Whilst the cat's away...

Sue, Deb, Carole and Blonde Deb visit Marrakech for Blondie’s 50^th birthday where they stayed at the Eden Andalou Hotel. Whilst they ventured out into the town and the markets, and took a drive up into the Atlas Mountains, I had the boys around and we played a variety of games (whilst the cat’s away…).

Old Wood...

Marc had another visit with us in January and we played a few games, with Sue stuffing us at Ticket to Ride. We also took a drive out into the countryside and ended up visiting a 4000-year-old Yew Tree at Crowhurst. 

Fun with Friends...

Marc & Heather & Elise came over from Sweden and stayed with us for a few days over the Christmas/New Year period whilst they visited friends and family. We kept them busy but managed to get out to play in the park and to feed carrots to the donkeys. Another semi-regular event is a walk and talk with friends and colleagues old and new. This time we were at Dinton Pastures Country Park near Reading where we walked around the ponds together (Marc played with Elise in the fabulous play area) and later we went on to have a meal at a pub called the Jolly Farmers in Hurst.

 New Year’s Eve was spent at home with Whittenburys and Harrison-Dinniss clans. We had a convivial time eating a lovely meal, chatting and consuming a few drinks that culminated in watching Jools Holland’s Hootenanny.

On New Year’s Day, we went for a walk in Banstead Woods where they have a new Narnia Trail (a wood carving artist has created large sculptures out of dead trees, and other wood products, that represent things from the children’s books). We went on over the muddy and slippery paths (unfortunately Marc had a couple of tumbles) until we got to the Ramblers Rest where we recovered.

Christmas by the sea...

Christmas and Boxing Day was spent at Seaford at Chris & Lynne’s home that had been decorated in style and where the provided a fabulous spread. We were joined by Barbara and Debs and had a merry old time. On Boxing Day, we had a brisk walk along the cliffs until a squall forced us into a pub seeking shelter. 

Furlong Road Residents and Supporters...

We have a semi-regular gathering of Furlong Road Residents and Supporters, and before Christmas this was in Dorking (our local curry house having shut down), at the Mirch Mahal where we have lovely food and enjoyed the company. 

Period Festivities...

To get some fresh air we went and visited Polesden Lacey where they decorate the house up in a Christmas style in keeping with the period of the building. There is much festivities and even a ‘reindeer’ drawn carriage ride for the kids (horses wearing antlers and red noses).

Festive Tunes...

A regular event that heralds the festive season is the carol singing arranged by my Uncle Terry in a neighbour’s house at Tring. It is always well attended by talented musical friends and enthusiastic amateurs all in good voice and humour.  

Celebrations...

Some time back now we visited Jamie and Gia in London when her mum was over. We went with Barbara and Deb and had a pleasant time together.

For Debbie’s latest birthday we went to the Railway Tavern near where she lives, and where many of her friends meet. There was a DJ set up in one corner playing Northern Soul classics and the place was heaving with people enjoying themselves. 

Relocation, relocation, relocation...

Late last year I relocated to an office in Horsham as our management has been insisting on us office workers being physically in the office every day, even if we have previously agreed to work from home a couple days a week. Considering we are a global company technology company, all have laptops and mobile skype communications, have bosses and colleagues in various locations across the globe, it seems to be an issue of trust, or the lack thereof. So, I have arranged to work from one of our group company offices closer to home even though it has no direct relationship to the work or business I do. The journey now is half the time and distance and avoids motorways and the town is quite pleasant (there is even a board game shop there). 

More of wot I have read…

Death’s End by Cixin Liu

This is the final part of an ongoing series about humans and aliens and the possibilities around their interaction. Over this series, the author has endeavoured to put forward several grand ideas and has postulated how our civilisation may evolve and the dangers we may encounter because of humanities reach into the unknown. The final book goes even further than the others, all the way to Death’s End to explore a possible conclusion (or is it?) to the story he has woven so skilfully.

‘Half a century after the Doomsday Battle, the uneasy balance of Dark Forest Deterrence keeps the Trisolaran invaders at bay.

Earth enjoys unprecedented prosperity due to the infusion of Trisolaran knowledge and, with human science advancing and the Trisolarans adopting Earth culture, it seems that the two civilizations can co-exist peacefully as equals without the terrible threat of mutually assured annihilation. But peace has made humanity complacent.

Cheng Xin, an aerospace engineer from the 21st century, awakens from hibernation in this new age. She brings knowledge of a long-forgotten program dating from the start of the Trisolar Crisis, and her presence may upset the delicate balance between two worlds. Will humanity reach for the stars or die in its cradle?’

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

This was a book given to me by a friend, which is the first in the Kingkiller Chronicle. As the first book in a planned trilogy, the author spends a lot of time developing the main character, explaining his origins and motivations that will guide his actions in the future. This could be a slow and drawn out process but he is a skilled writer who paints a detailed and intriguing world without giving away all its secrets, leaving you wanting more.

