Category: Pic of the week

Posted on

Take That

Pic of the week 2/6/19

So half term draws to a close -it’s whipped by far too quickly, but with only four weeks until the golden prize of the summer holidays, the end of hols sting is easily absorbed.

On Tuesday, Becky & I went to see Take That at Ashton Gate and, not surprisingly, they were excellent. More of a “classic” concert than their more theatrical “shows”, but they belted out all the hits with passion and panache and I really enjoyed it. Rick (Astley) wasn’t bad either – “Never Going to Give You Up” be belted out by thirty thousand was a sound to behold, too.

On Friday I went for my annual* shearing – back and chest wax. The back is over in minutes whilst suffering, at worst, mild discomfort. The chest, however is a whole different ball game (and I ain’t even going to contemplate going there …) It was soooo painful – I did actually feel a little weak and nauseous walking home afterwards. But the pain ebbs and now I’m left with smooth skin and only a smattering of measle like red rashes!  *I think the answer may be to make it more regular than annual – it was the sheer forest of hair that needed removing that made it so painful; perhaps if I have it removed more regularly it’ll be less painful.

Running – yesterday I ran my 200th Km and, after today’s 10K, I’ve done 217 Km so far this year, not bad. And my running season is now upon me – with no football to referee on Sunday’s its a 10K each Sabbath, and with the summer hols a mere four weeks away, I should be pounding the streets with a regularity that’ll soon see the next 100K notched up.

Posted on

Polling Day

Pic of the week 26/5/19

It says something about the state of the nation when the Euro elections dominate the news, and make onto my pic of the week (although, in part, this because Sophie came home so she could take part in her first election.)

We won’t find out until later today/tomorrow morning what the result is, but it is looking likely that it will be cataclysmic for the Conservatives, and not good for Labour, either. Theresa May announced on Friday that she is standing down as PM.

Other news – half term began today, with typical caravan weather: a mix of grey skies with the odd the burst of sunshine, a stiff breeze and intermittent drizzle. A disappointing start after some nice weather of late, and not even enough rain to do the garden any good.

Anyway, good to have a week off – shall watch the final, final episode of Game of Thrones tonight, see Take That on Tuesday, hope to potter in the garden, snooze, exercise, read & listen to music (and watch plenty of Newsnight and listen to plenty of radio as the car crash that is British politics continues to unfold. When I first started watching Game of Thrones all those years ago I thought it was fantastic fantasy, now reality seems far more unbelievable and tragic than George R R Martin’s epic.)

Posted on

Fourth Official

Pic of the week 19/5/19

And so the season ends.

On arrival at Cheddar FC it soon became apparent that my role for the night was to reduce the average age and waistline of the officiating team.

I’ve never been a Fourth Official before and my extensive briefing on my appointment mainly centered around the use of the electronic board for subs and time keeping, and I was advised to arrive in plenty of time to familiarise myself with this magical bit of kit. However, it transpired that the board broke the night before and it looked like I would simply be a glorified ball boy, with little else to do than roll on a new ball when, inevitably, the one in use was fired high, wide and ugly into the Cheddar night.

And that was how it was, until after about 20 mins the ref missed an obvious stamp on a Huish player in their area. Player on the ground in pain, ball rolls to a Hutton attacker who scores to make it 1-0.

Cue the explosion from the Huish bench, so I don my blue UN Peackeeper beret and head over to calm them down.

Two minutes later, a crunching tackle on a Hutton defender has the other bench in high dudgeon and so the tone is set for the rest of my evening: scurrying and shuttling between two benches, calming & cajoling increasingly irate managers and subs. I did find some success when I pointed out that the ref couldn’t be biased as both sides were equally upset with him. Imagine, if you will, being a supply teacher looking after a class of angry year 11’s at one end of the corridor, and a class of belligerent year 9’s at the other.

As for the game, Jack’s best friend (the tattooed monster of Huish) was not playing and, to be fair, Huish were, on the whole, a good bunch.  Hutton had one player sent off (x 2 yellow cards for dissent) but emerged as 1-0 winners.

I’d like to say football was the winner, but I’d probably be lying.

Nevertheless, and I can’t explain why, I rather enjoyed the experience.

Posted on

Plain Vanilla

Pic of the week 12/5/19

Not a lot to report this week – a plain vanilla week: weather could have been better, but perked up today, and consequently I spent much of the day pottering in the garden.

Continued to take our dead branches from the “brown” (smoke?) tree, potted up some geraniums and lobellia, erected the runner bean support and planted some bean seeds. Trimmed the bush by the back door. Applied another dose of my vinegar & salt weedkiller concoction on the front gravel to try and keep the emerging weeds and grass at bay. The garden does seem to have more life to it now, its amazing how you get used to its dormant, winter state.

On Wednesday, Becky & I went to see the film “Fisherman’s Friends” at Strode: a bit of a Sunday evening series of a film (Becky accurately dubbed it The Cornish Durrells), was enjoyable enough, but shan’t be rushing to watch it on video, but it was good to go out mid-week: a treat!

Posted on

Race Day!

Pic of the week 5/5/19

Today was race day – Glastonbury 10K.

Cool (verging on cold), little or no wind, mix of sun and cloud.

