rejected Facebook friend requests
plus a couple of dodgy Twitter followers
March 6, 2017
March 2, 2017
travel tosh
tranes and planes
looking around me on the one carriage “train” between Lincoln and Newark everyone is appropriately dressed for February. Everyone that is except me. I am wearing a thin polo shirt and a lightweight jacket. I am off to Barcelona and didn’t think I’d be spending any time exposed to the British winter elements. This didn’t take into account the fact that the train was late and I spent more time standing on the platform that I had planned for. Didn’t matter. 🙂
Fields around are waterlogged in places with very little growth as you’d expect at this time of year. Sky is grey. I don’t mind leaving all this behind me for a few days. Barcelona, whilst an exciting city, won’t be particularly glamorous mind you. I’ll be spending most of the time at the Mobile World Congress trade show. The evenings will make up for it and I’m having breakfast with Jeff Pulver at 10am tomorrow.
I have a 40 minute wait in Newark so the slightly delayed departure from Lincoln doesn’t matter. I originally booked the train from Newark because there are more options. It was either going to be a lift off Anne, taxi or train from Lincoln. Anne is not available and figured
it wasn’t work paying the extra twenty quid to taxi it from Lincoln. Taxi back is quite likely.
Just had a great weekend. Tom and Joe were back for various activities. We had a JoeFest site visit and Joe separately had a Jazz Vehicle gig with John on Friday night and Pylons songwriting sessions on Saturday and Sunday. Had a very delightful late Sunday lunch. Roast port with crackling and all the trimmings. Opened a bottle of white wine to go in the gravy. The gravy didn’t need a whole bottle so I finished the rest of it. Sensible thing to do. Would have gone off!
Later on Sunday night we booked flights to go and see Dave and Cecile and George and Barbara in Geneva at the end of September.
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On board the plane. Bored. Brought an FT and a classic car magazine from the lounge. Can’t be bothered to read them. Just waiting for the drinks service to start. I have been a good boy up until now. Saving myself for the evening ahead. However I consider the evening starts here really. Large G&T please and a glass of champagne.
I can see movement behind the curtains. Cabin steward is mixing my drinks for me. Not really. Hopefully he is loading up the trolley though. Nice smell of coffee permeating the business class cabin. Coffee always smells better than it tastes. Not too many of us in business class and I’m in row 4 so should be quick enough. Reminds me of last Friday night when we went to the Jazz Vehicle gig in Coleby. Anne and I had dinner with Nice and Terry beforehand. Joe came to see us and said we should get there by 7 as it was flying up. We weren’t going to make 7 so he took some coats and lay them on the pews (for the gig was at Coleby Church). Came back and told us we were two rows from the back. I didn’t think this was a particularly good spot until I found that we were also four rows from the front. It’s a small church.
Spotify is keeping me entertained through my Bose phones. They will also be serving afternoon tea shortly. Something to do. I don’t mind a sarnie and a scone. I have two small bots of champagne in preparation for it.
Still bored. Also although this plane has plenty of room to the side – they only use two out of three seats in business class – there isn’t much room to open the laptop.
…..
afternoon tea consumed. Coronation chicken, prawn marie rose and ploughman’s cheddar sandwiches with a fruit scone, clotted cream and strawberry jam. Only tiny sandwiches but hey… Onto second bot of chaperone. Listening to Steed Life by the Crusaders. It’s one of my all time faves. About time they introduced internet connectivity on planes in Europe mind you. It would help pass the time away
calcots
Just passed Toulouse. Barca is about 170 miles away. Totes relying on the skipper for this info. Window shutter is down against the dazzling sun.
Interesting trip this. You get mostly suits working for large corporates who are bound by their corporate rules. Because they send so many people on these trips they insist on flying them all in economy class. This business class flight was more expensive than economy but only by a few tens of pounds so I considered it worth the investment. Maybe added 10% to the cost. God I’d hate to have to be suit again. I was one but gradually rebelled. I’d only work for a large corporate again on my own terms. it would have to be an extremely senior position where you could write your own rules.
I can now see a vivid red sky at night over Spain. Orange really but it fits the bill for nice weather tomorrow. I turn my back on the drab UK.
People passing me on the plane, heading back from the loos, don’t smile. I don’t suppose there is much to smile about cooped up in a tube at 30,000 feet. At least we are above the clouds and the sky is red, ish.
I’ve determined that this trip I will not be taking my laptop bag with me. I do have it but am leaving it in the apartment. All i need is the phone and a battery charger. Travel light. Enjoy the couple of days of MWC, if such a thing is possible. The evenings will be good. I have a couple of top nights lined up. No idea what I am doing during the day. Others have lined that up. I’ll find out when I look.
e could have been a monk in the old days:)
Now playing Love Is The Drug. It’s another fave. In fact I’m playing songs of my fave playlist. It’s called Tref’s Faves. On my third little bottle of champagne. 187ml That’s 3/4 of a normal bottle I will have consumed.
