THE PROF (a.k.a Cheesy Rider)

Merry Mabon.

2011-09-23T07:54:00.002+01:00

So we reach halfway through the harvest time and Tree and I are enjoying the fruits of our labours. Mabon or Autumnal equinox marks a time of balance in day and night and a time to gather in oneself and reflect. A time to give thanks to our bountiful Mother. Tree cooked us up a brilliant breakfast including the first of our homegrown, organic tomatoes to mark the day. Merry Mabon to you all.

Up, up and away.

2011-08-11T07:43:00.001+01:00

August Bank Holiday Monday and there is only one place to go and that is the Bristol Balloon Festival. All sizes, all shapes and all over the place, balloons in formation or single seaters, you've got them all. Even though the weather wasn't great the spectacle was. As the darkness of night draws in they light up the balloons in sequence to music as well. Fantastic!

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna!!

2011-08-11T07:02:00.002+01:00

This Bank Holiday Kat, Matt, Tree and I decided to visit Croome Court for the Krishna Festival. This event was to remember the time that the Krishna movement took over the estate from 1979 to 1984. Although I grew up living next to Bhaktivedanta Manor in Hertfordshire, I never knew that they had such a strong presence in Worcester. This accounts for why Tree thought they lived everywhere as she grew up with the same impression as I did.

There was a number of activities to see including Theatre, Meditations, a tour of the estate and stalls. Tree was shown how to put a saree on which was great fun as the wind was very strong. The Prasadam, blessed food offered to Krishna, was delicious as ever and even Matt enjoyed himself I think. I felt a little sad on leaving as I miss the contact that I had with ISKCON when I was in London. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

White Leaved Oak.

2011-08-05T10:01:00.002+01:00

Followers of this blog will know that I have wittered on about the White Leaved Oak for years. Right from when I had the shop, where I heard about it for the first time, I have tried, and failed, to find its exact location. Finding the hamlet is no problem but the tree is steeped in mystery. Rumoured to be a 1000 years old, it grows on a large stone somewhere between the hamlet and the base of the Malvern Hills. It's trunk has an image of the 'Old Hag' in it and it's branches are decorated in all manner of ribbons, trinkets and offerings. The trunk is hollow in the middle and you can climb down into it. Three people would comfortably fit inside. No made up road leads to it and you have to have a mind to find it in the first place. After Tree and I found it, to mark Lammas and our handfasting anniversary, I was tempted to put its location for all to find on the internet but then I thought 'No!' it must remain hidden. I believe it is like a pilgrimage and should only be seen by those who really seek it out. It's anonymity is its magic. If you find it, I am sure the peace and serenity of the whole place will fill you with awe. Happy hunting!!

3 Villages Festival

2011-07-27T09:33:00.006+01:00

A hot sunny summer weekend and what else is there to do but go and find a village fayre or two. As it is we had a pitch at the 3 Villages Festival held by Mathon, Cradley and Storridge. It was a typical village affair with evrything from a blacksmith to local folk in funny outfits ( check out 'bogbrush' man for a laugh). We did fairly well for trade on the Saturday but we didn't need to be there for the Sunday as we just had a return of all the villagers from the previous day. All the same it was the taking part that was important and it was good to see that traditions were maintained with some Morris Dancers and a May Pole, even if it is July!

Food glorious food.

2011-07-24T17:31:00.005+01:00

Today is a bit of a celebration as Tree cooked our first meal where all of the ingredients, excepting the curry powder, were grown by our fair hand. Mother has been gracious to us in providing a bounty of courgettes, so much so, that we can't give them away fast enough. Every day I find more to crop. I guess planting 25 plants was something to do with it. Anyway, swapping some with neighbours for apples and some honey, from a friends new hives, has proved lucrative and reminds me of the days when people used to barter most things. I won't even begin to rattle on about the taste!!!

Welcome to the Crypt

2011-07-10T19:04:00.002+01:00

Many moons ago I made a cover for the cellar light which had a stained glass panel in the top. Much as it was nice to look at, I hadn't banked on the effects our great climate would have on it and, sadly, it succumbed to the relentless rain and cold of last winter and had to be removed. Armed with the knowledge of where I had gone wrong I embarked on making a new, stronger, cover that some would say was more in keeping with the house and my craft. Having a lot of Yew, left over from the old 'A' board I made for outside the shop, I constructed a robust hatch with hand forged wrought iron hinges to finish it off. All of the materials were reclaimed, including the brass fretwork which came from the Midland Bank, and items obtained from the Worcester Resource Exchange. All in all not a bad job, if I say so myself!

Solstice blessings.

2011-06-21T18:51:00.001+01:00

I can't believe that the time has flown by so quickly and yet here we are at the Summer Solstice. Everything has been on the up and all of our seedlings are planted out now and enjoying a bit of Summer sun. It was definitely the right choice to turn the garden over to veg and we are already eating some of the first crops of carrots. In addition to the garden, I have been working hard to get ready for the 3 Villages Festival with only a few days to go. After this I will concentrate on the house and garden for a while before moving onto my next project to build a wind turbine.

Solstice Blessings!!!

Dome,Dome, Dome.(Hummed like dramatic entrance)

2011-05-22T18:47:00.007+01:00

Fireworks explode, crowds roar and shouts of "Hoorah" are heard from the rooftops. I have finished the Geodesic dome. Well I have finished the frame at least. I was up early this Saturday to see whether it all went together as I wasn't sure I had worked out the Maths right. But no worries as it all went smoothly. I now just need to calculate a way to make the cover, windows and doorways for it. Not much then !!!! The overall expense was minimal as the wood is FSC and the fixings made from recycled water main. Never underestimate the power of the pentagon or the number 5. I shall keep you posted.

Not very...well smart really.

2011-05-06T12:34:00.000+01:00

Some people just aren't that smart. A bit like the person who didn't check which way up a letter 'a' goes.

Its the Good Life

2011-05-01T18:33:00.001+01:00

Feeling that we should make a lot more effort into going green and doing our bit for the planet, Tree persuaded me to turn the front garden over to vegetable growing a la Good Life style. Seeing as it is Beltane it only seemed appropriate to agree and work has already begun with the removal of most of the lawn in readiness for sowing. Our aim is to maintain at least half of our vegetable intake from home grown stock. Plants grown will include tomatoes, carrots, parsnips, shallots, peas, courgettes, french climbing beans, runner beans, beetroot, aubergines, peppers, lettuce and a selection of herbs and salad veg. To make sure they get the best to drink I have fitted a rain trap to a large barrel to collect rainwater from our roof as well. So fingers crossed and a small blessing, or two, from The Great Mother and we will be going great guns!!

Beltane blessings.

2011-04-30T18:29:00.002+01:00

The Green Man has won over the Ice queen and all the buds are bursting with the vigour of Spring. Now is the moment when all the seeds sown start to show themselves.

Celebrate with fire, passion and a new fervour for the year ahead.

Did someone mention something about a wedding?

2011-04-28T10:30:00.002+01:00

Ages ago I was saying to Kate and Matt how the fireworks at royal weddings were the best ever and that next time a royal gets married we should book up a hotel straight away. Well what do you know, the next day there is an announcement. Tree got right on it and booked a hotel in Kensington for a long weekend. Within a week you couldn't get one anywhere in London - result! Tree worked out an itinerary including the Millennium Wheel, Tate Modern, China Town, Covent Garden and some wedding bash somewhere round Buckingham Palace? Kate and Matt had never been to London so this was a good way to see the sights and get the atmosphere. We didn't get to see much of the wedding because of the crowds but I rather enjoyed our visit to Govinders Krishna restaurant and the National Portrait Gallery. We then went to Old Compton Street to see the street parties. Being the gay quarter of London lent itself to very extravagant outfits and regalia! Fantastic!!

However, seeing as the reason we went to London was to see the fireworks you can imagine we were a bit put out when we heard that "due to cutbacks" there weren't going to be any. Oh well, its a sign of the times I suppose. We still had a brilliant time.

Happy Birthday Treebo

2011-04-22T13:47:00.002+01:00

As it is Tree's birthday we decided to get away down to Glastonbury for the day and have the obligatory lunch at the Rainbows End Cafe. While there, we thought it was right we visited the Chalice Well Gardens as we have said so many times that we should. The gardens were well laid out and the views across to the Tor were very good. However, the state of the well head was far worse than it could have been, so much so that I have used a promotional photo here, and what should have been tranquil meditation space was ruined by the noise of traffic on the main road. In addition, other visitors insisted on talking loudly in the designated quiet areas. Overall, a disappointment. But, putting the gardens aside, we had a lovely day together and won't need to eat for ages as we're stuffed. Yummee!

Toe be or not Toe be.

2011-04-10T14:12:00.000+01:00

Just for laughs I decided to see if I could catch a 400lb industrial shredder with my foot. Not a good idea, as you might imagine, and the inevitable outcome was a broken toe. In technical terms I had a Sub Ungal Haemotoma which meant the blood got trapped behind my toenail and had to be trafined. This involves the application of a white hot wire to burn through the nail and relieve the pressure. Quite spectacularly as well! It is a good job this happened at work and all I had to do was go upstairs to A&E. I now have four holes in my nail and a good chance I will lose it. The photo has been posted retrospectively 4 weeks after so it doesn't look half as bad as it did. At least my foot isn't black anymore.

Fishy flurries for fairy fun.

