Madonna - Sweet and Sticky Tour

After the various cock-ups administrative errors of the Kylie concert (late boat, missed pre-drinks, tickets for different dates!) the corporate entertainment company arranged a compensation event: Madonna at Wembley.


Now between you and me I wasn't exactly suffering Post traumatic stress disorder so I thought this was a gesture above and beyond the call of duty - but who am I to cavil.

The Chinese meal beforehand at Alisan was fine. Madge came on about 45m late at 9:00 and bashed out a fair number of greatest hits. Great to tick another cultural icon off the list but I have to say I think the visuals at Kylie's concerts, to supplement the dot on the stage, added greatly to the enjoyment of the spectacle.

Some of my colleagues had cameras so I will post a selection of photos later if I can.

London to Paris - We Made It!

Worst: Puncture in the English rain

The first day and a half was horrible - wet and strong headwinds. Then it cleared up Friday afternoon and we were cycling through little country lanes in the sunshine thinking "this is why we love cycling". It stayed like that to the end. It was great fun and we had no serious after effects from the cycling although on day three I did have to resort to two pairs of lycra shorts - neither the saddle nor my bum had much padding!


Best: Rolling French roads in the sunshine

Day 1: London / Portsmouth	72.6m	6:16h	11.6av
Day 2: Caen / Bernay	60.3m	4:38h	13.0av
Day 3: Bernay / Paris	102.4m	7:29h	13.6av
Total: London / Paris	235.3m	18.23h	12.8av

Team 1: the fastest


Mark and Mary at L'Arc de Triomphe

Photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8179454@N02/sets/72157607161934026/

In total 40 people did the ride and the collective effort is expected to raise about £60K for The Stroke Association. Every extra donation helps.

http://www.justgiving.com/markmclellan
http://www.justgiving.com/marymgalashan

Charity Dinner in aid of The Stroke Association

New local restaurant Perché has kindly agreed to host a special charity dinner for us on Thursday 18th September 2008. It is a win-win-win situation - people get a chance to try lots of their lovely food at a special price, we raise some money for the Stroke Association and Giovanni from Perché gets free advertising. Tonight we posted around 450 flyers into the houses all around the area - avoiding those with the "no junk mail" notices. Those poor people will miss out!

Charity Dinner in aid of The Stroke Association.

Thursday 18 September 2008 at 8 pm.

Local Wandsworth couple Mark and Mary are cycling London to Paris in aid of The Stroke Association. Support their efforts and enjoy a chance to try some of Perché's fantastic dishes with a specially designed tasting menu.

Antipasti, trio of pasta, choice of lamb or sea bass (please specify when booking), dessert, coffee. £35 per person* including a £5 donation to The Stoke Association.
* does not include drinks or service.

Perché Restaurante Italiano, 3 Dolphin House, Smugglers Way, Wandsworth, SW18 1DE. Reservations required Tel: 020 8704 0888.

London to Paris - Training 10

Last weekend was the last cycling according to the training plan. A short ride on Saturday and another on Sunday. The latter was in Richmond Park and as we entered the park the heavens opened, thunder, lightning and flash floods. After one circuit we were completely sodden so we said "s*d this for a game of soldiers" and went home.

My lightweight rain jacket was about as much use as a chocolate teapot which prompted me to go out and buy a top-of-the-range GoreTex jacket yesterday. Looking at the forecast for tomorrow we added waterproof overshoes to the shopping list :-(

Tonight was a pasta supper with tw other entrants, Lynn, and Dave who are staying with us tonight. Now it is off to bed.

Well that's it for the training - tomorrow it's the real thing.

London to Paris - Training 09

Pump it up when you don't really need it.
Pump it up until you can feel it. *

We have been following the suggested training plan from The Stroke Association religiously thanks to Mary. Last Sunday morning before our BBQ we were out of the house at 07:40 to do 2 hours round Richmond Park before breakfast. Then the rides and gym during the week.

