Countdown America Latina

With our departure date looming ever closer most of my time since the New Year has been spent either planning our trip or sorting loose ends so I'm not missed.

Thanks to various blogs, friends who have been there before, Trip Advisor and Lonely Planet a vague itinerary has been agreed and key bookings made - the flight obviously, which leaves Manchester early on the 14th March and returns on 6th August. First month or so in Chile then by bus to Bolivia. Originally we intended to go via Argentina but as our border crossing will coincide with the Malvinas referendum so this may not wise. We will probably now go via the Atacama straight into Bolivia. Several weeks in Bolivia including visits to Florindas family and work with Jo in Cochabamba building compost toilets. By June we hope to be well acclimatised to the height as we then go into Peru and have booked onto a 4-day trek to Machu Picchu. Our first attempt got  knocked back as we were considered too old but we found someone less fussy. 4 weeks in Peru brings us to Lima where we fly out to Atlanta on July 1st. Not sure how but from there we meander up to Canada, probably by train, before flying out of Toronto on 6th August.

I'll be continuing this blog if you want to follow our adventures and may even use Twitter and Facebook if I can get my head around either of them. Not to mention Skype. Details will follow before we go.

So, apart from learning to cope with social networking, other tasks include tidying up my 'office, winding up my Lifelong Learning, sorting York Greenways, helping Jim with his new house and letting out our house.

We thought we had a lodger through until September but this has hit complications so we may not get anyone at all. Jim will be staying here until his new house is ready - which may mean he is still here when we get back. We were planning to make a start on the alterations he wanted doing - new kitchen and bathroom etc. - but as completion was delayed the window for doing this has shrunk and  we may just do the demolition and  fly off leaving him to put it all back together.

As we were leaving half way through the term I didn't enrol in any new courses at the Uni but a few of the Philosophy group from last year are meeting once a week to discuss selected texts and I will go along to that until we leave. I also joined the local Humanist Reading Group . Their reading list looked just what mine would have been and I enjoyed the one meeting I have attended so far, discussing Primo Levi's "Is this a Man?". I read some years ago and it had left a strong impression. Next is Simon Baron Cohen's  "Zero Degrees of Empathy". Not exactly a bundle of laughs but very interesting and they seem to be a good group. I might do worse than work my way back through the books they have read previously. For now I just need to finish Sven Lindquvist's "The Myth of Wu Tao-tzu" and then I'll get stuck into Spanish - movies, on-line courses and a book of Qechuan folktales.

End of Year

New Year's Day and feeling half human again after a few days man-flu. No, couldn't be that as Margot had it too, not flu as I had my jab and not NORO virus as no projectile vomiting, so maybe just a cold. Strangest thing was not sleeping for two whole nights but got a good night in last night after seeing Jools Holland to bed.

Fortunately this only came on after Christmas as, in the absence of family (Jim working shifts and Matt and Sam in Norfolk) we had invited 4 Human Rights Defenders from the Centre for Applied Human Rights. Christmas meal followed by party games - twister, bagatelle, table football - went really well, a real old fashioned Christmas.

But back to November. As expected I wasn't up to Dalby Dash but the records will show me as achieving the fastest ever  time for my age as I gave my number to Matt. On return we had lunch at the Fulford Arms - good food.

We then had Jo staying over from Bolivia for a couple of weeks. Fascinating stories about life in the community in Cochabamba. Hasn't put us off going but it's definitely going to be an interesting experience. My recent illness gave me the chance to start getting onto detail of the trip and we have begun to do the necessary booking. Flights are done and this coming week we have our jabs. It looks like we will wander into Cusco on the busiest weekend of the year so may need to review this but will depend on what we can get from the Trek company. Next to brush up my Spanish.

15th November was Jim's graduation day. Sad that Jonny couldn't come up due to the University changing the dates but it did mean I could go instead. Lovely building and Patrick Stewart was very good, obviously takes the job very seriously.

Monday 19th had an interesting talk at CAHR on Medecin sans Frontieres on the difference between Humanitarian and Human Rights responses - really difficult ethical dilemmas.

22nd November, Ken came over and we worked on the Greenways website and planned Facebook, not to mention Twitter. I was well out of my depth but happy to stay that way. Leave it to Ken. Later in the month we had a meeting with Joseph Rowntree and Sustrans about the Derwent Light Railway Path. We made our point about the need to have a sustainable management strategy in place but not sure what will be done about it. The refrain is always 'no money'.

Friday 23rd took us to Selby to see Ian McMillan and his Orchestra for their last ever concert together. He is achingly funny 'the verbal gymnastics of a north country Spike Milligan coupled with the comic timing of Eric Morecambe' and the Orchestra is terrific. Its a shame but it seems the orchestra  want to concentrate more on their music and I am sure he will do something with someone else. He uses music so well .

More comedy next night at the Theatre Royal in York with Jeremy Hardy - as funny and biting as ever and then a week later back to Selby for Fred McAulay. A good stand-up but not as strong as our Jeremy. Both venues full of Radio 4 listeners.

