tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81830303410223665802024-03-08T04:18:09.124+00:00simon murray garden servicesSimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-16133231175612164392014-01-25T17:28:00.001+00:002014-01-25T17:30:12.931+00:00...this is getting foolish......I keep forgetting to blog. That's not good blogging is it?<br />
<br />
I have to get some discipline into this mallarkey and blog like a blogger who blogs like a blogger - perhaps.<br />
<br />
Here's some pictures from recent times...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Z4aFwygnek/UuPuCMQkrsI/AAAAAAAAB8k/WNA9qsgqwVk/s1600/1452359_413658808761452_895628991_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Z4aFwygnek/UuPuCMQkrsI/AAAAAAAAB8k/WNA9qsgqwVk/s1600/1452359_413658808761452_895628991_n.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back end of last summer at Quainton. The re-vamped lawn and a very tall bloke to cut it</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3dvIU8lluFY/UuPuEXdIkcI/AAAAAAAAB9s/eNcqlbrCpbs/s1600/1609126_437440929716573_435519024_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3dvIU8lluFY/UuPuEXdIkcI/AAAAAAAAB9s/eNcqlbrCpbs/s1600/1609126_437440929716573_435519024_o.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Again at Quainton, lots of wood, a bonfire and some<br />
logs for the log burners in the house, transferred to<br />
to the old potting shed for drying out, below </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mZvJVWQhT-A/UuPuCO-MhSI/AAAAAAAAB88/R1NGtW2K5ig/s1600/1548359_437441263049873_134576219_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mZvJVWQhT-A/UuPuCO-MhSI/AAAAAAAAB88/R1NGtW2K5ig/s1600/1548359_437441263049873_134576219_o.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x16R-1f4o1I/UuPuCTtGy7I/AAAAAAAAB80/_kpq2Y2I0vc/s1600/1061531_438388016288531_737306576_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x16R-1f4o1I/UuPuCTtGy7I/AAAAAAAAB80/_kpq2Y2I0vc/s1600/1061531_438388016288531_737306576_o.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Compost at Quainton...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0pb7VjmlP8o/UuPuC5liC1I/AAAAAAAAB9g/blEi8cfOKtA/s1600/1596066_441908582603141_369570729_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0pb7VjmlP8o/UuPuC5liC1I/AAAAAAAAB9g/blEi8cfOKtA/s1600/1596066_441908582603141_369570729_o.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and compost at Buckland, lovely stuff</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2zruprbARaw/UuPuDMp8TWI/AAAAAAAAB9U/lmtcnMkbe00/s1600/1596377_438823149578351_21232723_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2zruprbARaw/UuPuDMp8TWI/AAAAAAAAB9U/lmtcnMkbe00/s1600/1596377_438823149578351_21232723_o.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowdrops last week at Buckland</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6JZRZ7OYT6A/UuPuEJMqsVI/AAAAAAAAB9k/vAEkm1tFvN0/s1600/1604063_441908549269811_113008634_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6JZRZ7OYT6A/UuPuEJMqsVI/AAAAAAAAB9k/vAEkm1tFvN0/s1600/1604063_441908549269811_113008634_o.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hellibores at Buckland too</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x5L2h7CJZx0/UuPuEZ0e8pI/AAAAAAAAB94/Tsoy_xyD7Pc/s1600/1606573_440867042707295_548830713_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x5L2h7CJZx0/UuPuEZ0e8pI/AAAAAAAAB94/Tsoy_xyD7Pc/s1600/1606573_440867042707295_548830713_o.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorting the compost at Dancer's End I turned round and saw this scene - <br />
when will winter start?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ivedsgsths4/UuPuEj81bLI/AAAAAAAAB90/CgpWCrMWet8/s1600/1611682_438705782923421_991305893_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ivedsgsths4/UuPuEj81bLI/AAAAAAAAB90/CgpWCrMWet8/s1600/1611682_438705782923421_991305893_o.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last of the leaves at Buckland... Or not</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Strange winter really, I've only lost 2 days so far, not forgetting I have been totally drenched on several occasions, even with full waterproofs on. Just hasn't been cold enough to call it winter.<br />
<br />
A guy who totally changed my life, one way or the other, died a while back and I went back to the scene of many long hours spent getting cold, wet and abused. Here I am with one of my dear comrades, Patrick, from the Non-Stop Picket outside SA House in Trafalgar Square...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0-Dp28Yr_d0/UuPuCvtWGbI/AAAAAAAAB9A/8fQUdppWaW4/s1600/1558831_437440733049926_248642917_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0-Dp28Yr_d0/UuPuCvtWGbI/AAAAAAAAB9A/8fQUdppWaW4/s1600/1558831_437440733049926_248642917_n.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was so wet on that day too, but Nelson Mandela kept us warm.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This was on the day of Madiba's funeral. About 20 old picketers turned up, we had a sing, a coffee in the crypt of St Martin's in the Field and I felt like a big piece of my life had finally come to it's end. The picket and my comrades mean more to me than almost anything in my life. Only my family mean more. I love them all - even the RCG...<br />
<br />
And finally, saw this in our local farm shop recently...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lC1kxWTI9wY/UuPuDVULvaI/AAAAAAAAB9Y/yL3Y9Y_pgk0/s1600/1596530_437438993050100_1043689898_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lC1kxWTI9wY/UuPuDVULvaI/AAAAAAAAB9Y/yL3Y9Y_pgk0/s1600/1596530_437438993050100_1043689898_o.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
...who would want to buy a Poultry Plucker at all, let alone for 250 quid!<br />
<br />
Peace innit?SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-69205699656086175942013-08-27T22:41:00.000+01:002013-08-27T22:41:25.850+01:00A few new bits of work<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hello again!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All this year I have been resurrecting mostly lawns and have I learnt a lot? Yes I have.</span><br />
<br />
The biggest thing I've learned is it's bloomin' hard work guv'nor. Raking out moss and thatch, removing old tired turf and laying new stuff, but most of all creating a new lawn with nothing but seed, fertiliser and a wing and a prayer.<br />
<br />
The first of two I will show tonight dear reader is Quainton. This is the garden that has been thoroughly destroyed by very necessary building works and as you can see it really did look like the set of Blackadder Goes Forth. The Somme.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gbbLfQIm344/UKLFxYaLM0I/AAAAAAAAB0g/1UztEBPM7Sw/s1600/photo0055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gbbLfQIm344/UKLFxYaLM0I/AAAAAAAAB0g/1UztEBPM7Sw/s640/photo0055.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In June, with the help of a couple of the builders, we levelled the ground as much as possible and this is what it looks like in August (6th August, just six weeks later).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--tn8XcYWXRg/Uh0aOFBnWVI/AAAAAAAAB7w/pHRSceML_7s/s1600/Quainton+new+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="451" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--tn8XcYWXRg/Uh0aOFBnWVI/AAAAAAAAB7w/pHRSceML_7s/s640/Quainton+new+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T3BEUhMC9y0/Uh0aNX4CvII/AAAAAAAAB7o/5CTIBzIiMLQ/s1600/Quainton+new+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T3BEUhMC9y0/Uh0aNX4CvII/AAAAAAAAB7o/5CTIBzIiMLQ/s320/Quainton+new+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Obviously still a bit rough and there are still some patches but it is doing so well. The trench you see in the above shot ran right through the middle of the first of the new pictures. Isn't nature a wunnerful thing?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And the second revamped garden is in Tring and belongs to a couple of friends - stupidly I forgot to take some before shots, but trust me this is very different to what was there just two weeks ago. Again a major builder led catastrophe, but now a simple little garden that I think enhances the front...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z3eFpPFOefs/Uh0aBxI_PVI/AAAAAAAAB7M/fkhcZ0o1pvA/s1600/2013-08-27+12.57.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z3eFpPFOefs/Uh0aBxI_PVI/AAAAAAAAB7M/fkhcZ0o1pvA/s640/2013-08-27+12.57.13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P3mlB2Au51Y/Uh0aDp0BXcI/AAAAAAAAB7k/6dkgsKfsgg0/s1600/2013-08-27+12.57.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P3mlB2Au51Y/Uh0aDp0BXcI/AAAAAAAAB7k/6dkgsKfsgg0/s320/2013-08-27+12.57.43.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
...please ignore the bald bit on the far right, this was a hideously underestimated turf supply. Note finely trimmed hideous laurel hedge and topiary round the windows. I do like a bit trimming.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So pleased to be back writing this tosh, I will try to keep it up as I do enjoy it, not as much as the work, but it has it's ability to soothe my fevered brow.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Happy daze...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-31905002545502146762013-08-19T22:42:00.002+01:002013-08-19T22:46:30.228+01:00Ode to...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...THE TRUG</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AG-OQ-yyV-A/UecTzQ_nMTI/AAAAAAAAB5w/a3i9Ssu73VQ/s1600/2013-07-17+09.19.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AG-OQ-yyV-A/UecTzQ_nMTI/AAAAAAAAB5w/a3i9Ssu73VQ/s640/2013-07-17+09.19.02.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh trug, I'd like to give you a hug,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You lovely black plastic recepta</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">cle</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That holds so much, in servitude</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of all that is hard work and acceptable</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You sit there in obedience, waiting</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Waiting for the detritus of my work</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You never shirk or cry off sick</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You that holds me in patience</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So black, not white like a dove</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A thing of beauty, a thing of love...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Not really, but it is quite good - keep on trugging)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">PS: Just one thing, if one more idiot posts a link to a poxy viagara website or a weird sexually deviant website or to some Nigerian based website advertising stuff I really don't want to know about...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgmO32IdwuE<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgmO32IdwuE" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgmO32IdwuE</a></span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-17335327031764199892013-03-26T23:17:00.000+00:002013-03-26T23:17:13.816+00:00Burn baby burn...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...garden inferno at Quainton today. Perfect for a pyromaniac like me. I've been saving up tons of stuff, built a large bonfire and then set a match to it, woomph!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It looked not unlike this:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A2-eR52dT94/UVImvwn784I/AAAAAAAAB4M/soEb3fwZWik/s1600/beltane2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A2-eR52dT94/UVImvwn784I/AAAAAAAAB4M/soEb3fwZWik/s640/beltane2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...I lied, it looked more like the one below...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FhZSq6OUBQg/UVImx3DQdeI/AAAAAAAAB4U/wLD1tM1tsb4/s1600/Unknown-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="416" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FhZSq6OUBQg/UVImx3DQdeI/AAAAAAAAB4U/wLD1tM1tsb4/s640/Unknown-1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...oh dear, lied again...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CW3wAggh2lI/UVInVufmljI/AAAAAAAAB4c/tn6X_iGUL0U/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="299" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CW3wAggh2lI/UVInVufmljI/AAAAAAAAB4c/tn6X_iGUL0U/s400/images.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yeah, that was it, bit like this one.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Must remember to take my camera to work more often, the one on the new phone is poxy, anyway the fire was splendid, lasted all day and caused no complaints for once, which is nice - not fond of people complaining.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not long ago I was working on the old compost area at Quainton - which is now the new compost area (see below) - and this old-ish couple leant on the wall and commenced watching what I was doing. It got a bit unnerving after about five minutes, I had smiled but they kind of ignored that, so I said, "Can I help you?" "What you doing?" asked the man. "Clearing the compost area," I replied. "Why?" asked the man - the woman just frowned. "Why not?" I replied. "Just asking," she said. They then moved on. Bizarre some country folk.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pp6V-Mw4lD0/UVIoeUl3VmI/AAAAAAAAB4o/Uy1sC86FGu0/s1600/photo0023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pp6V-Mw4lD0/UVIoeUl3VmI/AAAAAAAAB4o/Uy1sC86FGu0/s320/photo0023.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mCi_7O_gXz8/UVIoeXpXRII/AAAAAAAAB4k/Ns5lQXMOWG4/s1600/photo0024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mCi_7O_gXz8/UVIoeXpXRII/AAAAAAAAB4k/Ns5lQXMOWG4/s320/photo0024.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I hope to be remember to take the camera tomorrow, Thursday and Friday (yep, working Easter Friday and Monday too, bit hypocritical for an atheist not to really) just so I can update the gardens at Buckland, Hemel, Tring and Pat's in Berkhamsted...</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy burning baby...</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-80042617244109080072013-03-25T09:38:00.001+00:002013-03-25T09:43:21.953+00:00Brain freeze...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bloody hell, over three months since my last blog, that's shameless that is. It's not like I've been overly busy, just lazy as far as this is concerned. Shocking really.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the past three weeks I have been mainly up to my ankles in compost, digging it over and loading up wheel barrows full and transporting all round the four main gardens I work on. It's been a delight really, especially this week when it's actually been cold enough to be winter. However, I did give up on Monday afternoon, digging a vegetable plot in a blizzard (sort of), but back there tomorrow to finish it off.