This weekend (Monday was a public holiday in the UK) we did 2, 3 and 5 hours - 30, 40 and 70 miles respectively. Cyling round the New Forest with fellow entrant Lynn it was a far more scenic ride that the environs of London. We were averaging 13-14 mph which we were pleased with, all the training has paid off. Honourable mention should go to Lynn who came with us on the latter two rides despite a raging sore throat which meant broken sleep and hardly any food.

A month back I treated us to a proper stirrup pump only to discover that my hand pumping had only inflated the tyres to about 3 bar (45 psi). At the recommended 6 bar (90 psi) for the hybrid it was like having cast iron tyres. You feel every bump and pot hole. On the road bike the pressure was 8 bar (120 psi)! Going over the cattle grid it was definitely as case of "Gentlemen please be upstanding" though Lynn said she quite enjoyed the rumble strips :-O

* Pump It Up - Elvis Costello

London to Paris - Training 08

It's training Jim but not as we know it.

A small group of us met up for a drink in the Crusting Pipe in Covent Garden on Tuesday evening. John A Hartley, Bhav, Chris (mrtee), Chris (bluedee79), myself and Mary.



We drank wine and talked of cycling stuff and a pleasant time was had by all.

London to Paris - Training 07

The training continues unabated according to the plan(-ish).

Saturday we drove down to Bob and Lynn's for a barbeque. On the way we stopped for an hour and a half loop up and down the Test Valley in the <expletive deleted> rain. A delightful circuit we will do again but hopefully in more clement conditions.

Sunday we met up with fellow L2P'er AlisonP at Brockenhurst and preceeded to do 3 ½ hours round the forest - ably navigated by Lynn.


Lunch at The Compasses, Winsor - AlisonP, Mary, Lynn and Mark

We did 48 to 50 miles but four cyclo-computers could not agree on the exact mileage. Alison would have done it faster but she very graciously waited for us three to catch up at appropriate junctions.


Consulting the map at Buckler's Hard (no tittering at the back there!)

Cycling round the Forest roads made a very pleasant change from London streets.

Kylie at the the O2

As previously mentioned ("Kylie Minogue in a Red Latex Dress") I was due to see Kylie *twice* at the O2.

The first time was a team outing where we met at a bar beforehand, had a boat ride to the O2, a rushed meal, the concert, more drinks and another ride back to Westminster pier. I may have had a glass or two of champagne (hic!)

The second time was a more subdued affair. A relaxed meal with Mary at Las Iguanas, the concert and tube and train home. I saw more that time because my eyes were better at focusing :-)

What can I say. A true professional. La la la!







Loads more photos at:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=51265&l=c0e6a&id=547102291
and:
http://seguima.jalbum.net/Kylie/

London to Paris - Training 06

The plan was good - a ride on Sunday with the CTC South West London District Association Cheam & Morden Section. A seventy (70) mile ride at a leisurely average of 11 mph with breaks for elevenses, lunch and afternoon tea. Not so much about upping the speed but improving our endurance.


CTC Cheam & Morden Section

Unfortunately Mary's body refused to cooperate. For reasons we have not fully fathomed she was simply unable to keep up the pace following a brisk take off. After a few miles we told the others to go on without us and we devised our own circular 40 mile tour of various parts of Surrey (Epsom, Effingham, Ockham, Stoke D'Abernon, Cobham and back to Cheam).

One theory is that the new lower gear, higher cadence technique recommended by her trainer was too much without more practice. Another is simply that Mary was not eating enough to provide the energy she needed. She has been following the Weightwatchers' regimen since November and lost an impressive 19.5 lb (8.8 kg).

Weightwatchers allow points for exercise to add to your daily allowance. The website says a maximum of 4 exercise points per day can be traded for food which has limited the compenstion for all the cycling. Now we learn that any amount can be traded. Since that ride alone counted as 11 points, never mind all the earlier training runs, that means she could have been eating more all through the week. So despite eating a substantial breakfast full of slow release carbs to give her the energy for the ride she was running with a shortage of fuel.

Conversely today I had a very light lunch and on this evening's ride of 20 miles I was really struggling to keep up with Speedy Gonzales - Mary was doing 17-18 mph when I was struggling to do 15-16 mph.

