It's all about the K's

I spent yesterday with the women of the African Women's Forum visting the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum in Bristol. It was a really enriching, humbling and inspiring experience. We were lucky enough not only to visit the exhibition on the history of the British Empire (and I thought the story of Chasing Freedom was huge - I can't imagine how these people managed to select the material for display, when you have the entire history of the British Empire to choose from), but we also had a really interesting workshop on the slave trade with Lucy, the Education and Outreach officer.

This gave us the opportunity to talk about some of the different artefacts related to the slave trade, including shackles and a yoke, a lady's whip used for 'disciplining' enslaved Africasn working on plantations and an identity bracelet belonging to an enslaved African, featuring the name of his or her owner. After the workshop, some of us were recorded for the Museum's exhibition next year talking about our own personal responses to the slave trade and all that we had seen and learnt about during the day. Make sure you have a look at their new online photographic collection, too: Images of Empire.

Unfortunately, getting up at 5am for my big day out in Bristol has been the straw that broke this camel's back, I suspect, as I could hardly drag myself out of bed to go shopping this morning, and I'm about to hurry back to it in a moment and it's only 16.15. Too tragic. Even worse, I have only one episode of House left before the series is over. Luckily, I have American Gothic lined up to follow it - but who can replace House?

Today's blog is a little short and sleepy, so I'm perking it up for you: first, with the Kings of Leon playing Bucket. These boys make me weak with desire and simultaneously whenever I listen to them I have the urge to drink whisky, get into a bar brawl and head back to my trailer in the early hours of the morning.

But before you press play - WARNING: Maybe not one for the Take That fans (I can't believe Gary Barlow and his limelight hogging ways - are the others' microphones even switched on?!).



Dang. And to close, a bit of Shoot The Runner by Kasabian.



I feel much better.

Today's Beautiful Things

1. Rain, wind, hail - everything but the three witches

2. Sleeping late...and later...and later....

3. Tiny satsumas the size of baby's dreams