Saturday 1st December had an Aids benefit at the Winning post. Mainly the usual suspects but a very good band whose name I forget but must look out for .

We also had Matt over with Bones for an acclimatisation before Matt and Sam went off to Cuba for a fortnight. We enjoyed having Bones although it did mean getting up every morning for an hour's walk regardless of the weather which started of sub-zero and then only warmed up enough to allow torrential rain with the Riverside walk being flooded. Apart from the walks he's a very low maintenance dog, certainly compared to Storm, and seemed to enjoy himself. As always we became temporary members of the dog owners social club but that's all gone now as no-one recognises you without your dog.

In between walks most of  my time was spent on my Philosophy of Mind essay on Free Will which got handed in an hour before deadline. Available on demand or from good bookshops. Our last class had our tutor inviting us to bring wine and chocolates which led to a lively debate. Some of us may meet in the New Year in an informal reading group. I also met someone at the Amnesty Bookshop Christmas do who mentioned a Humanist Group in York that sounds interesting. . Its been a very well-run course with a good group of students and of course my mate Peter from Psychology is aways good for a debate.

The completion date for Jim's house came and went though it doesn't seem a serious problem. Trouble is the time left for us to get started on the renovation before Margot and I go away is getting a bit short so Jim will have to decide if he wants to go it alone or wait until we get back. He can always stay here but we need to get something sorted soon as some rental income while we are away would be good.

So, a busy New Year getting things sorted before we go away. Gradually dawning its quite an adventure we have signed up for

July August 2012

As soon as the Leeds 10k was over( slightly faster than last year) and the team had celebrated in Wetherspoons with sticky cakes, Margot and I set off south stopping for supper with Rosie and Richard before staying over at the Premier Inn in Dover.

Anduze

First thing we headed for the ferry and got to France by lunchtime, heading south by way of the autoroute, intending to get south of Paris to camp. Saw a couple of really nasty accidents on the way but eventually we  got to a nice campsite towards Dijon. The next day we stuck to smaller roads looking for those with the greenlines indicating ‘scenic routes.’ We stopped for lunch by a canal and then past Clemont Ferrand and on down to Arles on constant mountain roads with barely a straight worthy of the name. This became a problem when we met a hay wagon head on. Margot had to stop dead and although he managed to creep past I had to get out and check we still had rubber on the tarmac as we were poised over a deep ditch.

It was dark by the time we got to Arles but at least we knew the way from there. We were late at the campsite but they let us in. Unfortunately we were put in the wrong place and the following morning, just as we were about to leave to meet JZ, we were asked to move. Bit of a cheek but in the interests of international harmony and with the help of the site staff and neighbours we moved the tent and contents round the hedge to the next site in about 5 minutes flat.

Meeting JZ at her sister-in-law’s we went to collect the items from Mon Estaou. Fortunately it was not too much and  by moving the seat forward we were able to get it all in - albeit packed solid to the roof - and still leave access to the cooker. We even got Edwards bike in. It meant sleeping in the tent but that worked out fine.

We also finished in time to pop into the Mairie and see the exhibition of JZs father’s work.

The next day we moved on to Le Vigan, to the west of the Cevenne, and found a good site not too far from the town. We had brought Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Travels with my Donkey’ and a book of 30 walks in the Cevenne and managed to do 3 of them over the next 3 days. Beautiful weather and, although a lot hillier than the author was prepared to let on, they were lovely walks. One evening we had a dutch blues band performing on site and on the 14^th Juillet (Bastille Day) the town had a festival with bands and fireworks to celebrate.

Probably the best walk was to the Cirque de Navacelles where we descended into the village and had lunch in a little auberge before climbing back up.  Very steep and very hot but fantastic views.

On the way back north we reversed the process by taking the green routes for the first day. The road north through the Cevenne past the Gorges du Tarne was as twisty and spectacular as the road in but thankfully free of hay wagons. Both routes were paralleled by single line but active train tracks and it would be great to do this trip again by rail and bike.

That night we found ourselves in Nevers but it was past 8 and  the campsite was closed. So was the hotel we had stayed in with Jim so we headed through the town to the Etap and snuck the remains of our picnic in.

Next day we more or less retraced our steps but avoiding the ‘peage’ which was cheaper but meant we were too late to camp. We stopped to eat supper in Armentieres, just south of the Belgian border, and indeed could have been Belgium. A nice meal, but by the time we got to Dunkirk it was pretty full and we were lucky to find a robot F1 – no human staff but check in through an ATM by the door. Weird but good enough.

With a last minute shopping trip for delicacies to the Cite Europe Hypermarche and a fill up with diesel we got on the ferry and were back in York for supper.

Kim and Adrian

Barely time to disembark and tidy up before Kim and Adrian came to stay for the weekend after a week in the Dales. They amused themselves during the day but  were good company in the evenings and we went out to eat at the Thai restaurant on Fossgate.

Saturday was the York Festival of the River and I took part in the canoe and kayak racing from Millennium Bridge to Clifton Bridge and  back. 4^th out of 5 sea kayaks but not too disgraced. Anyway, no-one was looking.

