Because things are the way they are...

What a wonderful day for commenting today was! A big hello to all my commentors today: the gorgeous and talented Mark Wright, the fabulous Norma, Lou and Lorraine and of course, the wickedly wonderful Shonagh (who has introduced a new feature of her own, I notice - now that's what I call interactive participation!).

The comment from the women of the office was on the money, I'm sorry to say. Getting up this morning was a vision of hell in a hand basket and I had rather intended to get an early night tonight to make up for it, but I seem to be reluctant to sleep at a decent hour at the moment: I'm obviously going through some sort of tired toddler crisis.

I learnt this afternoon at the Naval Museum that my base pass entitles me to free entry into the Festival of Christmas this weekend, which means that I have a busy weekend to look forward to. On Saturday I'm travelling up to Bristol to see their exhibition on slavery with the women of the African Women's Forum, to assist them with their first fact finding mission in preparation for their own project on slavery next year.

On Sunday I think I will pop into the Festival of Christmas as I have been reliably informed that the Dockyard intend to re-create a Christmas Victorian street. I have been overdosing rather on the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection - Lancelyn Green Bequest, I suspect and I fully intend to go as Mrs Hudson. If I can persuade the Chief to go as the Great Sherlock himself, than I can follow him around the Victorian Street cackling, "Lor, Mr 'Olmes, 'ow d'ya get to be so clevah! 'Ow's about a nice cuppa tea before I 'as to go and scrub the doorstep again?"

I'm not entirely sure yet if the Chief will be up for this, but I've hired the deerstalker and cape just in case.

The area to be transformed into a Victorian Street is the alley behind the Royal Naval Library, where I have spent many happy hours digging up facts on the subject of the slave trade. Today I was back there for a few hours, photographing some images and items for the exhibition panels. I spent some time searching for images of mosquitoes in the historical medical collection today, which took far longer than I thought it might.

One of the books I found during my image quest was called 'Bats, Mosquitoes and Dollars' by Dr Chas A.R. Campbell. It's all about an idea of Dr Campbell's to build Bat Roosts in Austin, Texas in order to prevent malaria. Apparently bats love mosquitoes (to eat, not to keep as pets or anything) and loads of these towers were built, in Texas at least. You couldn't make it up.

Tonight's inspirational quote is from Bertolt Brecht:

Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are.

Today's Beautiful Things

1. Monkey Dancing

2. Face ache

3. Defying expectations