And so i am Suffolk bound in the morning, to visit the Norfolk and Norwich hospital to see how Mother is. She seems fine, all is well, just the whole heart attack thing.
I am going up, to see her in hospital. And to visit friends. and for some photography. and to see Norwich play.
As to what really happens, watch this space on Sunday, people.
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Monday, 26 July 2010
Monday 26th July 2010
And the phone rang last night, and things changed. again.
Probably.
Mother has had a heart attack and is in hospital having tests. I say that lightly now because we did speak today, the first time in weeks, and she is chipper to say the least.
Avoiding all issues, other than she is fine, but did have a pain and will be in hospital for at least a week. and so I am heading up to Suffolk at the weekend to due the dutiful son thing. Makes my heart sink just writing that. That I am being suckered in to more games. It may sound harsh, and almost certainly is, but having lived my life, knowing what I know, you'll have to take my word for it when I say we are playing games here. But at least i know it's a game; and she knows that I know it's a game.
So, I will go and say my piece and feel better, and she'll feel the opposite having heard it, and we'll move on. Again. More news on the unfolding drama as we get it, folks.
Probably.
Mother has had a heart attack and is in hospital having tests. I say that lightly now because we did speak today, the first time in weeks, and she is chipper to say the least.
Avoiding all issues, other than she is fine, but did have a pain and will be in hospital for at least a week. and so I am heading up to Suffolk at the weekend to due the dutiful son thing. Makes my heart sink just writing that. That I am being suckered in to more games. It may sound harsh, and almost certainly is, but having lived my life, knowing what I know, you'll have to take my word for it when I say we are playing games here. But at least i know it's a game; and she knows that I know it's a game.
So, I will go and say my piece and feel better, and she'll feel the opposite having heard it, and we'll move on. Again. More news on the unfolding drama as we get it, folks.
Sunday, 25 July 2010
Sunday 25th July 2010
Good morning.
Headache and pain from the nether regions too. The headache comes from the hot and humid night last night; I woke up at half twelve this morning even hotter than the night, struggling to get back to sleep. I could blame it all on the heat and season, but there was another reason; red wine. It seemed like a good idea, to go along with the nice steak I had bought, lets have a special bottle of wine. All very well, but the wine, a 2007 President's 15, full bodied and flavoursome. And in the end, I did drink it all with full malice aforethought. The steak was good though, and the mushrooms cooked in butter. With the wine.
So, I have dosed myself up with drugs and am now waiting for them to kick in. which seems to be happening right now, and the world seems a tad better.
So, I have had most of the week off work, due to the operation and the recuperation. Thursday, I just stayed in and bimbled about messing with pictures and listening to the radio and eating lots of fruit. It was a throwback to my days on the dole, finding ways to waste the day away. Not that bad, but the day did fritter away. I ended up watching the final mountain stage of Le Tour de France, which was good, and another reminder of days past when I used to watch almost every stage. It was great for just the one day.
Friday, a friend came round, and we went for a walk whilst looking for subjects to photograph; a photo-walk, if you like. Which is a word, a real word. Gary has a new lens, a macro lens, which he let me borrow for the morning, and the results i got were just amazing. Just seeing the beauty in design of the very tiny, it is a wonderful thing. We did not walk far, but saw moths, butterflies and plants of fantastic shapes. So, now I want one of these lenses, a snip at £400, which might as well be four million right now as we have so many things to do with our money.
In the afternoon, I stayed inside and listened to the Mayo and Kermode film review show, it was wonderful.
each evening we have been watching films on-demand; we saw Up in the air with gorgeous George which was rather good, but a bit familiar, and the day before we watched Sex and Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll, the Ian Dury bio-pic, which was ok.
Yesterday, after the early morning trip to Tesco, we walked once again over the fields to the cliffs and back again. I took my camera and i snapped many more insects, moths and butterflies, including a few beautiful Comma butterflies, which were a joy to sea.
At the cliffs, there was no mist this time, but France was lost in the haze, and although the bacon cooking in bluebirds smelt mighty fine, we walked home again to have lunch.
And that's about it, Sunday now, weather greay but warm, with the proise of rain before lunch, and me not feeling like going out. And then, back to work tomorrow, with the thought that I am being joined by Philip and Christian full time now, oh what joy that will be. Probably.
Headache and pain from the nether regions too. The headache comes from the hot and humid night last night; I woke up at half twelve this morning even hotter than the night, struggling to get back to sleep. I could blame it all on the heat and season, but there was another reason; red wine. It seemed like a good idea, to go along with the nice steak I had bought, lets have a special bottle of wine. All very well, but the wine, a 2007 President's 15, full bodied and flavoursome. And in the end, I did drink it all with full malice aforethought. The steak was good though, and the mushrooms cooked in butter. With the wine.
So, I have dosed myself up with drugs and am now waiting for them to kick in. which seems to be happening right now, and the world seems a tad better.
So, I have had most of the week off work, due to the operation and the recuperation. Thursday, I just stayed in and bimbled about messing with pictures and listening to the radio and eating lots of fruit. It was a throwback to my days on the dole, finding ways to waste the day away. Not that bad, but the day did fritter away. I ended up watching the final mountain stage of Le Tour de France, which was good, and another reminder of days past when I used to watch almost every stage. It was great for just the one day.
Friday, a friend came round, and we went for a walk whilst looking for subjects to photograph; a photo-walk, if you like. Which is a word, a real word. Gary has a new lens, a macro lens, which he let me borrow for the morning, and the results i got were just amazing. Just seeing the beauty in design of the very tiny, it is a wonderful thing. We did not walk far, but saw moths, butterflies and plants of fantastic shapes. So, now I want one of these lenses, a snip at £400, which might as well be four million right now as we have so many things to do with our money.
In the afternoon, I stayed inside and listened to the Mayo and Kermode film review show, it was wonderful.
each evening we have been watching films on-demand; we saw Up in the air with gorgeous George which was rather good, but a bit familiar, and the day before we watched Sex and Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll, the Ian Dury bio-pic, which was ok.
