Archive for the ‘Friends’ Category
Sunday, May 31st, 2009
759We headed over to the Isle of Wight today for the Needles Cross-Country Marathon (although I was only running the half). Our gamble of getting the 8:45 ferry seemed to pay off and we arrived in reasonable time for the 10:00 start from the West Wight Sports Centre. There was a good turnout (around 300 for both events) with a fair sprinkling of Tuesday night runners present (myself, Neil, Darren, Roderick, Sue and Jane).
(more…)
Posted in Family, Friends, Running | 3 Comments »
Sunday, May 17th, 2009
747It was pay back time this weekend as we spent both days helping out at various events. On Saturday we went along to the SOC event at Hut Wood. We walked there and got soaked as a result when the heavens opened. Thankfully the sun came out as we arrived and the rain didn’t return until later in the day. The downpour didn’t seem to have discouraged attendees either with over 60 participants. I went round with a group of juniors from nearby Halterworth Harriers running club. Not wishing to be stereotypical but the two lads did all of the work whilst the older girls discussed boys, films, TV etc. I’d originally only planned to shadow them for the first few controls but when they started heading off in the wrong direction to number three then I thought I’d best stick with them. Who knows – perhaps they’d have paid more attention if I hadn’t been there as the safety net? I think even Emma on the yellow course with Christine may have averaged faster minutes per km…
(more…)
Posted in Family, Friends, Orienteering, Running | Comments Off on Weekend Helping
Monday, January 26th, 2009
709A visiting friend and a dry forecast was all the excuse we needed to head over to Marwell Zoo on Saturday. It’s the first time we’ve taken Emma and she’s certainly of an age where she can take it all in now. There’s a good range of animals from giraffes to ants and everything inbetween and having arrived before eleven we were there until closing time. It’s perhaps debateable whether Emma enjoyed the playgrounds more than the animals though! Still, entry is free (for her) until she reaches three. I had the camera out but I’m not particularly impressed with any of the photos I took. The slightly less mediocre ones are over on Flickr.
Posted in Family, Friends, Photography | Comments Off on We’ve been to the zoo zoo zoo
Sunday, September 14th, 2008
667We were visiting friends near Reading on Saturday and, at their suggestion, we all headed over to Beale Park for the day. Described as a “Wildlife Park and Gardens” it was soon clear that, in reality, the park contains almost anything that might be described as an amusement: from paddling pool to piggery, from gardens to goats and from trains to lemurs (sorry – the alliteration broke down on the third attempt!). As with many places of this size, you worry a bit about the welfare of the animals and, with some cages not labelled at all, you even wonder about the educational benefit. However, all in all, both adults and child enjoyed the day out.
Posted in Family, Friends | Comments Off on Beale Park amusement
Thursday, August 28th, 2008
Sadly it turned out that the quick charge that I gave the car battery following our return from Monmouth wasn’t going to be sufficient to get me in to work on Wednesday. Going via the sorting office to pick up a package the warning lights started popping up as I passed under the M3 on Leigh Road. I pulled in to the right hand lane to turn back for home at which point the engine cut out. Just where you want to be – in the middle of the road during rush hour.
(more…)
Posted in Friends, Travel, Work | Comments Off on Embarrassing breakdown
Tuesday, August 5th, 2008
646Sogndal was our decision point: should we continue north to Geiranger or start the journey eastwards back toward home. Geirangerfjord is supposed to be perhaps one of the most impressive fjords in Norway but we decided that we were all fjorded out and opted to take the tourist road over the mountains to Lom instead. This route is definitely worth making part of your itinerary – particularly when the sun is out as it was for us. The views across the Jotunheimen mountain range were stunning.
(more…)
Posted in Family, Friends, Travel | Comments Off on Back over the mountains
Saturday, May 17th, 2008
532The 17th May is yet another public holiday in Norway although sadly, this year, a Saturday. This time it is the National Constitution Day, celebrating Norway’s declaration as an independent state in 1814 (although still under Swedish rule). The day is very much targeted at the young and as we ate our breakfast we could see the local children gathering at the school for the raising of the flag. Unfortunately, it was to prove to be the coldest National Day for fifty years and at this point was actually snowing!
(more…)
Posted in Family, Food, Friends, Travel | Comments Off on Norwegian Constitution Day
Tuesday, September 4th, 2007
422We spent last weekend in the Czech Republic at the wedding of our (currently Southampton based) friends Petra Hajkova and Petr Junek. Things didn’t get off to a good start with the Thomsonfly flight from Bournemouth to Prague delayed by an hour and a half. This meant Emma wouldn’t wait for the feed that Christine had hoped to give her on the ascent and then had just dropped off sleep when it was time to board. Emma screamed a bit when the doors were closed but, greedy thing that she is, eventually settled in to a feed and then proceeded to sleep for most of the flight.
(more…)
Posted in Friends, Travel | 6 Comments »
RSS - Posts