Cycling Sofa at the York Cycle Rally 

Le Tour!

My father's day present from Rowan and Danielle was a book by Tim Hilton on cycling "One More Kilometre and we're in the showers" http://www.lrb.co.uk/lrbshop/show_author.php?campaignID=0432NPBK&authorID=1348 It is a very odd book, but strangely compelling. He can only be 15 years older than me, but he could just as well be from a different planet. Definitlely not of my generation. But it is still a really good read.

The Tour de France starts on Saturday, and the excitement mounts. http://www.letour.fr/2005/presentationus/index.html it is what July was made for.

To Gym Or Not To Gym

Danielle is going to switch her gym membership to one that is a better cycle ride away, and offers more facilities for Rowan. We both went to look at it, and to consider whether or not I should join as well ... but I just can't see it happening really. If I have the time to go to the gym, then why not go a bike ride, or do the garden? On the other hand it might mean Rowan and I could start playing badminton and tennis ...

The photo is of beautiful Hob Moor [and beautiful cyclist] this month, with 2 hot air balloons [they are there, honest] in the distance.

Hob Moor 

Pennine Cotton Grass 

Blackcap

Was really pleased to see a Blackcap http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/b/blackcap/index.asp in the garden today. I have never knowingly seen one before, so it was a really nice surprise. Hope I can show Rowan later on. Another beautiful day.

The photo is of cotton grass on Stoodley Pike yesterday.

Stoodley Pike 

New ways of working

I am still waiting for confirmation to come through on the bit of work I bid for last week. But I have been given strong indications that I will be successful. So today I wanted to do some background reading for the work, and to make the most of the perfect weather. So I took the train to Todmorden, walked over Stoodley Pike to Hebden Bridge then got the train back in time to see Rowan's teacher with Danielle about her report, then pick up Rowan from her friend Rachael's. And I had lots of time on the train and at stations to do the reading. A good day.

The walk was fantastic. The upper Calder Valley is one of my favorite places, with the millstone grit buildings on the moors, and the bleak peat bogs on top creating a really atmospheric place. Not as sublime as the Lakes, or as cute as the Dales, but really great.

Garden Party 1 

Garden Party

Danielle and I went out for a meal at Meltons Too last night, http://www.meltonstoo.co.uk/ . It is our favorite place to eat, not too formal and good food [usually]. Claire our new babysitter, who comes complete with charming boyfriend, is really good, and Rowan loves them both putting her to bed.

Today Rowan went swimming at her new club, then she and I went to Quaker meeting, before we all went off to Richard's 60th birthday garden party. This was fantastic - a clown for the children, a jazz band, lovely food, perfect weather, really idyllic. We are now back and awaiting the barbecue to get hot for veggie burgers.

Atop Pen-Y-Ghent [with Rabbie] 

Pen-Y-Ghent

Danielle is off to the Mount School committee today, so Rowan and I went a walk up Pen-Y-Ghent, a mountain in the Dales. It was a great walk, and she did really well. Pretty windy and misty on top, but that just made it more exciting. We both agreed that coming down is worse than going up - those long legs.

Off to the CTC York cycle rally this afternoon http://www.wcities.com/en/record/267,142179/223/record.html which is always good fun, and a chance to buy cheap inner tubes.

Last from Fife

This is the two families taken last weekend in Fife, it was hectic getting up there after going to Ascot, but definitely worth it. We timed it well, apparently some royal bloke is a student there and there was hyper security last week for his exams. And in a month or so there are lots of people hitting balls with sticks there [strange local custom that is curiously popular around the world.]

Fife 

Paddling Pool 

Paddling Pool

Mother has given Rowan a paddling pool, and it has come into its own today. Nothing better than for Rowan to be able to cool off after school in the pool. Much splashing, much fun. Meanwhile, Danielle is stuck on the main line from London to York due to damaged overhead wires. Looks like a long long delay.

Striding out to sea... 

Mark

Great to see Mark yesterday in London at the Commonwealth Club after work. Sent off my work proposal today, hopefully it'll get accepted ... always an anxious time ... Saw two greater spotted woodpeckers on the peanuts in the garden today, a mother showing her young one how to feed. Beautiful day in the garden, butterflies becoming more common.

