Pieces of a Man Think it. Do it. Be it. Embellish.

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Labels: Dad, Family, Holidays, Mum

Pictures from the August bank holiday week, which we spent caravanning in Northumberland. I've wanted to go there for ages and it didn't disappoint. Every beach seems to have a castle and the views along the whole coast near Lindisfarne are breathtaking.

Labels: Family, Jo, Louis, Miles, Oscar, Yani

Here are some pictures from our trip to Norfolk in August, which culminated in watching City squeak three points against Southampton at Fortress Carrow Road. Funny to see Oscar and Nathan celebrating together, like me and Dave a quarter of a century ago.

Labels: Family, Jo, Louis, Miles, Oscar, Yani

A few pictures from our day out at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire in August.

Labels: Family, Jo, Louis, Miles, Oscar, Yani

On the phone to my rugby mad friend, Chris, in New Zealand the other day I was staggered to realise that England's World Cup win with Johnny Wilkinson's last minute kick was FOUR years ago. It feels like two at most. It's just scary the way time flies. To the left - on the beach in Devon that same summer.

Labels: Family, Oscar, Yani

On Sunday we invited a bunch of Oti's school chums round for bouncy castle fun in the garden. We really lucked out with the weather; it drizzled right up to kick-off but then - just as when Haile Selassie's plane approached Jamaica in 1966 - the clouds parted right on cue and it was dry for the next couple of hours until people had gone.

Labels: Family, Oscar

The tooth fairy was skating on thin ice last night having forgotten Oscar's first tooth. We went to bed early last night and forgot all about the dental duties so he woke this morning without the expected windfall.

Fortunately I had the presence of mind to explain that since it was still dark outside - it was 5.30 - the tooth fairy hadn't come yet since she only comes just before dawn. Phew! He went and sat for a few minutes downstairs looking out the window for morning break while I sneaked back up to the bedroom and made things right.

Excellent recovery? Nope - today another tooth fell out and I haven't yet thought of a way to explain the possible inconsistency in the fairy scam tomorrow morning if he gets up before dawn and before me. Bugger!

Labels: Family

Yani's picture of Oti perfectly captures the excitement of the brand new year ahead.

Labels: Family, Oscar

A new addition to the office wall (2nd from the right) is Bruno the Bear's front-page spread in Munich's Abendzeitung last June.

This was my Secret Santa gift from Tom, composed from a newspaper we saw in Germany during the World Cup while Bruno rampaged through the Southern Tirol causing new havoc on daily basis. On this particular day the paper describes how he ate 12 kilos of honey and murdered two guinea pigs before having a kip in front of a police station.

Most of the other pictures on the wall are also souvenirs of places visited. (Left to Right) A Spanish tabloid with a picture of the bullfight we watched the night before in Seville in 1991. The matador is getting tossed in the air on the end of the bull's horns, at which point Jo cheered the beast and upset lots of Spaniards. Next, a sign from a shop window in Sicily which says 'Facts are needed against the Mafia'. Tellingly, the shop - in Catania, where we lived in 1992 - was boarded up. Finally, to Bruno's right, a road sign from Route 66 in Arizona during our drive from San Francisco to Denver in 1996.

Labels: Family, Tom

Last night we were at the Carabosse Fire Garden, a fire art installation in Manchester's Platt Fields. It was spectacular - the whole place was decked out with flaming sculpture and contraptions of all kinds, from smoking chandeliers in the trees to monstrous antique flamethrowers operated by wild-looking gypsy types.

Battered-looking radios hanging from trees piped ambient music in the background, filling the surrounding bushes with soft voices musing away in Russian and French.

And as if the setting wasn't dramatic enough already, Jo thought she had started going into labour just after we arrived. Turned out that it was a false start, but as a passing rain shower came down, hissing and spitting as it hit the flaming torches and the crowd ran for cover, I thought, "What a great night to arrive in the world"...

