where art collides philosoperontap

Terrific game of football last night in the battle to see who will be playing Lincoln city in the second division next season. Most people I know want it to be Spurs. Whether the standard of football itself was terrific is another issue but that is incidental. It’s quite funny/unusual to be watching a game quite dispassionately with bemusement at the misfortune of others. Still 2 games to go and all to play for.

Had a v busy day on the work front (I know wtf?!) and still more to do today and tomorrow before we set off on Thursday. A man’s gotta do…

10 years ago it was our last day on the Coast to Coast walk. It included a break at the wonderful Grosmont Railway Station to see the steam trains. A tough one to finish with a one hour one in three incline to climb out of Grosmont which I am proud to say I managed without stopping. Couldn’t do that now! We were met by a fabulous welcoming committee at the pub down by the harbour in Robin Hood’s Bay.

Eight fox visits yesterday and one already this morning before eight thirty.

Effin cold again this morning. Fleece weather but still ok for shorts. Town was already busy at 8am when I dropped THG off at the train station. Kids on their way to school/college and folks walking to work having got off their bus or train. Lots of traffic. On the way home I noticed a builder already hard at it putting up a new stone wall near the Lindum Sports Ground. Must go and watch a cricket match sometime. Got the NZ test at Trent Bridge at the end of June.

Talking of shorts, four new pairs arrived yesterday. Refreshing my summer wardrobe innit. Amazon essentials or similar. Ranged between £7.50 and £16 a pair. What’s not to like?.

So today will mostly be devoted prepping for the forthcoming trip to Sorrento. I’ve organised a conference at the Hilton Sorrento Palace, as you do. It’s a bit more than that though. Afterwards we are headed to the Hay on Wye Literary Festival with @Rhys and @Eirian and their clan and then to Caadiff to see me blood and blister, Sue. Theeen we are headed west to do some more family tree research. I’m meeting cousin Gareth Morgan to compare notes and if we have time on to Pencader and Gwernogle to rummage around some more gravestones. After that I’m off to Aberdyfi with Sue for a couple of nights so that I can spend time in the National Library. I like doing that kind of thing.

Another long day on the hoof on the Coast to Coast ten years ago today. Across the North Yorks Moors from Clay Bank Top to Glaisdale with the final destination being the Arncliffe Arms. The highlight was lunch at the Lion Inn, a remote walkers’ pub. Lots of relatively tame grouse to be seen. Plenty of feeding stations. Didn’t really feel right to me. The other notable point was the fact that we were in a Middlesbrough postcode. The contrast between the wild beauty of the moors and industrial Middlesborough sprang to mind although we couldn’t see the town or any industry other than agriculture. The Arncliffe Arms was pretty basic but I guess it did the job. It was the penultimate day of the walk. The end was in sight.

A busy time for the fox. He came through at 6pm, ten past seven, twenty five to two in the morning, six thirty and seven o’clock. I never see him with any food in his mouth. I assume he just eats it there and then and can’t be taking anything back to a den to feed cubs. Maybe that’s solely the vixen’s prerogative.

Returned at 09:27, 09:49 and then 10:27 during which visit he came around the back of the shed.

Well, a good day indeed yesterday. A fairly chilled out morning followed by a stroll to the Lincoln Hotel to watch the Imps open top bus parade and thence to the Morning Star for a couple of beers with @guy. THG joined us having watched the bus with the hordes down the high street. An historic occasion indeed. The bus was late getting to the cathedral area as apaz the crowds ignored the safety barriers and it had to slow right down.

All the pubs were rammed. There were two long queues in the Lincoln Hotel which I think was taken by surprise by the demand. The bar I ended up at didn’t have a till and they trusted you to go and pay at the other bar!

Fox came at 09:59, 10:02, 11:11, 20:09 and 20:16. Clearly just passing through. We were in the shed during the last visits .

