One of the things that surprised me when I first went to Poland was the number of ice cream and waffles sellers there are. Given that the summers are often hot and long, it probably shouldn’t be that much of a surprise, but I did not expect to see the number, variation and quality that […]
I had an early start this morning to get to the McLaren Technology Centre, or MTC, for a meeting. The good thing about getting up early, and about living in the countryside, is the sound of the dawn chorus, as the local birds sing their early morning songs. I recorded the sound in my […]
Today – 7th February 2015 – is National Library Day. Libraries in the UK have become a point of contention, with funding for them cut in this time of austerity, and their use having declined somewhat. For me, however, the library was such an important part of my childhood that it often felt like a […]
As the signs of autumn grow towards winter and the leaves turn from green to a carpet of crisp oranges and golds around me, I am reminded of the same season twenty five years ago, which was one of those times that had a major impact on my life, but as is often the case […]
Children’s television has changed much in the generation from when I watched Play School and the likes, and for pre-school children in the UK, CBeebies, the BBC’s dedicated channel for that age group, is filled with popular programmes from the under fives. Alton Towers, the theme park best known for its fast moving and frightening […]
This weekend saw two new firsts for my son, Xander. He has had a few racing related experiences so far, and has managed trips to race tracks since he was a few months old, and even got as far as sitting in Race Control and having his finger on the starting button. However, the […]
Formula E is the new class of motor racing from FIA, featuring electrically powered cars, hence the name. Formula E will be based at my local circuit, Lecestershire’s Donington Park in Castle Donington. The complex that will house the new formula is currently being built, and I took a trip along this evening to see […]
A few weeks ago, I headed off to Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire to both take Berta for a walk, and also to have a look around the hall, or rather halls. For those who are not familiar with the site, Hardwick Hall was the home of Bess of Hardwick, the most wealthy woman in Elizabethan […]
Unusually for her, my dog Berta was up as the sun was rising this morning, and I took her for a walk first thing here at home in the National Forest. It was rather pleasant, so I thought that I would share a few photos of the sun rising.
Yesterday (30th Nov 2013) saw a birthday party for my son, Xander, who recently turned 1, and my upcoming 40th birthday later in December. Our house was looking just a bit busy with people, and one room seemed to have become a soft play area whilst a bouncy castle arrived in the garden. Sadly the […]
I wrote recently about the dinosaurs at Drayton Manor that we encountered on a trip to Thomasland, the Thomas the Tank Engine theme park within the Drayton Manor park. I should also say something about Thomasland itself. For the uninitiated, Thomas the Tank Engine is the most famous train from the Railway Series, a collection […]
I recently visited Drayton Manor, the theme park near Tamworth that is primarily famous for the sort of scary rides and rollercoasters that are generally not the sort of events that are likely to attract me to such a place. However, one of the interesting things about this particular park is that there are actually […]