A bigger breakfast tomorrow for me!!

Update: 08-Aug-08
Yesterday we cycled to work and back then switched from hybrids to roadbikes and on to Richmond Park for a couple of cicuits. Thanks to a big pasta lunch and a cereal bar before I set off from work I was able to keep up with SWMBO. Bit of a relief that :-)

The Dark Knight - a Haiku

Psycho Joker. Zap!
Conflicted hero. Kerpow!!
Greek tragedy. Oh.

A show packed with interest

Dad had several paintings in Yvonne Arnaud Art 2008. This is the write up in the local paper:

A show packed with interest

A new look Yvonne Arnaud Art 2008 is getting the Guildford Summer Festival off to a flying start.

Many of the artists and sculptors are exhibiting for the first time this year in the 200-strong show that continues until July 24. The show, sponsored by Baker Tilly, features some leading British talents and includes photography.

The most striking exhibit, a mighty mirror-polished stainless steel sculpture by prestigious Surrey sculptor William Pye, takes centre stage in the foyer of the Yvonne Arnaud.

An arching tubular construction that appears to flow up and over it was inspired by the Narcissus myth. The bright reflections and fluid movement conjure a sense of magical watery depths.

All the other exhibits are on show in The Mill Studio, where a smaller harp-like silver sculpture by Pye is also on display.

Nearly all this year's exhibitors are newcomers to the annual exhibition, although they are, on the whole, established artists.

One of the few 'regulars' is Judith Gardner, whose delicately executed atmospheric landscapes are among the most memorable exhibits.

Using sensitive flecks, dashes and washes of the brush and employing a sensuous appreciation of colour, she invests each composition with a slightly dream-like sense of heightened perception. A central radiance lifts her homely view of a garden chair in a thicket of vegetation to a higher level.

Altogether more surreal but imbued with a similarly gentle and dream-like atmosphere, are a series of mixed media paintings by David Brayne.

One of the most eye-catching is The Dressing Gown, in which a leaning figure adrift in a boat casts a sparkling fishing net.

Shades of Surrealism also give additional pictorial momentum to a group of oil paintings by Michael McLellan which inhabit a theatrical landscape dotted with dramatic cut outs.

Also noteworthy in a show packed with interest. is Paul Newland. His eagle-eyed and crisply painted watercolour and Gouache view across the roof-tops of London is beautifully executed.

The exhibition is open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 7.30 pm.

Beatrice Phillpotts
Surrey Advertiser 11 July 2008

See also http://www.michaelmclellan.com/

London to Paris - Training 05

The training regimen is struggling to kick in fully. Last Sunday we were due to do a 3 hour ride with a group starting from Redhill. The plan was then to pop over to my sister in Reigate for afternoon tea. We put the bikes on the roof rack and drove down. Only one other person turned up and she was not the tour leader so after half an hour we gave up and devised our own 2 hour ride ending up at my sister's for lunch. Mum and Dad were there so that was bonus.

Tuesday night I was at the Kylie concert so Mary did a long route home via Hammersmith. Wednesday night Mary was in Birmingham so I did a circuit round Richmond Park. Even so we are not getting in the distance rides we need.

Last Thursday I also suffered a mishap on the way home. Little girl on edge of cycle path turned wheel of scooter, Mary braked, me too close behind, emergency stop!! Over the handle bars and chinned the pavement. Off to our GP surgery, as we were nearly home, who sent me to A&E at St Georges where they glued the cut together - better than stitches apparently - and sent me home. So a wasted evening and we didn't get to eat till about 10:30 by which time Pizza Express was the only restaurant in Old York Road who's kitchen staff hadn't packed up for the evening.

A week later all was healing nicely apart from my right hand where the swelling hadn't gone down as much as the other lumps and it was painful to open things (jars and doors). So I spent 3 hours this lunchtime first at a walk-in center then Barts getting an x-ray confirmation that nothing was actually broken.



You can see the wider space between the index and middle finger bones in the main body of the hand. That is where the tender muscles and stuff are. So pop some Ibuprofen and let nature take its course.