2011-04-03T05:43:00.001+01:00

Deciding that I have too many odd projects outstanding, I set about clearing the workshop and making a definitive list of all tasks to do. First up was to repaint a mermaid mirror that Tree and I had decided we would give to Joy. It took a lot longer than we thought but was worth it in the end. It looks simple enough but Tree and I had to build up layer upon layer of colour. The other job was to make some fairy doors for Tiddesley Wood Spring Open day. Has it been a year already?! Anyway, I knocked up a few and we will see how they fair. Fair/ fayre, geddit!!!

The years are taking their toll.

2011-04-01T05:35:00.002+01:00

Use all the fancy creams and lotions in the world but I still say that Tree is looking a bit baggy round the eyes these days, don't you think?

Running to go nowhere.

2011-03-23T05:25:00.003Z

In the never ending search that is the solution to my health issues, I went back over to Gloucester for an ETT (Exercise Tolerance Test). This involves walking on a treadmill that increases in speed and incline while you are hooked up to an ECG machine. Needless to say, I walked it. Although I felt completely wasted at the end, there was no significant result. So, onwards and upwards. Bring on the next one!!

Spring has sprung!

2011-03-21T17:59:00.000Z

Just a quick one to wish everyone blessings for the Spring Equinox. The Green Man is reborn and walks with us till Samhain Eve. Time to get the garden dug and the seeds sown!

A bit of a close shave 2

2011-03-13T19:31:00.004Z

Following on from a previous blog about the drawknife, I am pleased to say that I have completed the restoration. Using the existing handles to create a card template, I turned down a nice bit of white Yew, that I had been keeping for just such a job, and burnished them to a nice smooth finish. After cutting the holes for the blade and making sure I had matched the detailing on the originals I burred over the blades shaft ends to secure them in place. Job well done I think!

Oi 'Arry. Ever had that sinking feeling.

2011-03-06T18:50:00.004Z

Late last year, Tree and I volunteered to join the OOPS (One Off Performance Society) and help stage a production of Titanic at the Swan theatre in 2012. The show is booked to run the same week as the sailing of the Titanic and the last curtain goes down on the hour the Titanic sank exactly one hundred years to the day. As part of the background to the production, a few of the company got together and decided to go to the Titanic exhibition in London's O2 Arena, including Tree and I. The exhibition was average but the most memorable part was a section of the Titanic's hull that you could touch. It felt quite weird to be tactile with something so well known and to connect with a piece of history in that way. To think how far down and for how long it had been there was a little eerie.

As well as the Titanic expo, the O2 were hosting the X factor auditions. As we left the exhibition ,and passed 1000's queuing to sing, I turned and realised we had lost some of our group. They were not far away as the lure of a huge X Factor screen had proved too much for the luvvie in them! In the end even I succumbed to a bit of fun with a plate glass window by doing my Harry Worth impression. And before you ask "Who's Harry Worth" go look him up on the internet. It helps if your over 40 as well! Just look at Harry Hill to see his legacy. Excellent comedy in its day.

Its all gone a bit lopsided.

2011-02-15T16:59:00.000Z

As part of the ongoing investigations into my blackouts, I went to Cheltenham today for a tilt table test. This involves being strapped into a table and connected to an ECG machine, heart monitor and blood pressure cuff. They then tilt you at 70 degrees and monitor your levels. After about 20 minutes (which feels like an hour when you can't move, talk or walk) they induce an episode by giving you GTN (glyceryl trinitrate) which makes your heartrate increase about 3 fold so you feel like your head is going to explode. I didn't have a full blackout but I think they got the readings they needed. Before giving me the GTN the doctor said "it may give you a bit of a headache". Suffice to say I was ill from the moment I left the hospital and have had a serious episode all afternoon flipping in and out of consciousness. It was a good job Tree was with me all day to manage the episode as I was originally going to take the train to Cheltenham!!

I see now what the consultant meant when he said "No one likes a tilt test".

Whoa there boy. A bit of a close shave.

2011-02-14T16:43:00.000Z

Tree, very kindly, pointed me in the direction of some plans for a shavehorse and I am resigned to getting on and building it. My first project will be to shingle the shed roof in oak but I need a drawknife for this. This is where I could bore you with the old ebay bargain story but I shall suffice to say that I found an antique one mis-listed and won for a mere £11 (They usually start at about £40+). The handles are cracked and need replacing but that is no problem on the lathe. I have started by regrinding the edge back to it's original razor sharpness. I shall retrim the ironwork to take the new handles and pressure fit them before burring the ends to hold them in place. I will post the photos after the restoration to show how I did.

Blessings of Imbolc to everyone.

2011-02-01T16:35:00.001Z

Imbolc blessings to all!!

As part of this years resolve I decided to follow in my father's footsteps and bake bread from scratch. I'd forgotten how much time it takes and couldn't get the first batch to prove. A bit of quick thinking and a plank of wood later I found the best place to put it to rise was over the woodburner. I'd like to show the resulting walnut loaf but sadly it didn't even get to cool down before Tree and I ate it all. The house smells of freshly baked bread as well! Mmmm...fresh bread.

Boo. The snows going away.

2010-12-28T16:20:00.000Z

Oh well, all things must end and this time of year, as much as any other time, highlights the inevitable cycle that is our seasons. The snow goddess has now begun to melt and has, mysteriously, revealed her inner self as being that of a very Moorish design. Is it just me or does she now look like a Henry Moore sculpture. You decide!

A Merry Yule to everyone.

2010-12-21T13:07:00.005Z

Tree and I took today off work to make a vigil at the Malverns for the Solstice sunrise. Mother had other plans and with the sky being overcast, and heavy with snow, we decided to stay at home instead. We were hoping to see the lunar eclipse as well but that was not to be. As this is a fire celebration, I still cast a circle and we lit a fire in the garden and marked the sunrise together. We then retired to the warmth of the house and cooked up a hearty breakfast. We had hoped to get to Glastonbury for a silent meditation at the Chalice Well but that will have to wait until the roads are safer to travel on. Besides, I am spending the rest of today chopping firewood as the central heating isn't working. A good job we have the wood burner to keep us going!!

Happy Solstice and a Merry Yule to one and all.

P.S I'm sure the Snow Queen has had cosmetic surgery overnight...it could just be the cold...who knows?

Yay ! Its snowing.

2010-12-17T12:39:00.002Z

Hooray its snowing! Isn't it brilliant when we have snow at Yuletime. Everyone is being so miserable about the cold but I think its great. They say we may even have a white Yule - fantastic. Tree isn't up to messing about in the snow just yet but was happy to watch me make a snow queen and snowman outside on the decking. I decided to make the snow queen first as it is always A-typical that everyone makes a snowman. I had a problem with certain parts falling off but a firm grip and some smoothing action sorted that out! Maybe that's why most stick to snowmen?

Heres to an abstract Yule.

2010-12-11T16:29:00.003Z

Mat and Katie came over for something to eat and to dress the tree and put up the decorations. They say there is an artist in everyone and Kate demonstrated this with her own interpretation of dressing the tree. Why waste hours when you can just throw it on. It still looks good and arty at the same time. Result!

(We did redress it later)

All for one and one for all !!

2010-12-10T12:29:00.003Z

I can't believe that the weeks are flying by but I have got a lot to show for my efforts. Tree is well on the way to recovery and is phasing back into work, which is great news. She is still very tender and feels delicate but that is to be expected.
I have been keeping my head down with my Uni work and feel a little relieved now I have the results back from my first TMA. I got a one, with some very pleasing notes added by my tutor. This is such a relief for me but does set the benchmark for all future assignments. Rob, my tutor, is a great chap and has a lot of confidence in me, which is nice.
I feel that I may not be able to blog as much as I would like until I have a few assignments under my belt, but that can't be helped.

Samhain Blessings.

2010-10-31T23:52:00.001Z

Times flying again and the year is swinging round to its usual quietude of Autumn nights and the cold Winter ahead. I have been amazingly busy of late trying to get into my Open University course and Tree is recovering slowly having had her surgery, so not a lot of time to blog really. Kat and Mattie came over to celebrate Samhain with us and we carved some pumpkins together. I carved a total of three designs in all as I couldn't decide which one I liked best. A cauldron with fire, a bird flying and a witch's face with a cat. I managed to drop Kat's pumpkin which was funny yet serious at the same time. Sorry Kat! Oh well.

It was a special Samhain this year as we said goodbye to a lot of things this year.

Anyway, Blessings to all and roll on Yuletide. Keep warm and may your wishes for the year ahead be fruitful.

Student Lame-O

2010-09-23T10:19:00.000+01:00

After years of prompting from Tree and the desire to tie up those loose ends of life, I have finally become a student Lame-O!

As from today I am officially in the ranks of University undergraduateness. My degree will be a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art and the Humanities, covering subjects such as Japanese Haiku poetry and the work of Aung Sang Suu Kyi and her struggle for freedom and democracy in Burma. Bearing in mind that my father was in Burma during the war, I have always felt a connection with this country and it's plight, having grown up with tales of how beautiful a country it is and the problems it has faced.

Other subjects include Art history and the work of Turner Prize winners and loads more.

There is also an option with this degree to take up a Masters as well, which is my overall aim if I'm honest.

Merry Maidens.