Yesterday, after the early morning trip to Tesco, we walked once again over the fields to the cliffs and back again. I took my camera and i snapped many more insects, moths and butterflies, including a few beautiful Comma butterflies, which were a joy to sea.
At the cliffs, there was no mist this time, but France was lost in the haze, and although the bacon cooking in bluebirds smelt mighty fine, we walked home again to have lunch.
And that's about it, Sunday now, weather greay but warm, with the proise of rain before lunch, and me not feeling like going out. And then, back to work tomorrow, with the thought that I am being joined by Philip and Christian full time now, oh what joy that will be. Probably.
Friday, 23 July 2010
Friday 23rd July 2010
Good morning, and welcome back to the summer. The garden is still all a-colour, the fruit and vegetables are growing well, and I have been off work since Tuesday afternoon.
It all began a couple of years ago, at the end of a survey trip, and halfway through a shift, I wanted to go to the toilet, but couldn't get away. Now, growing up Mum said two things I remember, don't sit on damp concrete, you'll get piles and don't strain, you'll get piles. Well, I have sat on many pieces of damp concrete with no ill effects, but at the end of the shift I knew I should go, and strained.
well, you can guess the rest. And since then I have not been right, and so a trip to the doctor was called for, he sent me to the hospital, where the verdict was piles. He sent me to another hospital. They sent a camera to check; they found a polyp, and i had to go back for further checks and remove the polyp, and then all was clear for the main act; the removal.
and that has been this weeks events. Now, I don't like hospital at the best of times, lest when I have to be admitted. But, it's not like you just turn up and the doctor pounces on you and knocks you out with chloroform and get the op done. You have to go for a pre-op meeting with a nurse, discuss your medical history, and she took the patient, me, through what was going to happen.
Come back tomorrow at half eleven and we'll get started.
And so at eleven, Jools dropped me off in Ashford, and I tried to find the admissions ward. It was all colour-coded, and so should have been easy. Only they had got their colours mixed up and not pale blue and green is where I should have been heading, so that made things very difficult to say the least. But, someone took pity and asked where I was heading and pointed me in the right direction.
I went through the same questions as the day before, and then began the waiting. None of us were allowed food, and some had been in the waiting room since half seven in the morning. There was no news of where in the queue we were, some people were taken away and then sent back after being given pills or whatever.
And then, at half three, I was taken, taken to the anaesthetist's room, told to lay down, the put a drip in my arm, and covered my mouth with a mask. They turned on the drip and told me to breath deeply. The lights went out.
I woke up, feeling drunk, which is not a bad thing, and was wheeled into the recovery room, and so began recovery, and lots more waiting. Jools came at half seven to pick me up, and that's that really. and now here I am sitting on cushions and trying not to sneeze or cough. Not that it is that bad, very little pain, and from four this afternoon I will be able to drive again and operate dangerous machinery and sign important documents.
All back to normal, then. and the lessons to be learned, don't strain, eat roughage.
It all began a couple of years ago, at the end of a survey trip, and halfway through a shift, I wanted to go to the toilet, but couldn't get away. Now, growing up Mum said two things I remember, don't sit on damp concrete, you'll get piles and don't strain, you'll get piles. Well, I have sat on many pieces of damp concrete with no ill effects, but at the end of the shift I knew I should go, and strained.
well, you can guess the rest. And since then I have not been right, and so a trip to the doctor was called for, he sent me to the hospital, where the verdict was piles. He sent me to another hospital. They sent a camera to check; they found a polyp, and i had to go back for further checks and remove the polyp, and then all was clear for the main act; the removal.
and that has been this weeks events. Now, I don't like hospital at the best of times, lest when I have to be admitted. But, it's not like you just turn up and the doctor pounces on you and knocks you out with chloroform and get the op done. You have to go for a pre-op meeting with a nurse, discuss your medical history, and she took the patient, me, through what was going to happen.
Come back tomorrow at half eleven and we'll get started.
And so at eleven, Jools dropped me off in Ashford, and I tried to find the admissions ward. It was all colour-coded, and so should have been easy. Only they had got their colours mixed up and not pale blue and green is where I should have been heading, so that made things very difficult to say the least. But, someone took pity and asked where I was heading and pointed me in the right direction.
I went through the same questions as the day before, and then began the waiting. None of us were allowed food, and some had been in the waiting room since half seven in the morning. There was no news of where in the queue we were, some people were taken away and then sent back after being given pills or whatever.
And then, at half three, I was taken, taken to the anaesthetist's room, told to lay down, the put a drip in my arm, and covered my mouth with a mask. They turned on the drip and told me to breath deeply. The lights went out.
I woke up, feeling drunk, which is not a bad thing, and was wheeled into the recovery room, and so began recovery, and lots more waiting. Jools came at half seven to pick me up, and that's that really. and now here I am sitting on cushions and trying not to sneeze or cough. Not that it is that bad, very little pain, and from four this afternoon I will be able to drive again and operate dangerous machinery and sign important documents.
All back to normal, then. and the lessons to be learned, don't strain, eat roughage.
Monday, 19 July 2010
Monday 19th July 2010
It’s Monday morning, and here I am at the coalface, working away; or rather waiting for those few Danes that are in work to return my mails. It’s a dull process, July is holiday month, and I imagine that the offices up in Denmark have tumbleweed blowing through them, as those who would normally work there hit the beaches of the med and go crazy. What it does mean to me is that a process that should take a day or an hour now drags on for weeks, waiting for a final confirmation mail as to whether we get our money or not. And still many are not forwarding cases on, and I have to figure out how to get round this blockage.
At least we had a fine weekend, lots of fine weather, no football, getting out to shoot some pictures, pub lunches and meeting good friends. All in all, just about the perfect weekend.
I left work real early on Friday; I was fed up not getting mail and surfing on Flickr, so I thought I would head home and get the weekend started. On the way home I headed to Tesco here in Ramsgate, got the supplies for the week. Tesco in Ramsgate is smaller, but less hectic than its big brother in Dover , and has most of the same stuff, and going there means not having to get up early on Saturday and shopping then.