It has to be said that there may have been over 6 hours of sitting about in waiting rooms but I paid not a penny for any of it. The NHS is a great thing and deserves all the support it can get and some more beside.

Mamma Mia - a Haiku

Streep cheeps, Brosnan croaks
Moussaka meets classic pop
Toes tap, feel good fun.

The Crystal Skull - a Haiku

Mr Stuffy over at Blog from the Barn has written a number of Haiku Movie Reviews. He has challenged me to do the same. Last week my sister and I went to to see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Here is my review:

The Crystal Skull - a Haiku
Bad guys chase good guys
Alien MacGuffin skull
Enjoyable tosh

Kylie Minogue - In Red Latex Dress (new version)

It so happens that I am due to see Kylie at the O2 arena twice in the next couple of weeks. The second is a surprise Mary arranged for me (such a thoughtful spouse) and the first is a team outing from work for getting the "Gung Ho Team of the Year" award. They were trying for Wimbledon but that was over budget. Give my knowledge of tennis can be written on the back of postage stamp I reckon I got the long straw :-)

This reminded me that many years ago I had an excellent lodger called Neil and he was enamoured of young Kylie. Shortly after he left South Wimbledon, en route to Canada via Romford, I sat myself down to watch TOTP one Thursday evening. Who should be the guest presenter but young Kylie wearing a skin tight (is there any other sort?) red latex dress.

Quick as a flash I popped a blank VHS tape into the machine and hit the emergency record button. After the show I put the tape into a Jiffy bag and posted it off to Neil never to be seen again.

That was back in 1995. With these imminent concerts in mind I thought, what the heck let's see what YouTube has to offer. Blow me down if some thoughtful soul hasn't taken a recording of that ancient show and spliced together all the Kylie bits:



Since we are on YouTube here another Kylie clip that the boys might like:



The back story on: Kylie Minogue for Agent Provocateur

London to Paris - Training 04

It is all getting a bite serious this training lark:

Thursday, July 17, 2008: Went over to Raynes Park and picked up my new bike from Bright Cycles. I decided to go for the same as Mary, a Specialized Roubaix Comp. Spent two hours there first trying out the frame size up to make sure I was happy with the 54 cm frame.

Then it was a case of fitting all the bits and bobs - pedals, lights, lock, cyclo-computer, new helmet, gloves, shoes and socks. All the add-ins added another 30 percent on top of the cost of the bike. But hey it is my new "company vehicle" under the "Cycle to Work Scheme" so the company pays (out of pre-tax profit, we reclaim the VAT and it is a tax-free benefit).

Friday, July 18, 2008: Cycled to work and then home via Hammersmith and Barnes(!) in a figure of eight circumnavigating the London Wetland Centre. An hour and a half fast pace ride.

Saturday, July 19, 2008: Cycled to Richmond Park. As soon as we were off public highways and into the park we swapped Mary's pedals for clip-ins so she could get used to them with less danger of being run over by a truck. A circuit of the park and home. An hour and a half hilly ride.

Sunday, July 20, 2008: Cycled to Farnham for lunch with my parents. We took a more direct route than last time - 40 miles - but it still took us a lot longer than we had hoped. Those hills are the problem. Mary had the clip-ins and had three topples over. The bruises are starting to emerge nicely. A *mumble* hour long ride.

Monday, July 21, 2008: An hour down the gym with Mary's personal trainer to get a set of exercises to improve my core stability. I fear the six-pack is some way off :-(

Primitivo from Colavecchia

We are greatly indebted to our friends and neighbours Chris and John for all their help in getting to know the area in a way we cannot, not living there full time (yet). They have helped us sign up with the local council to pay our garbage tax for refuse collection and provided much useful local knowledge.


Chris and John

Key amongst this vital info is the existence of the Colavecchia cantina (just past Putignano and follow signs for Gioia del Colle). They make typical local wines and keep their overheads low by not bothering with bottling the stuff. Take along your own demi-john or 10 litre container(s) and get it filled direct from the tank!