2010-09-21T20:15:00.001+01:00

After many visits to Cornwall, we finally took time out to find the Merry Maidens. Sitting on the crest of a hill, the stones position promote a feeling of calm about the place and put us at ease almost immediately. Tree and I walked the circle and inner circle and made dedication to the coming Autumnal Equinox, bearing in mind that this will be both a difficult and opportunistic time for us both. When we move to Cornwall it will make a beautiful spot to observe the Winter Yule Solstice. Summer is over but welcome to the cold winds as Mother lays her head to rest.

Land of the giants.

2010-09-02T20:06:00.002+01:00

Whilst sitting on a deserted stretch of beach I found the smallest spade I have ever seen. So what else could I do but create the worlds smallest sandcastle?! (Subject to Guinness confirmation).

If you can keep your head, when all about you are losing theirs.

2010-09-01T19:54:00.005+01:00

Obviously, taking into account that we now live in a world of equal opportunity, anti -discrimination, non-sexist, utopian harmony, we must now make allowances for those times when we all lose our head ...but still need the toilet. It is good to see that the Cornish County Council have embraced this need by supplying segregated toilets for such an emergency. I did, however, also notice that they only have female headless facilities. Rudyard Kipling would have a fit!!!

A weird, wasted, week away. (What a waste man)

2010-09-01T08:00:00.004+01:00

In between tests, work and everything else we decided we could do with escaping for a few days down to Cornwall to see Joy and Nige. They had a bit of a full house so we camped in the garden which was fun. Joy had to work in the week so we entertained ourselves with a few trips out and about.

One day we discovered that Perranporth beach has a hidden section that is only accessible when the tide is out. This area is massive but completely deserted. As we walked the length of the beach we thought we saw someone sitting on the dunes, alone, in the distance. As we got nearer we saw that it was in fact a sculpture made of rubbish and driftwood. There was a board on it to say this was "Wasteman", that "Manny C" was the artist with a request to continue the family and build more. What a cracking idea. We then noticed that the beach was absolutely clean and clear of all rubbish and I think this idea should be adopted across all beaches. We spent some time chilling on the beach and then had to retreat as the tide started to come in. Not before we had given Wasteman a pair of sunglasses though!!

I'm all heart.

2010-08-21T07:52:00.002+01:00

Maybe its the hours I'm working, or the power of suggestion, but I feel a lot worse since they started the tests. Oh well. I am on the next phase now with a heart monitor stuck on me to record a 24hr ECG. I'm not expecting anything to come of the results unless I have an episode while wearing it. We shall see.

Ariwa!!! Mad at The Big Chill - it's all a bit too much.

2010-08-08T14:40:00.003+01:00

Ariwa!!! Just got back from The Big Chill and enjoying a hot shower and comfy bed again. Its all getting a bit much for me old bones all this Sex, Drugs and Rock n Roll. Tree and I took Kat, our niece, with us for her first festie experience. It was very "safe" as festies go and good as a first one. I found its all got a bit clinical now, what with showers, places to straighten your hair, a full on hairdressers and not to mention the supermarket, complete with freezer units, shelves and everything you expect at a normal shop. What happened to the thrill of roughing it and running out of loo roll? Everyone felt a bit "normal" as well and the usual festie, random, abstraction had to be looked hard for. I was happy to round off the whole thing by going to a two hour set of Mad Professor (Ariwa!!!) but had an episode for my trouble and conked out for the whole of Paloma Faith's set. Overall, I would recommend this as a first festie but doubt I will go again.

Take a pew and relax.

2010-08-03T13:15:00.000+01:00

Finding a little time between work and The Big Chill I decided to make a chair that I could carry but that would be robust enough to withstand the rigours of a festival. A Voila! the Wyrdewood portable chair (not a pew) was born. Using 100% recycled parts it can be carried over the shoulder yet provides ultimate comfort, if I say so myself, with its flexible upper back support. Every festie goer should have one. But oh, whats that, they can't. Shame.

Lets raid the attic!

2010-07-20T19:19:00.000+01:00

After looking at a couple of lithographs hanging on our walls for six years, and wondering how much they were worth, Tree and I decided to go to the Antiques Roadshow and find out once and for all. We originally bought the pieces at an auction, on a rainy day, which wasn't well attended. I hadn't even looked at them before the auction and it was only when the auction started that I noticed them across the room. Even from far away I could see the detail in them was very fine and knew that they must be good quality. When they came up I took a punt and managed to get them at one bid over the maiden for £26 the pair. As we left, a car pulled up and a man offered us £100 on the spot for them. We declined, obviously, and I started to get a little more interested in them. Back home, and a lot of research later, I found that one was by Axel Haig, one of the most highly regarded lithographers in England, and the other by William Renison, a Scottish born Artist and etcher. As they were known artists we raised our hopes a little. Previous works by Haig had sold at Christies for £900 plus! When we got there the queue was seemingly endless but we enjoyed seeing and meeting different people and celebrities along the way.

We met Mark Poltimore for the valuation and found him very charming and entertaining. As it was, we knew as much as he could tell us, apart from their value. Unfortunately, price is dictated by the subject matter so he advised us not to plan our retirement yet. However, £200 quid is not to be sniffed at and represents 769% increase on our original £26 investment. If you put £26 in the bank for 6 years it would be worth £29.38 at best. They will now be put in safe storage to accumulate further. Result!!!!!!

R.I.P Spook.

2010-06-26T04:11:00.002+01:00

It is with great sadness I must relate the passing of Spook this afternoon following a short period of illness. In the last month he had developed neurological complications which left him unable to control his back muscles, in addition to Type 1 Diabetes which he was being injected twice a day for. He was responding well to the insulin injections but his quality of life took a serious downturn this weekend and the difficult decision was made to lay him to rest. He will be sorely missed as he was an exceptional cat. As a rescue cat, he had, until recently, a good, healthy life and was nearly 14 this year. His memory will always be alive and he will be remembered with deep fondness and love.

A Merry Summer Solstice

2010-06-21T04:08:00.001+01:00

Hoping you have a Merry Solstice celebration and Midsummer blessings to you all.

Me and Vincent Vega

2010-06-18T16:03:00.002+01:00

In respect to what Tree said about seeing the doctor, I booked an appointment and we both went along today. I was half expecting to feel stupid as I prefered to stay in denial about my health and thought the doc would say there is nothing wrong. As it is, he has diagnosed, subject to confirmation, that I suffer with neurocardiogenic syncope or vasovagal response. I won't bore you here but, in brief, a nerve, controlling involuntary actions of the heart, etc goes a bit A.W.O.L from time to time caused by certain triggers. This causes blood flow to the brain to plummet and a blackout follows. In my case it is triggered by fatigue or changes in temperature, which explains episodes in the sea, on a hot day on holiday, coming out of the steam room at the gym,etc. I now have to have a bank of tests done including ECG's, an X-ray of the heart and blood tests. In the long term it means I will have to adapt my lifestyle and practice certain routines to implement at the first signs of an attack, to avert it. I am just relieved to know I am not going mad and imagining it all. It could have been far more serious and I am lucky in that case.
On a lighter note, Tree says it sounds like Vincent Vega out of Pulp Fiction and it could end up as my nickname - Great!!

Surfs Up Dude.

2010-06-15T15:45:00.002+01:00

Seeing the weather was looking a bit better and being in need of another holiday, even for a long weekend, Tree, Matzo, Germaine, Mike, Kate and I went down to Croyde to catch some sun and sea. Germaine hadn't been in the sea in this country, having only experienced the warmer waters of the Caribbean Sea, and was game for giving it a go. The surf wasn't too high but we managed to get a couple of hours out of it. I got too cold and had one of my turns which Tree wasn't too happy about, as I know they worry her. Mike didn't have any sun cream on and ended up looking like the proverbial lobster. We spent most of the evenings just relaxing and taking it easy ( I wasn't fit for much else). Germaine creased us up with his inimitable way of putting things and looked like he was riding a huge inflatable Vagina a lot of the time.(See photo). I recovered quite well, enough to pack everything away on Sunday at least, and was glad of having Monday off as well. We were so lucky with the weather seeing as it rained on Thursday and then stayed fine until the moment we got home!!

I have promised Tree I will go back to the doctors again to sort out my blackouts once and for all.

The Christening.

2010-06-10T21:07:00.001+01:00

Everyone I know who rides has always said that, at some point or other, a new bike will christen you. Well I got mine just yesterday as I reached down to check the oil valve and brushed against an 800 degree exhaust. At first I thought it was just a minor burn but very quickly I realised it was a bit more. The skin almost instantly fell away and it started bleeding. One of the dermotologists at work spotted it and said it would most likely leave a permanent scar. So I got my christening! It is now a few days on and it has ulcerated to the point it will leave a scar. The photo shows the burn just after I did it and it looks quite tame but, trust me, it aint. I won't be doing that again in a hurry !!

He shoots , he scores.....

2010-06-09T19:12:00.005+01:00

Well today I took one big step towards my goal of getting my bike back by passing my first test. The test took a total of 8 hours with half of it being on the road, connected by radio mike, with the tutor. The first half was on a disused airfield and involved an array of tests including emergency stops, slow controlled turns and an assault course. The on-road was mind numbing as it was so hot and I was fully kitted up. I was quite dizzy and vague by the time I got home! The good news is that Tree and I went out today and bought my new bike. Tammy is now sold and goes to her new home later on today.