I was home by half four, put all the shopping away and made chorizo hash with the left over peppers and some manky old spuds and the last of the paprika. It came out fine I have to say, washed down with a glass or two of red. Once home I baked a limoncello and grappa tart although it would not be ready to eat until the next day, I just felt the urge to be creative in the kitchen.
And then sit out in the garden watching the sun set and the moths and bats come out.
Saturday morning, after a late-ish start, we headed out in the car to the Isle of Sheppy and a walk though the marshes of Harty, and then to the Ferry Boat Inn for lunch and a beer. At least that was the plan.
We drove up the A2 and headed onto the island over the new bridge, and then it was a crawl over to Laysdown until we turned off over the marshes on the single track road towards Harty. As we drove along, a stoat ran across the road, we slowed as a family of partridges scurried along, and watched as a large bird of prey swooped on some unsuspecting mammal.
We parked up at the old church, and were soon surround by four peacocks, and several hens and cockerels; sadly, we had no food for them, and they wandered off to peck in the grass some more. And we put on our walking boots and headed off for the shoreline. As we walked down towards to nature reserve, we noticed hundreds of red dragonflies on the ground in front of us; as we stepped forward they would fly up and move a little in front of us. The continued all the way down the path. The hedgerow was filled with butterflies and more dragonflies; some not bothering to move and so we were able to snap them.
We walked onto the bank that marked to boundary between the salt flats on one side and the wetlands on the other. Wild birds flew in a panic as we walked along the bank, more butterflies and assorted insects warmed themselves on the hardy plants that thrive in the wind. We turned back, passing just one family, and headed to the pub. We sat in the garden and ordered a ploughmans and a beer, and enjoyed the meal watching the river slowly drift by.
We drove home and once there did some work in the garden, and then brew a nice pot of coffee and cut the limoncello and grappa tart and look at the wonder that is our garden, all full of colour and produce.
Sunday we drove out at half eight to pick up our friend, Bob, and then head out onto the Romney Marsh and to Greatstone on the coast where there was an open day at the sound mirrors. The sound mirrors were developed between the wars, large concrete parabolic structures to listen for approaching enemy aircraft. The three that are there some in small (30 ft), medium (40 ft) and giant (200 ft) sizes, and stand like some kind of alien technology rising out of the shingle. Sadly for their designer, as soon as they were up and running, aircraft speed increased, the spread of the town and radar rendered them obsolete and they were abandoned.
But they still stand, now protected, and a curiosity and well worth a visit and a photograph or two. We met up with more friends, and wandered around snapping at the scene, the mirrors and wildlife all around. We got to learn some of the history before we left, as more an more people arrived, so we decided it was getting near lunch and the three of us left and headed back to the car park.
It was a short drive to Brooklands, to the 14th century Woolpack in; we got a table that has been put up for the summer in the fireplace, it’s a big fireplace, and all three of us ordered steak and ale and stilton pie as well as drinks, and sat down to marvel at the scene. Jools and I had been in here before, but Bob hadn’t, and he enjoyed it. And doubly so as an old friend now works behind the bar, and they had not seen each other for 14 years.
The food was good, and we followed up the main course by fresh raspberries and cream, and then drove back over the marsh and along to coast to Bob’s, where we watched the video of his trip to Japan , and now we are dreaming of one day doing the same. We shall see, we shall see.
And that is the weekend, really. Nice and relaxing, some photographs and great weather.
At least we had a fine weekend, lots of fine weather, no football, getting out to shoot some pictures, pub lunches and meeting good friends. All in all, just about the perfect weekend.
I left work real early on Friday; I was fed up not getting mail and surfing on Flickr, so I thought I would head home and get the weekend started. On the way home I headed to Tesco here in Ramsgate, got the supplies for the week. Tesco in Ramsgate is smaller, but less hectic than its big brother in Dover , and has most of the same stuff, and going there means not having to get up early on Saturday and shopping then.
I was home by half four, put all the shopping away and made chorizo hash with the left over peppers and some manky old spuds and the last of the paprika. It came out fine I have to say, washed down with a glass or two of red. Once home I baked a limoncello and grappa tart although it would not be ready to eat until the next day, I just felt the urge to be creative in the kitchen.
And then sit out in the garden watching the sun set and the moths and bats come out.
Saturday morning, after a late-ish start, we headed out in the car to the Isle of Sheppy and a walk though the marshes of Harty, and then to the Ferry Boat Inn for lunch and a beer. At least that was the plan.
We drove up the A2 and headed onto the island over the new bridge, and then it was a crawl over to Laysdown until we turned off over the marshes on the single track road towards Harty. As we drove along, a stoat ran across the road, we slowed as a family of partridges scurried along, and watched as a large bird of prey swooped on some unsuspecting mammal.
We parked up at the old church, and were soon surround by four peacocks, and several hens and cockerels; sadly, we had no food for them, and they wandered off to peck in the grass some more. And we put on our walking boots and headed off for the shoreline. As we walked down towards to nature reserve, we noticed hundreds of red dragonflies on the ground in front of us; as we stepped forward they would fly up and move a little in front of us. The continued all the way down the path. The hedgerow was filled with butterflies and more dragonflies; some not bothering to move and so we were able to snap them.
We walked onto the bank that marked to boundary between the salt flats on one side and the wetlands on the other. Wild birds flew in a panic as we walked along the bank, more butterflies and assorted insects warmed themselves on the hardy plants that thrive in the wind. We turned back, passing just one family, and headed to the pub. We sat in the garden and ordered a ploughmans and a beer, and enjoyed the meal watching the river slowly drift by.
We drove home and once there did some work in the garden, and then brew a nice pot of coffee and cut the limoncello and grappa tart and look at the wonder that is our garden, all full of colour and produce.
