A Birthday Treat

It was my birthday last Tuesday so on the Saturday before Neil and I went to London to the British Museum to see the Grayson Perry exhibition (which has now been extended, so if you fancy making the trip it is now on until 26th February).

     

The only photos you can take of the exhibition are of his motorbike. I was really pleased to have been able to see the exhibition. It's very varied using pieces from the museum's own collections alongside pieces made by Grayson and some that he had designed. The displays give you a brief insight into Grayson's life which is very complex. I'm reading his biography at the moment, I haven't read a book in ages so you can tell how good it is.

On Saturday evening we went to the Tower of London to watch the ceremony of the keys. We had a Yeoman Warder as our guide. They do not like to be referred to as Beefeaters, they see that as an insult. It relates back to the days when they were paid with an allowance of beef. Did you know that there are 44 plus families living inside the tower grounds? To become a Yeoman Warder you have to have served a minimum of 22 years in the armed forces and it is a job for life. We were told a lot of other interesting facts but I can't remember them. This is a free event and takes place every evening but you do have to book.  

This was the view from our hotel, we stayed at the Grange City hotel. The hotel building used to be Midland Bank's head office mail centre (in the days before HSBC) and in the mid eighties when Neil worked for the Bank in the City the staff canteen was on the top floor with this view. This seems to be a trend as he worked in two other buildings in the City that have now been converted to hotels, perhaps we'll try those soon!

I am so pleased, I've finished my holes. Lacing the fabric over the mount board took a while. I had to work with all the gathers and pleats but I got there in the end. I'm going to take it to the framers tomorrow.