Tree is adamant that I will not miss Tammy but I think I will always have a soft spot for scootering about.

Then again, I have just fired up the Yammy and already become seduced by the sound of the V-twin rumbling like gentle thunder!

What a jolly holiday.

2010-06-01T18:46:00.001+01:00

You know how it goes... work, sleep, work, sleep and then before you realise it you need a holiday and, surprise, its holiday time!

Tree and I decided to go back to the first place we ever went on holiday together in Ibiza. We mailed ahead and managed to get the same apartment at the front of the hotel with a beautiful view of the bay at Portinaxt. How good is that? It was just like we had never left.
We filled up the days with trips out to the Hippy Market and to different places around the island. We went to St Antonio and watched the sun go down looking out to Cafe Del Mar, next to Mambo and Club Paradis. The first time we went to Cafe Del Mar there was just an old jetty by some ropey hotels. Now there are big staggered verandahs with canvas canopies that loads of people sit out at. Every night people gather to see the sunset. As the sun sinks below the horizon a big cheer goes up and people clap and whistle. All very pagan if you think about it.

Tree wasn't too well on the second week, so we took it easy and stayed around the apartment and beach. I was glad just to do nothing and chill out. I reckon I put on a few pounds as well due to the fact that the Spanish have no real understanding of veggie food. Nearly every dish was loaded with cheese and indigestion was rife!

Beltane Blessings!!

2010-05-01T06:22:00.000+01:00

And so the sap rises. The Crone turns to stone and the maiden is reborn. Fire cleanses and warms the soil to be fertile and ready for the sowing of seed.

Tree and I took time to Spring clean throughout and set our goals for the coming Summer. Sadly, ill health and pouring rain meant we were unable to do the Tiddesley Wood Spring Open Day this year but I more than made up for it by selling all of the old junk, we had sorted out, on Ebay. I am well on target with the bike fund and went as far as booking my test the other day. It is amazing what people will buy. I even sold a book for double what I paid for it!! We now have an almost empty shed again as most of the stock has been sold as well. It is good to tie up all the loose ends and look ahead to new horizons.

So get planting those seeds, light a fire and make plans.

Bye Bye Tammy. Hello Yammy.

2010-04-30T15:43:00.007+01:00

Bye Bye Tammy

Hello Yammy

Gonna buy someday!

A while ago I blogged about my dream to reclaim the bike I used to have and get back on two wheels. To refresh your memory I used to own a Yamaha 750 SE Special (later becoming the Virago) and I had it heavily customised. Click here for a reminder. Sadly, they don't make those anymore and the Dragstar XVS took its place. So my dream has been to ride an XVS 1100. Unfortunately, I have to wait two years to get the full qualification, post bike test, to ride her. In the meantime I will settle for its little sister, smaller, but just as good a ride.

Today that dream took one step further forward as someone I work with bought Tammy from me. This means I can now afford to get the XVS I need to get on the 1100 ladder. All I need to do now is raise a couple more grand and that dream becomes reality. Seeing as we have shed loads of stock from the shop to shift, Tree and I are merrily Ebaying it, to great effect. The running total so far has already gone over one grand and the future looks promising. Turns out that Tree is eager to get on the back of an XVS as well. Can't be bad.

In addition, Keith (the guy buying Tammy) says he will wait until I have the XVS before he takes Tammy off me...excellent!!

Oh.. and I just need to have a licence this time!!!!

Cough it up ..you know you're wrong!!!

2010-03-18T16:18:00.001Z

Back in December I had a bit of a slide on my scoot , Tammy, and slid my ar*e 65 feet down the Newtown Road. Now, as it happens, Severn Trent were 100% in the wrong but as you might expect would not admit liability. The law stands that if someone does not admit liability in 3 months then you sue them and take them to court to fleece them. Well what do you know? Severn Trent, 3 months to the dot, paid up without a quibble. None of the "reducing your estimate for damages" was heard, they just paid up. Of course they also didn't admit liability but why pay up if they're innocent ? I should have claimed way more, now I think about it but I am happy to see an end to it and get Tammy repaired so I can sell her.
XVS here I come!

Dangerous driving moves up a gear.

2010-03-11T22:26:00.001Z

On our way down to Cornwall recently, Tree and I couldn't believe our eyes when we saw this coach undertaking the traffic. Not only is undertaking illegal but the coach was leaning over at an alarming angle. How it stayed upright is anyones guess but I had to take a photo just to prove it. As it is the photograph doesn't show half as much how bad the lean really was. Luckily he pulled off shortly after and we hope it was to get towed for repair!

A short break away.

2010-03-10T13:50:00.000Z

In need of a break away, Tree and I snatched a few days down in Cornwall at the Bay Hotel by Fistral beach. We had a lovely room with a view overlooking Fistral Bay and woke up to the sound of the waves breaking on the shoreline. The Bay Hotel is primarily a spa hotel and we indulged in some therapies along with using their steamrooms, pool, jacuzzi, etc. I had what must be the best full swedish massage I have ever had and recommend anyone to try and better it. Sadly, we only had four days away and I could have stayed a lot longer.

We met up with Joy and Nige to catch up and Nige was telling us he has got into promoting events for some big names now. He is putting on a gig with Alpha and Omega in May and, s*ds law, Tree and I are away in Ibiza. I would have given my eye teeth to have gone. Anyway, Nige is hooking up with the Marleys soon, so something good should come along right enough!!

84 an I've got all me own teeth!

2010-02-25T18:09:00.003Z

For a bit of a birthday bash, Tree's mum sorted me a small party and made a rather lovely, creamy cake. Being unable to fit the numbers on one cake she made two (she trying to say something?). Of course this led to the inevitable switcheroo gag when bringing out my cake to blow out the candles.

Oh well, I pretended to be amused... you gotta really.

As a bit of a trip out we went to Warwick for the day as well. Whilst there we popped into the castle. A bit of one old ruin visiting another.

Oh well, I pretended to be amused..you gotta really.

Merry Imbolc

2010-02-02T21:11:00.002Z

A merry Imbolc to one and all.

Tree and I have taken to the customary Spring clean and taken time to sort out all the excess that we have accumulated over the last year.

I cut the reeds we had growing in the garden and made a cross for the Goddess Brigid and gave it to Tree. Now adopted by the Christian church, the origins of this cross come from far more Pagan roots. The cross is made using green reeds, with each arm having seven reeds, symbolising the four weeks of February and the 28 days. The centre is a labyrinth and represents the womb, giving the connection between Imbolc and fertility. Placed by a doorway or window for protection, the reeds slowly dry and turn a straw colour. It was believed that this occurs when Spring has arrived and therefore makes the cross a calendar as well.

May your dreams and wishes germinate to fulfill your wants and desires. Plant the seeds of your future and watch them grow !!!

Lister, the listing snowman, lists no more.

2010-01-20T20:55:00.002Z

Well, as predicted, the snow came and come it did with a vengeance. As per usual, for a country unable to cope with even the slightest flurry, everything came to a halt. I found walking to work quite relaxing and watching the sun come up over snow covered fields very beautiful. Considering we are entering the embrace of impending Imbolc, I thought it fitting that Mother should clothe the countryside in white and make everyone stop and become aware of her power and presence.

Kate, Tree and I went for a walk in the dark one night down onto Pitchcroft Racecourse and were amused at how many snowmen had been created. They all seemed to face the same way and appeared to be following you with their eyes. I took time to make a smal lone in the back garden and we named him Lister, due to the slant he adopted right from the start. As days went on he listed further and further, his nose nearing the ground inch by inch. Eventually gravity got the better of him and he took a graceful nosedive into the ground and was seen no more.

And so it was and so it remains.

2010-01-03T18:51:00.001Z

Undecided as to how to celebrate the New Year, Tree, Katie and I set off for a visit to The Rollrights to ground ourselves. The weather was lovely and bright with a cool crisp westerly breeze and as we drove over Snowshill, so aptly named, we couldn't feel more a part of the elements if we tried. The small hut that was destroyed last year has not been rebuilt and whilst this leaves the stones unprotected it also means that one gains more privacy. I always find a walk around the stones a great leveller as it reminds me how brief a time we have on Mother Earth when compared to the age of the circle, for instance. This makes me even more determined to act on the instant rather than drift in indecision.

I hear that snow is forecast for later in the next week and that promises a wonderful walk in natures blanket while all about dims into a soft silence.

New Years Day moonlight.

2010-01-01T06:55:00.001Z

Just a quick one, to wish those celebrating it, a Happy New Year ! I was awake at 4 O'clock this morning and was stunned at how bright it was. As this photo shows, it was actually moonlight that was lighting up the garden. I have never seen it so bright in my life. Surely a record or something !!

Three is NOT a crowd!

2009-12-24T19:03:00.000Z

Katie, our niece, has recently moved in and brought a breath of fresh air and exuberance to the Fresh/Buffo household. We are enjoying every minute and trying our hardest to make her feel at home. We have taken this to also include domestication and today was marked by the first, independent, cleaning of her room. By the time she leaves we will have converted her to an obsessive compulsive , at the very least !!! : ) (We will have to work on getting the bag of rubbish put IN the bin. Currently it is believed to walk there by itself !! :)

But, seriously, we are loving having her here and looking forward to spending Yuletide together.

