Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Ten for Tuesday: Through My Window

Thanks to everyone for all your lovely comments yesterday! The photographer should send me some proofs on Thursday, so I'll post a few for your perusal. But only if they're good!

I like to look out the window. A lot. It's where I turn when my mind needs to puzzle something out, worry, or just go blank (which happens a lot). It's a good thing, then, that I live on such an interesting street! Here are some of my top window-gazing sights.

1. The red zippy car. This perfectly formed mini-car appeared one day on the sidewalk, zipping by pedestrians and honking, perturbed, at anyone who dared get in its way.






2. The Gaza protest. Back in January 2009, our street was flooded with a stream of protesters who marched to the Israeli embassy. Although the street doesn't look too busy in the photo, the stream of people went on for a good four or five hours.




3. Horses! Apart from the dozen horses that go by every morning at 7:30 am, there are a variety of other horses that head down our street on their way to Kensington Gardens.







4. A shouty man in a sailor's cap. Yes it's true! He turns up about once a week, randomly abusing passers-by.


5. People trawling for treasure in a rubbish bin. People walk by it, stare, then start poking around inside. I have watched this for years, wondering what on earth is inside that magic bin! And then, one day a few weeks ago, the bin disappeared. I am bereft.


6. Screamy bloke. This man appears a few times a week, usually early in the morning. He screams, then runs, then stops and walks normally for 50 metres or so. Then he repeats the routine. I can hear him doing this the length of the street. And there's nobody chasing him.


7. Lady with florescent tights. This is a woman who works in an antique shop across the street -- and she's well into her eighties. While her skirt and top are always sensible (and usually black or brown), her tights are always florescent green, pink or blue! Kudos to her, I say.


OK, so I don't have ten. But really, don't you think these are enough characters to occupy one small patch of London land?

54 comments:

  1. Seven seems like quite enough since they are all so interesting. I'm surprised you get any work done though :)

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  2. Wow. I could never get anything done. The most interesting thing I see out my window is a bird or two...and sometimes a squirrel, just to liven things up.

    That red car is something.

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  3. How do you get anything done? I live in a pretty sketchy neighborhood and I saw a drug bust once. Besides the cars in the lot out front, that's about the most interesting thing I've ever seen out my window. I love the old lady in bright tights. I bet she'd be a hoot to talk with.

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  4. I would stare out the window for hours too! Those are great pics - I want to see your shouty guy in his sailor's cap! This entry made my imagination go berserk!

    Thanks for posting!

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  5. Outside your window is so lively! I do wonder what's inside that rubbish bin...

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  6. Boy, you do have an interesting street! The most I can see is a cat walking by now and then.

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  7. Your street and its visitors sound like the absolutely perfect setting for a novel! The beautiful scenery against the cast of characters, just wonderful.

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  8. Thanks guys! I do live on an interesting if somewhat mental street. I love it, though -- at least it provides free entertainment.

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  9. Oh no!! I didn't know they took away your bin!!! I say sneak one where it used to be and see what happens! :-)

    I like how in your pics everyone's going one way!

    Methinks Screamy bloke and Shouty man are related.

    I love the woman with the brilliant tights! Oh to be able to get away with wearing such colours!! Hopefully when I turn 41! LOL!

    take care
    x

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  10. Oh my gosh, too funny: The red car, the screaming man. What great entertainment and a great place to get character ideas for stories.

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  11. I love it when writers post pics of what they see out their windows. I should do that. Although it would be trees. Not nearly as interesting as your London street scenes! We spend a lot of time looking out windows don't we?

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  12. Now, will you go add all of these characters/things into a manuscript? You certainly have some interesting things going on outside your window!

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  13. What a lively street you live on! I'd certainly never get any work done if I lived there.

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  14. So much more exciting than the occasional fat pheasant or cat that I see passing my window.

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  15. :) so great! My street is in suburban Ohio, but close enough to farmlands to be rather "hick" and there are countless characters in my neighbourhood. A reward for refusing to live in a subdivision? People are fascinating. Love this post!!!

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  16. Ha ha ha ha... I love your street. I live almost in the middle of nowhere and still I get crazy traffic. There's the propane truck that drives around at five in the morning honking it's horn. Then there's the 'Pan' guy (Pan is bread in Spanish). This guy drives around in a truck blaring a stupid Pan song over and over from a loud speaker.

    CD

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  17. wow that's kind of awesome. lol. i bet it can get annoying at times, but still! SO LIVELY! hehe i love it!!

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  18. Interesting characters! You should put them into one of your novels. I've never understood why people like the ones you described scream for no reason in public. Sometimes I yell in public, but I always have a reason for it. :)

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  19. This is absolutely brilliant! It's no wonder you write when you have characters like these just waiting to be appropriated!

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  20. I know - the people on my street do make for some interesting novel fodder. I'd like to corral them all into one room and see what happens.

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  21. I would love to see those horses. The protestors, though, would have had me saying, "They obviously have too much free time."

    I stand on my terrace that overlooks the winding bayou by the apartment complex. I see fish leaping up out of the mud-pearl waters. I watch cloud-white egrets swoop in graceful circles to land on the water's edge to stand freeze-frame still until they spot lunch. My terrace serves like your window.

    My cat, Gypsy, finally stretches beside me and yawns as if to say, "You do know it's air-conditioned and cool inside, don't you?"

