Just to avoid any confusion that may have arisen, I would like to point out that any similarities between an earlier post and the image of Jack Torrance in Kubrick's version of 'The Shining' are purely coincidental.UPDATE I've finished the ballustrades and re-located the water butt! Picture here
Well, it's been a few weeks since Shebo was born. In that time I have painted (and repainted) it, and with my Dad's help, fitted the windows and door, and put up the handrail. Since the project is so near completion it seemed appropriate to put up the fairy lights. (Sorry - pictures in the dark didn't come out; the only true way to appreciate fairy lights is in person!)
All I need to do now is finish the balustrades and find a weather vane for the top. Roll on next Summer, when we may actually get some use out of it, as it seems that this one is determined to meet Autumn as swiftly as possible.
Congratulations on 40 years of mariage to my Mum & Dad and Mike & Liz. The joint Ruby wedding anniversary party was a great success, but this was no surprise given the generous amounts of Pimm's, wine, great food, puddings and fizz - not to mention Carol's fantastic cake. Same again in ten years time everyone?
Congratulations to Jon and Hetty on their marriage (19th August 2006). It was a fantastic day and, considering the storms earlier in the week, they were incredibly lucky with the weather too. My duties as best man were a breeze, mostly thanks to the efforts of the bride and groom and Jon's parents in making preparations. In fact, the entire day passed without any problems and despite my nervousness about public speaking, I managed to enjoy every part of the build up, ceremony and reception. I will remember the day as a true celebration of their partnership and I wish them the very best for the future.
Posters for the Wallace and Gromit film in Portland, Dorset will not feature the word "rabbit" because of a local superstition. Residents instead call the creatures underground mutton or furry things. Posters for the new film, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, on Portland do not use the word, to respect local folklore. Instead they simply say "Something bunny is going on".
Mayor Les Ames told BBC News that the animals could cause dangerous landslips in the quarries the isle is famous for. "If the word rabbit is used in company in Portland there is generally a bit of a hush," he said. "In the olden days when quarrying was done by hand, if one of these animals was seen in the area, the quarryman would pack up and go home for the day - until the safety of the area had been reconnoitred. It is an unwritten rule in Portland that you do not use the word rabbit."
A spokesman for Aardman Animations said they were happy to respect local folklore. BBC News "Wallace & Gromit Spook an Island"
Finally the pavilion has risen from the sketchbook and is now becoming reality. Thanks (in enormous huge lumps) to Dad who helped achieve my vision.
Although not finished, the main structure is largely complete; only the final cladding, balustrade, doors & windows and paintwork are to be finished.
The design is part shed and part gazebo - hence Shebo - with an octagonal roof (closed at the back and open at the front) sitting on the nine posts which frame the heptagonal shape.
Confused? Imagine what it's like trying to calculate the angles!
Hopefully the pictures will help you visualise the overall design, although I will post some more once everything is finished.
Had a great three days in Derbyshire with Jon. Camping never used to be like this! The days of trecking up mountains to pitch tents on a rock fall in the dark have certainly been good preparation for driving to the campsite, putting up a 6-man 'Palacio' tent, and relaxing on the riverbank with a beer. Although the River Derwent was perfect for canoeing we were foiled by the shallows and a couple of weirs about a mile in each direction from our site. We were hoping to explore the Cromford Canal as well, however we found that the majority of it cannot be navigated. We'll definitely need to research some more waterways if we ever plan go far by boat. Having picnicked at Black Rock and visited the incredible Scarthin bookshop in Cromford we decided to head home before the weather turned against us. This was obviously a sensible decision because our leisurely drive through the Peak District (via Poole's Cavern in Buxton) soon turned into a wet journey all the way home.
Just back from a terrific few days in Dorset. Although the drive down was wet and miserable the sun came out for the rest of the week. When it comes to beautiful coastlines, Dorset can be proud; Durdle Dor, St Oswald's Bay and Lulworth Cove are all fantastic beaches. The only thing they lack is golden sand rather than pebbles. We managed to visit a selection of neolithic sites such as Maiden Castle and Hellstone Dolmen near Dorchester. Also, Corfe and Lulworth castles (which are both ruinous for very different reasons) were each impressive. When you add our trips to Brownsea Island and the Stourhead Estate on the way home I think we must have walked a hundred miles between us. We need another holiday now just to recuperate!
Gone are the days when I crowd surfed at 'The Institute' (1992) whilst Flea belted out "Nobody weird like me", but the Chilis did manage to blow away my headache which had dogged me all day long. The support band, !!! [pronounced 'chk-chk-chk'], were impressive however 'Dirty Pretty Things' failed to inspire. I found the RHCP set list surprising with only one track from BSSM featuring as an encore and obvious crowd pleasers like "Readymade" and "Especially in Michigan" (from the new album) noticeable only by their absence. Overall they gave a good performance, however I feel that their passion for their music never quite works with these large scale shows and that if you want to Taste the Pain you need to get up close and personal with these guys.