Solstice greetings and a Merry Yule

2009-12-21T18:39:00.000Z

Up and out, before a Robin's twitter, Tree and I headed to the Malvern Hills to celebrate the return of the sun. Taking a small lamp and a seat (an essential item) we walked up from The Wyche cutting to midway between the Beacon and British Camp. Snow had fallen overnight and the top of the hills was cast in a subtle blue light as the first rays of sunlight came over the horizon. It seems that this year was a little too cold for others as we remained alone for the whole time we were up there. At one point we did begin to feel the cold creeping into our bones and decided to dance to get the blood moving again. This worked well but would have presented quite a sight to anyone walking by. This Solstice will be most remembered for the fact that we were able to share it together and uninterrupted.

A very Merry Solstice Blessing to one and all and a Happy Yule.

A well earned rest.

2009-12-13T19:31:00.005Z

Following on from the prang on my bike, I couldn't wait for this week and a long awaited break away at Ragdale Hall. Tree and I treated ourselves to a few days at this 5 Star Hotel and Spa to recharge the old batteries after working so hard for the recent craft shows. Every day has consisted of doing nothing apart from chilling out and using the Saunas, Pools, Steam Rooms, Thought lounges and having all-over body massages and getting my feet massaged as well!! Heaven. My favourite had to be the Candle Pool. Built like catacombs underground with podlike areas under the water, a rich, deep blue in colour, that you lie on while watching the lights in the ceiling twinkle in complete silence. Not a child in sight as well!!!!

Tree and I needed this break and with the Winter Solstice coming up soon there was nothing finer than watching the sun come up from the comfort of our bedroom each day. An experience I would recommend to anyone.

Overbury Craft Fayre

2009-12-05T20:00:00.002Z

I finally made it, literally, to this craft event at Overbury, with the last mirror finished only the night before. This village is completely owned by one estate and therefore has managed to survive all the usual ravages of time. To visit there is to take a step back in time. The whole place is like a chocolate box picture. The hall we were in was a beautiful example of joinery skills from days gone by! Well worth a visit, I say!

Slip sliding away.....

2009-12-01T19:01:00.003Z

Well it had to happen at some point I guess and happen it did in style. I am talking about an accident I had this morning at the top of Newtown Road. I set off for work as usual at about 5.30'ish in the morning, taking extra care because of the hard frost the night before and made my way up to the top of Ronkswood Bank. What I didn't know was that a water leak, left unattended ALL weekend, had turned into an ice rink on the other side of the brow of the hill. Yep, you guessed it, as I hit the ice I crashed the bike and proceeded to slide on my ass for 65.2 feet ( as calculated by the insurance company on Google Earth) coming to a halt some way down the road. I was helped up by a passer by who remarked on the prang as "spectacular". A Police car soon arrived, having been notified by a motorist who nearly crashed, and I chose, at this point, to phone Tree. As I was on the phone, another bike came over the hill and slid past me, missing me and the Policeman by inches. Tree was going crazy by this time as all she heard was me shout "Noooooo" very loudly and then the sound of the crash as his bike disintegrated.

I went on to work and got checked out as okay, apart from bruising, but, in hindsight, I should have taken the rest of the day off. It was a good job I wear an armoured jacket as I certainly would have broken my arm without it. The elbow plate is cracked and the arm torn.

Tammy, however, took the brunt of the crash and looks in a very sorry state. I am still riding her but she needs a full makeover. My insurers are taking a case against the local water authority for negligence in doing nothing about the leak, knowing there was a frost due, so I should get her fully repaired. I, meanwhile, feel more than a bit stiff and achey now the adrenaline is wearing off !!!

Oh I almost forgot, I also got a mention on Radio Wyvern as the "White bike man". There is now traffic lights and one way traffic, a frost sign, a slow sign, a police slow sign and a slippery road sign out at the scene. Smacks of too little, too late !!!!!!

Men CAN multi-task.

2009-11-10T07:49:00.001Z

Whoever said men can't multitask obviously hasn't seen what I've been up to lately. Things are going smoothly for Clayton at the factory and prospects look promising. Otherwise, I have been painting like a mad fool to try and get the front room decorated in time for Yule.

I am feeling a lot fitter now, particularly as Tree has me swimming 50 lengths of the pool every day!! The pounds are dropping off, so I can't complain.Oh well onwards and upwards.

Samhain Blessings.

2009-11-01T20:31:00.001Z

We are here again, at that magical time of year, when everything old is passing and we look forward to the New Year ahead.

Tree and I celebrated in the usual way and Tree made pumpkin soup while I carved the pumpkin shell. This year I moved away from the theme of bats and wise women and chose to carve a wolf hound calling to the moon goddess.Using a new method of carving, I was able to create 4 layers of colour and I was pleased with the result.

Samhain Blessings and don't forget to make those resolutions.

Who's a buzzy boy?

2009-10-15T20:49:00.002+01:00

I finally had the chance of a spot of good weather and decided to get the porch roof stripped and repaired at last. The whole job took two days to complete but it was worth it to replace the roof with felt under the slates and insulation as well. Every little bit for the environment an' all that. While I was taking the old roof off, I came across a beautiful wasp nest that had been from a few summers ago. The walls were so delicate and made of thousands of strands of paper mache. One touch and it crumbled to dust. Amazing!

Yeah Baby!!

2009-10-01T20:09:00.006+01:00

As it is 40 years of slimming world this year, Clayton decided to do a theme for the anniversary night at club, with ruby (being the colour for 40) and the 1960's as the theme. While we got evrything ready, Clayt got changed.How a gladiator has anything to do with either of those beats me. He said it was all they had left at the fancy dress shop but I think he got it from his wardrobe. Could be a secret L.A.R.P'er on the quiet !?! Anyway, it raised a laugh or two. Top marks to Lorraine on the Revue Bar dancer.

Oh and me......I just went dressed as a tw*t!!

Bye Bye Mikey the Hippy Van.

2009-08-10T09:44:00.006+01:00

Today we received the notice from DVLA confirming the transfer of sale for the festie van. Goodbye dear friend, you served us well. From Hampshire to Devon, from Cornwall to Wales, you carried your weighty load and never broke down. From Blissfields to Beautiful Days, from Forest Fayre to The Green Man and from Clun to Nozstock, you saw them all. Blasting out Dub Reggae at 60 watts per channel, every trip became an adventure. Who could forget the numerous extras like the homemade shower at the back - priceless at a festie!!

You are gone but not forgotten, especially if you check Google Earth which still shows it outside our house - a ghost of it's former glory!!

WOMAD

2009-07-26T08:49:00.000+01:00

We have just got back from a rather wet WOMAD and are enjoying the simple pleasures of a hot shower and flushable toilets. Overall we were quite disappointed with this years festival. Gone were the impromptu entertainers and general crazy people and in were the boring wellie brigade with their 4 X 4's and waxed coats. Tree and I feel that this festival has lost it's hippy vibe and become a haven for the pseudo middle classes.

Anyway, we enjoyed ourselves despite the rain, especially seeing Mad Professor, The Ghoad Gypsies of Rhajasthan and an amazing set by DJ M3. This year might be where we say goodbye to WOMAD and find another more chilled festie to replace it. We will see!

Camping it up in Cornwall.

2009-07-18T09:27:00.000+01:00

We decided to grab a few days in Cornwall camping but, as we went to Tony Ballard's funeral on Monday, we didn't get away until Tuesday. The weather was good to us in that it stopped briefly when we got there so we could get the tent up and then started again, promptly, straight after. Out of the whole trip we managed one fine day and made use of every second of it. We also found a restaurant that serves children ON the menu. Someone wasn't paying attention at advertising school, weren't they? We also made friends with a baby Starling that sat with us, waiting patiently until we were finished, to grab the crumbs leftover - cute. By Friday the rain had set well in so we decamped and went to see Joy in her new shop. She is doing really well and has no regrets in moving at all. I think a trip to sunny India is on the cards if the weather doesn't get better here!!!

In memory of Tony Ballard

2009-07-13T08:42:00.001+01:00

It is with a heavy heart that I must report the death of Tony Ballard who drowned whilst swimming in the Severn. Our thoughts go out to Ellie and Duncan, his parents, at this desperate time. For those who came to our handfasting, Duncan was the minister who came and said a few words for us. Tony will be remembered fondly.

Having a jolly BAD time

2009-07-12T17:39:00.004+01:00

Blimey, a sunny day and what better than to get down to Tewkesbury for the Fayre. We took this chance to catch up with Brian and Donna of BAD Ceramics as we haven't seen them since the shop closed. They have now got a new tent and their work is as brilliant as ever. Brian is producing some fantastic new works and Donna's glazes are stunning. We hope to see them away from work before they head back up North. Both Tree and I felt the itch to get back to having a stall but this soon passed when the rain came down to remind of the disaster of last year. Although , I must say, once I have finished the Geodesic dome I will not be able to resist trading from it. I don't think it will be ready for WOMAD by a long shot!!

Get your motor running..........

2009-07-04T08:34:00.006+01:00

A few good bits to report.

Firstly, Tree is back to swimming again and has been doing 75 lengths each morning (about 0.75 mile). I had to take out her stitches in the end, as they just would not dissolve and were pulling, and this has spurred her on a bit.

Secondly, I realised that I had most of my blogs in draft format and had forgotten to publish them...Doh!

