Uncle Vanya's Gloomy Trousers

A first try at some Serbian folk music; warts, bum notes and all. Something irresistable about playing a whole new style of music. Take a look at our little movie, rendered in fabulous monochrome.

Tenterhooks III

So Monday came, and so did the stairs and the kitchen units. No doors though. At work today I am on US time as a substitute for actually being there. This means that I have a telecon today from 2PM to 11PM. Wurg.

Barkscape

Barkscape
Originally uploaded by Brother Swampicus.

Tenterhooks II

I am afraid that I failed to do daily postings this week, but then it has been a rollercoaster ride. First I thought I was heading off to the states again, and was getting pretty cheesed off about it. Normally I quite like a little jaunt across the atlantic, often to meet up with some sparky people. However, this time I felt like I was going to be abandoning Janice at a time of dire need. To my great joy, the trip got cancelled at the eleventh hour. Back to the house. At long last the glass is in the lantern skylight. The stairs are here, but didn't quite get fitted, and the doors (so we are told) are coming on Monday. Tenterhooks still fully operational this week;

• Monday: Stairs get fitted, kitchen arrives, doors arrive
• Thursday: Cooker arrives, new car arrives.

Sunday 3rd December: On Tenterhooks

This week may be decisive in determining whether or not we get into our extension(s) before Christmas. (I haven't written too much about this over the last 6 months. In summary, we're having a single storey extension and a loft extension done. As we speak, the house is in a state of pretty much complete chaos). On Tuesday 5th we should get stairs up to the loft extension, and the glazing to go into the lantern skylight that will be the centerpiece of the rear extension. On Friday 8th we should get the doors and windows fitted in the rear extension. On Monday 11th we should receive units for the kitchen that we plan to put into the rear extension - and I may well be travelling on business in the US. I plan to update every day this week. Here's hoping.

Whirly thing

Whirly thing (on Vimeo)
Originally uploaded by Brother Swampicus.

We found this just as we were about to leave Sudeley Castle near Stow-on-the-Wold. Very simple and utterly charming and I think we could have gazed at it for even longer than we did. I strongly recommend taking a look at the video which you'll find linked.

The Most Outrageous Ripoff

The Most Outrageous Ripoff
Originally uploaded by Brother Swampicus.

Imagine the scene. It's a so-so day of weather and you're on holiday, so you all pile into the car in search of a little innocent indoor entertainment. After several hours of driving ('Hyperbole, not exaggeration' as my English Lit. teacher said, when I said 'Suh, but I bet that whale never really all that big') we arrive at this car park that could hold no more than four cars. We should have turned away then; little did we realise that four cars would have been a peak season maximum. We walked into the little gift shop that led into the main museum, and I handed over six quid to the man with the luxuriant moustache at the till. "Much obliged to you" quoth he. Actually, I'm not surprised he was pretty obliged, because the little gift shop turned out to be the whole darned museum. There were bits of aeroplane debris in glass cases, but much of the museum wall space was taken up with letters from other guys with moustaches saying how great the whole thing was. We managed to while away a pretty tedious seven minutes, before slinking out and escaping.

This is what happens when you drink too much caffeine

Ever thought of switching to decaff? This guy is a warning to us all. 

Wind and Mushrooms at the seaside

A lovely blustery day by the seaside.  

Stormy skies over Beilngries

For an englishman, it is almost reassuring to discover that the weather isn't perfect abroad. We had one or two really rather wet days, but none that stopped us from doing our thing. Mostly, the weather was warm with 'sunny intervals', with one or two real beauties. 

Walking on the heads of the Twelve Apostles

A beautiful walk along a ridge above a series of stone columns, locally called the Twelve Apostles. Sam, who is precise about this kind of thing, counted fourteen.  

Stranger in a strange land

A holiday in Germany this year, the Altmühltal, part of Bavaria. This was a bit of an expedition into the unknown for us. Altmühltal turns out to be a little bit like the Wye valley. But first, the journey down; I had forgotten how to drive on German motorways; the most entertaining are the two-lane no-speed-limit sections. Here, the speed on the inside lane is about 60 mph (which feels a bit slow), and the speed in the outside lane is about 110 mph (which is above my fear factor). I start out by overtaking a slow lorry, with the road behind apparently empty, only to find a black Audi with its headlights on materialise behind me. 

Canoeing in Altmühtal

We had a fine day canoeing along the river Altmühl. We collected our boats from a wiry little old guy in a back street of Beilngries, who drove his carlike a maniac to get us to our start in Kipfenberg. After several excursions along the Dordogne and the river Wye, we're getting reasonably competent. It was my second try at the double kayak with Tess; lots more fun than the rather more majestic progress of a canadian canoe.

Back from Holidays

We're back from our visit to deepest, darkest Germany. A 540 mile drive yesterday - started driving at 10am and stopped at 9pm. Yikes. Today we spent doing the serious tourist bit about Brugge, then a blast under the channel and home.

Last Session until September

I made my last pilgrimage to the Star music session before going on holiday. I am very glad that I did, because it was a really good one. I find it very hard to work out exactly what it is that makes a good session. It seems to be something to do with;

1. Who is there
2. What mood they are in
3. ...and only a little bit to do with how many

In any case, this was a 'slow build'; we started of with just a few, and more people kept dropping in as the evening wore on. I sat next to a very good lady bodhran player.

Getting Ready for Holidays

Four days and counting. Three weeks away from work, for the first time in so long I can't remember. I'm looking forward to cycling, canoeing, walking sketching, reading, whistling etc for a long time.

Happy drinking Espresso

Sometimes, you just need that fix. 

Added Flickr Pictures Badge to this blog

What fun! A little animated badge on the blog's sidebar linking to my flickr pictures. And, whats more, links from flickr to some movies on Vimeo.

Dreaming at the Trowbridge Village Pump Music Festival

• Streamers 1 Originally uploaded by Brother Swampicus.

What a fine way to spend a weekend. Great music, from bands big and small. From the Huckleberries and 'Last Nights Fun' to Karine Polwart and 'Show of Hands'. At the campsite, more music with Hannah, Andy, Andy and Glenys. Good also to meet Bob and family properly for the first time.

Who could have predicted that the cool instrument for teenage boys would have been, of all things, the Ukelele.

Java and Chocolate

DSC04672
Originally uploaded by Brother Swampicus.

For the discerning geek.

Tess's Birthday at the New Forest Water Park

The whole gang On to the banana.

Balloons at the Wimborne Folk Festival

...a beautiful day at the Wimborne Folk Festival plus camping with buddies at the Inside Park. Hannah and I had an inspirational lesson in whistle playing from Michael McGoldrick: a nice bloke and a very good teacher to boot. There was however a hint of steel in his admonishment to me to practice harder when I whinged that I found some rolls harder to do than others. 

Titans of the Scottish Highlands

Who payed the ferry man? Two Andys on top of the world not posed - honest. 

Family hike in Shropshire

DSC04262
Originally uploaded by Enro Mojave.

...by a gnarled tree near the beginning of the hike.

Decking progress

 

Mug Shots

Left to right; Blue Plastic Green Plastic Double-walled stainless steel

 

Our little Corner of London

 

How not to welcome honoured guests

Spotted on our walk from the docklands to Greenwich. 

London trip: Selected highlights

Decision time at the Deep Blue Cafe in the Science Museum. "mind the draught..." Reconstruction of Babbage's difference engine at the Science Museum. Piles of boxes at the Tate Modern.