tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63973362024-03-18T20:41:14.431+00:00Gullible's TravelsMark McLellan (gentleman, scholar and acrobat) muses out loud.Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.comBlogger1453125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-51273967571498903452024-03-12T22:59:00.006+00:002024-03-15T21:19:35.446+00:00Brunswick Road 13 - Yard Work<p>Penrith, Cumbria. February-2024.</p><p>Money Pit II, Season 2, Episode 1.</p><p>We had always intended to redo our backyard as the concrete was cracked and anything but level. When we had a picnic out there in warmer weather, the tomatoes would roll off the table and run across the yard.</p><p>We were given an extra impetus when we discovered that the previous owner had connected the upstairs bathroom soil pipe into the next door neighbour’s SVP (Soil Vent Pipe) without consultation or permission. He had divided up a bedroom to create a first floor bathroom and rather than dig up the yard to plumb into the existing sewage he ran the soil pipe across the back wall and tee’d into the neighbour’s pipework (the gently sloping pipe in the middle of the picture). The owner next door only discovered this six months after we moved in as he rents the property out. Although it is a very neat and tidy solution, unsurprisingly, he was unhappy about this and keen to have the situation put right.</p>
<p>It took us a while to get round to rectifying the situation as builders are hard to find and we are in Italy half the year - we wanted to be present while the works were being done. Finally we started this year.</p>
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<p>First step was to attack the old concrete with a pneumatic drill and break it up. Unfortunately the vibrations shattered next door’s bathroom window. Of course we paid for that to be repaired, fortunately a simple glazing unit replacement. </p>
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<p>Second step was to dig down and find out where the various drains went, and how they all connected up. Having previously lifted the manhole cover in the back alleyway, we knew that the two houses uphill from us all feed in to a communal pipe along the back alleyway, which then turns a corner and runs into our yard, under our house, and out into the street to join up with the mains sewage.</p>
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<p>Our builder laid a new pipe from the corner, where you can see the broom handle, under the wheelbarrow in to a new access on the left-hand of the two new small manholes (the raised black tubes), and then turns a corner to join the original Victorian sewer under the right-hand manhole.</p>
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<p>Once the new pipework was in place and backfilled, our builder put in a couple of ridges to mark gullys of the intended new surface.</p>
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<p>The cement lorry arrived and parked outside our front door but the concrete had to be wheelbarrowed down the alleyway and into our yard by hand.</p>
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<p>Next carefully tamped down and smoothed the concrete with a gentle slope towards the drains, as dictated by the gully markers. All looking very smooth and needing a couple of days for the concrete to set.</p>
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<p>Once we could access the yard, it gave us an opportunity to jet wash all the green slime off the party wall and give it a fresh coat of paint.</p>
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<p>This is the new pipework in place. The illegal T-junction into the neighbour’s pipework has been removed and our soil pipe fed down into the new underground pipe with its own SVP going up the wall.</p>
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<p>Finally, we moved all the plant pots and bin store from our neighbours’ gardens back into the yard.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZjCA6JsLt4BBQPesM_MVPk-f6B7j7cqIyfhqph4k3AKUI1MEN44mWHxQKDMpyGQRHsbHoYyaAJp54oX5AzCHqpQoDLSBK7PlMr7nBH61gh9MbJgyks18tnV_Pt1eYxJxV9hujWg8-FRMnmpKiwRtzUvrrlUrvxDba9X-K6-ooZo6gRG5d0M8sA/s4032/IMG_0876.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZjCA6JsLt4BBQPesM_MVPk-f6B7j7cqIyfhqph4k3AKUI1MEN44mWHxQKDMpyGQRHsbHoYyaAJp54oX5AzCHqpQoDLSBK7PlMr7nBH61gh9MbJgyks18tnV_Pt1eYxJxV9hujWg8-FRMnmpKiwRtzUvrrlUrvxDba9X-K6-ooZo6gRG5d0M8sA/s320/IMG_0876.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><p>We were then able to let the neighbour know that his concerns have been addressed.</p><p></p>
<p>Now we are ready for Series 2, Episode 2 - The Living Room...</p>
Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-75713343387307126722024-02-23T00:00:00.010+00:002024-03-04T16:09:11.840+00:00Ruby Turner at Theatre by the Lake<p>Keswick, Cumbria. Friday 23-February-2024.</p>
<p>We enjoyed Ruby Turner when we saw her at Ronnie Scotts back in 2016 but have not been available for any of her concerts since. When we learned that that our friends, Andrew and Sarah, had tickets to see her at Theatre by the Lake we rushed to buy tickets only to discover that it was sold out. Disconsolate we asked to be put on the waiting list but with no great hopes. Then at 4:30 the very evening of the concert Mary got a call to say two tickets to come free. Result! Tickets purchased and a rapid change of plans for the evening. We gave our friends a lift and off we headed to Keswick.</p>
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<p>We had an excellent, early supper of tapas at <a href="https://www.esbarltd.co.uk/keswick">Bar eS in Keswick</a>, sister restaurant to the one we enjoyed in Ambleside, then drove to the theatre in time to order interval drinks and take our seats.</p>
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<p>Ruby was very much on form. Our friends had brilliant seats, literally front row right up against the stage. We were the complete opposite the very back row of the gods under the lighting gantry. Fortunately, the PA was excellent and the sound quality even right at the back of the theatre was fine. Her voice is so powerful that it fills the theatre.</p>
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<p>Ruby did lots of banter between the songs so much so that she overran the first half, but that didn’t appear to impact on the second half. We got a full two hours of music from Ruby and her excellent band..</p>
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<p>The same as when we saw her at Ronnie, she did a soulful version of "I’d rather go blind" which she also did this time. The 'a cappella' section in the middle was very emotional, but if I were being picky went on a little too long. She ably demonstrated her talent and versatility with a variety of jazz and blues styles including several songs from her chart successes. A great evening organised at the drop of a hat!</p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-40193683791603805322024-02-15T00:00:00.003+00:002024-02-20T13:51:23.913+00:00Shakers:Under New Management At Penrith Players Theatre<p>Penrith, Cumbria. Thursday 15-February-2024.</p>
<p>It has been a year since we went along to support our local am-dram society. Then it was a three-hander featuring an all woman cast, <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2023/02/di-and-viv-and-rose-at-penrith-players.html">Di and Viv and Rose</a>. This time it was Shakers which turned out to be another three person, all female production but instead of three college friends it was three waitresses as the main characters.</p>
<p>Apparently this play has been around for some time, Shakers was first presented by the Hull Truck Theatre Company at Spring Street Theatre in 1984 and this incarnation has been revised and updated to reflect current times.</p>
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<p>Not only did the three cast members play the waitresses, but also a whole panoply of customers: teachers out for a birthday celebration, a group of likely lads, some footballers, romantic couples, snobby patrons, and even a Scottish chef. They did a fabulous job of switching between roles with stances and voices to match.</p>
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<p>It is easy to see why this is a good choice for a local company as it requires very little in the way of props and scenery. Three chairs and a backdrop was all that was needed to conjure up a slightly run down bar and a set of scarves helped differentiate between the different characters. The rest is down to the script and the talent of the cast.</p><p>An entertaining evening out.</p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-64609226364724885172024-02-05T00:00:00.780+00:002024-02-15T17:51:11.989+00:00UK Blues Festival 2024<p>Winter Gardens, Blackpool. Friday/Monday 02/05-February-2024.</p>
<p>After five visits to the <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/search/label/skegness">Great British Rock and blues festival</a> at Butlin's, Skegness (Skeggy) the management decided to discontinue the event which had been going over 20 years. The cynical regulars reckoned it was because us oldies weren’t spending enough over the bar unlike the tequila shot-downing youth. So no winter blues, in a bad way.</p>
<p>UK Blues, Rhythm and Rock Festival to the rescue. <a href="https://www.solidentertainments.com/blues/uk/tickets.html">Solid Entertainments</a> organise a series of festivals around the U.K. this year at Blackpool for the first time. The line up looked very promising with a number of names we knew so tickets and accommodation were duly booked.</p>
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<p>This was essentially the Skegness Blues Festival re-incarnated in Blackpool. We heard 25 bands over 3 days and were astounded by the quality of the music all weekend. The line up was excellent and it was noticeable that many of the performers are on the shortlists for Blues x of the Year in multiple categories. It says a lots about the calibre of acts booked. </p><p>The event was very different to Skeggy. Butlin’s had everything on one site: parking, accommodation, restaurants and the stages. At Blackpool the festival was in the magnificent Winter Gardens but everything else was down to us to organise. Mary found an excellent apartment on Booking.com literally 2 minutes walk from the venue. The drive down was much easier, 1½ hours almost all on motorway, as opposed to Skeggy which was nearly 4 hours with a lot of A roads. We abandoned the car in the nearby multi-storey at a cost of £26 for three days.</p>
<p>Perhaps because it was the first one, the event was far less crowded than Skeggy. There you queued for an hour to get decent seats in the main stage. Here there were ample spare seats so it was safe to amble around with no fear of being left with standing room only at the back of the hall. No more “seat anxiety”.</p>
<p>During their sets we heard similar messages from all the bands. They thanked the organisers for putting on the event and specifically someone called Steve. They thanked us, the audience, for supporting live music. And told us how much they enjoyed playing for us. It really brought home to me how many bands really need the buzz they get from playing live, getting the feedback from us and selling merchandise direct to existing and new fans.</p>
<p>The * ratings represent Mary's scores out of 3 for each band.</p>
<p><b>Friday 02-February.</b> </p>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Backbone Blues Band (Introducing) *½ </li><li>John Carroll (Introducing) * </li><li>Brave Rival (Main)** </li><li>Cardinal Black (Main) ** </li><li>Colosseum (Main) * </li><li>DC Blues Band (Blues) *½ </li><li>Terraplanes Blues Band (Blues) **½ (missing Eduardo!) </li><li>Eric Bibb (Main) *** </li></ul><p></p><p><b>Saturday 03-February.</b> </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Brave Rival (Acoustic) *** </li><li>Mississippi Macdonald (Acoustic) **½ </li><li>Jim Kirkpatrick (Acoustic) **½ </li><li>Mississippi Macdonald (Main) **½ </li><li>The Cinelli Brothers (Main) ** </li><li>Elles Bailey (Main) *** </li><li>Catfish (Blues) **½ (only two songs due to timetable clash) </li><li>When Rivers Meet (Main) ** (only two songs as we were tired and cold) </li></ul><p></p><p><b>Sunday 04-February.</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Jube (Acoustic) * </li><li>Connor Selby (Acoustic) *** </li><li>Rambling Preachers (Main) **½ </li><li>Bison Hip (Introducing) ** </li><li>The Shakers Blues Band *½ (incl John Carroll) </li><li>Connor Selby (Main) *** </li><li>Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse (Main) *** </li><li>GA 20 (Main) ** (only two songs) </li><li>Climax Blues Band (Blues) **½ (new vocalist, good but different)</li></ul>
<p>The Winter Gardens is an amazing Art Deco building with a variety of rooms to host the various stages.</p>
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<p>The main stage was in the Empress Ballroom which will be recognisable to fans of Strictly.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3EYrUfmv4HoT5ip6nmSD1hwItP-4c5vkA58ryPrkhDmq5JIW9Y50_g5q-th3M2gxxCQomW1D4PKF_c5vKTUlvqHUk1kmva0RFfJ-DwlUek3e2Xh_CjVL4Hzn_4MhBc1ObCqHpJ1bEXhn1kak6S9gbE1mDWv5MqVpuxf_42BldTUtcMI3IoChLSg/s4080/empress.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3EYrUfmv4HoT5ip6nmSD1hwItP-4c5vkA58ryPrkhDmq5JIW9Y50_g5q-th3M2gxxCQomW1D4PKF_c5vKTUlvqHUk1kmva0RFfJ-DwlUek3e2Xh_CjVL4Hzn_4MhBc1ObCqHpJ1bEXhn1kak6S9gbE1mDWv5MqVpuxf_42BldTUtcMI3IoChLSg/w301-h400/empress.jpg" width="301" /></a></div>
<p><b>Friday 02-February.</b> </p>
<p><b>Backbone Blues Band (Introducing) *½.</b> Like Skeggy this festival had an "Introducing Stage" where new bands got a chance to showcase their wares and the audience could vote for their favourites each day. The band with the most votes each day gets to open on one of the main stages the following year. </p>
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<p><b>Brave Rival (Main) **.</b> This was band one of the discoveries of the festival. Reading all the bands write-ups it was noticeable that many of them started around five years ago. I guess it takes that long to get their act together (literally), record an album and start to build up a following such that they get booked for these kind of events. Certainly there were lots of Brave Rival t-shirts in evidence.</p>
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<p><b>Cardinal Black (Main) **.</b> They were good buit to my mind didn't generate the same excitement as Brave Rival. </p>
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<p><b>Colosseum (Main) *.</b> A long-standing, innovative jazz rock / prog rock band so I stayed for them while Mary went next door to see Terraplanes Blues Band. They featured blues legend <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Farlowe">Chris Farlowe</a> who we last saw on stage with Van Morrison. They were OK but as they were not on my playlist back in the '70s didn't make as much impression as I was hoping for. I popped next door to join Mary for one last song from Terraplanes Blues Band.</p>
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<p><b>Terraplanes Blues Band (Blues) **</b><b>½</b><b>.</b> Mary's choice over Colosseum. She enjoyed hearing them again however they were missing Eduardo, their flamboyant harmonica player, and she felt his absence. </p>
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<p><b>Eric Bibb (Main) ***. </b>Definitely one of the highlights of the festival. We had listened to his latest album <a href="https://www.ericbibb.com/discography?pgid=lr6bf65y-96af6c23-5f74-460e-8cc0-fadc94b51e88">Ridin'</a> on the drive down courtesy of modern technology (Qobuz streaming service played through my phone into the USB socket in the car). This is "proper" blues but with a 21st century sensibility - songs about getting respect (Call Me By My Name) and forgotten black history (Tulsa Town).</p>
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<p><b>Saturday 03-February.</b> </p><p>In the Acoustic stage I was amused by this cup-holder. When you need one hand to use your crutch you need someone to hold your beer.</p>
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<p><b>Brave Rival (Acoustic) ***.</b> Having seen Brave Rival of the big stage with the full band it was an interesting contrast to see the stripped down version on the Acoustic Stage. There was a debate about what counts as acoustic; they had drums and an electric bass guitar. This was a very enjoyable set with some of the same songs in a more relaxed style.</p>
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<p><b>Mississippi Macdonald (Acoustic) **</b><b>½</b><b>. </b>Now this was definitely acoustic, nothing but an acoustic guitar. Mississippi Macdonald played a set of his own compositions very much in a delta blues style. With a genre that has been a round for a while it is hard to avoid pastiche and cliche but he managed to walk that delicate line. </p>
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<p><b>Jim Kirkpatrick (Acoustic) **</b><b>½</b><b>.</b> Jim first appearance at the festival, he was on later that same day with his full band whilst we were in the main stage. He did a good set earning two and half stars on the Mary-o-meter. His guitar skills were impressive </p>
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<p><b>Mississippi Macdonald (Main) **</b><b>½</b><b>.</b> The reverse of Brave Rival in that here we saw the acoustic version first then the full band, an interesting inversion. Musically this set moved north from the Mississippi Delta to Chicago and upped the energy levels.</p>
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<p><b>The Cinelli Brothers (Main) **. </b>This band seem to have a good reputation and following but, never having heard of them or their music they had some work to do to appeal to us. </p>
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<p><b>Elles Bailey (Main) ***. </b>Of course Elles was the main attraction for us having seen her in concert on a number of occasions. She and her great band lived up to all our expectations.</p>
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<p><b>Catfish (Blues) **</b><b>½</b><b> (only two songs).</b> First seen at Skeggy, the timetabling clash with Elles Bailey meant a limited listen for Mary while I stayed to listen to Elles.</p>
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<p><b>When Rivers Meet (Main) **.</b> The Empress ballroom was not the warmest. With cold weather outside it would take some heating so heat up the cavernous space. Despite enjoying their music, by this time we were cold and tired so headed back to the warmth of our apartment.</p>
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<p><b>Sunday 04-February</b> </p><p>Sunday morning we went for a bracing walk along the sea front past a number of interesting sculptures to the Pleasure Beach (closed) and the largest glitter ball in the world.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnx4hnODKnLtQWaXFUxpzN7cCCQF__SFTmsNyV0UzhyvMEchbElHoYcjmGY6ZL5yUtv_Kb6havvXGbjhWAcowB1cGSUIrSQSpGkEW5fYIk0Jbpw7dv9hwqtiJFUzNvtDVSxcYKwzqJMU0q4KWcIgg_YRYvgAdz6PZx7leEm7FeXcrHvbY5ysyP_g/s1286/IMG_0680.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="965" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnx4hnODKnLtQWaXFUxpzN7cCCQF__SFTmsNyV0UzhyvMEchbElHoYcjmGY6ZL5yUtv_Kb6havvXGbjhWAcowB1cGSUIrSQSpGkEW5fYIk0Jbpw7dv9hwqtiJFUzNvtDVSxcYKwzqJMU0q4KWcIgg_YRYvgAdz6PZx7leEm7FeXcrHvbY5ysyP_g/w300-h400/IMG_0680.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>
<p>Then back to the apartment for lunch and off to the Winter Gardens for the final day.</p>
<p><b>Connor Selby (Acoustic) ***. </b>The second time where we got the acoustic set followed by the full band. Some nice song writing and guitar picking. </p>
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<p><b>Rambling Preachers (Main) **</b><b>½</b><b>.</b> They were good, we bought the CD. </p>
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<p><b>Bison Hip (Introducing) **. </b>We enjoyed this band were pleased to learn that they were the favourites, as voted for that day, so will come back next year on one of the main stages. </p>
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<p><b>Connor Selby (Main) ***. </b>Back on the main stage with full band. Very enjoyable. </p>
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<p><b>Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse (Main) ***. </b>Given the very New Orleans influenced name of this band we were hoping for some southern style music and they did not disappoint. High energy and excellent musicianship.</p>
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<p><b>Climax Blues Band (Blues) **</b><b>½</b><b>. </b>They had a new vocalist, good but different to the last time we saw them. The previous vocalist, Graham Dee, had a very distinctive voice so for us not quite as enjoyable this time. However I'm sure once we get used to the new boy we will enjoy them just as much.</p>
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<p>We believe in supporting the artists by buying their merch direct. They get so much more than the peanuts from streaming services and if we have a CD we can rip to our NAS drive for ease of playing. We came away with 7 CD's, 1 vinyl and 3 t-shirts! </p>
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<p>Only disappointment of the whole weekend was missing the unannounced appearance of Robert Plant as we were in the other hall listening to Eric Bibb. But overall, throwing in the impressive Winter Gardens, a parkrun, a breezy seafront walk with interesting sculptures, some lovely old art-deco buildings, a great apartment literally 2 minutes walk from the venue and a tasty curry, it was a brilliant weekend.</p><p>Definitely coming back next year!</p>
Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-27650875503574627932024-02-03T00:00:00.018+00:002024-02-13T19:10:05.451+00:00Historic England Missing Pieces Project<p>Penrith and elsewhere.</p>
<p>Historic England have a project to crowd source photographs of listed buildings called <a href="https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/missing-pieces/">Missing Pieces.</a> They are the organisation responsible for maintaining the register of listed buildings, but their database is text based so they are asking the public to contribute photographs. They are happy with phone pictures. They ask for "Images: from phone snaps to scans of vintage photos and architects’ drawings, from wide angles to close-ups."</p><p>Avon Cottage, our first home together after we married, was Grade II listed and I have unique photographs not available to anyone else so that was a good place to start: </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyT3c_Jco9DBfKs6i05-Z_U-CgUPS3rPUAvcLF4BxBQq1zh6thQuT32UK3pp2zegAR_OMyNuQPI1ZnVsxiUtrqvp-KOYJKbaETGG3W-ezFr9qHMTxj7cF31VXVSkl_tWQOL_fGrU-2UJHpcvx8TGPBOdKAgDsogsZZ7eWuXt4UiYHpsNuq7jHwQ/s481/avon6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="481" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyT3c_Jco9DBfKs6i05-Z_U-CgUPS3rPUAvcLF4BxBQq1zh6thQuT32UK3pp2zegAR_OMyNuQPI1ZnVsxiUtrqvp-KOYJKbaETGG3W-ezFr9qHMTxj7cF31VXVSkl_tWQOL_fGrU-2UJHpcvx8TGPBOdKAgDsogsZZ7eWuXt4UiYHpsNuq7jHwQ/w400-h266/avon6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<p>The cottage was 14th century with a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruck">cruck frame</a> construction. The end wall during repairs shows an original mediaeval wattle and daub panel.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xAWQbohYhBEit4-Yc00CdPLA__oJo8TnUY-uQURxYg41GoZWKLwYDZ8DaS4a7-glF6qC61lgRlIJ1VUUvQF8_oAAqFRChU1SO8j88jM4ePtzY0Nn13bUPCwRA3kUmvYiDZgiABbjQZ8bwGiVlt_OWffEpHQ_kbGNR2V3P7H4c34g9iRSa7nm1g/s1280/IMG_0065.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1280" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xAWQbohYhBEit4-Yc00CdPLA__oJo8TnUY-uQURxYg41GoZWKLwYDZ8DaS4a7-glF6qC61lgRlIJ1VUUvQF8_oAAqFRChU1SO8j88jM4ePtzY0Nn13bUPCwRA3kUmvYiDZgiABbjQZ8bwGiVlt_OWffEpHQ_kbGNR2V3P7H4c34g9iRSa7nm1g/w400-h268/IMG_0065.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Full listing for <a href="https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1302857?section=comments-and-photos">Avon Cottage</a>.</p>
<p>Next, I have some never before published photographs of the interior of Coventry Baths for which my father was the Principal Architect. He had various memorabilia which I hope to donate to the archives at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjAmKIRH6aGWTDdloVd1_QkzuBOsJhbJSxl4UNdzkrK3jK_kfe1gc_uVoiDUSRnB_qO1ZjOfMTIxv4ucSXHvXvKDuziufRy8jQgwXMaL15B1JdTpVxPsrk5zER-mH59mucszlcMK7EEwUijbfFPXlGsUp29S9RSr5sPWk5GzUWuMsxaOvBQfaqIQ/s8735/baths-bottom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6454" data-original-width="8735" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjAmKIRH6aGWTDdloVd1_QkzuBOsJhbJSxl4UNdzkrK3jK_kfe1gc_uVoiDUSRnB_qO1ZjOfMTIxv4ucSXHvXvKDuziufRy8jQgwXMaL15B1JdTpVxPsrk5zER-mH59mucszlcMK7EEwUijbfFPXlGsUp29S9RSr5sPWk5GzUWuMsxaOvBQfaqIQ/w400-h295/baths-bottom.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWKHTaOPk4iJ_97C2xm7oL__0hml4mYKniosNB5TfvPfy-D5axAY3Vc1bzdNlk03lEC3TTynNVOq9uv0Ge8d5A5BYYbTu_W0vDOf6bMx1aVNzqws11Adz3YmobFaAqUbdT09QTx0ghhmbNFsvsX_skpGWgEsYiS6cF0R_Q4dI_Eo5l3rpstrpe1g/s8744/IMG_0055.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6478" data-original-width="8744" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWKHTaOPk4iJ_97C2xm7oL__0hml4mYKniosNB5TfvPfy-D5axAY3Vc1bzdNlk03lEC3TTynNVOq9uv0Ge8d5A5BYYbTu_W0vDOf6bMx1aVNzqws11Adz3YmobFaAqUbdT09QTx0ghhmbNFsvsX_skpGWgEsYiS6cF0R_Q4dI_Eo5l3rpstrpe1g/w400-h296/IMG_0055.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Full listing for <a href="https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1021930?section=comments-and-photos">Coventry Central Baths (original part including sunbathing terraces)</a>.