Thirdly, I'm on the road. Thursday saw the delivery of my new Tamoretti scooter (Scoot). Steve, the dealer, drove up from London on a special journey to drop it off. Well done mate. The only drawback is that I have found out that Jamie Oliver rides one (can't be helped I suppose) and I will also not be able to go more than 20 miles an hour until I have run it in. Only 285 miles to go! Oh well.

Geodesic delights.

2009-07-01T22:50:00.001+01:00

One of "the back burner jobs", I referred to in a previous blog, is to build a geodesic dome. Now for anyone unfamiliar with them, a geodesic dome is a structure like the Epcot Centre in the USA and was discovered by a man called Buckminster Fuller. The structure is lightweight, aerodynamic and requires a minimal amount of storage. The math behind them basically says that the larger the structure, the stronger it gets. I have fancied making one for years and have opted for a 12' diameter with standing room of 8'. This leaves enough room to put a wood burner in the centre with the chimney out through the middle. Once built, it will take up less ground space than a 4 berth family tent and have almost twice the height for half the weight and storage. I have already begun the build and I am photographing the whole process in order to make plans to sell on to other prospective builders. This is because the resources on the internet are, frankly, too nerdy or just not well described. My plans will be aimed at the complete novice and have adequate illustrations to make sense of the text. I am not looking to make loads of cash but just to cover the cost of my first build. Hopefully, the project will be completed within the month, in time for a testing at WOMAD. I shall keep you posted.

Happy Solstice.

2009-06-21T20:26:00.001+01:00

Tree and I were up at a sparrows chirp to watch the Solstice sunrise. We had planned to go to Avebury but Tree is still not right after her operation. Her stomach area is still very swollen and she is in a lot of discomfort. As it was, the sky was a little obscured by cloud so we got ourselves a couple of drinks and sat out in the garden and watched it from there. I love the calmness that only comes just before dawn and the madness of the birds as they all start twittering like mad idiots at the first glimpse of light.Tree and I have been a bit detached from the outside world, for one reason or another, over the last few weeks and it has been good to share the intimacy of this, at a time like this. All we need now is a good summer and a few festies and we will be made up.

I'm on the road again (well soonish).

2009-06-13T09:53:00.004+01:00

My old bike

My new bike (in my dreams at the mo)

.
Now that things are a bit calmer here, I have decided to dedicate some time to finishing a few projects I have put on the back burner over the years. One of them is to work towards getting my old bike back. Not literally my old bike, as it was a beautiful custom one off and I cried when they took it away (in pieces I might add), but the modern equivalent. The nearest to the Yamaha 750 SE special nowadays would be a dragstar. However I would rather have the larger 1100 but with a few modifications like on my old bike. For starters I would have it dropped with an extension to the front forks, easy rider stylee!! Anyway, I first need to get a licence and do it all legal this time so the first step will be to get on two wheels again. To do this I am going to buy a scooter and move upwards, at a rate of knots, to the superbike level. I have found a nice little scoot with sit up and beg bars and, trust me, there aren't many about like that. I also want a bike on the heavier side. This means you don't have that annoying weight to centre of gravity difference throwing you about on the road. The only problem is that there is only one person who sells them over here in the UK and they are brought in by order if you want a particular set up.Parts are easy to get though so there is a silver lining I guess. I just need to flick a coin over which colour I want and go for it. White, Green, White, Green .......... Oh it looks like it's gonna be white with black and chrome trim. Keep you posted!
P.S Someone mentioned about a mid-life crisis when buying a custom bike when you are over 40. I agree, but that is for saddo's who buy Harleys and can't ride properly. In my case, I was riding my SE special back in 1980 when most people hadn't even seen a custom bike outside of a show. Now it seems everyone has a Harley so I will be getting a big barge pole and steering clear of that crowd. Besides, I did my hedonistic bit back in the good old, breaking my leg twice, elbow once, hand three times, days. Sod speed, I want comfort now!!!

Time flies like the wind (fruit flies like a banana).

2009-06-07T07:34:00.004+01:00

I must admit that I find it harder and harder to find time to blog these days. Don't get me wrong, it's a good thing as it means I've got a life outside of being a techy nerd stuck on a computer. It's just I do like to have the time to blog every now and then.
Anyway, Not a lot happening at Camp Sandys other than I have been working myself stupid getting loads done to the house. To do this I have been going to work at about 6am so I finish with a good chunk of the day left to work at home. This has been good, now I look back on what I've achieved, but knackering. Now I know you might say "I bet Tree hasn't been happy with you starting this early," but you would be soooo wrong. Tree has been getting up at 5.30 every day and going swimming after dropping me off to work. She has averaged at least half a mile each day. In fact I have to catch up with her in the mornings!! The only set back to this has been her recent surgery which has meant she can't go in water with stitches but I am sure she will be back on it again in no time. All this has spurred me on to think about getting down to the gym more but as Oscar Wild said "every time I think about exercise I have to lie down until it passes"

The Spring clean blog.

2009-05-31T16:24:00.006+01:00

Well it has to be done at this time of year. Tree and I have taken time to get the old house in order and clear out all of the clutter that seems to have built up over the last year. Trust me though, when I say, that nothing has been put to waste. If it can't be handed on or car booted then it has been donated to a good cause like P.U.P.S (Protection of Unwanted Pets Society).
Otherwise, I have been really busy working on the house. I finally completed the conservatory floor and it now has a rich, deep shine that should last a few years at least. The cellar workshop has been refitted to make working down there easier for me as well.
As I said in an earlier blog, Tree and I have decided not to work any festies this year, however, we have bought tickets for WOMAD and will definitely be doing Nozstock!!! Can't wait.
On a sad note, Joy popped in today and told us that Dave Halligan committed suicide yesterday. He always said he would be dead by 40 and it seems he made his phophecy true. Ironically, I was only looking at some old photos of WOMAD, with Dave in them, this morning. His famous blogs Worcesterfari & Poons will live on in cyberspace forever. Rest In Peace mate.

Happy Birthday Pip!!

2009-04-28T16:02:00.002+01:00

I couldn't resist the opportunity of Pip's birthday to print up and frame an old photo of her when she was a nipper. I think she liked it, although we did give it to her at the pub after a few beers!!

Eostre blessings.

2009-04-12T16:06:00.001+01:00

Tree's mum invited all the family over for a Sunday lunch to celebrate Eostre. Tree and I sorted out an egg hunt in the garden for Jamie and a quizz, for the adults, after. It was good for everyone to get together as we hadn't since Yuletime. David suggested a game of swingball and between David, Nathan and Myself we managed to destroy the bats with our overkeen playing. Luckily, Tree and I have a spare set in our shed that we have never used!!

No more waiting.

2009-03-25T13:26:00.001Z

Tree and I have just come back from Brighton after spending my birthday "bit of culture" weekend away. The highlight of the trip was seeing Ian McKellern and Patrick Stewart in Waiting for Godot at the Theatre Royal. We would have seen them at Malvern but they sold out in minutes and the only place left was Brighton. We also took time out to go to the Brighton Pavilion, which blew Tree away when she saw the opulent interior and the dragon chandeliers. I took Tree round the Laines to see the plethora of small art and design shops. Sadly, I had an upset stomach otherwise we would have enjoyed the mass of veggie cafes and restaurants in the area as well.

Back to work for the rest.

2009-03-22T18:31:00.004Z

Tree and I have just finished a week off work together and I need a rest quite frankly. The week previous to this one and I was off work anyway with an upper respiratory infection, which doesn't go down well in a hospital, so was tired before I started.

Anyway, we went down to Cornwall at the start of the weekend to see Joy and Nige, stopping at Glastonbury on the way for lunch. We picked the best time to go as the weather was gorgeous and hot. We spent a lot of time scouting out the beaches and found some more wicked caves in Constantine and the Lizard Point. One of them was lined with this amazing red Algae and the photo doesn't show how red it actually was by a long shot. We also got to see Joy's new shop in Perranporth as the signs were put on this week. She should do well with the location and the summer crowds. We sold loads of the shop stock as well, so one less thing to worry about.

On that note, Tree and I are thinking about going to 3 or 4 festivals this year as punters rather than traders. We both have enough on with work that we would rather enjoy the festies like we used to rather than work them. We have had positive feedback from loads of organisers who have said they would love us to come anyway, trading or not, so why work if you don't have to. We will still keep the marquee for future events but just take a year out maybe. Besides, Noz loves me (why I don't know) so there is always an open invitation there!!

We came back to Worcester on Wednesday and have filled our days with relaxing, eating out and a bit of gardening. Just my trip to Brighton to look forward to now...it's a hard life innit!!

Red Nose Day

2009-03-13T17:35:00.000Z

Tree raised £60 for Comic Relief this year through her colleagues at work and Slimming World. I, on the other hand, didn't do anything. However, I did wear a stupid red wig round to get the Chinese takeway which raised a laugh or two on the way. Making people laugh should be an all year round occupation , not just one day. Keep smiling!!

Happy Birthday to me.

2009-02-25T18:06:00.000Z

What an excellent day. Tree got me lots of presents, including a trip to Brighton to see Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellern in Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett and a stay in a top hotel with dinner in a posh vegetarian restaurant. Sorted!! We met up with Pip on the weekend for lunch and she gave me an Xbox game and a BIG mug from her and Murali. To be honest, I have liked the mug best of all but that's me being soppy. Besides, I haven't been on my trip yet!!!

It's snow joke!

