Weekend in Jersey

We spent a wonderful weekend with Rosemarie and Nick in Jersey this weekend. Nick has changed companies recently, requiring a move from Guernsy and they are settling in. It was great to spend some qulaity time with R&N. And Jersey really impressed us with some gorgeous coast line and open spaces. It's a great island.

On Friday night, we went to a local performance of Carousel - a great "Rogers and Hammerstein" musical. We recognised lots of the songs without ever having realised they come from this particular musical. I'd like to see some more of their musicals now - particularly South Pacific which I remember watching as a kid (and being blown away - it was my first ever musical) but haven't seen again since. They also wrote King and I and Oklahoma to name but a few.

Aren't Rosemarie's ear muffs cute! I only realised when we had got home that I hadn't got any photos of Nick. He was on top form this weekend - making us all laugh all weekend long. He's a bit like Gramps - always full of funny stories. He has been in amateur dramatics for many years - and we got to see some great video footage of him in some of his previous musicals including Carmen, Carousel, Oklahoma and Carmen.

Wimpole Estate

We visited Wimpole Estate, a local farm, to see all the new born lambs. Very cute indeed. I cannot believe how docile sheep are - they are quite happy for you to pet their little ones. We also met a plethora of other farm animals including pygmy goats (they'd make cute pets), Tamworth boars (they wouldn't), ponies, cows and chickens. The highlight of the day was watching the delight of the little children who were there in high numbers. Ally's aim of making me rampantly broody clearly nearly paid off!!

Cute little lambs

The Tamworth Two: This story was attached to the pig pen. Pictures of them here, their story is now told in a movie. What a wonderful story!

Update

Thanks for all the comments you've all been leaving recently - it's been wonderful to have the participation. Makes it all lots of fun for us.

It's been a short and relatively uneventful week except for Ally's first day at work today. The official verdict "It was ok!". A rather different company from Ally's usual - a somewhat older crowd with a different culture. In fact some of the people have been in their roles four times longer than the cumulative age of all the companies she has worked for. First company Ally has worked for where the men have to wear ties. So it will be a different challenge - but good experience on her CV. The company has been through a recent merger so it brings an interesting set of dynamics. Spot the euphemism...

Poor Ally missed the last and final episode of the TV reality program "Master Chef." She was stuck in traffic somewhere on the M 11 when it came on - a double insult to the injury of having to go back to the grindstone. Gutting. I called her on the mobile and pressed the phone to the TV speakers so she could hear the highlights and the announcement of the winner. We were delighted when out favourite won - the charmingly eccentric, slightly slap dash but hugely creative British lass beat the technically brilliant but "play it safe" stockbroker. All the food looked absolutely delicious and made me very hungry. Went straight to gym on Ally's eventual return and attacked a steak roll!

During the trip to gym. Ally promptly asked me if she could become a lady of leisure again. I said "Surely you'd be bored!" To which she replied "Over the past few months, have I ever once looked bored?" I must say it's been a pleasure having a gorgeous, energetic wife to return home to in the evenings - and a hot, freshly ironed shirt to wear in the mornings! I nearly missed the train this morning because I've had five months to forget how long it takes to iron a shirt and rather underestimated it...

Our new employee, Tom, started this week and he looks to have been a very good hire. Lots of relevant experience, and a jovial and fun chap to boot, I have high hopes. He'll take some pressure off the team too which is always nice.

The weather for the weekend is predicted to be sunny which is a big bonus. Ally is taking me off lambing tomorrow. Apparently we can get to feed the little darlings and Ally is hoping it will make me rampantly broody. Feeding little lambs is even on her life list. No doubt we'll take lots of cute photos - watch this space.

Sunday night, I've organised a two hour marathon tennis match with a colleague. We're pretty well matched so it should be mammoth contest. Except he's 23 and doesn't get quite as breathless as me. Hopefully I'll kill him with my serve and he won't have a chance to run me off my feet. I've officially been promoted from one on one "beginner" lessons to a group "improvers" course so feeling chuffed.

Can't think of any more news - so I'll sign off. Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Progress (Cambridge life: 2004 - 2005)

Cambridge life

• Finding apartment
• Meditation for a year
• Ally HR plan

Diving

• Learn diving (Paddy course) in Egypt

Blogging and photography

• Start Life Trove with blogger
• Start photography
• Ixus-i to start, then Canon Powershot for Canada
• Capturing memories into Excel (to later become part of the blog)
• Picasa

Volvo work

• Finding passion and confidence in work
• Managing budget (pivot table)
• Mindmanager (for to do & strategy)
• Technical Director job description
• Getting Things Done (David Allen)

Purchases

• Canon S2 IS camera (12 x zoom)
• i-pod
• Canon ixus-i camera

Aint she cute

Ally has just had a lovely new haircut. Added to all her gyming and toning, she looking absolutely delicious. Yummy.

