pumpkinstrokemarrow

Then entered onto the trail proper, running from Clapham Junction, along Lavender Hill and the Wandsworth Road to the big Sainsbury's at Vauxhall. First bit of interesting nature was opposite the exit to Mackay Road and consisted of some sort of an acer in full flower. The thing was covered with small green and white flowers, with the young leaves coming on behind. Looked splendid in the late afternoon light. The second bit was a bit further along and consisted of a whole lot of variegated ivy draped over a wall. The point of interest being that it was covered with clusters of shabby black berries. The variegated ivy growing up the back of our house has just one such cluster, despite being about the same size overall. This I know from the day before yesterday having been the day for said ivy's spring trim.

At this point moved off nature onto politics. Passing a largish Labroke's betting shop, I suddenly thought that I should have a punt on Gordon Brown being the next prime minister. On the grounds that first, we were going to have a hung election resulting in Labour and the Liberal Democrats forming a coalition. And that second, it would be good for some good to come out of a bad result.

Next stop a rather smaller William Hill's betting shop, the clients of which appeared to be mainly interested in the horses. Young lady behind the armour glass looked up election bets on her computer to find that there were very few of them. I could have a bet on Labour being the largest party after the election but not on the prime minister after the election. Not too impressed, so I thought I would try the next William Hill's, this one in Wilcox Road, to see if I got the same story. This young lady was rather more helpful. Having ascertained that the standard offerings did not include what I wanted, she phoned her HQ to see if they would give me a price. Same odds as Labour being the biggest party I was told. Didn't sound as if whoever she had spoken too had given the matter much thought. But given that the odds were 16 to 5, which I took to mean that if I bet £5 I would get £16 plus my £5 back, I decided to pass. Not going to have a flutter on that sort of return.

Later in the evening I was introduced to Paddypower (http://www.paddypower.com). He had a much bigger menu of bets including the one I wanted, but only offering a derisory 5 to 2. Resisted the temptation to flash the plastic at the computer - particularly since I had also learned that the Liberal Democrats were not very keen on Gordon and might suggest rather firmly that he stood down in favour of someone more pliable, less likely to eclipse their good selves and less likely to taint them by association with past failures. I suppose that all depends on how hung the hung election was. Anyway, not now moved to bet at anything less than 5 to 1.

Between the two William Hill's shops, discovered a shiny new theatre which I thought was called BT but is actually called LOST (http://www.losttheatre.co.uk/) the confusion arising from their lost logo which reads in the road rather like bt, but which is rather clearer on the web site. Presumably this shiny new theatre is supported by public funding. Maybe they get the building for free, provided they stump up the running costs. I remember an allegation that people who fund the arts love capital projects and hate running costs; clearly forgetting that if theatres could be made to pay there would be no need for public funds. Maybe I get to visit the place one day, the present attraction being a festival to celebrate what is billed as the largest concentration of Portuguese and Cape Verdeans in northern Europe.

As a result of which I learn that the Cape Verde islands, unlike the Canary islands, started off uninhabited and are now mainly black and Creole with few whites. But presumably, like the Canaries, very poor after bunkering died down and before tourism took off - which in the case of the Cape Verde islands is only just happening now. Much emigration.