Back in the UKKK

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Back in the UK for the week, conferencing yuck, theatre work woop, woop.

Will hopefully be oodles of goodies to post at the end of the week.

So far International Rescue one save, more to come no doubt...

Looking forward to the run of the show, and at various times watching FS'ing and generally having a ball.

Update in a pickle and GIANT Rat... sort of...

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Well been a while again - must try and do this more regulary!

Last weekend finished off the figs that were ripened on the bushes, the purple ones were now ready, so made some more fig conserve and dried enough in the oven - seem to have the technique now - to fill a preserving jar.

Also made some Lemon Curd - brilliant microwave recipe and then some pickled onions - dont seem to have a picture of them, but made some pickling vinegar and might just have overdone the chilli and spice a teensy, weensy bit... time will tell!

So assuming that there is a severe winter the larder is starting to look like it could get me through to spring - if pickles and conserve are your thing!

Been a busy weekend, and the weather has been fantastic, still sunny, still wearing shorts and still nice enough to be have the doors open until mid evening. Last night was the most amazing full moon, so bright it was casting full shadows.

Took a trip to the local lake with the camera to get out, and came across a family of what I believe are Coypu - a south american rodent - pretty much giant water rats. In the pictures the largest one is about the same size as a cat!

The rest of the weekend seems to have been taken up with Grand Prix and programme production.

Had a play with the A3 printer as well and did a print of Elephants from Kenya photos that looks fantastic on A3 Watercolour paper.

Will have some more fun with that anon, need to get some good frames though to show of the pictures to their best.

Expecting another quiet week at work, although have a couple of monthly presentations to finish off so that should taker care of a couple of days!

all for now...

Time to build an Ark...? or Keeping it regular...

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Two days of pretty constant rain, floods further south and I am very glad to live on the side of a hill, the river at the end of the garden is now a river, rather than the trickle of a stream that is normally there.


Well it has been a while since any new posts here, very slack of me, but sometimes you just cant think what to write that would be in the least bit interesting to anyone else!



So the last bit of fun last week was making some Fig jam... having two fig trees/bushes that are literally dripping with figs means I have spent an inordinate amount of time on the internet researching ways of using them. Last weekend collected about 2.5 kilos of green figs, the purple ones were not quite ready.


Took about 1k and dried them in the oven - 12 hours... - and then took the other 1.5k and made fig jam/conserve - and it came out brilliantly - if I say so myself... certainly was appreciated at work when I took a couple of jars in for my colleagues.





I was hoping to get some more in this weekend, however the weather has beaten me to it and I will have to try during the week if the rain stops...






Have spent a good amount of time downloading a complete website onto the pc so I can do some editing, previously only had it on the laptop and was getting a little like hardwork trying to work on the small screen.





Hopefully going to be able to get the site updated and fully functional in the next week or so, along with editing some video, putting together a newsletter not a lot to do really...





Will try and do regular posts on here and keep things up to date.

Time to figure it out

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Been a while since I updated this, and might have some pics to upload later, after todays 3 hour yomp.

Anyway, went back to the UK for a weekend, and what a great weekend it was. Friday got back in the afternoon and tried out the new recipe for Yorkshire puddings at Sal's - Wow! does that work or what, all done on volume - take a cup (measure or actual cup) and fill with flour, then with eggs, then with milk and whisk - it looks a lot thinner than I would normally have done, but my god do they rise!
Had a great evening with Sal, Al, Steve and Angie and a great joint of beef, rosties, butternut squash, yorkshires and gravy, followed by a fantastic apple and fresh blackberry crumble and custard - or cream and custard if you are Al - then a great smelly selection of cheeses from France.

Saturday, was out and about in Chesham, Wycombe, Berkhamsted and Northchurch... Nice coffee and lunch in Wycombe with friends, then later a beer in Northchurch at the George and Dragon. Saturday evening was Matt and Teresas "UK" reception, great to catch up with friends and people I haven't seen for almost a year... great beer - thanks Matt - great company thanks to everyone...

Sunday... Cricket, in the beautiful english countryside in the beautiful warm english summer, with a picnic and good company - that would be the ideal...

Sunday... Cricket, in the beautiful english countryside, however, the weather... cold, spots of rain, really cold... Picnic, sweaters, raincoats, fleeces, and did I mention it was COLD... watched the first innings outside, but admitted defeat and retreated to the clubhouse for the second innings, at least it was out the wind and warm...

