Germany

Here is Rowan with her German exchange student, Mira. She will come to visit us in November. Yesterday we had Johannes and his wife, our German neighbours round for tea and cake which was good.

World Championships

The first cycle race I saw was the World Championships when they were at Goodwood in 1982. I was there with Mark, and fell in love with the sport. That day I heard the clunk of Sean Kelly's missed gear change on the last corner, and watched Saronni power away for the victory.
The next year I was in Switzerland to see Greg Lemond win for the USA on a great, packed, hilly lakeside course at Rorscharch.
1984 was the year of The Walk and we were in the Pyrenees when the World Championships were on in Barcelona. I thought of hitching over to see them, but in the end we watched the race in a hotel in Luchon as Criquilon won for Belgium.
1988 I got the train to Ronse in Belgium and watched Fondriest win for Italy.

Fast forward to 1991 and I am in the grandstand at Stuggart to see a great race, and Gianni Bugno win, that is where I took this picture of Gianni and his gold medal as he walked past me.
1993 and in the rain in Oslo I watch a young American, Lance Armstrong, win his first big race.
2001 and we are all in Lisbon where I see Oscar Friere win his second title for Spain.
So, you can see that I like this race.
Today I watched the most incredible performance from the British team as Cavendish won the World Title. It was the best race I have seen for a long time and incredibly tense; for him to win from such a pressurised situation was amazing. Back in 1982 the British team was, basically, a bit of a joke. Home-based riders who  all dropped out before the finale. I looked in awe at the Italian team who were well drilled and awesomely powerful. This year it was the British team of 8 that were the awesome ones. What a turn around, what a performance by, as the French call him, Le Cav. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cycling/15052681.stm

Back Home

Rowan is happily back. She had a great time in Germany, and we have been hearing all about it. This is one of her photos of Koln Cathedral - one of the four figures is a replacement [can you guess which?]

Park Life

Entering a lovely park in Doncaster I came across this sign. The Council had gone to considerable expense to erect it, so what did it tell me?
One thing I could not do, two things I should do, line after line or unintelligible by-laws, and absolutely nothing about the Park.
I think that counts as a lost opportunity.

Ticino

1981 I decided to hitch-hike in Europe on my own for a couple of weeks. I took the ferry to Dieppe then headed south from there. I do remember the real highs and lows of being on my own - very intense experiences. I ended up in Ticino [the Italian speaking part of Switzerland] staying at the flat of someone who gave me a lift. This photo from a hotel room on the trip conformed to all my On the Road romantic notions of travel.

Germany

Rowan is having a great time in Germany by the sound of it. All her texts are in German, so we can only guess what she is saying but it seems to involve - a concert, Koln cathedral, a Haribo factory shop, an ICE train and much happiness. We look forward to her return on Friday evening.
I have done a trawl through my regular photos and picked out the best of them. Over the coming months I will post them. This is from Lisbon a long while ago.

Workshop

I am doing a photographic workshop in the new year. Here are the details, if you want to sign up contact Space 109 direct.

Friends Kelly & Paul were in York yesterday, so I took them to my show and then we went for a meal. They are en-route from New Zealand to Spain; great to catch up with them. Unfortunately Danielle was in Birmingham for the Lib Dem conference [work not pleasure she would want me to stress] so missed out on seeing them.

TTSS

Danielle and I left our empty nest to go and see the new movie of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1340800/ which is brilliant.

We sat down to watch the movie, and Danielle produced some popcorn and M&Ms. I was just eating my first M&M when a hugely obese woman sat next to me - causing my seat to shudder and bend. After that I could not touch another sweet.
The photo is of Well Dale.

Germany

Rowan went off to Germany from school today for her exchange trip to stay with a girl her age near Bonn. I rang to speak to the family [who are Doctors] yesterday evening and they sound very nice.

It feels strange for all of us here.
The peace of the Wolds was broken by this sinister military helicopter appearing low above me.

Campione!

Two things have never happened in my memory - Preston North End be in the first division, and Lancashire win the cricket. I have no idea how the cricket county championship operates now, no interest in it, but I am pleased to see that Lancashire have finally won! Good. Next thing is for Preston to get double-promoted...

