Mark's old news

10 hits this week 11225 total.

2011.

Monday above zero, melting some of the white stuff.
A bit of shopping.

Tuesday all of the white stuff gone, only the multiple birdbath tippings out remaining.
1x round the village circuit in the green, grey damp 8 mins 08.
Afternoon 1x circuit 8 mins 09.
Evening foggy.

Tuesday.
1x circuit before lunch 8 mins 02.

Wednesday.
A bit of shopping.
Evening adrian and family came over.

Thursday.
We went into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at the herbert.

New year's eve.
A bit of shopping.
Went over to see dad.
1x circuit in the damp 8 mins 00.
We stayed up to get past the usual fireworks.

New year's day.
1x circuit in the damp 8 mins 07.
We went over to see stuart and chris.

Sunday over with lee to bradgate park for the end of an era walk.
Carvery lunch at the bradgate.
Met graham walking through the park.

The mapex drum kit didn't come with cymbals - carol chose a set of sabian xs20.

Back to red style sheet as all of the white stuff has disappeared now.

2011 and the search for a new job continues.

12 hits this week 11237 total.

Monday a bit of garden tidying.
Fired up the r6.
Evening over to the cadmac meet.

Tuesday morning slight frost and light snow.
Lunch, coffee and cake at b and q.
A bit of shopping.
Evening did a bit more on the scratchpad to support zooming in to the mandelbrot set.
Still needs some tidying up before going live.

Wednesday 1x round the village circuit in the windy, low sunshine 8 mins 12.
Put the xmas tree away.

Thursday morning 1x circuit in the frosty damp 8 mins 17.
Managed to keep it upright, with only a small front wheel skid on the black ice.

Friday wet snow, then rain.
Afternoon 1x circuit in the damp 7 mins 47.

Saturday still wet.
Didn't go to the f3f at long mynd.
Into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at waterstones.

Sunday frosty and sunny.
Afternoon we went for a walk around the village circuit in the low sunshine.

12 hits this week 11249 total.

Monday the joy formidable 1st cd a balloon called moaning arrived from amazon - big roar due soon.

Tuesday the van exhaust started blowing.

Wednesday 1x round the village circuit in the wet, around most of the puddles 7 mins 56.
Into town for lunch at west orchards, coffee and cake at m+s.
Britannia tyres fixed the exhaust.

Thursday 1x circuit in the damp 7 mins 54.
Pheasant back in the garden.
Took the gpz for a ride in the relatively warm weather to morrisons and refuel, then over to see adrian.
Dark and drizzly rain on the way back.

Saturday windy.
Pheasant again.
Into town for lunch at browns, then coffee and cake at b and q.

Sunday a bit of tidying up.
Cleaned the car.
Rain in the afternoon.

The reality book has been going on about the unruh effect and how the expanding universe will eventually be cool enough for this radiation to cause black holes to go pop.
Also the need for an objective collapse mechanism theory, in particular his own gravitational version.

Updated softscratchpad.

11 hits this week 11260 total.

Sunday surprised to see that gianna nannini had a daughter last year.

Monday 1x round the village circuit in the dark, damp mist 7 mins 52.
2x circuit in the afternoon sunshine 14 mins 28.
Took the gpz for a ride.
The brother hl2035 printer toner ran out.
Met hamish in the post office.
Evening over to the cadmac meet.
Horizon was actually quite good, going into quantum reality, the holographic idea, and the hope that maths is really underneath it all.

Tuesday morning slightly frosty.

Wednesday frosty again.
Lunchtime 2x circuit in the cold sunshine 14 mins 50.
Took the gpz for a ride, refuel and shopping. Cold coming back by the canal.

Thursday harder frost.
Late afternoon 2x circuit in the icy cold 14 mins 57.

Friday still frosty.
Afternoon 2x circuit in the cold sunshine 15 mins 07.
We went out to eat at the sarah mansfield.

Saturday into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at caffe giardino.

Sunday warmer and wet.
Afternoon we went over to birmingham to buy some speakers from richer sounds.

Seems to be that time of year for catkins.

11 hits this week (1w+) 11271 total.

1d late due to walk.

Monday lunch, coffee and cake at b and q.
A bit of shopping.
Late afternoon 1x round the village circuit 7 mins 36.

Tuesday took the gpz for a ride in the drizzle.

Wednesday into town for lunch at west orchards, then coffee and cake at m+s and a bit of shopping.
Bought the joy formidable cd the big roar at hmv after amazon failed to send it when it was released on monday, despite me preordering it..

Thursday.
Afternoon 1x circuit in the icy wind 7 mins 58.
Evening we went over to see stuart and chris.

Friday afternoon we went to market harborough in the cold sunhine.
Coffee and cake at giorno.
We went out into the cold starry night to eat at the haywaggon.

Saturday we went to london.
Straight onto a bus at thornhill and a clear run in.
Not as busy as it often is.
Went for a walk beyond neal street, back down the strand past the stars monument.
Had a look into st martin in the fields where a classical music rehearsal was just finishing, then down to have a look at the cafe in the crypt.
Back up wardour street where I found the chappell music shop.

Sunday went on the end of an era walk around bretford, across country to church lawford where we stopped for lunch.
Sun came out, but still muddy and icy.
On to king's newnham up to brinklow. We went up to the top of the castle.
Back down the holloway to bretford.

Monday again cold and sunny.
A bit of shopping.

10 hits this week (1w-) 11281 total.

February.

Tuesday it seems history is being made in egypt.
Afternoon 1x round the village circuit in the warm(ish) sunshine 7 mins 50.
Saw that google have done it again, now allowing virtual tours of several art galleries.

Wednesday lunch, coffee and cake at b and q.
A bit of shopping.
Evening we watched the 2001 dvd.

