Holidays Past

On the train to work this afternoon the Sun cam out rather gloriously. As I sat in my cucoon of plastic and fabric which is a Pendolino express, it reminded me of a similar experience in a Boeing 777 last year on our way to New Zeland.
If we all had a real chance to holiday at least once a year in a true idyle, how much quality our lives would be, but the realities of expense and the recession, bring us back to earth with a bump, and I have to be greatfull for the memories of last year, role on the Summer!.

Trenchcoat Weather

Raining as it is, I opted for my classic creme Trench Coat, texted Emma and she had done the same! 'Spooky' she replied. So its light rain, and I left my trendy woollen coat behind. Negotiated the farce that is British Rail between New Street and Bourneville and arrived somewhat chipper in Stirchley.
Tomorrow it will be Five years of being with Katie and the boys. How to celebrate I am not sure, am working to start with, so she will not get any of my home cooked wedges!, so perhaps a box of chocolates?, definitely something alcoholic...

Family Life

Harry rang me this morning, and informed me that "Christine had died!", Christine who? I thought for a moment, he's obviously a little upset, is this some girlfriend of his?.. I can't remember anybody called Christine in his life?, Christine who? I replied, It turned out to be my Ex Mother in Law.
When a native Navajo Indian knows their going to die, they walk off into the woods. Naturally I have not spoken to her in years, she was in a lot of ways quite a sad character, lived on her own in a cold terraced house in 'Bournville', quite depressing really, like mother like daughter as the ex wife ultimately became the same. Like everybody in her family, not one of them was supportive during our divorce, so I frankly had no time for them, and neither do the kids, with the exception of course of Harry. As she passed on the fifth of this month, she's already been buried by now, and clearly the ex wife only even now deemed to inform Harry, enough said!?. So this is what they call family Politics?.

A Questionable Valentine.

Well I gave it my best shot!. Got the card, an assortment of 'Cadbury's' chocolate naturally; and went about preparing the meal. Candles in the appropriate over the top Candelabra, table set, menu sorted.
The home made 'spicy wedges' unquestionably a disaster!, best not talk about that, the steaks, well a Little bit chewy; (In my defence, I didn't buy them, found them in the freezer) my cavity's still ache. the garlic mushrooms and onions adequate. Katie was very polite about it all, but didn't eat the wedges, enough said. We rounded our evening off by inviting the boys into the back garden to light our 'Love Lantern' (a red Chinese lantern) to our surprise we managed to light it, it took to the air with enthusiasm and then landed on a neighbour's house!!, we all immediately ran into the house and denied any knowledge of our activities....

The British BAFTA's 2012

There has to be some consolation to getting old, and it provides us with a justified sense of cynicism.Last nights British BAFTAs was a sorry tale of major, so called 'Stars', looking supremely worried and serious as the gongs were handed out. Clearly so called success isn't enough for them?. Anorexic and dull Bond girls sharing a brain cell; a compliment to the present 'Bond' franchise no doubt. Mediocre actors such as 'Clooney' and 'Pitt' attempted to look relaxed in a very nervous way, their body language spoke volumes.It's compere Mr Stephen Fry constantly demonstrated his education and intelligence, but was nervous and lacking in any form or real substance. 'Cuba' made a reference to 'Whitney' another wasted junkie?!, I mean why?, I always thought that the 'Bodyguard' track was wailing and frankly irritating!. Her and 'Amy' can put themselves in that category of talented, stupid and dead. And what pain they have caused their families!. There was some consolations, John Hurt looked genuinely chilled as did 'Oldman'. And Tom Jones doing a rare performance of 'Thunderball'.
Whatever happened to real stars, Gregory Peck, John Wayne, and the bad boys, Steve Mc Queen and Richard Burton. Yes I know they have all passed, but what of todays talent?... what indeed.

How to Insult the Chef!

So Katie's at work today, and as promised I have decided that this very day, I will make my famous Game Pie, a recipe of Mrs Beeton's. I have not made it in a while and will have to nip into town to pick up some braising steak and rabbit, so she rings me just now to ask hows things, as you do, and then while talking to Taylor the words KFC float to the surface of his conversation!.
If I have to eat the whole lot myself I will!....

Time Out for Thinking.

