One decent camera shot from the Humber Bridge.









I am a happy bunny indeed.
Today I bought 'Fairport Covention - Live at the BBC' CD. A megafest of listening to wonderful music and following links via the internet. Admittedly, I had gone out to buy more of No.1's school uniform but somehow I wandered into HMV and inadvertently bought the above.For a potted history of the band try here.
Quiznight so I must away and apply WD40 to my brain. If it works for arthritic knees....

TTFN.

Mrs.C and I decided to enjoy a gentle stroll over the Humber Bridge and enjoy the wonders of nature. The sun shone, other walkers greeted us and all was right with the world. Many miles later, tired, dehydrated and wishing we had eaten a breakfast we fell into a delightful pub in Barton (The Queens). Delightful, despite the absence of real ale, because the food was excellent. Presentation, taste, service...all of a high standard and we shall be going there again. We drank real coke instead and the staff were friendly and helpful.
















I again forgot the camera and I took some piccies on my shiny new phone. Quality may not be of the highest standard and I'll attempt to transfer them tomorrow.
Ooh! Me plates are blistered and sore. A footspa, pampering and powdered as there are huge blisters on both feet.Ouch! I say, Ouch!
Sadly the pooch left at home but she did have two looonng walks yesterday, hence my sore feet (Did I mention them?)...chase the ball in the garden instead.
This week off is mainly to recharge my batteries although I am still studiously attending to my OU stuff. However, one last assignment due in two weeks time and the last of the coursework. Just the exam in October but I do feel a sense of achievement and impending relief. I have lined up two possible courses for next year and I have to decide which one. Although again studying at level three they are both for thirty points so hopefully less demanding in time, although if I choose to study the Latin course, that will be demanding. Given that I am likely to move up to the next level in the psychotherapy training I will probably plump for the other course 'The Professions in early modern England'. Let this be a lesson to any young whippersnappers out there: wine, women, songs and other distractions will still be there after you have completed your education in your teens and early twenties. Learn from my many mistakes and stupidities or you'll end up doing it all much later in life and it ain't easy. Mind you, I enjoyed those years although some of them I really cannot remember...
I have chosen to return to history rather than health & social care because it is so much more interesting, enjoyable and my life after nursing, whenever that day comes will be in that direction. Hence my desire to learn latin so that I may use the primary sources.

Beer this evening: 'Satanic Mills' from the Charles Wells brewery.

Music: A mixture of Richard Thompson, Radiohead, New Psychedelia (various), The Flying Burrito Brothers, Led Zepp, Robert Plant, etc...I am just an old hippie really.

More beer required and some Bombay mix nibbles...

TTFN.

Achtung!

An alarm on a local garage 300 yards away has been ringing for the past 24 hours. I have phoned the number given on the alarm box only to receive a politely worded "fuck offski". I have phoned the police..."nothing we can do". I have phoned the council emergency line and received a very polite "sorry, we can't help you".
Ladder and axe I think...balaclava, dark clothing, wait for darkness....



"You've not seen me, right?"




The only response I can think of at the moment is to play LOUD music...Gogol Bordello
TTFN.

Wow! Sunshine and blue skies. 'Poo patrol' and mow the grass but only after piriton and Deet used to combat the nasties. Stop because one undetected dog turd discovered lurking in the long grass. Further stop to shout abuse at the dog for depositing said turd. A quick assault on any stray weeds and I am ready. Chair, book, cup of tea, sunglasses, positioned for the sun....ahhhh, lovely. Police helicopter overhead for 20 minutes....fucking noise! Just shoot the bastards and let me get back to sun-worshipping. I admit defeat and return to studying...



Testing...

This place is familiar...

I only have the one excuse...I've been working my socks off over the past two weeks.
I could point the finger at virgin (on the ridiculous) media for their interesting interpretation of broadband provision i.e. Nil between the hours of 9 am and 6 pm.
But since they have moved their 'help' lines to Poona I have given up trying to communicate with them.
However, I am well and sound in limb although mind will be immeasurably helped when I have a week off from next monday.
I have gorn and been somewhat extravagant today and bought meself a new mobile courtesy of Tesco(we own the world). After a series of mishaps and No.1 'borrowing' my phone I was reduced to using something out of the ark.I now have a small, shiny new precious. I can show my mobile in public now without fear of embarrassment....yeah, right...twattery adverts.
I would like to report exciting events happened during my absence...worlds collided, photos of politicians with ardvaarks in the fourposter, Britney and Paris in my bedroom....well, that was Saturday. But I'm back and blogging...if virgin mediocrity allows me to do so.