‘My name is Kvothe, pronounced nearly the same as "quothe." Names are important as they tell you a great deal about a person. I've had more names than anyone has a right to. The Adem call me Maedre. Which, depending on how it's spoken, can mean The Flame, The Thunder, or The Broken Tree.

"The Flame" is obvious if you've ever seen me. I have red hair, bright. If I had been born a couple of hundred years ago I would probably have been burned as a demon. I keep it short but it's unruly. When left to its own devices, it sticks up and makes me look as if I have been set afire.

"The Thunder" I attribute to a strong baritone and a great deal of stage training at an early age.

I've never thought of "The Broken Tree" as very significant. Although in retrospect, I suppose it could be considered at least partially prophetic.

My first mentor called me E'lir because I was clever and I knew it. My first real lover called me Dulator because she liked the sound of it. I have been called Shadicar, Lightfinger, and Six-String. I have been called Kvothe the Bloodless, Kvothe the Arcane, and Kvothe Kingkiller. I have earned those names. Bought and paid for them.

But I was brought up as Kvothe. My father once told me it meant "to know."

I have, of course, been called many other things. Most of them uncouth, although very few were unearned.

I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.

You may have heard of me.

So begins the tale of Kvothe—from his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, to years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-riddled city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a difficult and dangerous school of magic. In these pages you will come to know Kvothe as a notorious magician, an accomplished thief, a masterful musician, and an infamous assassin. But The Name of the Wind is so much more—for the story it tells reveals the truth behind Kvothe's legend.’

Quality Time…

As part of uncle Terry’s birthday we met in London and visited the Science Museum, and in particular the Clockmakers of London exhibition (displayed in a non-ironic chronological order). Here we saw some very interesting pieces and got to appreciate the impact changing society had on timepieces and vice versa (such as global navigation and Joseph Harrisons marine clocks). We also saw a few of the many other interesting items on display while we were there (Babbage’s Difference Engine, Stephenson’s Rocket and a small part of the Wellcome Collection). We then walked through the Christmassy Covent Garden down to Rules restaurant where we had a most enjoyable luncheon. 

Countryside Crafts…

We supported our friend, Paul’s, new Hedges & Hurdles venture by participating in his two-day hedge-laying training course. A hands-on practical experience where you learn basic tool use and what types of wood to use for what purpose. The course starts with a day of preparation where you coppice raw materials, split wood and get used to the equipment. The second day you tackle the unruly hedge, cutting, shaping and laying the living plants and securing them in place with the stakes and binders made the day before. A very rewarding and informative course run by a champion hedge-layer and enthusiastic woodsman. 

Serious Fun…

A full day of table top gaming with friends where we played mostly space themed games including Pulsar 2849, Alien Artefacts, and Terraforming Mars among others. I didn’t win many but had a great time trying.

Gaming Nirvana…

Essen Spiel is where you can go to lose yourself completely in the world of (analogue) games, be they all things table-top (miniatures, card, dice, or abstract), Role Play Games (pen and paper, and Live Action Role Play) and for all levels (children games, casual players, party games and serious gamers).

As seems to be the general trend these conventions are growing in size and popularity and the games are becoming broader in appeal, attracting a wide variety of people. Essen has its fair share of sun deprived social outcasts but it does also attract a more ‘normal’ and family crowd as the Euro tradition of gaming seems to be wider spread.

Unlike the UK Games Expo and GenCon there is less emphasis on playing at the convention, it being more of a huge series of trade halls. And this means many people gather at hotels after the show day to play into the wee small hours.

We have used a small family hotel called Handelshof some distance away from the convention centre for many years now and have a friendly group of people to play with who have become good friends over time. This year several palls came in from far and wide (New Zealand, Sweden, Belgium and South Africa) and as well as gaming we managed to socialise at dinner and over drinks. One dining highlight was at the Mousetrap restaurant for pig knuckle followed by apple strudel. 

Family Gastronomy…

Uncle Tony gathered many of the family together for a tasting menu dinner at the newly opened Sorrel (by award winning chef Steve Drake) in Dorking. The food was quite sublime, though the exoticness of some of the dishes did not appeal to everyone. Also, as it was newly opened and extremely popular, we felt at times the service struggled to match the quality of the food. Something I am sure they will fix as they get up to speed. 

Autumnal Pleasures…

England in the autumn is a jolly fine place indeed. We have managed to get out and experience a bit of it at RHS Wisley where we witnessed woodland skills being performed and the spectacular colours of the trees. We also enjoyed a good harvest in the garden of fruits and vegetable (potatoes, pumpkin and squashes, raspberries and grapes). Mild temperatures have allowed us to go for few walks in our nearby countryside as well. I final flourish before we head into the long dark winter.

A Milestone Birthday…

We recently celebrated Barbara’s 80^th birthday (Sue’s Mum) with two events; a little party for the younger members of the family who were around; and a sit-down dinner for her children and their partners. She seemed to be happy to be in the middle of all this family hubbub. 

More of wot I have read…

A bit of a catch up on what I have been reading over the last few months.