The day itself was great fun, and the music from the crown was great - chill rock, floydesque all really good - went slightly downhill with the screeching - singing(?) - girl but on the whole really good afternoon.

Come Monday and I didnt really want to return to France, all very strange and somewhat confusing for the mind to be honest, but back I came and back to the semi grindstone of work, still quiet as not everyone back from their holidays.

Strange week to say the least and the weekend has been spent cleaning, mopping and finaly sorting out the office/study on Saturday - Sunday went out for a 3 hour walk around the forest, took some pictures, but suprisingly little wildlife on show - also failed to find the lake - it's a lake how can you miss it!!!! Checked the map at the base and could see where I went wrong - pretty much on the wrong direction - better luck next week maybe...

Finally after making a great dinner of Entrecote, roasties and some yorkshires I didn't quite wrap the cloth all the way around the handle of the cast iron pan out the oven and have branded myself! A very shiny sore patch on the palm of the left hand, and after an hour of ice still throbs like someone has a small iron pressed onto it.

Oh well, that's life and things go on, so onwards and upwards and hoping that things continue to improve.

Note to self - No Bakewell! To be rectified next visit...!

Location, location, location...

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They say location is everything and I can't think of one better than this to be enjoying a Sunday breakfast of coffee; juice and Pain au Lait - fantastic views and a fair bit of wildlife to look at whilst enjoying it.

During the course of breakfast, there were two or three Nuthatches coming for sunflower seeds about two feet from my position, along with a few more timid Blue tits and suchlike.

Then along came "Tufty" - showing my age there - and with the Mission Impossible music in my head, scampered over the garden looking for somewhere to bury his nuts...

Next to appear was either a Buzzard or a Gosshawk, I have seen many, many Buzzards in Wales, and I have the feeling this isnt "just" a Buzzard. Looks like it has a roost - or whatever it is called - down in the trees at the foot of the valley, really pushing the 300mm lens to the limit and still dont have a tripod to make the most of the distance. Could probably do with an 800mm and a decent tripod if he keeps using the perch.

Also here are the promised Praying Mantis pictures, and it is a European Praying Mantis - apparently they think the female eating the male is only something that happens in lab conditions and not in the wild, hell of a way to go though!

Tough choices...

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Well not an awfully tough choice really, planned to get up early and head off to L'isle Jourdan where there is a great Saturday morning market. However the best laid plans of mice - mouse, hunt argghh - and men...

A late night mainly due to the heat and not actually feeling tired so watched films and tried to perfect the Margarita recipe - still not got the Cointreau/Triple Sec - seemed to taste pretty damn good though...

So a lie in today and surfaced mid morning, and realised that I couldnt possibly go out and not be able to listen to the cricket, there are a couple of bars in the locale that would have it on tv but with the choice of sitting in my own garden, with the pool and unlimited food and drink to hand it seemed a shame to go sit in a sweaty(?) bar - rigged a speaker up so I can sit outside overlooking the pool and garden - which is where I am typing this, it's 30dC and nice being in the shade with the cool breeze just ruffling the leaves.

Anyway all is well England are building nicely Freddie came on for his cameo thrash and now I think another 100 for a 500 lead should be about... but this is the ashes... unbeatable.

Had a very unusual week, with all sorts of things going on, not a lot at work as still quiet, although looks like it will be back to normal next week.

The Lidl addiction is under control to some extent as only two visits in the week, and one was to get something specific on the day it was made available - a snazzy Stanley mobile toolbox/workshop thing for €39 - online about £50-£75 so seems like a bargain and somewhere to put all the tools and bits of pieces that currently lie around on a bench and in a wheelbarrow - I kid you not! - so should help tidy the garage up. All I need know is a rainy day to spend indoors sorting them out!

Have managed to spend a little time working on the video footage that was taken of the show Magical Musical Movies by CMTC, the video is quite dark and not the best quality, however I seem to have been able to get something that may or may not be good enough for cast etc to want a copy. I will take a rough sample back at the weekend and have it reviewed and see what the feelings are. Thank you to Premier Pro CS4, I had persevered with Pinnacle studio but this does knock the socks off it, mind you at a suitably inflated price - managing to do the testing on a trial licence guess will have to see what the options are when that expires...

