The need for speed…

Our company co-hosted a corporate event with one of our customers at the Brands Hatch racing track where the MG Car Club was having a club day. We had a suite of our own with food and drinks laid on and a view of the whole circuit before us. Each race had it’s drama with many a crash and spin off that although looking quite frightening luckily didn’t seem to result in any injuries (other than dented pride and wounded wallets). We were also able to walk around where the competitors had their cars arranged and could watch as they tweaked and tuned them as they tried to get the last drop of performance out of them. The majority of the cars were naturally MGs, the earliest seemed to be a 1940’s MG TC and the latest a group of MG Z hatchbacks. There were also many other marquees there, including Triumph, Jaguar Austin-Healey and number of TVRs

Although I am not much of a petrol head it was still quite and interesting day and I think everyone enjoyed themselves.

Green fingered success…

When we moved to the village we joined a few clubs so that we could meet people and integrate better into the community, through the local Gardener’s Club we were encouraged to have a go at entering something into their competition. We are still struggling to improve the ground at our allotment so that it will be better for growing vegetables and the wet weather has caused many problems for them and the flowers in our garden that we were not sure we would have anything to enter. But we managed to get together enough for half a dozen entries and we even had some minor success with a first and two thirds for the fruit and vegetables. We made some mistakes with our flower entries but our fern in a pot was the only one entered in that category and so was placed.

It seems there are few regulars who do well every year and the awards were split between a small number of exhibiters, still we offered some support and encouraging words so we might try again in the spring.

Wave your arms like you just don’t care…

A few of the ‘boys’ got together a while ago with the intention of having a games night and we ended up playing Olympic Games and other sports on the Wii games console to much amusement.

It was so much fun that we decided to run a rematch and invite the girls along too. This time we held it our place and Sue made a one-pot meal for everyone that we enjoyed to excess. So while we waited for the food to settle we had a quick Movie game that used a DVD of film clips for some of the questions. We then cleared a space for the Wii events and tried our collective hands at several Olympic track and field games before trying other sports such as tennis, bowling and most hilariously boxing. After that we had a few goes at the Brain Trainer and called it a night.

I think the sales of the console may be set to increase come Christmas.

Blood on the sawdust…

We took some time out one weekend and headed into town to visit the Old Operating Theatre Museum and Borough Market. I thought it might be a good idea for the three of us to spend some quality time together near where Jamie’s new job is and where he is thinking of moving to. But it seems that wandering around a food market and looking at scary bone-saws or specimens in jars is not everybody’s cup of tea. We had a tasty, though expensive, meal in the fish restaurant and an abortive look at the stalls before we had a quick look at the oldest operating theatre in the country that used to be part of the nearby Guys Hospital. It consists of a small semicircular demonstration area surrounded by steeply raked viewing platforms. Under the knife marked table sits a box of sawdust that was designed to be kicked around to capture the blood that drained from the semiconscious patient above. It is an odd museum built in the loft space of what was originally a church and the displays are quite random and unusual with what appears to be hand written notes explaining some of the exhibits.

We didn’t linger and returned home soon after.

Death’s high-kicking routine…

Recently we went to the Yvonne Arnaud theatre in Guildford to see Mort the musical, a reinterpretation of the Terry Pratchett Discworld novel with song and dance. This was performed by a youth group to great acclaim and we particularly enjoyed how they managed to get a seven foot skeleton to move around the stage and talk in capitals.

The theatre itself is nicely situated along side the river and has a pleasant atmosphere in the cosy auditorium. The food in the café is also tasty and adds to the whole experience.

A working man…

Jamie has found himself a job working as a Software Developer for a company based in London. He has been there for a couple of weeks now and seems to be enjoying himself. The only thing he is not enjoying is the travel to and from our place into to the city. He has been talking to a couple of friends he knew from Uni and is hoping to move in with them sometime soon.

More of wot I have read…

Do Not Pass Go by Tim Moore

A book that tells the story of London since the thirties through the 28 streets, stations and utililties of the Monopoly board . In the wonderful world of Monopoly it still only costs £50 to buy a house in Islington, you can move around London with the shake of a dice and even park your car for free. In Do Not Pass Go Tim Moore, belying his reputation as a player who always paid that £10 fine rather than take a Chance, fearlessly tackles the real thing and along the way tells the story of a game and the city that frames it. Sampling the rags and the riches he stays in a hotel in Mayfair and one in the Old Kent Road, enjoys quality time with Dr Crippen in Pentonville Prison and even winds up at the wrong end of the Water Works pipe. And, solving all the mysteries you'll have pondered whilst languishing in jail and many other you certainly wouldn't, Tim Moore reveals how Pall Mall got its name, which three addresses you won't find in your A-Z and why the sorry cul-de-sac that is Vine Street has a special place in the heart of Britain's most successful Monopoly champion.

The stirring travelogue of one man's erratic progress around those 28 stations, utilities and street, Do Not Pass Go is also an epic and lovingly researched history of London's wayward progress in the 66 years since the launch of the world's most popular board game.

More of wot I have heard…

I bought the following albums after seen the artists at the recent Womad festival. There are all probably loosely called folk, but they are quite different from each other.


The Ha’ O’ Habrahellia by Fribo

As you can tell be the name this group is not totally English in origin.

Their website states that - Fribo is a unique collaboration between three musicians from Norway, Scotland and England, who are rapidly gaining recognition and acclaim for blending their own musical styles together with sensitivity and an exuberant feel for contemporary sounds and rhythms.

The music is lively and different and perhaps a little challenging at times.


I am the Man by Simone White

I like this album very much, it is quirky, modern, and pointed and the singer has a lovely voice. I can listen to this over and over again.


After the Morning by Cara Dillon

Perhaps the most traditional of the three this Irish singer’s album is lovely and gentle collection of good melodies and good tunes.