Up Helly Aa…

My big 50^th birthday excursion to the far northern reaches of the British Isles took place in late January.

To start with Sue and I travelled with Deb by plane from Gatwick to Glasgow, where we met Chris and Carole at our hotel, the Holiday Inn Theatreland conveniently located near the bus and train stations. We had a couple of drinks in the bar before venturing our heading towards the Merchant area of town (on the recommendation of the concierge) where we ate at The Corinthian, a rather ornate ballroom of a place.

On the advice of our friendly waiter we took cabs to The Howlin Wolf blues bar which was a crowded place, full of noise and fun. Here Bill and Linda met us after flying up separately. We enjoyed the music of an accomplished duo before turning in for the evening.

Next morning we started out early and went over to the House for an Art Lover in Bellahouston Park. It is a relatively new building built to an old design by the celebrated designer Rennie Mackintosh and it is a fabulous building set in nice grounds surrounded by sculptures.

After this we returned to the city centre and went to the Willow Tea Rooms (another Mackintosh building) for lunch where we meet Jodie and Andy. Our party was starting to swing now with the application of some alcohol and more company.

Some of us ventured of to the Hunterian Art Gallery at the Glasgow University for a spot more culture before meeting up together at Ashton Lane where we had a few more drinks in the Wee Pub at theUbiquitous Chip where Jamie met us.

We then went to eat at The Grosvenor Café next to cinema of the same name. A large exciting place with an interesting vaulted ceiling.

Back at the hotel we had some more drinks and Jamie and I did a Glenfiddich whisky tasting.

The following morning we made plans to move on to the next stage of our tour. Jamie and Deb went with Andy and Jodie in their car while Sue and I went to the Queen St Station to catch a train. Chris and Carole and Bill and Linda returned home.

Those of us that were continuing on met up again in Aberdeen at the Jurys Inn Bar where we also met Paul and Lorraine. Together we took the ferry to Lerwick. We played a few games including Cards Against Humanity for a few hours until we turned in to our boys and girls rooms. Sometime during the night Jodie ‘fell’ off the top bunk (or sleep walked) in the girls cabin and injured herself and Lorraine and Deb in the bunks below. After 14hrs we arrived in the morning at Lerwick.

We were met by our hostess, Shelley, and were taken to our accommodation in West Baila Street. A nice large and well-appointed house up on the hill overlooking the town.

We picked up some supplies and explored the area in smaller groups. Jamie, Paul and I visited the fabulous ancient Clickimin Broch nearby, a mystical and baffling place.

Later on we all went into town and had a drink in the bar at The Lounge bar where we sampled a few of the many local brews.

On Burns Night we had with haggis (including a vegetarian alternative), tatties and neaps and attempted in an embarrassing way to address the haggis by reciting the largely unpronounceable poem.

Andy took Sue, Deb and I out on a field trip to visit Scalloway (castle) and then Meal and Bannamin beaches. On the way we saw some old bothies and plenty of dramatic scenery.

Much of our downtime was spent playing the various games I brought and drinking heartily.

On the morning of Up Helly Aa it was raining heavily and we were concerned about the conditions. But it cleared up as we made our way into town. There we saw the youth squads burning their galley and up on the hill we passed the main galley waiting with some of its entourage for the start of the parade.

In town we found a place for a quick drink before staking our place out along Hillhead where the squads had assembled (some 900 odd folk – some odder than others, dressed in all manner of fancy dress). The main squad matched up in their fabulous handmade armour waving torches to gather around the galley.

At the nominated time a signal flare was launched and the street lights dimmed as the squads lit their torches from burning flares and smoke and cheering filled the air. A brass band struck up and the galley and its attendant squad matched down, the head Geyser at the helm. The other squads fell in behind and they paraded along the streets towards the park. We moved on to try and secure a good vantage point overlooking the park in amongst the crowds of excited onlookers. From Saint Olaf Street we watched the boat as it was surrounded by the many torches as the climax was reached and the burning brands were hurled into the ship to set it alight. The sky had cleared and as the ship crumbled the fireworks started in a spectacular display. Afterwards we found Captain Flints in town and continued the party.

Jamie returned to Aberdeen on the ferry the next evening for his onward journey to London to meet up with friends where he was to be best man at a wedding.

On our last day we walked around Knab Point and saw a double rainbow but we were apprehensive as we had heard there was a storm (Gertrude) coming. At the ferry terminal the staff advised we might have bumpy crossing and they were not wrong, I retired early unwell as did Jodie and I arose early in the morning to find Sue and Debs asleep in the bar where they had been all night. The captain advised we would be late into the harbour due to the weather which did not go down well with Sue. Eventually though he saw and opportunity and docked after we disembarked we gathered our strength in a coffee shop before Jodie and Andy drove for home. We found out that our ship was the last out for a while and the storm did batter the Shetlands quite badly. It was fortunate we did not have the same experience on the way out or Sue would have insisted I buy us flights out.

In the Union Square shopping centre the rest of us went to the cinema to see The Revenant and afterwards we ate at Wagamamas. Had did have a walk about Aberdeen and visited the maritime museum &Provost House and saw a few old buildings.

In the end we took the train to the airport and flew home glad to finally return to the comfort of our own beds.

More of wot I have heard…

It has been a while since we had any new music and we have come into the possession of a few old and new items such as:

Jamie Lawson self-titled album. This has the haunting track called Wasn’t Expecting That, the lyrics of which bring a tear to my eye.