2009-02-07T04:56:00.005Z

Blimey is that the time! Yep, that's January for you, gone in the blink of an eye. Its a sort of non-month, if there is such a thing. You get past Yuletime and its back to work and the daily routine and then, vroom, the end of January comes whizzing up.

Anyway, not a lot to report, apart from some festie news for the new year in the shape of invites to Blissfields, Nozstock and Tiddesley Wood. All with FREE pitches, which shows we must be doing something right. After last years wet, but not wonderful, series of disasters it can only get better....we hope.

Tree and I have not been up to much otherwise. I am settling into the new job and looking to doing a coders course, which takes about 2 years, and gets way better pay.

The weekends have been spent going out and entertaining ourselves. Clayton and Lorraine stopped over a couple of weekends ago and we had a good laugh, including trying Clayt's homemade Ferrero Roche which are supposed to be fat free. They DID actually taste a bit like the real thing!!

We have also managed to see a lot more of Pip & Murali. We met up in town the other day and had a good lunch but sadly I gave in to chocolate cake with cream for afters. Enjoyed every mouthful an all!!! Can't complain though as I am only 7 pounds off my target weight now. On Tues night they came over and we cooked up Tacos with a veggie filling...Yum, Yum. Murali liked it a lot. He has promised a masterclass in Sri Lankan cooking next time. Can't wait.

Otherwise, I am hopeful of a little more snow, now its the weekend, because I don't have to worry about driving in it or getting to work. Instead I can enjoy Mother Nature when she wraps the Earth up in a white blanket and that beautiful silence that comes with it. See Y'all!!

Herbie makes a full recovery.

2009-02-03T17:51:00.003Z

It has only been 2 months since I had to report about Herbie being unwell and yet I have excellent news. Herbie has been for his quarterly heart scan and has actually improved!! The thickening of his heart wall has lessened and his overall cardio-vascular system is better. Don't get me wrong, this does not mean that he is back to normal but that he is responding to his medication very well. His abscess has cleared up and he is back to his handsome self as well !!

David, his vet, has said that lots of people have given up on their pets for lesser illnesses than this so a big pat on the back to us I say.

Dave.

2009-01-18T17:19:00.005Z

Ian Haines and his wife, Sally, were down from Nottingham for the weekend and came out for a meal at Chesters on Saturday night. Dan and Sez came as well and we had a good laugh. The food was a bit crap though and waiting 50 minutes from main course to dessert was a drag. The crowning glory was when Tree ordered an Irish coffee. When it arrived it was a complete mess and spilt over the sides. Tree was very good in asking for a replacement without losing her cool. However, the replacement was worse than the first!!!! An explanation was proffered of, "The cream was heavy". This caused an outbreak of laughter as you can imagine. For the benefit of Chesters, I have posted two photos of an Irish coffee. You can guess which is Chesters. The moral of this tale being..... If you can't make it, don't sell it.

What a jolly, holly day!!

2008-12-27T17:12:00.001Z

Tree and I are now recovering from our colds and the food onslaught that is the Yuletime meal. Pip and Murali came over for the day and Murali had his first "proper" Xmas dinner, even though it was veggie! He now understands the whole concept of eating till you feel you could burst. It was lovely to have them enjoying themselves with us at this special time of year.

We now have a week off work to relax and recharge the old batteries. We might just have enough energy to see in the New Year yet!!

Happy Solstice!!

2008-12-21T09:32:00.003Z

Tree and I were unable to face climbing up onto the Malvern Hills for the Solstice sunrise as we are still recovering from the viral infection we have had for the last two weeks. In a way we have not missed anything as the sky is overcast and the horizon obscured.
However, we have just finished watching the live webcast from Newgrange in Ireland where the sun enters into the opening chamber and casts a ray of light up to the back wall 19 metres away. Even this was affected by the cloud cover and a simulation was shown in a real-time sync at the critical moment.
The important thing though is that we observe ritual and celebrate the coming back of the sun. We are arranging a special lunch at 12:04 to mark the solstice proper.
So Happy Solstice to everyone and may the sun warm your face and the cold stay at your back.

A merry Yule to one and all !!

2008-12-16T05:22:00.002Z

Blimey ! Is it time of year again, already?? Tree and I have been so busy of late we haven't had time to notice that December has creapt upon us.
I started my new job on the 1st and within a couple of days came down with a horrible viral infection that had already put Tree out of action for a week. Not good when you are working in a high dependency unit! I am happy to say that, a week later, I am on the mend with just a nasty cough to shift.
Herbie is on the mend too and just looks a bit odd with a shaved face. Quite comical really.
We have also been working hard on the house and getting carpet put down in the bedroom so we can move back in to it.
Otherwise, not a lot has been happening apart from lots of wrapping up on the sofa with hot drinks and medicine. Exciting life!
Tomorrow we dress the tree which will put me in the Yule frame of mind. But in the meantime, I wish everyone a very merry Yule. May your wishes be fulfilled and your bellies too!

Two steps forward, one back.

2008-12-03T21:47:00.002Z

Following on from the progress of Herbie and his heart condition, I have to report that he has managed to get into a scrap and come off the worse for wear. The first we noticed was when his face swelled up with a lump the size of an egg and he became quite subdued. We took him to the vets and he confirmed that it was an abscess as we suspected. Herbie had to be sedated under general anaesthetic to have it lanced and we feared he would not survive this procedure. But this is Herbie we are talking about and he bounced back from the operation. The only problem we had was that the site of injury had to be kept open to drain and this meant covering all of the carpets and furniture to protect it against the blood that was continually oozing out. The photo says it all I think. Anyway, he is back to normal now, the cut has healed nicely and the covers are off. I thought pets were supposed to be relaxing for their owners!!

Shop till you drop.

2008-11-28T05:25:00.002Z

Tree's mum very kindly offered for us to host a small house party to sell off the stock from the shop. I spent most of the day setting it all out, having forgotten what a jumble it was in from closing the shop. It went surprisingly well and we made enough to pay for all of Herbie's vets bills, so the pressure is off a bit now. I can see now why party plan businesses are so popular, but then again, it is xmas so people will buy more.

On the festie side of things, Tree and I have booked up a few of the smaller ones for next year and will no doubt enjoy them more now they are not our main income.

On the work front, I start in my new job on Monday and I have already spent some time at the hospital getting to know my colleagues. They all seem a very friendly bunch and I know I will fit right in. A lot of them I already know from outside of work, which is great!

Herbie rides again!!

2008-11-24T11:58:00.003Z

The title of this blog will be lost on a lot of readers but I'm just showing my age! Anyway, Herbie is doing okay on his medicine, which I have to dose twice a day no less, and now spends his time either eating or sleeping. He is very comfortable and knows his limitations, regarding going out and defending his territory, so his world now revolves around the confines of the garden. The computer chair by the pot belly stove has been taken over and a lot of time is spent standing at the computer so as not to disturb him.

Understandably, his lifespan is considerably shorter but its more about the quality of his life and he is definitely enjoying the fuss being made at the moment!!

Herbie update.

2008-11-12T14:59:00.004Z

Well the weekend has come and gone and Herbie, I am glad to say, has managed to make it through. We are still a long way from being, relatively, in the clear and careful monitoring of his condition will become a part of our daily routine. Bearing in mind that he could suffer a heart attack at any time, I have learnt to perform feline CPR, something I would never have imagined in my lifetime. He is back to his grumpy self and is desperate to go outdoors. We go to the vets tonight and should find out the prognosis for his condition. Fingers crossed he can go outside!!!

A bit of a scare.

2008-11-09T10:09:00.003Z

Tree and I were only saying on Thursday night how we were coping quite well with the credit crunch and that as long as the cats, or the car, stayed okay we would be alright. We then heard a chilling sound as Herbie lay on the floor, eyes glazed and made a low wailing sound. This sound was one of the most distressing things I have ever heard and we were both sure that he was dying right in front of us. His tongue lolled out and he was panting for breath. I fetched the cat box and he was as limp as a ragdoll when I scooped him up.However, on arrival at the vets, he soon seemed to recover enough to be examined. The vet checked him all over and couldn't find any immediate damage. He instructed us to take him home and monitor his condition. As soon as we got him home, Herbie had another episode as bad as the first. The following day we returned to the vets and this time we saw a different vet called Isobelle. She said they would take him in for observation. By the afternoon we had a call to say to come and collect him as he showed no ill effects. This was followed by another call to say he had had an episode and they would like to speak to us. I feared the worst and was relieved to see him alive on the night-time visit. She recommended blood tests and a heart scan thinking that poisoning could be a factor. The next day we got the bad news. Herbie has a serious heart condition called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. This is a thickening of the heart walls that constricts the amount of blood going through the heart (detailed information can be found here). This is known as the silent killer and we accepted the worst. We were also told he had fluid on the lungs. We were given tablets and told he would be lucky to live the weekend. The next few days and nights I stayed with him and comforted him as he had several episodes, or mini heart attacks, each time thinking this would be it. All he could manage to do was lay still and labour his breathing. Our main concern was that he was not eating and this would be the death of him. By Saturday night he was responding to the tablets and the episodes stopped, however, he still had no energy. Our spirits raised though when he ate for the first time later on Saturday night. It is now Sunday and he has perked up no end. His breathing is normal and he even jumped up on the bed for a cuddle this morning. I managed the first few hours of sleep in days and feel better to cope with it all as well. We are not out of the woods though and he could still go at any time. The main thing is to accept that every day is now a bonus for Herbie and to keep his quality of life at the forefront of our minds. He has eaten several times and even got grumpy with me when he had to have his morning tablets! A good sign!!