10th May 2016 was one of the highlights on the Coast to Coast. Ingleby Cross to Clay Bank Top. Tom and I took the long way round to avoid some of the steep jarring descents (and climbs!) as I was still protecting my knee. There was a v handy caff at the halfway point. It actually meant we got to the B&B earlier than Luke and Ajax who took the up/down route. The B&B owners at Westcote Farm, Judy and Stuart, were great and the breakfast was great, if out of the ordinary. A range of Wensleydale cheeses was on offer which actually worked really well.

The farm was on its own in the middle of the countryside so Stuart dropped us off at the Buck Inn, a mile or two away and picked us up again afterwards. The Buck turned out to be a real result. It had a German chef/owner called Wolfgang and a German menu. I think I had schnitzel. We were slightly disappointed by the wine list but Wolfgang nipped to the cellar and brought out some decent stuff that wasn’t on the menu. He came and enjoyed a beer with us afterwards whilst we were waiting for Stuart who also stopped for one. Good times. This was Day eleven out of thirteen. The end was in sight.

Beeootiful morning in the shire. What’s more, it is a Saturday! Yay. We should celebrate. I’ve opened the conservatory doors and the sun is warming the back of my head. I should turn around and face the garden really but the chair is pointing the wrong way. Being serenaded by a cacophony of birdsong. Includes a Great Tit which we don’t get every day, at least not when I’m recording.

Two fox visits yesterday. Nothing by the lake. The day before it was five visits. He seems to mainly use our garden for transit. There was a time he would sniff around the shed and greenhouse looking for grub but I assume he hasn’t found the spot particularly fruitful. THG did mention to me that she’d heard that someone in the area was feeding it.Not sure how I feel about that. 

It is a lovely day for the Lincoln City FC open top bus parade. THG is heading down the high street to watch it with her cousin Helen but I’m staying local and will pick a viewing point near the cathedral. Might even grab a celebrator beer. I understand the team is headed for STACK afterwards. STACK will be rammed. Not even worth thinking about going there. And you can’t reserve a table, apaz. I’ve never been. Anyway we are having a nice bbq in our back garden, THG and I. A quiet night in with the one you love the most. Bit of chicken and a couple of sheesh kebabs from Fosters.

I’ve noticed btw that only one of the “automatic” vents in the greenhouse is working. The two others need new hydraulic arms, or whatever they are called. They weren’t working last year either but I couldn’t make my mind up which parts to buy. I might get the step ladder out later and see if they have a part number.

Much improved golf yesterday btw. Knocked seven shots off Wednesday’s score. Still not hitting the irons well at all. If I can sort them out my game should be back on an even keel. My back is a bit stiff and I don’t think I can get in a full swing any more. The bigger point is that I am now walking a full eighteen holes. This is huge progress after the pre hiphop lack of mobility.

Ten years ago today we walked from Richmond to Ingleby Cross. It was the day walk of the trip and my feet were in a hell of a state afterwards. They were most days actually but day 9 involved walking along lots of stone farm tracks which hurt your feet. We also had to take our lives in our own hands by crossing the very busy A19 just outside Ingleby Arncliffe. It was like a motorway. The B&B had tea and scones waiting for us when we arrived which was v nice. Most of our overnight accommodations were good on the Coast to Coast. The one exception was the penultimate night in a pub somewhere which was very basic indeed.

Gotta go. It’s a nice day out and not to be wasted typing in the kitchen.

Friday, 8th May, 2026 CE. On this day ten years ago we had our easiest walk on the Coast to Coast when we went from Reeth to Richmond. It was only a ten or eleven miler. Something like that anyway. After checking in to our B&B Tom and I continued a few miles to break the back of next day’s walk which at 23 miles was the longest of the trip and turned out to be a real bastard. I think that’s the day we started using that prefix when mentioning the lovable Alfred Wainwright. We met Phippo and his mum in a pub somewhere around the three mile mark and they gave us a lift back into town. The previous night we had stayed in The Old Manse B&B in Reeth which was one of the best of the trip and gave a phenomenal breakfast. The landlady was Irish. I looked a few years back and I don’t think it is a B&B any more.