Come up Full by Meg Hutchinson. This was a gift from Sue’s cousin Matt, the artist who sings about her experiences as a person dealing with schizophrenia.

Another Country by Rod Stewart. One of Sue’s favourite artists and I must say his choice of songs on this album suits his voice very well.

Decade by Neil Young. Classic songs from a classic artist, another gift from Matt.

You’re the One That I Want by Lo-Fang. This is the single from the Chanel perfume TV ad and it is a very different and ethereal version that I like very much.

Games Day…

I had a fund day around at Derek’s with Martin and Kevin playing several board games both old and new. Among those we played were:

• Sherriff of Nottingham
• Celestia
• Thunderbirds
• Formula D
• Isle of Skye
• Zombicide: Black Plague
• Tsuro of the Seas
• Port Royal
• Karuba

We were also spoiled with some lovely food by Derek’s wife Donna and a cake made by Sue. All in all it was a great day

More of wot I have read…

On The Road by Jack Kerouac

Occasionally I pick a book that is supposed to be a worthy and important addition to the literary world and as I had done a road journey across America I chose this one to read. Perhaps it was the 50 odd years since it was written or that it was aimed at audience with a different sensibility, but whatever it was I did not engage with the characters or narrative at all. As to be expected it was dated with anachronistic references and language, but worse for me was the jarring attitudes of the characters who did not come off well for their wilful, selfish, and hedonistic ways. It seemed a self-indulgent and quite naive story but I guess it would have been more revolutionary and revealing when shone against a background of post war America.

‘Fans of Kerouac get the whole beautiful, groovy deal with this new recording of the radically hip novel that many consider the heart of the Beat movement. Poetic, open and raw, Kerouac's prose lays out a cross-country adventure as experienced by Sal Paradise, an autobiographical character. A writer holed up in a room at his aunt's house, Paradise gets inspired by Dean Moriarty (a character based on Kerouac's friend Neal Cassady) to hit the road and see America. From the moment he gets on the seven train out of New York City, he takes the reader through the highs and lows of hitchhiking, bonding with fellow explorers and opting for beer before food. First published in 1957, Kerouac's perennially hot story continues to express the restless energy and desire for freedom that makes people rush out to see the world. The tale is only improved by Dillon's well-paced, articulate reading as he voices the flow of images and graveled reality of Paradise's search for the edge’.

Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn

I had read this short book some time ago and wanted to revisit it again. It is interestingly written as correspondence between several people forced to use an ever-shrinking alphabet. Its main themes are about freedom of speech and the dangers of political tyranny, but it is an amusing and diverting story that is both short and sweet.

‘As Ella Minnow Pea writes to her cousin with the latest news on the small, quiet island of Nollop, little does she imagine the crisis ahead. The letter z has fallen from the statue of Nevin Nollop, revered author of the sentence ‘The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog’ – and the island’s rulers interpret this as a sign of devine displeasure and ban its use in any form. In a novel composed of correspondence, the loss of z is inconvenient; but far worse is to come as more letters fall and more are banned, until only l, m, n, o, p remain…’

Marking the occasion…

We celebrated Saly’s birthday at Hedsor Social Club with the local band The Stormflies performing, getting almost every one of the large assembled gathering up and boogieing on the dancefloor. We stayed at the lovely, impeccably presented, comfortable and peaceful Old Cottage B&B across the road next door to the delightful Garibaldi pub.

Winter Wonderland…

This year we decided to celebrate New Year’s in style with a short four day trip out to the IceHotel in Sweden.

It didn’t start out to well as we had trouble finding the car parking at the airport which stressed Sue in particular. Trouble with the lift then compounded the issue. We did manage to relax a bit before we boarded our plane but then we were informed it was being grounded due to a problem with one of the tyres. Luckily as this was our first organised tour (with Discover The World) we had a travel rep on-board and she assured us she would inform the people in Sweden of our predicament and make sure everything was done to make sure our transfers and excursions were unaffected. Eventually after a couple of hours delay we were on another plane heading for the remote Swedish town of Kiruna.

When we arrived we hurriedly transferred to our shuttles to our various locations. We had to rush through our hotel check-in as we were due on an excursion and consequently we were quite flustered when we arrived at the meeting point in our newly acquired snow suits. We then we able to settle down as the group assembled at the snowmobile area where we took the last machine in the line and mounted up. We headed out first onto the frozen river to get used to our stubborn beasts, wrestling with the steering as it tried to follow the ruts in the snow. The couple in front of us were nervous drivers and so we would tend to lag behind causing the group to occasionally stop for us to catch up. Leaving the river we headed up through wooded areas, across lakes and into the hills, stopping once and a while to see if we could see stars or northern lights, but alas the cloud cover was low and complete and we saw neither. As we wound through the drooping snow covered pines we went off trail when we lost sight of the leading pack, luckily the side route soon re-joined the main track causing only a minor panic. We stopped at the wilderness camp which was a series of octagonal buildings with a central fire around which we all sat on benches as our guide warmed up a lovely meal (leak and potato soup, reindeer stew, panna cotta and lingonberry desert, all washed down with warm lingonberry juice – alternatively humorously called ‘dingle berry’ by one of the Americans). We enjoyed the company of our fellow riders especially the gregarious half of the gay American couple seated next to us (a couple of the women in their group being the slow drivers). Our return journey was shorter and quicker and soon we were back at the IceHotel. It was now late and we decided to turn in and organise our hastily unpack belongings.