Sunday was ‘Try Sailing’ day and I went down after Kim & Adrian had left and got a nice sail in. Quite windy and some good photos from Angela though not of me dong an involuntary 360 under the bridge.

Monday had a session with Mark – just me and one of those 800, 400, 200, 100 runs. Tough but  a Personal Best and I am as light as I have been since I started going to him. Then straight on to Greenways meeting to talk about funding and a winter programme. See website for latest. Then on to squash training. What a busy life.

We got urgent calls from Rupert that the cycle path near Skelton was virtually impassable due to overhanging comfrey so had to go up with the scythe to clear away. I took the brushcutter but found the scythe far more effective – so much for technology. Keeping the path clear is more than we can cope with so told Sustrans they need to incorporate it into their maintenance programme. We will see.

I had Community Payback lined up to do a day clearing Himalayan Balsam but discovered several outbreaks of Giant Hogweed which can cause nasty burns and boils so they had to pull out. I arranged to meet Sue Penn from the Environment Agency on site. They will deal with the GH and it seems they will have some funding to help with the HB but its too late to do anything for this year. Neverteless she identified the woodland along Hurns Gutter as ‘wet woodland’ which is apparently of interest to the Forestry Commission and I later chased them up and they promised to move it up their to do list if I could send in a schedule of all the woodland we own within York boundary. Sounds hopeful we might get a planning and management grant.

I also saw my first Tansy Beetle! Can see why people get so excited, its lovely. Equally exciting was meeting the new owner of the Escrick sidings. It seems if we let him use half the site as a paddock he will reinstate the other half, including the maze, and give it to us. He is getting a proposal drawn up and if it is as agreed we will support his taking it to Sustrans and the Planners. Still a way to go but at least things seem to be moving at last.

Meanwhile, the Olympics started. We had organised to meet Ann and Alan with Adie and the boys at Coventry to see Canada vs Japan at women’s football. Not a great game but fun. Margot and I also went up to Newcastle to see them play Sweden. A much better game but slightly confusing too as the know-it-all in the row behind convinced us all that Canada needed to win to go through, so we were all a bit anxious that they seemed to be playing for a draw and were apparently thrilled when they got one. Clearly a draw was enough but it was a nail-biting 10 minutes while the confusion lasted. We stayed overnight at the Jury Inn on the Gateshead side. The game was in the afternoon so we had a chance to look around and go to the Laing Art gallery which featured an exhibition of paintings of family life through the ages and a lovely room by Quentin Blake.  We ate in a seafood/jazz restaurant - the Big Mussel Bar near the water front - before heading back for an early night. Too old for a night out In Newcastle I’m afraid.

I woke up early and went for a run up past the Sage and over the Tyne Bridge pretending I was part of the Great North Run though I don’t think the commuter traffic was convinced. A lovely morning and I felt like going round again ( but didn’t). After breakfast we went next door to the Baltic and saw the exhibitions - Mark Wallinger and Janet Cardiff’s The Forty Part Motet - and then back to the Laing and finally a quick look at the big screen Olympics in Monument square.

Thursday got me out to Dunnington for table tennis. Glad to say I am still getting better and can hold me own, no longer the weak link though still unable to grasp how they do what they do at Olympic level. It looks like a different game altogether.

I’ve been managing to fit some gardening in between all this and it needs it as the wet weather encouraged the weeds while we were away. Margot has been busy both with Florinda’s shop and now with the Amnesty bookshop but still has managed to do the pruning while I do the heavy lifting.

Sunday 5^th August

Matt and Jim over for the York 10k.  A perfect running day meant all 3 of us got PBs. That’s it for me for the year and I am terminating the mailing list and rethinking what to do next year – probably still do 10ks but also more on cycling and maybe swimming – and of course squash and sailing and kayaking. I’m considering joining the new gym at the Uni. With discounts and concessions its affordable but only if I use it fairly regularly. The boys on the other hand are getting into it in a big way with the Great North Run in September and plans for Triathlon, half- and full-Marathons to follow. Already booked for the Edinburgh Marathon next May.

And then of course the Olympics started. Like many I was a bit cynical – the corporate sponsorship and rampant nationalism not really my style but we were all won over by the opening ceremony, the sport and the general air of ‘niceness’ and competence which overcame our anticipation of failure and international humiliation. For once national pride seemed a justifiable emotion though I still wish we could get rid of that national anthem. I also drew the line at being asked to sing ‘ Id like to teach the world to sing’ at the Coca-cola Beat Box in the Olympic Park. Nevertheless the first week was spent half in the garden with the TV on and the French windows open so I didn’t miss any of the key events.

To get into the Olympic Park we had managed to get tickets for a hockey game – we didn’t even  know who was playing  until we got into the arena. It meant driving down the night before and camping in the Lee Valley Camp site at Picketts Lock – a rather sad reminder of earlier failed regeneration projects. We were planning to cycle in but were advised to take the train  which turned out to be good advice. Up at 5.30 we were in the park by 7.30 and ready for kick off (bully?) at 830. It turned out to be New Zealand against Argentina with NZ winning which made Margot happy.