Labels: Family

Here are the kids pottering by Derwent Valley Reservoir, apparently the place where they practiced dropping the Dambusters' bouncing bombs. The mist lifted on a beautiful blue sky right after we arrived and we had a picnic by the water without seeing another soul the whole time.

In the afternoon we went over to Sheffield for a bit of a drive and neighbourhood recce. We've pretty much decided to move there next year. Brincliffe is out - too posh. Greystones is out - too suburban. Nether Edge is a possibility.

Labels: Family, Oscar, Yani

A day on the beach, watching the tide go out at Prestatyn on a late summer Sunday.

Labels: Family, Oscar, Yani

Now showing - pictures from our long weekend in London last week.

The first day was a bit ambitious and the walking round the sights of central London got to Jo and the kids a bit. Sunday was much better, with everything happening at the Natural History Museum, where we met up with Tom'n'Anna and Christos. After larking about in South Kensington all afternoon we went for a great Turkish on Green Lanes. Monday was London Zoo. It was different to how I remember it - smaller and more laid back - and that made for a very relaxing day.

Thanks for the flat, Nick and Jo! (I think the cat is still there; it was wise enough to stay under the bed the whole time and not waste any of its nine lives.)

Labels: Family, Oscar, Yani

Have just uploaded pictures of our long weekend in Norfolk at Woodrow Avenue. We got the last of the brilliant July weather and squeezed the most out of it, hitting the beaches at Wells, Holkham and Sheringham. We also managed to get over to Auntie Valerie and Uncle Brian's 50th Wedding 'do' in East Dereham, a big family get-together. (Will try to retrieve group photo and post later.)

Also amongst the photos is a special trip down memory lane to 42, The Avenue, Sheringham, the place where Nina, Nick and I spent a few years growing up in the late 70s (how many, anyone?). It's hardly changed at all, except that everything seems smaller, of course.

Here's some stuff I remember about the place;... it's all coming back. Happy times.

Labels: Family, Mum

Today saw a 100% increase in the number of important historical events that I know Wythenshawe to be famous for.

In addition to seeing Roy Harper play there in 1989, it seems that 350 years earlier there was also a military action, which we've just seen re-enacted by the English Civil War Society.

Wythenshawe Hall, seat of the Royalist Tatton family, was attacked and taken by Cromwell's men in the Winter of 1643. The re-enactment (in the original setting since the Hall is still there) was carried out by about 100 enthusiasts in period dress.

The skirmish started with the 'parlay' - officers deciding whether or not it was a good day (for their men) to die - followed by a series of engagements between the different sections; pikemen, mustketeers, cavalry.

It was interesting that the fight took place in the shadow of the park's Oliver Cromwell statue, which was apparently re-located there from Piccadilly Gardens to avoid upsetting Queen Victoria on a visit to Manchester.

The kids were terrified by the noise of the cannons at first, but were enthralled by the end. The rebels eventually won, leaving the field littered with bodies, and then there were a series of executions of the captured, kneeling and begging. Great stuff!

Oscar was particularly fascinated by the cameo role of Mary Webb, who rushed screaming onto the battlefield to shoot the man who'd just killed her fiancé in a swordfight. (Yani's lasting memory, I'm guessing, will be the candy floss.)

Labels: Family

Pictures from last weekend, when we somehow managed to summon up some strength on a Friday evening, chucked all the camping stuff in the car, and headed out into the Peaks for some camping in Buxton.

Labels: Family, Oscar, Yani

Tentative hunting for a house on the other side of the Pennines on Sunday. After a drive over the tops we had a stroll around Langsett Reservoir and a play on a rope swing, we entered Sheffield from the North-West, through areas like Oughtibridge and Stocksbridge. There's some nice countryside up there but I don't fancy living anywhere too close to steelworks; reminds me too much of Deerhunter.

After lunch in Hillsborough park we trekked into town a bit and things started to look up. The area around the botanical gardens seems OK-ish, a bit gloomy and cramped, though, and a few too many fucking SUVs for my liking. I think the area's called Greystones. Jo likes the student-y areas on Ecclesall Road around the university's Collegiate Crescent campus.