We were staying the first three nights in a Kaamos Room (named after the Kaamos light – the twilight illumination that occurs at this time of the year as the sun stays below the horizon). It was a comfortable large room with its own bathroom in a block. Several blocks were arranged around the site as were chalets and a larger octagonal accommodation. There several other buildings on site – several service buildings, a main reception with a lovely lounge in it, a shop, and a cold reception adjacent to the IceHotel itself. There were also a couple of warehouses for the storage of the ice (it is harvested in spring when the ice is at its thickest and stored over summer until it is used when they start construction in December). Over the road from the main reception is a large restaurant that was part of the facilities, and down in the small town was a local shop, a lovely church and the Homestead restaurant (part of a complex of older buildings that formed a historic museum).

After breakfast we explored the site a bit more finding the domed IceBar (unfortunately or fortunately not serving drinks in the morning). This structure was interesting as it differed from earlier years when it was part of the main IceHotel complex as it was now separate – built by inflating a large dome and spraying it with water until it froze solid, thick enough to support its own weight yet still allowing some light to penetrate such that you could see figures moving around inside at night. It had been a warm winter locally so the second ‘breast’ next door was not complete.

During the middle of the day we had arranged a Husky Sledding experience and we met our teams out on the river. Each sled took four people sitting with the guide standing at the controls behind is and about a dozen small dogs ranged out in front barking like mad to be on their way. This was a lovely journey (if slightly smelly – a result of a meaty diet) across river and through woodland to another group of huts where we were served homemade spiced apple cake and more lingonberry juice.

Being New Year’s Eve that night we had a meal arranged at the restaurant and we preloaded a little with some of the alcohol we brought from the UK with us. We also returned to the IceBar and had another fortifying drink where we met a group a Swedes who were very friendly. Our last drink there was called the Tribute, but was locally called ‘wolf’s paw’ as it could knock you down being that it was mostly vodka (locally it would be moonshine) and the ubiquitous lingonberry juice. The meal was lovely and we chose to have the matching drinks (very generous they were too). As the hour approached we met at the main reception where the King and Queen of 2015 and their courtiers (one playing a white tuba) and a drummer (playing his kit supported by a fork lift) gathered to process down towards the river. They stopped briefly at the IceBar to gather more supporters and then as the crowd gathered in a snowy mosh pit one of the courtiers donned a helmet and head-butted down a portion of the ice wall to allow the 2015 royals to enter and address the crowd (humorous speeches and mad opera singing) until time drew close and as the new King and Queen of 2016 arrived (two children in the bucket of a digger) and we inaugurated the old King and Queen smashed the ice 2015 sculpture with sledgehammers as the 2016 sculpture rose above the ice wall and the countdown to the New Year began. It was all quite funny – especially as we had nearly finished the hip flask of brandy we had brought. Fireworks went off, music started and pools of coloured flames were lit in large ice blocks as the party began.

Luckily we had no plans for the next day as I needed to return to bed after breakfast the worse for drink, and did not reappear until much later on. We did explore the town, walking down the snow covered road past the local houses still festive with their Christmas decorations, to look at the quaint church and walk back along the river (looking at the icy plunge pool cut into the river for those who wanted to cool down after their sauna). We had our tour of the IceHotel this day seeing the fabulous art rooms with individual sculptures within. We also had our briefing about how to cope with sleeping in the rooms. That night we had another fabulous meal at the restaurant and as we had an early start the next day we did not linger too late.

The next morning was our Raidu excursion to the Sami camp where we would get up close and personal with the reindeer. We were shuttled out on sleds pulled by a snow mobile where we fed the reindeer calves by hand with lichen. Then we went to the enclosure where the gelded reindeer used to pull sleds were kept. After a couple were selected we moved to a fenced in track where they were each hooked up to a small sled. We were then invited to volunteer to drive one of the sleds. An American woman and I stepped forward, her sled started first in a steady manner and I was quite happy until mine lurched off in a mad gallop to catch the first where upon they both thundered around the track neck and neck with us ‘drivers’ hanging on for dear life. Later one couple had a minor crash but were unhurt, though it was enough to put Sue off trying it herself. After this we went with our Sami guide to a traditional lavvu (large tepee style structure with and open fire in the middle and seating on skins on the ground), there he talked to us about his culture and the reindeer while cooking us a traditional smoked reindeer dish called suovas. After this we were transported on the snowmobile sled to an open air museum where we could learn more about their culture.

As this was our night in the IceHotel cold room we had to check out of our other accommodation effectively making us homeless for the day. We relaxed and had a snack in the lounge watched over by stuffed animals (a lynx with an artic hare in its mouth) an impressive set of antlers with the name ‘Rudolph’ printed underneath. This evening we had an evening meal at the Homestead and we wandered down early for a drink first. The food here was more basic but it was a lovely cosy environment in the old wood panelled rooms. We strolled back and warmed up in the cold reception area (not cold in temperature just associated with the cold accommodation), leaving it until quite late before collecting our thermal sleeping bags and moving into our ‘Northern Lights Room’ (so called for the waving multi-coloured illumination shone on the ceiling). I apparently was out like a like and snoring terribly such that Sue did not get anywhere as much sleep. However she was dead to the world when the girl arrived in the morning with our now slightly boring hot lingonberry juice to wake us up.

We made use of the facilities, ate a good breakfast and lingered in the lounge until our coach arrived to take us back to the little airport and to catch our plane homeward.

