Fiction books read (Cambridge Years: 2004 - 2005)

• The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)
• The Woman in White (Wilkie Collins)
• Treasure Island (Robert Louis Stevenson)
• His Dark Materials (Philip Pullman) 
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005)

Punting towards Granchester

Went for a marathon punt along the Cam today to Granchester. The river is very natural along this section - not quite as cultural (no 14th century colleges) but very peaceful. We took a picnic lunch.
 

Gorgeous photos of the family

Thanks for the lovely photos, Jo.

fx

Dreamland isn't far away now

I'm sitting in an internet caffee (free!)in Aalborg Airport in Denmark, waiting for a plane to Copenhagan, then to UK.

What a start to the week it has been. After very little travel over the past few months, suddenly it's exploded.

I flew to Salzberg, Austria on Monday morning - necessitating a get up at 4:45 am. Then two busy days of meetings, before flying back to UK last night - arriving home after 11 pm.

Then another 4:45 am wake up call this morning to fly to Denmark for a presentation which I had to prepare on the plane. Arrived at my destination at 1 pm this afternoon and then left at 4 pm to get to the airport. I should be home after 11 pm again tonight.

Needless to say, I shall not be rushing to work tomorrow. They'll be lucky to see me by noon - just in time for a large Volvo lunch!!

Anyway, at least the meetings and presentations went well :)

Cheshire Triathlon

Doing a triathlon was a life goal for both of us. Despite our rather lax training, we did rather well. 250 metre swim, followed by a 20 km cycle and a 2.5 km run. A great sense of achievment afterwards - and I'm now motivated to attack a longer in a couple of months time. Colleen did it with us while Steve supported with gusto. He's going to do it next time too. A great day out.

Unwinding after. Silly devils through bread.

Our new Audi: Ally got to borrow an Audi A4 from work for the weekend so we drove up to Cheshire in style. We could rather get used to a car like this!

Caroline visits us in Cambridge

Caroline and Calle visited us this weekend and it was wonderful to spend some time with them. The weather was awful on Saturday so we didn't get to visit Granchester as we hoped. On Friday night, we all went out for Nandos chicken. Thank goodness for Nandos! It's becoming very, very popular in the UK with good reason.

Ally's little ones

Ally's surrogate babies are doing rather well. Her balcony plant, which we were convinced was dead, is reviving very nicely indeed and the orchid has it's first ever flower stem so we wait with bated breath for its blooming. Ally's love and nurturing is clearly paying off...

Cycling along the river

Went for cycle and picnic along the river on Sunday to make the most of the great weather. Salmon and prawn sandwiches from the picnic bag - followed by a large "chocolate special" from a nearby pub (see photo)really hit the spot. There are some lovely open fields and little villages along the river just outside Cambridge. We really enjoyed our exploring.

Happy 1st Birthday, Blog!!

Well, we've been officially blogging now for a year. When I put up the first experimental blog on May 14 2004, we never guessed it would become such a fun part of our lives. We enjoy going back and seeing what we were up to in months gone by - and it will become more fun as time goes on and memories fade: like a great big digital scrap book except it doesn't get fish moths or take up cupboard space. I know the family has enjoyed it too - it's a wondeful way of keeping in contact. I've also enjoyed having a reason to take and post photos - it's been a fun new creative outlet. We're looking forward to our second year of blogging.

Gratitude (2004 - 2005)

Cambridge life

• Our flat in Cambridge that I hunted
• Love Film service
• Botanical Gardens next door
• Rollerblading
• Tennis with colleague and at gym

Life Trove

• Starting my blog in 2004
• Used the blogger platform
• My wonderful Ixus i camera

Volvo

• Duxford so close to Cambridge
• The amazing people at Volvo
• Matts - a wonderful boss
• Caroline
• The cafeteria especially the roast 

Australia organising

• Ally's encouragement to move to Australia
• Ally organised our paperwork for Australia

Update

It's been a quiet couple of weeks.

Ally spent a couple of nights in London - she went to Lee-Anne's birthday party and a all-girls transvestite show with her work mates. Apparently it was very risque and lots of fun. Her job is still going ok, not too much stress.

I spent a day in Gothenberg on Tuesday, flew in early in the morning and back late at night. I got to spend a fun evening with my colleagues from North America who I email and speak to daily but hardly ever see.

We've started watching some of the nature documentaries that we've been collecting. David Attenborough's Life of Mammals is pure genius.
I've reached 208 of the top 250 movies. Over the last few weeks, I've seen Twelve Monkeys, Dog Day Afternoon, Rio Bravo, Bringing up Baby and The Straight Story. All of them pretty good, if I was to recommend any one it would have to be The Straight Story: slow and moving story of an old man who travels accross a state on a lawn mover, with a trailor, to visit his sick brother.