    Thanks for the view out your window. I thought you would participate in the character interview blogfest today. I looked forward to reading your entry. Roland

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  22. Great photos. I love the zippy red car and the description of the guy in the sailor cap.
    I'd stare out of the window for hours if my street had that much fun stuff going off. We tend to get lots of cats passing. Maybe I could give them characters. :)

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  23. What a fascinating street! The zippy car is hilarious. :)

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  24. Your street sure is loud, even visually according to #'s 1 and 7. I agree, you don't need 10 either.

    One of my favorite picture books was a title like, "Nothing Ever Happens on My Street". The boy misses all this excitement, and I always related to it because I lived in a colorful area of New York City.

    Yay - proofs. I can't wait! I'm sure you'll find a few you'll like.

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  25. Theresa - I've never heard of this book! I'll have to check it out for my nephew.

    And yes, that zippy car was so funny. I could hardly believe my eyes!

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  26. Oh, I love #7. That would be one lady to get to know better if she wears florescent tights and she's in her eighties. Did she do wilder things in her youth or did she wait until she was more 'mature?' Gotta love it. Thanks for the glimpse of your street.

    Mason
    Thoughts in Progress

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  27. Love this idea and loved that you transported me to London! (Of course we have the screamers here and a few of #7;s as well. In deed, I hope to be a #7 someday.

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  28. You made me feel I live on your street. What wonderful descriptions and eccentric folks.
    My windows open into the courtyard of our complex. Mostly, I see neighbors. One starts talking to his cat all the way from the street as he comes home. Meow, meow, meow, meow. Makes me smile every time.

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  29. These are so awesome. I love your window! All I see from mine are birds and squirrels, kids with sport or pool gear, suburban vehicles. How I'd love a cool Zippy Car!

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  30. Wow - I'd never get anything done if I had a street as scintillating as yours to look out over, Talli!
    We have a number 6 too, only our screamy bloke has a bike and isn't afraid to stop it mid-rush-hour-traffic-stream and start to direct vehicles (including police cars which he waves through like he's been sent direct from Her Madge!)

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  31. No wonder you stare out the window so much!

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  32. What a fabulous neighborhood you live in. And so much fodder for writing!

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  33. People-watching is just the best.

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  34. I would love to be able to watch those characters from the comfort of my window! Of course, a lot of them are pretty boisterous, so it might get old after a bit!

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  35. Your first picture looks so like the exterior of Black Books - which is actually on Leigh Street in Bloomsbury. I've done the pilgrimage!

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  36. What an awesome lady! I'm so going to wear florescent tights when I'm 80. Florescent tights under a zebra-print skirt. YEAH!

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  37. 7 is enough & they're all memorable! But that car on the sidewalk? I mean, pavement? That's just wrong!

    Are these horses affiliated w/ the Palace?

    Wow, Screamy Bloke would get on my nerves -- good thing he doesn't do that act everyday! :)

    Quite a view you have, Talli! Good place to get some characters.

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  38. You live such a fun, fabulous life. I'm a little bit envious. A lot actually. *sigh.

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  39. I LOVE looking out your window!
    Dude, you have Shouty Man AND Screamy Bloke!
    Have they met?

    Also, when I'm in my 80's I am SO gonna wear neon tights....and maybe dye my hair to match! ;)

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  40. Great pics! I love looking outside my window too, its my favourite past time. London is fab for street watching isn't it? I'm quite curious about your shouty sailor man!! Hope the photo shoot went well, that Holland Park house looks amazing! ;)

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  41. OMG.. that little car is so cute! And little!! :)

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  42. That's city life for ya!

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  43. I'd love to meet the lady with the glowing tights :)

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  44. What a terrific neighborhood! You could feed an imagination for most of a lifetime.
    Thanks for sharing.

    Maribeth
    Giggles and Guns

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  45. I love this topic on what you see out your window! Very original! Of course, if I did it, it wouldn't be near as interesting as yours! really cool! :)

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  46. Wow, you live in such an interesting neighborhood! I imagine there's never a dull moment there;)

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  47. I'd say those are enough characters for an epic! With all that action, I'm not sure I would get any work done.

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  48. Such characters! I bet they inspire you for future book characters.

    What is UP with the screamy bloke? Dude. That is weird. Period.

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  49. Wow - you do have an interesting street. I would love watching the horses go by.

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  50. I'm not actually here. I'm just dropping off the new address for my site. Its thoughtsbylilahpierce.blogspot.com

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  51. Arghh I so miss the streets of London... well the UK in general!

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  52. FABULOUS lively sights on your street! Mine, I am lucky to spot a bunny or a woodchuck... sometimes the stray cat (friendliest stray I've ever known--she loves scratches) maybe a chipmunk... My husband caught a stray football fan peeing between house across the street... and found some high school kids getting high in a car. Mostly though, it is pretty small townish.

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  53. I think I would most definitely love to sit and write at your window... the inspiration!!!!!!!!!! even though I admit to loving the peace and quiet of life on water, I also thrive on the bustle of a city scene ;-)

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  54. I've got to break the news for you: you don't really live in a flat, it's a white padded room. And those bars on the window are there for a special reason; to keep the poor shouty bloke and sailor man safe from you.

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Coffee and wine for all!