The photo is another from Warter in the Wolds. The blob in the sky is a Red Kite.

Back Again

My back has been dodgy since I put it out in May, so I have not played Badminton in that time. This week I saw a new chiropractor and he gave me the confidence to have a game and see how it went.
So I played Edward. The bad news was I felt restricted and definitely could not move properly. The good news was that I completed the 3 games we normally play, and I won!

I see the chiropractor again later this week, and will hope he can get my back back to normal. We shall see.
The photo is a snap from Well Dale near Warter. I suppose it might just look like grass to some, but to me it is a secret place of hidden wonder.

Bile Beans

This is an old advert painted on the wall of a house in York. What are Bile Beans?,
We use it as a reference point 'It is near the bile beans' etc

Euroland

Here is the last shot from Brussels [promise]. Danielle and Rowan outside of on of the many Euro parliament buildings.

High Jump

Ben won the Town Cryer competition! He vows to try and get an exchange with Cryers in the UK set up. Rowan won the high jump and 1500m at the York Open athletics meeting [that is her winning jump in the photo]. She did a new personal best in the high jump of 1m55, try measuring that on the wall.

Danielle was in Woodbrooke http://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/ being a governor, I was back in the Wolds for some more photographs. I went to Well Dale, part of a system of dry valleys near Warter. All this ground was totally out of bounds before the Labour government brought in the Right to Roam and the concept of Access Land. It feels great to be able to walk here with without [much] fear of the landowner. The fact that the whole of the area is “farmed” as a pheasant shoot makes it feel even better to walk through it. My self-righteousness took a bit of a knock when Milo appeared with a pheasant he had caught in his mouth – luckily the bird got up, dusted itself down and skulked off. Milo seemed quite relieved to be able to leave it. I was the only person in the whole dale, just Milo, red kits, buzzards, pheasants and partridge.

Here Ye Here Ye

Danielle's brother Ben has applied for the post as Alexandria Town Cryer in Virginia http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/hear-ye-alexandria-choosing-a-town-crier/2011/09/09/gIQA0O7FFK_story.html?tid=wp_ipad . We think he would be very good, votes have been cast, I will keep you updated.

The photo is of a very narrow house in Brussels.

Dear Diary

I am reading the second volume of Chris Mullin's diaries. He was a Labour MP up to the last election. The diaries give a great insight into how Parliament works [or doesn't work], and he comes across as a person who reacts to the whole thing in a way I would want to. These are the first [and probably last] political diaries I have read, but I am enjoying every page.

Rowan took this shot on her phone in Burssels. Don't know where she gets it...

Year 9

Back to school today, Rowan's first day in year 9. There are some new girls from China and Mexico starting, so that should be interesting.
The bottom photo is year 1, eight years ago.

Goji

We came across this strange bit of street-art [I think] in Brussels.
Getting things ready today for Rowan's return to school. Got a coat, had a final lunch in town at a great new vegetarian cafe in York http://www.gojicafe.co.uk/ .
Managed to watch the brilliant Chris Froome win a stage in the Vuelta [tour of spain] http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme/breves2011/20110907_171209_froome-a-tout-d-un-grand.html whilst doing the ironing.

electric cars

We came across these electric cars being recharged from the special sockets in Brussels. I have not seen the equivalent in the UK. Seems like a good idea.
But with the bike-hire scheme and the green cars, do not get the wrong idea. Brussels is still a terrible place to walk round, pedestrian priority is a distant dream. Felt nostalgic for the order of London [really].

Bike Hire

In Brussels they have a bike-hire scheme similar to the Boris Bikes in London. Yellow instead of Blue, but otherwise very similar.
Today Rowan and I did a 50 mile Sportive in the Dales north of Skipton, while Danielle helped with the Quaker stall at York Peace Festival http://www.yorkpeacefestival.org.uk/ .

15 Years

This week was our fifteenth wedding anniversary. As I am sure you all know, this is a crystal wedding. So we now have a pair of crystal wine glasses that we christened with a meal at home. Rowan was at a sleepover so we had the place to ourselves.
The photo is at the European Parliament in Brussels. It is an impressive group of buildings, hard not to think about where the money to build it all came from, but impressive nonetheless.