Tasting direct from the "petrol pump"

Not only is it very quaffable wine - well made, gobs of fruit and a belter of a wine at 14 % - it cost a staggering EUR 1.10 a litre!! That is GBP 0.65 (USD 0.33) per bottle. So we bought 5 litres and bottled it ourselves when we got back to Trullo Azzurro.

London to Paris - Training 03

So we have been "off air" for two weeks in Puglia. Does that mean the training has let up? Exsqueeze me!

We have a couple of cheap and cheerful bikes in Italy bought from Conforama at Fasano - the superstore formerly known as Emmezeta. Top of their range which equates approximately to the bottom of any one else's, but they do the job.

We had packed our cycling shorts, we bought ourselves a couple of cycling helmets from the local bike shop and did a number of short runs to the local towns of Locorotondo and Cisternino.


Mark and Mary stand by their bikes in Puglia

Then the training plan suggested a 2 hour run on the flat. Looking around the Murgia hills of Puglia "flat" didn't really look like an option.

So we removed the quick release front wheels, stuffed the bikes into the back of the Fiat Punto and drove down to the coast. We parked up and did a two hour round trip from Savelletri to Monopli and back followed by a seafood pasta lunch at Rosa's with half a litre of white wine, a siesta and a sunbathe.

Somehow training in England won't be quite the same.

London to Paris - Training 02

Sunday morning it was another training ride for the L2P. We cycled over to Richmond Park to meet up with Chris (mrtee) for two and a half circuits of the park and home again.

Only 30 miles but hard work what with the hills and the b******d of a head wind. Still Mary likes to see the positive side "think of it as a thigh strengthening opportunity"!


Chris, Mary and Mark Training in Richmond Park

The park is Cycle City, you could not move for lads in Lycra whizzing round the Park. Personally I dislike Lycra, artificial fibres feels clammy and unpleasant to the skin. The last time I wore nylon shirts was as a geeky schoolboy, never since. Give me natural fibres any day.


Tame Deer in Richmond Park

There is so much human activity that the deer are pretty unfazed by it all, no run-away deer here.

Hannington Hall

Another hectic weekend - is there any other sort? Straight from work to visit old friends Lorna and Carmichael.

Immediately after I finished college in '75 I stayed with L&C as their lodger whilst finding a job and as that happened to end up being with the local county council I stayed with them for the best part of three years.

Subsequently L&C moved to Switzerland then Canada and then inherited Hannington Hall from Lorna's Aunt Mary:



They are over in the UK for a six month sabbatical so we were able to meet up. We dined with them Friday evening and then on Saturday, between walks round the estate, met up with Carmichael's parents and other old acquaintances from Oxford.



Saturday it was off to Brasserie Blanc in Winchester to meet slightly more recent friends for more eating and drinking. A late train back to Wandsworth Town and so to bed ready for our training session on Sunday morning...

The Wine Society Dining Club - 235th Dinner

A while back we went to an Alto Adige Wine Tasting Dinner at Enoteca Turi and got chatting to Stuart and his wife. It turned out Stuart was chairman of The Wine Society Dining Club. He invited us to their next dinner but alas we had prior arrangements.

However time passed and we were able to make Thursday's dinner which happened to coincide with their AGM. The nature of these dinners is such that, even if you know no one, you can be sure to have an enjoyable time. People who go to such events are self-selected to be types who enjoy good food, fine wine and convivial company. The theme of the dinner was Champagne Alfred Gratien with a guest speaker from the house that supplies much of the Wine Society offerings.