The Long Cosmos by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter

This is the final book in the Long Earth series and in it we find the combined inhabitants of Long Earth come to realise that there is a more advanced civilisation out in the Long Cosmos that has focused its attention on them. It aims to pull together several of the threads introduced in earlier books, giving more background to several storylines and offering up an interesting conclusion.

‘2070-71. Nearly six decades after Step Day and in the Long Earth the new Next post-human society continues to evolve.

Joshua Valiente, now in his late sixties, wants to make one last, solo journey into the High Meggers. Only it’s an adventure that turns into a disaster. Alone and facing death, his only hope lies with a group of trolls.

As Joshua confronts his mortality, the Long Earth receives a signal from the stars. A signal picked up by radio astronomers but also in more abstract ways, by the trolls and by the Great Traversers. Its impact will be felt by all who inhabit the Long Earths.

The message is simple but its implications are enormous: JOIN US.’

The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu

This is part of an ongoing series about humans and aliens and the possibilities around their interaction. It has a different view point being from a Chinese author and this along with the complexity of some of the ‘science’ being proposed, can make it a challenging read, however the characters and overarching story are compelling and thought provoking.

‘Imagine the universe as a forest, patrolled by numberless and nameless predators. In this forest, stealth is survival – any civilisation the reveals its location is prey.

Earth has. Now the predators are coming.

Crossing light years, they will reach Earth in four centuries’ time. But the sophons, their extra-dimensional agents and saboteurs, are already here. Only the individual human mind remains immune to their influence.

This is the motivation for the Wallfacer Project, a last-ditch defence that grants four individuals almost absolute power to design secret strategies, hidden through deceit and misdirection from human and alien alike. Three of the Wallfacers are influential statesmen and scientists, but the fourth is a total unknown.

Lou Ji, an ambitious Chinese astronomer, is baffled by his new status. All he knows is that he’s the one Wallfacer the aliens want dead.’

For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway

Sue picked this book up for me when we visited Hemingway’s house in Key West. I found it a difficult read; partly I think for the ‘voice’ used to tell the reader when Spanish was being spoken; secondly, I think the slow pace of the book is a side effect of the period it was written in (we now prefer faster paced action stories in our rapid pace information age) - also I think I found the characters unsympathetic (our ideas of morality and what is acceptable also changed over time). I am not sure it stands the test of time as an enjoyable read, but has merit for the subject and for a glimpse into another time.

‘High in the pine forests of the Spanish Sierra, a guerrilla band prepares to blow up a vital bridge. Robert Jordan, a young American volunteer, has been sent to handle the dynamiting. There, in the mountains, he finds the dangers and the intense comradeship of war. And there he discovers Maria, a young woman who has escaped from Franco’s rebels.’

The Whispering Swarm by Michael Moorcock

Well this was an odd book! I am not sure if I got the joke. Was this really an autobiographical story or some sort of vehicle to explain the author’s influences? I found it a little self-indulgent and I lacked empathy with the ‘mail character’. Being unfamiliar with his other works I do not know if it is a typical Moorcock book or not. I am not sure I am tempted to find out.

‘London is just recovering from the Blitz and years of austerity. For a young man named Michael Moorcock, the future is rife with possibilities. From his time as the youngest editor in Fleet Street to the first inklings of his future career as a writer, as he picks his way through the hidden backstreets and private worlds most Londoners don’t know about, he believes hi is safe.

Until he meets a strange Carmelite monk, goes through a locked gate, and discovers a different London hidden in plain sight. A city filled with fantastical people and unbelievable stories. A society full of dangers, magic and love. A place which calls to him with a whisper only he can hear!’

The New World by Chris Adrian & EliHorowitz

This was an interesting concept but it was too strung out and esoteric for a full novel and would have been better as a short story.

‘What does love feel like beyond death?

Jane’s husband Jim has just died – or not quite. For Jim, a mild-mannered chaplin at the hospital where Jane works as a surgeon, has left his body to Polaris, a shadowy cryonics organisation that promises to do away with mortality forever. Stranded in the realm of the Living, reeling from the loss of her husband, Jane sets out to confront Polaris and to discover just where, exactly, his body is now. Meanwhile, awake in a strange new world, an afterlife of sorts, his body gone but his consciousness intact, Jim learns that the cost of eternal life is higher than he could ever have imagined.’

Son of the Morning by Mark Alder

I enjoyed the idea of this a lot even if it is not overly original. The span of the story was rather grand but it was helped with interesting characters and finely crafted nods to historical references. I enjoyed this book very much.

‘Edward the Third stands in the burned ruin of a church. Another French raid on the south coast of England. The king is beset on all sides and terribly in debt. He needs a victory against the French to rescue his Kingship. But this is a war he cannot win.

By his divine right as king, Philip of Valois can summon seven angels to fight for him. A French army that marches beneath his banner never loses.

Edward should be able to call his own angles, but they have not spoken since his father was king. Is God truly on the side of the French?

But a banker makes Edward an offer. The help of a young boy. A Luciferist who carries one of the keys to Hell. For a price, Edward could open the gates to Hell and take an unholy war to France.’