After the match we simply spent the day in the sunshine soaking up the atmosphere and walking round the site looking at the buildings . Highlights included the Orbit from which you could see across London and  into the stadium next door. Even from that height and distance feel the roar of the crowd as the women’s 400m relay heats took place. Also really impressed by the landscaping which was really imaginative, based on native wildflowers and a welcome alternative to local authority blooms which it could have been. In the centre was a lake in a valley from the sides of which you could sit on the grass and watch two big screens showing live events from the various venues.

Although McDonalds featured large there was plenty of alternative, with 3 outside food malls with plenty of picnic tables to go around and all manner of food from around the world. Not sure if it would have been so great if it had not been sunny and warm, t-shirt weather well into the evening.

About eight we went to a Panasonic 3D  HD summary of the highlights so far and came out in the dark just as the 200 yards men’s finals was due so joined a mad rush to squeeze into to see the big screens. The excitement was almost as strong as if we were in the stadium itself.

All I all  a great day marked most of all by the volunteer ‘Games makers who were constantly friendly and helpful.

Claires

The next morning we headed off to Claire’s where we were surprised and pleased to find Ed over. Later in the evening Jim arrived as he was coming with me to the mountain biking at Hadleigh Farm the next day while Margot took his car home to be there for Kumiyo’s arrival for a brief visit.

Net morning Jim and I set off early and got the campsite in plenty of time to assemble the bikes and get to the track in good time. Saturday was the women’s event and we managed to see them off then walk round the whole track and back in time for the finish as the whole race takes about and hour and ¾. The British woman got us excited by leading for the first lap (of 6)  but clearly overdid it and eventually came in 8^th. In the end the French woman won by quite a distance. It’s a great track with plenty of good viewing points in spite of the crowds and a couple of big screens too. Jim managed to get a lot of good photos and the day ended with a trial bike display and the RAF Falcons parachute display team.

We had an Indian meal in Rayleigh but there was not much else doing there so we went back to the campsite and listened to the diving on Radio 5 live while watching the pictures on the TV through the window of the next door camper van. In bed by 10.

Sundays racing was an hour later starting which was lucky as I got a puncture on the way over. Fortunately there was a bike shop right next to the bike park and a mechanic who lent me the tools to fit a new tube. I had deliberately left all my tools and spares in the van to avoid the security check that had taken a while on Saturday.

The racing was even better than the women’s with 3 fighting it out until the last lap and a sprint for gold and silver right up to the line. Unfortunately the British ride tried too hard and crashed, breaking his ankle.

This time we got away quick and manage to get back to York in time for supper and to see the closing ceremony on TV.  A great ending to an amazingly successful event – don’t see how Rio is going to match up.

Its all been a very sporty few weeks but the brain is ticking over too. I have been soldiering on with Laurence Durrell’s Avignon quintet despite occasionally finding it too highbrow for my taste (and education) and a bit pretentious. A lot of it goes right over my head but it’s an interesting scenario ad I also find the references to Avignon and the Pont du Gard interesting as we have been there the last couple of years. I want to finish it before the new term starts where I have enrolled on a Philosophy course on ‘Contemporary Theory of Mind’. I also borrowed ‘Revolution in the Mind’ about the Freudian movement up to the second world war which was a fascinating insight into how movement form and develop though again much of it was over my head. I think Peter (who lent me both books) is in a different league from me intellectually though I do grasp enough to hold a decent conversation with him. And discovered he plays table tennis and have got him coming to Dunnington to play.

 I at last got a decent essay mark from the Psychology, the one on the nature of prejudice and discrimination in which I managed to quote from Sven Linqvist and I have just met the man himself. I am writing this on the train back from the Edinburgh Book Festival where I saw Roy Hattersley – who may have convinced me to vote for Labour again after 15 years – Clive Stafford-Smith – who was very funny and hugely provocative as well as being very scary about the American judicial system – and finally Sven himself. He is now 80 and rather slow in speaking and walking but his brain is clearly intact as he gave a very lucid insight to his approach to writing and dealt really well with the questions. This included the compere asking him to give a brief account of the new book to which he replied if he could have done it briefly he wouldn’t have written the book. I bought it and got him to sign it and have already started to read it.

Thursday (16^th) saw us in the Museum Gardens at the York Mystery Plays which this time took place in the ruins of St Marys. The lead roles were played by professional actors but the crowd scenes, with lots of local amateurs, was perhaps the highlight. It was very well done with a two live choirs  and excellent sound and it felt good that this ancient tradition was being kept alive.

A fringe event to the Mystery plays is the Soul festival at the Theatre Royal. We missed Ruby Turner but managed to catch Al Morrison Blues Experience who were brilliant with Juliet Roberts as lead singer but a great band with brass section and 3 ‘backing’ singers who all got solo spots and could have fronted the whole show. All local talent, so ones to watch out for. Next week it’s the South African Gospel singers. Margot is in Edinburgh so I am going with Jim.

To round off a busy week we went into town today (Sunday) and saw the Imposter, a fascinating documentary followed by an equally fascinating live video transmission of a Q&A with the director, producer and one of the participants.

