New Year ... 2010 .. Wow I'm that old!

I wish you all a safe and prosperous New Year!


Not that some poor souls will get the chance because of other folk's greed and stupid political, ethnic, nationalistic or religious ideas. It puzzles me why anyone prefers death, starvation, sickness and turmoil over quiet sufficiency. Still thats Folks Freddy Boy ...

Wow! What a lovely present!

I'm double gob-smacked with delight! What a splendid Chrissy gift from my partner-in-crime. Fanttastically great!

Happy Birthday JC! Well sort of ...

Happy holiday to you all! Here, in the back of colonial beyond, we will be having a peaceful and quiet time free of all the usual trappings we associate with Chrisymas. No children, party balloons, turkey, fruit pudding with brandy sauce, silly paper hats or excess booze. "Oh, how Humbug" I here you cry. No my dears, it's chrisymas every day as far as we're concerned. Just think, not a day goes by that we haven't got plates full of good food, water in abundance, so much so that we can have flushing loos, plus a roof, bed and neighbours that don't tote guns. The roads aren't lined with beggars and we can go into town without fear of being robbed or hijacked. Who, for Christ's sake, needs Christmas when we have so much?

It's The Tapes I Tell You ...

It is all very well wander about pointing a video camera hither and yon but the end result is crossed-eyes and a suppressed urge to scream! Eight out of seventeen HDV tapes have been edited, tweaked and rendered and I am now virtually senseless and totally disenchanted with the whole experience. That's what you get Freddy boy if you don't stay at home locked in a cultural cupboard!

Back to the editor ...

Scorching Sun to Wet N Cold ...

Yesterday was so hot it'd sear a side of beef but today it's cold and damp. That's weather for you. All this talk of Global Warming and, oo er, climate change makes me think that we've lost sight of reality. I can assure any of you that climate IS unstable and after 65 year of experience, north and south hemisphere, I'll bet my last brass farthing that it's going to change and change again. Oh dear what a naught man I am! A non-believer of The Gospel according to St Scientist. So, today I'll put on a jumper and tomorrow I may be under a Banyan in me nothins trying to put up with a furnace atmosphere.

Woof Woof - Its the Boys again ...

A few pics of my favorite football team.

And their coach, Mr Flint

These are the star players of Cottage United, that formidable team of  gatherers that not stray ball is safe!

I just love 'em!

I'm Turning Japanese. I Really Think So ...

Here were are at the Oak, Asakusa (Tokyo). Two old farts gadding about ...

Ooo, Er Ain't The Sunshine Great ...

After a mad, dashing-about on Monday, my car is tested, taxed and waxed. I must have walk miles to and from offices and garage but it was all done in glorious sunshine.

Most of the "house" has been unpacked; what a load of rubbish we hold dear to our bosoms; do we really want the nick-knack from long gone Uncle Fed? Not that I ever had an Uncle Fred. Questions upon questions and all about "things" we didn't even know we had let-alone that we looked at regularly. What silly sentimental duffers we all are ...

Now it's down to video editing. I can't remember the name of some of the places; the places I remember but the names? I suppose it's a case of adopting  a "roses and names" philosophy ...

So the music plays and we dance on. Why? It's a mystery to me!

Horsetrailyer - Kulture Free Zone At Last

Well possums, here we are in Horsetrailyer again. Sun a-shining and all the convicts are safe in their cells. What a difference. One minute we were in London, the next it was Tokyo and then Sydney. I dropped by Travelscene to check on return fares just to keep a bit of perspective.

So, now my car is unregistered and, because of the rules I have to return the number plates and go though all the hoops again - same car but thats colonials Freddy Boy.

We have been blown away by the reception our convict friends have given us - that really makes us feel very privilege. Lots to unpack and re-do which is good for old farts like us; you can get too bogged down with "things" being just-so and unable to cope with change. "Oh, er, its' seven minutes past eleven! I have to have my tea; one and a half sugars and a splash of milk; Earl Grey mind; with two digestives - the ones in the white jar Uncle Bert gave me for my 21st ..." Time for walkies ....