Getting in the mood for another brief return to blighty next weekend, dinners, wedding reception parties and a spot of cricket (watching) are on the cards, and with any luck a nice piece of Almond Bakewell slice.

Friday afternoon will be - how to make Yorkshire puddings that rise... Aunt Bessie will be an emergency back up plan, but I am confident we wont be needing her help!!! Then a fantastic - no doubt - english roast dinner, good company, few drinks, almost perfect.

No pics in this post, but there are a couple to download from the camera of what looks to me like a praying mantis... do they have them here... research required... then will post the answer with the pictures.

Right I think a swim is on the cards, having topped the pool up with water, and it is looking to inviting to ignore anymore, so will sign off and maybe try and do another post later in the weekend with the mantis or whatever it is!
Bon Journee

Wheeww...

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Wow, what a day 95d in the shade at the house, was actually to hot to sit in the sun. Thank god for the shutters on the french (well they would be) windows, open the windows close the shutters and you get the most wonderful cool cave of a house to retreat to in the midday heat.

Cooling off in the pool later the temp was still in the 90's but at least the intense rays of the sun had abated somewhat. Major issue in first running out of Bombay Sapphire(R) and then running out of lemonade for the Pimms(R), could have been a calamity if I didn't have to hand most of the makings of Margaritas (not the Pizza!) Tequila, Syrup du Citron, sparkling (works well) water - haven't got or seen anywhere Triple Sec, not even sure what it is or what an alternative might be - so for now Triple Sec less Margarita.

*** Just wikipedia'd it and Triple Sec is an orange liqueur and Cointreau will do as a replacement - right off to Hypermarche on Monday!***

There is always a stubby French or Belgian beer to quench the first if all else fails...

Another lesson learnt last night, don't leave the kitchen doors to the balcony open and the light on all evening, it was something out of a Lepidopterists dream, must have been 40-50 different ones flitting around the light.

Have stupidly been drawn into killing the odd moment on Facebook with Mouse Hunt and Farmville - will try and limit the addiction to work time... so as not to interrupt free time... -- And there we go 30 minutes later back to the blog after catching mice and tending the crops arrrghhhh.

As promised in an earlier post here is a picture of me in the shirt that the Indonesians gave me as a souvenir of their visit - funny thought it was the other way around when you visited -, comments on a postcard please, is this the new fashion for around the pool? I think I would feel more like a waiter at an exotic beach hotel to be honest.

I don't think the shorts help in anyway either!

Well it is creeping up again 32d now at 13:25 (that is the time not the price or order number on a Chinese menu...A.M. take note...)

Have to make the lunch decision soon, think it may well be a giant bruschetta day with something cold to wash it down with, then maybe a quick swim and a read of a great book called "Merde Actually" the follow up to "A Year in the Merde", very funny tales of one mans attempts to start a Parisian English Tea Shop...

Strikes a cord on many levels and I have had some funny looks from the cats when I laugh out loud - probably madness setting in, although I am trying to limit my full conversations with the cats to try and avoid going to far down that path!

Something I am still trying to stop is one of the cats seems to think the pool is just the biggest water bowl ever and keeps trying to drink it, this involves hanging over the edge to just before the point of falling in and I do think any day now there will be an almighty splash and one very wet pussy on the side of the pool. We can but hope...

Right off to make the lunch, find a chilled one and generally do nothing to strenuous for the rest of the day, may try and get the watercolours out and see if I can make any headway with the painting again, too hot to go out with the camera and too nice to be sat indoors on the computer.

Have to sort out photos and am also trying to make a show DVD from really poor (dark) footage (MMM for those in the know) have made some progress in getting a decent picture just need to treat all the footage and edit it together into a coherent movie. It may be done by the time I come back at the end of the month - I will at least have a sample of it to show to the director to see if it is worth pursuing.

Right really off this time. Au revoir.

Meteorites and clear skys

Spent the hours between 11.oopm and 2.00am in a lounger looking at the sky, took a bunch of pictures and hoped to catch a couple of meteroites from the Perseides.

Once I looked at the pictures this morning and turned up the brightness there were more there than I had seen with the naked eye! I saw about two dozen over the three hours and the sky was so clear it was amazing.