The only think we missed out on was the Northern Lights and had we known before we might have reorganised our stay to include a night at the Abisko National Park and the Aurora Sky Station where some of our travellers had seen fabulous displays. 

Ashton’s Christmas Travelling Circus…

The beginning of our Christmas Travelling Circus started with Christmas Eve at the Brown’s where we had a bite to eat and several drinks in celebration of the season. Sophie and Lucy went off to go clubbing but Paige stayed with us to play a few games. It was a jolly affair and we returned to stay at Deb’s.

On Christmas day Sue and Deb prepared the traditional roast for the Christmas dinner and we opened presents with Jamie, Dave, and Mum in the bosom of the family unit.

That evening Sue and I went with Sue’s sister Deb and Jamie to visit the Whittenbury’s where we celebrated ‘blonde’ Deb’s birthday. We exchanged a few Christmas and then birthday presents and marked the occasions with Deb, Dave her family, Paul and Lorraine. More good food and party drinks were consumed and much fun was had by all.

We decamped from Deb’s on Boxing Day and travelled to Tring for an evening at Uncle Terry’s with Gill, Tony and Jan, and Deb, and Jamie. More presents were exchanged, festive food consumed and liquid libations taken and a happy and enjoyable evening.

Post Boxing Day we returned back to Deb’s in Sutton for another family meal this time with Terry, Stacey and the kids before Jamie, Sue and I returned to our home in the evening suitable gorged.

The next day we took Jamie to the airport for him to return to Dublin and we pottered around do a few last minute jobs before our New Year’s trip away.

Our last order of business was to see the latest Star Wars movie which we did out our favourite cinema the Everyman in nearby Reigate. It was not necessarily Sue’s bag but I thoroughly enjoyed the film. 

Out on the town…

There are several birthdays around the Christmas period and we tried this year to celebrate them individually so that they were distinctively separate for the festive occasion. For Sue’s sister we took her into London and along with Chris and Carole we booked a table upstairs in the bar at the well-known jazz club, Ronnie Scott’s. On our way from the train station to the club we passed through Leicester Square that was the venue for a lively group of amusements that included a wheel and merry-go-round. Then up through Chinatown decorated with huge illuminated lanterns to the Soho area. We started with a cocktail at our booth and then went on to wine, fortified by some tasty bar snacks. The music was a selection of artists of all manner of styles (not particularly jazz by any means), culminating in a lively band before we finished for the evening. Even though some of the details of the later part of the night seem to have escaped my memory, I am confident we all had a great time.

Friends visit…

As part of their festive break Marc and Heather and young Elise stayed with us for a few days before Christmas as they travelled from Sweden to the UK to see family and friends, and we had a good time catching up with them. We made an excursion out to the wonderful Horniman museum where we also met James and Nikala and their children Noah and Ellie. The kids enjoyed running around the park, seeing the animals at the Animal Walk, exploring the main rooms of the museum and playing with the musical instruments in the interactive area of their impressive musical collection. Apart from the grey and damp conditions everyone had a fine time together and the kids tired themselves out (we have photographic evidence that Noah fell asleep on the stairs before he managed to take his coat or shoes off). 

Starting to feel like Christmas…

Held again at the home of neighbours Alistair and Bruni in their wonderful open plan dining/sitting room (designed by Alistair). Many friends were back again along with a few new faces everyone providing a dish towards the meal. The familiar carol song sheets were passed around and enthusiastically utilised. It was the perfect start to the festive season and really put us in the mood. 

A sad occasion…

We recently went along to Sue’s Uncle John’s funeral at the Randall’s Park Crematorium in Leatherhead and to the reception afterwards at Woodland’s Park Hotel. It was a moving experience held with dignity and respect for the popular and charismatic man who will be sorely missed by his family and friends. 

More of wot I have seen…

We saw The Winter’s Tale live broadcast from the Garrick theatre at the Sutton Cinema with Barbara and Deb. The show had Judi Dench and Kenneth Branagh starring.

I had heard Kenneth Branagh interviewed a day or two before on the radio and was intrigued by the concept of seeing a live performance without having to go into London. It has been done for a while now for both theatre and ballet and you often find some very talented actors playing in major productions for a fraction of the price of being in the theatre itself. I found the experience exceeded my expectations as the advantage of the filming was that they could zoom in on the actors and always had the key sequences perfectly framed. Deb thought that not being in the actual theatre auditorium was a disadvantage. For me I would definitely do it again. It was an interesting tale, not one of the bard’s most well-known stories, and it was superbly acted with energy and passion (you could see the tears on the actor’s faces).  

More of wot I have seen…

We went to see The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time at the Gielgud theatre with Tony, Barbara, and Deb.

I had read the book many years before and enjoyed its alternative point of view very much but I wondered how it could be portrayed successfully on the stage. I needn’t have worried as the set was perfect and the use of the space and actors was inspired. On many occasion it was like watching a ballet such was the complexity of the choreography. The lead actor was a force of nature spend almost all of the time on stage in what must have been a physically and mentally draining performance, he is a star in the making.

Before the show we had a lovely meal at the Thai Square by Trafalgar Square.

Thanks to Tony for a great evening. 

More of wot I have seen…

The Lady in the Van was an utterly charming film that rang true to the feel of Alan Bennett’s work and superbly acted by Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings. Nothing much happens as it potters along but the characters are richly portrayed and the script delightful.