Today we are off to play golf, again. Welton Manor, gain. Make hay etc… Jezzer is now a member so we go along as guests. 4 ball inc Adie and Ajax. I quite like the course and at £15 with a member is great value. Yesterday we are at the Laughterton par 3 which is cheap and does provide entertainment but the only thing that identifies a green as a green is the flag. The average number of puts must be at least three. I finished off the round with a hole in one on the 18th. Now you have to understand that because the greens are so bad our society rules are pin and in. If you hit the pin it counts as having gone in. This is what happened on the 18th. My ball did drop ten feet or so from the hole and I narrowly missed a birdie but the card says it was a 1.

Fox already been twice this morning at 05:53 and 06:52. I’ve stopped recording hedgehog visits as they are too numerous.

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I took the money in the golf. Knocked 7 shots off my last round. Driving was generally good but irons were crap. I am optimistic that improvement will continue. I think I am still very stiff. If I keep playing at welton then I’m fairly sure I’ll get back in the swing. Quite exciting really. The Welton Manor golf course is seriously good value.  Quite hot today. 

Once my irons are sorted I’ll be back in the groove. Whether I’ll be able to do it is another matter. I’m pretty stiff. This is partly because I’m years old and partly because my back is v stiff. Whether this is because of my hiphops or general atrophication, if that’s a word.

Cracking afternoon at Welton Manor golf Club. It’s actually a nice course and the greens suited me. Not too fast. Had five pars which isn’t a bad start considering I hadn’t played a proper course in a longish time. The place we play at in Laughterton can’t be considered proper golf. Gonna get some regular rounds in and see how my game improves. It’s mostly just sorting out the driving. Had to cram a day’s work into the morning in order to get there and was still working on the golf course! Sacrosanct I know but my conference in Sorrento is coming up hard on the rails and there were a few things I needed to nail. All good.

The conversations we have on the golf course are very blokey. To the point that I couldn’t tell you what we talk about. Not because I don’t think you should hear. It’s because it’s mostly such drivel I can’t remember any of it. I do remember discussing the very different conversations our wives have and this morning THG proved it. She was doing something on her phone and started emitting aaawwws and aaaahhhs. Someone had just sent her a pic of their new grandchild. Don’t get me wrong there’s nowt wrong with it. Maybe that’ll be me someday but I’m not quite there yet with pictures of babies.

There is landscaping news on the lake front. The three aquatic plants purchaysed from Waterworld on the Wirral have been installed together with a new fountain (eat yer heart out Lake Geneva). The fountain has been discretely plumbed in and the wiring clipped down securely around the base of the deck to the power point around the side. I did toy with the idea of a solar powered fountain but mains seemed more reliable.

Plenty of fox and hedgehog action. We are now often seeing four or five separate fox visits and loads of hedgehog, to the point where I’m stopping downloading the videos and may even stop recording the visits of the latter. The other garden news is that vine growth continues apace. I’m giving it another week and will then trim the ends to encourage flowering.

Very much nip in the air in my conservatory at five thirty this morning. Was cold enough last night for the heating to go on. Anyway up early, although we have no larks here to benchmark the time, so to speak.

Last night I went along to St Mary Le Wigford church to audition for a play that included rendition of Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood. There were nine of us there for 8 roles but the director had yet to hear some others so we won’t know until perhaps June. The performances are at the end of October. Broadbent Theatre. It does require a Welsh speaker and I was the only such candidate so I’ve probably got a good chance. Fingers crossed eh?

Dyl is one of my fave poets and his prose is fantastic. If you’ve never read the play it is worth a skeet. He was a perfectionist and famously wrote 203 versions of Do not go gentle into that good night before he was happy with it. He liked his pop. Personally I can’t write anything creative if I’ve had a drink. Need a clear head.