People watching me using my laptop will have no idea that this is not work. Work is a mugs game. Not saying it doesn’t need to be done. Just that it’s a mugs game. Unless you don’t think of it as work that is. You should enjoy what you do.
We are sinking lower in the sky now. A blood red element has been introduced to the palette. Along with some very dark not quite black colours.
As I recall Barcelona is a big airport. Lots of traveling to get to the exit. Guy sat next to me reckons if we land at 7.30 it will take me until 9pm to get the the apartment which is near the Sagrada Familia.
Listening to Moondance. Van Morrison. Brilliant. Suits three small bottles of champagne. The rest of the cabin is very quiet because these Bose headphones are brilliant. Really good for cutting out the loud and intrusive background noises of the plane. The only thing they have going against them is the fact that they are over ear phones and as such aren’t particularly good if you want to sleep in them. Having said that the over ear aspect is much better for comfort than the in ears.
10 minutes to landing. I’m off
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Back on the plane headed nowf. Seems to be more room on thissun although the flight is full and they had problems getting all the carry on luggage stowed. I’m alright anyway jack.
May attempt to have a bit of a nap on the plane – it’s been three 1.30 am days on this trip. big nights out. Quite looking forward to having a drink of milk back in the UK. Nothing like British milk on the continent. Also I missed pancake day on Tuesday so I will have to make up for that. Tonight maybe.
Wondering what the inflight nosh is going to be. Had a couple of miniature croissants and a jam on roll in the lounge with an espresso and a glass of orange juice. Croissants were a bit sweet and the ham roll doesn’t replace a proper bacon sandwich. Not that you’d get a proper bacon sarnie on a plane anyway.
Looks like the Pyrenees down below. Jagged rocks you could cut yourself on. Careful there.
Drinking a restorative Fanta. They only come in small cans on planes but it’s having an effect.
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Amazing how reviving a cup of tea can be. Although it is nice to go off to exotic places it’s always good to have your home comforts in this case represented by a decent cup of tea.
I will have to load up with stuff to watch when I head to Orlando later this month. Doubt they will have my kind of thing on the inflight entertainment system. Though I have no idea what is my kind of thing. When I land at Gatwick I have 45 minutes before my train goes. might even be able to catch an earlier one who knows.y
lunch est arrived. salad by the looks of it. fine. had crunchy lamb last night. not sure what made it crunchy. it was too dark to be able to see. was meant to be crunchy. according to the menu. I’m avoiding booze this lunchtime. had enough over the last three days .
jaw just clicked when I was yawning.
Hello my friend it’s been along time
Where have you been?
What have you been up to?
Has your life gone well?
Do you have any regrets?
Come and drink tea
Tell me everything
It’s good to see you smile
There is no hurry to leave.
The Ace of Spades hammers against the sides of my head. Drums frenetic. Drummers must be very fit even though they send their working lives sat down. Gambling is for fools. I don’t want to live for ever.
These Bose headphones are absolutely brilliant.
There are now three persons in the queue for the toilet – wtf?
If anyone needs a landing card they will shortly be bringing them through the cabin.
We have two pilots. One has four stripes and the other two. The four striper has just brought out his empty food tray and is chatting to the stewardess. I can’t see her as she is stood behind the bulkhead. He has gone now. Think he went to the loo. Back now.
Drivel.
Sunny day in LGW but only 7 Degrees. I will have to stay indoors:) Not sure what the plan is for getting home. Probs a taxi from Newark Northgate.
Blog queuing for the loo wearing a Jack Wills t-shirt. I thought that was a kids brand? I’m wearing my Latitude tee.
Listening some of the lyrics of the songs on this playlist. Don’t normally do that. Subconsciously perhaps. They really are rubbish by and large. Pandering to the majority.
Just flying over the Isle of Wight en route to LGW. Cool. We are following the South coast towards Brighton. Should land on time. Scheduled 12.30 and eta is 12.20 which means may be at the gate for half past.
They need to start equipping aircraft with internet access. Do it already in the US of A. Apaz.
Shepherdess Cafe Shoreditch – have breakfast there.
Plane is banking to the left. Eeoowww. Fluffy cumuli float.
