Sunday, June 12, 2011

Chelsea Ducks

The other day I helped out with an event we were organising at work, a fairly formal lecture by a Professor from one of our colleges. Unfortunately I missed most of the lecture as I was doing other stuff and ended up standing by the door on the embankment for most of the evening. Events management is so glamorous.

Not all bad though. A twilight river view is always lovely and it was interesting listening to a slightly disgruntled guest who I didn't know airing his views on the event. I had to proof read the booklet published to accompany the lecture which was full of ideas and quite thought provoking, so the point of the event didn't completely pass me by.

On my way out, I was greeted by the sight of three mallard ducks nestling on a small patch of grass in the middle of the paved quadrangle of the college. I wondered whether they were part of an art installation at first, you never know as it's an art college, but I decided they must have wandered away from home, wherever duck-home is - I don't know where they might live normally, the banks of the Thames? It was very nice see their interested little feathery faces and to stop and feed them on my way home, which is quite a boring walk actually. They seemed to like the squashed banana and almond butter sandwich I offered them. I shouldn't really attribute human characteristics to them, but I do like ducks with a sense of adventure.