Thursday the exhaust went on the car. Britannia tyres fixed it fast.
Evening we went out into the blustery, dark night to see the joy formidable at the o2 academy (again).
Gone are the light bulbs in cages, and most of the bright white strobe lights.
They arrived on stage though strange jangling noises and...
...no guitar sound.
Much changing of leads etc. failed to fix it, and they eventually decided to go off and start again.
Of course they did a lot of the new stuff, some of which takes a bit of study, but lots of old favourites too.
Much too loud as usual.
Impressed by the drummer's long torsion bar to get double beater action onto the bass drum from a pedal next to the hi hat.

Friday windy.
Into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at the herbert.
Late afternoon down the m1 to meet jes at bob's for the bike show.

Saturday we met up at steve's and headed for the mcn bike show at excel.
Seems slightly smaller than the nec version.

Sunday back up through epping forest, m25, m1.

10 hits this week 11291 total.

Monday still very windy.
A bit of shopping.
Evening cadmac meet.
Starry night.

Tuesday slightly frosty.
Afternoon 1x round the village circuit is the warm(ish) sunshine 7 mins 53.

Wednesday into town for lunch at west orchards, coffee and cake at m+s.
More shopping.
Afternoon took the monster for a ride down to the canal.

Thursday damp again.
Afternoon 1x circuit in the wet 7 mins 43.

Friday a bit of tidying.
Afternoon 1x circuit in the sunshine 7 mins 52.
A bit of shopping, including some more muc off.
Carol took the 848 for a ride.

Bit of a historic moment in egypt.
We went out to eat at the sarah mansfield.

Saturday into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at giardino.

Sunday wet.

The reality book has been going on about twistor theory.
Interesting change of perspective, regarding light rays as fundamental, and twisting/remappping ordinary space (real) into twistor space (complex).
So that a light ray maps to a point, and a point in "normal" space is represented by all of the light rays passing through it (all directions), mapping to a sphere in twistor space.
So in effect the "important" thing about any point in normal space is the celestial sphere that it can see ie. all light rays coming to it from the "edge" of the universe.
Bit of an echo of the holographic idea.

11 hits this week 11302 total.

Monday afternoon 1x round the village circuit in the cold sunshine 8 mins 00.

Tuesday light rain.

Wednesday frosty sunshine.
Cleaned the car.
Lunch at b and q, coffee and cake at m+s.
A bit of shopping.
Late afternoon took the monster for a ride down to the canal.

Thursday coffee and cake at the amber cafe.

Friday still and grey.
Finished reading the road to reality.

Lunch at ryton gardens.
Afternoon we fitted a new stereo to carol's van.
Evening over to withybrook to eat.

Saturday raining.
Into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at the herbert.

Sunday 1x circuit in the cold damp 7 mins 40.
Went over to see dad.

12 hits this week 11314 total.

Monday wet.
Dropped the car off at walsgrave garage.

Tuesday 1x round the village circuit in the muddy damp 7 mins 53.
Saw 2 female pheasants in the garden, but they quickly flew off.
Afternoon 1x circuit in the grey 7 mins 44.
Took the monster for a ride down to the allotment and by the canal.
Picked up the car.

Wednesday more rain.
Into town for lunch at west orchards, coffee and cake at m+s.
A bit of shopping.
Went round to see dad.

Thursday sunshine.
1x circuit 7 mins 34.
Afternoon we went to baddesley clinton.

Friday 1x circuit in the damp 7 mins 40.
Lunch at b and q, coffee and cake at m+s.
We went out to eat at the sarah mansfield.

Saturday more rain.
Into town for lunch at browns, caffe e gelato at etna.

Sunday 1x circuit in the cold sunshine 7 mins 37.
Went on the end of an era walk at corley moor.
A bit horrible in the mud, wind and rain, but a good lunch at the white lion.

23 hits this week 11337 total.

March.

Monday wet again.
Bought a new toshiba c660/c660d laptop.

Tuesday into town on the gpz for lunch at west orchards, coffee and cake at waterstones.
With still a long time to go until the release of the paperback version of the new culture novel, I bought the state of the art collection.

Wednesday 1x round the village circuit in the cold grey 7 mins 52.
A bit of shopping.
1x circuit in the afternoon sunshine and cold wind 7 mins 45.

Thursday grey.

Friday sunshine.
It seems my old scanner is incompatible with windows 7, even though it is still working fine.
Lunch, coffee and cake at b and q.
We went for the long walk up the hill, back at dusk.
We went out to eat at the brewery.
Starry night as we headed back.

Saturday frosty.
1x circuit 7 mins 32.
Into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at the herbert.
Managed to get the motu 828 mk2 working ok on 64bit windows 7.
Also cubase studio 4.

Sunday 1x circuit in the cold wind 7 mins 35.
We went down the a46 through evesham and pershore to have a look at croome park.
Lunch, coffee and cake in the restaurant.
A quick look at the parts of the house that are open at the moment, then a long walk around the gardens in the sunshine.
Apparently capability brown's 1st commission.
Most of the outdoor statues covered up to prevent frost damage.

14 hits this week 11351 total.

Monday lovely cool clear sunshine.
A bit of shopping.
Cleaned and fired up the r6.
Evening out into the cold for the cadmac meet.

Tuesday frosty sunshine again.
1x round the village circuit in the late morning sunshine 7 mins 31.
A bit of garden tidying in the afternoon sunshine.

Wednesday a bit of drizzle spoiling the sunshine.
Coffee and cake at m+s.
A bit of shopping.

Thursday 1x circuit in the wind 8 mins 01.
We went out to eat at the sarah mansfield.

Friday 1x circuit in the cold wind 7 mins 45.
Pheasant in the garden sunshine again.
Lunch, coffee and cake at b and q.
A bit of shopping.
1x circuit in the afternoon 7 mins 41.

Saturday relatively warm and sunny. Cleaned the car.
Into town for lunch at browns, coffee and tiffin at waterstones.
A bit of shopping.

Sunday afternoon we went to have a look at misterton, and walked over to walcote and back.
Then a quick look at husbands bosworth.

Back to work tomorrow.

14 hits this week 11365 total.

Up early and back to work.
A bit of shopping.

Tuesday misty morning.

Wednesday misty again.
A bit of shopping.