Now its time for a little rest while I process all the video footage and book another trip.

Chrysanthemum Me!

A little ride on the Yamanote people moving iron horse brought us to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. This is, more or less, in the centre of Tokyo and is one of the largest gardens. It was the first day of the chrysanthemum show. I never saw such huge displays of huge flowers. Some sort of sculptured intomulti-bloom thingies; one plant and hundreds of flowers in a sort of wire corset. One display was of hundreds of perfect huge individual blooms. Stunning as you would expect just because its Japan.

The weather seems far from what we expect of autumn - sunny and 24 deg C.

About 5 hours of walking and God knows how many steps leaves us completely knackered!

Tokyo means a 7pm Bedtime!

Twelve hours of flying makes my arms somewhat tired which means I fell asleep at 7 pm!

JAL once again proved that its the worlds best airline and systems were all functioning well from London hotel to Tokyo hotel so hurrah for the little people who keep the whole going - still puzzles me that the self appointed "execs" think its them what make things go. Don't get me onto my soap box about the workers versus the suits else you'll think I'm a socialist ...

A quick wander around Asakusa, a vist to Mr Doughnut and the super market and that's us totally stuffed for the day - hence the 7pm beddy-byes.

Nighty-night campers ....

Halloween ... Shefield Style

We walked to town yesterday and were surprised to see a full-blown fair in the centre. Rides and stalls of all descriptions, food and masses of people. Families, groups of friends and loads of uni students most of which were dressed up for Halloween. It was good to see the people take over the city centre and having a good time. It's call "Fright Night" and touted as Sheffield's Halloween Party. We reckon Sheffield council are doing the right thing to let this sort of event happen; it lifts peoples spirits and give us all a break from the doom-and-gloom that seems to dominate life these days. Best of all, it seems to be a real family affair.

Strike, Strike , Strike ....

What isn't working today? Buses, Post, and fire services (the folks who put fire out, duh ..) Well it is coming up to Christmas. It's all cleaning and packing ready for Transportation. Not that I'm too happy about that but it's inevitable at this point in time. Ho hum ...

Sheffield has been a good place to hang my hat; convenient for transport and all other aspects of day-to-day doings. I wouldn't want to settle here for good; too big, hectic and noisy. Yes, we old fogies like a bit of peace and quiet plus absence of over iPoded kiddies. Poor souls don't seem to exist outside the virtual techno-world. What? Actually speak to other denizens of the forest? You have to be joking! That would require social skills which are just not cool ...

What's next ...

Misty, Moisty, Morning Peaks

The 272 took us to Fox House where we started a 10 km waddle over the peaks. It was cool and very atmospheric; just the sort of thing you'd expect in a scene from Wuthering Heights. Disappointingly there was no Heathcliff to greet us at the National Trust cafe at the Longshaw Estate.

A liberal application of tea and excellent cakes recharged our energy for further waddling. Onward and upward!

The study 272 took us home after a great afternoon out. A notice in the bus informed us that there would be no drivers' strike this week!

But, Is It Art?

One of the pieces in the Irish show was many sheets (A4) with internet site translations of an original piece of prose in English through several languages and back into English. Like This:

These are the instructions to change the battery in your mobile telephone. Read them carefully before you start.

Queste sono le istruzioni per cambiare la batteria in vostro telefono mobile. Colto loro prima di voi inizi con attenzione.

Celles-ci sont les instructions pour changer la batterie dans vos téléphone mobile. Cueilli les avant vous débuts avec attention.

Ezek az utasítások változtatni az akkumulátor, meg mobiltelefonja. Előtt összegyűjtött ön csak a figyelmet.

Diese Anweisungen änderten die Batterie Ihr bewegliches Telefon. Gesammelt vor Ihrem nur zur Aufmerksamkeit.

Тези инструкции промяна на батерията вашия мобилен телефон. Събират преди тяхното само на вниманието.

Cambio de estas instrucciones de la batería su teléfono móvil. Recogido antes de su solamente tention.

Promena ovih uputstava baterija svoje pokretne telefon. okupili su se pre nego što mu samo pažnju.

