it might become necessary to visit rome again, just to take a look at this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_and_Profane_Love

should i buy her some fruit for valentine's day ?

3BT

A couple of mouthfuls of cold perry to wash down half a mouthful of very salty Stilton.

Three letters, lovingly written and lovingly sealed, and ready-to-post to lovely people.

At first light, the loved one asleep on new cotton pillowcases, her hair spread wide like a fairy tale romance.

the improvised slide ... i'm expecting him to audition for the burt lancaster role in the re-make of trapeze

ai weiwei's iron tree at the yorkshire sculpture park really is cold to the touch ... i'm impressed with his idea but it lacks the grace that would endear it to me

my current favourite V&A post card

can you catch chilblains from photographs ? possibly, maybe ?

saint george's in bloomsbury

yet another gratuitous juxtaposition ...

my dad bought a very old rover from a neighbour in about 1958 ... i think it might have been this model

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C557963

the 1953 eagle annual from a charity shop ... file under "CULTURE AND IMPERIALISM"

master of the saint bartholomew altarpiece ... one of my favourite painters ... compare and contrast, etc

3BT

The weather changes before first light.  After leaving Reading in a bitter frost, on passing through Swindon, I see from the early train that the roofs of the terraced houses and the streets are white with snow.  At the station itself, large flakes of snow whirl around the lamps and settle on the hunched shoulders of the boarding passengers.

In Wiltshire, arriving in the warmth of their cosy little house, i find my daughter and her two sons glowing with vitality and intelligence.

Back at home in time for tea, discovering I have won six pounds and ninety pence on the euromillions.

frederick sandys ... showing off a bit !

... i prefer the drawing, but the painting is jolly good fun !

steve bell dons a beret and essays yet another attempt at portraying the almighty

... hurrah !

and next day ...

.. and on the third day ...

relics in the V&A this morning ... puck and ted parsons

start the year as you mean to go on ... went to supermarket, forgot milk

here's wishing you all a smiley christmas ... and i do mean YOU !

Specimen A ...

... and Specimen B