Back home from Liverpool. Just over a week until our next jaunt which is going to be a biggie, Didn’t plan to go on all these trips this year. They just seem to come out of the woodwork. We are around for most, if not all of June and July. 

Ten years ago today it was Day 6 of the Coast to Coast. Kirby Stephen to Keld. At this point we were approaching the nicest bits of the walk and far easier going than the first few days of the walk. Swaledale was very beautiful and the Keld Lodge Hotel, which represented the half way point on the trip, was probably our fave of the fortnight. It wasn’t posh, just very friendly with everything we needed and in a lovely spot. You walked outside to a cacophony of birdsong and the bleating of sheep. We met a bloke who had just retired from the Police force and was treating himself to a walk from Lands End to John O’Groats. He carried everything in his pack and his wife would ring ahead and book accommodation for him en route as he progressed.

One fox visit last night at nine fifty eight and a few hedgehog. Downloaded the vids but not yet made a note of the times. If you do it every day it is easy to keep on top of but when you have to record a few days on the trot it is a bit more work.

V nice night out with THG to see Rocky Horror Picture Show starring Jason Donovan at the Liverpool Empire. Didn’t recognise Jase but there again I didn’t really know what he looks like. Good theaytre the Empire. V big but v well organised. No queues at the bar. They even had at seat service. Fair play. Back to watch the last frame of the snooker and catch some/lots of zeds. Hotel was quite close to the Empire.

We had intended to eat Lebanese food at Fattoush before the show but in the end decided to eat Lebanese food in the hotel bar. 

Fox had the run of the garden yesterday while we were away with four separate visits during daylight hours and already two this morning before seven ey em. I imagine there will also be plenty of overnight trail cam footage for me to pick up when we get home later today.

Ten years ago today, day 5, was a tough one on the Coast to Coast trail with a twenty miler between Shap and Kirby Stephen on a hot day. It very much lives in the memory not so much because we ran out of water and my feet ended up in a terrible state but because of the pub quiz at the Black Bull Hotel. I’m sure I must have told you this story before. I tell it a lot. However because it’s the tenth anniversary you are getting it again.

We sat outside rehydrating and then went in the Black Bull. All we wanted was steak and chips and then go to bed. Wasn’t that simple. If we were in the pub the rule was that we had to enter the quiz. We ordered food and did the first half of the quiz at which point we would depart for the sanctuary of the Fletcher House B&B and, having treated my feet, hit the hay. The last question in the first half of the quiz was the bonus question with a £30 prize. I was the only one in the pub who knew the answer which was British Philosopher Bertrand Russell. No idea what the question was. I’d just read Russel’s History of Western Philosophy.

We finished our steaks and I went to the bar to claim the prize before hitting the hay. The swines told me I’d have to come back at the end of the quiz to pick up the dosh. We walked out leaving that £30 behind the bar, never to return. I daresay it is still there to this day waiting for me to go and claim it. Obvs won’t buy as much beer nowadays as it would have then.

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Sat outside in the car whilst THG visits her sister in Barnston Court Care Home. Lots of avian commotion started by a magpie chasing a robin or similar. Don’t think it got it but all the small birds around were sounding the alarm.

Woman just parked opposite and crossed the road to the care home carrying a punnet of grapes! Nothing new under the sun innit.

Whilst I am sat here I’m surfing. It is noted that one million three hundred thousand people have entered the ballot to run next year’s London Marathon. That is phenomenal. Must be around ten percent of the population of the place. Fit lot those Londoners. Obviously.

I note also, and I may be a little behind the game here, that the Celebrity Traitors line up for the next series has been announced. My response to this is “oh”.

