Heavy Weight Judo

All the athletes are all trimmed, until I saw the women +78kg Judo, I thought, maybe that is something I can do!  Just when I started typing "adult Judo" into the search bar, I remember I am in my 40s!  Nevermind, I am not sure my body can take a tumble!

Cycle North

I came across Cycle North, this could be another cause I can get my teeth into.

Current Account Switch Service

Apparently the current account switch service will keep the old account routing for 2 years.  The question is, where have I which account to what account?!  I need an event log, account evolution chart!

Tagg Lane Diary

I have drove past Tagg Lane many time, and we finally make an effort to try them out.  They are indeed very nice, also one of the most expensive!

Tandem Bicycling

Tandem bicycle: what a horrible invention.  The front rider does 80% of the work, both in paddling and steering, controlling, and the back rider do nothing apart from a useless amount of paddling, due to starting difficulty, they are not normally sit with legs suitably extended.  Never again, get your own bike!

Peak District Counties

We were in the "Staffordshire Peaks", which brings onto to the whole discussion on, who has which bit of the Peak District.  Derbyshire folks like to think Derbyshire owns nearly all of it, but after having a quick look online, Yorkshire and Staffordshire chucks are both very sizeable.  I cannot believe Saddleworth Moor is part of the Peaks!

Honda NC750

A lot of people asked what bike I want next.  I know what I don't want, NC 750, I have watched a few of these in action, substandard, just like SV650, straight to the skip.

Thorpe Cloud

Last year I went up to Bunster Hill, this year I went up to Thorpe Cloud.  Bunster Hill is taller, fewer visitors you just need to watch your step...

Bye Bye Free Air

The Sainsbury near us has started charging for compressed air.  I must start doing them at home using my own pumps.

Aberystwyth Calling Lancaster Wet

My club has done a few events in Aberystwyth and when I suggested Lancaster, Graham reckoned Lancaster is wetter.  What?!

Float to Live

"Play with the hills, Don't play with water"

If you go get into trouble, don't forget to relax and float.  Float to Live.

Whole Roasted Butternut Squash

We came across a free squash, and as an experiment, we barbequed it whole.  It was hard to judge how hot and how cooked it is inside, it produces a cooked squash with no added oil or salt.  The best part is no hacking, it is easy peeling and cooking it after it is cooked.

Jimmy's Iced Coffee

As a hot afternoon pick-me-up, we popped into the shop and picked up a couple things from the chilled drink aisle, one of which is Jimmy's Iced Coffee.

It tastes fine, not as rich or icy as a Frappuccino, which we could have got from the nearby Starbucks, but that would have been twice the price.

The first question was, "Who is Jimmy?"  Even after looking at either website, I am none the wiser, probably just some catering company's new idea, and named it after the company's dog or something.

"Smart" Doorbell

I used one of these smart doorbell for the first time and I still wonder what is the point.  Just use the peep hole. 

Cherry Overdose

When my sister was young,  she ate too many lychees and has such bad GI upset that my parents took her to hospital.   Apparently cherries do the same. 

Kofta

After making koftas a few times,  I am really getting a hang at it.   As an added bonus,  they go well with lettuce wrap,  ie low carb.  They will now be a regular feature in my barbecue! 

Modern LED Bulb

Modern LED bulb as become so economical.  They are so efficient and have overcome at of the directional issues,  to be fair,  nothing a decent diffuser cannot solve.   I remember when I went from incandescent bulbs to CFL bulbs,  they paid for themselves in a month.   I am very happy to have changed out all Sarah's old higher wattage dull CFL to LED.

Market Trader Con

When you buy something by weight,  first you have to trust the scale.  It is funny that when a trader made any calculation mistake,  it is almost always overcharging, it to their benefit.  "Benefit of doubt" can soon run out! 

Gooseberries

We picked a few gooseberries from the farm with our strawberries.  I was not keen on trying one as I heard they are very tart.  Sarah had the ripest gooseberry and it was said to be sweeter than a grape.  So I was convinced to try one, the one I tried was like a grape, but a tart grape.  Apparently the last of the gooseberries were bordering inedible.  Let me stick with normal green grape, thanks.

Cauldron Organic Tofu

We picked this Cauldron tofu up on offer.  It is extra firm, and surprisingly nice.

Crystal Violet

Sometimes I search for things in my childhood just to find out they are obsolete.  So the blue stuff we use liberally on wounds is called crystal violet, which is antibacterial, antifungal, and anthelmintic,  what more can you ask for?  I wonder why it is not more common here.

Fence Hanging

I have already painted all the fence and gate, rehung the back gate.  For completeness sake, I rehung the front gate.  In hindsight, I should have done them all in one go, that save me from the later adjustments.

Monkey Bike

I sat on a Monkey bike for the first time.  It is cute, but the compliment stops there.  I cannot think of anyone buy something so small, weak, stealable, mechanically inferior bike.  A electric bicycle is cheaper and preferable.

虞美人·李煜

春花秋月何時了？往事知多少。小樓昨夜又東風，故國不堪回首月明中。

雕欄玉砌應猶在，只是朱顏改。問君能有幾多愁？恰似一江春水向東流。

Industrial Japanese

I thought I was learning Japanese growing up manga.  I am learning more Japanese from British industries.  Ikigai, kaizen .etc

Can You Hear Me Now

In the new era of online meetings, the phrase "can you hear me now?" is back in fashion.

Pick Your Own

I have been meaning to try a "Pick Your Own" experience.  We went to a couple farm shops that offer PYO, except it wasn't quite in season.

Then we found online somewhere nearer and cheaper, and had a go.  One of the reason why they were cheaper maybe because their crops are on the ground rather than on the table.  This makes harvest harder, but lower initial cost.

We ended up with 1 kilo of strewberries and a few bits of other fruits.  It was a good day/morning/hour out.

Early pickers get the strewberries!

Red Squirrels Missing Tufts

I am still confused about red squirrel's ear tufts. The ones we saw in September did not have ear tufts.

Then I saw this clearly male squirrels with ear tufts.

Then the others' ear tufts were shedding?

According to the internet, ear tufts are a Winter thing, do maybe in September it wasn't quite cold enough, and in June it wasn't quite warm enough? Confused.

Lesbian Period Drama - SNL

Why watch Ammonite for 2 hours and SNL can do it in 3 minutes.

Memento Mori

I just read an article about latin phrases, and memento mori drew my attention.  Then I looked it up, my stoic tendency must have drawn me to it.  Let me add that to my catalogue.

Video et Taceo

Video et Taceo is said to be one of Queen Elizabeth I's mottoes.  I have been using it for the last 20 years ago, but I only just found out I have not blogged about it here.  I must have blogged it back in Yahoo.