The Wine Society Dining Club

The 235th Dinner
Tuesday 17th June 2008 at 7.00pm
Guest Speaker Mr Olivier Dupre
In the Chair Nigel Black
The Painters and Stainers Hall 9 Little Trinity Lane, London EC4



Menu

• Tian of Smoked Chicken & Avocado Smoked Pancetta Wafer & Lime Creme Fraiche
• Selection of Warm Organic Rolls
• Grilled Supreme of Salmon With Tied Green Bean Bundles, Fennel & Artichoke Confit White Wine and Chive Butter Sauce Chateau Potatoes
• Selection of Cheeses
• Mango and Fig Tarte-Tatin Served with Vanilla Pod Ice Cream & Butterscotch Sauce
• Tea and Coffee Selection of Indian Teas & Herbal Infusions Richly Roasted Arabica Coffee Hand-made Chocolates & Petit Fours

The wines

• The Society's Exhibition Blanc de Blancs
• The Society's Champagne, Brut
• The Society's Rose Champagne
• Macon-Farges, 2006, Paul et Mallory Talmard
• Alfred Gratien Brut 1997
• Alfred Gratien, Cuvee du Centenaire
• The Society's Demi-Sec Champagne

London to Paris - Training 01

A hectic weekend starting with a BBQ for Tim and Sarah on Friday evening.

Saturday morning was a trip to Bright Cycles in Raynes Park to pick up Mary's new bike - a Specialized Roubaix Comp. A shiny toy for the L2P bike ride but not for riding on the road until Mary has had a chance to ride off-road and get used to clip-in pedals.

Then it was off to Richmond for Jeff and Jackie's combined 60th birthdays and 30th wedding anniversary celebrations followed by seafood gumbo at home and an early night.

So Sunday was our first opportunity for a real long training run. Up at 8:00 on Sunday morning we set off to visit my parents. The direct road route is 37 miles but we chose the scenic route <rolls eyes>. Up the River Wandle as far as Carshalton then via Epsom, cross country to Guildford and finally Cycle Route 22 alongside the Hogs Back.

We are not sure quite how far we cycled as the little trip computer stopped working after 17 miles but we reckon easily 50 miles. We arrived knackered and a couple of hours later than anticipated for a light lunch and the train back.

We got to Farnham train station to discover engineering works meant a replacement bus service to Woking and we were told "no bikes on the bus". Arrgh. Mary's legs, especially, were done for and we were looking at locking up the bikes and coming back later with the roof rack. Fortunately the driver was a very nice man and let us put the bikes in the luggage hold.

I can tell you my thigh muscles are getting pretty solid and we still have a lot more trainng to do.

London to Paris Bike Ride 2008

Mary, Lynn and I are gearing up for a London to Paris bike ride in September in aid of the Stroke Association. The ride will cover 244 miles in 3 days. This involves 85 miles on the first day to Portsmouth; a ferry ride and 59 miles on the second; and a colossal (for us anyway) 100 miles on the last day!

This is far more serious than anything we have ever done before and we are hoping to raise substantial amounts of money as a result.

Stroke is the 3rd biggest killer in the UK. By sponsoring our participation in this event you will be helping the charity to provide the services stroke survivors and their families so desperately need. The Stroke Association (http://www.stroke.org.uk) provides help through community or information services, funding pioneering research campaigning or providing welfare grants to help improve the quality of stroke survivors lives, and relies upon donations from supporters to help fund these activities.

You can sponsor us at
"http://www.justgiving.com/marymgalashan",
"http://www.justgiving.com/markmclellan" and
"http://www.justgiving.com/lynnh3" or by cheque made payable to the Stroke Association sent to our home address.

Thanks for your support

Mark & Mary

---

And these are the bikes Mary and I will be doing it on:


Mark's 30 year old Claud Butler


Mary's brand new Specialized Roubaix Comp

Hampton Court Twice

Once again it is the Hampton Court Festival and we have been twice within a week.

Last Saturday we went to see Curtis Stigers, Cleo Lane and John Dankworth. We booked the tickets a while back to go with our friend Andrea. Unfortunately Andrea had to have a knee operation and wasn't able to come; she was not able to walk or drive or go on public transport. Then Mary had an inspiration, we knew that HC did wheelchairs from taking Mary's Mum round there last year.

So I was dispatched to off to Essex as a private ambulance to collect the invalid. We drove right up to the gates of the palace, popped Andrea in a wheelchair and pushed her to her seat. All the staff there were incredibly friendly and helpful.

