commonpeople1: (Default)
Ollie ([personal profile] commonpeople1) wrote2008-08-11 07:57 am

Summer Luvin', Happened so Fast...

Picnics in London are well dodgy: you could be approaching the park under the warmest sunshine only to have rain piss down on you as you wait for your friends at the appointed meeting spot (a bridge in Regent's Park, in my case yesterday.) As [livejournal.com profile] tom correctly pointed out later on, a summer day in London can immitate the entire season: plenty of overcast hours, a few showers, and even fewers spots of sunshine. And whatever the appointed meeting time for the picnic, you can be sure you'll be the first one to arrive even if you are half an hour late. You'll worry that your friends have found a spot somewhere beyond the trees (your mobile phone is about to die and they are not replying to your txt msgs - they are ignoring you on purpose [livejournal.com profile] hester jokes later on) and you'll have no other option but share a bench with a loner reading the Daily Telegraph who will eye your jam and chocolate donuts, your salt crisps. At least you'll have your Sicilian red wine to drown your sorrows.

When drizzling, find a spot under the trees: the ground will be drier, and during the short bursts of rain throughout the afternoon your food will be protected from most of the water. But stay close to the concrete paths so you can keep an eye on whichever friend has brought roller blades and is trying their luck after a half-glass of wine. Scene of the accident. And don't act surprised when [livejournal.com profile] christa, the picnic organiser, is one of the last to arrive. Forgive her when she cracks open the strawberry box and passes it around (can your stomach fit another berry?) Feel happier when the picnic brightens up with the arrival of [livejournal.com profile] beth and her own personal, and very cute, cabbage patch kid, [livejournal.com profile] katie (emo haircut edition).

When the wind grows too chill and the light through the leaves mesmerizes (here comes autumn) adjourn to a nearby pub (pray there are no football supporters - apart from [livejournal.com profile] suzi, that is). Say goodbye to some of the picknickers, say hello to a pair of newcomers ([livejournal.com profile] richard and [livejournal.com profile] krys). Find a corner at the back of the pub and run the gamut of topics that weren't broached on the grass (Israel, Georgia, Russia, Dexter, Popstarz, Cloverfield). Laugh maniacally when someone finds a giant hunky photo in a Sunday newspaper supplement of that actor from House, laid out like freshly baked chicken, ready-to-eat. The New George Clooney?

Lights and music are on your mind as you walk down Roman Road, heading home. Neneh Cherry stuck in that soggy head ([livejournal.com profile] yearning in there), and the East End overtaken by a giant rainbow that grows like an explosion from Stratford, reaches across the sky (capturing a few planes that fly back & forth from Heathrow) and lands somewhere beyond the Emerald City Canary Wharf. Many people looking through the rainbow, as if it weren't really there. No second-takes, eyes to the sky, smiles - nothing. What kind of person doesn't care about a huge rainbow covering the sky?

[identity profile] easterbunny.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 08:30 am (UTC)(link)
It was great to see you yesterday. I'm sorry I didn't stay put on my picnic blanket for long enough to develop any sort of meaningful conversation. :)

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 08:55 am (UTC)(link)
It was lovely to see you too, and finally meet Katie! Next time, lets sit closer on the picnic blanket. ;-)

[identity profile] iejw.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 08:56 am (UTC)(link)
We saw that rainbow. It was huge. And started right on the Olympic stadium. I’m sure that must be prophetic of something.

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 11:31 am (UTC)(link)
It looks like most Londoners saw it. One of my LJ friends took a photo.

Maybe it means that London's Olympics will be the gayest thing on Earth?

[identity profile] iejw.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 11:53 am (UTC)(link)
Ooooh! You think?!

That could be fun…

Think of all those gymnasts hitting the gay bars!!

[identity profile] iejw.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 12:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Well any of the fuckers really. Apart from the shooting types. They always seem a bit odd.

[identity profile] iejw.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 01:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh absolutely.

Do they have Olympic golf?!

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 01:18 pm (UTC)(link)
My mistake. Apparently it's not been in the Olympics for over a century. May it remain so for another century!

[identity profile] iejw.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 01:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Golf isn’t a sport. It forms two functions. Business forum for people without the attention span to sit behind a desk, and out-door mortuary waiting room.

[identity profile] easterbunny.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 03:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Does archery have more convincing sporting credentials than golf? Both benefit from at least fleeting attention to aim and strength, but maybe Pabst Blue Ribbon shouldn't sponsor pro-am archery.

[identity profile] iejw.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 05:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes. Because I did Archery once, and nearly got the thing in the middle and felt terribly proud of myself. It therefore must be a sport...

[identity profile] sushidog.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 09:21 am (UTC)(link)
*heh* The rainbow was framing the University when I walked home, and was two spectra deep. Very pretty.

Lovely to see you yesterday, and I shall definitely take you up on Vicky Park skating and scoping out the boys!

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 11:35 am (UTC)(link)
Defo txt me or give us a call when you want to go for a Vicky stroll/roll.
(deleted comment)

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 11:36 am (UTC)(link)
I was just teasing you - don't worry about being late! It was a Sunday after all. :-)

See you soon!

[identity profile] wwidsith.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 09:34 am (UTC)(link)
I read somewhere that the Crowded House song "Four Seasons in One Day" was inspired by English weather...

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 11:36 am (UTC)(link)
English weather has inspired far too many songs. I think we can safely blame goth and 80s indie on English weather.

[identity profile] live-life-like.livejournal.com 2008-08-11 07:28 pm (UTC)(link)
http://www.dnamagazine.com.au/articles/news.asp?news_id=923&c=122631

leia o comment e veja se o nome nao lhe eh familiar..........
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahhahahahahahah
quase fiz xixi nas calcas de tanto rir.

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2008-08-12 08:38 am (UTC)(link)
o_O

Como que voce descobriu? Fez um Google basico no nome dele? E aquela feiura que casou com ele tambem esta na net?

[identity profile] live-life-like.livejournal.com 2008-08-12 11:44 am (UTC)(link)
claaaaro..na verdade eu estava procurando pela escola, pra saber se ainda estavam com ela e tal.....e achei isso!!
hahahaha
da outra feiura barrigude eu nao tenho noticia!
eeeca.

[identity profile] saint-narcissus.livejournal.com 2008-08-12 06:25 pm (UTC)(link)
I always love your 'in the park' blogs.

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2008-08-12 06:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks!

How come you love these particular ones?