Musical Instruments

We visited the Musical Instrument Museum in Brussels. It is housed in this fantastic iron framed art deco building. Each group of instruments has a socket for you to hear the sounds of the instruments in your headphones.

Metropolis

Before we left for Brussels I made Rowan watch Metropolis by Fritz Lang - despite the coercion she liked it a lot. Our hotel looked a bit like a set from the movie too.

Magritte

Danielle had a conference in Brussels so we went with her. We had a good time, Rowan and I being invited to a pre-conference meal, chatting with interesting grant-makers from around Europe.

Rowan and I went to the Magritte museum http://www.musee-magritte-museum.be/Portail/Site/Typo3.asp?lang=FR&id=languagedetect on Tuesday. He was a fantastic painter, I really enjoyed seeing his work again. This photo by Rowan of me using the eminently sensible pissoir facilities of the city, has, I think, a Magritte like quality to it [no head, lampost instead]

Clothes

Rowan has discovered clothes. Here she is wearing a dress financed by Granny on the town with us in Brussels.

Sustrans

I had a bit of spare time in Doncaster, so I found the local Sustrans route and followed it down to the Don Gorge. Has any organisation been more effective than Sustrans in creating great things from not very much. The network of cycle tracks, particularly through the urban and sub-urban badlands is a fantatic achievement.

Lighthouse

This is the oldest lighthouse in Britain - designed to operate with a fire beacon - at Flamborough head.

Friends of Hob Moor had a stand at Acomb Fair today. It went OK before the rains came, suddenly our tent had an awful lot of visitors.

Flamborough

Took the dog and child to Flamborough Head http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flamborough_Head for a walk. The dog loved it. This is where the chalk Wolds reach the sea, with plenty of cliffs, stacks and wave-cut platforms

Holgate Windmill

Holgate Windmill, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holgate_Windmill just up the road, is being restored. The sails are due to go on in the next few months. The house in front is a new-build that is very stylish. Inevitably I have heard some people say "well it doesn't really fit in". Given the houses around it, I think this is a positive.

Constantine The Great

The Emperor Constantine was crowned in York in AD306 http://www.bbc.co.uk/northyorkshire/iloveny/romans/2004/constantine_great/index.shtml which is why this statue is outside the Minster. I took this photo while I was watching the cycle race. I liked the bloke on his phone.

Bikes and Rosehips

It was the second annual York city centre cycle race on Sunday. A really good race won by Olympic gold medalist Ed Clancy.

Made Rosehip Syrup yesterday using the hips from the garden.

Jo

Danielle and I took the dog a walk in lovely Leeds whilst Rowan was triathloning, and called in to see friend Joanna and deliver a photo. Coffee in the garden - a great start to the weekend.

Chevin

We had two hours spare between netball sessions last week, so I took Rowan up to the Chevin above Otley. It is a beautiful place with views all around; the heather was out too.

The Deal

Me "Can you feed the dog please?"

Rowan "Do I have to?"

Rowan "I'll do you a deal..."

Me - feeling sceptical "Ok, what?"

Rowan "You feed the dog, and I'll cook tea"

Me - amazed - "It's a deal"

45 minutes later the dog is happy and Rowan produces this amazing Thai prawn curry, with green beans from the garden.

Books

The combination of Rowan's boot camp and a lot of work on mean that the blog has suffered! Apologies.

In book group we read Brighton Rock by Graham Greene. The general view was that it was not all-that. Danielle and I watched the 1947 movie version [screenplay by Greene and Terrence Rattigan] and I reckon it is better than the book; not the usual way around.

I have also read One Day by David Nichols and absolutely loved it. I have been meaning to read it for a while now; it was well worth the wait. It is not often I cry when I read a book [usually save that for films and the Eurovision Song Contest - different types of tears] but I managed it with this one. Perfect.

Redstart

It is not easy at all to photograph Goredale Scar, nothing does it justice, definitely not this shot. I saw Redstarts on the walk http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/redstart/index.aspx a really beautiful bird.

Day 2 of Rowan's bootcamp has seen her selected for a match tomorrow so she is a lot happier with it all.

Malham

Rowan started her Netball boot-camp at Leeds Carnegie today. It involved ice-baths and all sorts. She is not, it is fair to say, over-enamoured with the experience but we hope it will get better.