A Sad Passing…

After seeing him just a few days before at his son’s wedding all happy and looking well talking of his future adventures and the places he was going to go to in the next few months, it came as a shock to us all to hear that Sue’s Uncle John had passed away suddenly. We knew he had been dealing with a long term illness but I think his passing was still unexpected. He was a very gregarious man who seemed to like nothing more than meeting and interacting with people, generous of spirit and always ready with a tale to tell. He will be missed be a great many.

In Celebration…

We were guests at Sue’s cousin Damian and Paulyns wedding that was held in the quirky Whispering Gallery and Atrium Bar at the Dome at Worthing along with photos on Worthing Pier and a reception at the nearby Harry Ramsden’s Fish & Chip Restaurant. It was a lovely event where we could all gather together and celebrate their big day.

More of wot I have seen…

Spectre is a typical James Bond movie, one with an elaborate opening sequence, an outrageous villain in a bizarre lair, exotic locations and exotic women, fast cars and a knowing script. There were some lovely little ‘Easter Egg’ moments for the fans that referenced earlier movies and all in all it was an enjoyable couple of hours of escapism.  

Going Quietly…

The ‘Surrey Puma’ has gone on to the great big hunting grounds in the sky. Our cat Sooty had to be put down recently after he developed an incurable illness. He was getting old and we had noticed over the last few months some signs that something was not quite right. He had started to become a lot more vocal and seemed to be losing some of his senses – running into a room and right past you to go meowing for you in the next. Also he occasionally had difficulty jumping. Sometimes he would just sit there and stare at the floor. Anyway it ended up that we found him one morning wobbling around, his back legs barely functioning, hiding in quite dark area for a while before going outside in the cold and sitting staring at the ground.

So we took him into the vets and they kept him in overnight with a drip in him to warm him up (he was dangerously cold). They could not say for sure what had happened but it was likely that is was a problem with his brain that caused stroke-like symptoms. To ease his suffering we asked the vet to put him down and so as not to be cowards Sue insisted we be there to stroke his head and hold his paw. I must confess I howled the place down.

We still think we glimpse him occasionally out of the corner of an eye, a dark shape in the room or a shadow of movement and we hear noises that sound like him padding through the house. He was such a big part of our lives for a long time, even if it was entirely on his own slightly psychopathic terms. 

More of wot I have read…

The Visible World by Mark Slouka

This book never gripped me and I struggled to work my way through it. I did not engage with the characters or the story on an entertainment level, however the true life story was interesting from a historical point of view, giving a glimpse into the lives of the ordinary people who had to live through such trying times. Ultimately I would suggest it is not necessarily worth your time.

  

‘My mother knew a man during the war. Theirs was a love story, and like any good love story, it left blood on the floor and wreckage in its wake.

As a boy growing up in New York, his parents’ memories of their Czech homeland seem to belong to another world, as distant and unread as the fairy tales his father tells him. It is only as an adult, when he makes his own journey to Prague, that he is finally able to piece together the truth of his parents’ past: what they did, who his mother loved, and why they were never able to forget.’

Autumn Colours…

This time of year the trees are showing their final colourful display and we went to the RHS gardens at Wisley to see the vivid yellows, oranges and reds of the leaves. It was a party like atmosphere there in the glorious sunshine as people wandered around the site looking at the plants, the tractor display and the apple and pear stands where you could taste many of the varieties grown there. It was a lovely afternoon and our spirits were buoyed up by being out in the fresh air.

Celebration Meal…

We went out to meet the Brown’s in Sutton for a Chinese meal at Heens to celebrate Chris’s new job. He was rightly very excited about it and everyone was happy and hungry which was just as well as we had a full table of food to work our way through.

Fine Food and Fine Company…

We meet up with some of the Jackson’s who were in town after visiting Essen and before they carried on their journeys. We went to the Manor Clapham for a degustation tasting menu dinner which was very interesting. Not all of the combinations of tastes and textures worked in our opinion but overall it was a very good, with friendly service and good company.

Beer, Sausages and Board Games…

It was time again for the annual pilgrimage to the board game Mecca that is Spiel at Essen this time with added friends visiting from New Zealand along with the regulars from Europe that congregate at the friendly Handelshof Hotel in Mulheim.

The journey from Dusseldorf airport to Mulheim was a nightmare this time for several reasons; 1 – because I arrived on a later flight the ticket desk was closed and I could not navigate the ticket machine without a lot of assistance, 2- the local station had been damaged by fire so the trains were delayed, 3- the train that did arrive (and was supposed to stop at Mulheim) went an alternative route and I had to navigate back on the U-Bhan, arriving much later than anticipated. Don’t want to do that again.

We had a good time catching up with friends old and new, exploring the world of games, playing games, drinking and eating, and watching the occasional rugby match.

Some of the regulars are serious consumers of games buying them by the car load, if felt positively restrained purchasing the following:

-       Thunderbirds  - a co-op game that plays like Pandemic (lite) that can be quite hard. Dominant gamers can end up taking over if not careful;

-       New York 1901 – building skyscrapers to achieve the biggest and most prestigious addresses – a pretty game that played well;

-       Codenames– a fun party game of wordplay;

-       Celestia– another pretty game of fantastical exploration. Simple gambling – risk taking game that is family friendly;

-       Kitty Paw – a children’s game of pattern recognition and dexterity that can prove to be surprisingly difficult for adults;

-       The Game – a co-op team game with a very simple mechanic but difficult execution.

