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Guy Fawkes’ Night

Friday, November 5th, 2004

Oooops, I forgot about the 5th of November! And this despite the fact that fireworks have been whistling down the street for a good few weeks now. Liverpool has even instituted a special fireworks squad to deal with this!

It’s Guy Fawkes’ Night — normally the occasion for fireworks and bonfires. I remember a few years back we even had a lab BBQ in the shadows of the Ochills, just as the first frost sugared the branches. Brrr.

Sorry folks, nothing planned for this year. If life wasn’t so hectic right now (John starting a new job, us uprooting to Reading) we might have been in Borth, having a bonfire on the beach with sausages on sticks and potatoes baked in the ashes… Oh well, next year perhaps.

Reading buses

Thursday, November 4th, 2004

Planning my trip proves to be a nightmare! No, not getting from the UK to Portugal, I have exchanged my flight voucher and should be all clear to fly with EasyJet from Gatwick to Faro on the 9th. Accommodation in Faro is also no problem as the camping place is on a local busroute from the airport. From there, it is an easy two weeks trundling through Portugal by local bus or rail. The country is small, services are frequent, I’m flexible. Bliss.
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London’s worst

Monday, October 4th, 2004

The problem with a brief visit to old haunts to have a laugh with mates is that you end up with a backlash of teary nostalgia, but yesterday really took the bisquit.
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Back in da hood!

Saturday, October 2nd, 2004

The ghetto has shrunk.

This is a sure sign that I have been away for some time. I remember that on my return from boarding school my hometown always appeared smaller. When I came back from my trans-Africa trip it looked like a toy-town to me.
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Pints of Rain

Thursday, July 22nd, 2004

The weather has turned to shit — where has the summer gone?
Still, I suppose there are always compensations…

pints.jpg

The Great Scottish Lightshow

Saturday, June 26th, 2004

On the evening of the England Portugal game we were driving through the lake district back to Scotland. I knew we were home as soon as we drove into the setting sun.
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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.
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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.
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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. . .
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A Day at the Village Fair

Sunday, May 23rd, 2004

It was a glorious day on the village green. Children ran past with rolling hoops, played with skipping ropes or cup- and- ball or spun diabolos. Well-dressed ladies milled around stalls which offered flowers, books, sweets, hats and toys and families picniced on the lawn under the lush chestnut trees.
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