<p>In Penrith, now our home town, there are many listed buildings within easy walking distance without any photographs. So what I’ve been doing is wandering about the town taking photographs on my iPhone and uploading them. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pLSyy4eSmiuBmkRmrZlaNuUxwen-7vCvIEAw2Yori6P4GNJnHeLAn6Cnc0p8S5uIR2dwDY7a67wG2f1EvrOSeiFWaH3_saKljnq6-vofkkZ0qdY-rQufcZKZ6DaiNLAkoEtzlhQTzvl8WuLT535qWFawh-SIicqdMRE_mlx8yGpsldFbDfWbRw/s2880/Screenshot%202024-01-07%20at%2017.12.06.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pLSyy4eSmiuBmkRmrZlaNuUxwen-7vCvIEAw2Yori6P4GNJnHeLAn6Cnc0p8S5uIR2dwDY7a67wG2f1EvrOSeiFWaH3_saKljnq6-vofkkZ0qdY-rQufcZKZ6DaiNLAkoEtzlhQTzvl8WuLT535qWFawh-SIicqdMRE_mlx8yGpsldFbDfWbRw/w640-h400/Screenshot%202024-01-07%20at%2017.12.06.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<p>Some examples: </p><p><a href="https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1145112?section=comments-and-photos">13, Brunswick Square</a>. An early C19 Gothic cottage. Apparently at one time a pub and a house that Mary would have loved to buy. Unfortunately, due to the asking price and renovations required, just too expensive.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29tfYNH8O0dnqoUb-VdhSrZE6c-Zrkjp7tbfA5gTRU8c0eK8z69PBFwhsnSfRTvrSHsgHDxiFkd75Kx_kBqaPgXVOLYSxHrCTAOGEeRvctmiR_Wzdqkv7c9SOBgHKFUm5fzaqn-UdKPGupEXvvW6TyByCgrshlDusCLlD9Cx-Pt9nk6BbTyvVhg/s4032/IMG_0066.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29tfYNH8O0dnqoUb-VdhSrZE6c-Zrkjp7tbfA5gTRU8c0eK8z69PBFwhsnSfRTvrSHsgHDxiFkd75Kx_kBqaPgXVOLYSxHrCTAOGEeRvctmiR_Wzdqkv7c9SOBgHKFUm5fzaqn-UdKPGupEXvvW6TyByCgrshlDusCLlD9Cx-Pt9nk6BbTyvVhg/w400-h300/IMG_0066.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<p><a href="https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1145124?section=comments-and-photos">3 and 4, Devonshire Street</a>. 18th century as is much of Devonshire Street. All you have to do is look up above the 20th century plastic shop fascias to see Penrith's history.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3pXAmHoPxiM8n3FCj35hJBd4VrFg9YU0sHWevWdBc8FtOTcBvuTsYZ0DNQ5nL3VgN29gUcnNGTCQJvkzfyYrKXcvNN28AsOdCDVbIDSnGE0WYcLxnZFVa1QvOIAguEDRUGc8lJ7VBr1OOTzXpF6QaGUCc-AcK-E97FJ1FfYNGsNf1vbNAfq3Tw/s2940/IMG_0465.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2209" data-original-width="2940" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3pXAmHoPxiM8n3FCj35hJBd4VrFg9YU0sHWevWdBc8FtOTcBvuTsYZ0DNQ5nL3VgN29gUcnNGTCQJvkzfyYrKXcvNN28AsOdCDVbIDSnGE0WYcLxnZFVa1QvOIAguEDRUGc8lJ7VBr1OOTzXpF6QaGUCc-AcK-E97FJ1FfYNGsNf1vbNAfq3Tw/w400-h300/IMG_0465.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<p><a href="https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1137904?section=comments-and-photos">12, Devonshire Street</a>. Late 18th century again. Most of the street is listed as a result.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkbsYLuPpAmPsY-5ugUU_ShsSRbYslVXzjpnQOSInhxANyHKKbEqzoJsabaRcgrgDKkOBVdEMbay1GHXRviRd6x3lPa7YipJNjxruF5M1v12k-9Za-Slq56OOVVpo3j1F3e000TIMwkzN2BX06OF3VaMRZRCmFeSaBUVlbowrR4WyhejKPZk6Mw/s4032/IMG_0473.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkbsYLuPpAmPsY-5ugUU_ShsSRbYslVXzjpnQOSInhxANyHKKbEqzoJsabaRcgrgDKkOBVdEMbay1GHXRviRd6x3lPa7YipJNjxruF5M1v12k-9Za-Slq56OOVVpo3j1F3e000TIMwkzN2BX06OF3VaMRZRCmFeSaBUVlbowrR4WyhejKPZk6Mw/w300-h400/IMG_0473.jpeg" width="300" /> </a></div>
<p>While we were in Blackpool, I looked up the Winter Gardens which unsurprisingly were listed. Looking at the map I saw a listing for a group of <a href="https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1072016?section=comments-and-photos">eight iconic K6 red telephone</a> boxes without a photograph on the website. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPMdteuy6VyqKNQX7NELn6Fswtx37m7liyDqRBTMVe5_K-m0v33tiBmhkpXxsxJIuWJYhm4sfbY_5lbOnbFRBjpqybSkLNg1CjpuHe6BTt_tcF1xt_bvNzE_4SH2zxNCSBv6IRhfU_sTVeGdIqGBQVfrAiiTgq4rRFOXkLB2B_GBd63NUSMwtGQ/s4032/IMG_0607.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPMdteuy6VyqKNQX7NELn6Fswtx37m7liyDqRBTMVe5_K-m0v33tiBmhkpXxsxJIuWJYhm4sfbY_5lbOnbFRBjpqybSkLNg1CjpuHe6BTt_tcF1xt_bvNzE_4SH2zxNCSBv6IRhfU_sTVeGdIqGBQVfrAiiTgq4rRFOXkLB2B_GBd63NUSMwtGQ/w400-h300/IMG_0607.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />When I searched to see if there were any other listed telephone boxes, I was surprised to discover there were 2,402 entries for K6. I guess if you’re going to list one, then you can’t play favourites and so have to list them all!<p></p><p>All my contributions here: <a href="https://historicengland.org.uk/profile/336121/MarkMcLellan">https://historicengland.org.uk/profile/336121/MarkMcLellan</a>.</p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-31072174123167284772024-02-01T00:00:00.025+00:002024-03-17T16:40:25.936+00:00Wine Tasting - Showcasing South Africa<p>Bassenthwaite Lake Station, Cumbria. Thursday 01-February-2024.</p>
<p>Like buses, nothing for ages and then two South African wine tastings come along at once. It was only at the end of November that we attended a wine tasting of <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2023/11/wine-tasting-new-and-premium-south.html">Swartland wines from Edmond Wines</a>. There I noted that our first trip to South Africa was designed around visiting a number of the wine districts. Our purchase of a holiday home there resulted in visiting many wineries in that country. Even so there are always more to discover and it’s always good to try wines available locally.</p><p>We did our usual routine of booking ourselves a Dinner, B&B deal in the Pheasant Inn which is staggering distance from the tasting. We have an early supper before the tasting, they do provide a small cheeseboard but it is more like a snack.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0OevfkC78pSLmLm68mllJWuje_-P49rEwcvAqTDmHlFFMaqhQbmEy1jiEuBvFD-KpIQ5DuBFvq7Ecrt5WT6Kfdzjiol-0yT8M4EbgQiuWkcQnqGH6JmPGiti90UyBeRMpDdnp_LDGcrlvn7Ebj8Sl2LCrBM04nab7AYf8nZfOZhkcnAVue7gYQ/s4032/IMG_0561.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0OevfkC78pSLmLm68mllJWuje_-P49rEwcvAqTDmHlFFMaqhQbmEy1jiEuBvFD-KpIQ5DuBFvq7Ecrt5WT6Kfdzjiol-0yT8M4EbgQiuWkcQnqGH6JmPGiti90UyBeRMpDdnp_LDGcrlvn7Ebj8Sl2LCrBM04nab7AYf8nZfOZhkcnAVue7gYQ/w400-h300/IMG_0561.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<p>I resisted nibbling on the cheese until halfway through when we switched from the whites to the reds. Chatting to one of the pourers I introduced her to the phrase “Buy on apple, sell on cheese” - a maxim in the wine trade. Wine always tastes better if your palate has been coated with some tasty cheese, so if you’re looking to buy from the producers you nibble a piece of apple to keep your palate clean. However, if you are a merchant trying to sell to a customer, then a little bit of cheese will make your wines taste even better.</p>
<p><b>Name of wine Vintage </b><b>Region </b><b>ABV Shop or Supplier
Retail price</b></p><p><b>Bassenthwaites notes</b></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Mary's notes and <b>✱ star rating</b></li></ul>
<p><b>1. The Capeography Co. - Grenache Blanc 2022 </b><b>Swartland </b><b>12.5% Booths £10</b></p>
<p>Grenache Blanc from the Swartland is an exotic affair of jasmine and white tea notes over a generously fleshy yet spicy palate. The drought-hardy, dry-grown variety loves the Swartland's deep sandy soils and granite bedrock.
</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Powerful nose, pear drops, floral; rich texture, good, acidity, and balance, spicy, floral, short, potentially slightly flabby?<b> ✱</b><b>✱</b></li></ul>
<p><b>2. Vergelegen Millrace - Sauvignon Blanc 2023 </b><b>Stellenbosch </b><b>13.5% Majestic £11</b></p>
<p>Vergelegen Estate is the third-oldest wine producing estate in South Africa. Established in 1700, this heritage estate is known for crafting wines of exceptional quality. Grapes are meticulously picked by hand and crafted in their innovative gravity-flow winery. They're all about purity of fruit, and you'll certainly taste it in this elegant bottle. Expect vibrant flavours of guava, passionfruit lime blossom and quince.
</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Smoky, grassy, herbal; smoky, slightly, not typical, SP, good acidity, some length<b> ✱</b></li></ul>
<p><b>3. Stellenrust, Stellenbosch Manor - Chenin Blanc 2023 </b><b>Stellenbosch </b><b>13.5% Sainsbury’s £10</b></p>
<p>This Chenin Blanc is crafted with the exact detail and harvested from traditional bush vines delivering ripe zesty pineapple, pear and white peach with a refreshing lime acidity. The proud history of Stellenrust, founded by master stonemason and builder of the Castle of Good Hope, Douwe Steyn, is depicted in the gabled manor house on the 1692 Stellenrust wine farm.</p> <ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Less powerful nose, tropical fruit; fresh, acidic, minerally, light, tropical fruit<b> ✱</b><b>✱</b></li></ul>
<p><b>4. Discovery Collection - Field Blend Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc
& Marsanne 2022 </b><b>Paarl </b><b>13.5% Majestic £10</b></p>
<p>This rich and honeyed white is a fabulous example of what can be created from South Africa's old vines. Ripe stone fruits on the nose lead to poached apple and pear notes on the palate with hints of dried pineapple and an underlying salinity. The Wildeberg winery is set against the dramatic backdrop of the majestic Franschhoek Mountain. Here, head wine maker JD Rossouw works with grower partners to source these grapes from old vines in Paarl, where the varied soil types and mediterranean climate make for perfect growing conditions. This generous white is great with simply cooked fish and seafood dishes.
</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Tropical fruits; good flavour development – tropical fruits, spicy apple; good body, some length<b> ✱</b><b>✱</b><b>✱</b></li></ul>
<p><b>5. Grand Vinde de Stellenbosch Village - Viogner 2023 </b><b>Stellenbosch </b><b>13.5% </b><b>Majestic </b><b>£12</b><b> </b></p>
<p>Bernard Fontannaz, founder of Origin Wine, acquired Le Grand Domaine in 2016 with a view to it becoming his 'South African Château. Little wonder he was attracted to the property: set at the top of the beautiful Devon Valley overlooking the majestic peaks of Stellenbosch, it's in a beautiful spot that's consistently produced premium grapes since the 18th century. Winemaker Debbie Thompson crafts wines including this Viognier from iron-rich soils, ageing different components separately in amphora, French oak and stainless steel before blending. The wine is rich and spicy with mouth-watering notes of apricot, peach and honeysuckle - and a rounded, smooth finish. Its full and fruity flavours makes it a great match for poultry dishes, Thai green curry or grilled salmon.
</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Light nose; Rich, spicy, pear / peach / peach kernel, good acidity, good length<b> ✱</b><b>✱</b><b>✱</b></li></ul>
<p><b>6. Jordan Stellenbosch - Unoaked Chardonnay 2022 </b><b>Stellenbosch </b><b>13% Booths £14</b></p>
<p>Situated at the upper end of Stellenbosch Kloof, with views overlooking Cape Town, Table Mountain and Stellenbosch, Jordan is a family-owned estate and premium destination offering a unique Winelands experience. The pure, primary fruit flavours from Chardonnay grapes grown on the cooler, morning sun vineyards are enhanced through cool fermentation and lees maturation in stainless steel tanks. The extended lees contact intigrates the bracing citrus flavours with layers of creamy tropical fruit.
</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Soft, creamy nose, good acidity, tropicals fruit, smooth body, lovely unoaked Chardonnay<b> ✱</b><b>✱</b></li></ul><p></p>
<p><b>7. Southlands Cool Climate - Pinot Noir 2022 </b><b>Western Cape </b><b>12.5% Sainsbury’s £9 </b></p>
<p>Sourced from vineyards at the tip of South Africa, influenced by the cool climate surrounding the Cape of Storms, these grapes benefit from a long and gentle ripening season. A delightfully smooth & fruity pinot noir.
Light-bodied and bursting with ripe cherry flavours, perfectly balanced with subtle notes of spice and a touch of oak.