  

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

This was a book that inspired my reading at an early age and revisiting it I think I noticed more of the cleverly crafted ideas than I would have as a boy. I would recommend this to any young person first starting to explore books, words, numbers and the often-absurd English language.

‘When Milo receives a mysterious and intriguing package through the post, all his previous feelings of boredom are banished. Having nothing better to do, he points his pedal car towards the strange land beyond the Tollbooth, and quicker than a flash he’s entered the Kingdom of Wisdom, where everything is unexpected.’

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

This was another book bought for me by Sue, and as a short story it is a much more accessible and enjoyable read than Fore Whom the Bell Tolls. I would recommend it for its excellent use of language to conjure up a scene and to evoke an emotional response.

‘Set in the Gulf Stream off the coast of Havana, Hemingway’s magnificent fable is the story of an old man, a young boy and a giant fish. In a perfectly crafted story, which won for Hemingway the Nobel Prize for Literature, is a unique and timeless vision of the beauty and grief of a man’s challenge to the elements in which he lives’.

S.N.U.F.F. by Victor Pelevin

Perhaps a little too clever for itself. There are some interesting ideas and a very political message that the author is trying to get a cross, but it drags at times and feels quite self-indulgent at others.

‘Damilola Karpov is a pilot. Living in Byzantion, he makes his living as a drone pilot – capable of being a cameraman who records the events unfolding in Urkaine or, with weapons aboard his drone, of making a newsworthy event happen for his employers: CINEWS, INC.

His recordings are known as S.N.U.F.F.: Special Newsreel/Universal Feature Film – an esoteric sacrament in Movism, the post-antichristian religion of Byzantion and Urkaine.’

Lock In by John Scalzi

Another interesting idea though it feels a little forced and reads a bit like a screen play rather than a novel, but nevertheless it is a fun and entertaining read.

‘Fifteen years from now, a new virus sweeps the globe. Most of those afflicted experience nothing worse than a fever and headaches. A few suffer acute meningitis, creating the largest medical crisis in history. And 1 percent find themselves ‘locked in’ – fully awake and aware, but unable to move or respond to stimulus.

It may not seem like a lot. But in the US alone that’s 1.7 million people ‘locked in’… including the President’s wife and daughter.

Spurred on by grief and the sheer magnitude of the suffering. America undertakes a massive scientific initiative. Nothing can fully restore the locked in, but two new technologies emerge to help. One is a virtual-reality environment, ‘The Agora’, where the locked in can interact with other humans. The second is the discovery that a few rare individuals have minds that are receptive to being controlled by others, allowing the locked in to occasionally use their bodies as if they were their own.

This skill is quickly regulated, licensed, bonded, and controlled. Nothing can go wrong. Certainly, nobody would be tempted to misuse it, for murder, for political power, or worse.’

The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers

I enjoyed this story, though the setup is vague and contrived, the main story line is involving and engaging even if the conclusion is a trifle unsatisfying.

‘Brendan Doyle, a specialist in the work of the early-nineteenth-century poet William Ashbless, reluctantly accepts an invitation from a millionaire to act as a guide to time-travelling tourists. But, while attending a lecture given by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 1810, he becomes marooned in Regency London, where dark and dangerous forces know about the gates in time. Caught up in the intrigues between rival bands of beggars, pursued by Egyptian sorcerers, befriended by Coleridge, Doyle somehow survives. And learns more about the mysterious Ashbless than he could ever have imagined possible.’

Open House…

There is an Open House scheme that has been running since 1992 that is billed as London’s largest annual festival if architecture and design with access to over 800 buildings across the weekend. Some places have limited access (such as Number 10 Downing Street and New Scotland Yard), but others are just on a first come basis.

We limited our selection to just a few each day starting on Saturday with a visit to Burlington House where we managed to get in to see the Linnean Society (where Darwin gave a talk about his theory of evolution), the royal Academy of Art, and the Chemistry and Geology Societies.

After that we went to see the Salter’sHall (one of the Livery Companies) that we had interest in as my uncle was part of the company responsible for its design in 1976.

Then we saw the old Huguenot house where the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings resides and to the Village Underground (several redundant Tube carriages relocated to the top of a building and reused as office space).

We spent the evening near Spittlefields Market with a few drinks in a nearby pub and a tasty Indian meal at the small and intimate Gunpowder restaurant.

Sunday saw us venture out towards Blackfriars where were blown away by the Apothecaries Hall (the oldest of the Livery Companies Halls surviving after it was rebuilt after the Great Fire). It was also very interesting to talk to some of the Freemen including the current Master and the Senior Warden.

After that we went to Lincoln Inn Fields where we visited the Garden Courts Chambers based in the first building (and only surviving of that period) to be built around the fields. It also boasted on of only three Soanes elliptical staircases left in the country.

Our final Open House visit was to the Freemason’s Hall – a grand and imposing edifice with an imposing sense of importance that was only slightly disturbed by the presence of a fashion exhibition and wildly clad fashionistas and blaring music (quite an amusing contrast).