Improvised a tripod by sitting the camera on the table facing up and using the laptop to control it to try and avoid shake, for the horizon shots the same table and a clothes peg as a lens prop gave the right angle to the sky.

Hopefully looking at the pictures full size will show the meteorite trails.

the second picture has one at the top edge just left of centre coming diagonally down

Third picture is of star trails, two minute exposure to see the rotation of the earth.

the others you will just have to hunt the trails!

There are larger ones here - http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3280134&l=e9931ae11f&id=581406158

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Back to France & Home...?

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Back to France on Sunday and it is feeling like home, and where I should be, not that I don't enjoy catching up and going out back in Chesham!

Thanks to Erick for popping in and making sure all was well whilst I was away.

Got back to find that no raves or tea dances had been organised by the parents whilst I was away - however, there does seem to have been some unwanted habits being introduced to the cats.

Having them line up at 7.00 every evening for "grooming time" is a little tedious, but their coats are testament to the good it does them.

Have had a nice week off with the parents and relaxing for a couple of days, a day in Toulouse with coffees, lunches and lots of walking. Have been feeling a little under the weather with a sore throat and with a minor nose bleed was catagorised as a swine flu victim by my mum!!! However, it has done nothing worse than a sore throat so not going to be retiring to my bed for a week yet!!!

Last evening with a house full tonight and then back to normality(?) tomorrow night, no bookings, no threats of visits for the forseable future - so that means I get to do my own thing after 3 weeks of visitors - Hurrah - but I will miss them all, honest!!

Hottest day so far today 34dC in the shade - very, very hot in the sun! Had an hour in the pool with dad inveting games with a mini american football (remember that one A & S?), and a swimming ring, resisted the temptation to throw the ball when dad put his head through the hole though!!!

BBQ this evening and then a very hot evening, going to be trouble sleeping tonight me thinks.

All for now, may be able to upload some pics later.

Blighty, reunions and good times

Had a great week back in the UK - the training went well and I even got a rather "snazzy" Indonesian batik shirt as a present - pics to follow, maybe!

Good to catch up with so many friends who made the time back in the UK great fun, have to admit it was a little wierd being back and not being in my house, but at least I have (probably) got tenants in there now, so onwards and upwards in the landlord world. A huge thanks to "he who shall not be named" for all the work that he did to get things spic and span, and also to his little house elf helper!

Managed to get to the get out for the Pepper Show and catch up with everyone, sorry it wasnt longer or that I could have got there earlier and seen what the show was like. Also fitted in a 60th birthday and to be honest he doesnt look a day over 65...

Still enjoying the golf, even after playing a "proper" course, at Chartridge with hills and ponds and narrow fairways, a bit of a difference to the wide open plains of Wexham! Thanks Mr T and Mr H, hopefully we will do it again end of the month?

Friday had a great evening out for a Thai, beer and a catch up with Mr R, to say there was a lot of 'Casualty' talk would be doing the evening a disservice - however, it was fantastic and a great evening, and I hope that Mr R got home ok...

Saturday, busy, busy, busy, over to Little Chalfont to see Mr & Mrs S and their fantastic lovely new house, what a great AWNING!
Then shot over to Harrow - sorry for running out R&B! - to meet up with Aunt and Cousin for a Dim Sum luncheon, had a great couple of hours and at least it is breaking the 16 year meeting interval previously experienced between me and S!!!

Did a little shopping then and picked up Wii Sports Resort and Tiger Woods (got to improve the golf!!!) complete with 2x Wii motion plus - (already tried them out "brilliant"!)

Got back for Mr H's birthday bash, another fun evening and another international menu - Indian this time - great laughs and too much to eat but that is the way to celebrate!

Sadly had to leave Sunday before there was time to enjoy and english roast - manged Thai, Chinese, Indian but not an english roast!!! - must try harder next time.

End of the invasion and a fool in the sun

Well that is the visit - or invasion - over, Sister and family are back safe in the Swine Flu capital of the UK, Leicester.

We all had a great time and I think they all seemed to enjoy themselves. The cats are already missing the extra grooming that they lined up for each evening. Oh well something for the parents to continue this coming week.

Off to the UK tomorrrow for a week running some training in the London facility, hopefully time to get out and have some fun with friends

whilst I am there as well - not all work and no play.