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Did I ever mention I like compost? Especially when I have made it - not literally of course, but from rotting leaves, grass cuttings and the like... </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's been sooooo cold recently, but I have been able to keep up the work on the four major gardens in Berkhamsted (Pat's place), Quainton (Rebecca), Dancer's End Tring and Julie's at Buckland. And, just as a reminder, if only for myself, this is what they look like in nice weather!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fAtQlcfaOn0/UVAWAh2LMqI/AAAAAAAAB20/HGiDCgEmzyA/s1600/P30-04-12_17-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fAtQlcfaOn0/UVAWAh2LMqI/AAAAAAAAB20/HGiDCgEmzyA/s400/P30-04-12_17-18.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pat's place last Spring - remember Spring? Apparently it was<br />20 degrees warmer at this time last year</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kZajGiQLLb0/UVAWV33Gn5I/AAAAAAAAB28/M40UfagK1-8/s1600/P24-04-12_15-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kZajGiQLLb0/UVAWV33Gn5I/AAAAAAAAB28/M40UfagK1-8/s640/P24-04-12_15-13.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The kitchen view at Quainton. It looks very different this year, I've<br />managed to move even more plants into this bed and got rid of the arch,<br />it was intrusive and fell apart when I attempted to take it down! I<br />have moved 17 rose bushes from the driveway too - as soon as the <br />weather gets more conducive to nice photography I am going to take<br />new shots of the garden prior to a major re-vamp, ie getting the lawns back<br />from the builders!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AHDAKwpeEko/UVAWdmYIxmI/AAAAAAAAB3E/5XdgwWfbWFM/s1600/P10-08-12_17-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AHDAKwpeEko/UVAWdmYIxmI/AAAAAAAAB3E/5XdgwWfbWFM/s640/P10-08-12_17-22.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dancer's End House in Tring. This garden keeps me very trim (ish...) it's all hills and dales<br />and enormous. Been tidying all the beds recently after weeks of sorting out the compost and<br />chopping and trimming and pruning. Burnt a lot of stuff</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oNPidjFVkhs/UVAX2RhFDYI/AAAAAAAAB3Q/yJvxHOsGirk/s1600/photo0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oNPidjFVkhs/UVAX2RhFDYI/AAAAAAAAB3Q/yJvxHOsGirk/s400/photo0005.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...same at Buckland. Tidy, tidy, tidy... Dug over<br />the rockery around the pond in a vain attempt<br />at getting rid of the mare's tail. Watch this space!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, I aim to get back into regular blogging again. I think the weather has got to me in such a way as to freeze not only my fingers but also my brain.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Keep warm... Peace and love, Simon x</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-67526389011406869112012-11-13T22:22:00.001+00:002012-11-13T22:29:44.087+00:00I knew it! There was a reason I'm doing this now...<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2232056/Gardeners-florists-named-UKs-happiest-workers-90-horticulturalists-enjoy-going-work.html" target="_blank">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2232056/Gardeners-florists-named-UKs-happiest-workers-90-horticulturalists-enjoy-going-work.html</a><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OK, it's from the Daily Mail so perhaps one would doubt the voracity of this story, but yep, I have never been happier at work. Every day brings something new and every day I end up having done something I can see the results of my labours - and it's always appreciated too.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Working at Argos on that brick they call a catalogue, I would flick through it thinking, "18,000 products in here, I don't want one of them..." Whereas, I can look back at my days work in any one of my lovely gardens and think, "Ahhhhh, that's nice!"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think the following pictures from this year are tantamount to that statement:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rPobkgdfQc0/UKK-IKVdUQI/AAAAAAAAByg/Ho-XmFA5ZN4/s1600/P02-05-12_15-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rPobkgdfQc0/UKK-IKVdUQI/AAAAAAAAByg/Ho-XmFA5ZN4/s400/P02-05-12_15-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MNVqOrguseE/UKK-JUl7-1I/AAAAAAAAByo/ggJA9ukxnWY/s1600/P10-08-12_16-32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MNVqOrguseE/UKK-JUl7-1I/AAAAAAAAByo/ggJA9ukxnWY/s640/P10-08-12_16-32.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jd6m1-Q5jNo/UKK-K6XqrII/AAAAAAAAByw/ciDIPwn8nC4/s1600/P23-08-12_11-48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jd6m1-Q5jNo/UKK-K6XqrII/AAAAAAAAByw/ciDIPwn8nC4/s400/P23-08-12_11-48.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zeo3omrIreE/UKK-MQAIjTI/AAAAAAAABy4/D_LkCT3KvmI/s1600/P26-07-12_15-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zeo3omrIreE/UKK-MQAIjTI/AAAAAAAABy4/D_LkCT3KvmI/s640/P26-07-12_15-19.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SVJGdwtyeZY/UKK-NIPsn0I/AAAAAAAABy8/6fVaC7VSeas/s1600/Photo0030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SVJGdwtyeZY/UKK-NIPsn0I/AAAAAAAABy8/6fVaC7VSeas/s640/Photo0030.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I do have such fun you know. Take today for example, on my way to Quainton (see below) I got stuck behind a cab that kept speeding up, slowing down; speeding up, slowing down. I assumed he was looking for somewhere, the home of his next fare for instance. But no. Oh no, this cab driver was in front of me for five, going on 25 miles - that's what it felt like.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We got to the new hideous estate just the other side of Aylesbury (see this link: <a href="http://simonmurraygardenservices.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/i-promise-not-to-mention-weather-part.html" target="_blank">http://simonmurraygardenservices.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/i-promise-not-to-mention-weather-part.html</a>) where there is a single track road with road works and a set of traffic lights. The lights turned red and said cab driver stopped in such a place as to make it near on impossible for the traffic coming from the opposite end of the road to get passed him. Stand off.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After a couple of minutes two rather large blokes got out of their cars and asked him to back up. Nothing. I got out and tapped on his window. He put his hand up and refused to even look at me. He was Indian, so unfortunately the two blokes got a tad racist.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I said,"He's a fuckwit because he's a fuckwit, not because he's Indian." The two blokes looked like they were going to take out their frustration on me, so I went back to my car. Thankfully the cabbie did back up enough for the on-coming deluge of cars to get passed. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course, after this protracted interlude, the lights had not only changed to green from our way, they had changed to red again, so we couldn't move. I say we, but the cabbie decided he would go anyway, meeting yet another line of on-coming traffic halfway. More stand off; more shouting; more I was thinking that I would never get to Quainton, a mere mile or so from the "beauty" of Kingsfield Park. He backed up, very slowly, after one of the workmen from the building site had "had a word".</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To cut a very long story short, we eventually got through the road works, on to the estate and he indicated that he was going to turn left into an unfinished road with about ten unfinished houses. He stopped. I hooted. He waved his hand at me again; my blood pressure started to rise - I mean I can take a joke, but fuck a pantomime!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He moved on at about 6mph and then indicated right, stopped, an on coming car full of kids and an irate looking mother nearly hit him. Then he moved on nearly hitting them. I was now beside myself with something akin to tourettes-a-gogo and would have stopped and let the bugger do whatever he was trying to do , but there were about 20 cars behind now. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally the cabbie turned right at the next road and I put my foot down. The last I saw of him was in the rear view mirror with one of the 20 cars chasing after him flashing his lights and hooting like a walrus on heat.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The legend on the back of the cabbie's car? "Serving Aylesbury for 25 years - exemplary!" Whatever that means...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4M60TSaKZ1Q/UKLFYuM0wNI/AAAAAAAAB0M/jVowysEcNCY/s1600/P20-03-12_16-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4M60TSaKZ1Q/UKLFYuM0wNI/AAAAAAAAB0M/jVowysEcNCY/s640/P20-03-12_16-18.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Quainton, Spring this year</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X-lB0TCAXY8/UKLFaQzVAQI/AAAAAAAAB0U/C8t9v3w0ddc/s1600/P10-04-12_16-35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X-lB0TCAXY8/UKLFaQzVAQI/AAAAAAAAB0U/C8t9v3w0ddc/s400/P10-04-12_16-35.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...again Spring, just cut the grass. Below, Quainton today<br />13th November 2012, a pretty good replica of the Somme...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gbbLfQIm344/UKLFxYaLM0I/AAAAAAAAB0g/1UztEBPM7Sw/s1600/photo0055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gbbLfQIm344/UKLFxYaLM0I/AAAAAAAAB0g/1UztEBPM7Sw/s640/photo0055.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, I'm happy, are you?</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-4943728174605299762012-10-25T01:39:00.000+01:002012-10-25T01:39:53.091+01:00Note to self...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...take a pen and piece of paper with you when you know you are going to ring up to check on an account and you forgot all the details and had to ring home to get them.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ERxcDrpXJMo/UIiF_i-BErI/AAAAAAAABvI/tvfCuRmHljw/s1600/Photo0039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ERxcDrpXJMo/UIiF_i-BErI/AAAAAAAABvI/tvfCuRmHljw/s640/Photo0039.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then, you won't have to write in the muck on your car's back window. I think this shall be my new motto.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Also, don't do this any more, as I think you may have bought about six pairs of secateurs this year.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NrmmAjd7KGg/UIiF-MC-g-I/AAAAAAAABvE/TXgu4MT6DC8/s1600/Photo0038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NrmmAjd7KGg/UIiF-MC-g-I/AAAAAAAABvE/TXgu4MT6DC8/s640/Photo0038.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Luckily, this time, I found them. I should get a gardening utility belt, but then again, I look too much of a prat already, so perhaps I won't</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On a political note, we got our polling cards for the forthcoming PCC elections. Apparently this is an acronym for Police and Crime Commissioner. OK, I'm not overly intelligent I know, but does that mean we're voting for people to commission crime? Which is bad enough, but commission the police too! I mean, what <i>IS</i> this bloody country coming too? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcYppAs6ZdI">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcYppAs6ZdI</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm here all week...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On that note I shall wish you well and bid you a safe journey home.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy badum tish!</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-10305051819589533092012-10-24T01:18:00.001+01:002012-10-24T01:18:33.181+01:00Automne; Herbst; Autunno; Otoño; Φθινόπωρο<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Autumn eh?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yep truly here and what does that bring? I'll tell you what it brings</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>LEAVES; Feuilles; Blätter; Congedi; Hojas; पत्ते</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Doesn't matter how one dresses it up, bloody leaves are everywhere. I go to sleep dreaming of 'em; I wake up thinking of 'em; my car is covered in 'em and the bloody kitten keeps bringing 'em into the house like she's caught, gutted and filleted a giraffe. So proud of herself...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fog; mist; mizzly rain and that's just in the car. Oh yeah, the car that just cost £277.01 to get through it's MoT - where the hell do these people get a penny from?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, the great clear up will continue through to next Spring, so at least I have a job for the Winter. Got lots of trimming and pruning to do too. Odds on it's gonna be a mild Winter after the weird Summer.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pictures!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1c-wOWW5pJw/UIct48igSjI/AAAAAAAABqc/IPhBOk5Xzak/s1600/photo0022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1c-wOWW5pJw/UIct48igSjI/AAAAAAAABqc/IPhBOk5Xzak/s640/photo0022.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The finished laurel hedge at Quainton - that's about four foot off the top</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H1gTZ22ULKg/UIct71IPA7I/AAAAAAAABq0/3vzOG0Fe5ms/s1600/photo0025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H1gTZ22ULKg/UIct71IPA7I/AAAAAAAABq0/3vzOG0Fe5ms/s320/photo0025.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And from the other side - this shows<br />the continuing dreadful mess from<br />the building works</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uJ2oDD8ekug/UIct54KCBKI/AAAAAAAABqk/VYY6Ya3x-s8/s1600/photo0023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uJ2oDD8ekug/UIct54KCBKI/AAAAAAAABqk/VYY6Ya3x-s8/s320/photo0023.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A new compost area at Quainton, made<br />from an old one</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BA7cf3Zs5sg/UIct6xFrXLI/AAAAAAAABqs/6vbQSsMN_Hw/s1600/photo0024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BA7cf3Zs5sg/UIct6xFrXLI/AAAAAAAABqs/6vbQSsMN_Hw/s400/photo0024.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j3bFN07INt0/UIct8gUtAOI/AAAAAAAABq8/CLh6Z4fC99c/s1600/photo0026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j3bFN07INt0/UIct8gUtAOI/AAAAAAAABq8/CLh6Z4fC99c/s640/photo0026.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Had to cut a path down to it and I really enjoyed it</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BiHRvAUG9gM/UIct_vmg94I/AAAAAAAABrY/0Mm_1QqqHis/s1600/photo0031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BiHRvAUG9gM/UIct_vmg94I/AAAAAAAABrY/0Mm_1QqqHis/s640/photo0031.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pleaching the limes at Dancer's End, slow at first, but I got the knack<br />of it in the end</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LNkwo8V8ysw/UIcuAUwYSdI/AAAAAAAABrg/Nr6ZtfB86kA/s1600/photo0032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LNkwo8V8ysw/UIcuAUwYSdI/AAAAAAAABrg/Nr6ZtfB86kA/s320/photo0032.