Sunday we drove out at half eight to pick up our friend, Bob, and then head out onto the Romney Marsh and to Greatstone on the coast where there was an open day at the sound mirrors. The sound mirrors were developed between the wars, large concrete parabolic structures to listen for approaching enemy aircraft. The three that are there some in small (30 ft), medium (40 ft) and giant (200 ft) sizes, and stand like some kind of alien technology rising out of the shingle. Sadly for their designer, as soon as they were up and running, aircraft speed increased, the spread of the town and radar rendered them obsolete and they were abandoned.
But they still stand, now protected, and a curiosity and well worth a visit and a photograph or two. We met up with more friends, and wandered around snapping at the scene, the mirrors and wildlife all around. We got to learn some of the history before we left, as more an more people arrived, so we decided it was getting near lunch and the three of us left and headed back to the car park.
It was a short drive to Brooklands, to the 14th century Woolpack in; we got a table that has been put up for the summer in the fireplace, it’s a big fireplace, and all three of us ordered steak and ale and stilton pie as well as drinks, and sat down to marvel at the scene. Jools and I had been in here before, but Bob hadn’t, and he enjoyed it. And doubly so as an old friend now works behind the bar, and they had not seen each other for 14 years.
The food was good, and we followed up the main course by fresh raspberries and cream, and then drove back over the marsh and along to coast to Bob’s, where we watched the video of his trip to Japan , and now we are dreaming of one day doing the same. We shall see, we shall see.
And that is the weekend, really. Nice and relaxing, some photographs and great weather.
Thursday, 15 July 2010
Brewing up with the Jelltexes: Thursday 15th July 2010
Ha! Thursday, that’s like almost the weekend. Four days down and one to go, not that Friday really counts is it? Come to that, today has been quiet at work, answered a few mails, studied the database for a bit, looked a Flickr maybe once every 20 minutes or so. Quite the same as Wednesday as well; you see, Denmark goes on holiday for three weeks in July, apparently, and so there is just a skeleton crew in the various head offices, mails that would take a week to be answered take a month, and so the days pass slowly. Very slowly.
I think things are going well, I mean I have recovered my first set of costs for the project, twelve hundred and something Euros, but it’s a start, and I am waiting for double that from another factory, which means we will just about hit the monthly target with two weeks to spare!
Yay!
I have just read FHM. I say read, I flicked through, looked at the pictures, laughed at the fashions and then again at the prices, and that passed ten minutes, but it just recycles the same stuff every few months, no wonder they are going out of business one by one. Probably.
And, now that the World Cup has finished, the evenings are free, free to watch the rain come pouring down, at least it means we don’t have to water the vegetables and flowers. We made a new batch of home brew the other night; it’ll be ready to bottle by the end of the weekend. Hopefully it’ll be as good as the first batch which got better with age. We are planning to let it age a bit more this time.
And that is our news, much the same as last week, with less hospitals. But next week will have more as I have to go in for a procedure. Oh well, three days off work and hopefully things will be sorted, nothing major, just something that needs sorting out.
And back to work; just as I’m really getting into the swing of it, the project is winding down and I may be jobless by the end of August. But, there is news, maybe of a job back at sea, or a permanent job in this company, or a transfer to the London Array Project which begins here in October, or maybe something else. We shall see.Or maybe I should just try to win the lottery and give up this working malarkey once and for all. That’d be nice………
I think things are going well, I mean I have recovered my first set of costs for the project, twelve hundred and something Euros, but it’s a start, and I am waiting for double that from another factory, which means we will just about hit the monthly target with two weeks to spare!
Yay!
I have just read FHM. I say read, I flicked through, looked at the pictures, laughed at the fashions and then again at the prices, and that passed ten minutes, but it just recycles the same stuff every few months, no wonder they are going out of business one by one. Probably.
And, now that the World Cup has finished, the evenings are free, free to watch the rain come pouring down, at least it means we don’t have to water the vegetables and flowers. We made a new batch of home brew the other night; it’ll be ready to bottle by the end of the weekend. Hopefully it’ll be as good as the first batch which got better with age. We are planning to let it age a bit more this time.
And that is our news, much the same as last week, with less hospitals. But next week will have more as I have to go in for a procedure. Oh well, three days off work and hopefully things will be sorted, nothing major, just something that needs sorting out.
And back to work; just as I’m really getting into the swing of it, the project is winding down and I may be jobless by the end of August. But, there is news, maybe of a job back at sea, or a permanent job in this company, or a transfer to the London Array Project which begins here in October, or maybe something else. We shall see.Or maybe I should just try to win the lottery and give up this working malarkey once and for all. That’d be nice………
Bits and bytes
Back in the 1980s, I bought a Commodore 64; it was good in what it did, if the graphics were simple, to say the least, but when you got a good game conversion, like Zaxxon, it was like being on an arcade machine, in your house. But, in truth, such moments were rare, most games having blocky graphics, if that, and my interest waned and sold it shortly before it broke. Terminally. Shit happens, and I got to pocket £50 or so.
Fast forward to the 1990s and I got my first PC, a 386 with a CD drive and 320 meg of RAM. It seemed an immense amount. Windows 95 filled that up, however, and as the years went by I bought fast computers with more memory and more gadgets.
Now I have a two and a half year old laptop with three, now four, external hard drives. I take the occasional picture, and so the space for storing them and backing up images becomes ever harder. I have two camera, the newer one, if I shoot in RAW, produces files 16 or 17 Gig in size, and a few hundred of them a day really uses up storage space. I have two 320 Gig drives, plus a 500 which is connected to the laptop at all times, because I only have a couple of months shots on the laptop at any time, as this slows down it’s performance. The two drives which are disconnected are not now big enough for all the pictures I have, plus the digital music and files and other things we need to save, and so we took delivery of a 1.5 terabyte drive yesterday.
And during the night I transferred all the pictures onto it, it took over eight hours. But at least we have room for many more years, or months, of photographs before we think about splashing the cash again.
When I used to work on ships, I took a laptop and two external drives, one with every picture I had taken in case I wanted to edit or look at them; and another with films and TV series on to watch during weather down days and 200 CDs worth of music just in case I got bored!