</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Light, very slight vegetable; light<b> ✱</b><b>✱</b><b>✱</b></li></ul>
<p><b>8. Journeys End The BlueGum - Merlot 2021 </b><b>Stellenbosch </b><b>14% Sainsbury’s £10</b></p>
<p>Ruby, clear and bright. Aromas of blackcurrants and raspberries with hints of violets and vanilla from well balanced French oak. Pallate displays nutmeg and vanilla with elegant, polished tannins providing enough grip to reward patient cellaring. Mineral rich, granite soils, cool coastal breezes ang long sunny days have played their part in delivering healthy concentrated berries, handpicked and carefully selected to provide the perfect foundation for this wine.
</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Ripe, soft, fruit, raspberries & violets; minerally, blackcurrant/raspberry, smooth, lovely aftertaste<b> ✱</b><b>✱</b></li></ul>
<p><b>9. Kanonkop Kadette - Pinotage 2021 </b><b>Stellenbosch </b><b>14% Majestic £14</b></p>
<p>Kanonkop was named Outstanding Producer of the Past 50 Years at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in 2019. The family-owned estate is considered to many as the equivalent of a South African First Growth. And when you taste what they've done with the country's star grape, Pinotage, you'll know why. Made in a soft, fruit-forward style, it spends 12 months in French oak barrels to give a silky-smooth texture. This is a complex Pinotage wine, with notes of raspberry, strawberry, red cherry and chocolate. Try it with a hearty beef burger.
</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Soft, fruity nose; some tannins, complex, good flavour development, good length<b> ✱</b><b>✱</b></li></ul>
<p><b>10. Dynamite Factory - Shiraz 2022 </b><b>Cape Coast </b><b>14% </b><b>Morrisons £7</b></p>
<p>Unearthed from the Cape Coast region, this Shiraz shows aromas of red cherry and plum which explode on the palate along with black cherry and a hint of pepper and spice. The tannins are soft and silky with a lingering dark chocolate finish.
</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Soft, green peppers, peppery; plum, soft tannins, good finish. Fantastic value for money. <b>✱</b><b>✱</b></li></ul>
<p><b>11. Rustenberg Stellenbosch R.M.Nicholson - Shiraz, Cabernet
Sauvignon & Merlot 2020 </b><b>Stellenbosch </b><b>14% Booths £11</b><b> </b></p>
<p>Rustenberg's Murray Barlow is the only person to be named Young Winemaker of the Year twice by Diners Club. And he's a specialist in creating exceptional reds under the Stellenbosch sun. This is a blend of Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. An unconventional mixture of traditional Bordeaux and Rhône varieties that creates something truly fantastic. It has flavours of blackcurrant, black pepper and spice that are a treat with a chargrilled steak.
</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Lovely dark fruit nose; smooth, lovely fruit flavours; good finish<b> ✱</b><b>✱</b><b>✱</b><b> </b></li></ul>
<p><b>12. Journeys End The Pioneer - Malbec 2022 </b><b>Western Cape </b><b>13.5% Majestic £10 Coastal Region,</b></p>
<p>While most associated with Argentina, Malbec thrives in South Africa too thanks to an ideal mix of Southern Hemisphere sun and refreshing ocean breezes.
This example comes from the Gabb family, originally from Shropshire in the UK, who purchased 20 scenic hectares of vines in the Western Cape in 1995. Their terroir, nestled in the Schapenberg Hills, is some of the finest in South Africa, and this wine comes from three different vineyard blocks set 350m above sea level. Carefully picked at optimal times of day to ensure perfect ripeness, the grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks before ageing in oak barrels for six months. Expect plenty of plum, cherry and blackberry flavour with a subtle note of cooked banana. Soft and silky, it'll go well with both red and white meats, as well as stews and pasta dishes.</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Plum and blackberry nose; good tannins, and acidity, soft ripe fruits, shortish<b> ✱</b><b>✱</b></li></ul>
<p>As always an educational and fun evening with some interesting wines at reasonable prices and all available locally.</p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-32166011775582814322024-01-28T00:00:00.007+00:002024-01-30T20:14:25.945+00:00Harley Kimbro Lewis at Celtic Connections<p>Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow. Sunday 29-January-2024.</p>
<p>This was a birthday present to Mary from her sister and brother-in-law. We drove up to Glasgow on Sunday afternoon for a cup of tea, and then George drove us into central Glasgow. I am still amazed that you can drive into the middle of a big city and get on-street parking close to where you want to go. I would not even contemplate doing such a thing in central London. It would be public transport both ways, no question.</p>
<p>We went for a curry beforehand at <a href="https://www.mowglistreetfood.com/restaurants/glasgow/">Mowgli</a>. It was an Indian version of tapas where you order a number of small plates to make up a meal of the size you want. The flavours were very fresh and certainly not your classic mystery meat in a gloopy sauce. Definitely a recommendation.</p>
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<p>The interior of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavilion_Theatre_(Glasgow)">theatre</a> was beautifully ornate, much like some of the London theatres of similar early Victorian era. It does not surprise me that is is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listed_buildings_in_Scotland">Category A listed building</a>.</p>
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<p>We had a very short walk to the theatre for a pre concert drink and get settled into our seats. Martin Harley, Daniel Kimbro and Sam Lewis played an hour of Americana. A couple of tracks I knew but several new ones. Kimbro clearly shares the same laconic sense of humour as Martin. However, there was little banter as they cracked on with the music playing tune after tune. At the end of the first hour, they said that the end of our set. What! We had not realised that it was a double bill and there was a different act on after the interval. That explained the lack of banter.</p>
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<p>It was interesting to hear Martin play a different range of songs than his solo shows which are all his own compositions. </p><p>Quoting from the festival website, “From Knoxville to Nashville via Hertfordshire, Martin Harley, Daniel Kimbro & Sam Lewis collaborate for the first time on a slow cooked, laid back album reminiscent of an early American songbook. Produced at Wow & Flutter studios the old fashioned way; writing songs in the morning and rolling the tape in the afternoon, the album highlights Daniel’s Appalachia roots, Sam’s Nashville tones and Martin’s travelling riverside blues. Individually they have worked with some of the biggest names in the business. This is acoustic Americana at is finest.” </p>
<p>At the break I dashed to the loo then went to the bar only to join the back of a very long queue. They closed off the queue just as I joined it in the nick of time. Even with efficient bar staff I only just made it back to my seat in time for Butler, Blake & Grant. I’d never heard of them, but clearly well-known to the adoring audience who gave them a standing ovation at the end of their set. </p>
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<p>Apparently Britpop background but sounded a bit folk oriented and a clearly a talented trio. I might as well quote from the festival website again:</p>
<p>“Norman Blake, Bernard Butler and James Grant are three of the most renowned and respected musicians in Britain. Norman; a centrifugal force in Teenage Fanclub, Bernard; songwriter-producer and founder member of Suede and James; songsmith supremo of Love and Money. Returning to the festival that spawned their collaboration, they play a selection of each others songs and will preview new material.”</p><p>We have been burning the candle at both ends in the last few days, what with Burns Night, a birthday lunch for Mary at <a href="https://1863ullswater.co.uk/">1863</a>, a team meal out on Saturday night at <a href="http://www.dogandgunskelton.co.uk/">Dog and Gun</a> and now this so it was straight back to George and Sandra's for an early night. </p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-3710589226946183182024-01-14T19:13:00.009+00:002024-01-26T08:54:05.286+00:00Dorothy Wordsworth’s Lake District<p>Ullswater, Cumbria.</p>
<p>When we were allowed out to exercise during the first Covid lockdown in 2020 we started walking the Ullswater Way in sections. See “<a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2021/05/the-ullswater-way-in-footsteps-of.html">The Ullswater Way - In the Footsteps of Dorothy Wordsworth</a>”. Dorothy is the sister of William Wordsworth. </p><p>Part way through this I was contacted by <a href="https://hum.byu.edu/directory/paul-westover">Paul Westover</a> of Brigham Young University, USA, who was helping compile an electronic edition of some of Dorothy’s Lakeland writings to be published by the University of Colorado. These included "Excursion on the Banks of the Ullswater". However due to Covid he was unable to get to the UK to take pictures himself and wanted to use my photos.</p><p>I happily gave him permission to use any pictures from the blog. He also had a wish list of photos which gave us an added purpose and focus to our later walks - as well as being delightful walks in their own right. </p><p>After some delays this online edition is now available at <a href="https://romantic-circles.org/Editions/Publication/dorothy-wordsworths-lake-district">Dorothy Wordsworth’s Lake District</a>:</p>
<p>“Dorothy Wordsworth is one of the most distinctive voices of Romantic-era literature: the author of extraordinary journals, poems, narratives, letters, and natural descriptions. This edition celebrates her work as a literary guide to the English Lake District. It offers access to works from across her career, all newly edited from manuscripts, extensively annotated, and situated within their original material formats and circumstances of composition. While some selections are general favorites, others are less well-known, and a few (selections from the Rydal Journals) have never been published before.”</p>
<p>Table of Contents.</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Introduction</li><li>First Notebook of the Grasmere Journal (1800)</li><li>"Excursion on the Banks of the Ullswater" (1805)</li><li>"A Narrative Concerning George & Sarah Green" (1808)</li><li>"Excursion up Scawfell Pike" (1818)</li><li>Rydal Journals (1824-5, 1834-5)</li><li>Back Matter</li></ul>
<p>Loads of scholarly detail in the transcriptions and concordance of the various manuscript versions.</p>
<p>It also includes an <a href="https://byu.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=c0039276837c4546a75a48bea2888385&extent=-3.4905,54.3478,-2.2402,54.7389">interactive map</a> of Dorothy’s walks: </p>
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<p>A couple of my photos did make it into this edition at <a href="https://romantic-circles.org/editions/DW/editions.2022.DW.Ulls-reading">Reading Text of "Excursion on the Banks of Ullswater"</a>.</p>
<p>Stybarrow from Silver Crag.</p>
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<p>Low Close Horse Farm.</p>
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<p>When restrictions were lifted Paul was able to visit and we gave him a whistle-stop tour of Penrith and environs where I learned more about the Wordsworths’ connections to the area. </p><p>Penrith Town Hall: formerly Wordsworth House, residence of the poet’s cousin Captain John Wordsworth.</p>
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<p>Blue plaque.</p>
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<p>Arnison’s: William and Anne Cookson, grandparents of William and Dorothy Wordsworth, lived here.</p>
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<p>Plaque put up by the town council.</p>
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<p>Penrith library: formerly a school for the children of upper-class families where the young siblings, Dorothy and William attended school (see <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_life_of_William_Wordsworth">Early life of William Wordsworth</a>).</p>
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<p>No blue plaque, but the school inscription above the entrance.</p>
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<p>The Robin Hood: William Wordsworth stayed here with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raisley_Calvert">Raisley Calvert</a>, 1794-95.</p>
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<p>Blue Plaque.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiczWn9QiHAr7O47mXzxbYBDYT4ha4yh3vMc8nZ9g1IQqovC0ubc6oglSiCuFJpARq2aLfBiVgWazV3N5enJUw9feT4p-cNqFtgS4joGT2wHqLlkEzM5AbvDNILNTjsQEwFVrAKldxWQOayejuOkxS9ICO4pCZ-aBFeZvtjU2m0lpLTmvv1P6kLw/s4032/IMG_0442.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiczWn9QiHAr7O47mXzxbYBDYT4ha4yh3vMc8nZ9g1IQqovC0ubc6oglSiCuFJpARq2aLfBiVgWazV3N5enJUw9feT4p-cNqFtgS4joGT2wHqLlkEzM5AbvDNILNTjsQEwFVrAKldxWQOayejuOkxS9ICO4pCZ-aBFeZvtjU2m0lpLTmvv1P6kLw/w400-h300/IMG_0442.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<p>Amongst other places we took Paul to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowther_Castle">Lowther Castle</a> where Wordsworth’s father was a legal agent for James Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale. He was thrilled to pass through Clifton because, as a man interested in history, he knew that it was the site of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifton_Moor_Skirmish">Clifton Moor Skirmish</a> the last battle fought on English soil.</p>
<p>So in a very, very small way I have made a contribution and on the way learned a lot more about Dot and Bill. So that was nice.</p>
Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-18528916318972649952024-01-09T19:21:00.000+00:002024-01-09T19:21:46.891+00:00Raynaud’s syndrome<p>Mary reckons I cannot categorically state that I suffer from <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/raynauds/">Raynaud’s syndrome</a> as it has not been formally diagnosed by a doctor but if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck I say it is a duck.</p>
<p>This is what my hand looks like after a chilly cross-country run with the Eden Runners Thursday social group complete with mild pain, numbness and pins and needles. It takes about an hour for my fingers to return to normal colour and sensation.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0uVCfE01Ry6VwQjD5lRBBwMIevpTa8p_hWzxI165ZtsxZhr3hqI5fn46YoktQYrvOmjvZCt6-CdJ_KUvcnC4i4lVPTSv3cBcBM8V0l4hNWTZRXBpUzPty350fnQ6Yh4_nGNn8gtoRSDmnvRbtRrK94goSR-WuPwO5VJYKTsd84DWoYr71rloNw/s4032/IMG_8146.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0uVCfE01Ry6VwQjD5lRBBwMIevpTa8p_hWzxI165ZtsxZhr3hqI5fn46YoktQYrvOmjvZCt6-CdJ_KUvcnC4i4lVPTSv3cBcBM8V0l4hNWTZRXBpUzPty350fnQ6Yh4_nGNn8gtoRSDmnvRbtRrK94goSR-WuPwO5VJYKTsd84DWoYr71rloNw/s320/IMG_8146.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
<p>According to the NHS:</p><p>Raynaud's affects your blood circulation. When you're cold, anxious or stressed, your fingers and toes may change colour. Other symptoms can include:</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>pain</li><li>numbness</li><li>pins and needles</li><li>The skin may turn white or a lighter colour as blood flow is restricted.</li><li>[image] Fingers of a person with white skin. One fingertip is pale while the rest of the skin is pink:</li></ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcjR3p-NjiW-exvqSWRjfipg8ztxbtXwi21LSthEW4cteiU3NjLzJS16bwZiDaJlglflj3IeV4uPTxaBztfrMBG8VZ57a_ItmpCE8G8Ae3P853Yra6-v1Rhmtu066zRix_f0jo5AqF2MQWsjQw4mvYAtnaN-X2jjiWbmG9HWQDzuHp72o0w7aGmg/s1416/C0130868-Raynaud_s_phenomenon_of_the_finger-S.width-1534.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="1416" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcjR3p-NjiW-exvqSWRjfipg8ztxbtXwi21LSthEW4cteiU3NjLzJS16bwZiDaJlglflj3IeV4uPTxaBztfrMBG8VZ57a_ItmpCE8G8Ae3P853Yra6-v1Rhmtu066zRix_f0jo5AqF2MQWsjQw4mvYAtnaN-X2jjiWbmG9HWQDzuHp72o0w7aGmg/s320/C0130868-Raynaud_s_phenomenon_of_the_finger-S.width-1534.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>[...]</li><li>The symptoms of Raynaud's may last from a few minutes to a few hours.</li></ul>
<p>I rest my case, M'Lud.</p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-30327338026268804882024-01-04T13:58:00.003+00:002024-01-04T14:16:15.937+00:00Egg Box Symmetry<p>I do like an egg box with maximum symmetry. A full box had three: two axes of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflection_symmetry">reflection symmetry</a> and one centre of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotational_symmetry">rotational symmetry</a>. If I see an asymmetric egg box I have to rearrange the contents to increase the amount of reflection and rotational symmetry. I am not mad!</p>