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lejc19u8GsY/UIcuBHbMMdI/AAAAAAAABrs/5cagBR92FNA/s1600/photo0033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lejc19u8GsY/UIcuBHbMMdI/AAAAAAAABrs/5cagBR92FNA/s320/photo0033.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n9WoWnSjPPY/UIcuCPgZm5I/AAAAAAAABrw/qBbCwpagpqU/s1600/photo0034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n9WoWnSjPPY/UIcuCPgZm5I/AAAAAAAABrw/qBbCwpagpqU/s400/photo0034.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2llic7HYHjU/UIcuCsDoH5I/AAAAAAAABr4/Fr1BMpHr4TY/s1600/photo0035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2llic7HYHjU/UIcuCsDoH5I/AAAAAAAABr4/Fr1BMpHr4TY/s640/photo0035.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Probably said before that heights don't like me. They make me fall off <br />things, it's never truly my fault...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ptlTUF3VOjY/UIct27c9ZsI/AAAAAAAABqQ/HhFZBZei7E0/s1600/Photo0030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ptlTUF3VOjY/UIct27c9ZsI/AAAAAAAABqQ/HhFZBZei7E0/s640/Photo0030.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last few flowers at Pat's place, delightful - asters I think...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was on the top of the gantry that Deirdre rang me to tell that our dear comrade from the Non-Stop Picket outside South Africa House, Andy Privett (nee Gardner) had suddenly died on Sunday21st October. He was a big, proud and loud gay guy who helped me through some bleak times in the late 80s, early 90s and I, along with many others, will miss him desperately.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NDuVUDV55VA/UIcxiGAlSGI/AAAAAAAABto/rgiCfIVhv5M/s1600/Andy+G.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NDuVUDV55VA/UIcxiGAlSGI/AAAAAAAABto/rgiCfIVhv5M/s400/Andy+G.tiff" width="315" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He never stopped making me laugh... And buying<br />me drinks!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bless you, you big ol' gay mate you!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy mincing, wherever you may be.</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-53188283900694127152012-10-20T01:12:00.000+01:002012-10-20T01:12:41.362+01:00Blogging eh?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I get this feeling that I'm just not cut out for this blogging mallarkey. I have no continuity about me, basically it's a tad pathetic. However, in my defence, I am a bit of an anarchist, so structured "stuff" like, do this now and then do that, is a bit of an anathema. Seriously, I won't be told.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Witness this, just the other day, a rather ancient lady said, "Here you! What are you doing?" To which I replied, nothing. What happened was, I appeared from an area of garden belonging to my oldest (sorry longest) client that was very apparent to the "general public". Said woman had a walking stick and proffered it in my direction saying,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"I shall hit you with this if you don't explain yourself."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, I would quite simply have explained to the said lady that I was in fact the gardener of the house and grounds in front of her very face, BUT, I couldn't be bothered.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Who do you think you are?"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Again, what a crap question to ask of an anarchist - whether said anarchist was in that space relevantly or not, is beside the point. At this juncture I should say that I was in fact quite legitimately dumping some debris from said garden in a perfectly legal site.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once again the old lady touted the aforementioned walking stick in my face.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Please," I said, "stop that." I could have scripted the reply.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Oh, I shall hit you if you do not explain yourself."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"I don't think so," I replied. "I am the gardener here and if you even attempted to hit me, I don't think it would have succeeded."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"I am a very successful shot you know," she replied.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wanted to say, "Fuck off you ancient waste of space; you left over piece of upper middle class Tory trash." But I smiled and said, "Seems we have had a bit of a misunderstanding, peace be with you."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She seemed to be appeased, but walked off swishing the stick in a very Errol Flynn stylee. Real life is so much more weirder than the made-up stuff.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here some pix, my brethren:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0cowspk8-dU/UIHnr506PfI/AAAAAAAABnQ/RagyQRApDQE/s1600/Photo0021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0cowspk8-dU/UIHnr506PfI/AAAAAAAABnQ/RagyQRApDQE/s640/Photo0021.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You see this is where i go wrong all the time, I forget to take before<br />pictures, so trust me, this was very untidy before I weaved my magic.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sqZWnO3goqY/UIHnsVCXmjI/AAAAAAAABnY/LWXeEPjxrHM/s1600/photo0011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sqZWnO3goqY/UIHnsVCXmjI/AAAAAAAABnY/LWXeEPjxrHM/s320/photo0011.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vr7kOePeoXI/UIHntTWD_yI/AAAAAAAABng/kK4cN9fAIro/s1600/photo0012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vr7kOePeoXI/UIHntTWD_yI/AAAAAAAABng/kK4cN9fAIro/s640/photo0012.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wish I knew the name of more shrubs - this is at Rebecca's in<br />Quainton - and I cut it back quite dramatically last year, don't it look good?<br />(Picture taken about four weeks ago.)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BVjsZ3hZrlI/UIHnty4oBGI/AAAAAAAABns/kLoRiFYnqpc/s1600/photo0013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BVjsZ3hZrlI/UIHnty4oBGI/AAAAAAAABns/kLoRiFYnqpc/s640/photo0013.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Newest garden - about four weeks ago - and a freshly cut lawn, mmmm...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mDMrAMvBopU/UIHnwLs_c_I/AAAAAAAABoA/Zp3jAdi7LTA/s1600/photo0016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mDMrAMvBopU/UIHnwLs_c_I/AAAAAAAABoA/Zp3jAdi7LTA/s320/photo0016.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V-1f4ezqx0M/UIHnwxpeo9I/AAAAAAAABoI/TqfsTnYsDEQ/s1600/photo0017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V-1f4ezqx0M/UIHnwxpeo9I/AAAAAAAABoI/TqfsTnYsDEQ/s400/photo0017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vEEJhw-gSts/UIHnx7RH4bI/AAAAAAAABoQ/jsfy0nfGDZA/s1600/photo0018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vEEJhw-gSts/UIHnx7RH4bI/AAAAAAAABoQ/jsfy0nfGDZA/s640/photo0018.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The above three pictures are of the Laurel hedge at Quainton. I have<br />taken off about four foot to allow a bit more sunshine into the garden and,<br />more importantly, at the front of the house.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh, isn't it just soooooo lovely?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thing is, it bloody damn well is!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I Thannnnnyou... Garden on xxx</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-46895307731308267052012-10-11T19:27:00.002+01:002012-10-11T19:27:59.542+01:00Oh the end is Bill Nighy...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hmmmm, seems this year is determined to attempt to piss me right off, what with the rain, rain and more rain. But what the hey, we're all still alive; we're all having the proverbial laugh; Boris Johnson, well, err, just Boris Johnson really (cripes he's a twat isn't he, don't get why people love him so much, oaf); still have a roof over our heads (the windows and doors are a bit of a struggle, but at least we're dry); we have a number of parties to go to in the coming weeks; s'nice.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, the last few weeks have been very busy, Saturday working to try and catch up on stuff so I can at least leave my regular smaller gardens in a tidy state until next March. It's a desperate race to do this in time for the beginning of November. Did I say desperate? Pah, just do it Murray is all!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, here are a few picture to show what's been happening:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WZ2ScoijHww/UHb4UGdepcI/AAAAAAAABkc/dt8JJg7slhg/s1600/p11-09-12_17-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WZ2ScoijHww/UHb4UGdepcI/AAAAAAAABkc/dt8JJg7slhg/s640/p11-09-12_17-22.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The view from the roof at Quainton, looking down to the stables. It was very windy that day and I was holding on to the scaffolding for dear life - never been good with heights.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v-pN_vjdj9s/UHb4VTIpmnI/AAAAAAAABko/425JXZ5czNI/s1600/p14-09-12_10-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v-pN_vjdj9s/UHb4VTIpmnI/AAAAAAAABko/425JXZ5czNI/s320/p14-09-12_10-14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7j7NGQwvEno/UHb4YipxudI/AAAAAAAABk4/eEd2ZNEsLgE/s1600/p14-09-12_10-55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7j7NGQwvEno/UHb4YipxudI/AAAAAAAABk4/eEd2ZNEsLgE/s320/p14-09-12_10-55.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ESBiC_8T2po/UHb4a5qGovI/AAAAAAAABk8/0KO1SiEufuo/s1600/p14-09-12_10-55%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ESBiC_8T2po/UHb4a5qGovI/AAAAAAAABk8/0KO1SiEufuo/s640/p14-09-12_10-55%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lots of trimming and shaping of hedges over the weeks, this is Pat's place in Berkhamsted. My new Tanaka hedge trimmer is picture on the left and is a splendid addition to the Murray tool box, I actually love it, bizarre!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wM7PolPK57c/UHb4kATn2GI/AAAAAAAABl0/YxAjmwlyFuk/s1600/photo0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wM7PolPK57c/UHb4kATn2GI/AAAAAAAABl0/YxAjmwlyFuk/s400/photo0005.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rSlZyMHovBY/UHb5BAE8-PI/AAAAAAAABmQ/VMINiNcMWp0/s1600/photo0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rSlZyMHovBY/UHb5BAE8-PI/AAAAAAAABmQ/VMINiNcMWp0/s640/photo0001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...a bit of topiary at Julie and Andrew's place in Buckland. No really enamoured of that sort of thing but I do actually quite like doing it. I think it appeals to my sense of putting things in order - bit fascist...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zuvF-aRTye0/UHb5FLXuWLI/AAAAAAAABmY/eHMNzuOAX38/s1600/photo0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zuvF-aRTye0/UHb5FLXuWLI/AAAAAAAABmY/eHMNzuOAX38/s640/photo0004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A newt. This is something I am generally in complete accordance with most Friday nights - and Saturday and possibly Wednesday or Tuesday too. I had disturbed this poor little fella while weeding the rockery at Buckland, she/he was very sleepy, so I made a new nest for him/her and sang, to the tune of "If you're happy and you know it": </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Oh, I wish I was a naughty, little newt.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Oh, I wish I was a naughty, little newt.<br />Oh, it would be all right,<br />To stay out every night.<br />Oh, I wish I was a naughty, little newt.<br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So onwards to the end of another gardening year, my third and it has gone from strength to strength, even with the rubbish weather. The best thing of all is that I will have more than enough work for the winter too, four lovely big gardens with lots of lovely big trees and shrubs to tend to.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The newt lived by the way...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy happying...</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-54808601644655364012012-10-09T23:44:00.000+01:002012-10-09T23:45:53.484+01:00Just a quickie......<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">as I am rather excited by the discovery of a set of diaries I have stumbled upon. They are the diaries of an old school chum of mine, Daniel Peepes - yeah I know!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thing is they are brilliant and run from 1st January 1973 - the year we left school - until the summer of 1979, when we lost touch. Daniel left the diaries with me, saying, "I'll be back to get them; keep 'em safe mate.." </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the only picture I have of Daniel - for some reason never Dan and most definitely NOT Danny.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Ko5B6kGS8Y/UHSmICLZeBI/AAAAAAAABjo/qp9Pa4vX1F0/s1600/Daniel+Peepes+1973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Ko5B6kGS8Y/UHSmICLZeBI/AAAAAAAABjo/qp9Pa4vX1F0/s400/Daniel+Peepes+1973.jpg" width="325" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Daniel Peepes, about Spring time 1973 - looks</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">like he's in prison, some would say he belonged </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">there, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">even then!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am trying to trace him, but so far no one knows what happened to him. I really want to find him and get his permission to publish these diaries, they are a gem of their time and I think they offer an insight into the world we lived in back in a decade that I sometimes think shouldn't have happened.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jim''l Fix It indeed...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">PS: New garden blog coming soon...</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-87893229492695795412012-09-17T01:56:00.000+01:002012-09-17T01:57:22.538+01:00Is it really that long since I did this?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thing is, th'Limpits was actually quite good, especially the bit where we won stuff, but on a serious note, Seb Coe? Boris Johnson - what the freaking hell does he take to get like that and THAT hair, he must have got it from some obscure DIY shop, you know the sort, they sell individual nails and screws and they put things in brown paper bags still. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BUT, the best moment was Gideon getting the bird from 80,000 in th'Limpit stadium - whose dumb idea was that, "Yes </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">George, good PR, go to th'Limpits and stand out in the open with a gold trinket. That'll sort out all the problems and send us flying high in th'Pinion Polls." And one last thing before th'Limpits gets to Rio (what will they do with the kids on the streets this time?) if Cammo claims the Volunteers as an example of the Big Society one more time, I shall... Well, I shall! