Dan Dare!

Dan Dare

Originally uploaded by garda.
While trying out the new scanner (very impressive) started on slides. Came across some pictures taken of Dan Dare comics, not taken by myself but the owner I am sure will be mightily impressed. A word of warning though, be careful of those ‘dense pockets of interplanatery gas’ when flying over the Cambridgeshire countryside! For more of these check out Flickr.com.

Retro man

Off to seek fame and fortune

Originally uploaded by garda.

Dressed to impress.

The Magic Number

It is a mystery, why when the dishwasher is set to automatic, does it choose a random number of minutes. Is it by weight, or is it like the lottery and one day there will be a big prize? Tonight the lucky number was 118! Does anyone care to enlighten me as to the reasoning behind this?

Weather

To go from 20 degrees to 0 degrees almost overnight is worth a comment. Well for me excitement mounts as I am back to my trusty Rab. Those of you who are not as lucky as I am to own a Rab (down jacket made in UK) are missing a great deal. Once on never removed, all the better for finding £2.00 in the pocket. So discard all those designer coats and try out one of these comfort zones. http://www.rab.uk.com/products_down.html.

Unfortunate dates

If you like myself are sitting blogging with the noise of fireworks penetrating the double glazing then it must be close to November 5th. Halloween has been and gone and I have hung up my witches broomstick for another year. Once again we celebrate the disembowelment of an unfortunate Catholic spy named Guy Fawkes. Tasteless and rather noisy. Not confined to one occasion, but an ongoing celebration that lasts for days. Guy Fawkes is followed by Rememberance Day 11th November. Armistice day of the First World War remembering those that fell in the wars. However, if you are one of those that just happens to carry this date as a birthday, chirpy music is not the order of the day, more the massed bands playing a slow march followed by The Last Post. Not a recipe for a rave up, hence the gloom and doom that penetrates my mood as I approach this time of the year. Added to this the clocks have changed and the early evenings seem dark and dismal.

Food for Thought

A funeral is thought provoking, a frenzy of putting ones own life in order and odd coincidences. I was both charmed and comforted to read ‘My guide to old age’ by Brian Aldiss in the Guardian Wednesday 1 November

Long time no blog

Have seen some of Tunisia, nice place, great weather, good food, but like everywhere Tunisia is on the tourist map. Sidi Bou Said a nightmare of kiss me quick hat shops and frantic tour leaders waving ping pong bats with bus numbers. Found some refuge with the music collection kept in the Palace of Baron d’Erlanger. The mosaics in the Bardo Museum breathtaking, could quite happily have one of them for the ‘back yard’, unfortunately had to fight through the crowds. Passed through Carthage to avoid the tour buses (wonder what Hanibal would make of all of this), but the name sounds good. Checked out the colosseum at El Jem and am up-to-date on ruins, however for Roman ruins, consider that Jerash in Jordan takes first prize.

Red Bananas

I’m not sure about climate change, but it is October 15th and I have Red Bananas growing outside!

My Week

Like many others work occupied most of my week – nothing much to report on that side except that the weather is glorious and I have been stuck inside. However. the swimming continues and I have managed to fit in 6 kms this week and met a swimming coach. Reason for wanting to buy into a swimming lesson is Bubble Boy. I am told that nothing intimidates more than tumble turns and this needs to be perfected without making a total fool of myself. Having completed a kilometer and deciding to go for the go faster drill option, was joined in my lane by another swimmer. We negoitated sides, he on the left, myself on the right. This usually works well, nobody has to lap. After a couple of lengths I was asked if I could synchronise my swimming so not to swim in front of him, apparently my wake was disturbing and that there were too many bubbles! Being lost for words action is called for, hence the need to perfect tumble turns before another encounter with BB.

Went to a movie this week, Little Miss Sunshine. Good and worth the effort.

According to the Saturday Independent Tunisia is now very much on the map. Splashed across two pages. so have obviously booked the right place for a warm break. The DVD this week is therefore the Life of Brian, filmed on location in Tunisia.

Talking Books

Now this is a great idea and doubles as a sleeping pill.  Have just finished ‘The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger’  Good book, full of information about weather and fishing and deserves attention.  That and the Perfect Catch on TV will cure me of ever wanting to take to the sea (not that I ever wanted to).  Even the idea of a cruise fills me with horror, locked into an environment without an escape clause plus organised entertainment is not top of my list as having a fun time; although pottering up the Nile could be considered.

I diverse.  Newest book to listen to is Sahara read by Michael Palin.  Next travel plans are to Tunisia and I thought that this plus the usual Lonely Planet Guide would get me fully informed on Tunisian Highlights, certainly enough to bore everyone around me.  Note to self.  Must keep awake during this whistle stop tour of the Sahara. Maybe it would be a good idea if Keywords could be part of the IPOD menu.