Not got a feel for what Sheffield market is generally like, yet. Some places seem rather underpriced compared to Manchester. The house of the day in High Storrs, for example: good area, good schools, lots of space and nice views, but it's only £235,000, more than I want to pay, but strangely low-looking nonetheless. Did I miss a meeting?

Anway, I've created a Google Map to collect places of interest and facilitate future reconnaissance. Next time my friend Cathy has promised to do a guided tour so I'm sure the picture will become much clearer soon.

Labels: Family

Here's our model of Gary Doherty melting away into the flames shortly after today's Molineux debacle, much like our chances of promotion.

Labels: Family

A couple of snaps from our little halloween party. To the left is dad tucking into teriyaki chicken, and below is Hana from down the street posing next to Yani's make-up doll, which has been given some fake blood for the occasion. There should have been many more snaps but it was a busy old night trying to keep order between hunt-the-pumpkin (i.e. tearing the garden to pieces) and apple bobbing (i.e. trying to drown each other).

The night ended in suitable Halloween fashion with a house full of fancy dress bats, ghosts, skeletons and witches all wailing and crying. It kicked off during the musical statues with a dispute over the winner that was resolved with axe (plastic, of course). Who needs monsters when you have 6 year-olds?

Labels: Family

Here's Monty, the new addition to our family as a present for Yani. He's been hiding behind the cooker since he got here and also gave us a scare thinking that he'd got trapped under the floorboards in the attic, but now he seems to be coming out of his shell. He's even chilled enough this afternoon to have a kip on a chair in the kitchen with the kids about.

Labels: Family

This year's holiday took us over on the ferry and down to the Loire Valley. We spent the first week at Camping d'Etang, a small independent version of Eurocamps where they put the tent up for you and fill it with bed, fridge and other comforts. Very comfy. Best thing about it was other English girls of Yani's age on the site, so she got her first taste of independence and was able to wander off to the play area with her friends while we chilled in the pool and around the tent.

Over the road from the campsite was a river path into the town of Brissac-Quince. Like most French places in the summer it seemed to be deserted, but it was a lovely walk there and back and it was fun wandering around in the fields of maize.

Bang next to the campsite was the amazing Parc des Loisirs, best described as a DIY fun park where they've taken a field and knocked together some bargain basement homemade attractions for kids like rusty pedaloes on a pond, weary ponies giving rides and dodgy homemade circus bikes with oval wheels. The kids LOVED it, and at about three quid to keep them happy all day, we weren't too unhappy either. Some of the action; Yani and little friend tackling a rope bridge, Oscar's 108th toboggan ride and Jo being a kid again.

After several days lounging in and around the campsite we ventured out into the countryside to check out the River Loire. We found a nice spot on the banks between Saumur and Angers to set up our barbecue and after a while a fisherman stopped by set up his stall out in the river. Yani waded out and joined him and soon caught several tiddlers. It was brilliant to watch. On the way back to the campsite we took the backroads through the vineyards, stopping several times to test this year's crop.

At the start of the second week we drove down to La Rochelle to check out Ile de Re on word of mouth. It proved to be an excellent decision. It's a small island just off the coast that is largely salt marshes, cycle paths and beaches, a place where most of the tourists seemed to be French (always a good sign).

The first morning there, like everyone else, we hired bikes. They have a great contraption at all the hire shops called a remorque which is basically a rickshaw for kids/dogs/luggage. The kids decided to call it their royal coach and had a great time sitting in there waving to everyone as we toured the island, stopping only to get amazing pecan vanilla ice cream.

Right at the north end of the island there was a lighthouse called Phare des Baleines where we parked ourselves for a picnic in the sand dunes and stroll on the beach. At about 4pm the tide went right out and revealed a huge expanse of rock pools. The kids were amused all evening chasing crabs around while we watched the sunset over the Bay of Biscay.

