Saturday September 1st
Woke to a stunningly blue sky. Had a shower and dressed, ready to go for a walk in the neighbourhood - and the sky was horribly overcast.
Of course, naturally.
So I went for my walk anyway.
Down to the Thames through Chiswick and past Chiswick Parish Church. Which was preparing for the inauguration of the new priest when I stuck my head around the door - but they were very happy for my to have a look around; and a big chap with the most impressive moustachios gave me a brief history:
Cromwell's Daughter and her Husband, as well as Hogarth are buried in the Church;
and there are some who believe (M. told me that this particular theory has been discredited - but it's a good story anyway) that Cromwell himself is buried there. After the Restoration his head was kicked around the place a bit - from here to there - finally winding up at Cambridge in Sidney Sussex College (which Cromwell had spent some time in after his father's death). There is no firm record however, of what happened to the body. Some believe that his supporters somehow transported it to Chiswick Parish Church and buried it secretly there.
Chiswick Parish Church was the only church under Cromwellian Rule that got new bells - as they didn't approve of bells - a wee bit of nepotism due to it being the church where his daughter worshiped;
The majority of the building only dates from around 1880(?), but the belltower is 17thC and the presence of the church goes back before 9thC (according to the man with the moustachio's). But they did grind up the bit's of the old church into the mortar of the new (current) church - which is kind of nice.
From there down to the water, where I rather fell for the water edge garden plots on the other side of the road to the house they're attached to - and the same width as the house plot, so if the house is very skinny then so is the garden plot, alovely idea.
Finally, back through Chiswick to the house - to meet my cousin's wife and son for the first time. Unfortunately, the man himself had a wedding to go to (W. felt a bit too pregnant! she is due this weekend). The wee boy is a lovely bright kid. Then cousins H. & J. turned up also which was lovely.
J. and I went to lunch up in Chiswick as the others all went in various different directions. It was really very nice to have that extra time with just her - not something we often get.
After which I caught the Tube to Southwark to meet K. B. (who used to work across the kitchen from my old job in Auckland), and we went to the Tate Modern. We mostly just talked as we wandered rather than getting serious about the art. But we were quite agreed that the exhibit with two beautiful Macaws, caged away from daylight and fresh air, was just not right. We then wandered about a bit before finding a nice pub and getting a beer in the sunshine.
Unfortunately, I didn't have anything to on Saturday night as everyone had various other plans already. So I went into Picadilly Circus and wandered about, along Carnaby Street and such. I did have some thoughts of going to a show (I had heard that Wicked was very good), but I was pushing it on time and anyway I would have coughed all the way through (I've been fighting of a rather malingering cold) and didn't think that that would be fun - so I just walked, and got a bite to eat, before heading back to Chiswick - on the Tube with everyone else again...