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">See, the thing is, people have "volunteered" to help others since time immemorial. From doing a bit of shopping for a sick or elderly, or both, neighbour to helping out on the school PTA to collecting jumble for some obscure cause you believe in or, wait for it, some needy political party that is struggling for support. Here is a Party Political Broadcast on behalf of the Lickle People Party (that's the Lib-Dems to you, 'cos at the next election that's what they'll be, Lickle... And if they actually call themselves The Lickle People Party they might just get a few sympathy votes.)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since I was last here I have picked up two more gardens and have a very healthy full few weeks up 'til the end of October, which is good, as I have missed so many days over the summer - what summer? - don't think I've been so wet so frequently. Wetter than a wet thing that's been swimming, forgot their towel and then walked in the rain without a coat or umbrella-ella-ella-ella...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyhoo - why do I say that? Anyhoo, here be some pictures from the last six weeks or so:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UQ4kb8LC7ow/UFZtjbUUo_I/AAAAAAAABfs/0B4_Y_vhmOE/s1600/P18-07-12_19-48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UQ4kb8LC7ow/UFZtjbUUo_I/AAAAAAAABfs/0B4_Y_vhmOE/s400/P18-07-12_19-48.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our own garden, looking a tad unloved...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vCrPa83B40s/UFZtnVHbJFI/AAAAAAAABf0/4vFOiy0pJYI/s1600/P22-07-12_14-59%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vCrPa83B40s/UFZtnVHbJFI/AAAAAAAABf0/4vFOiy0pJYI/s400/P22-07-12_14-59%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...bit of hedge trimming at home, busman's hols!!!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s-jK0RxcbVw/UFZtvvBuClI/AAAAAAAABf8/klftD-1ZgqY/s1600/P23-07-12_11-46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s-jK0RxcbVw/UFZtvvBuClI/AAAAAAAABf8/klftD-1ZgqY/s640/P23-07-12_11-46.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of the trees at Rebecca's in Quainton</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cXV_G9Croos/UFZt50n6DnI/AAAAAAAABgM/QyrRggZK7EE/s1600/P26-07-12_15-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cXV_G9Croos/UFZt50n6DnI/AAAAAAAABgM/QyrRggZK7EE/s400/P26-07-12_15-19.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Occasional work in Hudnall, just outside Berkhamsted - this<br />and next two shots</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aqea3HaEhCk/UFZt7TtvxvI/AAAAAAAABgU/aHFzDZBpO5w/s1600/P26-07-12_15-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aqea3HaEhCk/UFZt7TtvxvI/AAAAAAAABgU/aHFzDZBpO5w/s640/P26-07-12_15-20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2RZvLffpe_w/UFZuFwnxDJI/AAAAAAAABgc/dgnLlocn-XE/s1600/P09-08-12_15-35%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2RZvLffpe_w/UFZuFwnxDJI/AAAAAAAABgc/dgnLlocn-XE/s320/P09-08-12_15-35%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ay31fSOVBgQ/UFZuNTXQ61I/AAAAAAAABgk/zlgSZIRwzsQ/s1600/P10-08-12_16-32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ay31fSOVBgQ/UFZuNTXQ61I/AAAAAAAABgk/zlgSZIRwzsQ/s640/P10-08-12_16-32.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The new "big" house. This place is a beauty, about a mile from home and has so much grass and so many hedges they have one bloke to do the grass, one to do the hedges and me, to do the rest...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ehjWq4vtrqY/UFZufkRiBdI/AAAAAAAABg0/Ys3PNneVQWM/s1600/P20-08-12_16-50%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ehjWq4vtrqY/UFZufkRiBdI/AAAAAAAABg0/Ys3PNneVQWM/s400/P20-08-12_16-50%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I actually trimmed this hedge, the longest single hedge I think<br />I've ever done. About 80 metres long - that pen houses the<br />pig, no not Boris or Osbourne, The Pig, see below...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2UgP5wol9dM/UFZun3Us_CI/AAAAAAAABg8/SqM-9oMdQV8/s1600/P21-08-12_10-46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2UgP5wol9dM/UFZun3Us_CI/AAAAAAAABg8/SqM-9oMdQV8/s320/P21-08-12_10-46.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HBzrVpWn7FM/UFZupLoP1aI/AAAAAAAABhE/bN5DP-jTHRU/s1600/P21-08-12_10-47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HBzrVpWn7FM/UFZupLoP1aI/AAAAAAAABhE/bN5DP-jTHRU/s640/P21-08-12_10-47.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I trained this clematis in the Spring - and it did what it was told</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LmhzlygykxE/UFZurbKzGmI/AAAAAAAABhU/OnHbvQicaIs/s1600/P23-08-12_11-48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LmhzlygykxE/UFZurbKzGmI/AAAAAAAABhU/OnHbvQicaIs/s640/P23-08-12_11-48.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tom & Vicky's place in Aldbury. I'm going to get rid of most of the gravel and enlarge the lawn area. Lawd knows when, but hopefully before the end of Autumn</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UTdng3ToqbA/UFZus58tgJI/AAAAAAAABhc/IU7mgMAlMsM/s1600/P27-08-12_15-51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UTdng3ToqbA/UFZus58tgJI/AAAAAAAABhc/IU7mgMAlMsM/s400/P27-08-12_15-51.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A long bed at the new "big" house. Before...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vTnx6m7F6W8/UFZuuI0CR3I/AAAAAAAABhk/3qUtaexa0IQ/s1600/P27-08-12_16-16%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vTnx6m7F6W8/UFZuuI0CR3I/AAAAAAAABhk/3qUtaexa0IQ/s320/P27-08-12_16-16%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Pig...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qrA7_3ye_1Q/UFZuwtHAEYI/AAAAAAAABh0/j2yghRENfZw/s1600/P27-08-12_17-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qrA7_3ye_1Q/UFZuwtHAEYI/AAAAAAAABh0/j2yghRENfZw/s640/P27-08-12_17-16.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A long bed at the new "big" house. After</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KuGLYIMvHOA/UFZtw0LJBeI/AAAAAAAABgE/-FXkMVIJWD4/s1600/P24-07-12_11-19%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KuGLYIMvHOA/UFZtw0LJBeI/AAAAAAAABgE/-FXkMVIJWD4/s640/P24-07-12_11-19%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">New lawn needed methinks. Quainton again</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uEZxKehhgLQ/UFZuReRtDSI/AAAAAAAABgs/YAPCZNKrYkQ/s1600/P10-08-12_17-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uEZxKehhgLQ/UFZuReRtDSI/AAAAAAAABgs/YAPCZNKrYkQ/s640/P10-08-12_17-22.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The new "big" house.. Awright for some eh?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-POK4uN5g7v4/UFZuvC_0i7I/AAAAAAAABhs/dlw9YojFkGQ/s1600/P27-08-12_16-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-POK4uN5g7v4/UFZuvC_0i7I/AAAAAAAABhs/dlw9YojFkGQ/s640/P27-08-12_16-17.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Me new bezzie. She's very old and very blind, bless...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, there you have it, apologies for so many new pix, but I have been most neglectful during these past few weeks and felt the need to catch up.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh yeah, Th'Aralimpits, what an inspiration; what a cornucopia of togetherness; what a delight to see Ellie Simmond's smile again. Blind football? Wheelchair rugby? Archery without arms? You couldn't make it up...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy whatever!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Si-Botic</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-80174482833877311722012-07-27T01:45:00.000+01:002012-07-27T01:45:35.055+01:00OK, so Th'limpits have started... Don't Panic!!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dear friends, Th'limpits are here, apparently they sneaked in under the radar yesterday afternoon with women playing football. Yes! You heard me correctly, women-playing-football. Back in my day such a thing would have been so frowned upon as to be akin to Sepp Blatter and the like accepting a bribe to stage the 2018 World Cup in Russia instead of dear old Hing-gerland - which would <i>never</i> happen! Also, the aforementioned gent would never suggest that women's football should attempt to become more popular by letting... "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the women play in more feminine clothes like they do in volleyball. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They could, for example, have tighter shorts." He would never say that.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyhoo, here are some more pictures of arrivals at The Stadia of Boyle: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U0Yeq_xULq4/UBFxVoeyaXI/AAAAAAAABfA/Ez7vXLpXZnQ/s1600/camo-vader.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U0Yeq_xULq4/UBFxVoeyaXI/AAAAAAAABfA/Ez7vXLpXZnQ/s400/camo-vader.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is Camo-Daft Vadar, a shot putter of<br />some esteem from a little known country<br />called The Cockswolds </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i1dpi09OU90/UBFxIe9R_wI/AAAAAAAABe4/sOAOeEEgrgM/s1600/becko-colo-picko" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i1dpi09OU90/UBFxIe9R_wI/AAAAAAAABe4/sOAOeEEgrgM/s400/becko-colo-picko" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here we have the slightly reduced team of fencers from Titlandia.<br />Davo-Becko, Sebbo Collo and Eric Pickles are exceptional<br />at putting up a nice split-rail fence in no time. Indeed, any kind of </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">fence, including, featherboard, palisade, jaktop or even a nice bit</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">of tongue and groove (Eric's speciality). A real prospect for gold...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d61Uvz-s9r4/UBFxYpx2FJI/AAAAAAAABfI/6l2gP4kPl9w/s1600/damo-shaddo" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="323" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d61Uvz-s9r4/UBFxYpx2FJI/AAAAAAAABfI/6l2gP4kPl9w/s400/damo-shaddo" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kellith de Holmo, seen here carrying Granto Shappo erstwhile<br />minnow for shelter in the Forest of No-hopers, looks bang on<br />for the first gold ever for carrying the can of shite - a new<br />discipline introduced for Th'limpits this time round. Mainly <br />because there is so shite to get rid of... </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Take it easy out there, you never know who you might bump into... </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh yeah, if you're not interested in Th'limpits, watch ITV.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy(?) 'limpitting...</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-21005668692144426992012-07-18T15:47:00.002+01:002012-07-18T15:47:52.559+01:00COMING SOON... Star Wars at Th'limpits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1-wL_TvcrX0/UAa7hQyv44I/AAAAAAAABeA/Hs39BoEkm2A/s1600/jonna-the-hut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="410" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1-wL_TvcrX0/UAa7hQyv44I/AAAAAAAABeA/Hs39BoEkm2A/s640/jonna-the-hut.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A long time ago in a one-way system far, far away...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />It is a period of unease. Lost bus drivers, driving in ever decreasing circles (or is it increasing?), have lost their first batch of athletes on their way to the evil 'limpit Village, the site of the Stadia of Boyle. During the trip, GeeESfor Exec-cutives manage to steal millions of pounds of the 'limpit Empire's fortunes and gain control of the ORBIT, an armored installation with enough power to destroy an entire planet. Pursued by the Empire's sinister agents, Princess Colo races home aboard her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save her people and restore freedom to the people of the 'limpits. . . . </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">....but lo, ho, what is this sound of slime against tarmac? This disgusting pustulence trailing monster, with the breath of skank-ridden Thames water and Chateau-pap-de-bleurgh? It is the evil one that is Jonna-the-Hut. He spouts his indefinable gibberish, thus:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Colo! Hay lapa no ya, Colo!</span></div>
<div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Boonowa tweepi, ha, ha.</span></div>
<div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Sebbo, mah bukee, keel-ee caleya ku kah. Wanta dah moole-rah? Wonkee chee sa crispa con Camero?"</span><span style="font: 16.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><br /></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Loosely translated: Seb, what the fuck have you done to my town? I told you to build it in Lego you twat-faced Chelsea supporting grease ball. I tell you this I'm off to tell Camo, he'll know how to sort your fucking arse out baby!)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next time: Th'limpits A Guide</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Normal Service will be resumed shortly, in approximately 24 days...</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">See fah luto eetheen, ee yaba ma dukey massa. Eeth wong che coh pa na-geen, nah meeto toe bunky dunko. Lo choda!</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Translation: "Fuck you, no it won't" said Jonna, dribbling...)</span></div>
</span><br />