Friday afternoon sunshine took the r6 over to see adrian and family.
We went out to eat at withybrook.
Full moon and starry night.

Saturday morning frosty.
We went to london.
We could see that the the m40 was closed j6 to j5, so the bus diverted through aylesbury, which added some 30+mins.
Lunch from tesco, we had coffee and cake in the basement of hr higgins.
Had a look at the harps in hobgoblin, but the models are rather too ornate and expensive.
Down through covent garden, theatre land, back down the strand to have a look at the st martins in the fields crypt.
Shopping on oxford street - just 1 hmv left now.
We walked back to eat at trattoria da aldo, but it was well full, so we ate at the caffe opposite.
Clear run home. The biggest ever full moon slightly obscured by thin cloud.

Sunday a bit of shopping.
Took the r6 for a ride.
Cut the grass.

11 hits this week 11376 total.

Sunday saw the 1st motogp event.

Monday a bit of shopping.

Tuesday 2x motobatt mb16au batteries arrived from bitzforbikes (1 for monster and 1 for adrian).

Wednesday a bit of shopping.
The 106 rolled through 170000 miles.

Thursday misty morning.
We went out to eat at the brewery.

Friday morning slight frost.
Afternoon remarkably warm and sunny. Spring has sprung.
Cut the grass.
Fitted the motobatt to the monster and took it for a ride down to the canal.

Saturday misty grey all day.
Did the litter pick.
Into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at m+s.
A bit of shopping.
Finished reading the state of the art.

Sunday clocks change.
1x round the village circuit 7 mins 45.
Took the monster for a ride and refuel, rolling through 20000 on the way.
Cleaned it.

9 hits this week 11385 total.

April.

Sunday did the census.

Monday slight frost and foggy.
A bit of shopping.
Sat and watched a bat flying around the garden at dusk.

Tuesday went out to eat at the cocked hat with some ex work people.

Wednesday a bit of shopping.

Friday afternoon took the monster for a ride.
We went out to eat at ashton lodge.

Saturday we went to have a look at the punto evo.
Into town for lunch at browns, then warm enough for caffe e gelato outside etna.
A bit of shopping.
Over to see adrian.

Sunday 1x round the village circuit in the cold sunshine 7 mins 34.
Took the r6 out for a ride.
Managed to see most of the 125 and moto2 before a dramatic wet motogp in jerez.
We went for a walk around church lawford and kings newnham before the rain came.

Swapped to the monster logo now spring has arrived.

14 hits this week 11399 total.

Monday morning a 2 bottle frost.
A bit of shopping and over to the cadmac meet.

Wednesday a bit of shopping.

Friday afternoon took the 848 for a ride and refuel.
We went out to eat at the sarah mansfield.

Saturday 1x round the village circuit in the cool sunshine 7 mins 52.
We took the r6 and 848 over to leamington.
Lunch, coffee and cake at caffe corleone.
Evening we went to see jonathan and others playing in a village hall.

Sunday 1x circuit in cooler sunshine 7 mins 41.
Took the r6 for a ride.
A bit of shopping.
Into town for lunch at browns, coffee and tiffin at waterstones.

10 hits this week 11409 total.

Tuesday a bit of shopping.

Friday afternoon a bit of garden tidying. Cut the grass.
We went over to withybrook to eat.

Saturday into town for lunch at browns, caffe e gelato at etna in the sunshine.
Took the r6 out for a ride and a bit of shopping at morrisons.

Sunday up early in the sunshine and over to wolston to put the simply up 3x, but didn't catch any thermals.
Afternoon we went for a walk round crackley woods.
Then on to abbey fields for coffee and ice cream, then for a walk down the stream and past the windmill/water tower house..
Took the monster for a ride down to the canal.

9 hits this week 11418 total.

Tuesday unseasonably hot at 20+ degrees.

Wednesday went to see the tt3d film.

Friday off.
Took the r6 for a ride over to b and q for lunch, coffee and chocolate twist.
Then over to see adrian.
Cleaned the r6.
A bit of garden tidying.
We went out to eat at the sarah mansfield.

Saturday 1x round the village circuit 7 mins 35.
Into town for lunch at browns. caffe e gelato at etna.
A bit of shopping.
Took the r6 for a ride and refuel.

Sunday took the 848 for a ride.
Took the 848 for a longer ride later.

10 hits this week (1w+) 11428 total.

1d late due to audley end etc.

May.

Sunday we went to see the tt3d film at star city.

Monday 1x round the village circuit in the sunshine 7 mins 33.
Took the r6 for a bit of shopping, taking the long way home in perfect weather.
We went to the farm shop for lunch, coffee and cake.
Then a wander round the memorial park.
A bit of garden tidying. Cut the grass.

Thursday we went to eat at withybrook.

Friday put some new d'addario ej15 .010 - .047 strings on the acoustic.
Took the r6 for a long ride in the cool afternoon windy sunshine.

Saturday 1x circuit in the strong, cold wind 8 mins 10.
We went across country through the pretty little villages to audley end.

Sunday morning we went for a test drive in a peugeot rcz.
Into town for lunch at browns. Coffee and cake at m+s.
Took the gpz for a long ride over to see adrian.
Evening we went to see jonathan playing in wolvey.

Monday 1x circuit in the strong E wind 8 mins 07.
Caught up with the motogp from estoril with iplayer.

9 hits this week (1w-) 11437 total.

Monday took the monster for a long ride down to the canal.
Cleaned the 848 a bit.
Evening over to coventry for the cadmac egm.

Friday afternoon we had a test drive in a mazda mx-5 coupe sport tech in the sunshine.
Evening over to coventry for an and of an era meal at akbars.

Saturday the steady rain returned at last.
Into town for lunch at browns, caffe e gelato at etna.
1x round the village circuit in the humidity 7 mins 43.

Sunday did the end of an era walk around stretton on dunsmore, marton, stopping for lunch at the plough at eathorpe.
A bit showery.

10 hits this week 11447 total.

Tuesday pheasant in the garden late afternoon.