We split up the trip home over several days, staying in the cheap and cheerful Formula 1 motels for a couple of nights and spending the day at Disney, as promised to the kids every day for the last 6 months. It was a brilliant day; overcast and cool, not too busy. Here are some of the hightlights;

• Oscar gives it everything at the sword in the stone

• Jo, Yani and Dumbo

• Oscar blown away by the Pirates of the Caribbean

• Miles and Yani speed up the teacup ride, Jo sits opposite in a whirl

• Closing time at the Magic Kingdom

Last picture is the kids on the Boulogne-Dover ferry. The blur in the foreground is Oscar, who wouldn't stand still for one second for a pirate pose.

Labels: Family, Holidays

One of the more unusual summer festivals took place today - Saudi Arabian Days, a cultural showpiece in its second year.



Fenced off like a harem in a far corner of Heaton Park, the sound of ululating women floated on the air, and after picking our way through the minefield of balloon sellers and bouncy castles that leech us parents at every public gathering, we were treated to the delights of the Empty Quarter.

The first large tent was dedicated to old Saudi, cultural artefacts such as carpets and teapots. Next door the state oil company sponsored another tent packed with huge flat screen Panasonic monitors showcasing modern Saudi - smiling business people, Western shopping malls and big sparkly oil refineries.

Strangely, one corner was given over to a desert mural in front of which the floor was covered in sand. Lots of little Muslim kids were scrabbling around in there filling little bags with the stuff, presumably taking home authentic holy land sand for the mantelpiece. Oscar had a quick look but lost interest when it became apparent that the floor wasn't covered with sweets as it had first seemed.

Further on, several paddocks contained the fauna of the Kingdom - Arabian horses (much like english ones to the untrained eye), birds of prey (actually a falconer from Stoke) and four moth-eaten, mangy camels, secured out of spitting and biting distance behind two imposing wire fences.

Still, at least we were in the presence of royalty. Prince Turki - Ambassador to the Court of St James - was there, kissing babies and pressing the flesh. I wondered about the security so soon after the London Bombing; you'd imagine the Prince would be surrounded by Saudi Special Forces, but it all looked quite relaxed and informal.

There wasn't a lot more to it, but on the way out, strategically placed to milk the anticipated Anglo-Arab bonhomie, they were giving out a leaflet called 'Saudi Arabia and Human Rights: A Clarification'. I haven't read it yet, but Dad seemed none too impressed with the claims of religious tolerance, explaining that when he'd lived there he'd witnessed a Saudi manager grab some Filipino employees' Xmas Cake and throw it clear across the room!

But at least they weren't beheaded.

Labels: Family

Spent the weekend camping on the Llyn peninsula in North Wales for Jo and her folks to see King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys at the Abersoch Jazz Festival. I remember a couple of years back there was a big advertising campaign for Wales with the tagline 2 hours and a million miles away. It used airbrushed images like Mum and Dad walking hand-in-hand at sunset while the kids romped in the surf, alongside captions like 2 hours ago they were at each others' throats.

Well, with the last few visits to Wales having been to Rhyl and Prestatyn - on the Tattoo Riviera - I'd assumed that this other Wales was figment of a marketing man's imagination. But it exists. And it's the promised two hours away. And Abersoch is its name.

There was a harbour that disappeared at low tide in the evening leaving lots of sand and stranded boats to roam around. It was a bit surprising, with so many people in town for the festival, that hardly anyone was down there so we didn't worry too much about going off to watch the bands and instead spent both evenings on the beach in the sun while the kids paddled in the sea. I really like this picture of tracks on the beach from the tractors that pull the boats in.

There was even a bit of wind on the Sunday and Oscar flew his new helicopter kite for the first time. Definitely a place to go back to and only a couple of hours away with a fair wind.

Labels: Family

Went to a free festival in Rusholme today with Mum and the kids. It was raining on and off, but that's not enough to dampen Manchester spirits, especially with lots of off-beat activities and installations scattered round Platt Fields such as water-squirting wheelie bins ambushing passers-by.

The kids got their faces painted. Oti enjoyed the creation of his spiderman face but burst into tears when he saw the end result in the mirror at the end and smudged it all off straight away.