What I have enjoyed most about my week off was the idle wanderings of my thoughts. One minute thinking of my MG then my Militaria and anything really of idle fancy. Last night we had about three inches of snow in Coventry which is lovely, however the thought of returning to work tomorrow is making my day a little melancholy.
Winter holds its fascination, (love the photo of a Russian car park above!) the brightness of the snow, its crisp sharp impact on the air and temperature, how 'Marmaduke' was initially so confused with this strange white substance as he slid across the patio!. Katie has just leaned over my shoulder and berated me for not being part of my 'idle thoughts'!, "but your more than that to me" I reply.
As always took some pictures of the garden covered in Snow. Will prepare the log fire again, a chore I have enjoyed this week, and await the return of the boys later on. Max managed to lock himself in the bathroom yesterday, much to Katie's amusement. Thinking of Harry in Thailand he's twenty five this month, and Emma whom must have had some fabulous views of London in the snow yesterday. Hope to see her in March around her birthday. So my mind is mired in thoughts of Family and my return to work today.

A Walk.

I wasn't going to vegetate today, so a walk was indeed called for. I gingerly crossed the Quinton road and passed through the Technology Park, always interesting to see students at work, the Park itself was built on the wartime Rolls Royce plant, one of the Luftwaffe's targets in 1940. In no time at all I had found my objective, the London Road cemetery. Its the most beautiful cemetery of its kind in all of Coventry, you find yourself surrounded by collapsing Victorian, Edwardian and Art deco monuments, among such beautiful over grown gardens, complimented even more by a vibrant winters sun. Your thoughts are drawn to the multitude of graves, the young pilots of ww2, the private whom was killed at Ypres, and the person torpedoed on the Lusitania. I eventually found what I was looking for, a memorial to those lost in the Coventry Blitz in 1940.
One should always visit the graves of our loved ones, its a necessary therapy, the special walk for the lost infants, with their concrete 'Eyores' on display, the Jewish plots, the industrialists, the J.P.s, its the young ones which are perhaps the most tragic. I understand now words like 'Devoted wife' and 'Good Father', they have an emotional impact on us as we get older, perhaps because these are the measure of us, and our lives. It became a little over bearing for me after a while, quite emotional, so I left, returning to the land of the living, I have had my therapy for now.

All our Yesterdays.

My morning so far has been chasing around the debris of last nights family 'Korma'. Rice gets everywhere, and then is sprinkled on the lawn. I am always intrigued how the garden lawn is a most efficient food refuse disposal, the Cat's love the chicken bones as well as the Fox's etc. I am sure some Gestapo type from the RSPCA would lecture me on it. Then I have to tackle last nights log fire, the fire place is looking at me in disgust. The rest of my day no doubt will be cold, this week I have off to relax,I always tend to book the first week of February, which can see the weather letting all hell lose, which works just fine for me. Emma has texted me , apparently 'Vogue' are doing a photo shoot at her place involving one of Jagger's daughters and Welliams wife, a little more exciting than my morning I suspect.
I have a sniffle!, so could be worst. So far my week has been little projects, working on some helmet restorations, catching up with my 'Rathbone' Sherlock movies and last night put 'Purdy' on charge, but I suspect its going to be to cold to work in the garage today. Max is stirring I hear?, back to the housework...

Portmerion

We drove up to Wales last night, as we rose above sea level we hit cloud banks over the hills, so Katie slowed her driving even more. We arrived around eight and registered at the main hotel within the village, and were escorted to the 'Villa Winch'. Even at night, the view of the village is gorgeous, actually quite romantic in its way, so I must try and take a night photograph.
What can I say but its wonderfully idyllic, the views from our balcony overlook the Village in its entirety, a balcony which we can easily have breakfast on, but for the rain!, and it didn't stop the 'Tits' and 'Robins' from coming right up to the doors. this afternoon we ventured into Portmadoc, the nearest town for facilities, they have a High Street as such, theirs tends to have very large hills at the end of it, to me their mountains!, nice small town, nice people. If the weather holds back I will walk down into the Village and take lots of photographs, and yes I have brought my Prisoner jacket before you ask, and I have been warned by Emma not to be to 'sad' and spoil the break for Katie!, I mean really!!, your in the Village, you just have to dress up as Number Six!.... I mean its the law... you must conform...