February 16, 2017
February 14, 2017
Port Solent Marina by Jen
gateway to the world
Port Solent Marina doesn’t really give you a feel for the history of the surrounding area. Home to the British navy since the Middle Ages I take the opportunity to quote from Wikipedia:
“The mouth of the harbour provides access to the Solent. It is best known as the home of the Royal Navy, HMNB Portsmouth. Because of its strategic location on the south coast of England, protected by the natural defence of the Isle of Wight, it has since the Middle Ages been the home to England’s (and later Britain’s) navy. The narrow entrance, and the forts surrounding it gave it a considerable advantage of being virtually impregnable to attack from the sea. Before the fortifications were built the French burned Portsmouth in 1338. During the civil war parliamentary forces were able to carry out a successful cutting-out expedition within the harbour and capture the six-gunned Henrietta Marie.”
This picture by Jen is the view from our friend Kev’s balcony in the marina. He has a private mooring but no boat. If I lived there I’d buy a boat. Half the expense of running a boat is having somewhere to keep it. It might be interesting to plot where the yachts from Port Solent Marina set off to. Do they go around the world?
Not sure the ones in this picture are big enough for that sort of thing. I quite like the idea but there are barriers to making it happen. I’d need to learn how to sail a boat and be prepared to take a few months off to make the trip. My wife would also have to buy into the idea.
The boats in the pic look good for a trip to the Isle of WIght or maybe France. Pull in to a little port along the coast and head into town for an evening of steak frites nand vin rouge. Sounds perfect doesn’t it. Some croissants and a baguette frosh from the boulangerie for brekkie and head back across the channel for home.
Keep your eyes open for big boats going across your path. Don’t want any accidents now do we?
It isn’t hard to imagine boats setting off from Port Solent to pick up troops from Dunkirk. I don’t think the marina was there during World War 2 but you get the idea.
One thing I did notice about this pic is that there are no flags in sight. Perhaps boats only put flags up when they are going somewhere. You can’t hear it because there is no sound in this picture but the wind is blowing the stays against the masts creating quite a racket. Can get quite noisy when the Marina is full as it is during the summer months. You also hear the shouts of people calling across to other boats and to people on the shore. “Don’t forget the towels”, or the beer or some similar essential accessory for the perfect cruise.
Gotta go. The sun is over the yardarm.
Tref
February 12, 2017
incinerator
rusting
Very satisfying standing by the incinerator burning things. It’s a blokey thing. Like barbecuing. Sometimes takes a while to get going. Use a bit of kindling and maybe a fire lighter or two. On this occasion I was burning green wood so it took more than a couple of fire lighters. Lots of stuff to get on with in out back garden. The greenwood was cuttings from apple and pear trees. The pear is going. Diseased. Not borne fruit for years. Decided we are going to get specialists in to finish the job. Need a chainsaw and need something doing with the roots. Also 60 metres or so of hedge to trim front and back. I was eventually able to put the lid on and leave the fire to its destructive and sanitizing work. The weather was closing in. Stripped off and had a shower. My clothes stank. Wore the same coat a week or so later and you could still smell the woodsmoke. It’s ok in mild doses. We also have a ciminiere though that seldom gets used. There is also the fire pit which is great for sitting around of a summer’s evening drink in hand. I like the colours of this incinerator. A thin layer of rust blended with the galvanised steel. It lives inside the old fort at the bottom of the garden. It’s not a real fort. I built it a few years ago for the kids. They used it once or twice. I left it too late. They had grown out of playing with forts at the bottom of the garden. I’ll probably take it down this year. Health and safety. The ash from the incinerator is good for putting on the raspberry beds. Surprising how little ash we had left over after burning the fruit tree branches. The ideal time for incinerating is on a cold winter’s afternoon. The sun is low in the sky and it will be getting dark early. You are well wrapped up, gloves on, scarf around the neck and a wooly hat pulled well down. The heat from the fire feels good on your face. Occasionally you have to move to avoid the swirling smoke. The wind keeps changing direction. Occasionally you put on more wood and press it down with a branch held back for the purpose. Some branches need cutting down to size before they can be burnt. A branch lopper recently purchased from B&Q does the trick. Feels good to be able to snap thick branches as if they were little twigs. Crack, crack and in they go. You would think that an incinerator would engender camaraderie amongst family members. Everyone gathered around warming their hands, a bit of banter. It is rarely like that. It can be a lonely job stood there at the bottom of the garden. Still it’s a job that needs doing and if I don’t do it nobody else will. Can you smell the wood smoke?
Tref
February 7, 2017
If a picture paints 500 words what would those words be?
Another online Arts Festival Event – 7pm Thursday 23rd Feb
Here we go folks. It’s the next phil0s0pher0ntap online event for arty types, literary types, any other types really. Here’s the deal.
Someone publishes a picture on the phil0s0pher0ntap website as a featured image. Others write 500 words about that image. Simples.
What people write is entirely up to them. You can choose more than one image to write about, just post and image or post and image and write words. Could be words about your own image or someone else’s.
You can do this now although see instructions below on how to do it.