Most memorable was the girls dressed as restaurant tables so that their heads poked through the top and were crammed into small birdcages. They danced through the crowds stopping every few minutes to scream and wail until people fed them with grapes through the bars. Weird but great.

Labels: Family

A great time was had camping near Ilfracombe over the last few days. Just like last time we risked a holiday in Britain, we lucked out with the weather and got four hot days on the trot. Best of all, though, the perfect campsite at this moment in time; play area in front of the tent, heated pool behind, showers to the left and bar to the right. We barely left the site the whole five days.

The kids had a whale of a time on the swings and climbing frame, and when they got bored of that, we all went swimming. The week followed a rhythmic ... play, swim, barbecue, beer ... play, swim, barbecue, beer ... I even got to read a book - admittedly a bit of lightweight holiday fodder - but a radical holiday achievement nonetheless.

Yes, we'll definitely be going back to probably the best campsite in the world as soon as the sun looks like it's going to give us a long weekend. The only drawback with having so much fun was that I completely forgot to take any piccies. Oh well.

Labels: Family

Took the kids for another day out in North Wales today so Jo could get on with her DIY in peace and we could get on with grabbing some sun.

It was great. We had a picnic on the beach, then went for a few rides on the funfair - Oscar especially liked riding the motorbikes with Yani right behind him in a truck, honking her horn the whole way round.

Yani got to have a ride on a donkey, which she really loved, nearly as much as she loved chasing Oscar round the beach covering him in wet, cold sand. He didn't seem to mind either. My favourite picture is Oscar on the sand getting
to grips with buttons. He's been practicing a lot lately.

Labels: Family

Spent the day on the beach with Alison and Colin. It was grey and cold and rainy, but it got out later and we managed to pack in the whole British seaside seaside experience while the sun was out; fish'n'chips, ice cream and hunting down crabs. Highlight of the day for Oscar was finding a picture of Robin Hood on the side of the ice cream van. It doesn't take much to make him happy.

Labels: Family, Oscar, Yani

The skies looked bright inland so we decided to head out to North Wales and revisit the scene of a lovely day on the beach last year. What a different place in winter. Everything shut. Freezing cold. Biting wind. Tide in. Still, we didn't have to stay long, preferring to cut the losses on the beach after Oscar threw a beach pebble and caught Yani on the back of the head. Happy Valentine's.

Labels: Family, Oscar, Yani

Took at trip out to Hope Valley to have a walk and watch the kids throwing sticks into a stream. Also had a sideways glance into some of the estate agents' windows thereabouts. Bit out of range to get a comparable propertly in that neck of the woods for a couple of years, but it's a nice area. Local dress is hiking boots rather than shell suits.

Labels: Family, Jo, Oscar

Went down to London to the 70th birthday barbecue of Auntie Eileen and Uncle George.

Labels: Family

Two weeks spent motel hopping in a hire car the length and breadth of Florida. Started in Orlando, then travelled through Sarasota, down to Miami and then back up.

Airport
Departure lounge at Mcr airport.


Jaws
Close encounters at Gatorland nr Orlando.


Showtime
Kids watching croc wrestling.


Denny's
A 3am, jetlagged start on Oscar's birthday.


Denny's 2
Birthday cake at Denny's on Oti's birthday in the evening.


Chicken Tonite
Feeding time at Gatorland.


Splash
Swimming at Juniper Springs in the Ocala national forest.


Disney
Meeting Minnie.


Floating bar
Basking off Lover's Key near Fort Myers.


Castle
Fairytales come true.


Hat
Getting sweaty and Disneyworld.


Bucket
In the kiddie's fountian at Sarasota.


Shade
Picnic at Lover's Key.


Bashful
Meeting Snow White.


Pull!
Oscar tackles the Sword in the Stone.


Twins
Yani and the Tweedles.


Fries
Dining as we crossed the Florida panhandle.


BBQ
Picnic at Bill Baggs state park off Miami.


Home, James
The drive back to Orlando airport.

Labels: Family, Holidays

Celebrated Mother's Day with a day trip to Prestatyn.

