Door

Door, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

More reflections

IMG_4288, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

Playtime

Model animals as part of school outreach work. Emma is stock taking

...at the most inopportune moments

...at the most inopportune moments, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

Shadows

Shadows, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

Old lamps

Old lamps, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

How much is the RSPB badge worth?

About £50!

Check out these binoculars on the RSPB web site and then take a look at these from Argos. I've looked at the specs and the images and can't see much difference.

I'm a member of the RSPB and I'm happy to support them but this looks to be a bit over the top for the logo.

One day like this

So throw those curtains wide! One day a year like this'd see me right!

The Pullman Car Company Ltd

IMG_4267, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

Red fire bucket

Red fire bucket, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

Imp Pints

IMG_4264, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

Theodora

From The Pullman Car Company Ltd, Birmingham

Virol

Virol, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

I took this shot at Pickering and today I finally spent a bit of time finding out what it is. It's a mix of cod liver oil and unsweetened orange juice and it was popular during the war as a way of giving children vitamins and minerals they might otherwise have lacked. It reminds me of the cod liver oil and malt that we were given as children. Any malt in my diet now still comes in liquid form and is generally in Guinness or another stout.

The barn

IMG_4241, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

Yummy

In what universe does it make sense to block the aisle whenever you stop to read the label on every item in the chiller?

Traditional sweets

Lovely van but I'm not sure how traditional it is!

Yummy

Latte and the paper in town

Apples

IMG_4176, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

Welcome to the Crab and Winkle Line Trust

Welcome to the Crab and Winkle Line Trust

I'm blogging this for Phil. During our trip to Canterbury I mentioned the Crab and Winkle line and he suggested that we walk along it - all the way to Whitstable. For those not familiar with the geography of the area that's about 6 1/2 miles! What kind of madman would contemplate a trip of this distance on foot?

Crates

IMG_4166, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

M26

Set out early so I'm not pleased that mway is stuffed

It's like psychology porn!

Sun up

Causing......

Causing......, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

I'm still not sure that this is grammatically correct. It works up to my possible death but then appears to suggest it might also cause my fellow occupants whereas I'd have thought that they were caused by their parents and the university allowing them into the same building.

Reflections

reflections, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

An HDR shot of the sky over Leysdown earlier today

Not the end of the world.....

...... but you can see it from here.

Night mail - Part 2

Night mail - Part 1

BBC News - Flood threat to southern England

BBC News - Flood threat to southern England

Best keep an eye on this those who live in the area.

Tagine

I mentioned purchasing a tagine? Well tonight I'm having chicken with preserved lemon and couscous. Have to keep practising.....

Summary of the cricket trip

Last year I blogged about the trip and explained what it's about so check that out if you want the context. As suggested this year we wanted to see Lancashire and happily that meant that Canterbury was an option.

Accommodation was superb and included free, off-road parking. It was in Christ Church University student accommodation but off campus and close to the city centre.

And now for the awards discussed and agreed on Saturday morning. Pub of the week was The Thomas Beckett in Best Lane. Smashing boozer with no music or TV but decent beer and good food. Beer of the week was Whitstable Brewery Oyster Stout at The West Gate Inn (Wetherspoon) and the Priory mild in The Old Buttermarket was jolly nice too. And so was the Whistable Brewery beer we had in the Old Brewery Tavern (can't remember the name of it - we only had a couple and it was gone when we called there on Friday night). The Old Brewery Tavern also had the best toilets and the best outside drinking area (off-street) and a nice TV for watching some of the test match on Wednesday afternoon. Best on-street outside drinking area is The Buttermarket. The worst pub by a distance was the Three Tuns. An olde world pub playing "house" music far too loud to a few customers who were all commenting that they didn't like it - it was obviously on for the staff rather than the clientèle. We entered between tracks or we'd not have gone in. Service (and the music) were so poor that people were leaving rather than waiting to be served in what must have been the least busy pub in Canterbury on Friday night. Coffee of the week was the latte in the Farmers Market at Canterbury West station.

We didn't have a "third day trip" this year but had two full days of cricket. We didn't have any cricket on Wednesday but did have rather a lot of beer. We've not yet planned next year but this year was a classic without a doubt.

The Buttermarket

This collection of photographs spans a couple of years and they are all taken in the Buttermarket in Canterbury.

Cricket

IMG_3769, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

Lancashire won - they finished the game today (Saturday)

River

21082010472, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

St Lawrence ground

St Lawrence ground, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

Check this out full size - it's a panorama made from a number of shots

Cafe des Amis

Cafe des Amis, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

The Farmers Market

Here again

Des Amis

Whitby slideshow

Beach huts, Whitby

IMG_3518, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

The lustered orb

IMG_3597, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

Previously blogged in 2005 and here's an image to illustrate that post. Okay so you had to wait a few years......

In the shape of a heart

Whitby Abbey

IMG_3533, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

I'd love to suggest that these are bats but I'm pretty sure that they are starlings

Scarborough lighthouse

IMG_3580, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

92214

92214, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

Images from York and the Minster

Images from the National Railway Museum

Melancholy event

Melancholy event, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

Do not..............

Do not oil bolster slide, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

Cal in the Chapter House

Cal in the Chapter House, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

Gorton

Gorton, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

This will mean more to some than others.

Added later: My paternal grandfather had a reserved occupation during the war because he worked at "Gorton Tank"; more formally "Gorton Locomotive and Carriage & Wagon workshops and the Motive Power Depot". That's also where this engine was built. Sadly my grandfather died (of natural causes) during the war years. The workshops closed in 1963 and many of the men transferred to Crewe.

Manchester

Manchester, originally uploaded by nogbad the bad.

Needs a haircut

Goathland station

Also known as Aidensfield on TV

It's a sign!

In Goathland

We're on the train!

The 11:00 from Pickering to Aidensfield. Cal assures me that the engine is an Atlantic class because it has 4 guiding wheels rather than 6 (which would make it a Pacific). All I know is that it's large and loud and painted black.

Tea

Station sraff and train crew grabbing a brew at Pickering station.

York Minster

Proper culture innit!