Despite best intentions.....

So despite all my best intentions about creating an aural & visual scrapbook back in the depths of winter, I have actually succeeded in only posting four times. However, I will justify this obvious slothful tendency by agreeing with myself that this is a marathon not a sprint, and I have no set time restraints.

I have however been busy doing 'projects'. I use the term project to describe periods on a Saturday and Sunday when I have no household tasks and can devote all my efforts to doing nothing in particular.

I have read a book on Kraftwerk by Pascal Bussy but hear that Wolfgang Flur's I Was a Robot is actually better. I have bought for reference the Rough Guide to Film, The Tate Guide to Modern Art and a Beginners Guide to Classical Music.

Although, I unquestionably enjoy Classical Music, it does seem to be in the same project group as Wine. In that, whilst I really enjoy drinking it, I'm actually more interested in Beer - in particular Lowland countries and German. I am more likely to be a bierologist than a master of wine it would seem.

I have rewatched the Ipcress File and a Funeral in Berlin. Seen my first Pixar film: Up and sat through the documentary "Iraq in Fragments', which although wasn't the lightest of viewing for a Friday night is a thoroughly thought provoking piece of work. I currently have Michael Haneke's Cache lined up to watch.

I am currently reading Henry Hemming's Misadventures in the Middle East - a very entertaining travelogue/adventure, which certainly supports my view that the media in this country is in part responsible for creating a feeling of islamaphobia. However, in the spirit of fence-sitting is no doubt warranted in some quarters.

I have watched West Ham's form recover to the point of safety (i hope) and watched with some disappointment FC St Pauli's drop in form which could see them miss promotion to the 1 Bundesliga.

I have not bought any new clothes for nearly 2 months - I am planning a trip to Northampton in the near future to visit the Trickers et al factory shops. I hope I am not disappointed; but I am starting to think about Spring wardrobe ideas.

The merest hint of Spring this week, has got me thinking about London parks and eating an ice cream under a tree.

This is a great shop:

http://present-london.com/