2003

My camera has gone digital and Rowan is getting tall. This was taken at my Mother's house at Kirtlington in Oxford, where Rowan and I would go each half term for a few days - they were very happy days for all of us.

2002

2002 and we have moved into Hob Moor Drive, this photo was taken on holiday at Dalyan in Turkey. We stayed in a resort hotel, which I just about managed to survive on account of the town being half empty with post 911 concerns hitting the Turkish tourist industry. Rowan and Danielle went on this boat trip whilst I took a mountain bike up into the hills.

2001

Rowan with her friend Holly at Newby Hall near Ripon. Note the knees.

2000

Taken in 2000

Danielle is in Birmingham at Woodbroke Quaker study centre where she is a Trustee. I was intending to have a quiet time working and recording music. Various admin tasks emerged which blew that idea away. The gloves are definitely on now; winter is arriving.

1999

Over to Leeds to see old friend Joanna, 39 years ago since we met at University in Liverpool. Great to catch up, and in a great vegetarian cafe that I had not heard of before.

Meantime here is the 1999 photo of Rowan

1998

As Rowan heads towards her 18th birthday in January, I thought I'd run through some photos year by year. Here she is in 1998, just born and very comfy in her fleece blanket that John and Anne had given us. Apparently I used to cross my hands like that and my Granny would call me the Archbishop.

Taken At The Flood

I ended up riding through this bit of the flood last week. One of those "I've got this far, I can't go back but I really don't want to go on either" situations. Very wet and cold feet, very amused spectator at the other end.

Sunday Lunch

A pretty social weekend wrapped up with Sunday lunch for two Chinese students who are over here on a program co-ordinated by friends Monica and Eddy. Needless to say, we did not give them roast and 2 veg; it all went really well.

Two charming folk who were joined by Ruth, an artist who is part of Open Studios [and a friend of niece Sarah].

70!?

John, who Danielle used to work with, is 70. So he had a big do in a community centre, with various musical and poetic cabaret turns from friends. It was good fun, and we caught up with plenty of people we had lost touch with.

This is Stillingfleet Church from the outside, and here is a link about the ancient door: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=7842607&fileId=S0261340900007876

Dinner Party

Paul and Hilary came to stay, we had Robert, Helen, Peter and Siobhan round for a meal with them. Went really well, and late. This morning Paul and Hilary left after breakfast for the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Robert and I went for a short bike ride to Stillingfleet where this 1000 year old door adorns the church with Viking carvings on it; beautiful and unheralded.

Storm Barney 2

The storm also led to some high water in the river. This is the Ouse at Poppleton this week. A reminder of what it looks like in more normal times is beneath, the two photos are pretty much lined up.

                   

Storm Barney

Storm Barney took it upon himself to re-arrange the cages in our vegetable garden. Milo oblivious.

New Energy in Northampton

Sustrans routes are not just good for cycling - pretty much every town in the UK now has its Sustrans route along the river or other such area. I was pleased to be able to use the one in Northampton to walk to an early meeting I had this week. A great feeling to find the office block straight off a riverside path, without having to go on the road at all.
I found these teasels down by the River Nene which [bizarrely] is pronounced "nen" in Northampton. Why? I asked. "Well they call it the "nene" in Peterborough for some reason. We call it the right way..."
Strange folk out east.

Northampton

The guildhall in Northampton is an amazing building, in fact the whole centre of the town is a bit of a surprise with the vibrant theatre and cinema. Monday night Rob and I went to see the KneeHigh version of Rebecca which was a bit of a hoot and pretty good.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-reviews/11583659/Rebecca-Malvern-Theatres-review.html

Weekend news

Saturday evening was Sue's 60th dinner and dance. We were restricted by Danielle's arm in a sling, but we had a nice evening.
Today I took the train to Manchester to see nephew Will. We had lunch in a hipster cafe and vinyl record shop - perfect!