Seem to be accomplished at making an arse of myself this year, and no sign of it letting up, you sometimes do things that on reflection you should just leave well alone and not knowing an answer is often better than finding out the truth.

Hey ho, working on the basis that you can only go so far in the wrong direction before you realise that you need to turn around and sort things out. Also that you cant always read things wrong and at some point you will make the right choice and decision and life might just start to come together - sounds like bollocks but what the heck.

Will it happen, who knows...

Love this picture of the sunflower field with Ginny and Lily.

MONKEY!!!

AT LAST!
With the help of Lily we managed to track down the elusive monkey at the bottom of the garden!



Managed to get a couple of snaps of it as it sat in the tree...













Still unaware we were there, we tried to get around the other side of the copse...














Tricky focusing through the leaves in front of the animal...











AH HA - there it is MONKEY













Seems to be happy, will be putting bananas out to see if it comes back!!!!

Wrinkled as a prune? Reclining and fun

Invasion two has started and the pool is getting more than its fair share of use, even with the temperature significantly lower than in recent weeks.

This doesn't seem to bother Lily though, ans it is likely that she will return to England in a similar condition to a prune!

Been a great couple of days so far, and today the new sofas arrived - in six boxes... spent an hour with Dan putting them together - funnily the cricket was on at the same time, so that helped keep us busy.

The reclining parts are fantastic and they are going to come in all sorts of use.




A few pictures of the family - Lily and I enjoying some evening sun.























Lily looking out over the French countryside, the Gers in the background.

Lily enjoying the pool.

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A typical morning...?

Get up; shower; put coffee on, find a pastry.

Wander outside and fish out 3 frogs from the pool and sundry leaves after the most amazing storm last night - lightning and thunder for about 6 hours, forked lightning was spectacular, but the lightning inside the clouds during the sunset was amazing, wish I had a video camera - anyway back to the morning.

Catch fledgling Redstart flying/hoping around the living room! - not sure how long he had been there - Release to anxious parents perching on the balcony making all sorts of encouraging (for birds I guess) noises, he managed to fly to the trees so nothing wrong by the look of him.

Red Squirrel back again that's three times this week, along with about four green woodpeckers, and was awoken by the haunting sound of the Golden Oriole - still not got a good look at it, it's about as elusive as a Golden Snitch!

Set off to work 8.49 - arrived 9.15 as traffic better at the later time.... hmmm, maybe a longer lie in can be had...

Anyway off to pretend to work until the cricket starts, and then collecting Sister, husband and daughter this afternoon - already had complaints about the rain...! I am sure it will clear up...

Golf day pictures - deserved their own comments...

A very nice swing for the Stag to start the day... but did it continue?
















A rare picture of Steve not in the bushes taking relief... not the golfing kind...



















Stance is very important apparently...

Post game debrief over a beverage

The Elephant and Castle, Old Amersham, continuing the debrief and starting the hunt for the BB...

"I can hang here all night, look one hand!"

"She hasn't got one, honest..."

Something deeply interesting no doubt...

And finally FOOD - or more food in some cases...

Indian(s), Golf and missing belly buttons

Well what a great weekend, got back to the UK on Friday and after paying a trip to Hings for Haddock, Chips and Mushy Peas - cant get anything like that here - spent an afternoon at the house and meeting the agent to discuss what needed to be done to bring it up to rental standard.

Then ventured up to the golf range for a first swing at a ball in anger, 60 balls £3 or 59.5 if you are Mr H... - I later realised that having said I never played I wasn't including time on the Wii, does that count... - After the range a little putting practice and then back to Chez H for a shower and get ready to go out. Half an eye on the Ashes test as well, was looking to be slightly disappointing after such a strong looking start.

Went out and had a wholly enjoyable evening in the company of Mr T; Mss B and Mr H; venue the Rajhastan - and my what a fab meal that was. It has been at least two months since Indian food has passed my lips and it was a joy to again taste the peshwari nan, Tamarind chicken and sundries.

Saturday met a friend over coffee in the morning and then the afternoon was the start of Mr Smiths Stag... Mr H and myself met up with Mr T; Mr F and drove (courtesy of Mr F) over to Wexham park club.
Found most of the other participants already onto their first/second drink and first/second meal by the time we got there. So ordered a beer - nothing "proper" on the pump, grrrr - and then a Roast Beef sandwich and fat chips, something else France lacks - Beer; roast beef sarnie and fat chips!