Keeping the kids amusing during the Summer Holidays can be tiresome. It may seem like you've exhausted all the obvious options: "Ride your bike", "Play Football", etc. Only with hindsight is the request to "Go paint something" seen as a foolish one...
/'wI.ki/ or /'wi.ki/
vs. (From Hawaiian) To hurry, hasten; quick, fast, swift.Happy 3rd Birthday to the Wikimedia Foundation and well done for providing the fastest resource on the World Wide Web
The First American Roller Coaster appeared in Coney Island 122 years ago today. Gone are the days when fair-goers had to hoist their own cars in order to make the return journey. Even familiar chain lift mechanisms have given way to hydraulic launch and frictionless brake systems: Kingda Ka at Six Flags stands head and shoulders above most.
- Bunnies have a memory span of three seconds!
- Antarctica is the only continent without bunnies.
- A thimbleful of bunnies would weigh over 100 million tons.
- Moles are able to tunnel through 300 feet of bunnies in a day.
- While performing her duties as queen, Cleopatra sometimes dressed up as bunnies!
- Bunnies are 984 feet tall.
- Bunnies have often been found swimming miles from shore in the Indian Ocean.
- The Australian billygoat plum contains a hundred times more Vitamin C than bunnies!
- 99 percent of the pumpkins sold in the US end up as bunnies!
- Twenty-eight percent of Microsoft's employees are bunnies.
For anyone who has ever considered launching their own 'home made' rocket it is advisable to take several precautions. Not least is "Start with a very big open space"......
No words necessary (or available)Just click the picture on the left
"Tower to KLM 311.....You are cleared to land, runway Nine West"
"Thankyou ATC.....Acknowledged clearance to land, runway Nine West"Have a nice day
Just to avoid any confusion that may have arisen, I would like to point out that any similarities between an earlier post and the image of Jack Torrance in Kubrick's version of 'The Shining' are purely coincidental.
Well, it's been a few weeks since Shebo was born. In that time I have painted (and repainted) it, and with my Dad's help, fitted the windows and door, and put up the handrail. Since the project is so near completion it seemed appropriate to put up the fairy lights. (Sorry - pictures in the dark didn't come out; the only true way to appreciate fairy lights is in person!)
Congratulations on 40 years of mariage to my Mum & Dad and Mike & Liz. The joint Ruby wedding anniversary party was a great success, but this was no surprise given the generous amounts of Pimm's, wine, great food, puddings and fizz - not to mention Carol's fantastic cake. 
Congratulations to Jon and Hetty on their marriage (19th August 2006). It was a fantastic day and, considering the storms earlier in the week, they were incredibly lucky with the weather too. My duties as best man were a breeze, mostly thanks to the efforts of the bride and groom and Jon's parents in making preparations. In fact, the entire day passed without any problems and despite my nervousness about public speaking, I managed to enjoy every part of the build up, ceremony and reception. I will remember the day as a true celebration of their partnership and I wish them the very best for the future.
Posters for the Wallace and Gromit film in Portland, Dorset will not feature the word "rabbit" because of a local superstition. Residents instead call the creatures underground mutton or furry things. Posters for the new film, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, on Portland do not use the word, to respect local folklore. Instead they simply say "Something bunny is going on".
Had a great three days in Derbyshire with Jon. Camping never used to be like this! The days of trecking up mountains to pitch tents on a rock fall in the dark have certainly been good preparation for driving to the campsite, putting up a 6-man 'Palacio' tent, and relaxing on the riverbank with a beer. 
Just back from a terrific few days in Dorset. Although the drive down was wet and miserable the sun came out for the rest of the week. 
Gone are the days when I crowd surfed at 'The Institute' (1992) whilst Flea belted out "Nobody weird like me", but the Chilis did manage to blow away my headache which had dogged me all day long. 
Keeping the kids amusing during the Summer Holidays can be tiresome. It may seem like you've exhausted all the obvious options: "Ride your bike", "Play Football", etc. 
Hironori Akutagawa is my new hero. Follow his day-to-day life through the exploits of his rabbit, Oolong. Although the rabbit died in 2003, Oolong's legacy lives on through his owner's website.
The First American Roller Coaster appeared in Coney Island 122 years ago today. Gone are the days when fair-goers had to hoist their own cars in order to make the return journey. Even familiar chain lift mechanisms have given way to hydraulic launch and frictionless brake systems: Kingda Ka at Six Flags stands head and shoulders above most.
For anyone who has ever considered launching their own 'home made' rocket it is advisable to take several precautions. Not least is "Start with a very big open space"......
"Tower to KLM 311.....You are cleared to land, runway Nine West"
