UK 2012 ISSUE 8

I have a lot of pictures to share and, as often as not, there are a whole lot more pictures to share than narrative.  So, will start off this edition with a group of pictures taken in central Leicester more than a month ago.  We took a walk down New Walk, a pedestrianised piece of town just outside the commercial district.  There's some great architecture, check out the chimneys and windows.  I believe most of these buildings are now offices but some are definitely still residential.

Will pick Mick's brain a little on the style of architecture. Should any of you out there have more training than either of us, please feel free to share your opinion.

Victorian row houses

Under renovation

Georgian (1720 - 1840)

These are windows from a church, the unique thing was each pair of windows were unique.

Doors are always good

Double doors are even better, and they even agreed on colour and knockers!!

Do hope they do some renovation on this building, it is one of my favourites

Here's looking at you

Cut off the window above, it's not nearly so attractive

Lots of Buildings have names

The Victorians liked their chimneys! 

Crazy brickwork

Chimneys again

Over the last few years I have used a digital recorder to capture ideas and thoughts about which I may want to write.  Unfortunately the one which I have used for the last few years has decided that it is full, which it definitely is not. I daren't mess with it too much since what it does still contain is the voice track from the Yoga video we use when at home.  Having mentioned Yoga must admit it's always amusing to see the reactions you get when you put out your yoga mat and start doing yoga practice in a midst of an out in the wilds campsite or better still in one of those urban sites where it is our little tent trailer in the midst of the great behemoths that are now considered "recreational vehicles".  Those folks must really think we are rustic, backwoods hippies.  At any rate, either way it, sure beats a sweaty gym with a bunch of others who are much more proficient at the art and practice of Yoga than yourself.

Have now acquired a new digital recorder for far too much  money, but that is the nature of things over here.  What you might pay for something in dollars seems to be the same number that you pay for the identical item in pounds.  In other words about half again as much.  Mind you within days of purchasing the new recorder we went off and left it behind in Coventry when visiting family.  That has been rectified and I am once again collecting, snippets, witticisms and errata.

Had to leave off in the midst of this to finish off Sunday lunch . . .  Beef stew with carrots and mushrooms, parsleyed dumplings, boiled new potatoes, fresh snap peas, mixed vegetables and apple crumble with ice  cream for dessert.  Dad has an appetite!  Not only did he eat all of the above, and not small portions, he also had a bowl of Butternut squash, leek and potato soup for starters.  It's a full time job feeding the man in the style to which he is accustomed.

The first thing I found on the recorder was "fly tipping and vacations in Florida".  Have no idea what this is all about.  Fly tipping I know.  It refers to people disposing of the garbage by dumping it at the side of the road or in a vacant lot .  What the vacations in Florida refers to, hmm cannot say.  Let's move on to the next instalment, "School bags, lunch boxes and two dads walking their boys to school". 

A couple of mornings a week I try to get out for a walk, preferably before 9:00 a.m.  This particular morning was a beautiful Spring morning, a bit of a breeze, blue skies with puffy white clouds, the regulars out walking their dogs . . . all was well with the world.  I noticed down the hill two men walking along at a leisurely pace.  One was in a suit and tie and had a cocker spaniel on a lead.  The other had on dress slacks and a shirt.  Dawdling behind them were two boys of probably seven or eight doing what young boys do best, be silly.  One foot in the gutter one on the curb, chatting, skipping, poking at each other and generally carrying on.  Their pace was slow, neither the dog or the boys were in a hurry and the men were deep in conversation, pretty much oblivious to the antics of their children.  You could tell they were on their way to drop the boys at school.  The boys had on uniforms, white shirts, dark shorts and shoes, and caps on their heads.  Each of the  fathers, who were deep in conversation about the local politics, was carrying  what turned out to be the boys red canvas school bags with logos from the local primary school and Power Ranger lunch pails.  My imagination immediately put the school caps on the Dads . . . it gave me a good giggle, the thought of these two well dressed men going off to schooled with their book bags and lunch pails just like they had done so many years ago.

Did not get to see too much of the festivities surrounding the Queens Jubilee, Dad was in hospital.  He does, however, seem to be on the mend now.  Don't suppose you got much coverage on it stateside.  Here, it was (actually still is) pretty much a mass party.  Bunting and flags are everywhere on shops, in windows, over doorways, over arching the streets, hanging from flag poles and trees.  Not only were there massive festivities in London, there were parties and events all over the country.  My favourite event was Wellie Wanging in some village in the South of England.  Wellie Wanging involves grasping a wellington boot and flinging it as far as you possibly can.  Wikipedia is a godsend . . . just in case you need to know the following are the

World Welly Wanging Association rules

1. Welly wanging is a sport open to all people irrespective of age, sex, race, creed, religion, nationality and colour. And people from Lancashire.
2. The sport shall be a civilised affair. Fair play, good humour and good manners shall be exhibited at all times.
3. No umpire shall be needed. A player’s word and their honour shall be sufficient.
4. Distances shall be measured in yards, feet and inches. None of this European nonsense. That is mean to Europeons.
5. The standard welly shall be the Dunlop green, size 9, non steel toe-cap. Competitors shall select whether they use left or right welly.
6. No tampering with the welly shall be allowed. Factory finish only. No silicone polish is to be applied.
7. A maximum run-up of 42 paces shall be allowed. This distance was chosen in memory of Douglas Adams, himself a proponent of the sport.
8. The run-up shall end with a straight line of 10 feet in length, that being the width of a standard Yorkshire gate.
9. The welly shall land within the area defined by the straight lines between the Upperthong Gala field and Holme Moss television mast on one side, and on the other by the line between the field and Longley Farm windmill. This playing area is known as the ‘Thong’.
10. There shall be four categories: Men’s and Women’s, and Boys and Girls (u-14’s)
11. The welly shall be projected using any action of the arm or foot for the respective categories.
12. The use of wind assistance is allowed and, indeed, encouraged. Waiting for a suitable gust, however, is limited to one minute. No artificial or man-made wind is to be used.
13. The winners of the two adult categories at the World Championships shall be proclaimed world champion for the forthcoming 12 months, and be awarded a prize as set by the organisers.

The reference to Upperthong is due to the fact that the art of Wellie Wanging was first introduced in the town of Upperthong which is in Yorkshire.  

A hike on Windmill Hill

ttfn