To do this you can either
1 Message me and I’ll create a login for you – I’ll need your email address. You can then post.
2 Message me the photo (max 2MB please) together with your email address and I’ll create a login and post the pic for you.
You can use the login to post other stuff. You either need to have used wordpress before or be willing to learn. It isn’t difficult.
A few guidelines
You can either publish your own Picture Title as the title of the post or leave it to me to decide.
Pictures should be no more than 2MB in size – any bigger and page loading times start to lengthen. Smaller is also good.
Pics should be no smaller than 300 x 300 pixels in size because otherwise they won’t share to Facebook.
Lets keep it to one picture per User – wordsmiths won’t need to be logged in. They just need to leave their email address and name/nom de plume.
Pics should be published as featured images. If you need help with this ask but there is a link down the right hand side of a new post (you need to know how to create a new post obvs – again ask)
For the 500 words just write them using a wordprocessor – exactly 500 words and copy and paste into a comment under whichever picture you want to write about. The comment won’t appear immediately. We want to hold back the words until the night of the Event.
On the night (7pm Thursday 23rd Feb) I’ll publish all the comments and everyone will be able to see all the words within a few seconds.
February 5, 2017
February 3, 2017
Shopping list 4th February 2017
Weekend in Tealby
Dry Cured Bacon (fosters)
Spicy Lincolnshire Sausages (fosters)
Bread (Waitrose hereon)
Pizza x 3
Washing up liquid
Maple syrup
1 pt milk
Decent cheese
Walking snacks
Grapefruit
January 21, 2017
unwanted toast
unbuttered and unmourned
At first sight you wouldn’t know this toast was unwanted. It was brought to the table in anticipation of butter being spread on one side and then devoured as an accompaniment to the full English that lay on a larger plate to its right.
I am here to tell you this was not the reality of the sitch. The unwanted toast now lies discarded in the kitchen swing bin together with an empty milk carton and other detritus of the culinary process. Were it not for this photograph this piece of toast would have disappeared off the map of human consciousness. Forgotten and unmourned.
It still lays unmourned. An insignificant entry in the human timeline. Goodbye toast. At the final reckoning you meant nothing.
January 10, 2017
January 5, 2017
Sycamore seeds
fall on stony ground
best place for them. we don’t want them on our lawn.
January 3, 2017
walk time
c’mon
Walk time
Screenshot brain
Needs break
Warm coat
And socks
Buy bread
In Bail
coffeeshop lifestyle
c’mon
January 2, 2017
the last mince pie
fitting end to Christmas
a moment of quiet contemplation if you please
January 1, 2017
bread and jam
strawberry conserve with champagne
simple things in life
Part of the role of art in our society is to challenge the established order. This photograph does this very successfully, posing the question “is this bread the wrong way round”.
December 31, 2016
Last diary entry of 2016
a great year
Last diary entry of the year. We are off out to the Lincoln Taphouse and Kitchen tonight with Nige, Terry, Jenny, Adie and Zara and folk. Tom and John coming too. Anne has very kindly ironed my purple silk shirt in readiness. V appropriate I say. Looking forward to it. We haven’t been big NYE types for years, since we had kids. Partly to do with out early to be, early up habit but also the fact that I’m not big on the Auld Lang Syne sentiment. Anyway times have changed, the kids are now grown up and we are getting back into the groove. Nige wants to meet at 5pm in the West End Tap but that’s a recipe for disaster. He has a firmer constitution than I. Joe’s earner at the Magna Carta has been cancelled for some reason so he is now off to Tom Kelsey’s and Hannah is going to Lois’. All sorted then.
It’s been a very memorable year. Lots happened. I’m sure if you’ve read this diary from start to finish you will know it all but there were a few stand out moments. The Coast to Coast walk dominated the first part of the year. There has in fact been a lot of travel including, Venice, Llanberis, Isle of Man, Barcelona (x2), Copenhagen, Madrid, Krakow, Dublin, Glasgow, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Even went to Cardiff to record something for BBC Radio Cymru.
philosopherontap is coming along nicely. I now have over 1,500 posts and have held a number of events including the first online arts festival and the group hug. Got to be done:) Some of our established calendar events also went really well, in particular in the run up to Christmas with the Market party, trefbash in London and Carols and Jazz at the Morning Star.
All the kids have made us proud. Hannah’s graduation ceremony was a fantastic day and well deserved. She has now got off to a great start with her job at Colt. The Pylons at Glastonbury and JoeFest 2016 also stood out. John has had a great academic, sporting and musical year and Tom now has his feet under the table at Broadcasting House with lots of creativity going on. It all cumulated with a great family Christmas.
2017 is going to be another great year. Why not? I don’t know what lies in store. Take the plunge, get on your wave and ride it.