Friday afternoon we went over to leamington to look at the mx-5 and ended up putting a deposit on 1.
Cut the grass.
We went out to eat at the sarah manfield.

Saturday a bit of garden tidying.
Into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at the herbert with the harps.
Took the r6 for a ride, rolling through 3500 miles along the way.
Cleaned the van a bit.

Sunday morning 1x round the village circuit in the windy sunshine 7 mins 47.
Caught up with some of the eurovision song contest.
We went to the kenilworth festival. A bit quieter than usual due to the overcast weather, but the sun shone occasionally.
European market in abbey fields.
We saw rosetta fire and milly winter.
Popped in to see adrian and family on the way back.

6 hits this week 11453 total.

Sunday saw some more of the bbc big weekend including lady gaga.

Monday 2m back at work.

Tuesday caught up with the motogp from le mans.

Wednesday a bit of shopping.
Caught up with the eurovision song contest.

Friday afternoon took the r6 over to leamington mazda.
We walked up the hill to eat.

Saturday 1x round the village circuit 7 mins 38.
We went to london. A clear run in the sunshine.
Found the suface detail paperback in foyles.
Oxfordshire and warwickshire looking lovely in the late evening sunshine.

Sunday 1x circuit in the strong damp wind 7 mins 48.
A bit of shopping.
Carol bought a kindle.

8 hits this week 11461 total.

Monday cold and windy.
A bit of shopping.

Friday off.
Retired the 106.
15+ years and 173517 miles from new in june 1995.
Been to france 2x and through spain to portugal.
Still lovely to drive, but getting more expensive to maintain.
An excellent machine.

A bit of shopping.
Over to warwick for lunch at robbie's.
Then over to leamington to collect the mx-5.
Evening we went over to withybrook in the mx-5 to eat.

Saturday 1x round the village circuit in the strong damp wind 8 mins 04.
Into town for lunch at browns, caffe e gelato at etna.

Sunday took the mx-5 for a drive around the usual circuit.
Afternoon we took the mx-5 out to ryton gardens for coffee and cake, then for a drive around the warwickshire countryside, finding a little sunshine among the clouds.

9 hits this week 11470 total.

Sunday the microwave failed.
Found that tomb raider underworld will install and run, in low resolution, on the new laptop.

Monday off.
Steady rain.
Into town for lunch, coffee and cake at the earlsdon deli.
Bought another microwave, similar stainless model to last time.
A bit of shopping.
Saw the film wall-e.
Sunshine returned in the evening.
Pheasant in the garden after the rain.

Tuesday took the mx-5 shopping to morrisons.
Completed the underworld prologue.

June.

Thursday saw the x-men 1st class film.

Friday took the mx-5 over to see dad and adrian.
We went out to eat at the sarah mansfield.
Evening we went out to see jonathan playing at the blue pig.

Saturday took the r6 for a ride in the morning heat and humidity.
Into town for lunch at browns, caffe e gelato at etna.
A bit of garden tidying.
Read some more surface detail.

Sunday cleaned the car and loaded a cd.
Cut the grass.
Took some photos of the fruit growing in the garden, including the wyken pippin, peach and figs.
Took the r6 for a ride and shopping.
We went for a drive in the mx-5.

Been keeping up with the iomtt on itv4.

9 hits this week 11479 total.

Friday we went out to eat at the haywaggon.

The iomtt has been the usual mix of exciting races, postponements due to the weather, with minimal coverage of the electric race.

Saturday into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at the herbert.
Evening we went to town to see jonathan's band compete for a place in the godiva festival.
Met up with adrian and claire at browns, missing the 1st band.

Sunday 1x round the village circuit in the cool sunshine 7 mins 46.
Caught up with the last iomtt senior race on itv4.
A bit of shopping in the rain.
Saw the uk motogp in the rain on bbc2.
Read some more surface detail.

10 hits this week 11489 total.

Monday it seems the isle of white festival has not been televised on freeview this year.

Wednesday got a bit further in tomb raider.

Thursday rain.
The r6 is 2 years old today.

Friday the mx-5 rolled through 1000 miles already.
Afternoon saw the green lantern film.

Saturday we went over to leamington for the festival.
Lunch at the corleone caffe.
A bit showery, but some sunshine.
Raspberries growing in the garden.

Sunday 1x round the village circuit in the damp wind 7 mins 50.
Took the monster for a ride down to the canal.
2x short power cuts in the afternoon.
Took the r6 for a longish ride under grey, cloudy skies.
Late afternoon we went into town to eat at browns.
Popped in to see adrian and family on the way back.

I see amazon have reached italia now.

11 hits this week (1w+) 11500 total.

1d late due to glastonbury, the snowdome and the blue pig.

Monday evening took the r6 over to wolston to see the cadmac vintage event.
Left early as the rain started.

Tuesday a bit of shopping. Tried the mx-5 with the top down on the way back.

Wednesday more shopping.

Friday took the r6 for a ride and refuel.
Evening over to coventry to see carol dance.
The summer rain did its best to ruin glastonbury.

Saturday caught up with some of the u2 set, with bono doing his very best terminator impression, right down to the red dot in the shades.
Some nice touches, including jerusalem and yellow.
Into town for lunch at browns, caffe e gelato at etna.
The susnhine returned to galstonbury, but the mud doesn't go away.
Caught up with some more bbc coverage.

Sunday 1x round the village circuit in the humidity and light drizzle 7 mins 54.
We went on the family visit to the snowdome.
Evening we took the mx-5 over to the blue pig at wolvey to see jonathan play.
Home with the top down in the hot sunshine.
Caught up with some more glastonbury.

Monday hot again, more shopping.

8 hits this week (1w-) 11508 total.

Tuesday caught up with the motogp from assen.
Nice to see yamaha in the new, old, traditional colours.
Caught up with some more glastonbury, eventually finding 1 song from the joy formidable on the john peel stage.
Interesting news item on the campaign to replace pi with tau (which is basically just 2*pi).

Wednesday a bit of shopping.

Thursday 1 year on from leaving work.