Special thanks go out to Isobelle the vet who has asked for daily updates on his health and to Tree's mum who lent us the small mortgage to pay for his treatment, running at about £400 so far.

Isobelle now says that he could live two days or two years, no-one knows. Some even live for five or more.I will keep you updated!!

Samhain Blessings.

2008-11-03T18:52:00.006Z

Tree and I have just come back from a lovely weekend in Wales spent with our friends Shaun, Jane, Katie, Phil and Laura. We stopped at Jane's Aunties bungalow, just outside of Tawyn in North Wales.

Friday night was spent overeating and playing Halloween games, quizzes and telling the inevitable lame ghost stories. We all dressed up in Halloween costume with the cliche witches, vampires and ghouls making an appearance. Pumpkin carving was attacked with gusto and I was pleased to win "Best Pumpkin award" with my flying bats and signature paw prints. Other designs included Pumpkin Jack, A vomiting head, a cat and ghouls flying.

On Saturday we went into Aberdovey for a walk around the town, harbour and beach. The weather was cool and crisp and the colours in the hills were gentle pastels of heather and dried grass. In the evening we went to a bistro and had a pleasant time before retiring back to the cottage for more chocolate consumption. On the way back we stopped at the beach and let off fireworks.

On Sunday we rose later and had a lazy breakfast followed by a board game and then decided we should go out for a walk. Tree was not feeling too well and so we left her to sleep while we went out. The time seem to whizz by and, before we knew it, the time to leave came along.

All in all a lovely weekend and we have decided to do it all again next year.

Into the Dragon's mouth.

2008-10-19T08:13:00.003+01:00

I recently heard this time of year being described as "entering into the dragon's mouth" which I thought was quite a good description for the darkening months until we come out again in the spring. It was also a coincidence that, while we were staying at Perranporth this week, we decided to venture onto the beach and explore a side that is only exposed when the tide goes out fully. We found loads of caves and cut away old tin mine shafts. One cave even resembled a dragons mouth !! Some caves had little pools of water in them and you expected Gollum to be sitting beside one. The largest cave had amazing acoustics but we couldn't stay long as the tide comes in quite quickly and we couldn't risk getting trapped.

We spent time exploring North Cornwall and have ruled out moving there as it is too exposed and barren. On the way home we went via Totnes and stopped for the afternoon. There is still a possibility that we move to Devon instead and it would be better for me with regards to the workshop and sourcing timber.

Stuff the recession !!

2008-10-11T04:34:00.004+01:00

While everyone else is worrying about the recession (you know, the one were not supposed to be in, but are), Tree and I are feeling quite relaxed. After an interview or two I have got a job working at the Worcester Royal Hospital as a Ward clerk/Hospital auditor. Okay, put the cross down, auditors aren't that bad (unless you have something to hide). There is shed loads of training I can do as well, at the training centre on campus, thereby furthering my job prospects. It has been hard finding a job that wasn't going to give any money to "The Man" and we are both relieved how it has worked out. This of course means that we have a reasonable increase to our income so they can stick their credit crunch for all I care.

Job hunting has meant I haven't had much time to do anything else, including blogging, and any spare time has been eaten up by all the jobs I have neglected on the house. Frantic amounts of decorating, wallpapering and plastering have been a daily event, these past few weeks. Along with this, I have also managed to fit in converting a horrible old wall mounted gas fire into an open hearth with a beam for my mate Sarah. Nice !

Surprisingly, we have also found time to go and stay with Joy and Nige and are off again soon for another week before I start work. The advantage of my new job is that I will be able to transfer to Truro Hospital quite easily when we move to Cornwall, giving me and Tree some flexibility before we set up a business there. However, we won't be moving until the housing market has settled a bit.

As for the festivals, we are still going to work a select few like Nozstock, Bliss, Beautiful Days and Rock N Roots (if they honour their agreement re this years fiasco) and we will be able to enjoy them more knowing that we aren't depending on the income.

And now all that remains is to look ahead to the end of the month and Sahmain. Tree and I are off to stay in a cottage in Aberdovey to celebrate with a few friends. My mind is already turned to thinking about what we can get up to like Pumpkin carving, story telling in the dark and a big Sahmain fire to celebrate! Can't wait.

Sun, glorious Sun.

2008-09-23T09:42:00.004+01:00

Well how lucky can you get? Tree and I just had a weekend in Cornwall, catching up with Joy and Nige, and what glorious weather. We went down on Friday and arrived late after traffic was bad, as usual, through Avonmouth and the weather did not look promising, but Saturday morning and the sun was shining and couldn't have been better. We spent the day in St Ives and had a beautiful lunch at a new veggie restaurant we found on the harbour front. The best bit was that all the other eateries were packed but this one was empty. One up for the veggies I say!

When we got back to Perrancombe, Joy roped me into acting as a marshall for the Perranporth Surf Challenge Junior Biathlon which Asher had entered. The entrants were split into two age groups with differing lengths to the course. They had to run into the sea, swim out and around two buoys, run across the beach and then around the town before coming to the finish line. I was stationed half way round the course and pointed them in the right direction. Near the end of the challenge the stragglers got slower and slower and Tree and I gave loads of encouragement. It is surprising how they pick up with a bit of cheering on. The last runner had a stitch and the other marshalls were closing up the course behind her so Tree and I ran the course with her, pushing her on to the finish. Asher came 10th and was well chuffed.

Sunday was so sunny we decided to go to Trevone with Joy, Marley and Asher and take the boards. The sea was flat as a pancake when we got there but we still went in and had a laugh. Surprisingly, the sea was warmer than when we came down in August!

We set off on early on Monday and took a detour through Bude and stopped at Clovelly. I have been there before but Tree hadn't and, like me, thought it was too commercial and the idea of living there, "romantic but impractical". It is one of those places that is nice to visit once but doesn't merit a return. We stopped at Barnstaple for lunch and then headed back to, by now, rainy Worcester. All in all a good break.

Mabon greetings !!

2008-09-22T15:07:00.003+01:00

Today is the Autumn Equinox or Mabon. Mabon is the second festival of the season of harvest - at the beginning of the harvest, at Lammas, winter retreated to his underworld, now at the Autumn equinox he comes back to earth. This is a time to reflect on the past season and celebrate nature's bounty and accept that summer is now over. Harvest Home marks a time of rest after hard work, and a ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of nature.This is the time to look back on the past year and what you have achieved and learnt, and to plan for the future.

Tree and I celebrated with the first harvest of apples from our own trees, planted a couple of years ago. What better example of the relationship between us and Mother Earth can be found. Slice an apple width ways and see the pentacle, symbolising the elements Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. Eat one half and share the other with your partner, joining in a blessed union of old.

Linda and Nathan get hitched.

2008-09-17T10:23:00.006+01:00

With all of the miserable weather of late, it was lovely to see the sun come out for the occasion of Linda and Nathan's wedding. A modest gathering of about a hundred of us descended on Puckrup Hall for the day and it was most enjoyable. Linda and Nathan looked so good together and the day was punctuated with memorable moments. The speech from Nathan's father, Tony, was brilliant. He welled up with emotion to the point of not being able to speak and left half the room in tears. The following morning we took advantage of the hotels pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi before meeting everyone for breakfast. Michael, however, sat quietly, looking very green as the full effect of the night before washed over him, and I remembered how I felt the first time I drank a bottle of wine in one go. I was given the task of filming the day and will spend quite a time editing the hours of tape to make a presentable DVD. There will also be a very large section of outtakes as well!!

Barry Trotter, Bacon and the Big Smoke.

2008-09-13T13:49:00.009+01:00

Tree and I have just returned from a few days in the Big Smoke (a.k.a London) and ,to be honest, I could do with a rest. Tree was on a course so I had the daytime to myself and filled most of it with time in the galleries.

My first stop had to be the Francis Bacon exhibition at the Tate Britain. Bacon has been a major influence in my life since the age of six when I was shown "Study for three figures at the base of a crucifixion". I have been to many exhibitions of his work since then and still feel the same way as when I first saw it.

The next day I spent in the British library, Science Museum and the Natural History Museum. An interesting exhibit in the Science Museum was called "The Bridge". The bridge was constructed of glass with wires fixed, radially outwards, to sound amplifiers. As you walk on the bridge, the distortion is amplified into a weird chime-like music. The glass was clear enabling one to look downwards to the floor 60 feet below. This would be Tree's nightmare as bridges are not her favourite, let alone glass ones!! I was surprised how empty the museums were and remember that, as a child, they were always packed. I went into the Vault, to try and identify a couple of gemstones I have, and was the only person in there for about an hour!! I blame PS3's, TV, etc,etc. It is easy to see where J.K.Rowling got the idea for the staircases in Barry Trotter just by looking at the architecture, which I must say is worth a trip to see on its own.

The highlight of the day had to be the slice of a Sequoia tree that is 1300 years old. Each ring is marked to illustrate a point in our history and you cannot feel anything but humbled by the scale of ones life in comparison.

Out on the street there were a few interesting things to see as well, including an installation by Thomas Schutte in Trafalgar Square and a Banksy artwork on a wall outside Tescos in Highbury.