Tuesday 29 January 2013

Happy Germination Day!


They reckon it takes seven years for a Strelitzia to flower. It is true.

This is a Strelitzia Mandela's Gold which I grew from seed.


On this day in 2006, that seed germinated.

Look at it today!!


Happy Birthday, Lovely Flower!

Wednesday 23 January 2013

January. It can be a bit difficult.


Last Wednesday night we were meant to be playing at Ashton United. The pitch looked like this:


The match was postponed until tonight.

Now the pitch looks like this:


No, in no sense of the word is that an improvement. No football for us tonight. Sigh...

On the other side of Manchester, where we live, the snow has melted and the world is dry and bright again.

Anyway, moving on. I think we are far enough into the New Year to look back on the old one and make resolutions for the new one.

In brief, 2012:

Miles walked - 1,961. This is 182 miles less than the year before (it was a very wet summer), but 91 miles more than 2010. This works out at an average of 1,991 miles a year - which I think is perfectly adequate.

Hare & Houndses visited - 4. This is a pathetic effort by anyone's standards, but I think I can take some comfort that two of the pubs were far away. The other two were very close, in fact one of them is across the road from Ashton United's snow-bedecked and frozen ground (as seen above).

Away Games - 30. This is a new category for 2012. I have included the first team, the youth team and the women's team; league, cup and friendlies in the tally. That's a lot of miles and a lovely amount of football, isn't it? Now I don't feel so sad about tonight.

New Year's Resolutions:

Actually that should be resolution - I have only made one:
Pen-y-ghent.
When I was doing my Pennine Adventure last year I could see it in the distance, and I've seen it in the distance when travelling to some of those Away Games (above). I have got a hankering!
I haven't worked out the details of my resolution yet (it still is only January, after all) but it will almost certainly involve a bit more Pennine Way. It might also involve a Yorkshire Three Peaks walk, or possibly a Twin Peaks walk (the latter isn't an official thing, it's just me not being arsed to trudge all the way over to Whernside). I might like it so much that I try all three options.

Oh, this is going to be a brilliant year!

Friday 11 January 2013

So many things to celebrate


That's the first full week back at work staggered through. It hasn't been too bad.

On this day, back in 2005, I got run over by this bus on my way home from work.

(Photo by maljoe)

Arriva 2251
(It's amazing how you can find a picture of almost anything on Google, isn't it?)

Anyway, back to the bus. It shot around the wrong side of a traffic island just as I stepped of the kerb and splattered me. Three nights in hospital, then they let me go home.

To this day, I am still rather delighted with myself for not being dead. Yay me!

Okay, I know it's not the greatest anniversary to celebrate, but it's January, it's cold and it's dark and right now we are all clutching at straws. Things will get better.

PS. In case you are wondering, I broke its windscreen.

Monday 7 January 2013

Here Comes the Summer!



Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you've all had a festive season that was merry and bright.

On Saturday morning we packed up Christmas and put it in back in the cupboard. Just the decorations, that is, putting mince pies and cake into long-term storage is just asking for trouble.

On Saturday afternoon we were off to South Cheshire, for an away game against Nantwich Town - always a lovely, welcoming club to visit. And they have smashing sunsets!

(pic by Matthew Wilkinson)

Sometimes we win, sometimes they win. This time it was our turn to win, 3-2.

Yesterday I was out walking in East Cheshire - Middlewood to Bollington, up here (White Nancy) for some views and a sandwich, then back along the towpath to the station.

(pic by Andrew Huggett - Geograph)

And that was my weekend - lots of Cheshire, lots of sky.

Oh dear, I may have spoken too soon about the summer. I've just noticed it has started to rain.