<br />SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-54479497957116591232012-07-18T01:11:00.000+01:002012-07-18T01:11:16.032+01:00New garden, old garden, flowers and The Bin Men<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I took all the following pictures last week. Since last Friday I have been coughing my lungs up, actually not strictly true, but great vast lumps of something keep appearing from my chest and I just thought perhaps it was lung. I also have no voice. It went off somewhere on Sunday, I thought as a result of drinking far too much Peroni, red wine and Limoncello, but apparently not - although one suspects it may have brought the whole sorry episode to a head and made my lungs explode.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I shall explain. A big group of us were going to go camping last weekend, but of course decided not to for reasons too bleeding obvious to even hint at here. Instead, we went to Da Vinci's in Tring, a little Italian restaurant whose owner brews (is that what you do to make Limoncello? Or is it something made at the very bottom of Dante's inferno, ring 9 perhaps) his own Limoncello.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, 14 forty & 50-somethings (actually I was the only 50-something...) drank the place dry of Peroni and then got given two bottles of the aforementioned liqueur. It was passed round the table in a sinister, yet not entirely unfriendly manner. Oh dear... I have no recollection of walking home; no recollection of falling over in the chicken run, locking the cockerel away for the night, bearing in mind it was past three in the morning; and finally, I have no recollection of recollecting anything or even collecting anything.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh Italia, la terra del demone che è Limoncello e Vialli benedetti e Zola! </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-44LaP-TItYA/UAAVTqJNHiI/AAAAAAAABbs/mrWCXmS6-9w/s1600/P07-07-12_12-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-44LaP-TItYA/UAAVTqJNHiI/AAAAAAAABbs/mrWCXmS6-9w/s640/P07-07-12_12-30.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A new garden in Wendover, yet again I forgot to take a "before" - the<br />after looks ok though...</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; clear: right; color: black; display: inline !important; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vti92jqBPBA/UAAVVo6xQgI/AAAAAAAABb0/1etSOoqdNSQ/s1600/P10-07-12_08-31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">Some of the many and wondrous flowers at Quainton</a></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QSd7S28KOk0/UAAVYUWwusI/AAAAAAAABb8/Aj19bC-36FY/s1600/P10-07-12_08-31%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jiFRrphZjYY/UAAVhFlwXaI/AAAAAAAABcc/CyeaPZ0TDYc/s1600/P10-07-12_08-34%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jiFRrphZjYY/UAAVhFlwXaI/AAAAAAAABcc/CyeaPZ0TDYc/s200/P10-07-12_08-34%5B1%5D.jpg" width="150" /></a><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QSd7S28KOk0/UAAVYUWwusI/AAAAAAAABb8/Aj19bC-36FY/s200/P10-07-12_08-31%5B1%5D.jpg" width="200" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_Sc__t1crAM/UAAVa9qPXvI/AAAAAAAABcE/MdS-kwlYDzM/s1600/P10-07-12_08-32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_Sc__t1crAM/UAAVa9qPXvI/AAAAAAAABcE/MdS-kwlYDzM/s200/P10-07-12_08-32.jpg" width="200" /></a></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X3viIHtygh8/UAAVcXNrqKI/AAAAAAAABcM/PWUeRA1ETzw/s1600/P10-07-12_08-33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X3viIHtygh8/UAAVcXNrqKI/AAAAAAAABcM/PWUeRA1ETzw/s200/P10-07-12_08-33.jpg" width="200" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tFSMMze0Tjc/UAAVekBk0OI/AAAAAAAABcU/MEl0BH10qPw/s1600/P10-07-12_08-34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tFSMMze0Tjc/UAAVekBk0OI/AAAAAAAABcU/MEl0BH10qPw/s200/P10-07-12_08-34.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3QMEXl9fd28/UAAVjlxWvzI/AAAAAAAABck/zSTiA3qcW2A/s1600/P10-07-12_08-35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3QMEXl9fd28/UAAVjlxWvzI/AAAAAAAABck/zSTiA3qcW2A/s640/P10-07-12_08-35.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Above are two pix of the pond. I love lilly pads and one day we shall have a pond in our garden. We had one in our old house in Boxmoor and I loved building it. Ponds are basically, great!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k41W4ojefK4/UAAVmMPlJQI/AAAAAAAABcs/2dxXCoKp9qc/s1600/P10-07-12_17-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k41W4ojefK4/UAAVmMPlJQI/AAAAAAAABcs/2dxXCoKp9qc/s320/P10-07-12_17-30.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3R1CZyZTa7E/UAAVonZxG8I/AAAAAAAABc0/NXxI9WQkTcA/s1600/P10-07-12_17-32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3R1CZyZTa7E/UAAVonZxG8I/AAAAAAAABc0/NXxI9WQkTcA/s640/P10-07-12_17-32.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-htI8hJV_SI4/UAAVqut4FJI/AAAAAAAABc8/CD8hEA6bSWU/s1600/P10-07-12_17-33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-htI8hJV_SI4/UAAVqut4FJI/AAAAAAAABc8/CD8hEA6bSWU/s320/P10-07-12_17-33.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Basically, there is no longer a lawn at Quainton.<br />Of course this is fine, but in the mean time, every<br />time I go a little bit more of me, quite frankly, dies...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And finally... Below are two pictures showing how our bin men leave the bins just about every week. If I did my job so shoddily I'd never get another fucking garden to look after. We are told by the council to place the bins out neatly so as not to obstruct the path. We are told not to put them out too soon. We are even told that if the bin lid is not completely flat we could have the collections taken away from us (as if!!!) - the bastards broke the handle on our bottle basket weeks ago for chrissakes! I would so love to know where these cretins live so I could go and block their path with some of the debris from the garden at Quainton. Or even with that lovely digger...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mwvtyjvf-F4/UAAVsQElJRI/AAAAAAAABdE/53j_9OzIQAo/s1600/P12-07-12_17-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mwvtyjvf-F4/UAAVsQElJRI/AAAAAAAABdE/53j_9OzIQAo/s320/P12-07-12_17-28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7-BViXcYjvE/UAAVt1vEZsI/AAAAAAAABdM/ZliHmGe65Tc/s1600/P12-07-12_17-29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7-BViXcYjvE/UAAVt1vEZsI/AAAAAAAABdM/ZliHmGe65Tc/s640/P12-07-12_17-29.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy councilling...</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-32389089533182288982012-07-13T13:24:00.000+01:002012-07-13T13:24:18.423+01:00Ahhhhhh... Boring it is now...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-73tHUSibd0U/UAALZ-4bg7I/AAAAAAAABbY/KVpO-4VlIwU/s1600/master-yoda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-73tHUSibd0U/UAALZ-4bg7I/AAAAAAAABbY/KVpO-4VlIwU/s640/master-yoda.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...to visit this place of the 'limpits. Why so much wet? Wet is here too much; end when will it?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The 'limpits commence are soon and The Limpitians all arrive here these shores soon, but ready are you not. Theresa May-Not says well everything with Troopers of the Imperial Storm, but delivery of Limpitians forever take through entry at the Row of Heath. One wonders how The Limpitians to get the Stadia of Boyle when bridges do crack and roads wend wearily through the Valley of Congestionia. The dark force is truly here betiding the woes of humanity and Jonna the Boris-Hut.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With you are my thoughts of which I share the words of wise from Jonna, "I want to assume supreme power", for they convey my feelings of foreboding that all is not well in the Garden of the Stadia of Boyle...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 16px;">"Good relations with the Wookiees, I have... Size matters not!"</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 16px;">May the froth be with you... Happy 'limpits!</span></span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-63676749162687832382012-07-03T22:45:00.000+01:002012-07-03T22:45:19.355+01:00If the rain comes they run and hide their heads...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ah my boys, The Fab Four and one of the most influential songs they wrote, Rain. You listen to it and you hear just about every band since, from the Stones to The Stone Roses. I think Liam Gallagher would not exist without that song, have a listen my friends:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPjDMZiuhbQ">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPjDMZiuhbQ</a></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even the way John sings shine is how Liam pronounces it, shi-ine... Only Liam over does it of course, shi-ine-nah.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyhoo, even as I listen to it again, the last few weeks have been crap as far as the weather is concerned. I have, however, managed to work most days. On several days I have appeared at our back door thus...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lQEXffFROEA/T_Nd-KkTrUI/AAAAAAAABZo/degtYOLrHoI/s1600/swampthing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lQEXffFROEA/T_Nd-KkTrUI/AAAAAAAABZo/degtYOLrHoI/s320/swampthing.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...a bit muddy, like a Swamp Thing. Indeed, I could have played his double.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I refuse to complain. No, I really do, I'm sick of hearing people going on and on and on and on... about how wet it is. And then, blow me down we get a couple of sunny days and people say, "If it's not one thing it's the other, too hot innit?"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You know what, NO IT ISN'T! Imagine if we lived in a country that had real bad weather or lived in a tornado alley or something. We have a very temperate climate and we are lucky to get what we have. You wait, in a couple of weeks we'll be back to the bleeding drought...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are some pictures from the last two weeks:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qRkIpIRudNw/T_NgQRHtaPI/AAAAAAAABaw/b0D_D0slS5s/s1600/P27-06-12_16-07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qRkIpIRudNw/T_NgQRHtaPI/AAAAAAAABaw/b0D_D0slS5s/s640/P27-06-12_16-07.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Did some work at Rebecca's London home in St John's Wood. That's artificial grass and doesn't look too bad in this picture. A good day all round really, even if it did rain...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9WTsx0wnco/T_NgOBMMEiI/AAAAAAAABao/7gm8kv6OXQ4/s1600/P27-06-12_16-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9WTsx0wnco/T_NgOBMMEiI/AAAAAAAABao/7gm8kv6OXQ4/s400/P27-06-12_16-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There's a pretty old wisteria here that they want to move to<br />Quainton. Not easy, but we'll give it a go</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2rcbkXoZgX0/T_NgJARQWcI/AAAAAAAABaY/9HlrHEe9Uog/s1600/P27-06-12_13-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2rcbkXoZgX0/T_NgJARQWcI/AAAAAAAABaY/9HlrHEe9Uog/s320/P27-06-12_13-09.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The conservatory. Nice place...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--zBJOJOUA6Y/T_Nf801wveI/AAAAAAAABZw/q4Fuk2Y8bZE/s1600/P03-07-12_11-08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--zBJOJOUA6Y/T_Nf801wveI/AAAAAAAABZw/q4Fuk2Y8bZE/s640/P03-07-12_11-08.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A rather wonderful dog rose (Rosa canina) that grows over a shrub I can't make out at Quainton. Astonishingly beautiful...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rxl5C_Z0mfE/T_Nf_BVt1VI/AAAAAAAABZ4/SQLMrj_mnXY/s1600/P03-07-12_11-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rxl5C_Z0mfE/T_Nf_BVt1VI/AAAAAAAABZ4/SQLMrj_mnXY/s400/P03-07-12_11-09.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...and the bees like it too</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rB2kaLk3OUA/T_NgBuK4FCI/AAAAAAAABaA/SXzEfTmHZ9Y/s1600/P03-07-12_16-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rB2kaLk3OUA/T_NgBuK4FCI/AAAAAAAABaA/SXzEfTmHZ9Y/s640/P03-07-12_16-28.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Look what they done to my grass!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zcw9lyE_d6I/T_NgENG9OMI/AAAAAAAABaI/YtMzkL3xTo8/s1600/P03-07-12_16-29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zcw9lyE_d6I/T_NgENG9OMI/AAAAAAAABaI/YtMzkL3xTo8/s640/P03-07-12_16-29.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh dear, this once looked like this...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O25h5ZTILek/T_Nkh0mDNlI/AAAAAAAABbE/x2LUtcaJ61Y/s1600/P23-02-12_14-39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O25h5ZTILek/T_Nkh0mDNlI/AAAAAAAABbE/x2LUtcaJ61Y/s640/P23-02-12_14-39.jpg" width="479" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...but I have done a sort of fag packet idea with Rebecca and the builders <br />and the area will be rather beautiful in a few weeks. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The wisteria I mentioned above will hopefully be planted where that old Christmas tree is sitting, leaning up against the wall in the middle of the picture.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh well, that's it for this time. Just to say I may have picked up another big garden this week just up the road from home. Fingers crossed...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Be happy - I'm trying...</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-69369885317433936132012-06-25T19:53:00.000+01:002012-06-25T19:53:09.070+01:00Marsworth on sunny Sunday afternoon...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It has to be said that we who live in Tring and the surrounding area are somewhat blessed with nice places to visit. One such area is that at and about Marsworth Reservoir. It is situated by the loveliness that is the Grand Union canal and wwe went for a walk there after lunch at the Bluebell Cafe.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dsVNzbJycuQ/T-iwN2_YY_I/AAAAAAAABX4/54WSgmbndnI/s1600/P24-06-12_14-53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dsVNzbJycuQ/T-iwN2_YY_I/AAAAAAAABX4/54WSgmbndnI/s640/P24-06-12_14-53.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The view across the reservoir to the beginning of the Chiltern Hills</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9kWIq6K8HeA/T-iwPvaOVHI/AAAAAAAABYA/BCYdu9elbDU/s1600/P24-06-12_14-53%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9kWIq6K8HeA/T-iwPvaOVHI/AAAAAAAABYA/BCYdu9elbDU/s320/P24-06-12_14-53%5B1%5D.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Canal left; reservoir, right</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ChpQV-kPZ0g/T-iwRFhQ_jI/AAAAAAAABYI/BMzEHnNhhH0/s1600/P24-06-12_14-53%5B2%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ChpQV-kPZ0g/T-iwRFhQ_jI/AAAAAAAABYI/BMzEHnNhhH0/s640/P24-06-12_14-53%5B2%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Grand Union canal - I have to say that this stretch is one of the loveliest...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d190gX-FKSM/T-iwTACv9SI/AAAAAAAABYQ/G2sOUpfjJoU/s1600/P24-06-12_14-54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d190gX-FKSM/T-iwTACv9SI/AAAAAAAABYQ/G2sOUpfjJoU/s320/P24-06-12_14-54.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PHmIHvZH680/T-iwVFwsLzI/AAAAAAAABYY/D7POlF3Tsj4/s1600/P24-06-12_14-56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PHmIHvZH680/T-iwVFwsLzI/AAAAAAAABYY/D7POlF3Tsj4/s320/P24-06-12_14-56.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m5ZiVy-BJA0/T-iwW_lG86I/AAAAAAAABYg/hNwHy9VR-f8/s1600/P24-06-12_14-58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m5ZiVy-BJA0/T-iwW_lG86I/AAAAAAAABYg/hNwHy9VR-f8/s640/P24-06-12_14-58.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alison and Sophie in the distance</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_SaZhxih7Vo/T-iwZNAUzZI/AAAAAAAABYo/bRkiZM8iVn0/s1600/P24-06-12_15-07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_SaZhxih7Vo/T-iwZNAUzZI/AAAAAAAABYo/bRkiZM8iVn0/s640/P24-06-12_15-07.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aren't swans just so... swan-like</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YeuXxivdqQg/T-iwa1SSVYI/AAAAAAAABYw/Ydd6Lc6e63g/s1600/P24-06-12_15-27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YeuXxivdqQg/T-iwa1SSVYI/AAAAAAAABYw/Ydd6Lc6e63g/s400/P24-06-12_15-27.