Fast forward to the 1990s and I got my first PC, a 386 with a CD drive and 320 meg of RAM. It seemed an immense amount. Windows 95 filled that up, however, and as the years went by I bought fast computers with more memory and more gadgets.
Now I have a two and a half year old laptop with three, now four, external hard drives. I take the occasional picture, and so the space for storing them and backing up images becomes ever harder. I have two camera, the newer one, if I shoot in RAW, produces files 16 or 17 Gig in size, and a few hundred of them a day really uses up storage space. I have two 320 Gig drives, plus a 500 which is connected to the laptop at all times, because I only have a couple of months shots on the laptop at any time, as this slows down it’s performance. The two drives which are disconnected are not now big enough for all the pictures I have, plus the digital music and files and other things we need to save, and so we took delivery of a 1.5 terabyte drive yesterday.
And during the night I transferred all the pictures onto it, it took over eight hours. But at least we have room for many more years, or months, of photographs before we think about splashing the cash again.
When I used to work on ships, I took a laptop and two external drives, one with every picture I had taken in case I wanted to edit or look at them; and another with films and TV series on to watch during weather down days and 200 CDs worth of music just in case I got bored!
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
Tuesday 13th July 2010
At least I slept well on Saturday night, even with the humid conditions, and we decided to head out for the day. As we were going to visit a friend in Whitstable, we thought we would spend most of the day there; it’s an interesting place, and should have been cooler on the coast than inland.
It is a good drive to the north coast, and although it is mostly the way I go to work, on a quiet Sunday morning it is pleasant enough. All along the side of the road, wild flowers, once a riot of colour are now turning to seed, but as they die off wild peas bloom now.
Whitstable is still a working port, but with its mix of small independent shops, bars and general bohemian atmosphere is booming again as an upmarket place to visit. I failed to remember this, and as we arrived, so had most of Kent . We parked at a school, with the cost all going to charity, and walk quicker than the queue of traffic into the heart of the town and then onto the beach.
Our thought had been to have breakfast at the Oyster House, but they had changed their opening times and now no longer did breakfasts and only opened at midday; hordes of people were waiting outside for midday to come round so they could claim a table. A pub opposite offering breakfasts over the road did not seem too welcoming when we waited at the bar to order, and so we walked out and after a walk along the High Street ended up in Costa Coffee, where we had paninis and a bath-sized cup of coffee. We sat under the air conditioning unit, and we cool for the only time that day.
The area around the beach and yacht club was jammed with people, as day trippers and boaty type people vied for space. It was good just to sit down and watch them mix, or not, and grab snatches of conversation. We went to the Old Neptune pub, which is right on the beach, and had a cold beer and cider, before making our way back to the car and then onto our friend who lives somewhere on the backstreets with views up the hills beyond and the windmill that overlooks the town.
And in the early evening, we head back home for dinner and then to sit down to watch the World Cup Final on TV. And what a disappointment that turned out to be, all fouls and play acting by players good enough and old enough to know better. It felt such a let-down after two good teams had made it to the final, but only Spain turned up to play football; Holland resorting to basic tactics of kicking anything in a blue shirt that moved. At least it is over for another year, another four years, rather. But on the radio on Monday morning, they were already trailing the new football season, which is due to start in less than 3 weeks now. It’ll be like it was never away.
It is a good drive to the north coast, and although it is mostly the way I go to work, on a quiet Sunday morning it is pleasant enough. All along the side of the road, wild flowers, once a riot of colour are now turning to seed, but as they die off wild peas bloom now.
Whitstable is still a working port, but with its mix of small independent shops, bars and general bohemian atmosphere is booming again as an upmarket place to visit. I failed to remember this, and as we arrived, so had most of Kent . We parked at a school, with the cost all going to charity, and walk quicker than the queue of traffic into the heart of the town and then onto the beach.
Our thought had been to have breakfast at the Oyster House, but they had changed their opening times and now no longer did breakfasts and only opened at midday; hordes of people were waiting outside for midday to come round so they could claim a table. A pub opposite offering breakfasts over the road did not seem too welcoming when we waited at the bar to order, and so we walked out and after a walk along the High Street ended up in Costa Coffee, where we had paninis and a bath-sized cup of coffee. We sat under the air conditioning unit, and we cool for the only time that day.
The area around the beach and yacht club was jammed with people, as day trippers and boaty type people vied for space. It was good just to sit down and watch them mix, or not, and grab snatches of conversation. We went to the Old Neptune pub, which is right on the beach, and had a cold beer and cider, before making our way back to the car and then onto our friend who lives somewhere on the backstreets with views up the hills beyond and the windmill that overlooks the town.
And in the early evening, we head back home for dinner and then to sit down to watch the World Cup Final on TV. And what a disappointment that turned out to be, all fouls and play acting by players good enough and old enough to know better. It felt such a let-down after two good teams had made it to the final, but only Spain turned up to play football; Holland resorting to basic tactics of kicking anything in a blue shirt that moved. At least it is over for another year, another four years, rather. But on the radio on Monday morning, they were already trailing the new football season, which is due to start in less than 3 weeks now. It’ll be like it was never away.
Monday, 12 July 2010
Monday 12th July 2010
Yay, Monday!
Well, back to work again, after a scorching weekend, well, everywhere except 'oop north and the East Kent coast, i.e. here. The north had rain and gales whilst we got sea fog. Lots of sea fog, but only for a few hundred yards from the sea, and in the garden at Chez jelltex it was roasting.
Friday was spent fasting in preparation for my hospital procedure, and then pick Jools up and we head to Canterbury and then wait. And wait. And then complete the paerwork and then; more waiting. And then into the theatre, hello doctor, what you doing with that tube? wahey!
And then back home and time to recover and get my appetite back and generally prepare myself for the weekend.