After some of the guys had hired clubs and we all payed our green fees, we headed off to the range or putting greens for some pre-match warm up. 20 Balls a £1 and not to many wasted ones!

Off to the course - after what seemed like a walk to the next county... we all arrived at the first tee, so the first group lined themselves up and started to swing at the ball, there was a lot of swinging and not a lot of hitting at various times in the day, but eventually they made it away, followed by the second group and then finally our four.
Well first clatter went fairly well with it staying on the fairway - not overly distant but at least it was playable. So ensued a very enjoyable 2 1/2 hours of 9 holes of golf, a little drizzle on the 6th - unless you Mr T who had a little drizzle on the 1st, 3rd, 4th 6th etc, etc. - but other than that a thoroughly enjoyable time.

Once we had all gathered at the 9th it was back to return clubs, make sure the beer was still okay and then plan to retire to Amersham for the evening.

Got to Amersham about 6.30 and went to the lovely Elephant and Castle, great pub and actually had people in it who could communicate and were not slumped over bags of post benefit cheque shopping, unlike Chesham at the moment.

Well a few well deserved libations and conversation - at least on our side of the bar - turned to the location of the barmaids belly button or even the existence of one, low slung jeans and a top rolled up, showing off an extremely flat and toned tummy if we are fair, and yet no sign of a belly button - inny or outy - so was it very high, very low or could she be a test tube clone...
After contemplating and deciding that it may well result in a slap if broached we moved of to the Indian restaurant that was booked... the numbers it was booked for seems to have gone astray during the booking process was it 8 at 10 or 10 at 8... whatever we all eventually made it around the table - Second Indian in two days and the opportunity to have the other favourite dishes, fantastic.

Food was great, company entertaining and a great evening was had by all, eventually replete and happy we made our way back to the Elephant and Castle - still no sign of it... - and had a further round or two of libations.

Then a weird thing happened a bell rang at just before 11... had we inadvertently stepped through a rift in the space time continuum? No Old Amersham has Old Licencing - to be fair it is very residential, so drinking up time and last orders were still going strong.

We then made our way home - again courtesy of Mr F. What a star!

A big thanks to all the organising committee and good luck to Matt - you surely won't need it... - and see you next as Mr Smith - no change there other than you might not be allowed out I guess...

Apparently the complex scoring, handicapping and general convoluted rules used means it could be several more days before the overall finishing positions are revealed... There may also be some pictures posted here if Mr T official snapper manages to download off his camera - hint, hint!

Bats, Hornets(?) and gardening

A really busy week at work, was good to get to the weekend and time to relax(ish).

The garden flower beds and roses and all the climbing plants have been taken into hand - not by me, but the owner was visiting from Australia and decided to come over and do some maintenance.

Also ended up with four children in the pool for the afternoon, courtesy of next door, they seemed to have fun, and I didn't end up charging the €5 a head I thought about...

At least I know have an idea of which are the weeds and which are the plants, so hopefully can keep it in check from now on.

A rather large hornet type thing decided to try and make a nest in the railings of the balcony, was quite fascinating watching it build a spit and soil nest - although I did get rid of it as the thought of a hornets nest on the balcony didnt seem condusive to relaxing times, watching the sun go down, which is does so well!.

Saturday night was livened up with the visit from another bat, although this one decided to hang around - literally - and I ended up collecting it off the wall and taking it out to the balcony to release. Stupidly failing to take a picture of it when I had it so the only one I got was on the wall so a little odd as it hangs from a crack in the plaster.

Was great seeing it unfold its wings just before it launched itself out my hand and into the darkness.

Sunday started on hands and knees adding some nourishment to the parquet flooring in the 2nd bedroom downstairs, getting it ready for visitors later in the month. Then a spot of gardening and pool chores, followed by pool testing.

The sun was obviously a little stronger than I thought and I have slightly red thighs... think I caught it in time though...

Looking forward to being back at the weekend for Matt's stag, still not convinced on the golf front, but we will see, should be good fun whatever happens.

Also hoping to meet up with a few more old friends and catch up over the weekend.

Hopefully will be an easier (quieter) week this week!!!