The culmination of our weekend was a visit to Rules, the oldest restaurant in London and one where you don’t need to be upper class to enter as it is rustic posh and comfortable (though we did see Patricia Hodge on a nearby table). They specialise in good British food, wholesome and hearty and the establishment has only had three owners on the more than 200 years it has been open.  

A Boys Gathering…

Some of my oldest friends from work past and present assembled for a get together at a caravan owned by one of them. We had a BBQ and a few liquid refreshments enjoying each other’s company setting the world to rights. The next day we strolled down to the nearby Cooden beach and some of us went and visited Alfriston village where the Clergy House (the first National Trust property) can be found. 

Wings & Wheels…

Sue and I went to the Wings & Wheels at Dunsfold Aerodrome (home to Top Gear). It was a glorious sunny day and we watch some fascinating air displays (Apache attack complete with pyrotechnics, Typhoon Eurofighter’s ear-splitting flypast, the Red Arrows, a lazy rumbling B17 run, a couple of Vampire jets, and a mock dog fight between a Spitfire and an ME109), there were static displays of cars and several runs up and down the airstrip by others, the military displays both current and historic with tank rides over the fields, and a couple of large planes on display including one modified 747 based at Dunsfold that is used for films. 

Geek Nirvana…

This year I went to the GenCon 50 in Indianapolis with a couple of pals (Kevin and Martin). We flew in and out of Chicago via Iceland and drove to/from Indianapolis (it was a long first day). GenCon is spread across several venues in downtown Indianapolis – the Convention Centre, the Lucas Oil indoor football stadium and in several nearby hotels. It also had a wide range of interests covered with a large trade hall, venues for table top miniature and card/board game events and competitions, many rooms set aside for role-play-games, parades for Cosplay, and talks, demos and films and music. We had booked in to a few RGP events and Kevin was running a couple more, so Martin and I did a thorough sweep of the trade hall. Again, the days were long (but fun) and included some time playing purchases back at the hotel.

On our return leg, we stopped a night in Chicago and had a wonder into town visiting Navy Pier, Grant Park – Buckingham Fountain, the Agora and Cloud Gate (chrome jelly bean) sculptures, and listened to some classical music at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. The next day we had hoped to visit the nearby football stadium but it was packed with people assembling to watch the partial eclipse, so we gave that a miss and travelled to a nearby park and watched it there before getting an ice-cream by the lake and heading to the airport for our flight back.

Bright Lights…

We sat outside for a while and watched the Perseid meteor shower. We did not see as many as we liked but that was undoubtedly due to us being in the village and exposed to a certain amount of light pollution.

Pub Lunch…

We had a lovely lunch with mum at the Skimmington Castle near Reigate. There is a wonderful example of the Ring the Bull game in the pub too. 

Family Day…

We recently had a family day (Mum and cousins and families) out at Polesden Lacey, where during the summer they have a jazz band playing on the weekend and visitors can gather and relax on their lawn.  

More Garden Madness…

Day out with mum at the eclectic and inspiring garden at Great Dixter and then on for stroll around and dinner at Rye. 

On Your Bike…

The Prudential Ride London cycle race runs through the village several times on its way from/to London, and therefore the roads are shut for the day. So, we took advantage of the ‘lock in’ and viewed it from the local pubs a drink in hand as we marvelled and the energy and fitness of the riders. 

Soul Music...

We saw the energetic Mica Paris perform at the Hideaway in a vibrant and entertaining evening of chat and song as she took us through her history in the industry.

Mum’s Birthday Outing…

For Mum’s birthday, we took a trip into London and visited the interesting and informative Chelsea Physic Garden, the inspiring Design Museum (where we had a lovely lunch in the restaurant), and the serene Kyoto Gardens. 

Another Fine Garden…

We had a day out with mum at RHS Wisley (there is a garden theme to her holiday) and there we saw the talented FB Pocket Orchestra playing jazz. The glasshouse had some impressive blooms in it and it was a lovely day.

Milestone Birthday…

We joined in the 70^th Birthday celebrations for Rob Wilkinson and caught up with a few of our old GPE friends from way back when, and made some new acquaintances getting down to some rock and roll tunes on the dance floor.

Out & About…

We had a lovely evening out in London town with Jamie and Gia, meeting first at the quirky Lord Nelson, then going on to Bala Baya for a very tasty Israeli meal. 

All Geek to me…

The UK Games Expo event has grown steadily over the years and now it is the 3^rd largest table top and hobby games convention in the world with attendances over the three days of 30,000. It suffers in some parts due to this popularity with many ‘hit’ games selling out quickly in the trade halls and with space for people to play (an important attraction for this event which caters for RPG, miniature and board/card games in open play or organised games) becoming difficult to find. It is something that is likely to evolve and change over time and for some of us the change in emphasis from play to sales is regrettable.

We were, however, able to find somewhere to play most of the time and got in a large number of different games both old and new. 

Mater’s Tour…

Mum has arrived for her holiday, escaping the NZ winter for the northern hemisphere’s summer. She is over for a couple of months and is spend some time with us, her brother and out on a holiday in Europe. We did not give her much time to settle as we were off the next day for our first trip. A sign of things to come.