Cambridge Botanical Gardens

We spent the afternoon pottering in the Botanical garden, admiring the flowers and reading. Cambridge is blossoming back into it's beautiful self - so glad winter is ended. The Mallard ducks on the lake are in their breeding plumage with emerald green necks - beautiful.

Taking it easy

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Cute Luke

We had a lovely easter lunch with Johnathon and Amanda and their family. Johnathon's sister's little one, Luke, stole the show and won us all over with his big eyes. Went for a bracing walk (the weather is still blustery) and made a joint effort at the crossword. Could definitely have done with Gramp's inspiration cause we struggled and it finally beat us. Came home and watched Collateral which was enjoyable. Tomorrow I have to do some work unfortunately and we've got some tennis planned.

Easter in Cape Town

Thanks for sending the photos, mum. Hope too that the salmon was delicious. Unfortuntely Picasa has cropped poor Jo when generating the collage - but the photos are brilliant. It's great that Robyn could join the festivities - it was good to talk to everyone on the phone. Hope that Anthony's work goes well and finishes on time. Horrible to have to work through Easter.

A very wet Thetford Forest

Went to Thetford Forest for some fresh air. It started raining with avengeance by the time we got half way there and poured most of the time. But we had fun. Thankfully we'd decided to make it a day trip - not an overnight camping stint. We would have been cold and miserable. I think we'll leave the overnighting for the true summer which is on it's way. Clocks go forwards tonight.

Never too late for a happy childhood!

Easter at Kirstenbosch

Mum sent through these great pics of Sam and Matthew at Kirstenbosch. Can't believe how fast they are growing up.

Ah, India!

Bill and Lynne (friends of Mike ) have just completed their stint in India (part of a world trip) and made me laugh with their account. Really well written, it brought back some great memories - although I have to say we unfortunately didn't experience it in quite their style. I don't remember any marble bathrooms or "roofs lined with silk" from the hotels where we stayed - although the squalid backpacker toilets do come to mind all too swiftly! I'd love to go back to India one day but I don't think Ally shares my enthusiasm. Perhaps if I convince her we'll do it more like Bill and Lynne, I'll be able to convince her!

Update

We're looking forward to a relaxing four day long Easter weekend. Wish every weekend was this long!

Ally's new job has been finalised so we are very happy about that and she is determined to enjoy her last few days of freedom. She starts on April Fools day but hopefully that's just a co-incidence!

Work is going ok. I spent a couple of days this week in Brussels and the meetings went well. Our new team member at work, Tom, starts on Tuesday next week so holding fingers he'll blow us away with his brilliance. He certainly looks to have the goods in his CV and from his interviews.

Ally and I are off to play some tennis this afternoon and tomorrow we're playing with the idea of going camping (depending on the weather and it's by no means summr yet.) Alternatively, we've been invited round to Amanda and Johnathon for Easter lunch with the family on Sunday which sounds nice and warm.

We've been watching a couple of movies. Festen (The celebration) was a strikingly original Danish movie and Battleship Potemkin was an iconic 1920's Russian classic that was a little hard to sit through (ah the joys of counting down the Top 250 IMDB list).

We've become a little addicted to a bevy of reality TV programs recently. There's Master Chef, (attempting to find the UK's most talented new chef), and The Apprentice (14 ambitious youngsers battling it out to impress a cantankerous celebrity multi-millionaire and win a six figure salary) and Blame the Parents (showing just how atrociously kids can behave and the often equally awful behaviour of their luckless parents.) What was life like before reality TV!

Ally has caught my recent bug for non fiction hand has been attacking Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything" and Michael Cook's "A Brief History of the Human Race". Our conversations at the moment are a smattering of learned observations about evolution and history - peppered by reminisces from our reality TV moments. I've been reading Robyn's well recommended "101 things to do before you die" which is delightfully tongue in cheek.

Now that the weather is improving, hopefully we'll get out more!

With that, I'll sign off. Ally has just finished toasting some hot cross buns and I'm off to tuck in. Hope you all have a lovely Easter.

The pleasures of flight

I had a bumpy flight to Brussels this week on this rather small plane. I've always been a very confident flyer, even relishing a bout of turbulence now and then as welcome seconds of excitement amidst hours of flight monotony. But since flying weekly with Ryan Air and experiencing one ferociously bumpy landing to many (not to mention having to don my oxygen mask on one flight due to smoke in the cabin), I have become rather nervous in the air. The bumps on this propellor driven baby didn't help!

Ally clearing snow from the car

Volvo Group Headquarters

Volvo Group is an enormous company that scans the globe so you might expect it's headquarters to be a towering skyscraper in a bustling city centre. Not so. It's an attractive rambling "mansion" on top of a hill in Gothenburg with courtyard garden in the middle (see photo above). Most of the offices look out onto gorgeous views. A nice environment to work in. Those concrete jungalists could learn a thing or two.