Enough for now, let’s try and keep up to date a bit more regularly in future

Getting up-to-date: 8th November 2012

It was lovely seeing Eno again. She was running a weekend conference in Tokyo when we arrived there on our trip and took us out for a meal and later we stayed with her family in Osaka. She had come by way of Lisbon and London for her work but I hope it was nice for her to be able to relax for a couple of days with us. On Saturday we went to Selby to see Big Boy Bloater and the Limits  a great twang, swamp and blues band with terrific jazz-based musicians.

On the Wednesday Margot and I went down to London for the opening of an exhibition called ‘Dare to Wear’ in the crypt of St Pancras church near Euston station. Our friend Rosie McLeish was exhibiting a totem pole she had been working on for months and it was good to see it at last, set up in it own little alcove. There were lots of other interesting exhibits but it was also fascinating to mingle with the glitterati of one of London’s art sub-culture. We came away feeling very provincial though not necessarily the worse for that. Take a look at the exhibition on Dare to Wear

Friday we went to the film club at St Clements community centre to see ‘Singing in the Rain’. Not having seen it for at least 40 years, I had even forgotten it was in colour and loved every minute.

Sunday night we went over to Selby Town Hall to see John Renbourn and Wizz Jones. Memories of 1960s folk scene, still brilliant but so old ! These guys were older than me then but I seem to think I should somehow have overtaken them in the meantime. Its prompted me to give up on my old digitizing gadget and get a new one, at £20-odd it cost vastly less than the futile hours on the phone to the help line trying to get the old Soundblaster to work and I have been putting Pentangle and Bert Jansch onto my Ipod. Also some jazz I would have bought from the specialist shop on Burnham Road in Slough on my way home from my ‘gap-year’ job at Horlicks. Jimmy Smith and Francy Boland, Charlie Parker.

Another ‘quiet’ week followed and another visit to Selby to se Fay Hield and the Hurricane Party. Maybe we are getting spoilt but good as they were we were not blown away. Closer to home was a gig at the Fulford Arms, our nearest pub which is establishing itself as a music venue but (usually) free wit local bands. We went to see a Brazilian singer guitarist wo was good and unlike out vist to see Blackbeards Tea Party it was not packed to the rafters so a pleasant night out. It would be nice to consider it our ‘local’ as its friendly and comfortable but neither of us drink much so we don’t go unless there is some interesting music on.

Monday (22^nd October) was the Greenways AGM, a fairly low key affair but useful to review what we have achieved and what needs to be done. Much depends on getting more funding from Awards for All, the bid is now ready to go in. That mainly focuses on the York Selby line and the other projects are all tied in with other bodies and will move forward as and when we can get them to get their arses in gear. Escrick Sidings has gone quiet which is ominous – I chased him up but no reply so wondering if we are back to square one. Derwenthorpe is moving forward though our pleas for a coordinated bid from Sustrans and ourselves fell on deaf ears though at least they included our proposal as an appendix. I need to read their proposal in detail, it’s mainly sound but they are, as always, unrealistic in their ideas on how its going to be maintained once complete. The discovery of tansy beetles in Skelton may help us get help from the Environment Agency but I will need to keep plugging away at the Forestry Commission on the woodlands. No doubt with the ash-tree fungus crisis, our little project will slip way back down the in-tray pile. Anyway these will chug along over the next few months and I will get seriously stuck in when we get back from South America.

Before the AGM I went out to Naburn to do a final tidy up in advance of the big picnic ride out, preparing the ground for the plug planting with Mike’s team from Brunswick Organic Nursery (BON). Surprised and pleased to see Terry and the Sustrans team out too, tidying up the path. Great that they felt the urge to help out but wouldn’t a bit of communication be nice! What is their problem?

The day itself was a great success. Grey and chilly but could have been a lot worse. We had 8 year 6 kids from Bishopthorpe School with their Head and Naomi and a colleague from Bike-It and about 20 from Brunswick all kitted out with a great range of special bikes from Get Cycling. It meant we all went off at our own speeds but we all managed to arrive at the bridge at the same time ready for the unveiling of the bench that BON had built and put in place. All except the press photographer who went to the wrong bridge. Fortunately Naomi had his number and he said to take our own photos and send them in and we got a nice write up in the paper anyway.

We headed back to Naburn Station where Audrey had laid on a great stew/soup and other goodies, far more than we expected and very welcome by then. The plug planting got done, we distributed the quiz about the railway line and Peter Thompson gave a talk about the Solar system before everyone headed off to catch their buses home. A good end to our first full year – also we got funded twice for the bikes and the funders have said we can keep the change and run a follow up event next year when, we hope, the flowers we planted will be bursting through.

I ended the day with a bike ride with Jim back up the path and was pleased to chat with a satisfied customer sitting on the bench. We also passed Terry, Rob, Dave and the gang out cutting verges so stopped to say hello but didn’t comment on the fact that they had managed to run over our bee orchid with their tractor. Hopefully it will survive and re-appear next year.