Overseas – sort of…

We drove down to catch the ferry across to the Isle of Wight where we were staying at the Silver Glades Caravan Park with friends Bill and Linda. The site is a remote and peaceful location near Yarmouth with only ten caravans and little else there, a perfect retreat in amongst mature gardens in an area designated of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

We arrived earlier than the others so had a visit to the pleasant little town of Yarmouth and had a look around and a bite of lunch. In the evening when Bill and Linda arrived with had a relaxing evening snack and a few drinks while we caught up.

The next day we drove out to the Needles and the National Trust’s Old and New Batteries home to the Victorian and modern coastal defences and secret rocket test site perched on the point of land next to the rocky outcrops that give the place its name. Later we drove down towards Ventnor stopping for a pub lunch and an ice cream before returning to our site and an evening meal in Yarmouth.

Sunday we had booked tickets for the IOW Festival (primarily so that big fans Linda and Sue could see the headliner, Rod Stewart). It was a lovely afternoon but out location opposite the main stage was in the middle a large space that become windier later on. Still we enjoyed several acts such as The Shires, Imelda May, George Ezra, and Bastille, before Rod Stewart came to the stage performing for several hours with a few costume changes and great supporting band and backing singers.

Bill and Linda had to leave before dawn to get back for work on Monday, but we had more time and so visited Cowes town and (via a chain ferry) Osborne House (holiday home for Queen Victoria), where we had a delightful afternoon tea before catching the ferry home.

Spanish Holiday…

We took a week out and travelled with Mum, Terry and Gill to central Spain for a week visiting several historic places and immersing ourselves in the Iberian culture.

We flew into Madrid on a week when a heat wave was sweeping this part of Europe. It was 41 degrees when we arrived but cooled down a bit as we drove up to our first stop in the southern part of the Castile and Leon region, Segovia.

The region has been exposed to many different cultures over time, each leaving an imprint on the architecture and culture of the place, and in Segovia you can see some of the early megalithic zoomorphic monuments commonly called verracos (for their boar like appearances), the famous Roman aqueduct, many mediaeval churches and grand buildings and evidence of the Spanish Civil War.

Our accommodation was the lovely Hotel Infant Isabel well situated in the heart of the old town on the Plaza Mayor opposite the towering cathedral. That evening we soaked in the atmosphere of the square which, as it was Saturday, was a busy with local families and tourists alike eating and drinking and socialising late into the night.

On our first full day we walked down towards the river where we had a great view of the Alcázar (rumoured to be the inspiration for Walt Disney’s fairy tale castle), through the tree lined park, up on some of the remaining city walls, and around to the amazing aqueduct.

We had two nights at Segovia before we travelled onto our next destination. On the way we stopped briefly at the lovely Our Lady of Soterraňa monastery at Santa Maria la Real de Nieva.

Then for a walk through the run down Arevalo with its grand castle (currently being restored) where Isabella grew up. We had lunch here before continuing.

Another brief stop was at Madrigal des las Atlas Torres – birthplace of Isabella the Infanta.

Then we arrived at the grand university city of Salamanca perched on high ground dominating the river Duero.

Our hotel was the NH Salamanca Palaciode Castellanos with a lovely atrium at its centre like an old cloisters, again well located in the middle of the historic old city.

We had three nights here and managed to see quite a lot, though there was so much more we didn’t get around to. We visited the old and new cathedrals side by side, the charming Convento de Las Duenas, the Convento de la Anunciacion policed by a small nun, the little circular church of San Marcos, the amazing hidden ceiling at the Monesterio de Santa Clara (along with its fascinating museum on early Spanish life), the Casa Lis museum of Art Nouveau / Art Deco, the Roman bridge, and the Plaza Mayor among many more.

In the main square was a sculpture by Miquel Barcelo of an elephant balancing on its trunk which would occasionally issue gas from its upended rear end. We also saw this artists other sculptures and his paintings on the subject of the Divine Comedy.

  

Our final destination was the lovely walled town of Avila.

We stayed a couple of nights at the attractive Palacio de los Velada, based on an old 16^th century palace located next to the cathedral.

It is the imposing walls that dominate the character of this town, with the cathedral integrated into them and with walks along a large portion of them you get a great view of the town and surrounding countryside as you are buzzed by screaming swifts as the flying close picking off insects as they fly. The best view of the town and its walls is from outside up on a nearby viewing area.

The cathedral is another impressive structure and the museum dedicated to Saint Teresa is informative.

We had an enjoyable evening listening to jazz just outside the walls with the band performing in the blocked off road to patrons in the roadside bars.

During our holiday we soon fell into the local custom of taking a siesta in the afternoon to retreat from the worst of the heat and to give us the stamina to continue on with the drinking and eating later in the evening. Something we could really appreciate.

Garden of Delights…

The Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden is a revelation with how sculpture and planting can be integrated into a coherent, stimulating whole whilst still maintaining a peaceful tranquillity. Some of the pieces are subtle and blend in with the landscape and planting, others are controversial and challenging and many are whimsical and playful, all are well executed.

