St David

Had a great time on the guitars yesterday with Bob [Strat for me, Gretsch for him]. My finger tips have that “I really need to play more often” feel about them.

A really beautiful day here in South Wales, feels all set for tomorrow [St David's Day]. I asked people what happens on the day; after several responses the answer seems to be

a] not a lot

b] schools do something

c] welsh cake is eaten

d] some people wear leeks or daffodils

One person described it as “the complete opposite of St Patrick's Day”

Bob

I am travelling down to South Wales to do some work for three days for a local authority. This is the first time I have worked in a foreign country. The Welsh Assembly seems to have had quite an effect on social care policy.

I take the train to Manchester Picadilly then get the Arriva Trains Wales service to Cardiff. It is a lovely spacious train, very comfortable, and a great route down the Marshes. I will be staying in Cardiff with Bodnum [spelt Bodenham] Bob. When I was working in Lemster [spelt Leominster]in 1985 I was pining for the metropolitan life that I had left behind. So when Bob & Sue arrived from Suthuck [spelt Southwark] it was like a breath of fresh air from the Smoke. Bob and I used to jam together, Bob would sing Dylan, Cash etc and I would put lead guitar all over it; it was fun.

We have kept in touch through job changes, marriage collapses, weddings etc and I look forward to seeing him again.

(He used to live in Bodenham)

Chess

My first memory of Chess was playing my paternal Grandmother. When it was clear she was loosing, she unceremoniously knocked the board over; quite a dramatic action when your opponent is a 10 year old.
I went to watch the world championships with Nigel Short and Kasparov in London in 1993 and really enjoyed it. The TV coverage of that match got me interested again.
In the legendary Simon v Paul match in Ladak we played in the hotel after our cycle ride over the Himalayas.
Anyway, for some reason I have got interested enough again to get a few books out of the library.

Next task is to get Rowan interested. It is, as they say, a big ask.
The photo is of Hornsea Mere - Yorkshire's biggest lake.

Hornsea

This is the sculpture that marks the start of the Trans Pennine Trail at Hornsea where I cycled to last week. Hornsea is a resort that was made by the railway [a branch line from Hull]. The railway was Beechinged in the 60s, and the disused line converted to a cycle track in the 90s. As seaside towns go, it is one of my favorites.

Hull

Whilst I was coming back from Hull on the train Rowan was heading in the other direction on a bus load of girls going to watch Yorkshire Jets against Loughborough in the Netball super league. Yorkshire won - hurrah.

This is John and Edward outside Barff [really] House, the project that knows no limits

Holderness

I was determined to get a good bike ride in today, and I did. A tiny bit of drizzle, but otherwise a lovely day with the sun coming out towards the end.
I headed up into the Wolds then headed across the River Hull floodplains to see John and Katy's amazing new ruined farmhouse they have bought north of Beverley. It has incredible potential and will require hours and hours of work, but they are keen to do it. They are not moving in until next year, so I rang John on his mobile when I was outside, expecting him to be in York, but he was there with our mutual friend Edward [not that one, another one]. So I had a guided tour and a great and welcome cup of coffee.
From there I rode on to Hornsea on the coast, past Hornsea Mere which, somewhat improbably, is Yorkshire's largest lake. Then it was on an old railway line all the way to Hull, just in time to miss a train and have an hour to wait. I didn't mind though, it had been a great ride.

Tall Trees

Rowan played netball for North Yorkshire this week, they beat South Yorkshire easily, so everyone happy.I found this video about the tallest tree in the Lakes Today I was at the Retreat for a committee meeting then a really energetic game of badminton.

Exhibition

I am going to have an exhibition of my photographs in London in November / December. I thought it time to show my work in London, it is 14 years since I last did so. So lots of details will be coming later, but the venue is the Lumen gallery near Kings Cross http://www.lumenurc.org.uk/.
The photo is of St Pancras hotel where we stayed the other week.

Power Cut

10 local people are settled upstairs as we start the Friends of Hob Moor committee meeting, I am chairing. Then the lights go out. A total power cut for us and a few neighbours. I go downstairs and make the phone calls to get an engineer out. Meantime the rest of the committee carry on with amazing stoicism using torches as best they can.

Lights/heat/everything back on one hour later. It does make you appreciate how dependent we are.
The photo is from Fridaythorpe churchyard in the snow-time. Can you spot the Bullfinch?

Orphee

Here is the English Institute of Sport [aka "our second home" at the moment] in Sheffield, emerging through the birch trees. It is a great building in a pretty derelict part of town.
I watched Orphee by Jean Cocteau last week. Still a great film. I have not seen it for a long long time yet some of the images were still lodged in my brain some place.

