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As I had to sort some things out in town this morning, Liam and I made the trip in the pouring rain. Me with my trusty crutch, and Liam with his attitude. No, that's not fair, he was actually okay about having to get the bus into town, once he had got used to the idea. The only problem was with the weather... it was pissing down. We did what I had to do, then we decided that, since we couldn't really get much wetter, we may as well go for a wander along the City Quay - a part of the waterfront that they started renovating about 10 years ago, but which they have never completed. Consequently, one part is all urban chic, with an ultra modern (well, early-90s) outdoor shopping centre with some reasonable shops built on the side of the old shipyard dock. Moored opposite the shops, and accessible by a wooden and steel bridge, are the Lightship North Carr (of which this is a photograph) and the 'oldest floating British built warship', the 34-gun frigate HMS Unicorn, launched in 1834. These ships are certainly worth a look: it is just a shame that the powers-that-be have never quite got around to finishing off the redevelopment, for directly opposite North Carr is an old abandoned hacklemaker's workshop (I'll just pretend I have a clue what that is), while in front of Unicorn is a massive and under-utilised car park, opposite is an old abandoned and crumbling warehouse, and behind it is a flooded and derelict dry-dock. Nevertheless, it is a nice place for photography - even during (especially during) a summer downpour. We had a nice time, and I even managed to buy a photography book, A different country: the photography of Werner Kissling in the remaindered bookshop. The book contains photographs that Kissling took whilst travelling around the Western Isles during the 1930s, and show a Scottish way of life that has all but disappeared (hence the title, I suspect). Liam bought two books - on on Che Guevarra, the other on master criminals - go figure. Cold and soaked, we made our way to the cafe for some refreshments before heading home. I went to see War of the Worlds and, as Hollywood films go, this is a good one. I have read the book, listened to Orson Wells's radioplay, seen the 1950s film and even listened to Justin Hayward's album - so I know the story quite well. Even so, I jumped out of my seat a couple of times! Well worth seeing, if you like that kind of thing, which I do.

Click here for the colour version of this image

Last year I hinted at my profession