July.

Friday afternoon cleaned the car.
Took the r6 for a ride around a slightly different circuit.
Cut the grass.
We went out to eat at easenhall.
Evening we went over to the memorial park to the godiva festival.

Got there in time to see the last 3 of the unsigned bands in the rythm tent, including shockparade, now with scott drumming.
Saw jonathan in there.

Saturday 1x round the village circuit in the warm sunshine 7 mins 38 (tyres pumped).
Into town for lunch at browns, with carnival floats preparing around us.
Then we walked over to the memorial park in time to see most of the shockparade set on the main stage. Lots of extra sound revealing the use of backing tracks, including the vocals on narcosis.
Walked back to the road to see the carnival procession enter the park.
Wandered around the main arena, catching some of the alice robinson set on 1 of the microacoustic stages.

Sunday 1x circuit 7 mins 23.
Caught up with some of the 1st day of the tour de france, already controversial.
Over to hunningham on the gpz for the end of an era walk along the river leam.
Late lunch in the garden of the red lion.
Caught up with the motogp from mugello, toscana. Yamaha back to the modern colours.

12 hits this week (1w+) 11520 total.

2d late due to knebworth, mallory park, shopping.

Monday a bit of shopping.
Took the 848 over to the cadmac meeting.

Friday showery.
Afternoon over to see adrian briefly.
We went out to eat at withybrook.

Saturday 1x round the village circuit 7 mins 34.
Caught up with the tour de france, seeing bradley wiggins retire.
We headed down the m1 to knebworth for sonisphere festival, arriving about 11:00 and the opening of the arena.
A bit of a wander round the site and lunch in the sunshine.
Saw cherri bomb in the bohemia tent, doing well against an initial tide of misogyny, especially with their rendition of the foo fighters' the pretender.

A long wait through indifferent bands and heavy rain showers before biffy clyro came on at sunset.
Some nice lighting effects and lots of songs unfamiliar to me, but the usual favourites too.
It seems a long time ago that we saw them in a small tent at the godiva festival in 2002.
A long drive in the dark down tiny lanes before we got to the m1. Home after 01:00.

Sunday up late.
Afternoon over to mallory park on the r6 to see the end of the festival of 1000 bikes.
Got a bit wet in heavy rain on the way home.

Monday a bit of shopping.

7 hits this week (1w-) 11527 total.

Tuesday carol bought an htc wildfire s.

Friday off.
1x round the village circuit in the warm sunshine 7 mins 38.
Been keeping up with le tour de france, now in the pyrenees.
Took the r6 into town to meet carol for lunch at browns.
Over to see adrian later.
We went for a walk around the village circuit past fields of poppies and corn.

.

Saturday rain.
Into town for lunch at ikea, caffe e gelato at etna.
A bit of shopping.
Bought an htc wildfire s myself.
1 year on since we bought the 848.

Sunday 1x circuit in the wet 7 mins 54.
Setting up the wildfire s.
Saw the motogp from sachsenring.
Cleaned the 848.
More rain.
Progressed a bit in tomb raider.

10 hits this week (1w+) 11537 total.

3d late due to oxford, a busy sunday and no adsl internet connection.

Monday a bit of shopping.

Tuesday morning saw a deer cross the road.

Thursday evening we went for a walk around the village circuit.

Friday afternoon took the r6 into town, getting a bit wet on the way back.
We went out to eat at withybrook.
Caught up with le tour de france at the spectacular col du galibier.

Saturday 1x round the village circuit in the damp sunshine 7 mins 48.
Caught up with the last mountain stage of le tour de france at alpe d'huez.
An excellent tour with thomas voeckler being the highlight.
We went to oxford in the mx-5.
Lunch at pierre victoire, coffee and cake at g+d.
The place heaving with multi national tourists in the sunshine, so went down some of the roads less travelled.

Sunday 1x circuit in the windy sunshine 7 mins 33.
We went out to eathorpe for sunday lunch.
Took the monster for a ride down to the canal.
1x circuit on my old school/university bike.
A bit of garden tidying.

Monday long time stationary on the m6.
Caught up with some of the motogp from laguna seca.
The adsl internet connection failed.

Tuesday a bit of shopping.

4 hits this week (1w--) 11541 total.

Friday bought a new router, but the adsl problem remains.
We went out to eat at withybrook.

Saturday more adsl investigations.
1x round the village circuit in the warm sunshine 7 mins 32.
Wyken pippin apples coming along nicely in the garden.
Into town for lunch at browns, caffe e gelato at etna.
Popped in to see adrian on the way back.

Sunday 1x circuit 7 mins 20.
The adsl connection started working again.
Cleaned the car.
Over to see adrian again.
Took the 848 for a ride.

9 hits this week (1w+) 11550 total.

1d late due to busy weekend, including long itchington.

August.

Monday a bit of shopping.
Took the r6 over to the cadmac meeting through the heat and humidity.

Friday the gpz600r is now 25 years old.
Took the 848 for a ride and refuel.
Popped in to see dad.
Evening we went over to leamington to eat, ending up at strada.

Saturday we went to london.
Sandwich for lunch. Coffee and cake at patisserie valerie, looking very much like druckers.

Sunday 1x round the village circuit in the cool wind 8 mins 08.
Took the gpz over to long itchington for the end of an era walk.
Lunch at the duck on the pond.
Coffee and cake at m+s.
Took the r6 over to see adrian, managing to miss most of the rain.

Monday managed to get the mx-5 up to 37.0 mpg.

9 hits this week (1w-) 11559 total.

Learning to use the htc wildfire s.
In many ways it combines the functions of a mobile with those of a pocket pc.

Friday off.
We went over to leicester for the summer sundae festival.
Italian lunch outside.
A bit showery but an interesting mix of outdoor and indoor stages around the de montfort hall.
Saw shonen knife live.

Saturday into town for lunch at browns, coffee at etna.
Evening we went for a walk around the village circuit before dusk.

Sunday a bit of shopping.
Top down in the mx-5 on the way back.
Saw the motogp from brno.
Cut the grass.
Took the r6 for a ride.

