A Hallowe'en Spooktacular – FREE guided walks in N19

Here's one for your diary...
Hallowe'en usually finds me behind locked doors with the TV cranked up loud to cover the noise of the doorbell and the whining from disappointed little children who didn't get any 'treats'.
Trick or Treat? I say treat 'em mean and give em a slice of the real world !
Surely that makes me the best witch ever!
But this year I have been tempted out of my cave by something that's free. Yes free. And not branded. And not full of sugar either. I will actually be venturing outdoors and interacting with people and I might even dress the part. Stranger things have happened you know..
Yes people... it's shocking... I will be leading a ghost-themed tour around the Archway area. There'll be three chances to tag along but you'll need to register because places are limited.
Just click here for more info.
Now where did I leave my broomstick...

Walk This Way in Smithfield Poultry Market

Whilst having a wander about the old markets on Sunday afternoon I noticed these painted fellas on the pavement and felt the urge to share them.

See here for some of their mates near Finsbury Park station.

Drunken Barnaby's Journal by Richard Brathwait

Last Saturday I spent a very pleasant afternoon leading short tours around N19 as part of Archway With Words 2018.
Whilst talking about The Mother Redcap public house on the 2.30pm tour I noticed that Matt, one of my group, was especially engaged in the information. When the tour finished he asked if I had read Drunken Barnaby's Four Journeys by Richard Brathwait, first published in 1638, which includes an account of a visit to that tavern by the titular character. I said I had read excerpts online but, no, I didn't have the actual book.
He said he had two copies and would I like one of them? Er, well, yes please.
So he nipped home and came back with two books and refused to take anything for them, saying they were a present and he wanted nothing more because he'd enjoyed the tour.

As you can see by the [dodgy] snaps above, he has given me a lovely 1805 book that's in the original Latin and translated into English. It also contains some fabulous etchings. I am also intrigued by an inscription on the inside front cover that shows that William Smith bought this book at a sale in 1894.
The other book Matt gave me is about the author, Richard Brathwait, The First Lakeland Poet. As you can see, he's very Drake/Raleigh in appearance.
What a delight all round!
Matt didn't leave me his contact details so can't send him a big personal thank you.
I really hope he sees this or he joins another of my walks in the future.