V pleasant short stroll around some of the attractions of Lincoln History weekend yesterday afternoon. Met Ajax in front of the Cornhill and spent a minute or two looking at the Norman encampment. The lad had brought Monty the dog with him as wife Sue was away with their daughter on a luxury holiday in Tenerife, or Lanzarote, or somewhere like that. He did tell me. Monty was the champion of champions at last year’s Heckington show. This had a lot to do with the fact that when the judge had finished looking at all the section winners she admitted she could not choose and asked the audience. The hound with the loudest cheer would be declared winner. There were quite a number of our camping lot watching and Monty took the title by a country mile.

The Norman stuff only needed two minutes tbh. Then we mosied towards the Posterngate where we were meeting Jezzer. En route there was a queue forming outside the Stonebow which is a v historic building. As we were early we stopped with a view to quickly nipping in for a skeet. However the doors were locked and the people stood outside said that it was open at 10:30 and 2pm. Huh ok. Thought it would be open all day, it being History Weekend an all.

On we continued to our intended destination passing Jezzer on the way, sat on a bench along Saltergate. At the door to Posterngate Ajax was informed that Monty wasn’t allowed in. Jezzer, who had already been inside whilst he was waiting for us, offered to look after Monty whilst we went and did the history bit. Was interesting enough but really only a five minutes job. 7 mins max if you wanted to read all the fairly informational but clearly well past their best boards. One sign referred to something that was going to be updated in 2007 or 2014 or similar!

We climbed, blinking eyed back into the sunlight and as it was still not quite two decided to check out the Stonebow which should shortly be opening. There were more people waiting and we asked the old bloke in the council shirt and tie who was clearly an official what the scoop was. He didn’t understand “scoop” so I rephrased the question. The tour was free but you had to have booked and it was full. This surprised me as it didn’t seem to fit with the nature of all the other History Weekend attractions which were walk ins. 

Turned out the guide didn’t even know it was History Weekend and the 10:30 and 2 were their normal opening times. If we hung around we might have some noshows which would mean we could go in. However when he said it was a 45 minutes gig we decided that this didn’t fit with our extremely slack schedule and moved on.

It was at this point, when we were discussing the Steep Hill challenge ahead and why couldn’t we have arranged to meet at the top of the hill which would have better suited Jezzer and me, that Ajax declared that dog Monty being quite old wouldn’t make it up the hill and that we should repair to the Royal William IV pub on the Brayford to discuss. We spent the rest of the afternoon sat in pleasant sunshine outside the pub talking about things historical, I think.

At five thirty I declared a need to get home to cook dinner and left them to it. The Uber picked me up 100yds away at the corner of Lucy Tower Street and was already there waiting for me by the time I got there. The app had said it would be three minutes but once confirmed it said it really meant 1 minute which is the waiting time the expedited more expensive fare was going to be. I’ve got wise to that ruse. Anyway getting an Uber was a no brainer with the fare at £3.97 compared with the busfare of £3 and I wouldn’t have to walk to the bus station and stand around waiting. Uber driver Hassan got me home in plenty of time to season the steaks and warm up the grill.

This morning we are off to Wirral to see family and thence to Chester for a night out with @Barbara and George. Before we go will have to water the wildflower meadow even though it rained most of the night. Better safe than sorry innit.

Ciao amigos.

Oh, and no fox but seven separate visits over the whole night by the hedgehog at the Raised Beds and a couple of nattering Robins shortly after daybreak.

Coast to Coast Day 3 2016.

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Fox came 09:35

This morning it was decreed (by me) that I would have a substantial breakfast. Breakfast is often said to be the most important meal setting you up for the rest of the day. This wasn’t the case in 18th century farming communities in Carmarthenshire where lunch was the biggie but there again I live in modern Lincolnshire in the 21st century. I digress. I had fried potatoes, mushrooms, tomato, fried bread, sausage, bacon and toast. Using some stuff up from the fridge. Will not need feeding again until I stick a steak on the barbie tonight.