6 hits this week 11565 total.

Wednesday the mx-5 rolled through 4000 miles. Still at 37.0 mpg.

Friday went to see the cowboys and aliens film.
Nice to see digital projection, but there was a bad mains hum when silent.
Took the r6 for a refuel then carol and I took it and the 848 over to see adrian.
Then over to withybrook on the bikes to eat.

Saturday 1x round the village circuit 7 mins 49.
Into town for lunch at browns.
Ended up at ikea for coffee and cake. Bought a new seat cover for the poang chair.
Evening we saw the inbetweeners film, again digital projection.

Sunday 1x circuit in the sunshine 7 mins 45.
A bit of shopping.
1x circuit 7 mins 38.
Took the monster for a ride.

9 hits this week (1w++) 11574 total.

3d late due to reading.

Thursday stationary on the m6 again.

Friday up early and down the m40, a4074 in the pouring rain to the reading festival.
Much pot holed road down to the ample white car park.
Plenty of space in the white camping area.
Put the tent up.
Over the impressive temporary bridge over the thames, through most of the other camping areas, past tents being removed from floods, to the arena.
Arrived just before the nominal opening at 11:00 to find big queues already.
For some reason it didn't open at all until about 11:10, then very slow as many lanes were not in use.
A bit daft when the 1st band starts at 11:20.
We eventually got in and rushed over to the festival republic stage to see cherri bomb, catching only about half the set.

Lunch, coffee and cake exploring the rest of the arena.
Strange to see trains going past.
Saw some of the minutes on the bbc introducing stage.
We headed back to the tent for a rest before the more interesting bands in the evening. Hard work through mud doing a good impression of glastonbury.
Also got a bit lost in orange area as you can't just head for the bridge.
Weather improved a bit with lots of sunshine between the showers.

Back in time to see some of anna calvi, then a bit of offspring.
Saw the headliners my chemical romance, doing lots of good stuff including mama, teenagers.
Not quite such a long walk back to the tent, but still heavy going through the mud.
Nice and quiet in the white camping.

Saturday up later when the sunshine heated the tent up.
Big queues for breakfast in white, so we headed for the arena.
Same late opening again, but time to get something to eat before the joy formidable on the main stage.
Some heavy showers, but it went well in the susnhine.

1 of the things about smart phones is the battery use. The widfire s was down to about 50% after 1.5 days.
I had brought along the power monkey, but misplaced the micro usb data lead.
We managed to buy a suitable adapter in the arena.
We saw some of the kills in the nme tent.

Again back to the tent before the evening, getting to know the route better now. Also some of the mud was starting to dry.
Lots of people arriving for saturday.
Returned past the muddy lake.

Saw pulp on the main stage.
Then stayed for some of the strokes, putting the phone on charge in my bag.
We headed off before the end, as did lots of others, but it was nice to hear jarvis guesting on a version of the cars' just what I needed.

Sunday again up in the warm sunshine.
This time we did stop for breakfast in the white camping, arriving a little later at the arena.
Saw f*cked up in the nme stage tent. The singer doing lots of crowd surfing.
A curious moment when the crowd appeared to thin out around shining vertical columns of light.
Actually rain water pouring in during a heavy shower.
Another moment when a very orderly circle cleared in the crowd and they proceeded to run around anticlockwise.
Something to eat, then back to the nme for cage the elephant.
Tried to see tim minchin in the alternative tent, but of course, couldn't get anywhere near.
Went back to the tent for a rest. Got the books out and did some reading at the reading festival.
Charged carol's wildfire s a bit before the power monkey went flat.
Put the tent away and dropped it off in the van. Double rainbow as we headed back in.

Saw the start of elbow, but headed off, catching the farewell performance of the streets at the nme tent.
Joined the tide of people heading back to the main stage for muse.
Right at the back of the hill the sound level was actually too quiet, and we couldn't see much on the screens.
Impressive start with lights and animation backstage, but insisting on playing the whole of origin of symmetry got a bit boring after a while.
Once they started splashing lasers about, I headed off to the festival republic tent.

Joined the tide heading back to the camping areas and car park.
Fairly free flowing exit road.
Home about 02:15.
Excellent festival.

Monday into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at the herbert.
A bit of shopping.

Tuesday off.
Caught up with the motogp from indianapolis.

Wednesday a bit of shopping.
Checked the power monkey capacity is just 2200 mAh, where the widfire s is 1230 mAh, so can't expect to get much of a charge.
Now to catch up with the tv coverage.

4 hits this week (1w--) 11578 total.

September.

Friday afternoon took the r6 over to see dad.
We went out to eat at withybrook.

Saturday into town for lunch at browns, caffe e gelato at etna.
Cleaned the car.

Sunday saw the motogp from misano.
Still catching up with the tv coverage of reading.
Took the monster for a ride and refuel in the afternoon sunshine.

8 hits this week 11586 total.

Friday afternoon popped into town on the r6.

Met carol on the monster at adrian's.
We went down the pub to eat.
The mx-5 rolled through 5000 miles.

Saturday we took the mx-5 to oxford and the espress on to london for ecovelocity.
Lunch at vafresco near victoria.
Nice to see greenpeace outside.
Sadly, still no electric sportsbikes.
The leaf seems to be the most sorted all electric car, but still expensive and boring.
The tesla still looks good, but is ridiculously expensive.

We headed back across the river, through pimlico, westiminster, green park.
Saw the force of nature 2 sculpture in berkeley square

Sunday into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at the herbert.
A bit of shopping.
Took the 848 for a ride in the late afternoon sunshine.
We went for a walk around the village circuit.

8 hits this week (1w+) 11594 total.

1d late due to oxford and kauai.

Wednesday 6m in at work.

Friday afternoon took the r6 for a ride and refuel.
Evening over to the millpool for the multihaul veterans end of an era meet and something to eat.