We also went to see Kingdom of Heaven at the Cinema so Ally got to oggle Orlando Bloom, her favourite eye candy at the moment.

We're doing a Triathlon next week as part of our life list. Neither of us has done much intensive training so it's going to be a little tough. I had to run for the train the other day and got totally out of breath! Hopefully my rollerblading and tennis will at least make some difference.

Talking of exercise, I've also got into the positive habit of going for a half hour walk every day at work after lunch through the picturesque village of Duxford with some colleagues - which I really enjoy. Makes all the difference to a day hunched over the computer.

Caroline and her other half are also visiting for the weekend, and we're hoping to go punting with them on Friday night. Will be great to spend time with them. I'm really going to miss seeing Caroline when we leave. She's a good friend.

I need to take a few days leave so am playing with the idea of getting a cheap flight to Poland and visiting the famous Polish forests a couple of hours from Warsaw. It's a very good spot for birding. If I go, it will probably some time in June. I want to make the most of being here in Europe. We're also looking forward to our trip to Canada.

Mother's Day in Cape Town

Spoke to Mum and Mike today on the phone - and Matthew joined in on the phone call. Wow, what a chatty thing he is - I was amazed at his vocabularly. Both he and Sam have turned into such gorgeous kids, I'll have to ask Jo what her secret ingredient is when I'm there in December.

Kerry's visit to Cape Town

I love the intimacy between Mike and Matthew in the top photo - it's always clear they have something very special.

Imperial War Museum (Duxford)

David came up to Cambridge and we explored the Imperial War Museum. A great place with lots to see. Dave, who is a plane nut, was absolutely in his element.

There's something rather beautiful about fighter planes, despite the destruction they cause. They're so sleek and predatory, like steel falcons.

I liked the reflections of the clouds in the glass window - and the way the plane inside (hung to the ceiling) looked like it was soaring in its memories of days done by.

We were very excited to explore the inside of this concorde. Such a pity they don't fly anymore - almost the end of an era.

D Day Landing exhibition

A sudden revival (Ally)

Very excited that our plant out on the balcony has just revived after a whole winter of dormancy. In fact, to be honest, I had fears it might be dead. But no. It's suddenly sprouted little leaves and shows every sign of becoming the beautiful, leafy speciment it was. I'm delighted because I love our plants.

Re-united with the family again

Woof!

Found this photo on Flickr - the one of the nicest photos of a dog I have seen. Inspiring.

Kings College - bird framed in flight

I was experimenting with silhouettes again - and was lucky to snap the dove flying as just the right minute. I'm rather chuffed with this!!

You can see the dove again in the top shot. I love the majestic spires of King's College. You're right mum, I'm going to miss Cambridge. I'll have to make the most of it during the next 7 months.

Footprints

Kruger 2012

Footprints

Through the loving ways that people connect;

laughter between friends, a couple holding hands,

the generosity of a stranger, the smile of a child.

Through the gift of knowing I am enough, no matter what.

Through my highest thoughts, my truest words, my kindest deeds.

Through the wonders of sunsets and mountains, ocean waves, dolphins and daffodils.

Through the uplifting beauty of music, art and poetry.

Through the infiniteness of time and space and the intricacies of atoms and less.

Through the mighty power of silence and the peace that stillness brings.

Through these things,

I see the footprints of a benevolent Mystery unfolding

and I look out into the vast night sky

and I smile at the stars and the moon

content in the knowledge

that the universe smiles back.

Written: 2004

Uyuni Salt Pans, Bolivia, 2006

Northern Beaches, Sydney, 2008

Special connections (Cambridge years: 2004 - 2005)

Friends and family

• Amanda and Johnathon
• Wilga and Norman

Volvo

• Mats
• Caroline
• Andreas
• Andrew
• Dorothy
• Richard
• Sharon
• Brian
• Charlie
• Jay
• Mark Vicner
• Martin Soderlund
• Greg Peacock
• Carl Lilleroth
• Hubert Musconi
• Chris & Donal

Expressing appreciation

• Gramps eulogy
• Letters to Mike
• E-mail to everyone at Volvo
• Letter to Caroline
• E-mail to everyone at Volvo

Ally

• Ally HR plan
• Ally's delight when I showed her Brooklands Court
• Punting picnic along the River Camb
• Our mutual love of our orchid

Marketing gone too far

"Mmmmm. Try this!" said Ally, passing it to me as I drove us home in the car the other day. "Thanks" said I taking a greedy gulp. "No! No! I meant smell it!" said Ally. "Too late," said I, with bath bubbles foaming from my mouth. Not a pleasant experience. I'm thinking of suing Boots for deceptive packaging.