Typically I only go full Lincolnshire these days at the weekend. Now I am sat in my conservatory, doors open, recording birdsong. Nothing too exotic at the moment. Sparrer, robin, blackbird, wren and blackcap. The latter is new this season. As I write a dove has appeared on the list. I don’t count wood-pigeon. Pests. THG has departed for her park run and I am pondering the day ahead. 

I was awake at dawn, 5ish, and by five thirty up and at it in the conservatoire looking at the butter industry in Carmarthenshire in the 1700s, fwiw. Then followed some additions to the list of documents to see when I am in West Wales at the end of the month. I’ll be calling in on a long lost cousin I never knew I had but who got in touch having seen my family tree stuff. We will be heading to some cemeteries looking at gravestones and also to the Felin Obaith woollen mill, now defunct, at Rhiwadar. On day two I’ll be in the National Library of Wales. I like doing this kind of stuff. Problem is Carmarthenshire is a long way away.

It is History Weekend in Lincoln. Last night THG and I went to the cathedral to hear a David Olusoga lecture. V good fair play. Gave some interesting insights including the fact that when a French division was allowed to lead the parade after the liberation of Paris in WW2 they took out any non white colonial troops and replaced them with any white soldier they could lay their hands on. Outrageous but shows you the attitudes of the times.

Today I am off to see the Roman Posterngate with Ajax. The Posterngate is rarely open to visitors but is the gate by which people entered Roman Lincoln from the south before they climbed the hill to the main bit. Afterwards we are indeed going to climb Steep Hill and peruse the attractions laid on for the weekend. Roman market, mediaeval encampments and that sort of thing. Stuff like that anyway.

Yesterday was the perfect spring day reaching 25 or 26 degrees centigrade. I set up the irrigation system in the greenhouse. Something that is an annual job as I take the solar powered pump in over winter. I also got the little water fountain back up and running in front of the deck. It kept slowing down but I realised this morning (actually whilst lying awake in bed – funny what you think about innit) the pump probably needs cleaning so that is a job for today. Today is a little cooler at nineteen and overcast but still comfortable. Supposed to rain tonight which is much needed. 

Finally, for now, we had a fox at 21:57 (Raised Beds) and hedgehog at various times between ten to nine and ten past four including once at the Lake.

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Day 2 C2C 2016.

Bit of a dead rubber day tomorrow. Was looking at imps coverage in my facebook stream including the odds on various scores for the last game of the season away at port vale. Tis a little surprising that lincoln are only 6 to 1 to win one nil as opposed to lower odds considering they are runaway winners of the league title and port vale are relegated. Maybe there isn’t enough money being bet on the game. Maybe they think the team has been out on the lash celebrating since last weekend and will be on reduced capacity.

Rewind. Just looked it up to check and Lincoln are actually odds on faves to win. However having gone to the effort of typing that first paragraph on my phone I’m going to leave it there as it would otherwise have been a complete waste of effort 🙂 

I have an event free calendar today, yay. Do have a few bits and bobs to get on with. Then might meet a couple of the lads in the Bail for a coffee. Got to stay off the pop as we are off to see David Olusoga in the cathedral ce soir. THG doesn’t want me to nod off in the middle of his talk. Honestly as if I would do that.

Actually I do have form when it comes to nodding off. We went to see a history lecture at the Collection a few years back. It was so boring that two or three of us did nod off. There had been lunch beforehand and that might have involved a glass of wine.

Just finished a pleasant enough breakfast of a bacon sandwich and half a grapefruit. The bacon, Waitrose “extra thick” was in my mind really just about the minimum acceptable thickness for such a delicacy. The stuff you get in the supermarkets these days is often so thin you have to handle it very carefully to avoid it coming apart. Pathetic really. Pathetic that people will buy it even.You don’t actually get much choice in many emporia. It is often the case of just how thin do you want it?

