestled our way around a couple of tables.

1 August - dinner in Adlington with Robert and Lyn, and Gerry and Chris. Nice BBQ, and Sue had collected plenty of blackberries for a wonderful tart.

2 and 3 August - feedig Millie, who is slowing down and getting arthritic. I know the feeling!

3 August - Wyre Levee Stompers at Eagley Jazz Club. The last performance before a 6 week break whilst the venue is refurbished. An excellent night; we'll miss these Monday night performances.

4 August - a visit to Bridgewater RHS gardens. A trail of Lego constructions provided interest as we  admired both the flowers and the Lego, not all of which is pictured below.

The chickens were entertaining, this one enjoying a dust bath.

Lunch was delicious, the mussels, prawns and squid (their plate is empty) being especially popular.

Then 45 minutes of Lego building, presumably with leftover bits from the constructions in the garden.

More Lego.

The Chinese garden, and behind me is a mammoth new construction in progress.

Pictures from a compost bin...

5 August - Nick Taylor's work next to Pickering Lodge Park looks pretty much complete. It's really rather good.

7 August - That's all for now, thanks to time constraints and a failure to get the camera out earlier when seven 'Oldies' turned up for their monthly natter at Wythenshawe Park - Martin, Fechin, Keith, Mike C, Mike H, John and Richard.

Graffiti from the Southern Half (21)

The graffiti in Valparaiso covers many subjects (and many buildings!).

Graffiti from the Southern Half (20)

Currently ‘resting up’, so it’s back to some more of the excellent graffiti in Valparaiso.

I’ve heard that there is some in sunny Salford, so I’ll get down there soon.

Graffiti from the Southern Half (19)

All quiet in Timperley today, but we are reminded of our South American trip as we are due to give another presentation to SWOG on 19 October.

It won’t all be graffiti, I promise!

Graffiti from the Southern Half (18)

This was a huge, stunning, piece of graffiti depicting the anguish of a woman in labour.

It was only visible from a flight of steps behind a building. We had to peer over a fence to get these pictures.

Graffiti from the Southern Half (17)

It has been a dull week in Timperley. We’ve woken to wet surfaces and rain every morning until today.

I should perhaps have taken some photos last night when 17 ex UMIST folk congregated for a meal at the Midland Hotel in Marple Bridge, but I was too busy chatting. Most of us were fairly local but we rarely meet up these days. Ken had travelled from Ottawa and Gary had just landed from Hawaii, having spent most of this year in New Zealand.

I mentioned both Pat’s books and my books to a few people. It’s strange (to me) that people seem quite happy to spend £5 on a cheesecake that will last them 5 minutes, but not on a book that would provide several hours of enjoyment.

Enjoy the graffiti.

Graffiti from the Southern Half (16)

‘At the seaside’ in Valparaiso.

Graffiti from the Southern Half (15)

Here’s another image from Valparaiso, shown in context below.

The current graffiti album/slideshow is here.

Graffiti from the Southern Half (14)

These are close ups from one of Sue’s photos.

Here’s the context picture – a garden wall:

Click here for the album of graffiti from the Southern Half to date.

Graffiti from the Southern Half (13)

On an overcast afternoon in Manchester it’s nice to be able to cast my mind back to 14 December last year, and this suburban garden wall in Valparaiso. Judging by the image, it must sometimes rain in Chile!