A Short Ride on a thing you push.

The weekend saw a spirited send off for Clarendon Park resident and frequenter of Babalas, Ian Reeds. Ian is on a mission to shake off the demons of a broken relationship. He is cycling from here across France to Italy, where he’s going to take a shower at Ron Combo’s, Grappa Hell paradise. From there he will continue down through the former Yugoslavia, before catching a ferry back to southern Italy, back up to Ron’s for a second shower, then west across the South of France to Barcelona. Paris will be the next destination, then back home, eventually, to Queens Road, where he would appreciate it if the road is lined by girls waving flags and the bunting is out, last used for the Queens Silver Jubilee in 1976. It must be in a box under a cupboard under the stairs somewhere. Is it in the Conservative Club?

Moon - Sorry about nicking your excellent title, once sold to the Telegraph.

The Green Door.

At the risk of treading on Unmitigated toes, I just wanted to share this lovely door with you. It is at the northern (park) end of Queens Rd near the opticians. The house is having quite a lot of work carried out on it at the moment. It is a shame that some previous owner made rather a hash of fitting a letterbox, but the basic style and structure of the door rises above that. The point is we simply cannot make doors like this any more. The skills have been lost. Those few craftsmen left would charge thousands to make a replica and would then struggle to find timber of a good enough quality. This door is over a hundred years old, yet perfectly serviceable. Where did it all go wrong. Progress I suppose and the need to conform to a government standard of door manufacture that achieves a sustainability rating of Tog 15. Those who share my commiseration's feel free to rant, and rant hard, below.