Family Day…

There was a recent gathering of the clan at our place and the weather was warm allowing is to sit out in the bright sunshine on the deck enjoying good food and drink and catching up with each other in friendly bonhomie.  

Hankies, Sticks and Real Ale…

As part of the annual pilgrimage by the Aldbury Morris Men, now accompanied by the more youthful Hemlock Morris Dancers, the two sides descended on Norwich to dance and sing and cavort around the locality.

Sue and I took mum up a day earlier travelling through Essex and Suffolk visiting gardens on the way.

Our first stop was at the RHS Hyde Hall, currently showing the Surrey Sculpture Exhibition. This garden has changed a lot since we last visited many moons ago and it is clear they are continuing to expend and evolve as new buildings and gardens are being built. It is a large sprawling area with several different garden types and plenty of space to soak up people so that you never feel crowded out.

Our next stop was at Beth Chatto’sGarden, a smaller and more intimate place centred on several ponds, a woodland area and a large dry garden, a style of gardening pioneered by the celebrated horticulturist.

We then drove onto our hotel at Norwich where the Morris sides would join us the following evening.

The next day was spent wandering around the historic old city of Norwich visiting starting with the spectacular Romanesque cathedral (the other Gothic revival cathedral being just outside the old walls), and then we walked down to Pulls Ferry, along the river to Cow Tower and past the large mill and cut back into the old town up the cobbled Elm Hill towards the Lanes and Market Square (where there is a good view of the large Norman Castle and the lovely Victorian Royal Arcade). Outside the walls near the other cathedral is the peaceful and secluded Plantation Gardens, a hidden gem, ideal for a rest after a long day of being a tourist. In the evening we met up with the arriving Morris at a local pub for drinks, food and music and singing.

A bus was waiting for us in the morning to take us on our tour around the Broads. But first it was up to the cathedral for a few dances and then back on the bus to the Rising Sun beside the water for a dance (and a pint for those so inclined).

On to The Swan Inn near a busy little marina for a few more dances (and drinks).

And then to the peaceful The Pleasure Boat Inn near another marina where we danced some more (drank some more) and had lunch.

Revitalised we continued on to the Nelson Head, a remote and quirky public house full of strange paraphernalia for another dance or two (and a few more drinks).

There had been a plan to dance outside the pub we had been in the previous night, but as we arrived the Lord Mayor’s Parade was assembling and filled up the street with many spectators in attendance. Some of the Morris Men crashed a young group of dancers to much merriment but soon the floats moved off into the city and the rest of us returned to our hotel to freshen up for the evening meal and final ceilidh.

On Sunday the two sides headed off towards another venue (mum travelling with Terry and Gill), and Sue and I went home to some quiet and peace for a few days.  

Garden Fairies…

We have spent a few weekend helping out Uncle Tony in his garden with new planting and general maintenance and tidy up. We also spent Mother’s Day helping tidy up of Barbara’s garden which always seems to grow plants more vigorously than anybody else’s. 

Spring Sunshine…

April was a good month for weather and we took advantage of the sunshine be organising a couple of gatherings out on our patio with friends and family. 

Tying the knot…

The wedding of Nick and Sinead in Zante, Greece was a big affair and many of the Poynter clan descended on the island for the celebrations. I unfortunately could not take the time but it looked like everyone enjoyed themselves apart from the unseasonable cold weather that blew through. 

Veggie Garden…

We have made some changes to the planting in the veggie garden by reducing some of the beds (moving the raspberries to a larger plot), improving the composting area, and limiting what we grow. This is because we end up doing more other outdoors activities during summer (holidays and generally out and about) and so cannot devote time to maintaining the crops. A whole bed is given over to potatoes and another to courgettes/pumpkins/squash and cucumbers and the remaining one to onions, beans and various leafy crops. We have a few pots but we won’t plant these until later on in the year when we can manage them better. Hopefully it will be a more successful strategy. 

Zen Garden…

We have redesigned our front garden as we found that over several years the country cottage style we had previously created tended to get out of control with some plants dominating others and where most of the colour and interest was during the spring and early summer that ended up with it looking untidy later in the year. So now we removed a lot of the permanent planting and replaced it with stones and rocks and added plant pots that we can move and change depending on the season. We replaced the rustic fence for a more modern black one that contrasts and accentuates the planting and added a water but, homemade bench, a stone pagoda, and a bonsai tree that sits on a tree-stump stand hand carved by our friend Paul.

Local Charm…

As we were passing through we stopped at Newdigate for lunch at a pub and across the road was the charming church of St Peter with its wooden tower housing the bells well worth a visit if you are in the area.

New Game Smell…

I recently received another new Kickstarter game through the post, this time it was Family Plot by White Cherry Games which is a little like (un)happy families, where you collect your perfectly disturbing family whilst trying to prevent others from doing so. I have not yet got it to the table, but it looks like a bit of a laugh.

Cowpie Country Show...

