Souvenirs of London

Last week Mr A gave me one of his looks. He was in the middle of planning for his Open University seminar on Saturday, while I was planning a treat for me and the kids.

He lifted his eyes from his computer, glanced in my direction with that look, the one that comes with semi-disapproval mixed with disbelief.

"Are you mad?" he said.

Followed by.

"I can't believe...

you're taking the boys...

.... single-handedly to London!"

Yes LONDON

I suppose, the fact I struggle to cope with taking the children anywhere single-handedly added to the element of surprise.

"Why on earth London?" He asked, trying to get to the bottom of it all. After all, the journey isn't the most straightforward, involving two train rides with a very prompt changeover in Cambridge.

I'm not quite sure whether I reassured him.

"I'm off to see the Baglady," I said.

"So, you're going to take the kids to London to see a baglady". By now he was getting a tad concerned.

I can't blame him really. I have been demonstrating bouts of odd behaviour of late. He's still bemused that two weeks ago I navigated through Essex despite the fact my car has hardly experienced life outside of Bury St Edmunds.

Anyway he needn't worry.

I'm perfectly sane.

And it wasn't any old baglady I was off to see, it was THE Baglady, my friend Shirley, from Northern Ireland, who was in London, making her West End debut.

And here she is, the fabulous Baglady herself, parading her gorgeous outfit in Trafalgar Square.



After a couple of months of phone-chat and emails, it was a true delight to meet her properly and after a quick interview for her TV channel GLO TV, I stood back and watched her interact with passers-by. With a background in journalism, she's a true natural and it was a real pleasure witnessing how people came up to her to chat about rubbish, offering their commitment to support measures for ending world waste.

Regrettably we had to part company after a very brief meeting. While Baglady wandered off to Buckingham Palace, the boys and I followed our noses in the direction of a kids' art workshop.




And on a very hot day in the middle of Trafalgar Square ... we sat and made a couple of cardboard buses, which were duly placed on a newspaper map of the capital city itself.




Of course the boys insisted we brought the buses home. So after getting the 91 bus back to Kings Cross, the train to Cambridge and the second train back to Bury St Edmunds, to Mr A's relief, we arrived safely ...

...with our very unusual souvenirs completely intact.



So a grand day was had by all, the last fling of Summer before going Back to School.

Yes the first week of September is a biggie. Not only are the kids going back go school, but it's the start of the Big Tidy Up to Keep Britain Tidy.

And what fantastic timing eh! Couldn't be better. Not only is Baglady talking about Ending World Waste this Monday at Stanfords in Covent Garden, but Mrs Green is embarking on her inaugural Zero Waste Week at MyZeroWaste.com.

So whatever you're doing and wherever you are, please find a few minutes to pick up some litter, recycle it if possible, drop into Stanfords and pop over to support Mrs Green.

With so much to do, there's only one thing left to remember...

I mustn't forget to pick the kids up from school!

SIGH - no wonder Mr A was anxious about London. Who could blame him eh?

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