Pretty full

Since I needed to be fairly close to Vauxhall (London) first thing, I took advantage of a short (in space, but not in time, as it turned out) bus ride to The Newport Street Gallery to see the exhibition of Brian Clarke's stained glass. Well, wow! It's not a huge exhibition but it's much more varied than I expected and as well as the luminous glass (the first time I've really understood the poppy/blood connection - extra 1) I just loved his cut-out collages (extra 2), some quite Matissean. I was puzzled by the 'low-resolution printing' effect in some of his glass (extra 3) and even more surprised to learn that he had added that blurring to what had been clear images, making them look more 'modern'. No, didn't like. But the light shining through all those flowers was uplifting. And the light through the coloured mushroom clouds caught in my throat. An emotional as well as a visual experience.

I decided to walk through Vauxhall's delightful architectural incoherence (extra 4) to the station and was surprised by a stranger on the Albert Embankment greeting me by name. I looked a second time and saw my niece, completely out of context. What are the chances?

After lunch with some old friends in Kings Cross, razed and rebuilt since I worked there in my first proper job (I meant Kings Cross, but probably us too), I hung around with my camera in the bright post-rain sun, playing with contre-jour (main and extra 5) and reflections (extra 6 - note the fabulous brickwork above). I was having such fun that I missed my bus home just before an inexplicably long gap in the timetable. I usually fill such gaps with photography but I'm trying hard to get back into reading and had a book with me, so I finished it. Quite proud of myself.