Sheffield Circular

Another Sunday, another day in Sheffield. I have now got an 8 mile circular walk worked out that uses the canal and river and Meadowhall mall for a perfect route. Today was sunny and crisp and I saw my Kingfisher and Grey Wagtails to brighten up the day. On the ipod I had new radio dramatisations of Freud cases that are well done - today was the Wolf Man.

Hospital

I have one of my photographs - Lochan - on show in York Hospital. A lot of people comment on it to me, people seem to like something to take their minds off of multiple hospital visits. Someone came round today to buy a copy, which is pleasing.

Here is another picture from the family meal. No more, I promise.

Shuttlecocks

Here is another shot from Thixendale.
Edward has definitely been on top in Badminton for the last month or so. So it was good to finally get a win yesterday. We have been using feathered shuttlecocks for a change - they make a great sound.

Thixendale

I was walking in the Wolds when I saw three other people walking. This is very rare, a bit of a shock and, to be honest, not great. It was even stranger when one of the three says "Are you Simon Palmour the photographer?" Turns out she is an artist who has exhibited at Open Studios too, and has seen my work. So we had a good Wolds-talk, meantime Milo was being charming to the other people. This shot is in a dry valley near Thixendale; the sheep look at home on the dry grass slopes.

We Are

The three of us drove down to Stratton Audley where 16 of the family gathered for a meal. Quite rare these days and great fun. The next day Ro and I went to meet the accountant to discuss Mother's financial affairs which went pretty well. Considering our father and grandfather were both chartered accountants, the accountancy gene has obviously well and truly leaped over our generation.

British Museum

When we were in London we went to the British Museum [photo] which was as great as ever; it is so good to be able to wander in and have a look at this and that then move on. We also went to the gallery at the Guardian  newspaper at Kings Cross where there was a great exhibition of Soviet propaganda cartoons from the cold war.

St Pancras

We finally had Danielle's surprise birthday weekend - 5 weeks on. Milo went to Dave & Emma's, Rowan was dropped off at Sarah & Markus' in Nottingham and Danielle and I took the train to St Pancras and stayed the night in the newly renovated hotel at St Pancras station.

It was a fantastic experience. Here is the hotel in the distance from one of the new access roads being built to the Kings Cross / St Pancras station complex.

Wolds in Snow

The snow is still here, one week on, with a little extra coming last night. Today I had a chance to get out to the Wolds to take a look at the dales in the winter weather. They were beautiful, very different in the snow, with the contours getting lost in the bright uniformity of the reflected sun. It was easier to see Milo chasing the Hares, and to see him give up after a while.

Cold Ouse

Here is the cold Ouse at the weekend.

A lot of work for both of us this week. Danielle has 3 days in London, I have one in Donny and a couple in Huddersfield. Thankfully all are rail-trips. The roads I can leave alone.

Electric City

This is the Moor early in the morning, with the sun coming through the clouds and heavy snow cover.
I woke last night to find most of the electric off - the boiler, the alarm, most of everything else.
I rang to leave a message for our electrician to get in the morning. He texted back [5.44] with some suggestions for sorting it out. They were partially successful, but he sent a bloke round at 8am this morning to sort it out. Great service. Very tired.

Snow

The snow arrived with a vengeance last night. Rowan and I walked Milo first thing; as you can see he was both excited and perplexed by all this white stuff.
We all walked into meeting today through the snow -  a beautiful day.

Radio Show

Today I ran my Photography Workshop at a local art centre. It was full, which is good, with participants ranging in age from 12 to 62; I enjoyed it but it is tiring.

Came back through the snow at low speed on the bike. Back in time to Nephew Will's first radio show on his university radio station  http://www.livewire1350.com/  9 - 10.30 on Saturday evenings. He has started well - ska classics and the Clash.

The photo is of Sheffield Swans doing their best in oily waters of the canal.

Upgrade

I have just gone through the long and inevitably painful process of the dreaded laptop-change. All is well and it is for the good in the long run; but it takes so much time.
I have used this photo of Rome as the background for my calendar, so I see it a lot now.
Rowan and I watched a BBC program on social work http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01bskrq which was brilliant at portraying the reality of this most difficult of jobs.
Cycling and social work getting sympathetic media coverage in the same! Watch out for those low-flying pigs.

Cities fit for cycling

 The front page of the Times today was devoted to a Save Our Cyclists Campaign. This is a timely  and vital campaign that should have happened years ago. It might be a Murdoch paper but it still has to be congratulated for raising the issues it does - have a look and sign up http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3306950.ece

Sustrans

This is a Sustrans cycle bridge on the route into Sheffield. An amazing piece of engineering, the whole route is suspended within the rail bridge over the river.