A busy day today with starts with beading, and a meeting, before some time off.

My meeting was on the Southbank and it finished too late for me to go home before my next appointment, and too early for me to head to that one. Just the right amount of time then to while away having fun!

As soon as I realised that there was a small bookshop next door to where we had met, I knew just how I was going to spend my time.

After my post a couple of days ago about how much I love bookshops I had realised just how long it had been since I had spent time in one. This was a situation that needed rectifying and this was the afternoon to do just that.

I began in the Crafts section (no surprise there) and browsed books on paper crafts, lost crafts, beading, ceramics and painting.

Then it was onto the Art and Graphic Design section (ok, the shelves right above the crafts books, this was a small shop). Here I absorbed books on fonts, Gaudi and even how to be an explorer of the World. This last book I couldn't resist. Its subtitle 'A portable life museum' intrigued me and after the pleasure I had two days ago, when I stopped and looked at the World around me, I knew I needed more of that.

Then it was onto Cookery, Science Fiction, Fiction, Poetry, History, Magazines... Whatever they had, I looked at it. I felt like an anteater sniffling around hoovering up little delicacies and delights wherever I could find them. What a joy.

I was fairly restrained and in the end bought just 2 books (the world exploring one and a graphic design course book) and one magazine (the weird and wonderful Dodgem Logic which I sadly soon discovered is stopping publishing for a while, if not forever).

All shopped out I stepped outside and realised three things at once:
1- I was still early for my next rendezvous
2- It was lovely and sunny
and
3- I was right by the Pritt Cue Co...

Minutes later I was sitting in the sun, reading my new purchases and enjoying a pickleback with crackling. How decacdent is that? I felt completely frivolous and got far more pleasure out of it than would seem possible.

All too soon it was time to get on the tube and head off to meet family at the Childhood Museum in Bethnal Green. This was for the launch of 'A Lock is a Gate' which forms part of 'Art on the Underground' and features work by children who attend the Laburnum Boat Club. Quite why we were there is a long story, based on an invitation gone awry but it was an enjoyable event.

Isn't that title great? It had never occured to me before that a lock can also be a gate and a pathway to something new and exciting.

All of the artwork (including poems, songs and paintings) were created by the children and were inspirational. How about this poem (female author, name unknown):
I am like fireworks
I am very energetic
I never want to go to bed
I change motions
I am always dressed in sparkles
Green means happy
Yellow means happy
Red means angry
Blue means sad
And that's all I know

Apart from the image of this young girl feeling dressed in sparkles and engergetic, have you ever heard a better 'get-out line' than 'that's all I know'?

I'm going to have to try and use that in my life. It's a great get-out clause for an awkward conversation or situation. For all those occasions when you feel more of an answer, or response, is required but you have nothing. Rather than end up rambling and filling the vacuum just say 'and that's all I know'. Just saying those words should bring an end to the issue. Who can argue with that? Only a very mean person would make you continue past what you know. You've been straight with them and it's not like you're just saying 'no'. In fact you're practically saying 'If I could help you I surely would. But in this instance I can't as that's all I know'. Try it and let me know how you get on.

Of course I take no responsiblity for you being fired when you say that to your boss, or failing a test if you give that as an answer. Use the phrase wisely, it's not a cure-all, merely an aid to certain situations.

I also loved learning more about the boat club and reading their rules (written yearly by the children who attend). Who wouldn't want to be in a club which has rules such as these:
No badness
Yes goodness
Listen to other people's opinions
Have fun!
Treat people how you want to be treated
No splashing people who don't want to be splashed
Wear a buoyancy aid past the gate
Don't upset people

I think they've got pretty much all the basic rules we should all live by covered.

You can learn more and download the songs and poems here.

Education over, it was time for a quick wander of the museum, sadly shut. I grew up near here and a visit was an real treat. I remember hours spent staring at dolls houses and Princess Daisy. The idea of a doll who had her own jewellery and travelling valise was almost too much for my young mind. I didn't get to see her this time but will try and schedule in a visit for another day.

All done here, and hiding family located (thanks to a very amused security guard) we needed something to eat and began to wander in the general direction of where we hoped we'd find food. The Chinese restaurant my sister wanted to try (mainly to see what on earth 'profession and tradition' food was) had sadly turned into a bike shop. But we knew we were near Brick Lane so wandered in that general direction.

On the way we passed some 'fragile' tape on the ground in a weird shape and joked about it being surely the strangest corpse outline possible. Then we moved on.

Getting hungrier, and with no real direction as to where to go, we asked in a local shop for a food recommendation and were pleased/ suspicious when told the best place to go was only about 4 doors away: Lahore Express. Hmm

But we were wrong to be suspicious. The food was quick, hot and very, very tasty. Add in the fact it was cheap, bountiful and served with a smile and we will be back. I was far too hungry to take photos so will have to save that for my next visit.

Fed, watered and educated we meandered back to the car.

On the way we passed the fragile tape and it all made sense! Someone, no idea who but surely someone much more imaginative and clever than us, had put down tape around the shadow cast by a street sign. What a good idea- time and light dependant random artwork. This has made me want to travel the streets at night, highlighting shadows and pointing out shapes to confuse daylight travellers.