Charlotte and Seb came over on Wednesday and Seb and I had fun with the train track while margot and Charlotte chatted, but I had to shoot off to Hurns Gutter to meet Ken who was spending his lunch hour clearing a fallen tree from the path. Lucky I went as it was a very big tree and Ken only had a small saw with him. We managed to get it done with bow saws but I may go back and harvest the timber if no-one else has got there first. I’ve asked BON if they want to help as they can sell the logs in their shop.

Thursday is Table Tennis. I’m getting better – apart from the fun and the good company I find it fascinating in the light of the psychology course how our brains enable us to hit these balls that dip and weave and spin and (occasionally) get them to land back on the table at the other end. Zen and the art of ping-pong.

After lunch off to Leeds to give blood. I forgot which was my best arm and the nurse had a real problem getting in to the vein and eventually had to give up and try the other (left) arm – note to self: remember that for next time. While this was going on I was musing about the nature of pain and its role in decision making and managed to use this in my philosophy essay on ‘the mind-body problem’. How is it that half your brain is screaming “Stop! Stop! you’re hurting me!!” While the other half is saying “grow up, its hardly hurting at all. Try not to embarrass yourself” and your body compromises by flinching just enough so the nurse knows you can feel it but not so much that it jogs the needle and tears a gaping whole in your precious flesh. All in a nano-second.

Friday I cycled over to the Hospital for minor surgery related to having sat on cold stone walls some time in the distant past. It only took 10 minutes but surprisingly I felt quite funny afterwards and had to hang around the Costa coffee bar for a couple of hours before I felt well enough to cycle home (on the plus side the saddle was much more comfortable). This meant I missed a house warming party at Paul O’Grady’s house where I had been looking forward to meeting some of the new influx of Human Rights Defenders. Never mind, they start a series of talks about their experiences next week and I will go to those.

On Saturday I was recovered and we took the train to Knaresborough where a friend of Margot’s was organising a fascinating exhibition about the black and ethnic minority presence in Yorkshire over the centuries – “In Yorkshire ‘baht ‘at” (Ilkley Moor? Get it?). It was a large photographic exhibition and we spent a good time there but there were disappointingly few others. It’s something that deserves a wider viewing which probably means the internet but Audrey reckons that would require to much trouble with copyright etc. Shame. I noted the number of Indian troop s that came over to fight in Europe in the First World War and wondered if my grandfather was involved s he was an officer in the Indian Army about then. Must follow that up. Had lunch and explored the charity shops – not usually my thing but I got a great pair of boots and a warm top – and a walk down past the castle and along the river before catching the train home. A nice little town.

The following week was half term and Ann Alan and Tommy were coming up for a few days. Unfortunately Alan’s sister Janet was in hospital so he had to stay behind but Ann and Tommy came anyway and we met at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park for lunch. The sculptures weren’t really to Tommy’s liking which rather confirmed our anxieties about how we were going to entertain a 13-year-old lad. However things went well and I am pretty sure he enjoyed the stay. We went to Skyfall later that evening though it was probably way past his bedtime (and it wasn’t him who dozed off – no names but you know who you are).

The great success was the pool at Monks Cross with 3 flumes of varying steepness which kept Tommy (OK, and me) entertained for a couple of hours while Ann and Margot explored the retail park. In fact a return visit was his choice for the last day rather than the trip to the coast or the moors which we had considered.

The only failure was the ‘Illuminating York’ event in the Museum Gardens which turned out to be a rather half-baked and self-indulgent show put on by Vic Reeves (in his tea break on the back of an envelope I think). But the night was redeemed by Tommy going back to Jim’s for pizza and time on the X-box or whatever is Jim’s current gadget of choice.

After great-nephew sitting our next assignment was dog-sitting in Manchester as Matt and Sam were off to a wedding (not theirs). By then I was feeling a bit rough so we didn’t in the end do much except walk the dog in the park and lunch in ‘trendy’ Didsbury but it was nice to be there and not do much for a change and also a good rehearsal for looking after Bones when Matt and Sam go to Cuba in December. Nice also to have a quiet weekend when we can see our current TV favourites live, not recorded some time after in the week – Inspector Montalbano and of course Homeland.

Matt and Sam had got back on Sunday after a night of Korean film and luxury hotel in Park Lane (thanks to frequent flyer credits) and we had lunch in that nice pub next to the River Mersey in the Country Park where dogs outnumber humans. I made friends with a big black Newfoundland sheepdog by taking the time to work my way through 5 inches of fur to scratch his back. If you shaved one it would not be that big at all. Jim is now talking about getting a Spaniel though Ann thinks this is a bad idea as they are nuts. Anyway, it will have to wait until we are back from South America as I think his dog owning is dependent on our doing a good half of the walking.

Jim was over in Manchester too – a different wedding, one of Beccas’s old friends - and we took his car. The conversation on the way home turned to home improvement as I also think his plans for his new house require a large input from me. Given we are off in March he will need to get in to his new house pretty quick to get anything done.

