Music of the Year

Here is some music that was new to me this year. First is Gwenifer Raymond. I am not usually that struck on solo acoustic guitar but she plays so percussively and assertively that I really like it.

Face Mask

Rowan treated me to a facemask [makes you "more radiant"; as if we needed it]. It fazed the dog not one bit. It was only later we realised that in future I should put it upside down so avoiding my beard and giving my head a go too.

Reeds

The reed beds on Fulford Ings by the River Ouse were looking beautiful on our walk.
Yesterday was a time for jigsaw work, log chopping, door varnishing, watching Only Connect together and general homeness.

Mary Poppins

I took one for the team and agreed to go and watch Mary Poppins 2 with Danielle and Rowan. It was OK. The person who plays the Dick Van Dyke roll has a terrible fake cockney accent [just shows that the lessens of history are not learnt] and the songs were not much cop, but I have to admit that Emily Blunt was brilliant as Mary P.

Eddy, Paul and Milo in the misty morn on our walk

Traditional Walk

Each year I tell people we are walking on a day in the holidays and see who turns up. Last year was a large group, this year more select. We had a great walk around the university and across the strays. A strange low mist was eventually burned off by the weak winter sun. A good walk.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day was different. The usual champagne and smoked salmon for absent friends that my Mother loved so much. Then Pam and Andy (plus dog Finn) and Peter and Shin-Sook came round for a bring and share Christmas meal. It was great. We managed christmas cracked hand-bell ringing and watched "Trains and Planes and Automobiles" afterwards. Everyone happy. I was so relaxed I forgot to take photos - so here is the food.

Rowan in Spain

Rowan is finally back from Spain, her flight to Gatwick was diverted to Paris where she spent the best part of 2 days before getting to Luton. She had a great time, staying with Joe at Denia which we had visited two and a half years ago. I gave them details of the walk I had done to the top of the Montgo mountain, and was pleased to see that they made it there. Glad to have her back for Christmas now.

Hatfield

These birches looked other-worldly on Hatfield Moor last week.

Folkton Drums

If you have received your copy of the book you will know that on page 19 is a section on the Folkton Drums, neolithic chalk cylinders whose purpose was unclear. On page 3 of the Times today is an article all about them, and their connection with Stonehenge. Another reason to get ordering.

The book is out.

The final print version arrived this week. Pre-launch copies are making their way to early customers.  I am meeting with a journalist friend about the launch tomorrow, then with my distributor early in the new year. Very exciting.

Speaking Hull

The Hull accent is something to treasure; not really well known beyond Yorkshire it came to our attention when Rowan was part of the Yorkshire Netball academy. It meant that she got to meet girls from right across the county, and note the differences in accent. When one of the Hull girls was ordering food from an Indian takeaway she specified "nurn nurn please". This meant, obviously, "I would like to purchase nine naan breads please".
Last week a friend told the tale of a daughter crying out "there's a turd on the lawn". Bemused and a little worried she investigated further, and saw the toad soon enough.
Then I read about this road sign put up in Hull. City of culture without a doubt.

State visit to Humberhead

It is six years since I first visited the Humberhead peatlands of Thorne Moor and Hatfield Moor. I have recommended visits to people who have seen my photographs at exhibitions, and I know some have discovered the area. But I have never taken friends or family there. So it was a pleasure to finally introduce Danielle to Hatfield Moor yesterday. After cold rain on Saturday we had a cloudless calm day for our visit. We did a good loop, passed two other people, walking for about three and a half hours. I have to admit that my adoration of the area was not fully shared by Danielle, she loved it but not quite as much as me! I do realise that I am perhaps a little obsessed with it all. It is still amazing to me that such a beautiful place can be virtually unvisited by the public.

Milo was happy to show Danielle the way around the Moor.

Beverley

Friend Robert was back from holiday in the states, so we got a short (very short) ride in last week. Saturday Danielle and I had to ourselves, and, given the horrible weather, it was a great day to stay at home for.