TTFN.

p.s. Phew! Conectivity lost on just the two occasions there...

Today I have been mostly chillin' and studying, with some cool music in the background....well, classical that is. I can't concentrate if the music draws me in so the same classical tracks go on and I can concentrate on my studies. When Brahms or Mozart is played I immediately reach for the books.
Just a little something that amused me today altho' No.1 stated it was not funny.


















I promised a review of some beers I bought at 'Beers of Europe' the other day so here are a couple...

Daleside Chocolate Stout:Rich, creamy with a roasted and chocolate flavour. Lovely scent and rich warm mouthfeel. Bitterness after the initial chocolatey velvet taste - fruity and coffeeish flavours in the mix. A beer I will definitely try again and if I am up and about the Harrogate area, I will look out for it on draught.

Okell's 'Aile': Described as a smoked Celtic porter. It was not bottle conditioned. A slight smokey scent and a subtle 'burnt' smokey flavour, malty and a definite peatiness to it. Everything I enjoy in a malt whisky. I've drunk smoked beers in Germany and this did not compare. I suspect it would be better on draught. But us 'Celts' must stick together...

Orkney 'Dark Island': Warm, fruity, coffeeish and a chocolate taste with a slight smokiness. I enjoyed this beer although not as good as the Daleside. Somewhat thin mouthfeel compared with that one.

Of the three the Daleside definitely came out top, possibly because it was a bottle conditioned ale and nearer the taste of a draught ale.
That's all folks.

TTFN.

Pesky varmints.

It's happened again.


















Laid low by winged beasties...mossies. My legs are covered in bites and they have become infected. My left foot is somewhat larger than usual, bright red and sore to the touch. One bloody afternoon sat out in the garden in my shorts and I am reduced to hobbling about and swearing at any insect that comes near me. The docs have given me anti-biotics and I had a quick medical check-up. Fit as a fiddle although one or two strings might be missing....hence the bum notes. On a brighter note I now have time to race ahead in my OU work because I can't work in carpet slippers as shoes are currently painful to wear so I am stuck indoors studying.
Day time television is shite; pure, unadulterated shite....which is greater incentive to study. Thank the gods for 'Listen Again' which led me to this programme presented by a woman with a cracking name. Her presenting style can be described as 'conversational' which is delightful and I have now added her programme to my favourites. She reminds me a little of (a female folkie) John Peel.
I must away as the immediate family are pointing to a plume of thick black smoke just beyond the school. My money's on a burnt out stolen motor or a BBQ disaster of burnt sausages...very burnt by the look of that plume.
TTFN.

Study....
Ethics - I thought this would be interesting. Instead, the question that pops into my head is "How many angels would fit onto the head of a pin?"
I feel as though I am caught in the philosophical angst of the current writers of this bit of the course and my thoughts are caught in aspic. It doesn't help that the weather is nice and there are a multitude of more exciting things to do...like blog.
TTFN.

p.s. The alarm that rang from 10 pm until 9 am did not help either.

Road Trip.

"You're back! You're back!" *








We popped down to sunny Essex to see the old mater who is in fine fettle. A flying visit and met up with other family members. The trip down was great but coming back...Everything larger than a house and on wheels with an agricultural application was in front of us on our return. But it was the morons who believe the roads are for their personal use only who astonish me. Despite oncoming traffic they overtake a long line of vehicles and blast through. They appeared to be mainly middle-aged testosterone tossers who clearly think with their bollocks and have Jezza Clarkson as their sole role model. A few nights working in an A&E department or with the paramedics is required, although sadly I don't think it would change their habits.
No.1 has taken on board the lessons from his old pa and happily chowed down at truck-stops as opposed to McThievery overpriced plastic burgers. He's still averse to green vegetables, mind you, so are many truckstops.

However, finding this parked next to one's motor certainly gives thought to the drive-in on offer. Spare a thought for the clamper...















Around the corner they have this parked up...














