Baby Alice arrives!

I became a grandad on 19 December 2009. Baby Alice was born at John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford at 01:05, weighing 3.156 kg.Elle est mignonne, n'est-ce pas? Bravo, Tom et Lucie!

A sad day

Today I got rid of my K-reg Fiat Uno. This was my trusty get-to-work vehicle when I was last working at Portland College but I took it off the road after I retired in 2007, since which time it has stood on the drive, rusting and gathering green mould. Tony, from Simms Metals at Somercotes, gave me 20 quid, which was more or less what I expected for it - to think it cost me the princely sum of £350 in 2005! In the picture you see him start to lift the old banger towards the lorry. Unfortunately, I could not complete the filming as I was overcome with grief. No, sorry, let me rephrase this. The director Claudio Intoni applied his usual 'cock-up' technique: elsewhere you can see wonderful shots of the ground, and hear the director chuckling inanely to himself.

Hemiptera

... or bugs, to you! I saw these little beauties in the Périgord recently. The lower picture is some sort of bug which I found crawling on the patio at Issigeac. The upper pic shows a cluster of what I believe are called Gendarmes Suisses on a lime tree near Grignols. Aren't they lovely?

Brinsley 16 Oct 2009

Don't these cows cast long shadows this time of year?

Abbot's Bromley 7 Sep 2009

Hi readers! Am yo all roight?

This is my first post in ages. Today I rode to Abbot's Bromley in darkest Staffordshire, for today was the day of the Horn Dance, a traditional dance enacted here since the 13th century. I have been intending to see this event ever since I we have lived in the Midlands and at last I was able to. I was not disappointed: neither the dancing nor the playing were particularly memorable, but it was impossible not to feel a sense of tradition going back centuries. Everyone, performers and onlookers alike, were having a good time. I used National Cycle Route 54 from Derby to get as far as Dunstall, then quiet country lanes. Total distance: 130 km

Recent rides

Recently I have had the pleasure of others' company while I have been out riding. First, Sélène and I did a ride from Middleton Top to Parsley Hay and back, on the High Peak Trail, on 16 Feb (37 km). The weather was still rather cold and the trail water-logged with quite a bit of snow lying about. It was hard-going in the NW wind on the way out, but this was to our advantage on the return leg. We had a cuppa and some snap at the exposed and wind-swept Parsley Hay visitors' center. Shame there's nowhere to sit down in the warm while you are eating and drinking. This excursion was very enjoyable, but it was enough! No pics. alas.

The following day, Jon and I rode from Heanor to Long Eaton by the Nutbrook Trail, then Route 6 to Derby and Route 54 to Kilburn, and back by minor roads. The weather stayed fine (56 km). Again, no pics.

With Jon again on 18 Feb. from Swarkestone to Cloud Quarry and back, on Route 6 (23 km). Pics show: Jon on the Trent Viaduct, checking his mobile in one of them.

Cloud Quarry, near Worthington, Leicestershire

JCB collects limestone rocks ...

... and delivers them to the crusher ...

.. which feeds the crushed rock to a conveyor ...

... which chucks the stones onto a pile ...

Dinky Toys in the bottom of the quarry, going to collect the stone

A close-up of the activities in the quarry

Weather was not so good this day: first drizzle, turning to light rain, finally heavier rain. But fun anyway!

Footplate Experience at Peak Rail Sat 21 Feb 2009

I went to Peak Rail last Saturday, to enjoy my Xmas present! I drove the 0-6-0 saddle tank WD150 in the pictures above, from Darley Dale to Matlock Riverside several times. Brilliant! The driver, Derek, a kitchen fitter in the rela world, taught me to use the regulator, reverser (and cut-off) and air brake - and I whistled every time I saw a sign with a W on it. The fireman, Dave, a research physicist, showed me how to shovel coal on the fire - which I was useless at - and I also helped to put water in the tank and used the injector to fill the boiler. Another fireman explained how to change the points and track-side signal at Riverside station, using the staff. Excellent, but I won't give up the day job (ie retirement).

THE HOON SHOW - IN ILKESCINEMASCOPE

GROUND-BREAKING DEVELOPMENTS IN 21ST CENTURY CINEMA

Brilliant film director Claudio Intoni has just released some breathtaking footage of Geoff Hoon’s opening of the Millership Way, Ilkeston’s second runway. In a recent interview he told me about his new technique which he calls ‘balls-up’:
“Well, actually, Brian, what basically happens is this. When most directors would be clicking the ‘off’ button to stop filming, I’m clicking ‘on’, and vice versa. Thus, up till now, traditional directors would record the most important aspects of their subjects’ features and speech, while I will be capturing their more unguarded and less reported ideas, together with close-up views of their feet and the pavement.” Intoni says that this technique gives important insights into his subjects’ philosophies. He sees his work as a paradigm for the destruction caused in Iraq, and feels that it gives a perspective on the human condition post-credit crunch which has been totally unexplored by other directors. In one of the clips we hear Hoon talking of his government’s commitment to improving transport for walkers and cyclists, and Intoni saying “hear, hear!” I think I can honestly say that we are going to see a lot more of this … (continued on page 94)