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I would live here at the drop of a hat - and about £1.5million</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-55nyexMcjxE/T-iwcjVSZ_I/AAAAAAAABY4/pSB6ZYPCW3w/s1600/P24-06-12_15-27%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-55nyexMcjxE/T-iwcjVSZ_I/AAAAAAAABY4/pSB6ZYPCW3w/s640/P24-06-12_15-27%5B1%5D.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The above is where the house in the previous picture presides. It's a <br />convergence of two bits of the canal at Bulbourne, just down the road<br />from where we live.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GUMMLkRZdiQ/T-iweHSA2WI/AAAAAAAABZA/WZG4UOoqkNw/s1600/P24-06-12_15-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GUMMLkRZdiQ/T-iweHSA2WI/AAAAAAAABZA/WZG4UOoqkNw/s320/P24-06-12_15-28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5Xokx1XVax8/T-iwgYNk1ZI/AAAAAAAABZI/BiMOeWj-PTU/s1600/P24-06-12_15-48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5Xokx1XVax8/T-iwgYNk1ZI/AAAAAAAABZI/BiMOeWj-PTU/s640/P24-06-12_15-48.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was meant to show a frenzy of tadpoles, but having been taken on a mobile it's not very clear. They are the little blob of black just to the right of centre</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XgvB7kIE1Z4/T-iwiaLl8YI/AAAAAAAABZQ/SUeA3eAwIqA/s1600/P24-06-12_15-51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XgvB7kIE1Z4/T-iwiaLl8YI/AAAAAAAABZQ/SUeA3eAwIqA/s640/P24-06-12_15-51.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just looking back along the reservoir, couldn't resist that nice cloud formation</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Back to gardening tomorrow, just wanted to share this lovely little afternoon...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy walking!</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-52760176061969320002012-06-23T01:43:00.000+01:002012-06-23T01:46:11.061+01:00Hong Kong Garden<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OK, spurious link alert, I made the title of this load of bloggox "Hong Kong Garden" because I've been watching Punk Britannia and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Siouxsie and the Banshees were a favourite of mine back in the day. My tenuous link to Punk? I was once at a party and the four original members of the Sex Pistols were there. This was in the winter of 1975/6 I think and John Lydon was sitting all by himself in an armchair nursing a glass of something looking bored to tears.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I was told who he was and what the band were called and said, "Who?" waddya know, hindsight is a wonderful thing. This was a little while before the Summer of '76 kicked in, you know that drought that didn't have any rain, unlike the recent just ended drought... In that summer I disappeared for 10 days - bit like Agatha Christie, only she was a writer and I'm not - on my famed (in our family) "Lost Weekend".</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I went to Liverpool for a long weekend and didn't return for the aforementioned allotted time. I didn't ring work and I didn't ring home. I think it was the first time my dad truly worried about me - we had an awkward teen-year-thing going on. I was 19, the teen-year-thing had started six years before!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyhoo, enough of that stuff, gardens, that's what it's all about. Recently I have bloggocksed about the weather and how rather restricting it has been for me on the work front. Suffice to say, not a lot has changed, but I did work on every day this week which is a first for three weeks or so.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are some pictures and I think I will add longer captions than usual, just to speed things up a bit.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uY7gDfw4tRs/T-UEgnBR6eI/AAAAAAAABWU/2eFre8PVdIQ/s1600/P18-06-12_11-29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uY7gDfw4tRs/T-UEgnBR6eI/AAAAAAAABWU/2eFre8PVdIQ/s640/P18-06-12_11-29.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is nice... At Pat's place in Berko Robins have decided her <br />post box is the perfect home. Sweet!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kWeagMQw2fY/T-UEhgvJgpI/AAAAAAAABWc/8cm9NnoXd6I/s1600/P18-06-12_11-29%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kWeagMQw2fY/T-UEhgvJgpI/AAAAAAAABWc/8cm9NnoXd6I/s320/P18-06-12_11-29%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7mjnNPxvLoA/T-UEjooX-bI/AAAAAAAABWk/yoYY22WJsu8/s1600/P18-06-12_15-52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7mjnNPxvLoA/T-UEjooX-bI/AAAAAAAABWk/yoYY22WJsu8/s640/P18-06-12_15-52.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pat's grass hadn't been cut for a couple of weeks and she gets mildly<br />paranoid at that fact. I think this Wem-ber-lee look is pretty damn good.<br /> I usually cut it with curves through it but last week I decided to give it<br /> a formal look. Standard stripes across and down the length of the lawn.<br />I, for one, think it looks fine...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lJA7kBC-Vrk/T-UElrE4txI/AAAAAAAABWs/Gn2OSKBLKBc/s1600/P18-06-12_16-55%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lJA7kBC-Vrk/T-UElrE4txI/AAAAAAAABWs/Gn2OSKBLKBc/s640/P18-06-12_16-55%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The brown at the bottom of this Hebe is from "someone" using the dreaded weed killer without thinking about the plants. Disappointing, it's not my garden but I don't like the use of chemicals for this very reason. You have to be sooooo careful when applying them. A lot of the plants have been affected. Shame.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The following are from Rebecca's place in Bucks and I have to say it was an eventful day there this Tuesday 19th June 2012 (so sue me Locog!) if only for the fact that my trimmer's engine basically fell off mid-trim. It got so hot the plastic melted and the whole back of the trimmer, petrol driven, just fell to the ground all aflame and obviously feeling a bit sorry for itself. A sad demise seeing how it was well less than a year old. On to the warranty then, but in the mean time I had to buy a new one.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tring garden centre is OK, don't get me wrong, but this Wednesday - obviously the 20th - it was nothing short of, well, in<b>C</b>omp<b>R</b>ehensibly <b>AP</b>paling. The servers had crashed - perhaps linked to the RBS/NatWest debacle this week, whatever! - and there were no staff to help anyone, anywhere.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I asked for a Ryobi In-line trimmer, petrol driven. Firstly, no one was available to see if they had one in stock, "We never keep that many in stock sir." 15 minutes later the member of staff cajoled into "helping me" came back with a Flymo hover mower and electric trimmer. Another member of staff said, as I sent the first one back to get what I asked for, "Sorry, he's the Plantarian Manager." What's that got to do with me, I thought. It was like a line from Fawlty Towers. "He's from, Bar-cell-owner."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next the Plantarian - a Dr Who character if ever there was one - returned with a Ryobi Brushcutter. Twice the price and NOT the item I asked for. Problem was I only spotted it when the Plantarian asked for more money. "If I didn't need it urgently, I work as a gardener, I would be walking away from here mate! I want a Ryobi In-line trimmer," as he walked away with the brushcutter I added, "Petrol driven."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At this point the original assistant, a woman who looks like Sonia from Eastenders, caught my eye - thankfully she didn't drop it - and, I kid you not, tutted. "I know," I said, "he's a Plantarian."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He came back with the correct product. I paid and took a double pack of gardening gloves for my trouble - this episode took 40 minutes. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh yeah, the original Flymo hover mower (returned to the stock room) was actually wanted by another customer who had wandered off and "...lost all sense of time..." I kid you not, she said that after being away from the till for over 30 minutes.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Likesay, pix from Rebecca's:</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DG1LhmZ6IDI/T-UEnERxvhI/AAAAAAAABW0/WgDoloBY_Xk/s1600/P19-06-12_13-47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DG1LhmZ6IDI/T-UEnERxvhI/AAAAAAAABW0/WgDoloBY_Xk/s320/P19-06-12_13-47.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A lovely Delphinium</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IfgT7FVLb08/T-UEpp4x_RI/AAAAAAAABW8/lsJepvJaFHQ/s1600/P19-06-12_15-47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IfgT7FVLb08/T-UEpp4x_RI/AAAAAAAABW8/lsJepvJaFHQ/s320/P19-06-12_15-47.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Fhhr2Y0dc8/T-UErtfcgII/AAAAAAAABXE/YK5Dku70xGo/s1600/P19-06-12_15-47%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Fhhr2Y0dc8/T-UErtfcgII/AAAAAAAABXE/YK5Dku70xGo/s640/P19-06-12_15-47%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love a pond... And I love lily pads</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RLmKfvyoLE8/T-UEt5kWd0I/AAAAAAAABXM/yu8tqLfo8Us/s1600/P19-06-12_15-52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RLmKfvyoLE8/T-UEt5kWd0I/AAAAAAAABXM/yu8tqLfo8Us/s320/P19-06-12_15-52.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tXbUY3h6A84/T-UEwNfsIEI/AAAAAAAABXU/R7BE_PzWGvE/s1600/P19-06-12_15-53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tXbUY3h6A84/T-UEwNfsIEI/AAAAAAAABXU/R7BE_PzWGvE/s640/P19-06-12_15-53.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The driveway - I so should take "before" pictures, this is a truly remarkable transformation!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lEZ-2DrBnWI/T-UEytTUlUI/AAAAAAAABXc/fmDtLpWu9Ns/s1600/P19-06-12_16-44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lEZ-2DrBnWI/T-UEytTUlUI/AAAAAAAABXc/fmDtLpWu9Ns/s640/P19-06-12_16-44.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh dear! Work in progress I believe. Each week seems to bring more problems with the drains - bit like the Coalition Government.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, there you have it, that was the week that was. More rain than you can shake a stick at (sic) and the thought that I should have at least shaken said stick at the Plantarian.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy Shaking...</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-42791104451889859972012-06-21T00:29:00.000+01:002012-06-21T00:29:03.075+01:00A momentous decision<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am well and truly off Facebook - and by "off", I mean no longer do I have a page. I won't be a pompous arse and say all the crass things about it, but I have a real problem with the access situation. I'm sure I've done enough cyber walking for "them" to know a lot about me - as is the case for anyone who has surfed the Tinterweb - <i style="font-weight: bold;">BUT</i> I really don't like a big company like Facebook passing on the fact that I once liked Didier Drogba's Facebook page and that I might like to buy a condo in the Ivory Coast. In the long run it really doesn't matter I know, but hey that's me and my discomfort has made up my mind for me. NO MORE FACEBOOK!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have a lovely website - designed by the lovely Karen Cooper of KC Graphics - and really don't feel the need to show off anywhere else but here in bloggocks-land and leave the website to do the job of drumming up business for my gardening skills (sic). </span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.simonmurraygardenservices.co.uk/">http://www.simonmurraygardenservices.co.uk/</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What I might do is add a few more aspects of the Murray life and blog on a few subjects (hooray say you, Mr Deluded). So, on Saturday had a visit down to London to meet up with a few of the ex-picketers from outside South Africa House. It was hugely disappointing on the numbers front, eight as against about 40 last year, but we were a perfectly formed gathering of immense political- and radical-ness, despite what some misguided communists might think.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The only reason I think it was so badly attended was probably because last year was the 25th anniversary of the Non-Stop Picket for the Release of Nelson Mandela and All Political Prisoners in Apartheid South Africa, run by the awesome City of London Anti-Apartheid Group - City AA, City Group, The Non-Stop Picket or as the lovely Boys in Blue from Cannon Row cop shop used to call us, The Claags! This is a link to a superb on-going documentation of the picket by Gavin Brown, an ex-picketer himself:</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://nonstopagainstapartheid.wordpress.com/">http://nonstopagainstapartheid.wordpress.com/</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, I did meet up with Deirdre, Gavin and Patrick for lunch and a trip to The Tate Modern in the afternoon to see Damien Hirst's exhibition. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9WYeUTAzHwE/T95gAkpZD8I/AAAAAAAABUk/Q69QtzA0F10/s1600/3594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9WYeUTAzHwE/T95gAkpZD8I/AAAAAAAABUk/Q69QtzA0F10/s320/3594.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm no fan, but have a very slight regard for Mr Hirst, if only because he takes the piss out of the middle classes and above and basically steals from them. Crazy stuff. The exploitation of animals is repulsive. Killing sharks to order, especially endangered ones would be pathetic if it wasn't so ignorant, arrogant and full of bullshit.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Below we have thousands of cigarette butts on mirrored shelves...</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x3-3k0Jpwkw/T-JW1pc3JAI/AAAAAAAABV0/Lg7C09rHFXI/s1600/P16-06-12_16-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x3-3k0Jpwkw/T-JW1pc3JAI/AAAAAAAABV0/Lg7C09rHFXI/s640/P16-06-12_16-23.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x3-3k0Jpwkw/T-JW1pc3JAI/AAAAAAAABV0/Lg7C09rHFXI/s1600/P16-06-12_16-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...I confess I never read the blurb because it's always so pretentious and full of bullshit, so what this represents, other than many hours work for the staff of the Tate Modern, I have no idea - don't wanna know either...</span></a><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One thing though, here's a few nice shots of London...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4tBa-UsfxDk/T-JWsdivJBI/AAAAAAAABVU/LOk1D1ZzXh4/s1600/P16-06-12_12-46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4tBa-UsfxDk/T-JWsdivJBI/AAAAAAAABVU/LOk1D1ZzXh4/s320/P16-06-12_12-46.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dcOIC_Gi-xM/T-JWuke0jmI/AAAAAAAABVc/nTBmG7BxCFo/s1600/P16-06-12_12-47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dcOIC_Gi-xM/T-JWuke0jmI/AAAAAAAABVc/nTBmG7BxCFo/s400/P16-06-12_12-47.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SA House... Nearly 20 years since we left it alone...