So, Saturday began with the traditional trip to Tesco, and unlike most early mornings, the hot weather had brought the crowds out, rather those of a certain age who don't sleep in. So, we rushed round, got stuff for the week and then after paying got the heck out of there.
we got back, had breakfast, and then put on our walking shoes and went for a wander around our local area, along country tracks, across fields, looking in hedges and ending up at the cliffs, where the mist was being blown up the cliff face and then glowing bright white as it caught the sun.
we snapped plants and butterflies, and then went into the cafe for a cup of tea whilst looking out over the top of the fog towards where France began some 23 miles away. The morning was broken by the occasional lowing of ships' fog horns, giving it an odd feeling.
As we walked back through the back lanes of the village, I kept thinking, we live here; how lucky we are.
Well, back to work again, after a scorching weekend, well, everywhere except 'oop north and the East Kent coast, i.e. here. The north had rain and gales whilst we got sea fog. Lots of sea fog, but only for a few hundred yards from the sea, and in the garden at Chez jelltex it was roasting.
Friday was spent fasting in preparation for my hospital procedure, and then pick Jools up and we head to Canterbury and then wait. And wait. And then complete the paerwork and then; more waiting. And then into the theatre, hello doctor, what you doing with that tube? wahey!
And then back home and time to recover and get my appetite back and generally prepare myself for the weekend.
So, Saturday began with the traditional trip to Tesco, and unlike most early mornings, the hot weather had brought the crowds out, rather those of a certain age who don't sleep in. So, we rushed round, got stuff for the week and then after paying got the heck out of there.
we got back, had breakfast, and then put on our walking shoes and went for a wander around our local area, along country tracks, across fields, looking in hedges and ending up at the cliffs, where the mist was being blown up the cliff face and then glowing bright white as it caught the sun.
we snapped plants and butterflies, and then went into the cafe for a cup of tea whilst looking out over the top of the fog towards where France began some 23 miles away. The morning was broken by the occasional lowing of ships' fog horns, giving it an odd feeling.
As we walked back through the back lanes of the village, I kept thinking, we live here; how lucky we are.
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Thursday 8th July 2010
And so another week draws to an end. In fact has just about drawn to an end as I have tomorrow off work due to a hospital appointment, and another session of being prodded and poked lays ahead. This means having Friday off, as I am now ‘nil by mouth’ until after the appointment and am now living on air and water. Which, and lets be honest about this, is no bad thing as I could do with losing a pund here and there and there and there.
And so on.
We are near to the end of the festival of football that is the World Cup; 62 games played and just two to go, and the final will be between ‘virgins’ Holland and Spain; should be a good match, two good footballing sides, but then we say this before most good games. Last night Spain outplayed Germany to win 1-0, by not letting Germany have a kick, which is one way of doing it; with Puyol, the Brian Connolly lookalike scoring the only goal with a permed header. Iberia went mad.
At work, things are going quite well, as I get to grips with the failings of the company and try to change things, no small task, but by the use of an avalanche of mails and coping in everyone I can think of, things are changing and nuggets of information are reaching me. The next step is to put in systems so that things will be better in future for people in my position, and be better for the company, and their much-trumpeted call of being global world leader will be well-earned.
Driving to and fro to work is, for the most part, a pleasure. It is the height of summer, and the hedgerows and side of the roads are a riot of colour as nature reclaims the periphery of civilisation, or as close as Thanet comes to that. The dual carriageway near Richborough power station, or it’s skeleton, is especially fine with wild bushes and other wild flora taking root and thriving.
As the world cup comes to an end, the thought is that in three weeks the football season will begin and the whole crazy thing will begin again. How is this possible; football just about 52 weeks a year? Can this be a good thing? I don’t think so; we need several months off it, with no football at all, and less on TV, so what is on is treated as a treat, not, ‘oh no, not more football!’ But, I am guessing, things will never change; 38 or 46 league games for each team, six Champion’s League group games, who knows how many knockout rounds, FA cup, League Cup, international games, Europa League and more besides. Once the season gets going there will be Football League games on Friday and Sundays, Premier League games Saturday (twice) Sundays (twice) and Mondays, Champion’s League games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays with Europa League on Thursdays with sometimes three games on that night. Phew indeed.
And so on.
We are near to the end of the festival of football that is the World Cup; 62 games played and just two to go, and the final will be between ‘virgins’ Holland and Spain; should be a good match, two good footballing sides, but then we say this before most good games. Last night Spain outplayed Germany to win 1-0, by not letting Germany have a kick, which is one way of doing it; with Puyol, the Brian Connolly lookalike scoring the only goal with a permed header. Iberia went mad.
At work, things are going quite well, as I get to grips with the failings of the company and try to change things, no small task, but by the use of an avalanche of mails and coping in everyone I can think of, things are changing and nuggets of information are reaching me. The next step is to put in systems so that things will be better in future for people in my position, and be better for the company, and their much-trumpeted call of being global world leader will be well-earned.
Driving to and fro to work is, for the most part, a pleasure. It is the height of summer, and the hedgerows and side of the roads are a riot of colour as nature reclaims the periphery of civilisation, or as close as Thanet comes to that. The dual carriageway near Richborough power station, or it’s skeleton, is especially fine with wild bushes and other wild flora taking root and thriving.
As the world cup comes to an end, the thought is that in three weeks the football season will begin and the whole crazy thing will begin again. How is this possible; football just about 52 weeks a year? Can this be a good thing? I don’t think so; we need several months off it, with no football at all, and less on TV, so what is on is treated as a treat, not, ‘oh no, not more football!’ But, I am guessing, things will never change; 38 or 46 league games for each team, six Champion’s League group games, who knows how many knockout rounds, FA cup, League Cup, international games, Europa League and more besides. Once the season gets going there will be Football League games on Friday and Sundays, Premier League games Saturday (twice) Sundays (twice) and Mondays, Champion’s League games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays with Europa League on Thursdays with sometimes three games on that night. Phew indeed.
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
Tuesday 6th July 2010
I can tell you what I was doing five years ago today. exactly what I was doing, I was coming back from Scotland after spending five days up there with Mother dearest, and it was time to head back south to Suffolk. And as we drove down the A1 through south Yorkshire, the announcement came over the radio that London, and not Paris had been given the right to hold the 2012 Olympics. I remember the yelp of joy, and the thought of all those stunned French in Paris, silenced by the news.
