For the last several years, Christopher’s step-father, Peter, has spent a week or two over the summer visiting some friends of his in Wales. His way home back to Kent takes him pretty close to Malvern, usually passing through around lunch-time. So it seems a very good idea to meet up for a pub-lunch and […]
One of Christopher’s favourite films was Before Sunrise, the 1995 film staring Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke, about a young couple, Celine and Jesse, who meet by chance on a train, and spend the day (or rather, the night) walking around Vienna talking to each other, before going their separate ways. I don’t know when […]
I popped down to Eastnor Pottery this afternoon to collect the pots which I turned and decorated a few weeks ago, and which have just come out of the kiln. These were a commission from my father, who wanted a lidded pot to use as a sugar bowl. He particularly requested that the lid should […]
I’ve taken the week off work to recharge my batteries after spending all of June away on business. I’m spending some of the time watching Wimbledon on the TV, and much of the rest catching up with chores, as it’s amazing how they stack up when one’s away for a month. However, I decided to […]
After three weeks away in Wiltshire preparing for the first equipment trial, I was contracted to spend the last week in June running another equipment trial for my other customer, this time at our Hampshire HQ. The actual work was much easier than the first trial – I’ve been working on this project for two […]
Thursday nights were designated as the night to hit the town, to a tapas bar or a Chinese restaurant, or whatever. Usually that was a preliminary to the gang then moving on to sample the local bars and nightlife, but I simply wasn’t up for that. I was working some stupidly long hours (by my […]
I spent the first three weeks of this month away on business doing systems integration and testing for a major equipment trial at a customer site. Usually, when I’m working at that site I stay at a hotel at a service area on a nearby trunk road. That’s very convenient to get to work in […]
It was my birthday recently, and my Gran very kindly sent me a cheque as a present. I have a strict rule that any such welcome windfalls have to be spent on something identifiable and “extra” rather than just going into the general housekeeping fund and being spent on food or bills. My original plan […]
I spent the morning back at Eastnor Pottery, throwing some lidded pots. Well, I say “some” – I was actually on a bit of a roll and threw ten pots and ten lids. They won’t all form matching pairs though – I was throwing “freehand” without weighing the lumps of clay or using calipers to […]
The bluebells are late this year – they are usually out in full bloom for the last week in April, but the appalling long cold winter has put them behind, like just about everything else. However, they have been well worth waiting for. I went for a walk on the Malvern Hills this afternoon, along […]
