I can see clearly now...

Lady Godiva Statue - Outside Catheseral Lanes Shopping complex

It's been a week since the UK was underwater. Fortunately, Coventry wasn't affected. When there's a lull from the downpour , we just need to be out and about.

We went to the town centre to renew Benzy's road tax. Usually, Kevin applies online for it and it is returned by post. But, a postal strike was on-going and we might not get the disc on time.
Kevin also got me a new toy to play with. I was itching to try it and took this lovely photograph of Lady Godiva.

This legendary lady (c. 1040–80) was famous for her legendary ride while nude through Coventry to convince her husband, Leofric, to lower an unfair tax. A later chronicle asserts that she required the townsmen to remain indoors at the time fixed for her ride. Peeping Tom , a citizen who looked out his window, apparently became a part of the legend in the 17th century. In most accounts he was struck blind or dead.

It was also the day the last Harry Potter book went on sale. There was still queues in several bookshops that we went in served by sales assistants dressed as one of the characters. In Waterstone, you can have your photograph taken dressed as one. The marketing strategy was really par excellence. Reading is still in and I'm pleased to see young and old doing it. Mon mari chéri, where's my copy?

On Sunday, we paid a visit to Coombe Abbey. Swans with young hissing us away and herons looking forlornly into the swollen rivers. It must be quite hard for them to fish because the waters are fast and muddy. The cormorants are still on the tree tops but the heron chicks have left the nest. Due to the hot, wet weather we also photographed different types of fungi under the trees and spotted a tiny frog perfectly camouflaged.

I took leave because we planned to explore the Cotswold which was unfortunately underwater. We were surrounded by the flood and decided to continue our walkabout in Coventry.

We checked out the Coventry Transport Museum.It houses the world's largest collection of British transport, including 240 cars, commercial vehicles and busses, 100 motorcycles, over 200 cycles and around a million archive and ephemera items.

The ones that caught my attention was the mini that was used in the movie The Italian Job which was driven through the Birmingham-Coventry Tithebarn Main Sewers which was under construction at that time and the ThrustSSC.

In October 1997, ThrustSSC became the first car ever to break the sound barrier when it broke the Land Speed Record at an amazing speed of 763.035 mph. A number of Coventry organisations made significant contributions to the project, and this is why the word 'Coventry' appeared on either side of the cockpit.

There was also a museum about Old Coventry with its musty smells and darkened alleys. A 'Blitz Experience', scene after the air raids was also erected with the eerie sounds of the alarm, bombings and collapsed buildings. Quite authentic. Definitely, a place to go on a rainy day.

At last, we managed to see the Cook Street Gate which was built in 1385. If you look upwards as you walk through the gate, you can see a beautiful carving of the Coventry emblem, the Elephant and Castle, inside the roof. C'est magnifique!

My colleagues and I attended a meeting hosted by the University of Nottingham. EMALINK is the East Midlands Library Information Network, an informal gathering to share experience and good practice. It took us 2 hours by train changing in Birmingham. I gained valuable insights on how the other cataloguers are keeping abreast within the field. And also made new friends.

Wishing Eileen a very Happy 80th birthday and adieu to KS who is leaving for London. Looking forward to the party...