Meantime I took the dog for a walk around Malham and Goredale Scar http://www.malhamdale.com/cove.htm . I had not been up Goredale Scar since a school geography trip, and I did not make it today. A downpour meant that a flash flood was making its way down the same time as me and Milo. Discretion became the better part of valour and we retraced our steps [the alternative was drowning in the torrent.] As you can see from the picture, Milo was only too ready to go back.

Sportive

Rowan and I rode the York 100k sportive today, it was actually 108k and those extra 8 were very noticeable. She did brilliantly to ride what is nearly 70 miles including some tough hills in the Wolds. The weather held, the organisation was brilliant [http://www.action.org.uk/york_100] with a pasta lunch and the route good too. Some sportives are run by private organisations, with a sense of being a bit of a rip-off. This one was run by a good charity, and we felt really well looked-after.

The photo is of Rowan with her race-bike, kindly funded by Granny.

Honey Honey

We extracted some honey from the new bee colony, about 8 kilos, not bad for a start; it tastes good too. Today we all rode to Bolton Percy for lunch at the cafe, plenty of cyclists there.

Another photo from the seaside at Aberdovey

View from the rock

This is the view looking down from Bird Rock in Wales. I have grown to like this shot. That is a Cormorant in the bottom left hand corner.

Tywyn

Walking along the beach from Aberdovey to Tywyn is one of our favourite things to do. This year we came across this group of pony-trekkers going the other way.

Style Victim

There comes a point when all parents get their style-sense criticised by their children. I remember telling my Mother, who was wearing a mac, that she looked like she came from Accrington. Sure enough Rowan saw my socks - "You can't wear those with those shorts. Ever." It is her job to make these comments, just as it is mine to ignore them.

Here we all are at the wedding.

Riots

In 1981 I was cycling back from a meal at friends in Wood Green at about midnight, when I noticed people walking down the high road with TVs etc. It really did not dawn on me that it was a riot, I even waited for the red light to change before cycling on back to Islington. The next night in Upper St shopkeepers were boarding up shops which all seemed a bit over the top.

When I moved to Tottenham in 1986, it was a year after the Broadwater Farm riots. The riots continued to cast a shadow over the place for the whole 10 years I lived there; but it did seem that things had moved on.

Today Rowan and I were in London for the day; Science Museum, Clothes Shops in Oxford Street [Rowan has decided to be a teenager after all], lunch at Yo Sushi etc. By 4pm shops were being shut early and a feeling of fear was tangible. We were due back on the 19.30 train, but I checked if we could leave early because of the quasi-curfew. We could, so here we are on the 17.30 train just coming up to Stevenage.

When we had set off I had failed to make the connection between a day-trip to the capital and the depressing riots in the suburbs; I soon woke up to the situation.

More wedding

Sarah and Markus had a best-woman, and four bridesmaids. Here they are all are.

WOTY

My niece Sarah got married at the weekend to Markus. All the family made the trip to Thorpeness in Suffolk and we had perfect weather for the wedding on Friday: it was a great day. We even joined in the country dancing...

New Look

Rowan had her hair done for upcoming bridesmaid duties, and her brace off her teeth. Here is the new look.

Rowan runs

Whilst Danielle and I were doing the 10K run on Sunday, Rowan was running the junior race over 2.5K. She won the girl's race, here she is crossing the line [and breaking the tape] and with her spoils of victory

Tanks and Tomatoes

This YouTube clip should get you smiling if you are an urban cyclist

http://bicycling.com/blogs/thehub/2011/08/02/mayor-clears-bike-lane-with-a-tank/#.TjhyAufqTXg.facebook

The tomato harvest has been good this year, here is part of the crop.

Yorkshire Day

The private view for the exhibition went really well. The turnout was really good, far better than I expected. Great response to the new work, sales-wise we will have to wait and see...

Rowan got her caricature done as part of the National Trust shops Yorkshire Day celebrations.

Bird Rock

We finally got round to climbing Bird Rock, whilst we were at Aberdovey http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-2081 , this is a view up towards Cadair Idris on the way up. We saw Cormorants but no Choughs when we were there.
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