Saturday up early and down to oxford for the soue jenkin lecture.
Arriving a little early we had coffee and cake over the road before going into the engineering thom building.
Impressive sony 3d tv in the foyer using cinema standard circularly polarised viewers.
Strange to be back in the same lecture theatre from 30+ years ago.
Interesting talk on the engineering challenges of live 3d broadcast.
Slightly less interesting talk about the use of anthropomorphic robots in efl education.
Skipping the agm we headed down little clarendon street for lunch.
Surprised to find the big bang now closed, and big queues in pierre victoire, we went into browns.
Coffee and ice cream in g+d.
Back in time for the jenkin lecture on wind energy.
Into the centre for a bit of shopping.
Nice conker tree.

Sunday pete + diana's 50th anniversary lunch at ashton lodge.
Then family tea at home.

Monday off.
1x round the village circuit in the damp, cool sunshine 7 mins 38.
Caught up with the motogp from aragon.
We went into town on the r6 and 848 for lunch at browns.
Over to coventry ducati to arrange a service for the 848.
Fitted a new bagster tank cover on the gpz.

5 hits this week (1w-) 11599 total.

Tuesday rain.

Wednesday the digital switchover completed locally.
Analog tv gone forever.
We dropped off the 848 for its 12m service.

Thursday a bit of shopping.
1x round the village circuit 7 mins 29.

Friday 1x circuit 7 mins 52.
Collected the 848.
Took the 848 for a ride in the susnshine over to dad's to see pete and diana.
We took the r6 and 848 over to church lawford for a another family dinner.
The r6 rolled through 4000 miles on the way.
Home after dark.
Made a little progress in tomb raider.

Saturday we went tp brackley to have a look at the bike cafe.
A bit of shopping.
More tomb raider.

Sunday over to eathorpe for the end of an era walk to wappenbury and back.

There has been a bit of fuss this week over neutrinos marginally exceeding light speed.
Apparently it's been seen before, but this time within experimental error.

It must be nearly xmas now stollen is in the shops.

7 hits this week 11606 total.

Friday took the r6 to work.
A bit of garden tidying.
Cleaned the r6.
Lots of apples on the main tree after a warm wet, summer.
Only 1 peach left now, unlikely to go orange.
Took the r6 over to see adrian.
We went out to eat at eathorpe.
Starry, starry night.

October.

Saturday with record hot temperatures forecast we decided to have a look at castle howard.
Up late after a power cut reset the clock, but away in time to get there for lunch.
However the uk motorway network had other ideas.
Lots of slow areas on the m1, and eventually a full stop for 1h just before wakefield.
Lunch at the services.
We decided to head back hrough the peak district, including a slow crawl, with the top down, past the bikes at matlock bath.

Sunday squeezed the simply into the mx-5 and over to wolston to fly it.
Into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at the herbert.
A bit of shopping.

9 hits this week 11615 total.

Monday evening over to the cadmac meet in the dark.

Tuesday caught up with the motogp from japan.

Wednesday bumped into scott at morrisons.

Thursday we ate the remaining peach, with the wind and rain blowing around outside - a bit green, but a real peach.

Friday afternoon into town on the gpz for an mot.
We went out to eat at withybrook.

Saturday 1x round the village circuit in the cool damp, past fallen autumn leaves 8 mins 03.
A bit of garden tidying.
Into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at the herbert.
A bit of shopping.

Sunday put some new plugs in the gpz.

6 hits this week (1w+) 11621 total.

1d late due to castle howard.

Thursday 1x round the village circuit at dusk 7 mins 50.

Friday took the monster to alf england, drayton croft, then over to see adrian.
We went out to eat at browns with adrian + claire.

Saturday up early to have another go at castle howard in the crisp autumn sunshine.
The ubiquitous accident on the m1 didn't slow us down much.
Stopped at wolley edge again for a break, but hours earlier than last time.
Arrived about 11:45 down the impressive long straight approach road.
Had a look around inside the house 1st, while it was still cold.
Very ornate under the famous dome.
Lunch in the house.
Over to the temple of 4 winds, through the wood to the lakeside cafe.
Back across the house to the atlas fountain, then the walled rose garden.
Long drive home into the low sunset.

Sunday caught up with the motogp from australia.
Cleaned the car.
Took it over to see dad.
Warwickshire autumn colours looking lovely in the low late afternoon sun.

The white fungus in the garden is overdue, maybe due to the late warm weather.

3 hits this week (1w-) 11624 total.

Thursday 3y since we finished paying for the house in 2008.

Friday over to alf england for new tyres on the r6.
Mot on the van.
We went over to withybrook in the dark to eat.

Saturday into town for lunch at browns, caffe e stracciatella inside at etna.
A bit of shopping.
Popped in to see adrian on the way back.

Sunday pumped up the tyres and 1x round the village circuit in the warm wind 8 mins 03.
Caught up with the motogp from malaysia, cancelled with the death of marco simoncelli.
We went for a walk around the village circuit.
Read some more surface detail.

The white fungus still overdue.

7 hits this week (1w+) 11631 total.

1d late due to oxford and london.

Tuesday carol took the monster for an mot.
Heavy rain on the way home.

Wednesday caught up with tim minchin ready for this. Excellent.
He was at reading, but we couldn't get anywhere near.

Friday morning foggy.
Acer in the garden a nice yellow now.

Down the m40 through warwickshire and oxfordshire, looking lovely in the low late afternoon sunshine autumn colours.
Park and ride from water eaton to the centre of oxford through rush hour traffic.
Coffee and cake upstairs at blackwells, in a window seat, watching the sunset change the colour of the golden stone of the sheldonian theatre.
A short wander around the shops in the early evening before heading over to the rector's lodgings at exeter college for the engineering dinner.
Relocated from hall due to lower numbers this year made a nice change.
Spent most of the evening talking to michelle + brian, but managed a quick chat with carlos and marie.
Home after midnight.

Saturday we went to london.
Headed over to st paul's to see the anti capitalism tent city.
A quick look in the turbine hall at tate modern.
Something to eat outside by the millennium bridge.
The shard going up in the distance.
A long walk back to park lane past as yet unlit xmas lights, except for the few shops that can't wait.