I also remember that less than 24 hours, as I prepared for the holiday of a lifetime, news came that at first there had been a power surge on the underground, and then confirmation that several deluded Yorkshire Muslims had blown themselves and many innocent people, up on various underground trains and double deck buses, and the world changed a little bit more.
Here's what I wrote about both days; brief and to the point:
Wednesday July 6
We had been worried about heading home, as it was the first day of the G8 summit, and much disruption was predicted in Scotland. In the end, we had more trouble in getting past Loch Lomond, as the Scottish Open was due to begin the next day, and fans were queuing to see the last day of practice. We were only held up 10 minutes of so, and in the traffic, we got wonderful views across the Loch, to the heather covered hills beyond, all purple and green in the bright sunshine.
The rest of the trip was fine, really. Traffic was light, weather fine, and we made good progress. Just south of Leeds, we heard that London was to host the 2012 Olympic Games. We cheered, and laughed at the cries of anguish of the French, as they were sure they were going to win. We stopped off for a meal at a roadside place, rather than have to cook when we got back. The last three hours of the trip, across the fens of Lincolnshire were a nightmare. Rain poured down, and an almost solid convoy of truck meant that we made slow time. So, it was a relief to get to Kings Lynn, and then Norwich as we neared home.
Thursday July 7
I had so much planned for today. I thought I would start with a lazy breakfast, and then sort out clothes and documents for the trip. I had just finished breakfast at about ten, when the radio says there had been some power outages on the London Underground, and all services had been suspended. I turned on the BBC news channel, and it soon became clear that something far worse had happened. News also came that a bus had exploded, and the full horror of the situation became obvious. I sat for hours dumbstruck at the images on the screen, how can people do this to one another? Nothing else seemed to matter. Nothing got done that day.
I have nothing against Muslims, I dislike all religions, most who believe they have their god on their side feel inclined be be shitty to those who do not share their beliefs.
Two days after the bombings I flew out to America for a nine week holiday and the final step in my divorce from the RAF. Yes, nine week holiday. even now it sounds great.
Today, I did drop my oppo in the shite, as he had done to me several times, and so I had no qualms about doing it back. That'll teach home to not do his jobs before he goes on holiday; maybe.
And I recovered my first monies for the project from another part of the company, and all in all was generally well organised and all that. A good day, really. And now an evening of world Cup football, lets hope the orange win, and cheats do not prosper!
I also remember that less than 24 hours, as I prepared for the holiday of a lifetime, news came that at first there had been a power surge on the underground, and then confirmation that several deluded Yorkshire Muslims had blown themselves and many innocent people, up on various underground trains and double deck buses, and the world changed a little bit more.
Here's what I wrote about both days; brief and to the point:
Wednesday July 6
We had been worried about heading home, as it was the first day of the G8 summit, and much disruption was predicted in Scotland. In the end, we had more trouble in getting past Loch Lomond, as the Scottish Open was due to begin the next day, and fans were queuing to see the last day of practice. We were only held up 10 minutes of so, and in the traffic, we got wonderful views across the Loch, to the heather covered hills beyond, all purple and green in the bright sunshine.
The rest of the trip was fine, really. Traffic was light, weather fine, and we made good progress. Just south of Leeds, we heard that London was to host the 2012 Olympic Games. We cheered, and laughed at the cries of anguish of the French, as they were sure they were going to win. We stopped off for a meal at a roadside place, rather than have to cook when we got back. The last three hours of the trip, across the fens of Lincolnshire were a nightmare. Rain poured down, and an almost solid convoy of truck meant that we made slow time. So, it was a relief to get to Kings Lynn, and then Norwich as we neared home.
Thursday July 7
I had so much planned for today. I thought I would start with a lazy breakfast, and then sort out clothes and documents for the trip. I had just finished breakfast at about ten, when the radio says there had been some power outages on the London Underground, and all services had been suspended. I turned on the BBC news channel, and it soon became clear that something far worse had happened. News also came that a bus had exploded, and the full horror of the situation became obvious. I sat for hours dumbstruck at the images on the screen, how can people do this to one another? Nothing else seemed to matter. Nothing got done that day.
I have nothing against Muslims, I dislike all religions, most who believe they have their god on their side feel inclined be be shitty to those who do not share their beliefs.
Two days after the bombings I flew out to America for a nine week holiday and the final step in my divorce from the RAF. Yes, nine week holiday. even now it sounds great.
Today, I did drop my oppo in the shite, as he had done to me several times, and so I had no qualms about doing it back. That'll teach home to not do his jobs before he goes on holiday; maybe.
And I recovered my first monies for the project from another part of the company, and all in all was generally well organised and all that. A good day, really. And now an evening of world Cup football, lets hope the orange win, and cheats do not prosper!
Monday, 5 July 2010
Monday 5th July 2010
And so we finally stirred after a night of deep sleep, which was possible as the temperature had dropped. Although we look forward to summer, we sometimes forget the downside of all that sunshine; sweaty balmy nights, bugs and insects, sunburn and the like. So, a good nights sleep is always welcome. Normally we get up at six or thereabouts, and are out and about, so to lay in bed until after eight, and then have a lazy breakfast and not be ready for the outside world is a pleasant luxury indeed.
It was already getting very warm, but with a cool breeze sweeping in from the south, so we decided not to go too far; Jools had never been to Walmer Castle , which is just a few miles from us, and that was to be our destination. I had been there before, a couple of weeks before starting this job, and the garden was stunning in spring; so I thought it would be even better at the height of summer.
It took ten minutes to drive to Walmer, and then find the last parking space in the shade of a large hedge; in fact I almost parked inside the hedge so to ensure the car would not get too hot for our return. Walmer Castle is very similar to the one at Deal, made of layers like four-leafed clovers, giving fine defences, although centuries ago it had been turned into a fine house, mansion or small palace, really.