Adding to the Drink Shelf…

We recently became aware of a new local distillery that was making a rather tasty gin. The Silent Pool Distillery is just down the road next to the local attraction of the same name and they have the most wonderful brass, steampunk, still in their property that they are using to make a sublime gin. Apparently they are also in the process of making a whiskey and are contemplating ‘doing something with plums’. 

More Beer and Music…

The band Eclectix that we so enjoyed at the Star were playing at the Old House in Dorking and so we went along to listen while we enjoyed a few libations. Apparently I enjoyed a few more than I should have as I do not recall getting home that night and I made some new friends (of which I cannot remember). 

Beer and Music…

The Dorking Music Festival was held recently in town with events in squares and more importantly public houses of Dorking. Some of these establishments put on extra selection of beers to attract the customer and we spent a merry afternoon visiting several of them sample their wares and enjoying the diverse music.

Around the Computer Screen…

Due to our spread out locations and busy work and family schedules my gaming friends and I cannot often get together face-to-face to play board games and now we have found another alternative. Table Top Simulator allows us to create virtual copies of the board games that even include a certain amount of physics (dice rolling and table tipping). It takes a little while to get used to moving the counters and picking up cards with a mouse, but it is really quite a good compromise. 

Around a Table…

Occasionally I manage to get together with a few friends to play board games. And recently we ended up at James’s place where we played a few new and old favourites including:

Exploding Kittens – a mad and unpredictable party game;

Relic – a difficult and long game based in the Warhammer 40,000 universe;

Braggart – a quick and silly card game;

Forbidden island – a difficult (if played right) co-op game;

Martian Dice – a totally random gambling / push your luck game;

Farm Sounds…

Recently we went to a local music event called Front Room on the Farm. It is a small one day event that has blossomed from an intimate and select session in the farmstead’s front room (hence the name) to spread out into the field where 500 tickets were sold and the guests watched some interesting music from the comfort of their own chairs or the hay bales provided whilst partaking of picnics brought along or tasty food and local brewed/distilled beverages. It was a lovely little event. 

More wot I have read…

Slip of the Keyboard by Terry Pratchett

This was a touching book and even though I am a big fan of his writing I think anyone would appreciate his gentle and heartfelt words that give a bit of an insight to this lovely man.

‘Terry Pratchett has earned a place in the hearts of readers the world over with his bestselling Discworld series – but in recent years he has become equally well-known and respected as an outspoken campaigner for causes including Alzheimer’s research and animal rights. A Slip of the Keyboard brings together for the first time the finest examples of Pratchett’s non fiction writing, both serious and surreal: from musings on mushrooms to what it means to be a writer (and why banana daiquiris are so important); from memories of Granny Pratchett to speculation about Gandalf’s love life, and passionate defences of the causes dear to him.

With all the humour and humanity that have made his novels so enduringly popular, this collection brings Pratchett out from behind the scenes of the Discworld to speak for himself – man and boy, bibliophile and computer geek, champion of hats, orang-utans and Dignity in Dying.’

Sun, Sea, Sue and Me…

As a delayed birthday treat for Sue we had a long weekend down on the Jurassic coast, basing ourselves at Lyme Regis in Dorset. We stayed the lovely Cleveland B&B; with only three bedrooms the owners provide a high quality personal service. The rooms were spotless and well equipped, the breakfasts fresh and tasty, it has its own off street parking and the owners are very helpful and caring of your needs. So much so that the other couples staying there were repeat customers over many years.

Lyme Regis is a delightful, old fashioned yet well healed seaside town with a lovely little beach, interesting shops and a lovely harbour (the Cobb – which featured in the French Lieutenants’ Woman).

On this weekend there was an Art Festival with local artists displaying their work in the parks, galleries and shops throughout the town. We had a ramble, stopping in at the local brewery and ending up buying a piece called ‘Tea at Lyme’ by Judy Edwards.

That evening we were booked in to have a meal at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage HQ for a meal and so we took a cab out into the countryside where we were met by a tractor and trailer to take us down to the farm. We were ushered into a yurt for a drink and canapés as the evening was outlined to us and told we had the freedom to explore the farm and kitchens until the appointed time to eat. We saw some of the produce, the old farmhouse used in the TV series, the training school and the converted barn dining room. The guests were sat at two long benches and we found ourselves next to some lovely couples who we got to know better as the series of dishes were brought out to us. The food was divine and the hours soon passed in a merry haze.

The weather was superb (in fact we ended up getting a bit of a tan spending nearly all of our time outdoors), and so we took advantage of this and travelled down the coast visiting Seaton where we wandered along the beach and watched the electric trams, Branscombe where we visited the old forge, mill  and walked down to the beach, Sidmouth where we did not stop as it was a real kiss-me-quick sort of place full of happy families, and on to Exmouth where we visited the intriguing A la Ronde sixteen sided National Trust house.

That evening we had booked a table at Mark Hix’s Oyster and Seafood House which sits on the hill overlooking the Cobb and bay and is a short walk from the B&B. The food was delicious, when we eventually got it, but the service atrocious – it took us nearly an hour to get our first drink and our menus and that was only after we prompted he staff (we noticed another couple leave after similar treatment). Once we were eating though everything else was fine and we tried some interesting fish dishes.

On the Sunday we checked out and visited a nearby Landmark Trust property called Belmont House which was lovely, before heading along the coast towards home, visiting the impressive Chesil Beach, and Portland Bill headland, stopping for a fish lunch at Swanage before crossing Poole Harbour and travelling inland for home.

It was a fabulous weekend all round. 