Pleased with my run, still awaiting official “chip time”, but my wristwatch time was 47 mins 43 secs. My “phone time” was 46:34, but this called the 10K early by about 100 to 200 yards so an extra minute on that time would be about right.

Update: Official chip time 47 min 30 sec

Position 141 out of of 566 runners, 14 out of 46 Male 50 – 55 category

Enjoyed the race, enjoyed the event, pleased to achieved (smashed!) my fewer minutes than age in years challenge.

Have just looked back through some old logs for 10K times:

Sep 2005 S Mallet: 50.52

April 2006 Longleat 53.32

October 2007 Longleat 52.43

Oct 2009 S Mallett 55.53

Oct 2009 Longleat 57.20

May 2010 Wells 57.28

So a p.b by some margin!

Posted on

JTQ

Pic (vid!) of the week 29/4/19

By chance, on Friday, I picked up a copy of the local paper.

By chance I happened on a small ad detailing upcoming events at Strode Theatre.

Sunday night – James Taylor Quartet.

I couldn’t really believe it. A quick check showed tickets still available (plenty of them!)

Its rare that I disagree with Becky, but she describes JTQ as “elevator” music. She is wrong, so wrong. But it meant I was going alone.

One ticket for twenty quid – a bargain!

Parking up and walking to the venue, I did wonder if there was another event happening at the same time – a cinema screening, perhaps – because those walking towards the entrance did not strike me as the demographic of a typical JTQ fan.

They were a bit niche back in the day (only the coolest of us cool cats were into them) so I was surprised to find them in a sleepy Somerset town on a Sunday night.

Half an hour, the couple behind me left.

The lady in front of me sat with her hands over her ears for the whole two hour set.

But they were brilliant. Foot stompingly brilliant.

Posted on

The Specials

Pic of the week 21/4/19

It’s hard to think that it was 40 odd years ago that I discovered – and fell in love with – The Specials.

Youth and time is a funny thing – I though that they were around for a significant time as I was growing up, but looking through their history, their lifespan was short lived, only being at the height from ’79 before splitting in ’81.

Their second album “More Specials” was released in October 1980 – and it was this album that cemented my love affair with them, and in ’81 they released “Ghost Town” and then they split.

So really I only knew them for about 18 months, but what an influential 18 months. I loved everything they produced, and I also discovered (but never owned) material from their first album “The Specials”. I loved the music, I loved the look and as a boy growing up in deepest, whitest Somerset I loved their message of inclusion and dissatisfaction with a failing political and social climate. Not only, did they shape my music for life, I think they also had a strong part to play in developing my belief systems.

Last night Beck and I went to see them at Exeter (Great Hall.)

They were fantastic.

I loved it and seeing them has re-ignited my love of their music, it all its wonderful variety.

A great night.

Posted on

Easter hols

Pic of the week 14/9/19

And so the Easter hols roll on. The weather could be better, but it could be worse.

On the whole it has been dry and we’ve seen some sun, but sometimes, like today, it has been cold. Still, in weather forecaster parlance, there has been some usable weather that has seen me potter in the garden for a bit, sit in the garden for a bit, snooze in the garden a bit …

On Friday, Sam and I went for a walk along the Poldens, but this time we went West instead of East, parking at the YHA car park and then walking along the ridge to the windmill and back. A walk of about an hour or so, with some good views back across Street and to the Tor (above) or looking South across the levels.

On Thursday I tackled the hedge giving it a good trim and getting it back into shape.

It was all going so well until I cut through the cable of the strimmer. No drama, no disaster, no loud bang – it just stopped working. Am a bit annoyed with myself as I am normally quite H&S conscious. Not this time.

Anyway, 30 minutes of repairs later and I was back in action.

Becky & Sophie have been to Cornwall for the weekend for Auntie Avril’s 80th birthday – photo montage below. Looks cold & blowy, but the sea a perfect greeney blue, it would have been nice to see the sea.

Meanwhile, I’ve been busy refereeing this week – line on Monday (Floodlight U18 ), middles Thursday (Y&DL), Saturday (JPL U15) and Sunday (Bridgwater League) including a red on Thursday (dissent x 2) – my first non-school cherry.

Posted on

Doc Martens

Pic of the week 7/4/19

I love ’em.

On Thursday we went to Bath to buy my birthday D.M.s.

B, S & S all preferred the standard D.M. shoe, but I’ve had my heart set on a pair of loafers for some time.

I tried the shoe, liked them, but not as much as the loafer, so the only question was which colour, and yellow stitching or not.

I settled for black, with the traditional yellow D.M. stitching. It was the right choice, they are a  thing of beauty, I think they will come to define me.

I shall say it again, I love them.

(And, as a bonus pic, here is a picture of the lady I love who bought them for me.)

Posted on

50!

Pic of the week 31/3/19

Thursday was a big day, on Thursday I turned 50!

When one looks back, that’s a mighty long time, but I tend to look forward, not back …!

I was very lucky to receive lots of lovely gifts: A pair of DM shoes (still to be selected and bought), a coastering session with Sam, books, socks, chocolate, a print of “The Specials” (who we go and see in three weeks), a cool T shirt …

And a lovely surprise to find Sophie home from uni a day early.

I had great day.