We showed our English Heritage cards and walked through the house to the entrance to the garden, and into a riot of colour. All along the side of the moat on one side was all lilac, looking wonderful in the sunshine. Down in the moat, now all grassed and many years since it saw any water, is planted many trees and bushes, some in bloom, others in bud; when the Buddleia comes out it will be a fine sight, especially with the butterflies.
The kitchen garden is full of fruit and vegetables, all looking fine and well cared for; in the hot houses exotic plants and fruits are looking very well too. I snapped them all. We walked up through wide hedges, past flower beds wonderfully layered to give a wall of colour, up through laws laid out for croquet and into paddocks and then into woodland, feeling wonderfully cool in the dappled sunshine. A squirrel collected food in the dead leaves, and barely cast us a look.
We came to an ornamental pond, and the air was full of flashes of bright azure blue, as Imperial Dragonflies flittered hither and thither, the females pausing on lily pads to lay eggs. I even get shots of them on the wing, it was tricky, but the shots are not bad, even if I say so myself. After stopping in the shade of a summerhouse to watch the world go by, we decide to head home for lunch and a relaxing afternoon. We get a loaf of bread and a few other nice things for lunch, and head back.
It was already getting very warm, but with a cool breeze sweeping in from the south, so we decided not to go too far; Jools had never been to Walmer Castle , which is just a few miles from us, and that was to be our destination. I had been there before, a couple of weeks before starting this job, and the garden was stunning in spring; so I thought it would be even better at the height of summer.
It took ten minutes to drive to Walmer, and then find the last parking space in the shade of a large hedge; in fact I almost parked inside the hedge so to ensure the car would not get too hot for our return. Walmer Castle is very similar to the one at Deal, made of layers like four-leafed clovers, giving fine defences, although centuries ago it had been turned into a fine house, mansion or small palace, really.
We showed our English Heritage cards and walked through the house to the entrance to the garden, and into a riot of colour. All along the side of the moat on one side was all lilac, looking wonderful in the sunshine. Down in the moat, now all grassed and many years since it saw any water, is planted many trees and bushes, some in bloom, others in bud; when the Buddleia comes out it will be a fine sight, especially with the butterflies.
The kitchen garden is full of fruit and vegetables, all looking fine and well cared for; in the hot houses exotic plants and fruits are looking very well too. I snapped them all. We walked up through wide hedges, past flower beds wonderfully layered to give a wall of colour, up through laws laid out for croquet and into paddocks and then into woodland, feeling wonderfully cool in the dappled sunshine. A squirrel collected food in the dead leaves, and barely cast us a look.
We came to an ornamental pond, and the air was full of flashes of bright azure blue, as Imperial Dragonflies flittered hither and thither, the females pausing on lily pads to lay eggs. I even get shots of them on the wing, it was tricky, but the shots are not bad, even if I say so myself. After stopping in the shade of a summerhouse to watch the world go by, we decide to head home for lunch and a relaxing afternoon. We get a loaf of bread and a few other nice things for lunch, and head back.
Saturday, 3 July 2010
Saturday 2nd July 2010
The weekend is here.
already.
Getting used to the desk job has not been easy; seeing others gathering up their tools and kit in the morning and heading out to the harbour to begin work, and I sit at my computer tapping away. I had a haircut this morning, and the guy, just to make conversation, anything that mention the football, asked what I did. I receive paperwork, create more paperwork and pass it on, and then check up on old paperwork that I have done to see how it's coming along.
That about covers it. In theory, the NCR system is supposed to improve quality in the company; in reality parts of the company use it to delay paperwork until a project ends and the difficult questions vanish. I have to try to recover money that we have spent because of other's mistakes, from them. But they have to admit the mistake; it's easier getting blood out of a stone sometimes. No laid down procedures for just about everything, means they is no recourse if they deny a claim.
And so it goes around.
Yesterday was so damn hot; we have no air con in the office, and with all the computers and screens on, it does get uncomfortable sometimes. I was glad to get out and help on the quayside at the end of the day, as there was a breeze coming in off the sea.
Jools and I went out for a meal last night, in a country pub in Nortbourne; very nice it was too; honey and tarragon chicken for me, and pork in a cream and gherkin sauce for Jools. Both very nice.
and now it's the weekend; we went for a walk along the cliffs this morning, I took photos of some flowers and the scenery. And just getting ready for the football this afternoon; Germany vs Argentina; could be the game of the tournament so far. Brazil got knocked out last night, by Holland, and rightly so. and the English 'stars' are holidaying with their respective WAGS.
So it goes, so it goes.
already.
Getting used to the desk job has not been easy; seeing others gathering up their tools and kit in the morning and heading out to the harbour to begin work, and I sit at my computer tapping away. I had a haircut this morning, and the guy, just to make conversation, anything that mention the football, asked what I did. I receive paperwork, create more paperwork and pass it on, and then check up on old paperwork that I have done to see how it's coming along.
That about covers it. In theory, the NCR system is supposed to improve quality in the company; in reality parts of the company use it to delay paperwork until a project ends and the difficult questions vanish. I have to try to recover money that we have spent because of other's mistakes, from them. But they have to admit the mistake; it's easier getting blood out of a stone sometimes. No laid down procedures for just about everything, means they is no recourse if they deny a claim.
And so it goes around.
Yesterday was so damn hot; we have no air con in the office, and with all the computers and screens on, it does get uncomfortable sometimes. I was glad to get out and help on the quayside at the end of the day, as there was a breeze coming in off the sea.
Jools and I went out for a meal last night, in a country pub in Nortbourne; very nice it was too; honey and tarragon chicken for me, and pork in a cream and gherkin sauce for Jools. Both very nice.
and now it's the weekend; we went for a walk along the cliffs this morning, I took photos of some flowers and the scenery. And just getting ready for the football this afternoon; Germany vs Argentina; could be the game of the tournament so far. Brazil got knocked out last night, by Holland, and rightly so. and the English 'stars' are holidaying with their respective WAGS.
So it goes, so it goes.
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