Social / Anti-Social Weekend…

We had a mixed weekend both weather-wise and social-wise. Friday we had Deb over and Howard joined us for dinner where Sue made another amazing meal that she had never made before. We happy guinea pigs stuffed ourselves silly. Later on we all went up to B&Bs for a quick drink with Neil, Helen and Paul.

Saturday we had a visit from Terry, Stacey and their baby daughter Gracie-Mae along with Dave and Barbara. We had a roast lamb dinner with freshly dug potatoes and over vegetables from the garden, finished off with a fruit crumble and a pavlova. In the evening we went into Dorking as we had heard the landlord of the Star was leaving so we went along and enjoyed ourselves celebrating his time there. The band Eclectix were fabulous, keeping everyone entertained. It was a lively evening and a long walk home.

Sunday we went over to Paul and Lorraine’s for their summer BBQ that was a good number of friends out in the garden. Luckily the weather held off for us and we didn’t need to use the gazebos apart from the karaoke singers later on in the afternoon.

Monday we took Deb back home and dropped in to see Chris and Carole for a cup of coffee and a cake before returning home in the rain, picking up some KFC and hiding away in front of the TV for the rest of the day. 

More of wot I have read…

Casino Royale by Ian Fleming

I thought I ought to read one of the books as I had heard they were quite different from the movies. And indeed they are, perhaps as a product of their time, or as a result of the personality of the author, but whatever James Bond is not a very likable character. He has some serious flaws and his attitude to others is frankly quite disturbing. The book seems to have an unusual pace to it too with long passages dedicated to the gambling and to the torture scene with other aspects glossed over. Nevertheless it was interesting to see just how different it was.

‘In the novel that introduced James Bond to the world, Ian Fleming’s agent 007 is dispatched to a French casino in Royale-les-Eaux. His mission? Bankrupt a ruthless Russian agent who’s been on a bad luck streak at the baccarat table.

One of SMERSH’s most deadly operatives, the man known only as “Le Chiffre,” has been a prime target of the British Secret Service for years. If Bond can wipe out his bankroll, Le Chiffre will likely be “retired” by his paymasters in Moscow. But what if the cards won’t cooperate? After a brutal night at the gaming tables, Bond soon finds himself dodging would-be assassins, fighting off brutal torturers, and going all-in to save the life of his beautiful female counterpart, Vesper Lynd.

Taut, tense, and effortlessly stylish, Ian Fleming’s inaugural James Bond adventure has all the hallmarks that made the series a touchstone for a generation of readers.’

For the Craic…

As we were going to the airport on Friday to drop mum off for her return journey to NZ anyway we decided to book a flight to Dublin to meet up with Jamie and see where he has moved to.  Before getting to the airport we had time to fit in one more National Trust property, Claremont Gardens, and have a relaxed lunch at Carluccio’s at Walton-on-Thames.

Jamie had a work’s do on the Friday and so we had time on Saturday morning to be tourists.  We visited Trinity College and saw the Bookof Kells exhibition and looked through the wonderful old library. It took us a while to find the Molly Malone statue as it had been relocated due to the tram work going on at its original location. A photograph later and we continued on walking through Temple Bar district with its winding streets, markets and interesting shops before we visited the magnificent Christ Church Cathedral.

Once Jamie had surfaced we met him for drinks, great sandwiches and live music at the Temple Bar pub where we caught up on each other’s goings ons.

Jamie treated us to dinner out at Ashton’s restaurant not far from where he lives and works. The food was very tasty with large portions but a mistake with the order meant Sue ate her main course after Jamie and I did.

The wet Sunday morning we stayed in Jamie’s apartment except to have brunch in the nearby café Wilde & Green before heading back to the airport to travel home.

It was nice to catch up with Jamie and we had a lovely time in Dublin.

Quality Time…

We took the day off to spend time with mum, initially we thought we would have lunch at the Shard, but this changed to visiting Great Dixter gardens, however at the last minute we found it was not open on a Monday, so we went to Nymans instead. Their summer boarders were fabulous and the house was enjoyable, Sue did get bombarded by seeds shot explosively from a plant several metres away with the sound of popcorn popping but she survived. Afterwards we went on to visit Standen house and gardens – the house being more a draw than the gardens - built in the arts and craft movement and designed by Philip Webb who worked with William Morris. We then carried on to visit the West Beach at Littlehampton and to have a lovely fish supper at the East Beach Café.

Going underground…

One of our neighbours and friend is a member of the Wealden Cave & Mine Society and he organised for a small group of us to visit the nearby Barons’ and Tunnel Road caves in Reigate for a private tour.

The first underground adventure was through the Tunnel Road East manmade caves which have had a varied use over time as stone and sand quarry, war time shelter, cold war bunker and wine and beer vaults. They have exhibitions covering all of these periods and more with an old Anderson shelter, a Roman tile kiln undergoing reconstruction, a geology room, second world war shelters, remains of Cold War bunker equipment and vast quantities of empty (we checked) bottles.

Our second spelunking was into the Barons’ cave under the old motte and bailey mound the remains of the castle. Here we saw the passage that linked the castle to the dry moat, sand excavations (with a surprise T-Rex looming in a corner – from Dr Who fame), several carvings (horse heads and faces) and ancient graffiti. These caves are so called for a local story that suggested that Barons stopped her on their way to Runnymede to sign the Magna Carta, though this is likely to be a myth.

It was a good evening explore and very interesting to add it to my local knowledge.