In the meantime another ‘quiet’ week but this time with me with a lousy cold. Still managed to get to my evening class and table tennis but just when I feel its gone it comes back so not sure I am going to be able to do the ‘Dalby Dash’ this Sunday. May just go and take photos of the boys. http://dalbydash.com/. I did go and stand in the Knavesmire for 2 hours waiting for Jim to run past in the November 5^th torchlit run and then wait another hour for the fireworks which eventually started just as we left. Probably why I’ve still got my cold.

Still this cold has at least enable me to get this blog up-to-date and now all I have to do is to not let it get so far behind in the future – some hope.

A quiet week

With Eno staying over the next weekend it was a ‘quiet’ week, so maybe this is a good time to consider  what a quiet week means now we are  both retired.

As well as doing two evening classes – one in French and one in Spanish – Margot is still active as Chair of the Fair Trade Forum and a member of the  Advisory Board of the Centre for Applied Human Rights but still has time to keep up with friends in the cafes and coffee shops in town. We have joined the new’ Sports Village’ at York University and it remains to be seen whether we continue to use it enough to get our money’s worth. We go to a personal trainer once a month to help us keep on track and have weights in the garage and plenty of countryside to run and cycle around but when the winter weather starts (as it now has) a warm gym with swimming pool and jacuzzi has its attractions. And of course there is squash two or three times a week.

Although I ought really to be doing Spanish too in preparation for our proposed trip next year I have signed up for an evening class instead. Its called “Contemporary Philosophy of Mind” which sounded like a logical extension of the series of psychology classes I did last year but it turns out Philosophy is an entirely different world (or is it?). They not only invent words I’ve never heard of but use words I have heard of but in totally different ways. Still, its good mental exercise and the debates continue in the bar afterwards and even with my friend Peter at the table tennis club I go to on Thursday morning.

The Centre for Applied Human Rights runs a series of talks by visiting Human Rights Defenders and the university has a good programme of public lectures so Margot and I reckon we spend more time on campus than most undergraduate students.

Finally a lot of my time is spent co-ordinating the Sustrans Rangers in York and the York Greenway Champions which is an offshoot more focussed on promoting biodiversity. Our drive hosts a trailer full of tools we inherited from the 2010 job creation scheme and its my job to enthuse enough local people to get out and use them. If you want to know more its on York Greenway Champions  . A bit like a part time job really but without the salary – though that’s what I consider my pension is for.

And there is all that reading and movie going. I try to have one fiction book on the go at the same time as everything else, to give me a break. Not to mention digitizing my vinyls and tapes, And cleaning, house repairs, occasional cooking ….. and of course tidying my study and garage/workshop.

When retired people say they don’t know how they ever had time to work, believe it! Fortunately no-one but us really care if any of this stuff ever gets done (cleaning excepted) so no pressure really.

The West Highland Way

Sunday 24^th Scotland

Margot and I drove up to Richard and Rosies’s ‘hut’ just north of Glasgow just getting there in the daylight. Hut doesn’t quite do it justice, with hot showers and central heating.

Its located a mile or so from the West Highland Way and Monday, after a morning run along the West Highland Way, we donned our walking boots and headed down to the Country Park in a northerly gale with horizontal rain pushing us southwards towards Mugdock Wood, and the Country Park  with its strange ruined castle. Parts of the original castle still stand but the Victorian mansion that was built in its heart is now gone except for an old cast iron stove standing isolated in the rain.  Fortunately while the old Craigallian House is also in ruins the Stables remain with a good coffee shop to warm us up.

Tuesday morning, we went into Glasgow to meet Rahab at the station. We visited the Museum of Modern Art first but just had time for a cup of tea and a quick look at the exhibition before getting turfed out when  the fire alarms went off. After meeting Rahab we went up to the Willow café with its Rene Mackintosh décor for tea before heading off to the hut.

Our aim was to give Rahab a potted tour of Scotland so Wednesday we drove up past Loch Lomond, to Inverary where we saw Para Handy’s boat the Vital Spark and Neil Munro’s birthplace, shown around by a self-appointed guide – a coach driver with nothing better to do whilel waiting for his passengers to come out of their meeting. From Lock Fyne (named after a fish restaurant in York it seems) we headed on to Glencoe, stopping for a picnic lunch by the river at Inverlochrie.

Glencoe was as forbidding as ever and we stopped at the visitor centre to learn the truth about the massacre (it was the English behind it all of course), after which down to Loch Leven to see the burial island and a last walk before it got dark.

The following day we went to Stirling, by way of Lock Katrine, to see the Wallace Monument and the Castle, taking in the Falkirk wheel on the way back.

Our last day was a visit to Edinburgh. We parked at Alec’s where we met Chris and Noah before catching the bus into town. We walked along Princes Street, admiring the tram tracks along the way, then up the Mound and the Royal Mile to the Castle where they were dismantling the stands for the Tattoo. We took in the refurbished Museum of Scotland before ending with tea at the Elephant House surrounded by Harry Potter fans.

We were very lucky through the week with changeable weather but our walks seemed to coincide with the breaks in the clouds. Not so on the way south with foul weather warnings proving true through the Lakes. We dropped Rahab off in Leeds – I think she was impressed by Scotland.

 Clic Here for more photos of the week ...