<p>For example:</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsLanDg7i501nyzznraLXzqrXS0wLpogzAFAGDTNxeu5yjr-lDpBanrWuC1o-H7HLx0AZzFqESvy3f8d6QKC0IQB1jBM-Iat7mzIv4HfDTjaBkqXSDY9ernUrA6k3F4yw8i-W8bfsQdtPSOgzhyPFqNVRFLxEJTW8fyXVd4UO5JBMF1qhlmnIaA/s3264/IMG_5159.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsLanDg7i501nyzznraLXzqrXS0wLpogzAFAGDTNxeu5yjr-lDpBanrWuC1o-H7HLx0AZzFqESvy3f8d6QKC0IQB1jBM-Iat7mzIv4HfDTjaBkqXSDY9ernUrA6k3F4yw8i-W8bfsQdtPSOgzhyPFqNVRFLxEJTW8fyXVd4UO5JBMF1qhlmnIaA/w150-h200/IMG_5159.jpeg" width="150" /></a> becomes <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbi-MNW0Q13IqrAm008ZeY1HSivP2W4jDvdVGEqXqj5PzrzBajjX2ryhqkj0Z4okPF2IReqgXU17D3tW00PsXCXOm7FoD9antMGHmOax0wpUE1lwzWQ7VG5cWF8z73_I4hsC3Wr9wOti8Ue6cu9JK-t0JtxSuNwwj22fKdaPPVuSlxK_6BGv17jA/s3264/IMG_5142.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbi-MNW0Q13IqrAm008ZeY1HSivP2W4jDvdVGEqXqj5PzrzBajjX2ryhqkj0Z4okPF2IReqgXU17D3tW00PsXCXOm7FoD9antMGHmOax0wpUE1lwzWQ7VG5cWF8z73_I4hsC3Wr9wOti8Ue6cu9JK-t0JtxSuNwwj22fKdaPPVuSlxK_6BGv17jA/w150-h200/IMG_5142.jpeg" width="150" /></b></a></div>
<p>Mary says I am a sad muppet.</p>
<style>
table.tb {border-collapse: collapse; }
.tb th, .tb td { border: solid 1px #777; padding: 5px; text-align: center; }
</style>
<table class="tb">
<tbody><tr style="background-color: aliceblue;">
<th>Egg Count</th>
<th>Best<br />3 Symmetries</th>
<th>Middling<br />1 Symmetry</th>
<th>Worst<br />0 Symmetries</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Six</b></td>
<td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAYemXLdROywYAXDYMxZxXPf-URldn3x4loBEBSmzKi6D5JiOwgv3EJnbe1WMF8ia2jJbZ3JiWAIl3lBErKHkfzi-i6wgRhoWCDUuJsSwujEbSfFlCaAQ35Ee88yYKzyMsrsR4vIlGFKR881RF_UmnukUW9N-Qwi8vfMum7p3y35aXYRVCq14cw/s3264/IMG_5141.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAYemXLdROywYAXDYMxZxXPf-URldn3x4loBEBSmzKi6D5JiOwgv3EJnbe1WMF8ia2jJbZ3JiWAIl3lBErKHkfzi-i6wgRhoWCDUuJsSwujEbSfFlCaAQ35Ee88yYKzyMsrsR4vIlGFKR881RF_UmnukUW9N-Qwi8vfMum7p3y35aXYRVCq14cw/w150-h200/IMG_5141.jpeg" width="150" /></b></a></div></td>
<td><b>N/A</b></td>
<td><b>N/A</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Five</b></td>
<td><b>N/A</b></td>
<td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbi-MNW0Q13IqrAm008ZeY1HSivP2W4jDvdVGEqXqj5PzrzBajjX2ryhqkj0Z4okPF2IReqgXU17D3tW00PsXCXOm7FoD9antMGHmOax0wpUE1lwzWQ7VG5cWF8z73_I4hsC3Wr9wOti8Ue6cu9JK-t0JtxSuNwwj22fKdaPPVuSlxK_6BGv17jA/s3264/IMG_5142.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbi-MNW0Q13IqrAm008ZeY1HSivP2W4jDvdVGEqXqj5PzrzBajjX2ryhqkj0Z4okPF2IReqgXU17D3tW00PsXCXOm7FoD9antMGHmOax0wpUE1lwzWQ7VG5cWF8z73_I4hsC3Wr9wOti8Ue6cu9JK-t0JtxSuNwwj22fKdaPPVuSlxK_6BGv17jA/w150-h200/IMG_5142.jpeg" width="150" /></b></a></div></td>
<td><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsLanDg7i501nyzznraLXzqrXS0wLpogzAFAGDTNxeu5yjr-lDpBanrWuC1o-H7HLx0AZzFqESvy3f8d6QKC0IQB1jBM-Iat7mzIv4HfDTjaBkqXSDY9ernUrA6k3F4yw8i-W8bfsQdtPSOgzhyPFqNVRFLxEJTW8fyXVd4UO5JBMF1qhlmnIaA/s3264/IMG_5159.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsLanDg7i501nyzznraLXzqrXS0wLpogzAFAGDTNxeu5yjr-lDpBanrWuC1o-H7HLx0AZzFqESvy3f8d6QKC0IQB1jBM-Iat7mzIv4HfDTjaBkqXSDY9ernUrA6k3F4yw8i-W8bfsQdtPSOgzhyPFqNVRFLxEJTW8fyXVd4UO5JBMF1qhlmnIaA/w150-h200/IMG_5159.jpeg" width="150" /></a><br /></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Four</b></td>
<td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb0Zv4Y8IcWpWAPafYgveBPh3L02-7DVDKyZBXIQGpm_qRXNaVGS-MvSkEdrFz87CzJXq9FDvCZKTBxonl2G_m4ELMtRmEjrbQO-FSLDdF5QTtLXgrZFTaH4utGVM0QSfHLfJvmGtQJ0OeRRmOEiWsuaTOJx1m-_pQXpcYyem_-KUiiEjEck7EKg/s3264/IMG_5143.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb0Zv4Y8IcWpWAPafYgveBPh3L02-7DVDKyZBXIQGpm_qRXNaVGS-MvSkEdrFz87CzJXq9FDvCZKTBxonl2G_m4ELMtRmEjrbQO-FSLDdF5QTtLXgrZFTaH4utGVM0QSfHLfJvmGtQJ0OeRRmOEiWsuaTOJx1m-_pQXpcYyem_-KUiiEjEck7EKg/w150-h200/IMG_5143.jpeg" width="150" /></b></a></div></td>
<td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLoAoVE7juSlgDuqg3idH8tJwW3g8CEJtKlbVyQloamjQ3vlh6vUgDkZMR0gdp0QqI1mswmeE8FcInNmE7q15FAE5zptzkg4-oNFh6u_a13KwrDY7nhcFJb5O1b6v4xomowuqTtTOa1BHZTgqyFsF7uirrxByrxJfcCIRMZPy8tpyRTH9rCk4odQ/s3264/IMG_5157.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLoAoVE7juSlgDuqg3idH8tJwW3g8CEJtKlbVyQloamjQ3vlh6vUgDkZMR0gdp0QqI1mswmeE8FcInNmE7q15FAE5zptzkg4-oNFh6u_a13KwrDY7nhcFJb5O1b6v4xomowuqTtTOa1BHZTgqyFsF7uirrxByrxJfcCIRMZPy8tpyRTH9rCk4odQ/w150-h200/IMG_5157.jpeg" width="150" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfn_XBqeOT7syaey7itRKZdBhpXpeAmsPjgJn1GirGUjbBjRtBdtEzOzXPLs2Nn6edB2oqetKvsQyDzE_aRcBK3q0ZswDMWihyphenhyphenLdheWcYL8RDTPqto8h0JjmaJTBCrytaVjXyqTGoW0al23vv_cvJCEm-ryFCUsHExuEHQbtX0PaPXSY405VdRmg/s3264/IMG_5158.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfn_XBqeOT7syaey7itRKZdBhpXpeAmsPjgJn1GirGUjbBjRtBdtEzOzXPLs2Nn6edB2oqetKvsQyDzE_aRcBK3q0ZswDMWihyphenhyphenLdheWcYL8RDTPqto8h0JjmaJTBCrytaVjXyqTGoW0al23vv_cvJCEm-ryFCUsHExuEHQbtX0PaPXSY405VdRmg/w150-h200/IMG_5158.jpeg" width="150" /></b></a></div></td>
<td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1xvEo6hWrkn9Y9aBxum_O1iuOHWpzAmE04bc7suuXTaEBlaJPjQGNkmP0VrTTVN9Gbr71rS-CIE3qaaDpf5efrGKHgBU9JUbqO5K2_8nalA16PoIpKLwjJ_YvBdQxZsuLnUt7QT_cAIrCuw2UV8EGpAHEqvQa78qi-Jdkmj-LTPB04VvKe7qrrw/s3264/IMG_5156.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1xvEo6hWrkn9Y9aBxum_O1iuOHWpzAmE04bc7suuXTaEBlaJPjQGNkmP0VrTTVN9Gbr71rS-CIE3qaaDpf5efrGKHgBU9JUbqO5K2_8nalA16PoIpKLwjJ_YvBdQxZsuLnUt7QT_cAIrCuw2UV8EGpAHEqvQa78qi-Jdkmj-LTPB04VvKe7qrrw/w150-h200/IMG_5156.jpeg" width="150" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthsgSvsQYShuMl5o4gWEsUYa_q-nSDjb9XGGvpkl185DcNgzBvWmO3o8FmQR7IddUPyKeDx3bUDW0Zm0Y7HquKpSifyxmGsAlmp2GBhG1Q4uUFfXpQp94NRjUHUeqyCdjhDGrsp-73g_G2vaujsqN1JjuLIIinsly-yFyAQxmvZknQnUM7Pphyphenhyphenw/s3264/IMG_5144%20copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthsgSvsQYShuMl5o4gWEsUYa_q-nSDjb9XGGvpkl185DcNgzBvWmO3o8FmQR7IddUPyKeDx3bUDW0Zm0Y7HquKpSifyxmGsAlmp2GBhG1Q4uUFfXpQp94NRjUHUeqyCdjhDGrsp-73g_G2vaujsqN1JjuLIIinsly-yFyAQxmvZknQnUM7Pphyphenhyphenw/w150-h200/IMG_5144%20copy.jpeg" width="150" /></b></a></div></div></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Three</b></td>
<td><b>N/A</b></td>
<td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALt3XKpjKj4IvWRPGBRMw97sIurTKl5ln7_B0E4miA_pmAzevgj2ZqJgpa-QvDdp8EG0DpZquqWe0NrD0fTmrGF5wWymJK8IqoDKYJTFuts_pNm8eV2zQY_V3HkWykEBr3snu7gE3Uvgg_0a2n9FPc3YDL-QwE2VJOUoxVAQDhjtTf4xrRaAhew/s3264/IMG_5144.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALt3XKpjKj4IvWRPGBRMw97sIurTKl5ln7_B0E4miA_pmAzevgj2ZqJgpa-QvDdp8EG0DpZquqWe0NrD0fTmrGF5wWymJK8IqoDKYJTFuts_pNm8eV2zQY_V3HkWykEBr3snu7gE3Uvgg_0a2n9FPc3YDL-QwE2VJOUoxVAQDhjtTf4xrRaAhew/w150-h200/IMG_5144.jpeg" width="150" /></b></a></div>
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</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Two</b></td>
<td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNy2OtpmO2E0KWg3-uYuNbFYfXsiU8XurAumJvlc0uKkkGODFO1QfxF_ZVUQGUmCfiNNohpRwNfWIUrp983Ye9N-Oqp63LkVfChrkGWzL1pRlcJ1rRBP1LDsrCIk8EG7gfeXmk8JYSZ33sYPiVi1UaHgyFjNqJlegcThh9J_u-GunmC5gH3srj5Q/s3264/IMG_5145.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNy2OtpmO2E0KWg3-uYuNbFYfXsiU8XurAumJvlc0uKkkGODFO1QfxF_ZVUQGUmCfiNNohpRwNfWIUrp983Ye9N-Oqp63LkVfChrkGWzL1pRlcJ1rRBP1LDsrCIk8EG7gfeXmk8JYSZ33sYPiVi1UaHgyFjNqJlegcThh9J_u-GunmC5gH3srj5Q/w150-h200/IMG_5145.jpeg" width="150" /></b></a></div></td>
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<td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqM3_vxMqE5CoJILIsTxM0wozF5EChZyRn_a1JaCV-fjtQn3k0Eo5VBkfZ4ZI0ebc58evnjfrKTCM8DZgL_zUOAHODserc9zgunIk68ikZBbO_7BBfTpz06lk9IloPpDJQaduLm-lzsiMatd7dvnDYySUn_TeMV-EESCsZmz8-KMTlq7FQzJEN7g/s3264/IMG_5149.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqM3_vxMqE5CoJILIsTxM0wozF5EChZyRn_a1JaCV-fjtQn3k0Eo5VBkfZ4ZI0ebc58evnjfrKTCM8DZgL_zUOAHODserc9zgunIk68ikZBbO_7BBfTpz06lk9IloPpDJQaduLm-lzsiMatd7dvnDYySUn_TeMV-EESCsZmz8-KMTlq7FQzJEN7g/w150-h200/IMG_5149.jpeg" width="150" /></b></a></div>
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</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>One</b></td>
<td><b>N/A</b></td>
<td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3rayT3zbmnF7Fg2Lvg2YarjXh5_gFQFzv-GURybtSCx8mxf9lZhjK7sEbgoYYwgwsl8gu5iTMtJImuvWSYbOddaBcxh7NLsaurX5tIDWOU4uAhD3wsZa4C7dbYkeWCFaAyBF7deAF8xsCLErKo7YvDgvgkGiszvB4HIwlwmLlwjtpC6F5Ibnsg/s3264/IMG_5146.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3rayT3zbmnF7Fg2Lvg2YarjXh5_gFQFzv-GURybtSCx8mxf9lZhjK7sEbgoYYwgwsl8gu5iTMtJImuvWSYbOddaBcxh7NLsaurX5tIDWOU4uAhD3wsZa4C7dbYkeWCFaAyBF7deAF8xsCLErKo7YvDgvgkGiszvB4HIwlwmLlwjtpC6F5Ibnsg/w150-h200/IMG_5146.jpeg" width="150" /></b></a></div></td>
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</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>None</b></td>
<td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizbQgs9FFhEDYgyxF4AhHb2266zeltaZvL5nzMAGgM8eRERrnUMuXz0TxcJ8RDrSegF0iq1o-rPAu7rB7qvHml-n1AmtzZpgu7a9N1bFOUL1uf6PKlKiJDTdNx6MU4CqnUnxJJpQxcYO6z_1167AoD2_3vov2wiQ3yik16x0ve-N8al9olFHrXzA/s3264/IMG_5147.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizbQgs9FFhEDYgyxF4AhHb2266zeltaZvL5nzMAGgM8eRERrnUMuXz0TxcJ8RDrSegF0iq1o-rPAu7rB7qvHml-n1AmtzZpgu7a9N1bFOUL1uf6PKlKiJDTdNx6MU4CqnUnxJJpQxcYO6z_1167AoD2_3vov2wiQ3yik16x0ve-N8al9olFHrXzA/w150-h200/IMG_5147.jpeg" width="150" /></b></a></div></td>
<td><b>N/A</b></td>
<td><b>N/A</b></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p>Blah.</p>
Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-13668028981050833452023-12-30T19:43:00.007+00:002023-12-31T15:42:02.549+00:00Parkrun Tourism Part 07 - 2023 Episode 02<p>All over the place. May-December 2023.</p>
<div>Dramatis personae:</div><div><ul><li>Mark McLellan (me)</li><li>Mary Galashan (wife)</li><li>Sandra Carpenter (sister-in-law)</li></ul></div><p>This year I did 48 parkruns including 20 new locations and 4 new countries. </p><p>As reported in <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2023/06/parkrun-tourism-part-07-2023-episode-01.html">Parkrun Tourism Part 07 - 2023 Episode 01</a> I reached 50 unique locations in the first four months of this year including:</p><ul><li>Ford</li><li>Gateshead</li><li>Cleethorpes</li><li>Victoria Dock</li><li>Ruchill</li><li>Monsal Trail</li><li>York</li></ul><p>Since then I have done 13 others taking me up to a grand total of 63 unique locations:</p><p></p>Normally we do not do much touristing over the summer because we are in southern Italy. This year however we aimed to complete our Alphabeteer challenge so we did a number of city breaks in Poland and Germany plus a "Grand Tour" by train from Italy back to the UK:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>University of Stirling</li><li>Zielony Jar</li><li>Holyrood</li><li>Jabłona</li><li>Itchen Vally Country </li><li>St Albans</li><li>Neckarufer, Esslingen</li><li>Farfalle</li><li>Hellbrun</li><li>Amsterdamse Bos</li><li>Malahide (Mary's first time)</li><li>Springburn</li><li>Beverley Westwood</li><li>Southwark</li></ul><div>We reached a number of parkrun milestones:</div><div><ul><li>25 volunteering at Holyrood on 17/06/2023 (Mark)</li><li>50 volunteering at Salento on 15/07/2023 (Mary)</li><li>150th parkwalk at Penrith on 04/11/2023 (Mary)</li><li>200th parkrun at Penrith on 02/12/2023 (Mark)</li></ul>And achieved a number of 5K app challenges:<br /><ul><li>Pirates at Cleethorpes on 14/01/2023 (Mark, Mary)</li><li>Groundhog Day at Salento on 25/03/2023 (Mark)</li><li>Half Cowell at York on 29/04/2023 (Mark) </li><li>Palindrome at Salento on 02/07/2023 (Mark)</li><li>Alphabeteer, Jetsetter and"Parkrun" at Neckarufer, Esslingen on 23/09/2023 (Mark, Mary)</li><li>Half Cowell and Volunteer Tourist at Neckarufer, Esslingen on 23/09/2023 (Mary) </li><li>Compass Club at Southwark on 16/12/2023 (Mark, Mary)</li></ul>
<p><b>University of Stirling <a href="https://www.parkrun.org.uk/universityofstirling/results/111/">06/05/2023</a> 28:36 [85 / 170].</b></p>
<p>Headed north to the University of Stirling parkrun where we got a "U", a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_(cricket)">Nelson 111</a> and wet. Scenic two lapper round a loch in lovely countryside. Only slight downside is that the start and finish are slightly separate so there is a small hill which you do at the start, middle and end.</p>
<p>Afterwards, as they say in Scotland, drookit!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9R9q2OpNv0GhL-aIJeWnZapFNm68u0b_fLOHpn_G0vP0KGAJjUTxWJX8PfISVI0XSTQXN6BuKokRxCfEoa0MQrlHu404Ny6nlHcw62KI3Cr9MR8YVQMKvqQOccyHyIST52bllpRda-zpALSViNjZo-1osJDj5BoTJUEkuVrWmEaHLsmFmhr6AQ/s2048/uos-02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9R9q2OpNv0GhL-aIJeWnZapFNm68u0b_fLOHpn_G0vP0KGAJjUTxWJX8PfISVI0XSTQXN6BuKokRxCfEoa0MQrlHu404Ny6nlHcw62KI3Cr9MR8YVQMKvqQOccyHyIST52bllpRda-zpALSViNjZo-1osJDj5BoTJUEkuVrWmEaHLsmFmhr6AQ/w300-h400/uos-02.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<p>Amongst the day's lovely volunteers were this Tailwalker and her Tail Wagger!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxVRFhu_U6O8F_DyVmYkWur84mtN5UCYVzHE09Gnv7Ik_dfeLaM7VywnK49lPyGcD3VG3dmPzmBopBti-_mliclOq2ET91DnuqqzU_juNBhjhwZbkb1CusvufvFLI0MDs0m9mQ8ymozifcrI4A0_Chl4dwKFW9tm3d3H7KJCbdWnOn9gucorDdQ/s2048/uos-03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1463" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxVRFhu_U6O8F_DyVmYkWur84mtN5UCYVzHE09Gnv7Ik_dfeLaM7VywnK49lPyGcD3VG3dmPzmBopBti-_mliclOq2ET91DnuqqzU_juNBhjhwZbkb1CusvufvFLI0MDs0m9mQ8ymozifcrI4A0_Chl4dwKFW9tm3d3H7KJCbdWnOn9gucorDdQ/w286-h400/uos-03.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
<p><b>Zielony Jar <a href="https://www.parkrun.pl/zielonyjar/results/38/">27/05/2023</a> 28:13 [23 / 46].</b></p>
<p>A new parkrun for us in a new country, Poland, and got a Z. The Run Director asked for a Tail Walker so Mary volunteered. She had a great walk round chatting to Michael on his first ever parkwalk and saw a red squirrel. We were joined by Sandra who is now addicted to parkrun and parkrun tourism. Quite a few visitors, including Michelle and Lance who have promised to come to Salento parkrun.</p>
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<p>Mary got a volunteer credit for Zamykający Stawkę which slightly made up for the fact that the hi-viz clashed with her new Tikiboo outfit - I knew that!</p>
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<p>Full report of the weekend at <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2023/05/city-break-krakow.html">City Break - Krakow</a>.</p>
<p><b>Holyrood <a href="https://www.parkrun.org.uk/holyrood/results/43/">17/06/2023</a> 28:34 [212 / 365].</b></p>
<p>Parkrun in Scotland starts at 9:30 instead of 9:00 unlike England, Wales and the rest of Europe. As Mary had already done the course and knew about the elevation profile, she offered to be a volunteer. We were early enough that I was able to help set up the finish funnel and get a volunteer credit as well as running.</p>
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<p>Mary sporting yet another new pair of colourful Tikiboo leggings. Apparently she chose them to match the volunteers’ orange hi-viz forgetting that marshals get pink ones!</p>
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<p>Full report of the weekend at <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2023/06/city-break-edinburgh.html">City Break - Edinburgh</a>.</p>
<p><b>Jablonna</b><b> <a href="https://www.parkrun.pl/jablonna/results/300/">29/07/2023</a> 29:40 [75 / 125]</b>.<b> </b></p><p>Parkrun Jabłonna and a J for the parkrun alphabet. Only when we arrived at the start we discovered it was their 300th event which meant lots of runners and walkers plus cake and jollity. Very enjoyable 3 and a bit lapper through the woods. </p>
<p>Posing before the start.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkJwlRbewP5E7d6mycYtvGVsg8juPshMlcQaUb0XU537yqCZgBfztSVIpaKUTVgb3oLKNN5cAAsAx5bIob_0TxLgShvmPhjosgnRRyXPN8JnSpaL1JN9yzNggZv2N7SC3TwAXKwjpdmNa8khoTl142ozXxRITsDapx13UoOdJnVjCOa1ygi5U3Q/s2048/Sat1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkJwlRbewP5E7d6mycYtvGVsg8juPshMlcQaUb0XU537yqCZgBfztSVIpaKUTVgb3oLKNN5cAAsAx5bIob_0TxLgShvmPhjosgnRRyXPN8JnSpaL1JN9yzNggZv2N7SC3TwAXKwjpdmNa8khoTl142ozXxRITsDapx13UoOdJnVjCOa1ygi5U3Q/w300-h400/Sat1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<p>Mary volunteered as parkwalker.</p>
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<p>Mary was surprised by the huge cheers she got at the finish line but it turned out that, at position 116, she was the person who broke the previous course attendance record. The previous record was 115 people on 26th August 2017 and that's why there was so much cheering! The finally tally was 125.</p>
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<p>The official photographers took some great photos.</p>
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<p>The record-breaking crowd at parkrun Jabłonna.</p>
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<p>Full report of the trip at <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2023/07/city-break-warsaw.html">City Break - Warsaw</a>. </p>
<p><b>Itchen Valley Country <a href="https://www.parkrun.org.uk/itchenvalleycountry/results/111/">19/08/2023</a> 29:59 [84 / 206]</b> </p>
<p>Back in the UK for three weeks, we ended up doing a very enjoyable 10 day road trip round the south of England visiting various friends. The first Saturday we were in Ringwood and went to nearby Itchen Valley to get the penultimate letter for our parkrun alphabet. </p>
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<p>Full report at <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2023/09/uk-road-trip-august-2023.html">UK Road Trip, August 2023</a>.</p>
<p><b>St Albans <a href="https://www.parkrun.org.uk/stalbans/results/542/">26/08/2023</a> 29:18 [241 / 544]</b></p>
<p>The second Saturday of our road trip found us in St Albans. Choice of parkruns nearby but decided on the eponymous St. Albans. A run / walk around the lovely Verulamium Park and a view of the cathedral - they missed a chance to have another V in the UK! A big crowd, more than 500, but wide open at the start so no congestion. Lovely 3 laps of a lake and great day for it, not too hot. </p>