The photo is of a renovated panel that lists the rules and regulations relating to Beverley race-course. It needed the EU to get rid of this sort of over-bureaucratic red tape.

Busy

Thursday evening Dave and Emma invited us over for food and wine and a viewing of Belleville Rendezvous, a French anime film that was bizarre and fun. Then Friday we had our whisky tasting session with Quaker friends round the corner. Rowan has gone back down to London before heading to Spain for three days with Jo. Just before she went she heard she had got a job with BlackRock in London starting in July; she is delighted / relieved after a protracted recruitment process. Pleased for her.

This is Rowan's student house in Lem. (fill in your own, "not like my day" comments)

Book Group Party

It was our book group Christmas party, 12 of us had a great time, bring and share food, wine, 2 quizzes and a lot of talk. I neglected to take a group photo, but did spot Rowan and Milo being glad to be sharing the same floor.

Talking Loud

I did a talk at another photography club in York. It is always fun to do, good to get feedback from people.

This shot from the Walk in 1984 always get a reaction, and it was no exception at the talk.

AirBnB

We started doing AirBnB in August 2016, and still enjoy doing it now. They have just let us know that we have welcomed 257 guests from 16 countries in that time, which is pretty impressive.

Rowan is back for a few days, she and I got a chapati pan in York that had these instructions; I'll have to move all those birds out.

Halifax 2

Like many northern towns Halifax has magnificent Victorian buildings, this is the Town Hall. When I was young all these buildings were black with soot. I assumed that was the colour of the stone, so it was a real shock to see them emerge gleaming and a totally different colour after late 20th century cleaning.

Hell Hull and ...

Last year on my birthday Danielle took me to Hull. This year it was Halifax. So according to the old adage it has to be Hell next year.
We had a great day, looked at the magnificent 18th Century Piece Hall, lunch in a deli, then back home for a meal at Skosh with Adrian and Cathy, and finally a drink at the Acorn with various friends. Great to see everyone.

The Piece Hall

RIP Pete Shelley

Every musician who dies seems to be my age: Michael Jackson, Prince, and now Pete Shelley lead singer of the Buzzcocks.
I saw them at Erics very early on, 1977 I think. Then I bought a copy of Spiral Scratch their first EP in Penny Lane Records in Liverpool. I loved that he played a Starway guitar [Woolworth's own brand] and the two note guitar solo on Boredom was a thing of beauty, especially how he ended the solo [basically he just stops playing].
Then he provided the theme music for Channel 4s Tour de France coverage in the 80s, which is obviously one of the most important gigs you can get in terms of exposure to cycling fans.
So, it is sad to see him go.

1979

It is nearly 40 years since I worked with disabled students at Taylor House in Oxford. It was a great and life-changing experience; I only took the job because it came with free accommodation but as soon as I started I loved it. The rest is history.
Achille became a really good friend/mentor to me [he died ten years ago] and I am still in touch with Karin from Denmark.
The Magma and Tom Robinson Band posters must be mine. The Peanuts cartoon, not so much.

New Find

Danielle and I had a good walk through London on Friday morning after our meal the evening before. I discovered this tunnel in the University of London which I had not seen before.

Venus

Took the dog early onto the Moor this morning. A beautiful misty morn. Apparently Venus was particularly visible, which explains the man with the telescope. He was happy to let passers-by have a look.

Cup Fever

So it was time for a bi-annual trip to watch Carlisle loose in the FA Cup. This time I met up with Mark in Lincoln, and it was a really good game. For some reason I was given a free ticket by the bloke on the gate [pity?] and it was good to have couple of pints, see the game and train it back to York.

Milo and the Real Sausage

We feed Milo kibble [that allegedly has meat in it] but he rarely gets real meat [us being vegetarian]. So when we get to feed him a real sausage [sneaked away from breakfast at the hotel in Coniston] he is equally joyous and surprised.