د دغو احکامو د موبايل ټليفون د تليفون له لارې لېږد وړ دي. و غونډوي هغه په وړاندې كېږي يوازې د توجه کيږي.

Den mobiltelefon, løst. Samlet er mot de måste uppmärksammas.

The cell phone, has been solved. Total is against the Attention.

I ask this: Do the several sheets of A4 pinned to a wall constitute a piece of "Art"?

Ah, That Was Great For Me ...

Two excellent weeks walking in Venice; plus the odd boat trip just to save the legs. Excellent! I am never disappointed by the churches and buildings in this unique city. Even the mass of tourists is made up for by the absence of cars. So many cruise ships; there can be six a day each with 3000 plus lemmings packed into them. BUT! Ignore all that and it's a great place.

The Biennale was, as expected, a load of old and new rubbish. Best was the Italian show. The Iranian show was one of the best. The Australian was not that interesting and the Brit show was just crap. We had great time visiting all but three of the shows through out the city; a nice moan and loads of coffee! What was noticeable was the lack of placards explaining the meaning of works in totally undecipherable language - a great improvement. Mind you, reading the handouts was still like wading through verbal treacle.

The trip back to Sheffield couldn't have gone any better; all connections worked perfectly and the various staff were excellent. It took: a boat, a plane, three buses and a total of 13 hours! There we are, another great experience which wouldn't be possible without the hum-drum, daily grind of ordinary folk. So much for celebrity; what useless swankers they are ...

If you want to rent an apartment in Venice try: www.casanpietro.it we have never been disappointed.

Venice - Fantastic!

Here we are at the apartment in Venice. Snug little place out of the way. Weather is perfect and, despite the crowds in town, it is as lovely as ever - timeless but modern!

Some Biennale art seen so far is frankly crap and the write-up sheer tosh. It's what you expect but, fingers crossed, there will be something worth looking at somewhere in the exhibition.

Hey Ho ... Four Hour Wait ... That's Travel.

There is nothing more boring than sitting in a regional airport waiting for a flight. Now four hours seems to pass reasonably fast so long as you are a sleep; I'm not and the cafe not that good. Marmaduke reads her book so that's no problem. Maybe I should turn into a football fan and sink 8 prints of Wife Beater so I can make a complete fool of myself on the plane. No, that wouldn't get me a gold star. Most annoying is the repetitive taped instructions about security. Rap by the paragraph! A new art form ...

Wow! Its Cousin Harry!

A day out in the country; lovely, sunny weather. Time to visit Tatershall Castle - last time I was actually 'young'. St Michael's next door is also worth a visit; in we went, looked and left. Lunch under a willow - a English late-summer day; perfect. Until ... the earth moved for us.

Nearby RAF Conningsby is where the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is based. So, when our quite picnic was blasted by the sound of kerro burning, we were delighted to see a Eurofighter (Typhoon) going into a a full-burn hammer head in the azure, Lincolnshire sky. A quick dash to the car park where we watched a mouth-opening display of aerobatics that would have put the average air display to shame. Brilliant times 1000!

We jumped into the car and

drove - carefully but at speed - to the airfield where kindred loonies stood, binoculars deployed and waiting for the aircraft to return. It did and taxied passed the admiring group; they waved and, you guessed it, the pilot, who was clearly visible grinning his teeth off, waved back. Hey, he's family so it's natural to be chuffed! I wondered if this was history (certainly my boyhood) repeating it's self. Afterall we were in Lincolnshire.

600 Plus Churches

Lincolnshire seems to be littered with Satanic Mills. We've been to most of those in Lincolnshire which are looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust and more as we passed them on our travels.

It makes me realise how much we, today, have forgotten all the personal effort and suffering that brought about what we now regard as our 'right'. One place has a human history that dates back to pre-Roman settlement and, there in that one building and it's surroundings, you can still see the various developments of the habitation. That is in a small village; not a 'historic' town. Just ordinary folk doing their 'thing'; nothing has really changed ... we only think it has.

More to come ...