I always wonder why people see the need for a large garden. I do love to grow a few herbs or even some flowers and it is lovely to sit outside and have a cup of tea in the sunshine. But when I feel the need for some 'green' I want to walk far, preferably with a destination. Parks, tow-paths, streets, beaches, riversides and public gardens bring us back to nature far more readily than our own privately-owned spaces.

 We are so lucky here to live near Kew Gardens. It does, I admit, cost us some money to buy an annual pass but it is so little compared to just one visit to the dreaded Garden Centre. And, of course, I could never dream of owning such a garden as Kew. But truly, what's the difference? In fact the pleasure is even sweeter knowing that everyone can share.

A Walk Around London's South Bank

We have the go-ahead by the council for most of the work on our house. Work can begin as soon as next week. It is very exciting but we are determined to keep things as simple as possible. If a complication comes up we will side step it. The room we had planned as a bathroom has a too narrow doorway for a bath to fit through. It is now going to be a charming shower room. Well, with only one bathroom between the four of us it will make more sense anyway. We don't want anyone lingering (reading) in there. Lingering will have to take place in dry areas only from now on. We took a walk around London. See how building work can get out of hand?

1. The Shard - which became the tallest building in the European Union at the end of last year (Southwark Cathedral is that dwarfed church below it)


2. Tower Bridge - Click on the little movie clip icon here to see how crazy it is to even build a Lego verison.



3. Shell Mex House - If you look very closely at ten to and ten 'o'clock you can see wee orange men balancing on the clock hands.

4. The craziest of all perhaps. We saw this helicopter straining unnervingly close to the roof of Waterloo Station attempting to lift a weight, thereby, we presume, saving themselves the bother of a crane.