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-keRIMiCMTcY/T-JWwlpgtaI/AAAAAAAABVk/6pZD5zM1YMw/s1600/P16-06-12_12-50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-keRIMiCMTcY/T-JWwlpgtaI/AAAAAAAABVk/6pZD5zM1YMw/s320/P16-06-12_12-50.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Countdown continues to some sporting event</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in the East End - 74 days to go</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h0tgVjHA8zw/T-JW3POJ_CI/AAAAAAAABV8/q7odzKYr9Bw/s1600/P16-06-12_17-41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h0tgVjHA8zw/T-JW3POJ_CI/AAAAAAAABV8/q7odzKYr9Bw/s640/P16-06-12_17-41.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is from the roof of the Tate Modern, the Members bar, fabulous</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once again when I arrived in town, the first bus I saw was this:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UNcYDGmioEQ/T-JWqdHSFeI/AAAAAAAABVM/ADWhTY61nH0/s1600/P16-06-12_12-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UNcYDGmioEQ/T-JWqdHSFeI/AAAAAAAABVM/ADWhTY61nH0/s640/P16-06-12_12-19.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They've gone back to a double decker, very sensible!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And finally, a new garden to look after...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xCr3iI_oYHE/T-JWjCoLq-I/AAAAAAAABU0/SsTo9z1IngM/s1600/P14-06-12_17-56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xCr3iI_oYHE/T-JWjCoLq-I/AAAAAAAABU0/SsTo9z1IngM/s320/P14-06-12_17-56.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ycmcQz20GSA/T-JWlhtulKI/AAAAAAAABU8/pzv_su2t8o4/s1600/P14-06-12_17-56%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ycmcQz20GSA/T-JWlhtulKI/AAAAAAAABU8/pzv_su2t8o4/s320/P14-06-12_17-56%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...not a lot to do at the front, but a massive lawn to cut every two weeks round the back.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, there you have it, a little bit of gardening news at the end, so I don't feel too bad. Thinking of starting a new radio station, anyone got any ideas as to how to go about it?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy twiddling...</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-53516181337057138062012-06-13T00:57:00.000+01:002012-06-13T00:57:47.757+01:00None for sooo long then 3 come along at once...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What am I like eh? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I came up with a new word the other day, bloggocks or bloggox if you want to be cool. It's a mix of bollocks and blog - did you spot that? Anyway, it's what this is all about innit?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is a most gorgeous picture from Womad a few years back. I post it because it's beautiful, sent to me by a beautiful person:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1ier5UPKiLk/T9fL9A3m4aI/AAAAAAAABUU/mqkHiM6rjvk/s1600/WOMADJuly2011+164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1ier5UPKiLk/T9fL9A3m4aI/AAAAAAAABUU/mqkHiM6rjvk/s640/WOMADJuly2011+164.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The ceiling of the Siam tent Womad 2006, courtesy of my best friend - wish I could make it this year the 30th anniversary, but well, y'know...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today, Tuesday 12th June 2012, I was at Rebecca's place in Quainton and the building work has taken on a whole new tenor. Like great big ugly tracks all over the grass and great big ugly holes in places where there shouldn't be but ah well, there we go...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was going to take pictures of the work, but it depressed me a bit, so I re-strimmed the little pathways I cut through the meadow area a few weeks back. I love it down there and at some point later in the year we are going to add a little seating area by the brook that runs at the bottom of the meadow. Can't wait!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are the new pictures:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7FlLwwF_kfc/T9fLrNA5BAI/AAAAAAAABTc/8bAJ2xA_mz4/s1600/P12-06-12_16-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7FlLwwF_kfc/T9fLrNA5BAI/AAAAAAAABTc/8bAJ2xA_mz4/s640/P12-06-12_16-12.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a newly cut path, across the top of the re-sown area I did in April</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ndz2ybU_vJk/T9fLtbyot-I/AAAAAAAABTk/wgyeDMMqhGc/s1600/P12-06-12_16-12%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ndz2ybU_vJk/T9fLtbyot-I/AAAAAAAABTk/wgyeDMMqhGc/s320/P12-06-12_16-12%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iKtSnHfJWjg/T9fLvXyzjwI/AAAAAAAABTs/Zivt9iRyxFc/s1600/P12-06-12_16-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iKtSnHfJWjg/T9fLvXyzjwI/AAAAAAAABTs/Zivt9iRyxFc/s640/P12-06-12_16-13.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Doesn't really look it here, but this is a quite steep hill up to the main lawn area</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RruTph9WG2E/T9fLxuPw6oI/AAAAAAAABT0/jERAKnjLjIk/s1600/P12-06-12_16-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RruTph9WG2E/T9fLxuPw6oI/AAAAAAAABT0/jERAKnjLjIk/s320/P12-06-12_16-14.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kdMAIYzkbJE/T9fL1fPndXI/AAAAAAAABUE/wZlWkbxdc3Q/s1600/P12-06-12_16-15%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kdMAIYzkbJE/T9fL1fPndXI/AAAAAAAABUE/wZlWkbxdc3Q/s320/P12-06-12_16-15%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ulCqo_ij9TU/T9fLzVrUHYI/AAAAAAAABT8/PUq-_kCmyB4/s1600/P12-06-12_16-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ulCqo_ij9TU/T9fLzVrUHYI/AAAAAAAABT8/PUq-_kCmyB4/s640/P12-06-12_16-15.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Looking along the bottom back to the re-sown area</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u19oxZbtw8o/T9fL3bXM8sI/AAAAAAAABUM/MJ6wTZz9tcw/s1600/P12-06-12_16-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u19oxZbtw8o/T9fL3bXM8sI/AAAAAAAABUM/MJ6wTZz9tcw/s400/P12-06-12_16-19.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And this is where the tennis court will be next year. <br />At the top of the drive</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's a garden I could work on all week and still struggle to keep on top of it at this time of year, so the 10 hours I do every Tuesday merely scratches the surface. Very enjoyable work and very lovely people!*</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy strimming, if you can!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">*And I'm not just saying that...</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-92179825094065985722012-06-11T15:51:00.000+01:002012-06-11T15:51:35.580+01:00I promise not to mention the weather... Part Deux<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Two posts in a day - sounds like a song a la Crowded House's <i>Four Seasons in One Day, </i>love 'em. Now I've mentioned them I am listening to Weather With You, class. Neil Finn has to be one of the nicest blokes - I know it's not possible to know that for sure, but he was one of the blessed Linda McCartney's favourites, so he must be good.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On my way to Quainton every Tuesday morning I pass through a new housing estate and I laugh a lot. And this is why I laugh a lot:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PvvhfQc8buM/T9X9uMarVjI/AAAAAAAABR8/nPwYh8XTthM/s1600/P05-06-12_08-27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="524" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PvvhfQc8buM/T9X9uMarVjI/AAAAAAAABR8/nPwYh8XTthM/s640/P05-06-12_08-27.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w3q6-eyAOjc/T9X9vVeg7XI/AAAAAAAABSE/ckX7Sf7i5F4/s1600/P05-06-12_08-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="566" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w3q6-eyAOjc/T9X9vVeg7XI/AAAAAAAABSE/ckX7Sf7i5F4/s640/P05-06-12_08-28.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NGwQCC_JPFM/T9X9woR6WUI/AAAAAAAABSI/qJdMswKxuxc/s1600/P08-05-12_17-43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NGwQCC_JPFM/T9X9woR6WUI/AAAAAAAABSI/qJdMswKxuxc/s640/P08-05-12_17-43.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SwsTIZv84NU/T9X9xoXhR0I/AAAAAAAABSU/Mf8f7KxuApg/s1600/P08-05-12_17-44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="536" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SwsTIZv84NU/T9X9xoXhR0I/AAAAAAAABSU/Mf8f7KxuApg/s640/P08-05-12_17-44.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This place is about 30 seconds from the edge of Aylesbury and, all due respect to the people of Aylesbury, but it's not the most scenic of places and has a bit of a reputation for drugs and suchlike. And I do not judge here, not by any stretch of anyone's imagination. These signs are for a pile of crap estate called Kingsfield Park and they say (just in case you can't read them):</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 Kingsfield</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Park</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> - Air to Breathe</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 Kingsfield</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Park</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> - Space to Think</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3 Kingsfield</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Park</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> - Space to Think (again)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 Kingsfield</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Park</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> - Room to Grow</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's a shockingly misleading bit of marketing. Most of the houses are back to back and cramped up into little cul-de-sacs that could not give you space to swing the proverbial marketing exec, let alone to think, breathe and grow. I guess I'm just a house snob, I like old houses, at least turn of last century and new estates just seem such anodyne little boxes with gardens the size of a stamp. All too pretty and possibly not that well built. Here's a couple of the house styles from their website:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9ff4h4wxR0/T9YCqe-VpmI/AAAAAAAABSk/1GK5B0rfMbU/s1600/1_10103415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9ff4h4wxR0/T9YCqe-VpmI/AAAAAAAABSk/1GK5B0rfMbU/s320/1_10103415.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DjaRpfAsowk/T9YCuslg0qI/AAAAAAAABSs/0pxKLymM5tU/s1600/The_Weston_21123110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DjaRpfAsowk/T9YCuslg0qI/AAAAAAAABSs/0pxKLymM5tU/s1600/The_Weston_21123110.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gimme Victorian streets any day!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the top of the driveway at Rebecca's in Quainton, about five minutes drive from Kingsfield:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uiJxvsPa5Jc/T9YENgqG1II/AAAAAAAABS0/eDpTAm5uhqM/s1600/P08-05-12_15-26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uiJxvsPa5Jc/T9YENgqG1II/AAAAAAAABS0/eDpTAm5uhqM/s400/P08-05-12_15-26.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nmrb7M7sdjU/T9YEUHgGGjI/AAAAAAAABTE/VAQy1TcFF-Q/s1600/P08-05-12_15-26%5B2%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nmrb7M7sdjU/T9YEUHgGGjI/AAAAAAAABTE/VAQy1TcFF-Q/s640/P08-05-12_15-26%5B2%5D.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i8YrV3emLa8/T9YEQ1Ds3YI/AAAAAAAABS8/2n5zJ6-qkjo/s1600/P08-05-12_15-26%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i8YrV3emLa8/T9YEQ1Ds3YI/AAAAAAAABS8/2n5zJ6-qkjo/s400/P08-05-12_15-26%255B1%255D.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And here are some flowers from the top of the drive too:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sp3Npylf_sU/T9YFCwM9JiI/AAAAAAAABTM/9mrB-PQnaM0/s1600/P29-05-12_16-08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sp3Npylf_sU/T9YFCwM9JiI/AAAAAAAABTM/9mrB-PQnaM0/s640/P29-05-12_16-08.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nice!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy house hunting - if you're doing it!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-32043622953161183252012-06-11T10:16:00.001+01:002012-06-11T10:16:41.793+01:00I promise not to mention the weather...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OK, I feel a bit lost. I am one of those sad individuals who <b><i>has</i></b> to do something. And by something, I mean work. I have this innate feeling that I must earn to justify my existence. When I think logically about that obvious psychotic behaviour I should tell myself, "Chill, if you can't work it's not your fault", but I feel like I'm letting people down. All those nice people with their lovely gardens... Ho hum.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyhoo, I have a backlog of pictures to upload and will basically make a selection from the past month or so. It's probably a good thing as I have quite a lot and so I must edit out the worst ones. (Can't believe I haven't blogged for over a month, still can't get the hang of this!)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cNenRQw8-O8/T9WuUcwMyMI/AAAAAAAABQs/Ay0W77NceRM/s1600/P16-05-12_17-48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cNenRQw8-O8/T9WuUcwMyMI/AAAAAAAABQs/Ay0W77NceRM/s640/P16-05-12_17-48.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First time in my life I actually love a car - not in the fruity sense of the word obviously,<i> that </i>would be berserk. The "Belgrano" (big and grey and never been anywhere near the Falklands) is a beauty and now I have discovered boxes it's actually quite neat!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are some little jobs I have done, not insignificant of course just some nice tidying up, something I actually enjoy - slightly gay?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2_aBa2sexRQ/T9WuDCfNf0I/AAAAAAAABP0/7V1fl9jX9aM/s1600/P12-05-12_14-50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2_aBa2sexRQ/T9WuDCfNf0I/AAAAAAAABP0/7V1fl9jX9aM/s320/P12-05-12_14-50.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xVtBA96x-kE/T9WuF6eQ0wI/AAAAAAAABP8/GrAJOWlvKc0/s1600/P12-05-12_15-53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xVtBA96x-kE/T9WuF6eQ0wI/AAAAAAAABP8/GrAJOWlvKc0/s640/P12-05-12_15-53.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...after. A nice little cottage in Tring</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u5FI4Lv_Lsg/T9WuNSqufpI/AAAAAAAABQU/h40uRXcTMjU/s1600/P15-05-12_13-52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u5FI4Lv_Lsg/T9WuNSqufpI/AAAAAAAABQU/h40uRXcTMjU/s320/P15-05-12_13-52.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FGBOLxhDk9s/T9WuPsjpJFI/AAAAAAAABQc/QhhdrpZ-azU/s1600/P15-05-12_14-51%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FGBOLxhDk9s/T9WuPsjpJFI/AAAAAAAABQc/QhhdrpZ-azU/s640/P15-05-12_14-51%255B1%255D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...after. The greenhouse area at Rebecca's place in Quainton - why is this soooo enjoyable?