I have just added the first in a series of advertising posts to www.greatcharity.org. To view the post in its full glory visit http://www.greatcharity.org/quality-toys-to-go-under-the-hammer-at-rehearsal-auction/. Also keep an eye on our facebook/ twitter pages. Meanwhile here is a single picture from the gallery accompanying the main post..
Between the heat, sorting out imaging problems, a soupcon of heavy lifting and attempting to catch
Our focus is firmly on the July sale which is acting as a rehearsal for the Great Centenary Charity Auction and new posts reflecting that focus will be appearing right up to the morning of the auction – click here to see the current state of play.
We have recently reached 100 twitter followers, and we are regularly gaining facebook likes as well.
As usual I have some pictures for you to enjoy…
Sara Waymont, an accredited war artist, has created a painting specially for the Great Centenary Charity Auction. Full details available at http://bit.ly/1mHrHWa.
With one week to go until the July sale of James and Sons, which is serving as a dress rehearsal for the main event, I have launched a social media blitz to help build it up. I have put two new posts out on www.greatcharity.org, which can be viewed direct by clicking http://www.greatcharity.org/stock-coming-in-for-great-charity-auction/ and or http://www.greatcharity.org/one-week-to-go-before-rehearsal-auction/, and I have also mentioned these on facebook, where I have also scheduled eight advertising posts, over the next seven evenings and one final one for early Wednesday morning, and twitter, where I will be putting up more posts as the week runs down.
Even if auctions do not necessarily get your blood racing, there is also the opportunity to visit Raynham Hall and its grounds, neither of which are normally open to the public.
No new pics, but I will reuse a few that have already been shown…
The site office for the Great Centenary Charity Auction is starting to look as it should, with the arrival of some hanging frames and enough military uniforms to fill two of them. I have some good images from there which I shall be using on our facebook and twitter pages.
I have also put out a press release about a vast collection of magic books going under the hammer at James and Sons July Sale, which is serving as a rehearsal for the great charity auction. This can b e viewed at: http://www.greatcharity.org/huge-collection-of-magic-books-at-raynham-hall-auction/
Enjoy the photos…
Yesterday may very well have seen the end of Alastair Cook’s reign as England captain, not just because it is now seven defeats and three draws in England’s last ten tests, but because of the manner of this defeat. With one ball to go until the lunch interval England were looking favourites as Joe Root and Moeen Ali were still together, and runs were starting to flow. Then Ali surrendered his wicket to the final ball of the session, meaning that in the afternoon India would have a new batsman at the crease. In the first hour after lunch the self-destruct button was not so much pressed as thumped. Both because of his seniority and the manner of it Matt Prior’s dismissal was the most gruesome, caught hooking with no fewer than three fielders back for that specific shot.
Of course if England’s bowlers had done what they should when they had India 150-7 in the first innings they would never have been in a position to lose the match. That said, full credit to India for being able to press home a winning position when they got one. Three Indian players had outstanding performances in the match, Rahane with a first innings century, Ishant Sharma with seven wickets in that final innings debacle and (for me at least) Man of the Match Bhuvaneshwar Kumar with two fifties and five first innings wickets.
Referring back to my opening sentence, if I relieve Cook of the captaincy who do I give to, and do I keep Cook in the team? Answering the second part first, yes I do keep him in the team and give him a chance to perform by far his most valuable role – making lots of runs at the top of the order unfettered by the captaincy. As for my replacement captain, I think it is a big ask for someone to come straight into the team as captain, and I would not want my new captain to be worrying about their own form over much, so given that he is established in the side, has made several big scores already this season, and appears to have a very good head on his shoulders, I would opt for Joe Root.
After England’s surrender was complete I managed to get some decent photographs from around King’s Lynn…
This is my last post about Marxism 2014, and it will be brief one, featuring repeats of some of the finer pictures from the event.
The event was a tremendous success, and the standard of discussion at all the meeting I attended was exceedingly high. With the exception of the opening and closing rallies, on both of which occasions the doors were opened too late the team did a magnificent job.
I found the number of meetings relating to WW1 useful as well as interesting – don’t forget to look at www.greatcharity.org, www,facebook.com/GreatAuction and/or www.twitter.com/great_auction.
Photos…
Yesterday started with a walk around King’s Lynn which yielded some excellent pictures, finishing at my aunt’s house for the journey to East Rudham for Sunday lunch. While there I had to photograph some books for my father. Later on, I sat outside and observed many bees and some butterflies enjoying the wild marjoram that grows just outside my parents house.
A compelling day of test cricket, which saw India clear favourites with a day to go, although if Joe Root and Moeen Ali bat well today it could very interesting.
Also yesterday was the final day of the Open, although there was little tension there as Rory McIlroy led the tournament pretty much from start to finish and went into the final day six shots to the good.
As usual I have a selection of photographs for you..
Yes I am nearly at the end of my series of posts about Marxism 2014 (one more after this as an overall retrospective).
Given the necessity of stowing my more awkward baggage (I had nothing that was massively heavy) in the room set aside for such purposes, it was necessary that I set off early on this final morning so as to have time to do so. Therefore at 8:15 AM I said goodbye to the person who I had been staying with and set off on my travels.
Having made allowances for things to go wrong I arrived at the venue at 9:30, exactly as envisaged/ intended.
My last two regular meetings were Emma Davis on “The Russian Revolution and the fight for women’s liberation” and Kieran Allen from the Irish SWP on “Alternatives to capitalism”.
After lunch it was time for the final rally, expertly chaired by Emma Davis. We had someone from Gaza address us via skype, student activist Kate Hurford, Evronia Azer from Egypt and SWP national secretary Charlie Kimber to finish it off. I missed the tail-end of the final rally because I did not wish to stand all the way to Cambridge on the train home (my inevitable fate had I got on the 16:45), so ensured that I would get to King’s Cross in good time for the 15:45.
As always I have some excellent photos for you…
There is much evidence of civic pride in central King’s Lynn at the moment, from the increasing ornamentation of the pedestrianized precinct to the installations on the lower Purfleet and on the bank of the Great Ouse. Also I was heartened to see the jetty getting good use.
I saw all of this while making a trip to and from the Hardwick Estate, to do a food shop. The weather was horrendously hot and humid, although as the photos show the snails clearly enjoyed it.
aspiblog 