I know there is a war against terror going on but, do they know something we don't?
The two old Normandy veterans inside with the collecting tins obviously have another role given the current personpower shortages in the armed services who are fighting a war on several fronts: Iraq, Afghanistan and Whitehall.
Another stop on our way back involved this fabulous place where I amazed No.1 by shopping there for a total of ten minutes only. I had made my mind up to concentrate on British beers only and preferably milds or stouts.














I quickly perused and bought a few beers which I hadn't yet tried apart from the 'Skullsplitter' which has been enjoyed on several occasions. I'll give my verdicts as and when I drink them.
Sadly, I have OU work to attend to although I may delay that pleasure until tomorrow morning as nine hours of driving in 24 hours has given me a numb bum. Sitting at the PC is unlikely to improve that....well, that's my excuse.
One strange thing we did find was a dead wild boar near a parking spot not far from Swaby, Lincs. It was a litle 'un but the last thing we expected to find. Somewhat flyblown so a BBQ was out of the question but it makes a change from the usual roadkill.

* She has kept me in sight ever since I returned...she'll not lose me again!

TTFN.

The real liquid of life...

Second post today....bugger all on the TV and I am listening to 'Listen Again' Cambridge Folk fest. But I read about 'Kelham Island' in Sheffield being flooded along with many others. So I cracked open a bottle of 'Pale Rider' to commiserate. This set me thinking about my favourite beers so here is a list of a few of them, starting with Pale Rider but in no particular order as weather, money, the moon, fleas on my dogs arse all influence my choice of beer. I will say however, that I drank this on draught at a beer festival and all other beers paled into insignificance except for one other.
The next beer is Marston's 'Old Empire' which is often found lurking in my cupboard in it's cool clear glass bottle reminiscent of old spice, only drinkable and it doesn't remind you of your dad's Saturday night out. Incidentally, clear glass bottles are not good for beer....dark one's are better.
Talking of the dark side, my next choice is 'Satanic mills', a porter from Wells brewery. I am a fan of milds and porters but this one surprised as did the next one Young's 'Double Chocolate Stout' which is easy drinking but has a decided kick as you'd expect at 5.2 %. I brought eight cans of this to a BBQ and they disappeared pdq. A local brewery is next with one I have had on draught only. Fugelstou's 'Northway IPA' is absolutely gorgeous and I would recommend it any time. Bateman's XB is my usual session ale and when it is in tiptop condition is an absolute delight...very refreshing. But their 'Dark Mild' is also one of my favourite milds and happily is often served not too far away (from work that is!). Moorhouse's 'Black Cat Mild' is the one mild I am more than happy to search for at beer festivals or, if I am lucky, when it is on at a local pub.
Two Welsh brews I recommend are 'Ramblers Ruin' from the Breconshire Brewery and Brains 'Dark', yet another delicious mild....Go for the cask only for the latter. I've no idea if it is available in a PISH smooth version but if it is, just don't. Ramblers ruin was that one other beer which I had at the same beer festival as Pale rider and I was the proverbial dog with two tails. Other beers which spring to mind as favourites are Hopbacks 'Summer Lightning' and Elgood's 'Black Dog'. So here is a fantastic website to peruse to your hearts content and to enrich the mind: Beermad. Go there for all you need to know and as a portal to another world. Camra is the other place to visit for information and I recommend you go join them, you know it makes sense.

Courtesy of 'Swallows Barn', Claxby.



Yesterday we went for a jaunt around the Lincolshire Wolds, discovering a chocolate manufactory and enjoying the sunshine. The roads were free of traffic and we discovered a revitalised Gainsborough. To finish off we spent a couple of hours at Cleethorpes for fish & chips as we enjoyed the sea breezes. All good reminders as to why we have lived here for the past ten years. Clean fresh air, little traffic, friendly people and a life less frantic.
What surprises me is that I am forever out and about the countryside as part of my job and I always forget to have a camera about me. Catching the bluebells in the spring or the new lambs, snowy scenes bathed in sunshine, etc... Yesterday.... I forgot the camera and missed some lovely scenes for the blog. But as we plan to be away for a couple of days so No.1 can see his grandma I shall bring the camera along.
Must go, lots of sirens and police outside.
TTFN.