A Fond Farewell

Social media has all kinds of uses for me. From keeping in touch with friends, to finding out what's going on in the area. Sometimes you come across something that can be upsetting, for whatever reason. And that's exactly what happened to me a couple of days ago.

I was reading some Tweets on Twitter, when I came across a message about a Douglas McDonald and that it was his funeral on Friday. Now strangely enough I know a Douglas McDonald, a photographer, so I sent the author a message, asking them about this man that shares the same name as this friend of mine.

I got a reply, and they mentioned a link to where there was a photo of him. So I went to have a look. And yes, sadly it was 'my' Douglas. I was also saddened, as I realised that I couldn't go to his funeral, as a couple of people in my team at work were on holiday. So that would just leave me to keep everything moving.

I met Douglas several years ago through photography. He often went to book signings and theatre shows, to take photos of the authors, celebrities and stars that visited Nottingham. And I would be there too. Unlike me, he got paid for his photography, as he worked for the local newspapers, and did some freelancing. But it was good to see him and his Nikon every so often. I sometimes used to call him Donald, rather than Douglas. But I guess he would be used to that, and didn't seem to mind.

I also used to see him sat at a table in Beeston Library most Saturday's, diary open, colour coding events that he had put in. More book signings, events and shows. We would spend a good hour or so chatting about celebrities that we had photographed, or were coming to town soon. We both enjoyed the music of Kate Rusby, and would see each other at her Christmas shows that she put on at the Playhouse. He would also show me the photos that he managed to get printed in the Nottingham Post, on their readers page. Photos of flowers, animals etc. Things that he'd noticed on his travels. Just like me with this blog. He had a chuckle sometimes, as they would use one of his photos, that wasn't even taken locally, but he had sent it in anyway. He also used to write quizzes for the local WEA (Workers' Education Association) branch that he belonged to. And the odd reference book would be on the table as well.

Despite using a digital camera, he didn't seem that confident with technology. Especially mobile phones. He was interested in Twitter, but didn't know how to get it installed on his phone. So I told him how to do it. He finally managed it, but didn't Tweet very often. Unlike me, who Tweets 50 times a day. He often asked who I was following, and wondered who the person with the most followers was. I suggested it was Lady Gaga or Madonna.

So this morning many of his friends and family said a fond farewell to him at Bramcote Crematorium. But I couldn't be there. Going to the library in Beeston won't be the same now, as I'll never see Douglas sitting there again going through his diary, or reading a book or the local paper.

Siesta Time

What could be better than dozing in the summer sunshine?  Well that's exactly what this couple were doing at the Hemlock Happening yesterday.

They owned a old Morris 'Moggy' Minor and were showing it off, together with some other classic cars. Most of which, I think I saw last week at Wollaton Park.

They seemed quite content to sit there in chairs that aren't usually very comfortable. I didn't hang around too long to find out whether they snored or not.

In Parrot Fashion

I popped along to the annual Hemlock Happening this afternoon, which took place at Bramcote Park.

There were a lot of stalls and things to do, which were mainly aimed at children. But there was a few bands on, and I bumped into loads of people that I know.  But the important thing was that it stayed sunny and warm.

One of the stalls was being run by Parrotaid, a charity to raise money for to help unwanted and abandoned parrots. The people that look after the birds had bought some along to show the visitors.

These two seemed to be enjoying the sunshine and attention that they were receiving from the visitors to the show.

Nice Ice

Over the weekend I was nominated twice to do the now infamous Ice Bucket Challenge.

Being a believer of not wasting water, I had no wish to throw away a perfectly good bucket of H2O, so  I thought about how I could be involved, but by not getting wet.

I had seen some variations on the theme, but they all seem to involve wasting water in one way or another. So I went with this concept, of an ice bucket chilling a small bottle of water. Like it was like champagne,;which in some African countries it is.

I also wondered about which charity to give my donation to. After some consideration, I decided to go with the local animal rescue that I wrote about a few weeks ago, especially as they put out a message asking for some pouches of wet cat food.  They are only a little charity, so every penny counts. Unlike some of the more well known charities, that pay large salaries to the bosses and can afford TV ad campaigns.

So after work, I called in to one of our local supermarkets and bought some boxes of cat food, which I then took up to the rescue, so the dear little cats that are looking for a loving forever home will have a nice meal or two tomorrow.

Happy Camping

Well what a day. Besides the rain, the winds have now got up. So much so, that the rain was almost horizontal at lunchtime, when I braved the weather for a walk around the city centre.

The heavy metal gathering called the Download Festival is taking place a few miles away in Castle Donington and the field has already become a mudbath. I dread to think of what it is going to be like with 90,000 people tramping around the place over the three day event. The highlight band will be Black Sabbath.

Of course most people with be camping, but I don't know how many will be coming with caravans or Dormobiles like this one that I took last Saturday at the Hemlock Happening. I remember my dad buying one when I was young. I don't remember ever going away in it, but can recall it being loaded with furniture that my dad had bought from a local auction.

Well, Here's Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Us Into

A Model T Ford with Laurel and Hardy. A classic comedy grouping and one that would certainly make anyone chuckle. How many times in their old short films of the 1920s did their car either get cut in half, smashed in two or just get blown up?

Of course the Model T was cheap and readily available; and Henry Ford famously said: it was only available in black. I don't know if this is an original or a reproduction. The figures obviously are. But they were a bit of fun at the Hemlock Happening.

Coronation Chicken

On Saturday I went to the Hemlock Happening; a community event at a local park. Besides the classic cars etc, was a recreation of the coronation as people would have seen it on television in 1952. It was quite inventive of how they made interference, the vertical hold and other problems people used to have with TV, before digital appeared.

The actors had daubed their faces so they looked like they were in black and white, which of course TV was until the late 1960s. I knew a few of the people involved, as I had worked with them before on previous shows.

Here's a shot of the Archbishop of Canterbury who is just about to place the crown on the head of the young Elizabeth, with one of the TV directors looking on, who is actually a local councillor in real life.

Happy And Glorious

Well today has been quite busy, as this morning I went to Wollaton Park to see a motor show including classic cars. I didn't stay long as there were a lot less vehicles on display as there has been in the past. Possibly due to the jubilee, or the terrible weather yesterday. Anyway, I promised Gail that when I came back, I would help her move some furniture in the house. I had just taken my coat and shoes off when she said that she could hear some music outside and remembered that there was a street party going on in the next road. She said that we ought to go round and say hello. So while Gail was getting ready, I found a couple of bottles of wine, a tube of crisps and some biscuits that we could take as our contribution.

So we had a walk round and saw a couple of our neighbours and then got chatting to some others. We were there quite a long time, and have hopefully made some new friends. One of the neighbours is interested in 1/43 scale model trains, and has a track in his garden, together with a very detailed layout in his shed. So we had a good chat to him and is wife.

When it was getting dusk we took a drive to Bramcote, where they were going to light a beacon for Her Majesty. One of many that were being lit as part of the jubilee celebrations. There were a lot of fireworks too. The beacon was actually a very big bonfire, rather than the classical idea of a metal container on the top of a high pole. Still it did look very effective, as my photo shows.

Underwater Jubilee

Wel it's arrived, the celebrations have begun for the Queen's diamond jubilee.

But what a wet day it's been. It's rained all day today. I've only popped my head out a couple of times. And it's still raining while I am writing this.

Fortunately I took this photo of some Union Jack bunting blowing in the breeze yesterday at the Hemlock Happening. An outdoor celebration organised by the locals of Bramcote and Beeston and included some classic cars, demonstrations and activities.

No rain, but it was rather overcast and windy, so I had to take a few shots to get the right look that I was after.