Local wildlife

We discovered there is an animal sanctuary just outside Cambridge so decided to explore it. It was a lot of fun, especially seeing the excitement of the little kiddies. The animals were all in large pens thankfully - and are clearly very very well treated and well loved. They are all sanctuary animals rescued from ill run zoos or private collectors. The only mishap was when I got a little close to a Llama and it sneezed all over my face - just like it did to Captain Haddock in Tintin's "Prisoners of the Sun". Much to Ally's delight and continued mirth. Oh well, at least now I won't fall for the same trick in South America.

Tiger, Tiger, burning bright...

I don't like seeing Tigers in cages but these fellows looked happy enough in their big enclosure. Tigers are officially my favourite cat (yes, I know it's not very patriotic being African and all that) and it has long been a life goal of mine to see one in the wild. I came so close in Nepal- actually heard one roaring in the long grass just 20 metres from where I was - but the fellow never showed himself.

My favourite poem at school was "The Tiger" by William Blake and I always think of it when I see a tiger in any form - even if these particular tabbies didn't quite live up to their fearsome reputation.

In case you haven't read this poem, here is is:

The Tiger

TIGER, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

(William Blake 1757–1827)

All the Presidents Men

Both Ally and I really enjoyed this classic 1976 movie about the unearthing of the Watergate scandal by two investigative journalists - brilliantly acted by Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman. When I was at school, I thought about going into investigative journalism and after watching this movie, I'm glad I didn't. The endless leg-work and phoning around that the two had to do to crack the story was absolutely staggering. I would't have had the tenacity or killer instinct to get even close. The director of the movie does an incredible job of keeping the movie suspenseful and intriguing and as the story progresses, you get more and more involved. Another goodie. 

Spring has sprung

Glorious weather has arrived at last and the daffodils are blooming. I almost couldn't believe it when I stepped off the plane from Sweden and suddenly felt extremely hot in my winter jacket. Blue skies. Glorious sunshine. I'd forgotten just how good it felt. Ally and I celebrated with an evening walk by the river. Thank goodness for the weather because we needed a bit of cheering up. Ally's being messed around with her new job. They've kept delaying her start date so she phoned up today to discover they haven't actually "authorised" her role yet with the director and it's not even a definite thing. Basically they've been offering her a job that doesn't even exist yet. We'll only find out on Monday. At best, she'll only start on April 1st now. Not very professional. And on top of that, she took the car for a basic £100 service and ended up with a £750 bill. When it rains, it pours! But at least the sun is shining...

Some geese can be notoriously nasty. In fact, poor Ally was severely traumatised by a troop of hissing "feathered monsters" when she was a teenager. They had her running around a swimming pool with them in hot pursuit. But these Cambridge geese (see photo) were awfully cute and waddled past us at close quarters with gentle hello's. I took a couple of close up shots while Ally cowered on top of a nearby table in terror. Her teenage memories were still acutely fresh.

Where's my bag?

Gothenburg city airport is notorious for making you wait ages for your bag. And when you see their apparatus for transporting luggage from the plane to the airport, you're not suprised. No wonder too, that when it's snowing, your bags arrive sopping wet on the conveyer belt. I think they need to upgrade their technology! It might be quaint the first time, but not the 42nd.

Happy snaps

A photo from the taxi window. The sun was shining in Sweden too. Not quite as warm though - I still needed my winter jacket.

Hotel Rwanda

We saw this movie at the cinema on Sunday night and thought it was extremely good. It's the true-life story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager who housed over a thousand Tutsis refugees during their struggle against the Hutu militia in Rwanda. Don Cheadle, who plays the lead, is absolutely brilliant - I'm not suprised he was nominated for an Oscar.

It would have been easy for the crew to give a one-sided tale about the horror of war and fill a 90 minute picture with nothing but blood and guts. Instead, the crew put together a film that will resonate for years. It involves politics, culture, family, religion, race, and many other questions of ethics. It tells the whole story from all perspectives and was full of humanity. Recommended!

Quick Update

Good news! Ally's job came through today - it's all official. She starts working for Minolta on Monday on the salary she wanted so if feeling very chuffed. The offices are an hour's drive from Cambridge so there is unfortunately a bit of a commute. But it will be good experience working for a big company to compare against. She'll be part of a an "HR team" instead of "Being HR" as she has been at most of her companies to date.

Sunday twitching at Fowlmere

I added a new bird to my life list: a GoldCrest (Regulus regulus) It was more exciting than the Latin name would lead you to believe!

Treasure from Cape Town

Thanks for sending these through mum. That's a fantastic shot of Jo and the kiddies (her new hair-style looks absolutely great) and it always warms my heart to see Mike and Matthew together - two kindred spirits connecting!!