Sunshine & Music…

This year we tried a new music festival picked by Dave because it appeared to be small and child friendly with an interesting selection of music and good range of beers. With Deb, Dave and boys Tom and Ollie, with Paul, Lorraine and her granddaughters Jodie and Daisy and with Sue’s sister Deb and friend Shelly we assembled at a roadside café early on Thursday morning and travelled in convoy to the Wickham Festival. There was rain as we travelled but it cleared as we put up the tents and it was wall to wall sunshine until we took them down again on Monday morning after which it rained on our way back home.

Smaller than what we have been used to before it was easy to get around and still had enough to keep us occupied. There was a variety of music to suit most tastes and we had a few surprises during the weekend.

The food was good, the beer and cider even better and the sun beat down and warmed our backs and our souls.

We only saw a fraction of the available acts that were on at the three stages. These are some of them:

Banjo Vie – these French based hillbilly rockers were a great introduction to the festival, and one that we were late back for supper as a result. Hard rocking, energetic and full of humour.

De Temps Antan – A trio of traditional Quebec musicians that were extremely talented and energetic (bought their album)

Andy Fairweather-Low – former front man for Amen Corner played a steady if not exciting set.

Wilko Johnson – saw only a couple of songs from this former Dr Feelgood guitarist before excusing ourselves (not our thing).

Megson – A lovely set from this husband and wife duo that we first saw perform many years ago at our local folk club. They have since gone on to bigger and better things, deservedly so (bought their album).

Charlie Cunningham – a very talented guitarist who has picked up some of his skills from spending time in Spain.

Huw Williams & Maartin Allcock – they provided good background music during a lovely sunny day with a beer in hand.

Roy Bailey – a national treasure with entertaining chat and touching songs.

The South – they delivered a tight quality sound not far from a studio performance from this iconic pop band.

Show of Hands – an impressive set from this heavyweight group of talented musicians who have been entertaining crowds for many years.

Billy Bragg – he is as sharp and edgy as ever and still heavy on the political message.

Miranda Sykes & Rex Preston – they were a quality act that impressed with their energy.

The Askew Sisters – a sweet and harmonious sound, perfect for s sunny morning.

The Spooky Men’s Chorale – a firm favourite of ours they entertained us with their peculiar humour.

Eliza Carthy Wayward Band – born from folk royalty Eliza has managed to carve her own furrow with her punchy variations on traditional themes.

Seth Lakeman – a supreme fiddle player we first saw many years ago as a solo artist now has a dynamic band that manage to keep up with his frenetic style.

The Proclaimers – it was a solid performance from the boys even though we would have liked a little more personal interaction.

Les Barker – a lovely humorous poet that has been around for what seems like forever highlighting the absurdities of our language and human frailties. He seemed to be enjoying himself even more than the audience.

Tankus the Henge – hold tight this band is full of a dark energy that powers them along and drags you with them (bought their album).

Moulettes – I have seen this band perform before and they are an offbeat and an acquired taste.

Luka Bloom – a contemporary folk singer songwriter with heart and passion.

The Dhol Foundation – named and fronted by an array of drums this band has a foot stomping energetic dance attitude that mixes and blends cultural influences from Ireland to India from traditional to contemporary in a seamless way.

Tom Robinson & Band – he is another passionate and driven performer with a message who has been around the block once or twice, a little rock history lesson.

Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel – like a few of the other more ‘mainstream’ acts they have been around for a while, but they appeared to be very grateful to still be playing and entertaining crowds.

10cc – I wasn’t sure what to expect with this band as I was a big fan of their songs way back when, but they were very professional and tight as an act and the newer members of the group fitted in perfectly and reproduced the band’s sound to the note. The highlight was their acapella rendition of Donna. 

The Garden’s bounty...

Strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, black currents have all been good croppers and we have had plenty of fruit off them, we just await the small amount of blue berries we have on the small bush to completely ripen. Also the wild black berries are starting to ripen in the hedgerow.

The peas and beans are cropping well too and we can see we will struggle to keep up with them (some are destined for jars of chow-chow if we cannot give them away). The courgettes are ramping up production and we have had our first potatoes and greens. The salad crops are doing well but we are not seeing much come from our carrots or beetroot.

We have planted some dahlias and have been getting a good show of blooms for cut flowers.

The apple tree is heavy with fruit and I had to cut a limb of that was resting on the fruit cage as it threatened to do some damage. We got a couple of bags of fruit off this single branch and so Sue was busy cooking up chutneys, apple and cider cakes and an apple pie from those she could not give away to neighbours, along with a few courgette based chutneys and a couple of jars of pickled gherkins. 

More of wot I have read…

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

This is an interesting and good first book by this author though I was a little dissatisfied by the title character being quite so elusive without explanation or understanding of her motivation.

‘There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed…

On an autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives at a grand house in Amsterdam to begin her new life as the wife of wealthy merchant Johannes Brandt. Though curiously distant, he presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. It is to be furnished by an elusive miniaturist, whose tiny creations ring eerily true.

As Nella uncovers the secrets of her new household she realizes the escalating dangers they face. The miniaturist seems to hold their fate in her hands – but does she plan to save or destroy them?’

On your bike…

Again the Prudential Ride London cycle race came through the village with the legion of amateurs first in the morning and then the professionals in several circuits in the afternoon. In the morning we cheered the plucky peddlers on from the green where facilities and entertainment had been provided, and in the afternoon we raised a glass from the Bertram Bees bar happy to be temporarily stranded in the village.