Insects

Warm summer sleeping with the window open invites a lot of insects, and it is another reason I emigrated.

I cannot wait till the temperature coming down a bit, and the insect starting to hibernate again.

Holiday Planning

I take a lot of effort in planning my holidays.  I am planning on going home in Spring and I may take Sarah.

At first, I thought I would carry on as a normal visit, but then, I must take Sarah to do all touristy things.  To be fair, I have not been to many of these places for many years, it would be a good opportunity for me to look around.

It was not long before I came up with a short list, and I already got a good frame work.  We just need to decide on the flights.  It is only 7 months away!

Digital Cameras II

I have two very cheap cameras, and they do what I needed, mostly.

My Fuji Finepix E500 has a good wide lens, good low ISO, decent aperture, super macro, perfect for landscape, and portraits and objects.  It is old model with only 400M pixel, but it is more than sufficient.

My GE X500 has a good lens range, good zoom, panorama mode, albeit slow and poor colour, it does most of everything I need including sports, animal and most importantly it was very cheap.

Digital Cameras

Many of my friends has got DSLR, and many of them has grown out of using DSLR, particularly those beginners.  Yan is the latest victim of the marketing ploy.

Yan asked if she should get a DSLR, a tiny frame DSLR.  I again advised against it.  I suggested high-end prosumer instead, as always.

Most people don't evaluate their usage, and just wanted a quick fix-all camera.  Why would Yan need a high aperture when she is mostly taking picture of landscape.  Why would Carol need a wide angle when she does mostly take sports and portraits.  Why do people buy expensive camera that are not good for either.

Gravlax

We went to Kro Bar for lunch.  Kro Bar is meant to be a Danish restaurant, and it serves Gravlax.

Sarah wanted Gravlax, but I mentioned how Gravlax was originally part-fermented, so Sarah opted for smoked salmon instead.

When I looked up Gravlax again, apparently, modern Graxlav is no longer fermented.  Sara

Hardcastle Crags

I previously refused to drive up to Heptenstall due to the gradient and cobble stones.  We parked up at Heptenstall, had a look at the quaint village.  While we were in Heptenstall, I saw many cars, vans few up the hill and the cobbles.

Sarah got a nice quiche for lunch, and we walked to Hardcastle Crags.  The Hardcastle Crags is much bigger than Creswell Crags.  We took an off track path down the crags, and I insisted on taking a proper path and road on the ways back.
If we go again, we will park closer to the Crags.

Todmorden

There is Todmorden, then there is Todmorden.  Just like when I took Verity to Todmorden to pick up Ash, I did not expect there was a Todmorden over the Todmorden at the fog-covered Todmorden.

So Sarah and I went to Todmorden, and had a walk by the Bridestones.  It was only a few minutes from civilization and looks very rural.

It does look nice on a nice day.

Summer is a Great Driving Season Besides ... III

Summer is a great driving besides all the learning are jamming up the road.

Learners start in Spring, and by Summer, they are absolutely everywhere.  With all the cars already on the road and all the road works, the learners are really not helping.

Summer is a Great Driving Season Besides ... II

Summer is a great driving season besides all the road works spoiling it.  The workmen take advantage of the dry weather, road works are absolutely everywhere.  You take a detour, but you are met with more road works.

Summer is a Great Driving Season Besides ...

Summer is a great driving season, besides it is spoilt by all those tractors on the road.  They are large, they are slow, they are a hazard on the road, yet, they sometimes drive in the busy hours.

Tan Hill

I joined GBMCC to Tan Hill.  This was the second time I had been to Tan Hill.  The first time Dave led us to Tan Hill, I was entertaining Carol, so I was not able to join the group.  But I got the direction from Dave, Carol and I went on our bike the first time.

Dave's direction sent us on a difficult track, with a pillion, it was not pleasant!  Apparently after that, we go to Tan Hill every year, and Dave takes us on the easy road instead.

The weather held up, so it was more pleasant that I remembered.  We came across a tractor rally and a Porsche group.  The tractors were big and bouncing all over the narrow road, we overtook them all, it was actually quite dangerous.

The pub was heaving.  We ate at the pub.  I found a hair in my Sunday roast...  I was not impressed.

On the way down, the road was very twisty.

Tan Hill is more or less a touristy novelty place.  I probably won't go again unless I am taking visitors.

Spontaneity cannot be Optimised

Spontaneity by definition cannot be optimised.  One can only optimise on existing procedures and plans.

