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The garden: Lots of colour and a new bench (for the cat apparently)
18 months of extra-ordinary rain has to be good for something. The flowers in my garden are certainly very happy about it, I am seeing record blooms and there’s every reason to expect more to come. The garden has been neglected in the last few years but this year I have managed to squeeze in…
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Escaping the depressing de-developing dystopia that is the UK: Time in the Netherlands & Belgium
Spending time elsewhere in Western Europe (i.e., outside the UK) reminds you of what the terms “developed” or “advanced” nation really mean. The Netherlands and Belgium exude wealth, comfort and confidence in a way that the UK no longer does. There isn’t an endless array of empty stores, there isn’t homelessness at every turn and…
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London Weekend Adventure: Royal Parks, Literary Gems and Natural Encounters
I got lucky on the weather and put in some serious steps: 30+ thousand on the Saturday and 25+ thousand on the Sunday. I got my alternative-tourist money’s worth too, seeing the former houses of John Keats, Sigmund Freud and George Orwell as well as pretty much every Royal park and a fair few non-royal…
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Uplifting my Accessories Game
There comes a moment in life when you realise enough is enough: you’ve got so many jackets, coats, shirts, shoes, jumpers, etc., that buying any more would border on madness. So what’s a man to do? Simple: go big on accessories, which take up little space yet enable subtle variations on existing outfits. This uplift…
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Never Enough Time: enjoying the local park
Yesterday I managed to swing by my local park, seeking to follow through on a typical summer commitment to cycle rather than drive when running chores. In a truly impressive act of idiocy I locked my bike outside the doctors, only to realise that I had the wrong key for the lock. I therefore had…
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Exploring the Sights, Sounds, and Smells of MOROCCO
It was exactly the orgy of sights, sounds, colours and smells I hoped it would be. The weather was surprisingly unreliable but the city delivered in every other way. In comparison to Egypt (which I also visited recently) Morocco was laid back and more Westernised – which isn’t to say better but it was more…
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Another aerobic/anaerobic hybrid gym session
This workout was one of those where you just feel powerful and energetic for no known reason. That made it enjoyable and the quality of the beats (Deep Dish) only added to it.
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Scenic Canal Ride and Wildlife Encounters: Captivating Moments Along the Route
I put in an 11 mile round trip along the Worcestershire & Birmingham canal. Unsurprisingly there was lots of young families along the route, especially geese and swans. My Specialized off-road is an absolute beast, there’s nothing it cannot smash its way over and through. It’s so much fun to ride.
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Back on the Bike
Finally – some nice weather! I’m not a fair weather cyclist but when you’re out of the groove you tend to wait until the right moment. That means nice weather and the workload being under control. Better May than never.
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Straight Outta Oxford
I got a last minute invite for tea and civility in Oxford so why not? At 43 spontaneity is hardly a priority, so I enjoyed doing something out of nowhere. As ever the tourist crowds were annoying but there was plenty to enjoy. Every time I go to Oxford and Cambridge they seem smaller than…
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Dr Martin James 