The photo is of Rowan striding out to sea at St Andrews.

Last from Ascot

Another photo from Ascot. Pretty well sums up the day, though I believe there were some horses, and the queen as well.

I am in London today bidding for a nice piece of work that sounds like a lot of fun. Looks good so far.

Flesh and Drink 

St Andrews

Tim is an old friend of Danielle's from her high school in the US http://www.georgeschool.org/ , he and his wife Elizabeth and two children Jameison and Briana are staying for a week at St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. We went for the weekend to stay in their self catering place. It was fantastic, we were really looked after, the weather was beautiful and had a great time. I had never been to St Andrews before http://www.saint-andrews.co.uk/staindex.html it was great to walk around the cathedral and castle. We saw Eider Ducks http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/e/eider/index.asp and Fulmers on the coast, where Rowan and Jameison did some exploring.

St Andrews Castle 

Ascot 3

So in a little bit more detail. We were very kindly invited by a work friend of Danielle and went with two other couples and had a great time. It involved going on the boat [further than walking but more fun] drinking lots of champagne from plastic glasses, being surrounded by catestrophic cleveage and hats that looked quite a lot like each other. First race I put on £10 [extravagant for the man who spent a week in Vegas without placing a single bet] and won back £99. Next race we made £6, then we had to leave... I just have a feeling that going to the races is not always like this. Made it to the station and got the train to Fife.

At Races 

ascot 2

whew... lovely weather. good company. champagne and chip¤

The Den Yard 

Ascot

So, the plan is to walk into town, so we can meet our hosts. We will then all go on the boat to the racecourse. [the fact that it would be quicker just to walk straight to the course is by the by... logic doesn't seem to have much to do with Royal Ascot] Half way through the afternoon we have to scoot off, collect Rowan from school, get to the station, and go up to St Andrews, Scotland where we are spending the weekend with some friends of Danielle's from the US. Hopefully it will all fit together.

The Den

The other big garden project, apart from the bee-zone, has been the Den. The final thing has been to put a fence in front, so that there is a small "yard" where Rowan has some plant pots. The Ducks are back in the garden as well, very charming, lots of poo.

Rowan outside the Den 

Bee Screen Complete

The Bee Screen is finished, complete with a Winnie the Pooh sign saying "Bee Crossing". Behind that screen will be 3 hives of bees, with one more on the roof of the house. Danielle's latest ETA for the honey is July...

Bee Screen 

New Trees

Yesterday evening the Friends of Hob Moor were walking around the moor, deciding where we needed to plant new trees. These have to be away from the centre of the moor, or else predators will use them as vantage points to attack the skylarks. It dawned on a few of use as we decreed an oak tree here and a rowan there, that we were planting for the next generation more than ours. This felt a bit odd.

The photo is of the view from Great Whernside [which we went up on Saturday] across to Pen Y Gent which we hope to climb sometime in the summer.

Pen-y-gent from Great Whernside 

Rant #1

This afternoon someone from the Office of National Statistics came to interview us for a survey to bid for some Euro-dosh. He was entering the data directly to his laptop..........with two fingers. It took him ages. Why can't everyone type? It is the new writing. It is a bit daft being computer literate if you can't "write" properly. So why isn't typing taught at school? it is an essential skill. I have never heard anyone else point this out, am I being illogical about this or what?

If there are any typos in this post..............it just proves my point

Cycling

Danielle and Rowan went to the swimming class first thing and then are going to the Quaker summer picnic in York. I went cycling with Dave and his friend Pat up from London, and Ted. A good gentle ride through the Tadcaster hinterland. Past Healaugh Priory http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=36265 which is right in the middle of nowhere and accessible only by rough track. At Tadcaster we past the Victorian Brewery [photo] that looks a lot like Willy Wonkas factory might look, a bit creepy really, looming over the town.