Sunday the three of us spent several very pleasant hours wandering round the RHS Gardens at Wisley. Mary is a member, Andrea went in as her guest and I got in free as the "pusher". Wonderful gardens, a beautiful day and a fine way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Of course we came back with a boot (US:trunk) completely full of plants.

Thursday it was back to see Van "The Man" along with brother Ian and partner Sarah. The nice people from Sky accosted us as we entered and, on being answered that we came by train, gave us a complementary picnic blanket.



They had a photographer going round taking photos for free and downloadable at http://www.hcpf-photos.com/ - so that was a nice souvenir.

The Other Executor

Last week I spent a pleasant evening with the my parents albeit with a slightly macabre twist. I went down to Godalming to meet Murray Campbell, for years the family solicitor and also the other executor of my parents' will.

As the first born I was asked to be one executor and Murray the other. When I heard that he was retiring I expressed a desire to meet the man as I had never met him in person. Although he is retiring he has agreed to continue as fellow executor and any legalities will be dealt by one of the partners, Guy Crowther, at his old firm of Barlow Robbins.

So last Wednesday evening I went along to Murray's retirement party in a marquee in the grounds of their offices. I met Murray and Guy and I am glad to say formed a good opinion of them both. Murray especially is a very solid, robust seeming sort of a chap, he looks like he ought to have been a rugby player.

That done it was back to Farnham for a meal with Mum and Dad and a late train home.

I am forunate that Dad and Mum take a practical view of these matters. They have made a will, appointed executors, granted me "enduring power of attorney", drawn a list of bank and other accounts and even written a "living will".

Although I hope they will be around for a good few more years it is comforting to know that when the time comes my grief will not have salt rubbed into the wound with all the hassle of intestacy and legal wranglings.

Tramps Like Us...

...Baby, We were born to run.

Saturday was a busy day. First the Guinness Premiership final at one stadium (Twickers) then straight from there to another stadium (the Emirates) to see "The Boss". We saw the rugby with our friends Bob and Lynn but hardly hard a chance to chat as we rushed off in opposite directions after the game.

We went via Hammersmith for a quick bite to eat and meet up with Geraldine and Alasdair and their friends, Pat and Paddy. From there it was off to see Bruce and the E. Street Band.


Bruce at the Emirates Stadium, London, 1


Bruce at the Emirates Stadium, London, 2

It was loud and the crowd knew all the words but I only recognised a few of the tunes. I only possess the albums "Darkness on the Edge of Town" and "Greatest Hits". A good time was had by all.

Rhine Cruise Photos

On deck of the Serenade 1


Our cabin on the Serenade 1


Typical Rhine view


Lindt Chocolate Museum


Wine tasting in Cochem

Rhine and Moselle Cruise

I have been off air for a while as Mary and I have been on a river cruise with the mother-in-law. It was a Page and Moy cruise on the MV Serenade 1. As such my expectations were modest - a Granny cruise full of white haired old dears. Which is pretty much what we got but in fact it was OK although I am not sure I would necessarily repeat it.

I had not holidayed in Germany before, the cruise took us through some beautiful scenery, we tasted a number of wines and visited some interesting cities:

• Amsterdam
• Cologne
• Bonn
• Rudesheim
• Cochem
• Alken
• Koblenz
• Dusseldorf
• Arnhem
• Amsterdam (again)

The rooms were 4 star hotel quality but of necessity small, the food was good though the scales told me that a week of cooked breakfast, four course lunch and four course dinner with wine may have been more than was strictly needed to keep body and soul together :-(

One thing it did bring home is the importance of good diet and good posture. I have never seen so may people whose heads hung forward like a hump backed tortoise, with a gut hanging over the belt.

Pictures to follow once I has winnowed out the chaff and selected a few representative images...

Good web design?

Occasionally I follow the link from a commercial web site to the design company that created it which is how I ended up at http://www.vohm.com/. There I was greeted with this:



Not even a "Click here for text version" or "Skip animation". Am I going to spend time downloading and installing the very latest software so I can see some flash animation? No.