Labels: Family

Bench
Watching the animals.


Elephant
Yani taming wild beasts.


Kids
Other kids playing in the mud.


Lolly
Snack time on a hot day.


Paddling
Playing in the Roman gardens.


Mum and Dad
Yani takes the helm with the photo-taking.

Labels: Family

Xmas party with all the family round and a hilarious round of karaoke quizzes and games.

Mum and Dad came round for Bonfire night barbecue, mulled wine, fireworks and sparklers. Kids not much into the fireworks this year, but Yani was tempted to have a go with some sparklers .

Nina's birthday barbecue. Strangest present definitely the neti pot, apparently some kind of sinus clearance device.

4th birthday
Hired a bouncy castle and had lots of serious little friends around.

A week of camping near Dartmouth during the heatwave. More pictures...

Trip to Edale with Yani and Oscar, who showed surprising endurance making it up and down Mam Tor.

A non-competitive, participatory sporting event. More pictures...

On the weekend of my mother-in-laws birthday. More pictures...

Oscar's birthday, where he received the yellow fireman's hat/Bob the Builder hat which wouldn't leave his head for a good fortnight after that.

Labels: Family

A week in a caravan near Dartmouth in the hottest week of 2003. Lovely beaches, lots of barbecues and a beautiful part of the world;

Buoy
Pulling in the boats.


Quay
Crabbing on Dartmouth quay.


Crab
Reinforcements needed for monster crab.


Shelby
Monster crab.


Crisp
Oti samples local delicacies.


Cannon
Yani mans the guns at Dartmouth castle.


Shipwrecked
Spare tyre.


Ice
Sitting on the dock of the bay.


Thirsty
Oscar sampling water quality.


Waves
Cautious approach to the surf.


Overboard
Unimpressed by the trip round the harbour.


Morris men
With a little friend at the local ram roast.

Labels: Family, Holidays

Oscar taking a ride with Colin.


Hug
Mum and Yani.


Riverside
Dad down by the canal at Castlefields.


Whisky
John with his birthday pressie from Glasgow.


Shadow
Karate man.


Self-portrait
Brothers in arms.


Whisper
Nina telling some girlie secrets.


Pizza
Ordering mega-pizzas at Tom's flat.


Chef
Fireside chat under way.


Predator
Man about town.


Siblings
Tom and Jo.


Water
Tom and Yani by the canal.

Labels: Colin, Colin'n'Alison, Family, Jon, Mum, Nina, Oscar, Tom, Yani

Holiday in Mallorca courtesy of KLM's Air Miles...

Cathedral
In front of the cathedral in Palma de Mallorca.
Water baby
Oscar taking a dip.
Gone fishin'.
Back later!
Petal

A flower child.
Lolly
With the biggest lolly in town.
Palm

Palm trees in Palma.
Pram
Chillin' in the shade.
Break
Coffee in Soller town square.
Shady
Jo and the new glasses.
Upside down
Hair washing day.

Labels: Family, Holidays

A week's holiday in France using a cheapo flight from Stansted.

Abbey in Pyrenees
Stayed a couple of nights in a mountain cottage.


Navy Divers
French military divers who got dropped a few hundred yards offshore from a helicopter and had to make it back on their own.


Perpignan
Yani playing in a park in front of Perpignan town hall.


Collioure Beach
Larking about on the breakwater in Collioure harbour.


Du Cafe
A pit stop in an old walled town during a drive in the mountains.


More Collioure
Yani and Jo in front of a famous building on the seafront.

Labels: Family, Holidays

Trip to Berlin to go and stay wth Jo's friend Camilla;

Das ist eine gross bier
Yani's round.


Tickets' Please
About to hit the U-bahn.


Coffee Time
Coffee in the Old Jewish quarter of Berlin near the British Council.


Checkpoint Charlie
All pose under the famous sign.


Goatee Roti
Try to do the cover of Pet Sounds.


The Rathaus
Out and about on the trains in Berlin.

Labels: Family, Holidays