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<p>Unusually there was another parkwalker who walked at the same pace as Mary so she had company all the way round. </p>
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<p>After a shower and change it was off to Harpenden on the train for my godson Lorenzo and Julie's wedding.</p>
<p><b>Neckerufer, Esslingen <a href="https://www.parkrun.com.de/neckaruferesslingen/results/165/">23/09/2023</a> 29:57 [22 / 44]</b>.</p>
<p>We had a fantastic weekend in Esslingen near Stuttgart, a part of Germany that we knew nothing about. With huge thanks to Markus and Manuela for inspiring us to visit the area and giving up their time to act as great local guides.</p><p>We first met Markus and Manuela when they came to Salento parkrun whilst on holiday in Puglia. Markus is one of the Run Directors for Neckarufer and was encouraging people to visit. </p><p>Mary had got out her spreadsheet earlier in the year and worked out a plan whereby we could complete our parkrun alphabet challenge (doing a parkrun starting with each letter of the alphabet, except X) plus Mary's 50th different parkrun location and Jetsetter (parkruns in five countries) all at the same time at Neckarufer!</p>
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<p>In parkrun circles visiting 100 different locations is known as a Cowell (after the first person to complete the feat) and 50 events is a half Cowell (or Cow). Before the start Markus and Manuela presented Mary with appropriate bovine headband, and as you can see she already had the alphabet leggings.</p>
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<p>After parkrun and breakfast with the locals at a nearby cafe it was back to the apartment for a shower and then some normal touristing with Markus and Manuela. Full report at <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2023/09/city-break-esslingen.html">City Break - Esslingen</a>.</p>
<p><b>Farfalle <a href="https://www.parkrun.it/farfalle/results/193/">07/10/2023</a> 28:51 [23 / 54]</b></p>
<p>To celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary we embarked on Interrailing for Seniors - a three week rail journey from southern Italy to Amsterdam. The first Saturday of this grand tour was in a place with a parkrun, what are the chances of that! Four laps of a lovely wooded course. Lots of tourists and a couple of local celebrations so great fun.</p><p>A homemade frame constructed of plywood and sticky tape.</p>
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<p>Mary volunteered for tail walker.</p>
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<p>Padua is a fascinating city, still to be written up in a blog post.</p>
<p><b>Hellbrun <a href="https://www.parkrun.co.at/hellbrunn/results/107/">14/10/2023</a> 29:41 [19 / 23]</b></p><p>The second Saturday of our 30th wedding anniversary tour we are now in Salzburg and, guess what, there is a parkrun here! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDp2ZuN_QtvW5uTnTBPkhNRKTCHUHbNnTNYK9bXx3JakCj3LrHB-xo6ezdj8FCHLulaNUHj9fqZE0x7bn5HFqcV_hB7jXRZ2ZEJSJzl2y7An63LGMwYZreENj8fnRBSX2-CP2lVpJmCbpnyVyq0pEnc0_FZDoPQ0RS3zRVIYygb5AHH6lR_Y0MA/s2048/hell-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDp2ZuN_QtvW5uTnTBPkhNRKTCHUHbNnTNYK9bXx3JakCj3LrHB-xo6ezdj8FCHLulaNUHj9fqZE0x7bn5HFqcV_hB7jXRZ2ZEJSJzl2y7An63LGMwYZreENj8fnRBSX2-CP2lVpJmCbpnyVyq0pEnc0_FZDoPQ0RS3zRVIYygb5AHH6lR_Y0MA/w300-h400/hell-01.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<p>Lovely flat, 2.5 laps with brilliant views. As is usual here tourists outnumber the locals today - apparently the locals prefer to run up the mountains.</p>
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<p>Great bunch of volunteers including Mary as Schlussbegleitung (Tailwalker). Given the Hell in the name Mary chose leggings called "More Bloody Skulls".</p>
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<p>Mary also doubled up as "post event clear up" volunteer.</p>
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<p>Then off to get ourselves a serious does of culture.</p>
<p><b>Amsterdamse Bos <a href="https://www.parkrun.co.nl/amsterdamsebos/results/105/">21/10/2023</a> 28:48 [72 / 123]</b></p><p>The third Saturday of our 30th wedding anniversary tour and we were in Amsterdam. We chose Amsterdamse Bos parkrun to get an A for the Namely challenge (every letter of your name). Beautiful park, one lap course, lovely local cafe for parkfaff and great bunch of volunteers. Tourists from all over with strong contingent from Oz. </p>
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<p>We were amused by the cheese shaped receptacle for the tokens; normally it is just an old bucket.</p>
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<p>One more night in Amsterdam to complete the Grand Tour.</p>
<p><b>Malahide <a href="https://www.parkrun.ie/malahide/results/495/">11/11/2023</a> 28:49 [</b><b>182 / 311</b><b>]</b></p><p>A return visit to one of our favourite cities, Dublin, for the first time in a while. I have done Malahide before - literally <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2019/08/parkrun-tourism-part-01-2017.html">my second ever parkrun</a>. Now Mary parkwalks we are playing catch up, ticking off locations that she had missed first time round and we were joined by Sandra. It was the 11th birthday of Malahide parkrun on the 11th of the 11th on a near perfect day. Complete with song led by Eric, RD from Belfast:</p><p>🎵You are my parkrun, my only parkrun<br />You make me happy when skies are grey <br />And when you're not on<br />You do my head in<br />Please don't take my parkrun away🎵</p>
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<p>Sandra volunteered as parkwalker in the blue tabard.</p>
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<p>Mary, as often, volunteered as talkwalker.</p>
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<p>Then into Dublin for more Guinness!</p><p><b>Springburn <a href="https://www.parkrun.org.uk/springburn/results/411/">18/11/2023</a> 28:30 [</b><b>80 / 123</b><b>]</b></p><p>A trip to Glasgow for a cookery course so Springburn parkrun today. A wet day but amazingly the rain held off between 9:30 and 10:30! Lovely park, great bunch of volunteers and lots of tourists. Another briefing involving a song - this time a spoken version of Wonderwall with adapted lyrics. Two laps but start and end are in slightly different places meaning that you do the only real hill three times!</p>
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<p>Sandra powering in at 38:51 - that is a fast walk!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVz6UcHEyeTpYYlQqaQgojQuQyUyOeJo5FDdQCPLQydXBMvH0XBJHYW-WDeZSwpSuyGecZnZ5fQPqrfkr2BUV7WDkUQ9Q6DLmBqf23tW99u0HEw4gVLSYSSWWZ-izCseWsiE6glRItuCDfPMFq8ZGftlT4uileFltbNTgy4iv1q2KHZx9qQRKoIw/s2048/sb03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVz6UcHEyeTpYYlQqaQgojQuQyUyOeJo5FDdQCPLQydXBMvH0XBJHYW-WDeZSwpSuyGecZnZ5fQPqrfkr2BUV7WDkUQ9Q6DLmBqf23tW99u0HEw4gVLSYSSWWZ-izCseWsiE6glRItuCDfPMFq8ZGftlT4uileFltbNTgy4iv1q2KHZx9qQRKoIw/w400-h300/sb03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Mary in matching pink parkwalk t-shirt.</p>
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<p>Lovely autumnal colours.</p>
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<p>A bit of a cold wet one.</p>
<p><b>Beverley Westwood <a href="https://www.parkrun.org.uk/beverleywestwood/results/149/">25/11/2023</a> 29:39 [97 / 219]</b></p>
<p>We went to Pocklington to see an amazing slide guitarist, Martin Harley, full report at <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2023/11/pocklington-weekend.html">Pocklington Weekend</a>. We chose Beverley Westwood parkrun over other possibilities in the area as this gave us a compass point and a B for Sandra, </p>
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<p>Beautiful sunny morning but cold with a biting wind. Two laps of a very scenic course in a lovely park. The course took us round an old black windmill.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALEx7JbCAKMFDqI9nMImAj6PL0ko3E3cBtqNqPPpXSL8YgCUBbYxQndnIxk0r9EOaidd-VgvC2Nf56fIqb8h4F7F2LGbMhLMFLmgHLOV-XYivPc-iGuaFZga3BKpg7hyphenhyphena6bnFinLFIP1sAtaKs6E0eJrD3d_WTUF0MCaxLyNFV0EX4nuaZczqqA/s1024/0f594c95-33be-4322-ab49-c36dd2aa1a0c.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALEx7JbCAKMFDqI9nMImAj6PL0ko3E3cBtqNqPPpXSL8YgCUBbYxQndnIxk0r9EOaidd-VgvC2Nf56fIqb8h4F7F2LGbMhLMFLmgHLOV-XYivPc-iGuaFZga3BKpg7hyphenhyphena6bnFinLFIP1sAtaKs6E0eJrD3d_WTUF0MCaxLyNFV0EX4nuaZczqqA/w300-h400/0f594c95-33be-4322-ab49-c36dd2aa1a0c.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>
<p>Two and a half laps, frosty and hilly. A bit up and down - even the undulations had undulations.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTJVPqpy4Lwi1xAqHK3o-8uFZaf7FMhCgA16bLECU3aACZL29Ydmqc3BN2TjMLFE93IUoDj9R7xJArCNhWe6vKQvyfg-TNVt-OUxWMFZ5n6KT6DhGAU9OXhVN6tvH8xB064oL5n3BxhK6CGfBcrl48-HXT2NBTXxpM7wIT4TMWV5_Y4ZNAvz2BQ/s1600/7ba6979e-f9dc-4cd0-9a61-9e7fc5bb36b8.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1204" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTJVPqpy4Lwi1xAqHK3o-8uFZaf7FMhCgA16bLECU3aACZL29Ydmqc3BN2TjMLFE93IUoDj9R7xJArCNhWe6vKQvyfg-TNVt-OUxWMFZ5n6KT6DhGAU9OXhVN6tvH8xB064oL5n3BxhK6CGfBcrl48-HXT2NBTXxpM7wIT4TMWV5_Y4ZNAvz2BQ/w301-h400/7ba6979e-f9dc-4cd0-9a61-9e7fc5bb36b8.jpeg" width="301" /></a></div>
<p>Huge thanks to the volunteers and especially the really cheerful marshal who was stationed on the coldest part of the course. </p>
<p><b>Southwark <a href="https://www.parkrun.org.uk/southwark/results/451/">16/12/2023</a> 28:37 [252 / 271]</b></p>
<p>In London for a few days decorating a rental flat. Silver lining was that it was a great chance to catch up with London-based friends who we now rarely see.</p>
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<p>On our last day we did Southwark parkrun for a South to complete the Compass challenge. Three flat laps on tarmac round a lovely park. Should have been a fast course but not for Mary after all the Christmas meetups this week.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemL6ZdBxHH4yHwXiu4BnFXws_a-1VKirPMDhmJCpWSWbJirs0Nnph4JP0OmP69ebPCP9i9UQWvfEBCd2HFycw-mG4vtbpJr5EKBP1uwaCxwGHQyreGB59BQRhPkmhLrY2olqoNMo7eElSRd7q9wvHWIDD1ejQ2QdRv7TXboHVFZ5v3oC0VG-HrA/s2048/sw02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemL6ZdBxHH4yHwXiu4BnFXws_a-1VKirPMDhmJCpWSWbJirs0Nnph4JP0OmP69ebPCP9i9UQWvfEBCd2HFycw-mG4vtbpJr5EKBP1uwaCxwGHQyreGB59BQRhPkmhLrY2olqoNMo7eElSRd7q9wvHWIDD1ejQ2QdRv7TXboHVFZ5v3oC0VG-HrA/w300-h400/sw02.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>Quite a few tourists, great bunch of volunteers and more pacers than ever seen before, spanning 19 to 40 minutes.</p><p>And that was our last new tourist venue for the year. It was back to Penrith for the rest, apart from Christmas Day at Keswick parkrun.</p>
</div>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-2270741270583106502023-12-12T00:00:00.002+00:002023-12-24T09:43:46.782+00:00David Gordon Trio at 606 Club<p>London, UK. Tuesday 12-December-2023.</p><p>We were in London for four days to do landlord duties redecorating in one of our buy-to-let flats in Wandsworth. That gave us an opportunity to meet up with various friends in the evenings. Tuesday it was the turn of Annie and Simon. They suggested some live music at the <a href="https://www.606club.co.uk/">606 Club</a> in Chelsea. We were definitely up for that. Investigating travel options via the wonderful CityMapper app we discovered there was a bus which would take us almost door-to-door from hotel to venue and back. Result!</p>
<p>We surprisingly had never been to this club but it has been going for many decades. It definitely fell into the small, intimate venue category. Located in a basement in a residential street, it was modest in size. We got there fairly early and ordered ourselves supper. The food was excellent quality and gave us time to finish before the band appeared.</p><p>The David Gordon Trio comprises piano, double bass and drums. Mary noticed that the bass player was constantly consulting his music. We wondered if he might not have been their regular bass player but they worked together well.</p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NnDmJFYtbeEEDe23d1BV6M4xdiKIfxCFVobeYb1pn98OX3Vx_6P5baupE8qmW_PvcRMxuRHZWhdNuhksN8RvuNaV6LARcgBwqPhvwgJn9HOGkuZ4KoKgpP6A6KPGfClyo-hba9SoODp8WQcO2HfVj1mY1ZfX06W1wYWmmpdGEJ4Oh56wc27mPA/s2790/IMG_0314.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2097" data-original-width="2790" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NnDmJFYtbeEEDe23d1BV6M4xdiKIfxCFVobeYb1pn98OX3Vx_6P5baupE8qmW_PvcRMxuRHZWhdNuhksN8RvuNaV6LARcgBwqPhvwgJn9HOGkuZ4KoKgpP6A6KPGfClyo-hba9SoODp8WQcO2HfVj1mY1ZfX06W1wYWmmpdGEJ4Oh56wc27mPA/w400-h301/IMG_0314.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<p>David Gordon, occasionally switched from piano to <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melodica">Melodica</a> a small wind keyboard instrument.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjISAeplgLyvDxP6NSCUk_cXn9poopoO3Jw2p2vO8XQ3b2V0a-Lbtjy-OsMvZRKQc10Fzcmr1gP_RSTGtDB4JActuhyphenhyphenM7X7904QuDYDjLwPElSFJE6zOLDgvhnHn9wUT7TAYHLHmIvy_sX9vl2d0-xy-R-07DemhxJkS-gIqrHDvyjqpZ8rTvQf_A/s4032/IMG_0315.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjISAeplgLyvDxP6NSCUk_cXn9poopoO3Jw2p2vO8XQ3b2V0a-Lbtjy-OsMvZRKQc10Fzcmr1gP_RSTGtDB4JActuhyphenhyphenM7X7904QuDYDjLwPElSFJE6zOLDgvhnHn9wUT7TAYHLHmIvy_sX9vl2d0-xy-R-07DemhxJkS-gIqrHDvyjqpZ8rTvQf_A/w400-h300/IMG_0315.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<p>They played mostly their own compositions, some of which included themes or motifs from a number of classical composers: Bach, Schubert, Byrd, and Brazilian music.</p>
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<p>All good, solid dinner jazz and an excellent opportunity to catch up with old friends.</p>
Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-52934653447685902542023-12-09T21:00:00.109+00:002023-12-22T15:49:30.839+00:00Tide Lines at Brewery Arts<p>Kendal, Cumbria, UK. Saturday 09-December-2023.</p>
<p>The sister-in-law and husband are fans of <a href="https://www.tidelinesband.com/">Tide Lines</a> and have seen them several times. They were performing at nearby Kendal and as Mary’s aunt Avril wanted to go we made an evening of it with a lovely meal beforehand and an overnight stay.</p><p>The support act were <a href="https://www.blueviolet.uk/">Blue Violet</a>, a duo; the female lead had a good voice. </p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6v1sL6YVww6mAhMKlE13dVBq6Vry8PsoiraVtArtqDVbHJKN2z_YTffEr7cn2PnlUj11w-dOJGyp5gDabl160-akCPykF2wdL2ryHd-9R3APlTS4T66ttxiDH2_2KZsV93f9dAIUBP2-W541BTC-yR28WlgNiBquYDoDFw2bbvesbaW8JrfG7qg/s4032/IMG_0282.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6v1sL6YVww6mAhMKlE13dVBq6Vry8PsoiraVtArtqDVbHJKN2z_YTffEr7cn2PnlUj11w-dOJGyp5gDabl160-akCPykF2wdL2ryHd-9R3APlTS4T66ttxiDH2_2KZsV93f9dAIUBP2-W541BTC-yR28WlgNiBquYDoDFw2bbvesbaW8JrfG7qg/w400-h300/IMG_0282.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Tide Lines are folk-rock and have been described as “anthemic indie-folk”. To my ear they are less folk and more rock with catchy choruses that the crowd can chant along to more like U2 or Queen or other stadium filling bands. Mary detected more of the folk elements with songs that reminded her of the traditional folk tunes she grew up with.<p></p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJ9rgB_Hccp2JsrHpndLXesrJWs0uL_TB4znIgVLq5PPhPTIopJVLX76JTZYLuzxEEKo-BXfu59itzCiQCx-n6WmnuVwqhfcXISav5qcEMNX009LW-a33pHFk4HjRAfFjj64WkTw6NBA2Fy6-YxJwn8UHQ1e9poLwr3srtUQL-ZoMJG0Hep4LcA/s4032/IMG_0283.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJ9rgB_Hccp2JsrHpndLXesrJWs0uL_TB4znIgVLq5PPhPTIopJVLX76JTZYLuzxEEKo-BXfu59itzCiQCx-n6WmnuVwqhfcXISav5qcEMNX009LW-a33pHFk4HjRAfFjj64WkTw6NBA2Fy6-YxJwn8UHQ1e9poLwr3srtUQL-ZoMJG0Hep4LcA/w400-h300/IMG_0283.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />We were towards the back of the venue and as it has a low ceiling and the stage isn’t raised up you don’t get much of a view of the band. <p></p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNKjdOM7AfCxgyXvojgNRQq6-9wjCBc1LjUUGVEBG2BLXF2j0Ke8R4baNHgzcPbfgNjA8qk8sFMa-kedSX53X4EH4xT7QDsr1CQblAJsJ1lVvuawXzgUdc1ekaIUNSi99zAYptRdyiRakPyCLmMxK2iE1Tcz2otlyHW8yRNE-JQNMA4LsqZf6zA/s4032/IMG_0285.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNKjdOM7AfCxgyXvojgNRQq6-9wjCBc1LjUUGVEBG2BLXF2j0Ke8R4baNHgzcPbfgNjA8qk8sFMa-kedSX53X4EH4xT7QDsr1CQblAJsJ1lVvuawXzgUdc1ekaIUNSi99zAYptRdyiRakPyCLmMxK2iE1Tcz2otlyHW8yRNE-JQNMA4LsqZf6zA/w400-h300/IMG_0285.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />We were surrounded by people singing along to every song. They clearly knew all the words and were enthusiastically waving their hands in the air. It was bizarrely being like at a cult meeting surrounded by the faithful. I did enjoy the music notwithstanding the adulation from others. <p></p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-69878962631054156902023-12-09T09:00:00.005+00:002023-12-16T15:10:27.454+00:00Penrith Run Report #432<p>Frenchfields, Penrith, Cumbria, UK. Saturday 09-December-2023.</p>
<p>A group of us take it in turns to volunteer as report writer at Penrith parkrun. This week it was my turn and below is my report.</p>
<p><b>You’ll never be last at parkrun.</b></p>
<p>
There is a parkrun motto “It’s a run not a race “. While some participants are keen to go as fast as possible, it is not a competition. You are not going to beat Harry Lancaster or Jonathan Cox (16:24 and 17:18 respectively on latest outings). There are no medals or trophies to be won. The only person you are competing against is yourself. There are many ways to judge how well you’re doing and to provide that extra motivation.</p>
