Monday: pondering half-term, Metroland and other stuff

Right, welcome to my new blog - I thought I'd start one which wasn't so intrinsically linked with shoes and would therefore give me the scope to discuss other things.  It's half-term and don't I know it?  The Earl has just finished going through all of the different sounds and beats on the nearby keyboard and has luckily grown tired of it and moved onto pastures new - he's now gone out into the garden to bother the fauna and flora out there.

He's been to two playgrounds in two days: a veritable crawl if you please.  Nanny may take him to another tomorrow so he's a lucky soul.  I noticed that Wicksteed still produce the playground equipment - I seem to recall that they used to in the good old days when slides were higher, tarmac was the ground cover and the Witch's hat hadn't been banned.  I've pictured one below to illustrate this wonderful thing, although I hasten to add that I am not the copyright owner, nor did my childhood exist in a sepia haze.  Actually, talking of Wicksteed, a colleague of mine said that there was a place called 'Wicksteed Slide World' in Kettering, which I find amusing to say the least!  It apparently still exists: http://www.wicksteedpark.co.uk/About-Charles-Wicksteed.aspx

Metroland huh?  Yes, I'm talking Betjeman, the late Sir John to be precise.  Having bought Mother some of his poetry and writings book for her birthday and she loved it.  Later on in the day we watched Metroland again and thought that it was really good.  It's made me want to head up to north London and check out the Met line once more - maybe I'll purchase a zones 1 to 6 travelcard and do exactly that one day?