Paul & Lorraine, Deb, Dave and the boys and Lynda & Mark joined Sue, Deb and I as we visited the Cowpie Country Show. There were a couple large fields surrounded by rural trades, food and drink stalls, craft tents, food halls, livestock on display and many forms of entertainment including a falconer on horseback and a car and bike stunt team. The weather was good and the company enjoyable and it was a very pleasant day

Eye, eye…

I had an operation on my right eyelid to remove a persistent cyst (chalazion) that had started as a stye in December and never went away. I am not a fan of hospitals at all, but at least our country hospital in Dorking has a nicer atmosphere. The whole procedure was quick and (relatively) painless (the most painful part being the anaesthetic injection), but I don’t think I breathed throughout it as I tried not to look at the knife stabbing at my eye. I had an impressive bruise afterwards and a patch for a few hours and garnered a great deal of sympathy from Sue who spoilt her ‘brave little soldier’ for the next few days. 

Fine Dining…

Went out for an evening meal with Jamie and Gia to the Emlyn restaurant at Box Hill after we had seen good reviews and had won awards in the Surrey Magazine. Initially we had hoped to have their taster menu but they had taken that off the menu. They food was good, tasty and well presented, however the experience was let down by poor services (lack of attention, ill-informed, and slow) and the restaurant lacked atmosphere with a couple of larger parties loudly enjoying themselves with a little lack of care for others. It kind of took the shine of the evening.

More of wot I have heard…

I have bought some more new music for my birthday and this batch included the following albums:

Sea Sew by Lisa Hannigan. This is the Irish singer, songwriter and musician’s debut album which was Mercury nominated and it is a pleasant indie folk collection of songs.

Life in the Dark by Felice Brothers. The latest album from this American folk rock / country rock band is a lively foot tapping affair. I particularly like the first track Aerosol Ball.

Home Again by Michael Kiwanuka. A British soul musician who won the BBC’s Sound of 2012 with this album. He has a great voice compared to many soul heroes.

Sea of Brass by British Sea Power. This indie rock band is from Brighton and they have been compared to The Cure, Joy Division, Pixies and Arcade Fire. This album takes the band’s songs and reworks them alongside bass bands, the result is interesting and sometimes challenging, but I think ultimately rewarding.

Sing to the Moon by Laura Mvula. This is the debut album from this English recording artist that was nominated for the 2013 Mercury Prize. She is a soul/R&B singer with a strong, well-controlled voice that can be haunting and powerful in turn.

Uptown Special by Mark Ronson. This is the fourth studio album from this English record producer that has been described as ‘pop-friendly, and undeniably sexy collection of funk and R&B’ which is pretty accurate to my ear.

KC Rules OK by King Creosote. This is a studio album from this Scottish singer-songwriter from back in 2005 that uses songs written over an extended period and has a distinctive sound based in the traditional folk genre.

Our New Life Above the Ground by Avalanche City. Based in New Zealand this folk musician has a delightful gentle sound that is easy on the ears.

Saint John Divine by SJD. Another New Zealand musician recommended to me by friends has released this quirky collection of electronic rock songs that I think have a noticable NZ sound to them. 

Brunch in Town…

We took Deb and Barbara to a lovely small gathering with Jamie and Gia first for brunch at Temple & Sons (a Jason Atherton establishment) in the city and afterwards at a nearby pub. It was great to catch up with them and for Gia to meet more of the family.

Games Day…

We hosted a now regular gathering with friends where we play table top games old and new. It was only with Martin and James this time but we did enjoy what we played, finding some more difficult than others.

Folk on the Farm…

A repeat event from where we first saw this Northumbrian band Assembly Lane play a collection of their songs/tunes. They are a very talented group of young artists and we are eager for them to produce their first album.

Wok-Off…

After some garden clearance, rubbish burning able assisted by ‘garden slave’ Deb, and planting of raspberry canes, we staged our first Wok-Off completion with our neighbour Howard. We prepared and cooked dim-sum starters and Howard provided various main dishes. The food was fabulous and everyone was happy to declare it a successful draw. 

More of wot I have seen…

We saw Logan at the Everyman in Reigate, a cinema that has the attraction of having a bar and fresh cooked food. Luckily we took the train as we had a few drinkies. We enjoyed the film but I think much of the attraction for Sue was to see Hugh Jackman with his clothes off.

Out in the Country…

Recently we visited friends Andy and Jodie who live near Ludlow in Shropshire and we caught up with them tacking time out to visit the delightful market town of Shrewsbury where we had lunch in the fabulous Henry Tudor House with ‘period’ pictures of past musicians and comedians. We enjoyed a few new card games, lovely home cooked food and a drink or two and were sad when the weekend was over and we had to return home.  

More of wot I have seen…

I have been out to the movies a couple of times this year. We went with Bed and Barbara to see Lion and we were very impressed with the acting in this somewhat sentimental working of a true story. Next I saw the Lego Batman film with Chris while the girls were at a baby shower and we enjoyed the silliness of it and loved the references put in for the grownups.