Try not to lick it

Decisions, decisions.  It's not that I'm not a fan of the couples holiday, it's more that I'd rather grab the proposer by the nipples and ask them what they've been paying attention to for the whole of their adult life.  I've done this particular trip before. With Finbar. It worked because, mostly, he had ideas … Continue reading Leisure is no place for democracy

You may know that I'm not a fan of driving. As much as possible in real life I avoid driving: - to get steps - to save the planet and - to minimise the chances of dying in a car crash (and not at all in that order).  Imagine my surprise then that today I … Continue reading Route One (oh, one)

Well, that was a day of exploring Portland's somewhat deliberately weird side. Started with a second run (5k downhill and then along the riverside park). Here's another map, in case you were wondering. I didn't even try to keep up with CHT and next time I shall revert to wearing headphones so I've got something … Continue reading Abe never came

Today was breakfast in Seattle, a visit to Mt St Helens Interpretive Centre and a mooch around Portland.  Seattle: we ran along the Port front park (meaning, Claire ran and I bobbed along in her wake). I've found that running is a nice way to see new places from a different perspective and I think … Continue reading She’s gonna blow

Finally arrived in Seattle. Been here once before. It rained then. It wasn't raining when we landed. It started as we disembarked the plane.  I have voluntarily not researched things to do here because the story is mostly further south. The Space Needle is shut for renovation (and looks like the 60s relic that it … Continue reading La la la la la A-me-ri-ca

My "last chance to grow my hair out" project was hitting that tricky point where I can't do a thing with it, and I had started to lose heart and contemplate getting it cut, thus ending my youth. I'll concede that, at 48 and a half, this may seem a bit flipping late.  At my … Continue reading What other people think

Played cricket today. Although it was a short game (both sides being more or less equally rubbish) it was fun and the stiff breeze made for an interesting test of our skills. Which we mostly fumbled.  We won, if you're interested. But I thought I'd post my movement stats for the innings that we fielded. … Continue reading Cardio

I finished 11 days of jury service the other day. It was sobering and grown-up and bleak and it felt worthwhile. I made some temporary friends with other jurors and was privileged to sit on two juries. I laughed a lot, considering.  Having worked with HMCTS for nearly ten years, it was great to see … Continue reading What I learned about justice

Is it me or are pedestrians getting more and more blasé about road safety? As a very small child I learned road safety from a squirrel. Pre- green cross code man (though firmly GXC) I guess I was at the apex of Tufty's pre-eminence as the icon of overtly precautionary pedestrian behaviour. Certainly his message … Continue reading Did Tufty die in vain?

So a man who's done some magic carpentry for us over the years told me, in the pub tonight, that I owed him an apology.  He says that he was in one of Loughborough's Nepalese restaurants when he saw me walk in. He gently prodded me with his boot to say hi. A bloke who … Continue reading Doubles