Fox came at 19:38 last evening whilst I was just finishing golf and then the hedgehog variously from nine oh five pee em onwards. What was interesting is that the fox was caught again on camera at 04:55 (Raised Beds) and 05:00 (Lake). The earlier video is in darkness but only five minutes later in full daylight at the lake. This is either down to the differences in cameras or during the first vid it was very much in nighttime mode and in the second there was enough daylight to switch it over to daytime mode. Whatever the answer it tells us that dawn was at 5am or just before on this day, 1st May 2026 CE.

Pinch and a punch…

Magpies creating a racket in the holm oak behind the shed. Their call is very abrasive. Merlin picked up a siskin this morning. This is a new one and tbh I was somewhat suspicious that the app had made a mistake. However I googled it and indeed siskins are to be found in Lincoln so I’m inclined to add it to the flock of recorded avian species.

There is also big news from the lake. The one surviving aquatic plant we bought from the Wirral Aquatic Centre (or similar) for the then upside down dustbin lid pond is emerging from the deep. The lid lake was long since discarded in favour of the current magnificent watery expanse. The four plants procured cheaply in the end of season sale turned out to need much deeper water than the dustbin lid could provide and did not thrive. The one survivor was put in place in the deep water of the new lake and having died back has over wintered well and would appear to be thriving. The label is still in place and after wiping away the accumulated dirt has revealed itself to be a Butomus. The RHS has photos and I am excited that this will fit well into the natural environment. All the photos I can find require attribution or are copyrighted so I’ll wait until this one flowers to show you.

Lots happening. Off now to install the irrigation system in the greenhouse. Ciao amigos.

Quiet day on the wildlife front with one fox visit at around twenty past midnight this morning and a couple of hedgehog sightings at ten to eleven pm and twenty to two am. Interesting how some nights they can be very active but on others spend it all in someone else’s garden. Not seen a muntjac for a while. I wonder if it smells the scent of fox and stays clear.

Was discussing the fox with “Tony next door” and “Karen down the road” on the bus home from town. I’d been for lunch at the White Horse with @Phil and @Keith. A good pint of TT Landlord fair play although I made a mistake in ordering the spicy fries with the burger. Should have gone plain. £18 for burger and a beer was not bad with a £2 upgrade to the house special burger though tbh I’d probs have been fine with the regular cheese job. Settled for a simple fish finger sandwich for dinner later.

Not v often I join the great unwashed on the bus home from town. Had planned to walk but you know what it’s like once you’ve had a beer. That basically wrote the rest of the day off although I did squeeze in a conference call with Tracey and Manuel at four pm. You will be pleased to know that the guided tour of Pompeii has been sorted. Our man Marco from Milan gets all the credit.

Have removed to my conservatory before breaking the fast this morning as it is such a nice sunny day out. Bodes well for the golf this afternoon although it is no guarantee of a good score. Also great growing conditions for the meadow. It gets watered every day and the greenery is really starting to come along nicely.

My Facebook timeline reminded me that ten years ago today I had arrived in St Bees in Cumbria for the start of the coast to coast walk. Was a beautiful sunny day in total contrast with the next day which was a raging storm. Maybs I’ll share pics of that walk over the next fortnight.

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Popped down to Antonio’s barbers but there was a queue so I thought I’d pass. I do need a haircut but will have some time to kill in Liverpool at the weekend and can get shorn there.

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Full moon tonight driving back from golf. I got best gross and a birdie but won no coin. Being the end of the month the handicaps get reworked. Lost two balls which is unusual for me. Another fox visit at 19:38.

Bright and breezy morning in the shire. Sunny but an easterly wind adding a bit of an edge. I’m hoping to nail the Pompeii tour today having got Marco from Milano involved. If need be Carolina from Sorrento is available to help. THG has already been out to water the greenhouse plants and I shall liberally drench the meadow en route to the shed a little later on when I’ve finished my cup of tea. You can’t rush a cup of tea yanow.

