Apologies for the lack of blogs recently. A combination of being busy with other things and the muse not being about me has led to the drought. Not that there’s an actual drought back here in Southport as the weather has very much turned to wet! Here’s how the skies looked this morning during my walk into town!

I’ve been back in Southport since last weekend, when I had chance to attend a fun night at the Settle Inn which is in Botanic Gardens. Billed as an ‘alternative night’ the 3 DJs involved played some classic music from the 70s-90s. I bumped into many old friends, from one of my former London flat mates from the 1980s to people I grew up with whom I’ve not seen for 40-odd years. Talk about memory lane! As it was a ‘night off’ I didn’t take the camera with me, which I kinda regret as it would have been lovely to document the evening – and the people, as the passing of time has meant there’s quite a few faces from those days who’re no longer around. Maybe another time, if there is one?

Now I’m sheltering in the Atkinson library on Lord St, researching and booking next month’s adventure either side of working at Innotrans in Berlin. With an Interrail ticket booked it’s now a case of planning routes via train and ferry that will take me in a broad loop around Europe to take in several countries I’ve never visited before. Exciting! One of today’s little tasks has been to buy a new small suitcase to take with me. Whilst not being constrained by airline baggage regulations I don’t want to be towing a suitcase the size of a caravan, so I’ve cut my cloth. Travel insurance is next on the list, although I’ve mixed feelings about finding out that the best place place I can go for that now is SAGA!

Back in Southport it seems time is accelerating. A couple of days ago I spotted this, then today I was in a shop called ‘Home Bargains’ where they’re already selling Xmas decorations! Give it another month and there’ll be Easter eggs in the shops.

Much as the rain is welcome, it couldn’t have come at a more awkward time. This bank holiday weekend it’s the Southport airshow. No more clear blue skies for that as the forecast is for a very mixed couple of days. Ho hum…

Even so, some people are continuing to do their best to brighten up the town. In an era when so many people seem to spend their time spreading doom and gloom on the internet it’s great to see that others are more bothered about raising a smile with their work.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Cheers,

Paul