Crash

Everytime I hear an ambulance siren I check in my mind that it can't be going to either Rowan or Danielle; it's a natural thing I think.
Yesterday I heard no sirens. But I got in from walking the dog and took a call from North Yorkshire Police;
"Hello, Mr Palmour, nothing to worry about but your wife has been hit by a car and she is being taken to the hospital in the ambulance. Can you meet her there?"
So I get in the car [so I can bring her home] and head off to the hospital. Only I don't because there is total gridlock. It is only later that I learn that the cause of this gridlock was Danielle, who had to lie in the road for 40 minutes whilst they fitted a neck-brace etc, on the busiest road in York centre.
So I go back home and cycle to the hospital where I find her awaiting the emergency doctor. She is bruised, shaken, but OK. After an x-ray she is allowed home with a possibly fractured clavicle. The driver drove straight into her, admitted responsibility, the Police will take a statement from Danielle tomorrow.
So, quite a day. Here is a nice picture of Danielle, glad to have her in one piece.

2013

This is a photo that The Mount school had of Rowan in full flight on the French Horn at Christmas Meeting 2013. Her friend Amelia, on her left, looks suitably entranced.

Frendal Dale

I got a walk in the Wolds yesterday, visiting Frendal Dale and seeing not a soul. A great day to be out in the Wolds.

In summer it all looks a bit different

Another Month Another Town

One of these shots is the view from the window of the hotel in Chicago. One is from my [very pleasant] hotel in Northampton. It's tough, but can you tell which is which?

Blog Stats

The Blog is into its twelfth year, here are the stats for the last five and a half years, page views per month.

Say What?

I keep my latest Phonak digital hearing aids in the very first box I was given (no longer provided on the NHS). I noticed the gloriously un-branded logo: no design fees paid for that I think. Back in the day...

ASFF

What a great event. Danielle and I went, for the first time, to the York Short Film Festival http://www.asff.co.uk/ . It is brilliant. You pay £15 for the day then see as many films as you fancy. We saw 3 arty films [my favourites], then 4 dramas, three documentaries and four thrillers, at a variety of venues. Just amazingly stimulating and uplifting.

After that it was a party next door at Robert and Jackie's with daughter Rhianna back from Uni for the first time.

£1200

It is five months since I did the London 100 mile ride, and my just giving site has closed. So thankyou to everyone who sponsored me for Prostate Cancer UK. It was a great day, and £1200 is not be sniffed at.

Barlow

I showed this photo for the first time at the Landscape exhibition. Taken in the spring on an old industrial site. It got very little comment until the last day when someone bought it - very gratifying.

Bramham

Bramham [pronounced Bram'em] is to the west of York, just where the flat lands of the Vale of York begin to corrugate towards the hills of West Yorkshire. The stone changes to Millstone Grit, the contours steepen and everything gets a bit more Pennine. This tree up always catches my eye.

Portfolio Career

Here is the bridge.
Sunday I was taking down my photographs as the Landscape exhibition came to a successful close. 9 the following morning I was sitting with a coffee in downtown Northampton waiting to start my latest consultancy job. A portfolio career is a wonderful thing but it can get a bit hectic sometimes.

Walk Eat Remember

We went a walk in the woods at Bramham together on Saturday. Came across an old railway bridge on a disused line. A really beautiful structure. [photo in a couple of days].

Saturday evening we met up with Sue and Eddy and six friends for a surprise meal for Eddy's birthday. It was a fancy French tasting menu; great fun but my bouche can only be amused for so long ...

Here is a photo from the Pirin Mountains in Bulgaria; the year 1988.

Howard Kendall

My Gran took me to see Preston North End for the first time. Against Crystal Palace; I remember realising even at that early age that the player going up and down the right wing was a cut above everyone else. It was Howard Kendall who went on to play and manage Everton with much success. He died last week. RIP.

Three Photos of Little Hob Moor. Starting in September, then October and now November.

Humour 2

We have this on a drinks coaster, it makes me smile each time I see it.