<p>
Just being there: It’s 9 o’clock on a Saturday morning and you’re waiting for the off. That’s so much better than all the other couch potatoes still in bed. You can feel pleased with yourself for crawling out from under the duvet and getting out there.</p>
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<p>Under starter’s orders</p>
<p>
This week 151 people ran, jogged and walked the course, of whom 17 were first timers (1 first ever parkrun and 16 visitors) and 10 recorded new Personal Bests. Representatives of 23 different clubs took part. A fair turnout considering the cold and wet conditions.</p>
<p>
Thanks, as usual, to all the volunteers for making parkrun possible.</p>
<p><b>
Age category:</b> There will always be people younger than you and faster than you. It is much more useful to look at the age category and see how you’re doing against your peers.</p>
<p><b>
Age graded score:</b> My personal favourite. This gives you a percentage score against a worldwide sample of people your age. A bit like a golf handicap, it enables you to compare people of different ages. You can sort the results by age grading and discover that you may have been behind by faster athletes but because they are younger you, in fact, have a higher score than them.</p>
<p><b>
PB (Personal Best): </b>Many people join parkrun to get fit. Your very first parkrun at any event is set as a PB. Thereafter, every time you improve you get a new PB. When you start at parkrun you’ll find your fitness gets better and better and you will keep setting new PBs. Very encouraging.</p>
<p><b>
Milestones: </b>Where you can say “Been there, done that, got the T-shirt”. At various milestones, you are eligible to treat yourself to a T-shirt: 25, 50, 100, 250 and even, occasionally seen, 500. Other arbitrary milestones at multiples of 50 are also celebrated. When you reach a milestone, let the Run Director know. They will give you a shout out and you’ll get a round applause for sticking with it.</p>
<p>
Congratulations this week to: Ruth Evans (100 volunteering), Charlie Beaumont (250), Gillian Silson (200 plus 101 volunteering).</p>
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<p>Ruth Evans, Gillian Silson, Helen Campion (First timer)</p>
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<p>Charlie Beaumont (250 parkruns)</p>
<p>
Now Charlie can get the well-deserved green t-shirt and start working towards the next.</p>
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<p>Kath Owen sporting the prestigious 500 T-shirt.</p>
<p><b>
You’ll never be last at parkrun: </b>The role of the Tail Walker is to be last! Primarily they are there to make sure that no one gets left behind. They also act as a companion for the people at the back. That can be for many reasons: coming back from injury, recovering from illness or operation, getting back out having given birth, just starting your journey to fitness. It doesn’t matter whatever your pace is there’s always somebody literally behind you.</p>
<p>
Another motto is “It’s about the finish line, not the finish time”. A 50 minute parkrun is just as far as a 20 minute parkrun. So come along and give it a go.</p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-47279756844703430842023-12-08T00:00:00.011+00:002023-12-18T10:00:38.098+00:00Bare Wires at Fell Bar<p>Penrith, Cumbria, UK. Friday 08-December-2023.</p>
<p>Local band <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=100082729697769">Bare Wires</a> were due to appear in the upstairs room at Fell Bar. The plan was to drink beer and listen to live music. Sounds good to me.</p><p>The bill was shared with an unplanned act, Jon Bowie (apparently part of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064059881397">Bowie, Beak and Powney</a>), who we saw last weekend at the open mic <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2023/12/tom-bright-plus-open-mic-at-penrith.html">plug and play at Penrith Players</a>.</p><p>He was excellent again. His fingers positively flew across the fretboard. An impressive display of virtuoso guitar playing blues and blues/rock.</p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3doD3u7ZjnKmaR7cZr0Uyu-JzqliQCwiWcez3AM7sW6qLtIIwYR3PvlO5_9lapnNFE06z-qhMVMYBRq0kEkTqB3OqPz4TIaIC-HCFL2c7tHrem1quNnCtHACeWcUN7xguElahd12Bke4pgGgNyKnr_HTH0mrfWsk2X-4bnei-6m28NgjTBK0tCw/s4032/IMG_0254.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3doD3u7ZjnKmaR7cZr0Uyu-JzqliQCwiWcez3AM7sW6qLtIIwYR3PvlO5_9lapnNFE06z-qhMVMYBRq0kEkTqB3OqPz4TIaIC-HCFL2c7tHrem1quNnCtHACeWcUN7xguElahd12Bke4pgGgNyKnr_HTH0mrfWsk2X-4bnei-6m28NgjTBK0tCw/w400-h300/IMG_0254.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Then the main act, Bare Wires, most of whom are regulars in the bar downstairs!<p></p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodZ-o1QVEC49pUx625t_qaDgT8-zfXtuiLmi4Xr6L34GBl2SljLt0FqEHn6yS4ajlsVwz2SSXSlpCHbxT0LeBh4My8Innk4MryCA497pnXu2bkqtWUIzOVFi3GaoTkjNmH3TlYhb47_y9DWv42Q01PKpQxBg4QFLzIC5oaL9_hXwjQRhkdVLhlA/s2953/IMG_0258.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2215" data-original-width="2953" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodZ-o1QVEC49pUx625t_qaDgT8-zfXtuiLmi4Xr6L34GBl2SljLt0FqEHn6yS4ajlsVwz2SSXSlpCHbxT0LeBh4My8Innk4MryCA497pnXu2bkqtWUIzOVFi3GaoTkjNmH3TlYhb47_y9DWv42Q01PKpQxBg4QFLzIC5oaL9_hXwjQRhkdVLhlA/w400-h300/IMG_0258.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />A four piece band (guitar, keyboards, bass and drums) they play Chicago Blues with a bit of soul and funk in the mix.<div><p></p>
<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqA7G1i63VhwTV6kHIgXFniYhWCsu_SQ_U0LrtRkh31Gll0NvHhhvpWnvnIA_xAGlb-zG3WNVi86YAP9AahfwIidx6KvQTIbjUZExRsAOwrHpvD0QBaG7bIqk8_h0bhG6Lo9wrmPSeFnVmOKVDaqzUN2iz_sQqUlCsxqZhsovDR4-b5AtMuhejg/s4032/IMG_0259.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqA7G1i63VhwTV6kHIgXFniYhWCsu_SQ_U0LrtRkh31Gll0NvHhhvpWnvnIA_xAGlb-zG3WNVi86YAP9AahfwIidx6KvQTIbjUZExRsAOwrHpvD0QBaG7bIqk8_h0bhG6Lo9wrmPSeFnVmOKVDaqzUN2iz_sQqUlCsxqZhsovDR4-b5AtMuhejg/w400-h300/IMG_0259.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br />They played for a couple of hours over two sets with a glass refilling opportunity in between. An excellent way to spend a Friday evening. </div>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-60358027096005431252023-12-07T00:00:00.195+00:002023-12-12T12:17:14.676+00:00Christmas Dinner Wine Pairings December 2023<p>Bassenthwaite Lake Station, Cumbria, Thursday 07-December-2023.</p><p>Another wine tasting at Bassenthwaite Lake Station. As usual we booked ourselves into the Pheasant Inn for a dinner, bed and breakfast deal. We had an early supper before the tasting so we weren’t drinking on an empty stomach. Luckily we only had a main course.</p>
<p>What we hadn’t realised was that, instead of the usual small plate of cheese and pate, this was a full on food pairing with a small dish to accompany every wine! It was like eating two meals in rapid succession. Fortunately the portions were canapé sized so we managed without being completely stuffed. Mary being dairy free her plates were often different from mine.</p>
<p><b>Name of wine, Shop or Supplier, Country</b> <br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Food Pairing </li><li>Tasting notes - appearance, nose, palate </li><li><b>Mary’s Notes.</b></li></ul><p></p><p><b>Aperitif</b></p><p><b>0. Mulled wine comparison Bassenthwaite Lake Station or Aldi</b> </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Mince Pie (no alternative for special diets or allergens) </li><li>One is a shop-bought tipple, one is home-made using Merlot wine. Cost - £1.99 or £9 per bottle. </li><li><b>a. slight vegetal nose, not very sweet, no distinct flavours (Aldi)</b></li><li><b>b. spicy nose lots of cinnamon, deeper, sweeter (BLS)</b></li></ul><p></p><p><b>Starters</b></p><p><b>1. Sancerre Domaine Jean Thomas 2021, 13.5% Lakeland Vintners France</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Smoked Salmon and cream cheese en croute <b>Good match with the Sancerre.</b></li><li>Smoked Salmon and chive (DF) <b>Best with the Chablis.</b></li><li>Aromatic and pungent, this crsip, zesty Sauvignon Blanc displays the distinct grassy notes of a top-notch Sancerre. A really good pairing for light cream cheese and poached dishes with acidity to cut through and balance any butteriness. </li><li><b>Pungent nose, zesty, slightly grassy, <b>✱</b><b>✱</b>.</b></li></ul><p></p><p><b>2. Domaine Testut Vieilles Vignes Chablis, 2019 France</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Prawn cocktail <b>Good match with the Chablis.</b></li><li>Tofu cocktail (vegan) <b>Best with the Sancerre.</b></li><li>Made from hand-picked perfectly ripe Massale grapes (a clone of Chardonnay) Elegant and with perfectly-balanced minerailty, this will develop in your glass as you drink. </li><li><b>Light nose, clean, no oak; smooth, some body, mineral.</b></li></ul><p></p><p><b>Vegetables</b></p><p><b>3. Wide River Chenin Blanc, 13% </b><b>Lakeland Vintners</b><b> South Africa</b> </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Sage and onion stuffing ball</li><li>Veggie sausage in leek (vegan) <b>Best with the Grenache blanc.</b></li><li>This amazing value Chenin Blanc is soft, fruity and aromatic with an acidic balance. Its ability to pair with roast chicken and pork and all the trimmings makes it an ideal pairing for stuffing. </li><li><b>Typical Chenin blanc nose; aromatic.</b></li></ul><p></p><p><b>4 Grenache Blanc 172, Selection Parcellaire, 12.5% Lakeland Vintners France</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Mushroom and Chestnut Arancini <b>Good match.</b></li><li>Rich and expressive, this elegant wine has notes of ripe tropical fruits and a touch of lime. With enough acidity to balance, it will pair well with richer vegetable dishes. Contains Mushrooms</li><li><b>Rich, tasty, interesting; more complex flavours.</b></li></ul><p></p><p><b>Accompaniments</b></p><p><b>5. Henry Fessy Brouilly 13.5% 2019 </b><b>Lakeland Vintners France</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Pig in Blanket <b>Good match.</b></li><li>One of the favourites at our recent Beaujolais tasting, we felt this was a perfect Christmas lunch wine with its crisp acidity to cut through the richness of the meal. Medium-bodied and very flavoursome, this fruit-dominated wine has fine tannins and great elegance. </li><li><b><b>✱</b><b>✱</b><b>✱</b> at last month’s Beaujolais tasting.</b></li></ul><p></p><p><b>Mains</b></p><p><b>6 Chateau Corbin 2021, 14.5% Lakeland Vintners France</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Turkey Yorkshire pudding & rich gravy</li><li>Veggie haggis in yorkshire pudding & veggie gravy (vegan) <b>Good match.</b></li><li>Immensely rich and bold, this amazingly smooth Corbin is full of ripe prunes and plum aromas and smooth tannins. Can hold its own, and enhance, any traditional roast dinner. </li><li><b><b>✱</b><b>✱</b><b>✱</b> at this tasting! Smooth, balanced, complex, lovely.</b></li></ul><p></p><p><b>Pudding</b></p><p><b>7. Colosia Pedro Ximinez sherry, 17%, half bottle Lakeland Vintners Spain </b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Christmas Pudding and brandy sauce</li><li>Vegan Christmas Pudding (no nuts) and DF sauce <b>Perfect match.</b></li><li>An exquisite dark-coloured wine with heady notes of raisins, plums and figs and rich molasses on the palate. Great with Christmas pudding or poured generously over good quality vanilla icecream. Think liquid Christmas pudding flavours! Standard Christmas pudding contains nuts</li><li><b><b>✱</b><b>✱</b><b>✱</b>, lovely, refined; Rich, sweet, but not too cloying</b>.</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Cheese</b></p><p>Cheeseboard comprising </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Mature cheddar and fruit cake</li><li>Stilton</li><li>Rocquefort (sheeps milk) </li><li>Torpenhow brie </li></ul><p></p><p><b>8. Hornhead Malbec, 13% Lakeland Vintners France</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A great-value, soft French red, perfect with stronger cheeses and hearty dishes. </li><li><b>Soft, fruity, plummy; bit sweet.</b></li></ul><p></p><p><b>9. Pocas 10 year old Tawny Port Lakeland Vintners Portugal </b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>This elegant wine is matured in oak and has a bouquet of dried fruits and plums. Enjoy with Stilton, blue-veined french cheese, walnuts or treacle tart some cheese biscuits contain nuts</li><li><b>Nice tawny, sweet, fruity, nutty <b>✱</b><b>✱</b>.</b></li></ul><p></p><p><b>10. Mitchells, Clare Valley, Noble Semilion 2018, 10.5% Lakeland Vintners Australia</b> </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A silky, well-balanced, South Australian sweetie with intense orange candy and tropical fruit flavours. Ideal with pate or blue cheese. <b>Sublime with Roquefort.</b></li><li><b>Yummy, proper botrytis nose and taste <b>✱</b><b>✱</b><b>✱</b>.</b></li></ul><p></p>
<p>At the end the leftovers are put on the bar for people to help themselves.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq76F2TzDa5_mXIbg5XNqAocfjWIzSwDqHcdYnseoXM-rK4psOdttZiifHQpyLloozv2_I3oPFujpdBxB42vAjbEKRkKAGxtSpybrYlTjoNJ35pzDjqWLgHoeqcpukHXvj9F7kIbQcn8E3q_nW3IFyxerry5VQZzhD8AKDTgJ7nanOB3M3ySiBDQ/s4032/IMG_0241.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq76F2TzDa5_mXIbg5XNqAocfjWIzSwDqHcdYnseoXM-rK4psOdttZiifHQpyLloozv2_I3oPFujpdBxB42vAjbEKRkKAGxtSpybrYlTjoNJ35pzDjqWLgHoeqcpukHXvj9F7kIbQcn8E3q_nW3IFyxerry5VQZzhD8AKDTgJ7nanOB3M3ySiBDQ/w400-h300/IMG_0241.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<p>We were kept company by Poppy, the station lab.</p>
<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7s22yCorE4rCEoB8pe08Y_FQ9EJ2yWEVkj7VVoXqLprSf3BOIZRTFS03lJcTS7Ibd7JODg7WqwzLZr8pjoQjVTNTHgx5hvkXkSzshInsIhOs1Y8T87cW6TyNJPHVvA0mKEx2lfNK_H15x-OaL5ZdhLvZrcwPZiy-zKxQcU8HFxDY4QDna-Ir85w/s4032/IMG_0242.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7s22yCorE4rCEoB8pe08Y_FQ9EJ2yWEVkj7VVoXqLprSf3BOIZRTFS03lJcTS7Ibd7JODg7WqwzLZr8pjoQjVTNTHgx5hvkXkSzshInsIhOs1Y8T87cW6TyNJPHVvA0mKEx2lfNK_H15x-OaL5ZdhLvZrcwPZiy-zKxQcU8HFxDY4QDna-Ir85w/w400-h300/IMG_0242.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br />A short stagger back to the Pheasant Inn for a nightcap where I felt like a python who had swallowed a goat.<p></p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-20475042203258619882023-12-03T00:00:00.007+00:002023-12-13T18:34:00.459+00:00Tom Bright plus Open Mic at Penrith Players Theatre<p>Penrith, Cumbria. Sunday, 03-December- 2023.</p><p>On advice from our fellow WASP wine tasters we decided at fairly short notice to go to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/plugplay.email">Plug and Play</a>'s event which was an open mic session with a random selection of performers, followed by an interval and the main act, singer-songwriter Tom Bright. Never heard of him, but he's now on his third album so he must be doing alright.</p><p>The last time we went to <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2022/02/hiroshima-twinkie-plus-open-mic-at.html">Plug and Play</a> it was in the main auditorium. This night it was in the bar area - much cosier. There was a small stage where each of the performers got to do one, two or three songs based on some criteria that was not apparent.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyppynoBWz7aU_tPwzlffJGk_V0Z_gJJW9z68Hr6S9xs7FIO_dT7-Rjjo-6z2z1bfoaygFMaO4sgZu08lsWJXV9BTIVO8Q2rdAUTE4p4DZ6dtxjzf5YkefBQU0C4lQzgjyuqZJCBdn_rjSkSFkU4WmUx9mUzm6ZU4_aWLwQvX5BNKlyKRhYVbh9A/s4032/IMG_0234.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyppynoBWz7aU_tPwzlffJGk_V0Z_gJJW9z68Hr6S9xs7FIO_dT7-Rjjo-6z2z1bfoaygFMaO4sgZu08lsWJXV9BTIVO8Q2rdAUTE4p4DZ6dtxjzf5YkefBQU0C4lQzgjyuqZJCBdn_rjSkSFkU4WmUx9mUzm6ZU4_aWLwQvX5BNKlyKRhYVbh9A/s320/IMG_0234.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p><br />The line-up, insofar as I managed to catch their names (apologies for any errors) was:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Steve and Ben - a guitar and saxophone duo, making use of a loop pedal to augment the sound. I was impressed by the sax player's smooth tones. We especially liked their last song which was “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_Fact">Rich Folks Hoax</a>” by Rodriguez. </li><li>Ian Cumpsty - Didn't catch his name. He sang a couple of his own compositions.</li><li>Alan Deen - cannot recall what he sang.</li><li>Mike Turnbull & Kate Hews on aka Bramble & Briar - another duo playing guitar and, what I think must be, an electric mandolin.</li><li>Ed Draycott - Played a mixture of original compositions and covers of Donovan's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch_the_Wind">Catch the Wind</a> </li><li>Lynn Guest - she played a cover “for an easy win”, one of her own compositions and a cheesy Christmas number, “Santa Baby”.</li><li>Phil Saunders - I was impressed by this man, he played some serious blues guitar.</li><li>Solo guitarist - another singer songwriter played a couple of his own compositions, pleasant enough.</li><li>Jon Bowie - he played some serious guitar, Mary was especially impressed.</li></ul><p></p><p>The main act was Tom Bright, another singer-songwriter with a line in social commentary and autobiographical content verging on poetry set to music. We bought his latest album as we often do for many musicians. Merchandising sales at gigs is a major source of income. Certainly, they get almost nothing from streaming services unless they are stadium filling artists.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFGypOjZC1LV_WFZQ3wEQjaHpQUFJ3mge-R_HU8RhbTUMTarQdmY5vWIZMawqIbC8fwfaCYWqNyQOJqrYjfgHt86uynOD-bao78dESbpr733gECOTL7ZgJ8GH7WIIBq4kO2fxlgyFKxjFVs8M_KU3qTs2j_lDyuxtIt97YyPUPRe1zMwk3vIHgQ/s2900/IMG_0236.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2900" data-original-width="2900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFGypOjZC1LV_WFZQ3wEQjaHpQUFJ3mge-R_HU8RhbTUMTarQdmY5vWIZMawqIbC8fwfaCYWqNyQOJqrYjfgHt86uynOD-bao78dESbpr733gECOTL7ZgJ8GH7WIIBq4kO2fxlgyFKxjFVs8M_KU3qTs2j_lDyuxtIt97YyPUPRe1zMwk3vIHgQ/s320/IMG_0236.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />A excellent evening of live music. Then home for a nightcap and bed. <p></p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-67265816415675523732023-11-30T00:00:00.051+00:002023-12-01T18:31:43.170+00:00Wine tasting New and Premium South African wines<p>WASP (Wine Appreciation Society, Penrith), Roundthorn Country House Hotel, Penrith. Thursday 30-November-2023.</p><p>It was fascinating to discover a new region of South African wines that we were previously unacquainted with, entertainingly presented by Preet Sahota of Edgmond Wines.</p><p>Our first ever trip to South Africa in 2008 was a <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2008/01/sa-trip-1-madikwe-safari.htm">safari</a>, followed by a tour of the wine growing districts: <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2008/01/sa-trip-2hermanus-and-walker-bay.htm">Hermanus and Walker Bay</a>, <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2008/01/sa-trip-3-franschhoek.htm">Franschhoek</a>, <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2008/01/sa-trip-4-stellenbosch.htm">Stellenbosch</a>, <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2008/01/sa-trip-6-robertson.htm">Robertson</a> and <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2008/01/sa-trip-7-constantia.htm">Constantia</a>. They are all east of Cape Town out along the N2. </p><p>These wines are from the Swartland region north of Cape Town out on the N7. The tasting was a rainbow assortment of all the main varieties produced in South Africa. </p>