I had a last minute weekend plan, I could not have optimised, it was not complete disaster, but it could have been better if it has been planned...

Newcastle Chinese Food

I remember when Suki, Karen, Hedy and Yan were in Newcastle, they complaint about Chinese food in Newcastle were expensive.  Last time I was in Newcastle, it saw still the same.

This time Sarah and I walked up and down the Chinatown and ate at Wingkee, it was quite good quality, and very reasonable price.  The two minor flaws were the lack of bamboo shoot in the shrimp dumplings, and a touch too much pepper on the sweet corn fish.  It made up with the crab roe on the pork dumplings and good jasmine rice.

I will definitely go again.

Malaysian Air

Malaysian Air has not had the best of luck.  Losing one plane and crashed another.

I feel sorry to the lost souls.

Fire Rating

Learning something everyday, there are different rating on fire equipments, type of materials, etc.  It really is as dull as it sounds.

Head Bearing

I asked Gavin to have a look at the front wheel bearing, the alternator, and have a think on the undue vibration.

I was told today the bad news, the head bearing is going.  It will be a time-consuming, aka expensive job.

I will probably do it when Little Rome is in for a major service next spring.

Radiator Crackling Noise

Little Rome has now got a new radiator that does not leak.  The radiator cooling down crackling noise is quite disconcerting.

Wetherby Food Fair

Before we went to Wetherby Food Fair, I was half thinking it maybe disappointing.  But turned out to be a fairly good day out.

The weather was sunny, but not as stuffy as the previous days.  There was a wide variety of offerings.  The entertainment including Man v Food was acceptable.

If there is a 2nd annual Wetherby Food Fair next year, I may return.

Harehill

Harehill is a few minutes walks from Roundhay, but it is a world away.

Sarah and I were in the area, and we made the mistake to walk down towards Harehill to the bus stop, rather than walking up towards Roundhay to the bus stop.

There were some characters around, they may not be friendly.

Heat

It has been very hot.  Especially after I dropped off my bike, I had to get home in my bike gear, which was very unbearable.

I had to take a cool shower when I get home.  And I had a headache the rest of the night.

There is more of this weather to come.  I hate it!

The Horror of Radiator Failure

Ruth's alternator failed when she was on the motorway, and they were lucky that they were on the near lane with a shoulder, where they could wait for help.

My electrics has been playing up, as it is intermittent, I have regularly charged up the battery, and hope for the best.  It maybe caused by the same problem.

While I have little Rome in the shop, I will ask Gavin to have a quick check.

Rob said it with a certainty that it would be the alternator, never the rectifier.  It would not be too pricy, just the hassle.

The Best Way of Dieting

Feeling angry with some idiots and lose appetite.

The Ghost of Armstrong

The memory of Armstrong should be consigned to the dust bin, but yet he is still lurking and probably making money.

Is he going to come up in the media every year during Tour De France?

Great Yorkshire Traffic Nightmare

After the Tour de France, there are more road diversion and closure in Harrogate for the Great Yorkshire Show.

The Great Yorkshire Show is probably great if you are there, but it is not great to anyone else.

Soporific on Bikes

Driving at 50mph on a motorway is very soporific.

Windows 8.1

Sarah finally upgraded Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.

There are only few changes that we can see, it might have a few more changes at the back.  Now there is a power off button!

Canadians in Wimbledon

It has been a good year for Canadians in Wimbledon.  Bouchard, Raonic, Pospisil.

I am glad to see Stosur is still in play, albeit in mixed double, and hopefully Federer will win.

Back Wheel Bearings

Many weeks ago, I felt a funny bump at the back wheel.  Then I started hearing funny squeals.  Then the squeals became more frequent.  Then it became apparently it has become urgent.  I had been driving very carefully.  If the bearing completely collapse, my wheel could have caught into the chassis or the hugger, along the way, damage all the chain, sprocket and brake disc.

All the bike shops are busy, I rang around to see who can squeeze me in.  It is only a quick job.  I was going to go to RaceHQ, then Genspeed could squeeze me in and change bearings while I wait.

Disaster averted.

A Good Portrait of Facebook

Bad Players

Sportmanship is often overlooked.  Not only on professional field, just common games, there are bad players.

I have been playing Catan online, and there are a lot of bad players, and a lot of players without sportmanship, and a lot of players with big mouth.  It takes the joy away from the game.

Planned Obsolescence

Planned obsolescence is a real thing.  I cannot believe it originated from Germany.