Vacant Possession

On the way home from taking Lola for a stroll on the East Pier, I noticed this doll's house and children on the wall: the house on the very corner of a busy main road, where it was impossible to pull in.

I did a quick debate in my head as to whether to stop further up and walk back and decided what the hell, why not?

How often does one see something like that on the side of a busy street? Outside a home, a whole house in the pink, ready for inspection. For a moment I thought the children had gone, but no, they were still there, moving about as children do, vanishing and reappearing like seals. Not at all bothered about being photographed of course, but they were someone else's children, so I asked if their mother was home and rang the bell (the door had been propped open with a chair).

I am always wary of intruding into other spaces, other lives. But their mum was friendly and asked if I'd take a family photo at some later date. She went off to fetch a brush to tidy the girls' hair and that's fine of course, though I always prefer the unprepared shots, as above. I promised to get her prints (of the more formal shots), and I will.