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<p>Just as interesting as the wines was the presenter himself and the story of how he got into wines from working in his parents' village shop to discovering a passion for wine while at school, then specifically South Africa while at college and then starting his own business.</p>
<p>Wine, Grape variety, Vintage, ABV, Normal list price.<br />Preet's description<br /> • Mary's notes and <b>✱ star rating</b></p>
<p><b>1. Villa Esposto Sauvignon Blanc 2022</b> 13% £24.95 <b>✱</b><b>✱</b><br />A debut release - From the renowned Skurfberg farm and planted in 1993 comes this delicious Sauvignon Blanc<br /> • Green, tangy, powerful; smooth, slightly oily, good body, good depth, balanced.</p><p><b>2. Blake Family Wines Chenin Blanc 2021</b>
12.5% £14.95 <b>✱</b><br />From a single vineyard planted in 1984, this is a complex old vine Chenin from the Swartland region<br /> • Floral, powerful, oily, slightly yeasty?; bit sharp, not as rich as nose, not very fruity. </p><p><b>3. Villa Esposto Chenin Blanc 2022</b>
12.5% £24.95 <b>✱</b><b>✱</b><br />From a single vineyard planted in 1982, this is a complex old vine Chenin from the Skurfberg<br /> • Light nose, closed, slightly spicy; more complex, richer, well, balanced, tropical fruit? Good length.</p><p><b>4. Blake Family Wines Malbec 2020</b> 14% £14.95 <b>✱</b><b>✱</b><b>✱</b><br />A real rarity to find a single vineyard Malbec from South Africa!<br /> • Light nose, closed, slightly spicy; more complex, richer, well, balanced, tropical fruit? Good length.</p><p><b>5. Villa Esposto Pinotage 2018</b>
13.5% £24.95 <b>✱</b><br />A one off parcel - From a single vineyard planted in 1998, this wine once again from the famed Skurfberg region<br /> • Light perfume, violets?; Soft velvety, soft tannins, good length.</p><p><b>6. Klawer Shiraz 2021</b>
14.5% £11.95 <b>✱</b><b>✱</b><br />From the outstanding 2021 vintage and from four different farms - average age of vine 20 years <br /> • Soft, sweet, slight peppery, vegetal; soft, fruity, ripe fruit, light.</p><p><b>7. Blake Amethyst Cape red blend 2018</b>
15% £27.95 <b>✱</b><b>✱</b><b>✱</b><br />A Cape Blend of the noble cultivars, Shiraz, Pinotage and Cabernet Sauvignon <br /> • Good nose, slight jammy, good soft fruit, soft tannins.</p><p><b>8. Villa Esposto Muscat d'Alexandrie 2021</b>
8% £24.95 <b>✱</b><b>✱</b><br />A delicious sweet wine from a single vineyard planted in 1969 - the oldest vineyard I work with!<br /> • Toffee, raisins: sweet, yummy, raisiny, some acidity.</p><p>We bring our own glasses (or borrow from the hotel if forgotten). There is a spittoon for discarding unwanted wines but at 50cc per tasting measure I have no problem polishing them off. I was amused to note that the spittoons are actually plastic buckets with the handles removed - but hey! it that works why not?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfRRFANALB57v55IOZf0HMyA9A42pkpo_DV15Aq7G9a21FVZPydUwcb9OXir_NPIV-UxjUO5MagfD-6hzWZ2eFzO_zoe2FrPOGAQzc_qn6xuv08w6ihOe-JGYzDg8eYdVGTSSn1uWqrbVOIKaem02vjjmGF6ccX3UNAlsrcambdEgFXI_mULoTlA/s4032/IMG_0217.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfRRFANALB57v55IOZf0HMyA9A42pkpo_DV15Aq7G9a21FVZPydUwcb9OXir_NPIV-UxjUO5MagfD-6hzWZ2eFzO_zoe2FrPOGAQzc_qn6xuv08w6ihOe-JGYzDg8eYdVGTSSn1uWqrbVOIKaem02vjjmGF6ccX3UNAlsrcambdEgFXI_mULoTlA/w400-h300/IMG_0217.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>This time we made an effort to be a little earlier so we could buy some raffle tickets and we won a bottle of wine (what else). </p><p>As usual we abandoned the car and I had a chilly walk up in sub-zero temperatures to retrieve the car the morning after.</p><p>PS. Other wine tastings in South Africa:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2009/01/wine-tasting-in-south-africa.htm">Wine tasting in South Africa January 2009 </a></li><li><a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2009/11/south-africa-2009-paarl.htm">South Africa November 2009: Paarl</a></li></ul><p></p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-25585946892422761322023-11-25T00:00:00.186+00:002023-12-16T17:05:53.156+00:00Pocklington Weekend<p>Pocklington, East Yorkshire. Saturday 25-November-2023.</p>
<p>We bought tickets to hear Martin Harley at Pocklington so decided to make a weekend of it and, guess what, plenty of parkrun choices nearby. We booked an Airbnb cottage for the weekend only a few minutes walk from the venue and restaurants in the town centre. Sandra and George joined us partly for the music and partly because of parkrun tourism.</p><p>Friday night was a meal at <a href="https://www.simplyjjs.com/hours-and-locations">JJ’s Bar & Kitchen</a> where George got a free Guinness so gave it the thumbs up.</p>
<p><b>Beverley Westwood <a href="https://www.parkrun.org.uk/beverleywestwood/results/149/">25/11/2023</a>. 29:39 [97 / 219]</b></p><p>For a compass point for us and a B for Sandra, we chose Beverley Westwood parkrun over other possibilities in the area. </p>
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<p>Beautiful sunny morning but cold with a biting wind. Two laps of a very scenic course in a lovely park. The course took us round an old black windmill.</p>
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<p>Two and a half laps, frosty and hilly. A bit up and down - even the undulations had undulations.</p>
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<p>Huge thanks to the volunteers and especially the really cheerful Marshall stood on the coldest part of the course. </p><p>The afternoon was spent in York at the Christmas Market using the excellent Park-and-Ride service. The town was heaving with happy shoppers. Finding somewhere for lunch was very difficult so we ended up with a sandwich in the M&S Cafe. Then, after a bit more shopping, it was back to Pocklington for a pre-concert supper at Pane E Vino, a popular Italian just two doors down from the venue.</p>
<p><b>Martin Harley at Pocklington Arts Centre. </b></p><p>This is the fourth time we’ve seen Martin Harley. There were a number of other dates on this tour all of which involved a bit of a trek but this was on a Saturday night so we could double up with a parkrun. </p><p>Once in the venue who should we bump into but friends from Penrith away for a weekend to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. It’s a small world!</p>
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<p>Martin was as excellent as ever but it was not a sellout and we felt the audience were a bit muted. We enjoyed it and, despite already having the vinyl, bought three CDs so we could rip them to our digital music system.</p><p>Sunday morning was our usual bacon butties. There was was a Christmas market in town but it didn’t start till 1pm so we headed off home.</p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-57084790057404696682023-11-12T00:00:00.201+00:002024-01-09T19:21:02.146+00:00City Break - Dublin 2023<p>Dublin, Ireland. Friday/Sunday 10/12-November-2023. </p>
<p>A return visit to one of our favourite cities for the first time in a while. A weekend break ostensibly to buy a couple of wine glasses from <a href="http://gibneys.com/">Gibney's of Malahide</a>. We have acquired several over the years and we like them because </p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>They have a 175ml line which makes equitable pouring easy </li><li>If I use a plain glass we know which wine glass is Mary's</li></ol><p></p><p>Over the years breakages meant we were down to our last one so off to Dublin to restock. Feeble excuse I know! We were joined by Sandra and George for a weekend of Guinness, parkrun, Guinness, fine dining and more Guinness. We stayed in the Grand Hotel in Malahide which is, in fact, the only hotel in Malahide.</p>
<p><b>Malahide <a href="https://www.parkrun.ie/malahide/results/495/">11/11/2023</a> 28:49 [</b><b>182 / 311</b><b>]</b></p><p>I have done Malahide before - literally <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2019/08/parkrun-tourism-part-01-2017.html">my second ever parkrun</a>. Now Mary parkwalks we are playing catch up, ticking off locations that she had missed first time round and we were joined by Sandra. It was the 11th birthday of Malahide parkrun on the 11th of the 11th on a near perfect day. Complete with song led by Eric, RD from Belfast:</p><p>🎵You are my parkrun, my only parkrun<br />You make me happy when skies are grey <br />And when you're not on<br />You do my head in<br />Please don't take my parkrun away🎵</p>
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<p>Sandra volunteered as parkwalker in the blue tabard.</p>
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<p>Mary, as often, volunteered as tail walker.</p>
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<p>After parkrun we had a brief stroll round the grounds of the castle which is the setting for the parkrun.</p>
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<p>There were a number of tree-trunk carvings around the park including this impressive stag.</p>
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<p>After parkrun it was back to the hotel for a shower then a trip to Gibney's to buy the wine glasses. Lunch was in a local cafe.</p><p>Saturday evening we went for a meal at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bloombrasserie/">Bloom</a>, our favourite Dublin brasserie. Checking their records Padraig could confirm that we had been there seven times since <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2016/02/valentines-day-in-dublin-2016.html">Valentine's Day 2016</a>.</p>
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<p>As the Sunday forecast was for rain we decided to head into Dublin for a tour of the Guinness Storehouse which we last visited nearly 20 years ago. Lots had changed in that time so was well worth a second visit. </p>
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<p>Every visit ends with a pint of Guiness in their top floor bar with 360° views over Dublin.</p>
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<p>Sunday lunch was at the oldest pub in Dublin, The Brazen Head, where many years ago we were locked in for the holy hour and had to ask to be let out to catch our plane.</p>
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<p>More Guinness with excellent beef stew and dumplings.</p>
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<p>This year we had a later flight so it was a leisurely return back to Glasgow and an overnight stay with Sandra and George before driving home to Penrith.</p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-82800391037316315132023-11-09T17:53:00.001+00:002023-12-10T20:58:50.236+00:00Uncle Ralph - Paper-hanger<p>As previously blogged, <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2023/10/uncle-ralph-arm.html">Ralph lost his right arm</a> just above the elbow in an industrial accident. Interior decorator was not the obvious career switch for a man under those circumstances but so he chose. It turned out to be a felicitous decision.</p><p>He lived in Queen's Club Gardens, Baron's Court, London as did most of his clients. The estate was built in the late 19th century when an entrepreneurial developer, William Gibbs acquired the land for his most ambitious project comprising 33 blocks with 548 flats, 3 staff flats and an office set around central communal gardens and two tennis courts, inspired by the new Queen's Sports Club which had opened in the 1880s. [<a href="https://www.came.com/ie/case/queens-club-gardens">1</a>]. </p>
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<p>As a sitting tenant, he was given the option to buy his flat for a measly £10k (year unknown). He was uncertain whether he should do it, while the rest of the family screamed at him, do it! He did. Given the current prices of the property, that was a prudent move.</p><p>Ralph was never out of work. With that many flats word of mouth recommendation meant that it was like decorating the Forth Bridge; there was always another flat queuing up for his services.</p>
<p>I had to ask how he hung wallpaper. Apparently he pasted the paper, concertinaed it, balanced it on his head, went up the ladder, head-butted the wall with the end piece, used the stump to hold it in place and his good arm to position the drop as it unfolded.</p>
<p>I called upon Ralph to redecorate a bedroom when I lived in South Wimbledon. My main bedroom had had part of the room stolen to extend the original cupboard-sized bathroom on the landing and make it a decent size. The previous owners who did that also installed a second door from the bedroom so it could be used as an en-suite. </p>
<p>As a result the false wall was missing coving along the ceiling (this was a late Victorian terraced house). I used a local company who specialised in replacement plasterwork to take an impression and extrude a new section to match, then fit. The room then needed re-decorating so I called in Ralph. </p>
<p>He did an excellent job then performed a piece of magic. The new door to the bathroom was a modern flat one unlike all the other original Victorian panel doors. So he stuck four rectangles of beading to the door to fake the impression of panels. A simple trick but amazingly effective.</p>
<p>He had some t-shirts printed with the legend “One Armed Paper Hanger” one of which I acquired. One time I walked into a pub in Richmond, the barman looked at me and asked, "How is Ralph?"</p>
<p>Postscript. <br />At one point Ralph was in the running to be a movie extra in a pirate movie. In the days before CGI movie makers relied on practical effects. The proposal was that he would wear a papier-mâché arm filled with fake blood. Then in the fight scene his fake arm would be hacked off. Sadly it never came to pass. </p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-30707712489593706232023-11-02T00:00:00.000+00:002023-11-15T17:19:58.917+00:00Wine Tasting - Beaujolais<p>Bassenthwaite Lake Station, Cumbria. Thursday 02-November-2023.</p>
<p>I have a soft spot for Beaujolais as the first wine I ever remember knowing by name was Moulin a Vent (1975), see <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2020/08/my-life-in-wine.html">My Life In ... Wine</a>. We don't drink a lot of Beaujolais but every now and again think "Ooh yes, we must buy some" and always enjoy them when we do. I was very much looking forward to renewing my acquaintance with this AOC.</p>
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<p>The tasting was mostly in pairs which works for me. I like a compare-and-contrast tasting.</p>
