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Archive for June, 2004

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Well done England

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2004

After all that ranting against English flag waving, why am I so happy about yesterday’s game? It is true, I am chuffed. Well done England!
Especially the boy-wonder Rooney.

I’ve got to go to the library today, it is my last opportunity now that I am in London. But, damnit, it is work. Piecing my Africa notes together is much more fun, but it will take a little while. I’ll post the first excerpt as soon as I can.

The African Journal

Monday, June 21st, 2004

On this day twenty years ago, I ran into one of my future teachers in Dar-es-Salam. This was during my first big journey, from Cairo to Capetown.
[read on]

Football fever

Monday, June 21st, 2004

The drive back from Borth to my in-laws in Kent (and on to London in time for the BootsNall party) took us through some beautiful countryside. It has been a long time since I have last seen an English summer – it seems much greener here, all lush broadleaf trees and hedges.
[read on]

Borth Beach BBQ

Friday, June 18th, 2004

The sky was grey but there was a silver lining on the horizon, so at four in the afternoon we decided to go ahead – come rain or shine. We drove to town to buy raw king prawns and fresh baguettes then set about finalising the preparations for our 15th anniversary beach BBQ.
[read on]

Interior design and a game of life & death

Thursday, June 17th, 2004

My sister’s beach villa is in a constant state of transformation. Features are appearing or disappearing, pictures have been hung on walls or taken down again and bits of furniture shifted around every time we visit. Architect’s plans are taped to the walls in the lounge. The place is slowly evolving into an interior design showhouse – all washed floor boards and pebble walls. . .
[read on]

Borth Beach BBQ (recipes)

Thursday, June 17th, 2004

The weather has been changeable lately, but in the evenings the sun usually comes out and BBQ smoke is wifting up from the neighbours garden through the open office window. I’m dead jealous (they’ve got family visiting. The squealing of children running about and the laughter of adults having a cold beer echoes from the walls). However, preparations are underway for our 15th anniversary BBQ in Borth. With the British climate, beach BBQs are usually a once-a-year occasion, but this year it has to be extra special. Fingers crossed…
[read on]

Counting down to Ard

Sunday, June 13th, 2004

Less than 3 weeks to go before the start of the whale watching season at Ardnamurchan!

With time running short, I have my homework cut out. I am surprised that Google throws up more papers than the scientific search engine Scirus!

Anyway, good to be reading some papers again. And all about whales too! Swotting hasn’t been this much fun in a while. I can’t wait…

Scoring herbs in Amsterdam

Friday, June 11th, 2004

The police in Portugal have come up with a great way to clamp down on hooliganism during Euro 2004. They have proposed to turn a “blind eye” to the smoking of canabis, figuring that the fans will be too stoned to kick up trouble. How is that for intelligent policing (if that isn’t a contradiction in terms)?

Hearing this on the news brings back memories of Amsterdam last summer…
[read on]

Publish and be Damned (II)

Monday, June 7th, 2004

I am seriously thinking about serialising “The Whales of Trincomalee” as an e-book.
[read on]

Soup and Bread

Sunday, June 6th, 2004

Yesterday, I baked a loaf of bread. If you hit someone over the head with it, you’ll knock them out. Hmmm – I should have used a little less rye in the mix…
[read on]