Dublin, Derby and back to London

On Friday I returned from Dublin and went to stay with my cousin Rosemary and her husband Brian in  Derby. They took me for a fascinating walk by the Trent and Mersey canal at Shardlow. As well as narrow-boats there was a regatta of small steam-powered boats, six of which shared the lock. After lunch at a local carvery (tasty roast pork for me) we went to Lichfield where we attended evensong at the cathedral.

On Monday I caught the train back to London and made my way to Lewisham, to Andrew G and Alyson L's. They kindly said I can stay here for a while. It turns out they are going camping this weekend and then off for another family holiday in Suffolk on Monday, and as they have a cat they're happy for me to stay and feed the cat.

More museums this week:

• the Museum of Childhood has a wonderful collection of things including a huge range of toys. It's lovely to see them, but a bit sad to see them all in glass cases - toys are not toys if they aren't being played with.
• the Handel House Museum (including a small memorial to Jimi Hendrix who also lived in the house in the sixties).
• Treasures of heaven exhibition at the British Museum. Wonderful collection of mediaeval artifacts showcased in what used to be the British Library Reading Room. Nice to see the wonderful dome, but  a shame not to be able to experience the wonderful room as it was. Nonetheless, the collection on display was pretty breathtaking.

This morning I caught up with Danny E, who I knew from work at The Age, and then later with Polly M - she and I had a very tasty lunch at a splendid Turkish restaurant near the BM.

When I got back to the house this afternoon A&A and the family were still getting ready to leave for their camping trip - the bad news is that the weather forecast isn't particularly positive for them.