Sunday clocks change.
Into town for luncg at browns, coffee and cake at the herbert.
A bit of shopping.
Took the r6 over to see adrian and refuel. Back at dusk.

The white fungus still overdue.

9 hits this week (1w) 11640 total.

1d late due to batsford.

November.

Tuesday the euro is looking a bit...

Thursday late home after more m6 problems.

Friday getting the van looked at.
We went out to eat at withybrook.
Not many fireworks in the rain.

Saturday 1x round the village circuit in the leafy damp 7 mins 53.
Into town for lunch at browns, caffe at etna.
1x circuit 7 mins 56.

Sunday a bit of shopping.
1x circuit in the warm sunshine 7 mins 45.
Afternoon we went to batsford arboretum. Coffee and cake in the new area.
Home after dark.
Caught up with the motogp from valencia.

The white fungus still overdue.

7 hits this week (1w) 11647 total.

1d late again due to corley moor walk.

Friday watched the clock roll through 2011.11.11 11:11:11.
We went out to eat at the old lion.

Saturday 1x round the village circuit 7 mins 38.
Into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at the herbert with the harps.
Evening we went over to ansty to jonathan and others play.

Sunday up early and over to corley moor on the gpz for the end of an era walk, or at least the start of it.
Home for lunch.
Took the r6 for a ride over to see dad.
Home after dark.

The white fungus still overdue. Maybe it just isn't cold enough yet.

8 hits this week (1w-) 11655 total.

Tuesday finished surface detail.

Wednesday the 1st series of fresh meat came to an end.

Friday evening we went into town, eating at the skydome wetherspoons,
Nice to see some of the old bits of coventry lit at night.
Then over to taylor john's house to see wreckless eric and amy rigby.

Saturday 1x round the village circuit in the early morning damp 7 mins 57.

Sunday 1x circuit in the wet, misty drizzle 7 mins 50.
Into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at m+s.
A bit of shopping.
Took the monster for a ride down to the canal, then over to see adrian.

11 hits this week 11666 total.

Monday 1w off.
1x round the village circuit in the damp mist 8 mins 03.
Over to the nec for the bike show, meeting up with jes + christine.
Only really the new panigale of interest.

Tuesday 1x circuit in the damp after the rain in the night 7 mins 45.
Into town for lunch at browns, coffee and cake at waterstones.
A bit of shopping.

Wednesday morning frosty.
Lunch and a bit of shopping at morrisons.
Cleaned the car at dusk.

Thursday 1x circuit in the damp sunshine 8 mins 05.
We went over to market harborough. Coffee place giorno now gone.

Friday no circuit as the gear change cable snapped.
Lunch outside pc world.
A bit of shopping.
Fitted a new gear change cable.

Saturday 1x circuit 8 mins 03.
A bit late, we headed off to london, only to find the thornhill car park overflowing.
We went back to water eaton and visited oxford instead.
Lunch at the cape of good hope.
We decided to go up the road less travelled - the cowley road to the SE, finding 2 musical instrument shops and the 3rd g+d.
Coffee and cake at the french cafe.
Up to the top of the hill and down through south park at dusk.
Xmas lights up, but not yet lit, apart from a tree in broad street.

Sunday 1x cicuit in the strong wind 8 mins 25.
Took the mx-5 for a refuel and a bit of shopping, then over to see adrian.
We went for a walk around the village circuit at dusk.

With december next week, made the advent calendar with images from old news 2011, replacing the summer monster logo.

12 hits this week 11678 total.

Monday morning dark and frosty.

Thursday my closer to the edge dvd arrived from amazon.

Friday morning frosty again.
Afternoon nice to see the sunshine again.
Evening we went out to akbars for the end of an era xmas meal.

Saturday we went to london.
Thornhill busy again, but we found a space.
Sandwich, then coffee and cake at paul in baker street.
Parts of oxford street closed to traffic due to road works.

Sunday 1x round the village circuit in the cold wind 7 mins 58.
A bit of shopping.
Popped in to see adrian.

9 hits this week 11687 total.

Sunday put the tree up.

Monday frosty.
The mx-5 rolled through 10000m.
A bit of shopping on the way over to the cadmac agm.

Friday we went out into the cold to eat at withybrook.

Saturday 1x round the village circuit 7 mins 35.
Into town for lunch at browns, coffee at the herbert with the harps.
A bit of shopping.

Sunday 1x circuit in the cold damp 7 mins 55.
Cleaned the car.
Popped over in the rain to see dad.

7 hits this week 11694 total.

Monday windy.
Rain in the night.

Tuesday hints of the higgs boson released, but we won't have a definitive answer until the end of next year.
The main conclusion seems to be that the last place it could be is in the range 116-127 GeV.
That's less than the top quark at 173 GeV, raising the question of why it has not been seen before?
My guess that it won't be found stands.

Wednesday 9m at work.

Friday no sign of the forecast heavy snow.
We went out to eat at the old lion, only xmas meal available.

Saturday frosty.
Into town for lunch at browns, coffee at the herbert.
A bit of shopping.
We popped in to see adrian and family on the way back.

Sunday morning light snow.
We went for a long walk in the countryside around the village, past frozen lakes.
Popped over to see dad.

7 hits this week 11701 total.

Monday a bit of shopping,

Tuesday afternoon off.
1x round the village circuit in the damp 8 mins 14, including a stop to give directions.

Wednesday.
1x circuit 7 mins 41.

Thursday winter solstice shortest day.
1x circuit in the damp and low sunshine 8 mins 20.

Friday afternoon off for xmas.
Put some d'addario ej27n strings on the classical guitar.
We went out to eat at withybrook.

xmas eve 1x circuit 8 mins 14.
Into town for lunch at browns.
Over to adrians for a while.

xmas day 1x circuit in the wind and low sunshine 8 mins 20.
Lunch at home, then over to dad's for the family meet up.

For those that missed the advent calendar, here is what it looked like.

Swapped to the winter trees logo.