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KvzASRS8VWY/T9Wt8BHMwAI/AAAAAAAABPc/HcH4sm03zgI/s1600/P09-05-12_12-26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KvzASRS8VWY/T9Wt8BHMwAI/AAAAAAAABPc/HcH4sm03zgI/s320/P09-05-12_12-26.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rRSIq5_ElMA/T9Wt-b3aoTI/AAAAAAAABPk/INos5pkt1g4/s1600/P09-05-12_13-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rRSIq5_ElMA/T9Wt-b3aoTI/AAAAAAAABPk/INos5pkt1g4/s640/P09-05-12_13-00.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...after. A little bit of topiary at Julie's place in Buckland. I sometimes feel cutting hair may have been a good career, but then I think hair is such a bad idea...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some flowers:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KHkCFet7T1I/T9Wt3X8FJmI/AAAAAAAABPM/OecuGiwXsRY/s1600/P09-05-12_10-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KHkCFet7T1I/T9Wt3X8FJmI/AAAAAAAABPM/OecuGiwXsRY/s320/P09-05-12_10-30.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WofXDZ9uPew/T9Wt5297BtI/AAAAAAAABPU/HmbSMXZE4cM/s1600/P09-05-12_10-41%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WofXDZ9uPew/T9Wt5297BtI/AAAAAAAABPU/HmbSMXZE4cM/s640/P09-05-12_10-41%255B1%255D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-krVIxhfR97Y/T9WuR2FSM6I/AAAAAAAABQk/ioSDmn6zXCA/s1600/P16-05-12_16-50%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-krVIxhfR97Y/T9WuR2FSM6I/AAAAAAAABQk/ioSDmn6zXCA/s320/P16-05-12_16-50%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oJgAfJPrRa8/T9WuccSHx9I/AAAAAAAABRE/X9xfB-JFr_Q/s1600/P29-05-12_16-08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oJgAfJPrRa8/T9WuccSHx9I/AAAAAAAABRE/X9xfB-JFr_Q/s320/P29-05-12_16-08.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z4o4c6EDQu4/T9Wug3vj99I/AAAAAAAABRU/Ci142Bqywtk/s1600/P31-05-12_10-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z4o4c6EDQu4/T9Wug3vj99I/AAAAAAAABRU/Ci142Bqywtk/s320/P31-05-12_10-22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3aue9kdQGzE/T9Wul70yJsI/AAAAAAAABRs/L3yOzzyiXvU/s1600/P06-06-12_15-55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3aue9kdQGzE/T9Wul70yJsI/AAAAAAAABRs/L3yOzzyiXvU/s640/P06-06-12_15-55.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><i><b>"Bellis perennis</b></i> is a common <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Europe">European</a> species of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteraceae" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Asteraceae">Daisy</a>, of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aster" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Aster">aster</a> family, often considered the archetypal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Species" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Species">species</a> of that name. Many related plants also share the name "daisy", so to distinguish this species from other daisies it is sometimes qualified as <b>common daisy</b>, <b>lawn daisy</b> or <b>English daisy</b>." <br />Many thanks to Wikipedia! I love daisies, such a shame I spend so much of my time mowing them up. I think they are so quintessentially British and we should adopt the little beauty as our national flower, sod the rose!</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And here are some pretty pictures (I think) sort of at random. Yeah, that's the sun in the top one - damn! does that constitute mentioning the weather?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-crt4yrpd0Nw/T9WuZCpO-8I/AAAAAAAABQ8/klfjSdkv5kE/s1600/P28-05-12_16-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-crt4yrpd0Nw/T9WuZCpO-8I/AAAAAAAABQ8/klfjSdkv5kE/s320/P28-05-12_16-06.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nF0m1v31tV8/T9WuevYPc_I/AAAAAAAABRM/go5WBD7eP_M/s1600/P30-05-12_09-46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nF0m1v31tV8/T9WuevYPc_I/AAAAAAAABRM/go5WBD7eP_M/s640/P30-05-12_09-46.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a painting in waiting isn't it? Love those shadows, but seeing as my current painting has been sitting in the dining room untouched for about 3 months, it ain't gonna happen some time soon</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VF9mtXfZmzc/T9WuISarbII/AAAAAAAABQE/PyQrYFO0_S0/s1600/P14-05-12_09-20%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VF9mtXfZmzc/T9WuISarbII/AAAAAAAABQE/PyQrYFO0_S0/s400/P14-05-12_09-20%255B1%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The previously flowerless wisteria at Pat's. <br />I'm hoping next year will see it awash!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sOJsNq1i1Os/T9WuXGgWadI/AAAAAAAABQ0/MX0FhhCNDUc/s1600/P28-05-12_12-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sOJsNq1i1Os/T9WuXGgWadI/AAAAAAAABQ0/MX0FhhCNDUc/s640/P28-05-12_12-17.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lunch time at Pat's - gotta get those feet up some time!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OK! That's it for this post, I'm going to have to write another to include the remainder of the pictures. They have a bit of an irreverent feel, so I think it would be out of place in a blog with such nice pictures.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Back in a mo...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy days!</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-11810504729431275872012-05-05T02:01:00.002+01:002012-05-05T02:01:53.082+01:00That was the weak that was<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Strange how time flies, tempus fugit indeed. There I was thinking it's Tuesday and Friday clips me round the ear. I'm sure it's an age thing, time does kinda move quicker the older one gets - doesn't at all of course, just feels that way - but you get what I mean.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I sat here yesterday, Thursday, thinking "this week seems to be going on forever" and then it's Saturday and the cup final is a mere 16 hours away. I love football. It's hard to explain to someone who has no interest, but it matters even in today's money squelching, mock-celebrity ridden, puss-filled pile of shite, that is the Premier League/Champions League, etc. I can't even afford to go to Stamford Bridge any more. I used to go every home game and many away games too, but not now. In fact when Chelsea were shit I went for five or six seasons in the 70s hardly missing a game at all. Oh well, this evening at 5.15 we kick off against our nemesis team of recent times, Liverpool and the following picture is a living breathing hope of triumph...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DWqDD7lMP0Q/T6R2EGHv08I/AAAAAAAABNk/e4zV-mPt3Bo/s1600/tumblr_m3i9fukx5L1qhfgjbo2_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DWqDD7lMP0Q/T6R2EGHv08I/AAAAAAAABNk/e4zV-mPt3Bo/s640/tumblr_m3i9fukx5L1qhfgjbo2_1280.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Barcelona 24th April 2012 - a truly magnificent night that I wish me mum had seen...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, gardening, a mildly important part of my current life. Rebecca's on Tuesday and as I mentioned in the previous post, a rather nasty welcome on the top of the drive:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nud-ZNTcPEk/T6R3Cyo2RpI/AAAAAAAABNs/xej3qx7GSa8/s1600/P01-05-12_09-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nud-ZNTcPEk/T6R3Cyo2RpI/AAAAAAAABNs/xej3qx7GSa8/s640/P01-05-12_09-28.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rather large old Horse Chestnut sans rather large low branch.<br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pj0I56WHavI/T6R3FkKkJ2I/AAAAAAAABN0/OsyFWwGBfYI/s1600/P01-05-12_10-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pj0I56WHavI/T6R3FkKkJ2I/AAAAAAAABN0/OsyFWwGBfYI/s320/P01-05-12_10-24.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eMEHNqRQCeA/T6R3IcN7BWI/AAAAAAAABN8/ZCECEwDGo4Y/s1600/P01-05-12_12-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eMEHNqRQCeA/T6R3IcN7BWI/AAAAAAAABN8/ZCECEwDGo4Y/s400/P01-05-12_12-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It took me a good three hours to tidy up and chop the lost<br />limb into reasonable sizes. Then I thought a nice pile might<br />attract some wild life, so that's what I did, made a nice pile...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p2LaE6q-s0A/T6R3LrHFevI/AAAAAAAABOE/F8Oq2Z66nmc/s1600/P01-05-12_13-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p2LaE6q-s0A/T6R3LrHFevI/AAAAAAAABOE/F8Oq2Z66nmc/s640/P01-05-12_13-10.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Top of the drive. I've been trying to tidy it up for a while and I'm slowly<br />getting there. Last week I trimmed the hedge that runs along the right <br />hand side as you look at it here. It's oddly planted with a very random<br />higgledy piggledy style and, although I do kind of like it, it genuinely needs<br />a bit of formality introducing - but not too much... </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gu10jQSJqnY/T6R3NLu5oJI/AAAAAAAABOM/fGPhr1GB0T0/s1600/P03-05-12_11-39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gu10jQSJqnY/T6R3NLu5oJI/AAAAAAAABOM/fGPhr1GB0T0/s640/P03-05-12_11-39.jpg" width="392" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Billy who was Tilly. He gets on top of the highest perching<br />point an belts out the a cockle-doodle-do something akin<br />to an 11 year old boy with a breaking voice. Bless! <br />PS: I have renamed him Billy Elvis, 'cos his comb looks <br />like a quiff</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today I cut the lawns at Glassmill House in Berkhamsted, unfortunately my "friend" from the other week failed to get annoyed with the noise from the strimmer and lawn mower. I shall persevere and hope that he tries to shut me up again. He truly was a delightful man and yet his issues came before him, about 30 seconds in all.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Quick cheeky pint in the Rising Sun, home via watching Finlay at cricket training and ahhhhhhhhh... Off to sleep!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183030341022366580.post-3998224752883643792012-05-03T16:29:00.003+01:002012-05-03T16:29:46.288+01:00Dear Lord and Father of...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...humankind, forgive our cockamamy ways...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Listen, there must be something going on. It's obvious isn't it? All this weather we are having, it just can't be right. Too wet, too windy, but most of all too naffing cold. Quite frankly I am now pissed off. I can't work and if I don't work, blah blah blah...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Strangely though, on Monday this:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rjzpXrcxg7M/T6KbGTXEDXI/AAAAAAAABK8/IrB3Mo4wgFA/s1600/P23-04-12_15-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rjzpXrcxg7M/T6KbGTXEDXI/AAAAAAAABK8/IrB3Mo4wgFA/s400/P23-04-12_15-30.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">23-04-12</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Turned into this:</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JyN53yyNfmQ/T6Kb1VEq0FI/AAAAAAAABMc/GTaCE_H8mM0/s1600/P30-04-12_10-43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JyN53yyNfmQ/T6Kb1VEq0FI/AAAAAAAABMc/GTaCE_H8mM0/s640/P30-04-12_10-43.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">30-04-12</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What a difference a week makes, but then again I am not working today again, which is the third week on the trot that I have missed a day of work. It's becoming an obsession, I should learn to relax; ommmmmmmmmmmmmm...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Seriously though, I don't mind the wet or even the wind, it's the cold that gets to me. I reckon I haven't yet got used to the cold since coming back from our three year sojourn in Oz - that's the Antipodean rather large island as against the wonderful land of... OK, it was all of 42 years ago we got back, but I continue to not appreciate having me nutz frozen orf.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, Pat's on Monday. It was actually quite nice all day. I even cut the grass and doesn't it look nice:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sfS82APTLJo/T6Kb6UnENkI/AAAAAAAABMs/Ac2h-bpDgic/s1600/P30-04-12_12-50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sfS82APTLJo/T6Kb6UnENkI/AAAAAAAABMs/Ac2h-bpDgic/s640/P30-04-12_12-50.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XOEzNNI7ZGw/T6Kb4fevfZI/AAAAAAAABMk/OPnouc9ixd8/s1600/P30-04-12_10-47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XOEzNNI7ZGw/T6Kb4fevfZI/AAAAAAAABMk/OPnouc9ixd8/s320/P30-04-12_10-47.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The wisteria continues to flourish</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HiTsEQU7Kto/T6Kb8wm2yNI/AAAAAAAABMw/mdB14s44p0Q/s1600/P30-04-12_13-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HiTsEQU7Kto/T6Kb8wm2yNI/AAAAAAAABMw/mdB14s44p0Q/s640/P30-04-12_13-06.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nice tulips, new this year. I think they are Tulipa viridiflora, 'Spring Green' - isn't that nice?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: darkmagenta;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W5_zMgLlRI0/T6Kb-kLei-I/AAAAAAAABM8/RH3R_Foe5PM/s1600/P30-04-12_17-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W5_zMgLlRI0/T6Kb-kLei-I/AAAAAAAABM8/RH3R_Foe5PM/s400/P30-04-12_17-18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ba5khVZJRNM/T6KcA01V4lI/AAAAAAAABNE/zqoz4-o6jSA/s1600/P30-04-12_17-18%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ba5khVZJRNM/T6KcA01V4lI/AAAAAAAABNE/zqoz4-o6jSA/s640/P30-04-12_17-18%255B1%255D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I believe this is Clematis 'Montana Rubens'. Masses of flowers every year and never fails...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pil9c_bg2xw/T6KcFY1GvRI/AAAAAAAABNM/B_ARbRbAjh8/s1600/P30-04-12_17-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pil9c_bg2xw/T6KcFY1GvRI/AAAAAAAABNM/B_ARbRbAjh8/s320/P30-04-12_17-19.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-civOd-pk8y4/T6KcKgbiNoI/AAAAAAAABNU/UFxEA00mjeg/s1600/P30-04-12_17-19%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-civOd-pk8y4/T6KcKgbiNoI/AAAAAAAABNU/UFxEA00mjeg/s640/P30-04-12_17-19%255B1%255D.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The partare at Pat's, with freshly trimmed box hedges. I love trimming <br />up hedges, it's what I go to bed dreaming of!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another post later on with a rather sad welcome for me at Rebecca's on Tuesday this week, a la this:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-whPD5mi1UN4/T6KbXQKC2lI/AAAAAAAABLE/zAhaDdy3YtU/s1600/P01-05-12_09-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-whPD5mi1UN4/T6KbXQKC2lI/AAAAAAAABLE/zAhaDdy3YtU/s400/P01-05-12_09-28.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the horse chestnut at the top of the drive in<br />Quainton. A branch was lost in the storms at the weekend.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Laters! Or should I say L8rs?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy chopping!</span>SimonM-Isaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16735205414579457197noreply@blogger.com0