A busy night on the wildlife front though nowt around the lake for which Brian must be quite relieved after the previous night incident where the fox is suspected to have kicked him over. No proof. Just circumstantial evidence. All the action was at the Raised Beds where five separate hedgehog visits were recorded starting at eleven pm and ending shortly after four in the morning. I suspect he made the garden his hunting ground for most of the night. Three fox visits between five to seven when I was actually in the shed and one in the morning.

Today I am doing lunch with @Phil and @Keith. White Horse on Hungate. Not been in since it was the Tap and Spile. Will be easy enough to get there but will be tackling Spring Hill on the way back. I’ll probs take the route through Michaelgate to Castle Hill. Might even wander into the chateau for a gander. No rush, as long as I get the Pompeii stuff sorted before I go plus a few other bits.

Btw the grapefruit spoon is back in action with a vengeance. Great to have it back 🙂

Bit of a rush on this morning. Someone organised a conference call for 08:30. AM. Honestly! Just chucked some clothes on and now finishing off the last bit of bacon under the grill. The simple things in life.

In the shed by ten past eight ish, cup of tea in hand. Each morning I now stop at the bottom of the wildflower meadow and take a photo. It will be good to be able to put together a timelapse video of the growing meadow. Won’t be perfect as the camera angle will change from day to day but it will be good enough.

Due to a North Easterly wind tis a little cooler today which suits THG as she is off out with the Pink Ladies Running Club. They meet every Tuesday morning in the Waitrose car park if yer interested. Yesterday’s forecast rain did not appear which was a bit of a shame. It must be a few weeks now since we’ve had rain. The farmers will be starting to get worried. No rain is, however, good for honey bees. One of the participants in the Monday afternoon pilates class is a beekeeper. She said the bees loved this time of year with so much apple blossom around. Rain ain’t good for apple blossom, apaz. Makes sense. I am optimistic that we will have a good crop this year.

My other farming activity is the grapevine which has very much started to sprout. We have never been very successful with growing grapes but last year I was given a tip that will hopefully sort it out. Once the new growth has reached a certain length you trim the ends off. The plant thinks it is under threat and pushes out lots of flowers and we all know what that means. I think these are eaters rather than drinkers but that will be good. We would never get enough grapes off our one vine to make wine anyway.I just hope the harvest will be after we get back from Malta in September. Would be just our luck for them all to ripen and get eaten by birds when we are away.

…

Just to let you know I’ve spent most of the afternoon so far trying to book group tickets for Pompeii. You can book ten tickets online but our group is 38 people so I need to do it differently. You also have to provide names of everyone in the group! Group bookings usually get faster entry so it is worth doing.

Now this is a lot harder than it sounds. First of all I have to sign a contract with an organisation in Florence that has nothing to do with selling tickets and exists solely to get you to sign a contract that effectively just tells you the ticket prices. Only one person in their office speaks a bit of English and is very difficult to get a message across to.

Anyway I signed the contract, with a little AI help as it wasn’t particularly obvious that there was anywhere to sign, sent it off together with my booking letter containing all the names and received an answer in Italian telling me to call a certain number (+39 081 5379358 < you have to keep the leading zero). That has an option for an English speaking attendant (yay) but when you click one to speak to said attendant you get a message saying “attention please, wrong number selected”.

I messaged our tour guide to say “I am really struggling to get through to parco pompeii to pay for the tickets” only to get the response “know it’s hellish”.

I don’t think they want visitors. Must have tried over ten times. Maybe fifteen. I’ve asked our Italian Sales Manager Marco to call and see if he gets any more joy with the Italian language option. Lo and behold Marco got through. We’re not there yet though. Fingers crossed eh?

In other news I found Brian flat on his back this morning, arms and legs in the air. I wonder if last night’s fox visitor did it. 20:45, 03:20 and 04:21. The lad is now back in position doing what he loves best but it must have been a shock to his system. At least he hadn’t landed in the lake which could have resulted in a rescue boat call out.

A night of snooker watching with THG beckons after chicken fajitas for din dins. What’s not to like?