<p><b>No. Name of wine. Shop or Supplier Retail</b> Price Country ABV Vintage <b>✱ Mary's star rating</b></p><p><b>1 Coup de tete Chardonnay Majestic</b> £8 France 13% 2020 <b>✱</b><br />Light nose, unoaked, not very fruity, good acidity. Not a Beaujolais but a rare example of a white wine from the Beaujolais region.</p><p><b>2 Chassaux Gamay Aldi</b> £6 France 13% 2022.<br />Light, but typical Gamay nose; soft, ripe red fruit, tannic. From the Ventoux region but made from the classic Beaujolais grape.</p><p><b>3 Chassaux et Fils Fleurie Aldi</b> £9 France 13.5% 2022<br />Light, violets; tannic, not much fruit.</p><p><b>4 Domaine Pardon Fleurie Lakeland Vintners</b> £22 France 13% 2022 <b>✱</b><br />Fuller nose, plummy; smooth, tannic, bit closed; too young?</p><p><b>5 Chateau de Pierraux Brouilly Sainsbury's</b> £14 France 13% 2021 <br />Slight green note; full bodied and flavourful, black fruit, some tannins and length. <b>✱</b><b>✱</b></p><p><b>6 Henry Fessy Brouilly Lakeland Vintners</b> £22 France 13.5% 2019 <b>✱</b><b>✱</b><b>✱</b><br />Deeper more enticing nose; smooth, silky, lovely soft fruit flavours.</p><p><b>7 Chateau de Pizay Morgon Majestic</b> £14 France 13.5% 2022 <b>✱</b><b>✱</b><b>✱</b><br />Lovely nose, plummy, faint violets; smooth, yummy, deep dark fruits, good tannins and acidity.</p><p><b>8 Les 3 Madones Beaujolais Villages Majestic</b> £7 France Villages 12.5% 2021 <b>✱</b><b>✱</b><br />Good nose; soft, plums, blackberry, tannic, medium body.</p><p><b>9 Moillard-Thomas Beaujolais Villages Majestic</b> £12 France 12.5% 2021 <b>✱</b><br />Typical Gamay nose; soft, fruity, easy drinking.</p><p><b>10 Raoul Clerget Beaujolais Majestic</b> £11 France 13% <b>✱</b><b>✱</b><br />Light nose, bright and juicy, classic entry level Beaujolais.</p><p><b>11 Les Iris Beaujolais Booths</b> £11 France 12% 2021<br />Light nose, fresh-ish, aromatic, short.</p><p><b>12 Beaujolais Superieur Sainsbury's</b> £11 France 12.5% 2021.<br />Lightish nose, smooth, light fruit, but tannic.</p>
<p>I would take issue with the sequencing. Normally wines are presented in order of price, quality, power or whatever if appropriate so that each wine is not shown at a disadvantage compare to the proceeding wine(s). You might expect the order to be Beaujolais, Beaujolais Superieur, Beaujolais Villages and then the Cru such as Fleurie, Brouilly and Morgan. In this tasting, the Cru wines were in the middle to the disservice of the perfectly serviceable wines following.</p><p>Another interesting tasting organised Simon and Diana. Some people are reluctant to shout out their thoughts on the wines so I like the way they solicited feedback by walking round the tables and then summarising for the assembled company. </p>
<p>As previously we had booked a room at <a href="https://www.inncollectiongroup.com/pheasant-inn/">The Pheasant Inn</a> just 5 minutes walk away; a wise move. </p><p>P.S. We made a trip to Majestic in Carlisle a couple of days later to buy some of the Raoul Clerget Beaujolais and the Chateau de Pizay Morgon. </p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-21443126039869792582023-10-31T15:08:00.000+00:002023-11-19T18:48:56.613+00:00Uncle Ralph - 364 Day Marriage<p>The true story of Ralph's short-lived marriage.</p>
<p>My earliest memory was of him living in a basement flat at 16 Philbeach Gardens in Earl's Court (aka Kangaroo Valley on account of the number of Aussies who lived there). He lived with his girlfriend, Irene, "in sin" as it was described in those days. Very exciting and risqué for someone like me growing up in the very conventional milieu of middle England in the ‘70s.</p>
<p>They subsequently moved upmarket to a 2-bedroom flat at 28 Gainsborough Mansions, Queen’s Club Gardens in Barons Court where Irene’s mother tried to bribe them into marriage with the offer of a three piece suite as a wedding gift! No dice. Eventually Irene gave up waiting and left for Colorado where her sister and mother had relocated some years previously.</p>
<p>Ralph continued to talk to Irene by phone usually on a Friday night after an evening down the Colton Arms. One particularly inebriated evening he suggested they get married. Next day he got a call from Irene to say the date was fixed and he was to present himself at her home in Colorado on such-and-such a date which he duly did.</p>
<p>Apparently the sister and mother both wanted to have the preacher conduct the service in their respective front parlours and got into a heated debate. Exasperated, Irene rang up the reception venue and asked if they could also host the wedding, “Sure”. And so that is how Ralph ended up marrying in the Colorado Holiday Inn on 18 August 1979 when he was 48 years old.</p>
<p>Ancestry.co.uk were able to give me the date but wanted me to upgrade my subscription to research the US records hence the redacted detail. I'm not sufficient nosey at this stage to cough up.</p>
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<p>Unfortunately for Irene the cheapest flight out to the States was in fact a one-year return deal. As the 12-month deadline approached Ralph wondered how the lads in the Colton Arms were getting on. "Shame to waste the other half of the ticket." So he returned to the UK and never went back!</p>
<p>Irene was not impressed to say the least.</p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-54223395179717564722023-10-30T00:00:00.265+00:002024-03-04T18:54:02.689+00:00Thirtieth Wedding Anniversary Meal<p>Penrith, Cumbria. Monday 30-October-2023.</p><p>Blimey! Thirty years!! Maybe I'll blog the actual day but for now I'll focus on the celebrations. Started blogging in 2004 so I have info on the last 20 years.</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>0th (1993). </b>Our honeymoon was in Egypt including a Nile Cruise and a stay at the <a href="https://all.accor.com/hotel/1666/index.en.shtml">Old Cataract Hotel</a>, setting for Murder on the Nile.</li><li><b>1st to 9th Anniversaries (1994-2002). </b>We decided not to buy presents but take it in turn to organise mystery weekends away.</li><ul><li>1: 1994 - Bath (spa hotel)</li><li>2: 1995 - Stratford (RSC production of Romeo & Juliet)</li><li>3: 1996 - Matlock Bath (murder mystery weekend)</li><li>4: 1997 - Bruges (mussels, fog)</li><li>5: 1998 - Bosworth (tanks, trains and battlefields)</li><li>6: 1999 - Cotswolds</li><li>7: 2000 - London (British Museum, dance at QEH)</li><li>8: 2001 - Dublin</li><li>9: 2002 - Norfolk (mushroom foray with Peter Jordan)</li></ul><li><b>10th (2003).</b> We did a Nile cruise. We went to Egypt for our honeymoon so that seemed a good way to celebrate 10 years. We visited Cairo which we skipped the previous visit and did the pyramids, the Tutankhamun museum and a second Nile cruise. <br />I relaxed the “no presents rule”. Mary's engagement ring was an antique, hand-cut, half carat diamond solitaire. Some months before I had commissioned our local jewellers to source a pair of the same and had them made into earrings. I presented these to Mary on the cruise. Mary, not expecting anything big, gave me a copy of "The Rough Guide to Egypt". Oh how we laughed!</li><li><b>11th (2004).</b> Celebrations nearly cancelled because of the <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2004/11/saddest-news-about-oscar.htm">loss of our cat Oscar</a> but in the end went for a <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2004/11/fine-and-rare-wine-dinner.htm">Rare and Fine Wine dinner</a> at BBR.</li><li><b>12th (2005).</b> <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2005/11/shopping-in-puglia.htm">Puglia</a> with Sandra and May (mother-in-law).</li><li><b>13th (2006).</b> <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2006/11/thirteenth-wedding-anniversary.htm">Puglia</a> with a meal at Il Convivio in Osunti.</li><li><b>14th (2007).</b> Puglia and a meal at <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2007/11/fourteenth-wedding-anniversary.htm">Ti Amo</a> back in London.</li><li><b>15th (2008).</b> A trip to <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2008/11/fifteenth-wedding-anniversary.htm">Casablanca</a>.</li><li><b>16th (2009).</b> South Africa: <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2009/11/south-africa-2009-paarl.htm">Paarl</a> and Hermanus.</li><li><b>18th (2011).</b> South Africa: Green Point Cottage, <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2011/12/south-africa-october-2011.html">Cape Town</a>.</li><li><b>19th (2012).</b> Padstow <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2012/11/19th-wedding-anniversary.html">fish school</a> and the <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2007/11/fourteenth-wedding-anniversary.htm">Horne Section at QEH</a>.</li><li><b>20th (2013).</b> Van Morrison at <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2013/11/van-morrison-at-royal-albert-hall.html">RAH Blues Festival</a> followed by the Orient Express from <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2013/11/orient-express-london-to-venice.html">London to Venice</a> followed by a stay in <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2013/12/venice-2013.html">Venice</a>. Full report. Pretty special that. </li><li><b>21st (2014).</b> Robert Cray at <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2014/11/bluesfest-2014-at-royal-albert-hall.html">RAH Blues festival</a>.</li><li><b>22nd (2015).</b> Neither of us can remember! But we were in Italy for the <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2016/01/olive-harvest-2015.html">olive harvest</a>.</li><li><b>23rd (2016).</b> Van Morrison and Jeff Beck at <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2016/10/van-morrison-and-jeff-beck-at-o2.html">RAH Blues Festival</a>.</li><li><b>24th (2017). </b><a href="https://coyarestaurant.com/restaurants/london-mayfair/">COYA</a> Peruvian restaurant in Mayfair.</li><li><b>25th (2018). </b>Holbeck Ghyll <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2018/10/walking-in-lake-district-2018-day-1.html">weekend</a>.</li><li><b>26th (2019).</b> One of Mary's bucket list items: a box at the RAH for <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2019/12/our-26th-wedding-anniversary.html">Blues at RAH</a>.</li><li><b>27th (2020). </b><a href="http://www.dogandgunskelton.co.uk/">Dog and Gun</a>, Skelton.</li><li><b>28th (2021). </b><a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2021/11/winter-droving-2021.html">Winter Droving 2021</a>, La Casita.</li><li><b>29th (2022). </b><a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2022/11/winter-droving-2022.html">Winter Droving 2022</a>, Michelin starred meal at <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186330-d719022-Reviews-HRiSHi-Windermere_Lake_District_Cumbria_England.html">HRiSHi at Gilpin Hotel</a>.</li><li><b>30th (2023).</b> Three weeks Interrail trip across Europe (blog posts to follow), <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2023/11/winter-droving-2023.html">Winter Droving 2023</a>, Private chef meal at home.</li></ul><p></p>
<p>All that said we still have a way to go to match <a href="http://blog.mmenterprises.co.uk/2011/07/michael-geri-60th-wedding-anniversary.html">my parents 60th</a>. I'l be 100 when that happens!</p><p>When we got married we were two households alike in gadgetry. We had no need of electrical appliances or toast racks; our wedding list included luxuries such as bottles of Chateau Lynch Bages 1989 - the year we met. Our friends could buy as few or as many as they chose; we got up to ten so we bought the last two to complete the case. We are working our way gradually through them. By dint of great restraint we had saved the very last bottle for this anniversary!</p>
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<p>This was the menu that Lee proposed for us.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNvrJtZv1ZZH3MEQIUxICfAsDbuamIi8Tq99EgqB-SThWtswMTSjWzPkYeeCnvdec9VrSKZOjQYuZNcpz_Wh-6WlNf0xclKHVSGPRKem7crkWAhzNh9EUVIh8QN2ZrATdbrI9rcEzfFUqO9VOxNrdagO1YJYjwFO9H-6cdnKGDHCIOVn0WyNk1g/s2016/PHOTO-2023-09-09-12-39-20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNvrJtZv1ZZH3MEQIUxICfAsDbuamIi8Tq99EgqB-SThWtswMTSjWzPkYeeCnvdec9VrSKZOjQYuZNcpz_Wh-6WlNf0xclKHVSGPRKem7crkWAhzNh9EUVIh8QN2ZrATdbrI9rcEzfFUqO9VOxNrdagO1YJYjwFO9H-6cdnKGDHCIOVn0WyNk1g/w300-h400/PHOTO-2023-09-09-12-39-20.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Pickled quail, eggs, smoked trout, baby gem, and celeriac salad.<p></p>
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<p>Pork and smoked chicken terrine, home-made piccalilli and sour dough crackers.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjD03CYQd9SWDrOdZ7K2gGfE-Rp6aakNGpDkSWyQKDcR3uCE6Ugrmi4LcRSTfnQe1V9dM2MhO3D6zOeqDMIVD1VHNnZOi1CO_FFL_qzy8istzWzcLLmdTFzWrfpOPKg2xS59fJwgaBdMioY2XL2frYrer-HWN5Vmd-yqvQXqvqe3ESF0TbmSnJw/s4032/IMG_5484.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjD03CYQd9SWDrOdZ7K2gGfE-Rp6aakNGpDkSWyQKDcR3uCE6Ugrmi4LcRSTfnQe1V9dM2MhO3D6zOeqDMIVD1VHNnZOi1CO_FFL_qzy8istzWzcLLmdTFzWrfpOPKg2xS59fJwgaBdMioY2XL2frYrer-HWN5Vmd-yqvQXqvqe3ESF0TbmSnJw/w300-h400/IMG_5484.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><p>Local pheasant breast stuffed with wild boar and damson, olive and caper crushed new potatoes with a wild mushroom jus.</p>
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<p>Panfried supreme of hake, spiced puy lentils, home-made lime pickle and pickled samphire.</p>
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<p>Passion fruit meringue pie.</p>
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<p>Warm, rhubarb and ginger crumble with almond creme Anglaise.</p>
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<p>Altogether a splendid meal to round off a weekend of celebrations.</p>
Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397336.post-66397318383958189982023-10-28T00:00:00.000+01:002024-03-04T18:53:50.906+00:00Winter Droving 2023<p>Penrith, Cumbria. Saturday 28-October-2023.</p><p>Winter Droving was one of the reasons we ended up living in Penrith. This is our seventh however we nearly missed it this year because it was our 30th wedding anniversary on the following Monday. Our celebration plan was interrailing for seniors: an extended railway trip from southern Italy back to the UK. The logistical challenge was where to spend our actual anniversary. </p>
<p>Early plans included at night at the opera at La Scala in Milan, possibly the traditional romantic destination of Paris for a weekend, or ending up in London for a Michelin starred meal. However we realised that many class restaurants close on a Monday and we would struggle to find somewhere for a nice meal wherever we were. Another consideration was the challenge of having to cart posh clothes, shoes, etc. around Europe for three weeks. So we decided to come back for Winter Droving and had the inspiration to hire a private chef for a meal at home and a chance to drink some class wine from our cellar.</p><p>We invited my best man and wife, Pete and Amanda, plus Mary's sister and brother-in-law, Sandra and George, to stay for a long weekend to enjoy the festivities. Mary's Matron of Honour and husband were invited but unfortunately not able to make it.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.edenarts.co.uk/about-eden-arts">Eden Arts</a> are the brains behind this event and once again have done a great job. The event was up to it's usual standard. </p>
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<p>Mary, Sandra and I did <a href="https://www.parkrun.org.uk/penrith/results/426/">Penrith parkrun</a> at 9:00 then back for a shower and out into the streets where we wandered around looking at the various stalls, a mixture of arts, crafts and edibles. There were lots of street entertainers to keep us amused.</p>
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<p>Drum Nation were excellent - Brazilian rhythms with African beats. We stayed and watched them for some time.</p>
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<p>Stilt walker by the Musgrave monument.</p>
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<p>Lunch was street food. Lots to choose from but unfortunately one of our favourites, the Jamaican stall, was not there this year. I went to <a href="https://hallsfordfarmproduce.co.uk/?page_id=1084">Hallsford farm produce</a> whose wares I have eaten in previous years. A generous helping of lamb merguez in a bun with chilly jam. Delicious!</p>
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<p>After lunch it was a case of wandering from stage to stage having a bit of a listen to various bands.</p>
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<p>The Drovers Cup is always on our watch list, the highlight is the egg throwing competition but the tug of war was fun as well.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yQl0A_9FO4jx_Do-A3fVazV4remp4_ytex9R0eAfb8iAuwa3DF4ryg3vnwDD_VjNHXfDS82pxulypRf66dQQpC1GlzVrp4hl5fG-sZAB0sMFaug3ozAESSpqKMHa6Jx2qg5OEuilTDGa8JgM0Uly1rfZEIUUGBpqhGbLGL5XGKunOAwFwGUs4Q/s3378/IMG_0061.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2534" data-original-width="3378" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yQl0A_9FO4jx_Do-A3fVazV4remp4_ytex9R0eAfb8iAuwa3DF4ryg3vnwDD_VjNHXfDS82pxulypRf66dQQpC1GlzVrp4hl5fG-sZAB0sMFaug3ozAESSpqKMHa6Jx2qg5OEuilTDGa8JgM0Uly1rfZEIUUGBpqhGbLGL5XGKunOAwFwGUs4Q/w400-h300/IMG_0061.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<p>As usual there is a giant lantern parade in the evening; parade participants getting ready.</p>
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<p>The streets were so packed we could not get out of the pub so we watched the parade from the comfort of Fell Bar.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDy8H5DhjgB3SD1M1hje2Qti6N-JcqYhZPCNlEFOnoUCF92j_yZw9k3P23fgNu90F_tc4RKknfd0xrkUDdyYu8guHKlkwwlYuxp7n6gMnIlBNkF7l_Bnfh8S654oKZqGOZ3KQ3Degwb5kZ2K_R7c_6wz4IsVYyOfUUcFLtTf-WHWt-U4v1jMcyRw/s2016/image0.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDy8H5DhjgB3SD1M1hje2Qti6N-JcqYhZPCNlEFOnoUCF92j_yZw9k3P23fgNu90F_tc4RKknfd0xrkUDdyYu8guHKlkwwlYuxp7n6gMnIlBNkF7l_Bnfh8S654oKZqGOZ3KQ3Degwb5kZ2K_R7c_6wz4IsVYyOfUUcFLtTf-WHWt-U4v1jMcyRw/w300-h400/image0.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>
<p>Fire twirling as it got dark.</p>
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<p>We had wisely booked ahead for a meal in <a href="https://grantsofcastlegate.co.uk/">Grant's of Castlegate</a> for an excellent post parade supper. We may well have gone back to Fell Bar afterwards for a nightcap but the memory gets a bit hazy.</p>Mark McLellanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064109636549782786noreply@blogger.com0