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{ Monthly Archives } December 2014

Secret North Cyprus

I’ve just got back from a week spent on a tour of the lesser-known sites of North Cyprus. I wanted to go away for Christmas, as I’ve done for the past few years, and this tour seemed to fit the bill. About ten years ago, Christopher and I spent a Christmas in North Cyprus, hired […]

Under Another Sky

The course on Hadrian’s Wall finished a while ago, and I’ve missed reading and learning about Roman Britain. But then I received my copy of the Balliol Record, my college magazine. It’s the usual mix of college, university and alumni news, and it usually is of only passing interest. But this issue had a book […]

Round One to English Heritage

The local planning fuss I mentioned recently about broiler sheds is rumbling on. I’ve been keeping half an eye on Herefordshire Council’s Planning website, and there have been over 600 comments from members of the public, approximately 95% of which are objecting to the development. Interestingly, one of the local big landowners wrote a letter […]

Chimney Sheep

I’ve got an open fire in my living room which is hardly ever used. It’s a useful back-up if and when the boiler breaks down or there’s an extended power cut, as it means that at least I can heat one room. And Christopher used to quite like occasionally having a roaring blaze on a […]

Planning permission fuss

There is a big fuss going on locally at the moment. The farmer just down the hill from me – he of the potato lorries – has put in a planning application to build four huge “broiler sheds” to intensively rear chickens. The big problem is that this is slap bang in the middle of […]

The Terrace on the Hill

I finally got my latest huge technical report finished earlier this week, and took a day’s leave today to unwind and relax. I decided to treat myself to lunch out at a new restaurant that has recently opened in Malvern – The Terrace on the Hill. By day it’s a cafe/brasserie serving light lunches, and […]