Saturday 27 June 2009

I Don't Wanna Move! (throws toys out of pram)

Our landlord called us up this week. To be precise the tight bugger texted Lucy asking her to call him up. He is thinking of moving back to Sheffield and may want his house back. I don't want to move!


This is probably the second longest I have ever stayed in a house (almost one whole year!) and I actually quite like it and want to stay. I now own things like 'furniture' and extras like 'cutlery' and cats which will make the resumption of my nomadic lifestyle a little more difficult. I've been nesting!

I am thinking of invoking squatters rights...

Monday 22 June 2009

A Discovery on Team Names

Whilst undertaking the mammoth Three Peaks Challenge yesterday (after which, I am thoroughly exhausted and have contracted sun-burn so ridiculous that when I take my shirt off, it looks like I am wearing a white T-shirt), my newly recruited team-mates and I got to discussing our team names (Bandicoot and Oscelot). 


I was previously under the impression that an Oscelot was some kind of deer, probably found in Africa or some such foreign part and that a Bandicoot was something similar to a fox, cunning and sly. After a little argument, neither of us were any the wiser. So I looked it up on t'interweb today.

It  turns out an Oscelot is some kind of cool large cat, otherwise known as the 'Painted Leopard' or 'Jaguarette'.

A bandicoot is basically a large hamster. Awe inspiring!

Saturday 20 June 2009

Some Training for Bandicoots

I am sitting here with a not insignificant headache, trying to keep my eyes open after driving back from the Lake District. Two potential members of Team Bandicoot took Lucy and I scrambling up 'Jacks Rake', a short route very close to a part of the Cumbria Way a few weeks ago.


I have been informed that my compact camera is un-repairable after coming into a fair amount of contact with a rainwater / dissolved boiler sweets concoction. Therefore not wanting to risk my DSLR in the rain, I must resort to stealing images from the internet:


Tomorrow however, I have agreed to go with some other potential members (or at least they will be by the end of the day), to North Yorkshire to complete the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge!

Its a 23 mile circular route over three of the highest peaks in the Yorkshire Dales (Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough) and is supposed to be completed within 12 hours. Wikipedia calls it 'gruelling'. 'Gentle' or 'easy peasy' or 'like a large cuddle from a giant marshmallow' were the descriptive sentences I was hoping to read.

To make things worse (as well as the forecast for drizzle all day) is that one of the guys I am going with is a little bit hardcore and far, far fitter than me, like really fit. Like 'I've done a tour of Afghanistan' fit. 

This would be OK in itself ... except that he told me that he wants to complete the circuit as fast as he can. 

I should have told him, 'thats fine but when you get to the end can you get a round in?', but I think he expects me to do the same (and I am slightly scared of him).

I have this ominous feeling in my stomach tonight. 

I am off to get myself a power curry!

Wednesday 17 June 2009

Team Bandicoot Update

Its kind of a little pointless writing this as the majority of my limited readers (limited in number, not in their reading ability) are also readers of my brother's site over at All That Comes With It so will probably be aware of what I am about to write. 


Dan has blown cover and announced that in July of next year we will be taking on a six day hike across the Hadrians Wall in the north of England. The walk, for the Joseph Salmon Trust will commence in Bowness on the West coast and will wind its way along Hadrians Wall taking some quite dramatic scenery and some historical sites along the way.

For the walk we have decided to et up two teams. Mainly because we want to be able to raise as much money as we can for the charity, which means having a large group of participants hassling a lot of non participants. However in terms of group size we are limited by the range of accommodation available along the way. So Dan will go with one group (randomly named Oscelot) from East to West, whilst I try to organise another from West to East to ease the burden on hostels etc. The groups will meet in the middle on the third day for a healthy game of rounders or perhaps a bacon butty or two.

I was actually planning not to tell my group about some of the bunk-houses and inform them that they were going to have to camp, but that has kind of fallen through now, so I am going to have to relent and allow a few walk comforts.

The team name 'Bandicoot' has been inherited for the West to East rabble for reasons unknown to me, though I think I am happy to stick with it as it took us nearly two weeks to come up with a pub quiz name (and the Nurse ended up getting that from the internet) so having a name ready decided will relive a little stress.

So, what now. Oh - we need some walkers! Dan (envying my initial recruitment joy) has already made moves to try to push for 'Oscelot' membership via his extensive readership, and by the looks of his recent comment list is doing pretty ok with it too!

I do have one trump card however. I work in an an environmental consultancy full to the brim with twenty somethings who thought it would be a good idea to do an environmental science degree thinking that this would lead to lots of exciting work outdoors. Then they joined a consultancy and had their hopes buried at their desk in a large pile of Environmental Permit Supporting Documentation and Environmental Management System Procedural Guidance. Hence, frustrated walking / climbing types are in abundance!

I plan that to be my recruiting ground.

For any who haven't seen it, the walk website has been set up by Dan here, and here is a parting picture of Hadrians Wall (as stolen from the internet):



Sunday 7 June 2009

Ottawa

I am back home finally now, and I am working hard to keep my eyes open as I work up the energy to go to our regular Sunday nigh pub quiz. I thought I would take this half hour of opportunity to post up the last of my photos from the trip - Parliament Hill in Ottawa which I visited on the way to the airport - and another Charleston Lake photo, which I have my eye on for an extended canvas.

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Friday 5 June 2009

Pleasantly Surprising

Just finishing up work for the week, sitting in my hotel room contemplating what to do tonight.

Should I go to the cinema alone? Should I go to a bar ... on my own? Or should I just give in and buy a massive pile of junk food on expenses and eat myself stupid in the hotel room? On my own.

This is my fifth work trip to Canada (I think), mainly Ontario, but I have been to New Brunswick once. It is the only trip I have taken outside of the winter... and I have to say it is an altogether different experience!

One can do things such as 'going outside' or 'walking somewhere' both things I enjoy doing very much which were previously not possible. I have also located the nearby gym and made friends with a guy from my client's site who invited me around for dinner. All very pleasant.

In the spirit of trying to make a little more of my business trips these days, I went out to a local hiking spot the other evening to practice some photography and am planning a little jaunt into Ottawa tomorrow.

I liked the reflection off the water on this one:



Charlston Lake, Ontario, Canada