We found a great new tea-stop in a tiny village called Bolton Percy, which I have since discovered has an interesting place in English social history http://www.infopt.demon.co.uk/1760lesb.htm

Tadcaster Brewery 

The Top of Great Whernside 

Great Whernside

Danielle stayed over in London, so Rowan and I got up early and set off for a walk in the Dales. Started from Kettlewell at 8.15, and walked up Great Whernside [704 metres] It was a good walk, curlew on the way, and Rowan did really well. Back home by 2pm!

The Finding A Voice thing last night went really well [much better than I thought it would] and the invited audience [ie people who wouldn't be too rude] seemed to like it too. It was recorded for a York webcast... we'll see!

Huddersfield

I was in Huddersfield today firming up a new bit of work with a new client. If all goes well it should be a nice chunk from September through to Xmas. I went by train and admired the magnificent station building and the statue of Harold Wilson [Prime Minister in the 60s]. The town is a bit downhill after that great entry...

Tonight is our Finding A Voice performance at St Johns College in York. After that Danielle is off to London for a bit of work tomorrow.

On the spellcheck the suggestion for Huddersfield is Hydrosphere which is quite appropriate given its rainfall.

Harold @ Huddersfield 

Royal Ascot

This year Royal Ascot is taking place at York - next week. http://www.royalascot.co.uk/index.php?page=intro1&submenu=1&open=on It has provided endless opportunities for York citizens to complain about the likely traffic, be cynical about the freshly painted railings all over town, and fantazise about renting out their houses for astronomical rents to soft southerners.

Danielle and I have been invited to a posh bit of the course on Friday, so we are looking forward to that.

Garden News

Danielle managed to re-hive the swarm, this involved a ladder, a bucket, a long stick and a husband. Just in time for Book Group where we discussed The Name of The Rose by Umberto Eco http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Name_of_the_Rose . Next book is Sherlock Holmes - Study in Scarlet, the idea is to link each choice with the previous book [there are several clever-clever references to Holmes in the Eco book].

The slugs have officially won the battle of the beans. I give them beer, they drown, their friends eat my plants...... The potatoes are looking good, and the onions and leeks. The Gooseberry's have been really good, and the blackcurrants look good.

The hedgehog loves to come around the trampoline [have not seen it bouncing yet], this photo is of it passing one of the bees from Danielle's hive [OK, it is Rowan's bee-windmill]

Hedgehog & Bee 

Swarm 2

Danielle is away in Birmingham and Cheterfield today. Meaning that her bees inevitably chose to swarm again. I was in the garden digging a bed to put carrots in, when I heard a loud humming even above the radio I had on my headphones. "That sounds like bees..." I looked up to see the sky full of crazed bees flying in all directions. I retreated to observe from safety. They swirled and swirled until they decided to form a swarm in a plum tree, right outside Rowan's bedroom window. All very interesting but not good news for honey production. So we await the beekeepers return...

The Swarm 

Guillemots

The photo is of Guillemots on the cliffs at Bempton Cliffs from the boat trip on Saturday. On the way back loads of Puffins http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/p/puffin/index.asp obligingly showed off their beaks and orange legs for the children on the boat.

Guillemots at Bempton 

Willow Weaving 

Swim and Eat

Rowan went swimming with the York swimming group this morning at a different pool, and she really liked it. After meeting Bev and Steve and their children Ella [Rowan's friend] and little Tom, came for lunch. Homemade soup, salad and lemon cake. They bought Cava and flowers, so it was a good lunch.

The photo is of the willow weaving yesterday on Hob Moor. The woman doing it had amazing powers to get total concentration from her young charges [including Rowan] without raising her voice at all... parents looked on amazed.

Junior Birdwatcher 

Puffin Cruise

Today was Hob Moor day, with lots of events on the moor, falconry, willow-weaving, face-painting, that sort of thing. We had a good time, bit windy though. Then we rushed off to Bridlington for the RSPB boat trip to Flamborough Head and Bempton Cliffs. It was great. Perfect weather, loads of other kids, we saw Gannets, Puffins [lots] Razorbills, Guillemots etc, and most important of all Rowan won a prize in the raffle [a birdwatchers pouch]. All in all, a really good trip. Fish and chips on the way home then all tired to bed.

View from Simon's Seat