Great North Run

September 7^th  

^{Brands Hatch}

Friday I was due to head up from my idyllic campsite in the woods to meet Margot at St Pancras. I wanted to catch the ‘Javelin high-speed train but couldn’t find out where it stopped so headed for Dartford until I saw a sign for Ebbsfleet which I knew from Eurostar trips was on the HS line. Fifteen minutes into Central London! How come North Kent can have a high speed link and no-one says a word but when it’s a question of the North of England getting one, all hell breaks loose?

We were meeting Rosie and Richard at St Pancras too and then over to the British Library for a rather uninspiring lunch, I suppose it was a bit late by then. Unfortunately Richard had to go back and rescue the cat from the vet but the rest of us wandered down to Russell Square and sat on the grass chatting in the late afternoon sun. Rosie then had to go for a meeting so Margot and I went to the Curzon to see Tabu – a Portuguese movie that had 5 stars in the paper. Unfortunately it left me feeling like I used to a University Cinema club in the 1960s. Should I be enjoying this? Am I stupid or what? Is everyone else pretending too?

Back to the camp site in the dark but at least this time I knew where it was and had a key for the barrier. 

Next day we walked through the village to Brand Hatch for the Road Racing. A beautiful day and plenty of space to find a spot right by track at the final corner. We had tandems for the visually impaired and trikes which featured British hero David Stone. Our enjoyment was enhanced by a young lady next to us who insisted on banaging on the barrier and cheering everyone who went past – not just competitors but marshals, support vehicles, even road sweepers (you can hear her n this video clip).

By the end of the afternoon people were drifting off so we moved up to the finish line and got ourselves a spot right by the ‘pits’. The last event was the hand-bike relay with teams of three, one starting from the line and the other two waiting, Le Man style right in front of us. Each team member did two runs of one lap, and each team had to have a mix of abilities (and genders). This made the results uncertain right up to the end and it was by far the most exciting event especially as we were within touching distance of the competitors as they came in from their round.

8^th September Back to York

Next day back to York as we were expecting Ian and Margaret, friends from Adelaide in the evening, but stopped at Sainbury’s in Dartford. Once again grateful to Sat Nav on my smartphone and take back all the cynical remarks I had made in the past. It really is very clever.

Not home until 1am so glad we had left a key and Ian and Margaret were safely tucked up in bed. They stayed until Monday and lots of chatting aided by lovely sunny weather enabling us to sit out in the garden - a brief  glimpse of summer.

On Tuesday I had volunteered with Lynne and Peter Thompson to go down to Spen Valley to help local volunteer Rangers erect some railway sleepers so they could fix directional signs to them. We got there to find no sleepers, no diggers and nothing to do. Fortunately we  had our bikes in the van so went for a ride up and down the track – something I had meant to d for some years. So not a complete waste of time but it does irritate – I am sure they don’t treat the time of paid workers so casually. Back home to a York Cycle Campaign meeting with a speaker from the national network of cycle campaigns.

Hope its not just post-Olympic euphoria but we have signed up at the new University Sports Village. Since the city paid half, members of the community (us) can join too and it’s a lot cheaper than David Lloyd. Mainly interested in the swimming pool but reckon if we use it regularly that will pay for the membership so all the fitness suite and sauna bits are a bonus. We’ll give it til Christmas and see if our enthusiasm lasts – fortunately you don’t have to sign your life away, its only one months notice.

This is particularly important as we are now intending to go to South America in March for a couple (few) months. More on that later but I’ve started to do some research. Looks like Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru. A Delta round ticket via Atlanta gives us flexibility and we can always spend time in the States or Canada on the way home. Its valid for a year.

Sunday 16^th 

^{Great North run}

Off to Newcastle nice and early with Jim, Matt and Matt's friend Paul for the Great North Run. Dropped them near the start and headed off to view near the end at South Shields. With Paul’s wife we found a good spot on the last corner. Didn’t see either of the boys go through but it was good fun and they both did well.

A rush back to York as the boys were borrowing the van to go for a week’s mountain biking in the Ardennes. Sounds good but I think they spent as much time in Bruges and we managed fine without the van as Margot at least had the use of Jim’s car (me not insured).

Thursday we went to the City Screen to see the Silver Screen showing of ‘Hope Springs’. A  theatre full of old folks watching a film about old folks dealing with intimacy or the lack of it – not many glances exchanged.

Friday night off to Selby to see Cedric Watson, a young singer fiddle accordian player from Loiusiana playing Cajun with his trio. Great music and worth a listen – Bijou Creole http://www.myspace.com/music/player?sid=66451765&ac=now

Sunday I was OD at the sailing club – reasonable sailing which was a rare thing this year as we have been plagued by lack of wind and floods which made sailing impossible  for weeks on end. There was of course the Regatta at Naburn where I actually won a prize, not sure how but it was a nice fleece top. The boat, decrepit as it looks is going well and seems to be the fastest in the fleet when running though not so hot tacking or maybe that is me. No other Lasers active at the moment so difficult to say.

The sea kayak group seems to be dormant as well  and with Ian still recovering from his accident I have hardly been out this year. Must do something about this.