Anyway it is a corporate laptop and against company policy to install unauthorised software. So I click "No" expecting the html alternative site. What I get is this:



So I click "OK" and get this:



A completely blank screen. Utterly content free. Hmmm! Would you buy web design services from this company?

Perhaps they should read: "Flash: 99% Bad" or "Top Ten Web Design Mistakes of 2005" or "Making Flash Usable for Users With Disabilities". The articles may be a couple of years old but the song remains the same. And I am sure Google would throw up a few more articles on the same theme.

Thames Bridges Bike Ride 2008

Fourteen bridges, 33 miles in aid of The Stroke Association along with 2000+ other riders.

As I wrote earlier ("Cash Rich, Time Poor") for Mum's 83rd birthday "We took our bikes with us on the train and on the way back we cycled 30 miles but that is another story..." So here is the story:

Instead of catching the train back we donned our cycling gear and pedalled off. The first part of the journey was along the new national cycle route 22. This took us along a delightful valley running parallel with the Hog's Back as far as Guildford.

There we picked up the River Wey Navigation. It started off with a proper tow path but as we got into open country it degenerated into meadow. Cycling over tussocks is hard work and our average speed plummeted. By the time we reached Weybridge we had covered 30 miles and it was starting to get dusk. So we hopped on a train for the rest of the homeward journey. That had always been the plan we just weren't sure which station.

Then Friday just gone Mary said "Let's not cycle home for gym and yoga followed by a fish supper. Let's cycle past Wandsworth and keep going to Kingston!" So that is what we did.

A very pleasant 20 mile commute along the Thames Path arriving knackered at KOT about 8 o'clock. We dined at Frere Jacques, looking a little put of place in our cycling gear, then caught the train home.

Sunday was what all this training was for. Up at our normal weekday time along with our friend Lynn to cycle up to Clapham Junction, train to Waterloo and cycle to the start line. We were on the very first batch over the line unfortunately we only got as far as the first bridge, Tower, when Mary's bike took a puncture :-( that lost us some time but we were soon on our way.

After that is was the same routine as previous years: cycle, pit stop, cycle, pit stop, finish and go to the Bell for lunch and a well deserved pint (or two), then train home. All in all we did over 40 miles.

Clapham Junction at 07:15

At the start

Puncture at Tower Bridge

Richmond Park

Rest stop

Over the finish line

Helmet hair style

See http://www.flickr.com/photos/8179454@N02/sets/72157605025427055/ for a fuller set of larger images.

Thames Bridges 2007
Thames Bridges 2006

May Day 2008 in Trullo Azzurro

We have just had a long weekend in Trullo Azzurro. Out on the Italian public holiday (01-May-08) and back on the English holiday (05-May-08). That latter due to the English habit of moving holidays to the next available Monday.

Unlike the previous two <quote>holidays<unquote> this was billed as relaxing. South Africa was decorating and shopping and our previous Italian trip was unbagging the over-wintered bedding and weeding. Our efforts plus a "re-activation" of the gardener means the beds are looking good and starting to look established.



And mostly it was a relaxing trip too, I am glad to say. Apart from moving 20 quintale (two tons) of logs from where the lorry dumped them to the newly created woodpile.



The spring flowers are in full bloom. The poppies are everywhere and the road side verges are full of all manner of wild flowers.



One thing about the local market is that there are no beans from Kenya or mange tout from Mozambique. What you get is what is in season. Most noticeably on this visit fresh peas. In the pod of course not shelled or frozen.



We went to Locorotondo Market and bought food for the weekend. We had neighbours John and Chris(tine) round for Sunday lunch and in the evening, as if we weren't full enough already, went round to Mino and Carole's where we were arm-twisted into staying for the evening meal.

They had 15 for dinner as the first guests of the season had arrived: a Dutch family and a group of, mostly retired, English ladies on a painting trip. So Mary and I were co-opted into the brigade for table laying and mushroom chopping. We had mushroom souffle, green pea and bean risotto, vegetable stuffed chicken and one of Mino's signature dishes bread and butter pudding. All washed down with plenty of their own home produced wine.