Basset Hound walk!

This weekend just gone,  the one that took April into May also took Jemma and I to Devon.

With Boris dog along, we had an overnight stay in a hound friendly hotel, The Lamb near Crediton.  

For Valentine's  Sunday I bought Jemma a suitable book that you can see here.  Making a weekend of it (from a choice in the book) , we headed towards Devon on Saturday, stopping for a long walk and a hound break less than a mile from the M5 - it was terrific and so much better than a service station break.

Post walk, we went onto the pub where Bozza was an immediate hit.  A couple of pleasant sunny beers,  an evening meal (tasty but a little light and masterchefy) and a generally idle day was just the thing for all of us. It took us most of the way to our Sunday destination, a short drive to Fingle Bridge for the Basset Hound South West group walk. This friendly group meets monthly and  Boris ,  a Bassador (half basset, half lab')  is allowed in with a pass. The  5 mile walk was full of ears, big paws, low frequency barks and drool.  There were 22 bassets, a couple of halfies and a Great Dane encountered along the way.

Check the pictures here:

Criccieth days.

It is a cold day in April as I write. BS5 has seen dark clouds and hail today and it has not exactly been warm.

However, last week the Llyn Peninsula bagged the warmest part of the UK for a couple of days  and they were days when we were visiting.  As we have on previous occasions, a few of us joined Greg and Anna who take the same house there a couple of times a year in Criccieth .

We joined them for the first half of the week, introducing Boris to his first visit there and indeed, his first time with paws on the ground in Wales. Boris got on well with Toby and Qauddy, as he generally gets on with everyone he meets, being a hound of a kind and easy disposition. Various pictures here from a trip on the train most of the way up Snowdon (from the village of Llanberis), to larks in the sea at Criccieth and a call-in to the village of Bedgellert.

Happy days.

30 years of Prince

When I was a small person and much less gangly than today, I really got into the music of Prince . I liked him because my brother liked him; my brother liked him as did our neighbour and pal down the road, Banjo Paterson - still a good pal to this day.

The first song I liked was 'Let's go Crazy' from the enormously well selling album Purple Rain. After that I just tried to get each album as it came out and countless bootlegs and singles too. It went on through A levels, seeing him with my brother that first time the day I finished my last exam, and on into University and adulthood. A complete soundtrack to my teenage years and beyond. Sign O the Times, 1999, Lovesexy, For You, Prince, Around the World in a Day - all full of memories.

'Prince Rogers Nelson' , who was known in our circle as Ted owing to a potential (but vastly unlikely)  family connection to Ted Rogers died yesterday. He was 57, cool as you like and consistently praised for his breadth of talent and genre-crossing acceptance.

When David Bowie went a few weeks ago it did not really have much of an impression on me - I could have named three songs. But Prince? That really has been a biggie. Much missed and respected. Mountains the 12" will always be a tight and effortlessly stylish tune.

Go Ted , thank you, and keep it funky wherever you are!

Submarines and singing

Last night it was a village hall talk from a Submarine Commander of many years' standing. Tonight it is a recital of John Rutter's Requiem. Quite the cultural double evening for Blog BS5.

The village hall caper was at Welsh Newton, just near Monmouth. It was a very laid back affair in a hall reminiscent of those many scenes in Dads Army. Fascinating stuff from a man with a spectacular but untrumpeted career and in a venue  that was equally interesting. Plenty of reminiscence about men, missiles and the Cold War.

The music at the Wiltshire Music Centre is tonight and we are going as we have a friend performing in it.

Pictures self explanatory! 

The Ouzoud Waterfalls, Morocco .

Blog BS5 is on an outside broadcast this week, from a happy break in Morocco.

Jemma and I arrived on Saturday, ahead of Valentine's Sunday. More posts to follow when I am back home again, but for now, here is the report from a fine day trip out of Marrakech. We visited the above named waterfalls, the highest drop in Northern Africa. They usually run clear but due to unusual and unexpected rain these last 72 hours, mud has washed through from the Atlas Mountains to colour the river. Impressive stuff indeed and well worth the long, crazy drive.

Grey, Grey and Grey

Having applied undercoat yesterday and then opening a bottle of wine, today has been time for the first coat of grey.  I seemed to have complemented my grey paint quite subconsciously with a grey outfit and my grey hair.

This took about an hour and already there are a couple of patches drying at a different speed because the plaster is a little more porous but overall it is drying out to the colour I had in mind. Another coat in a few hours' time!  This is pretty much the first wall I have painted with any finesse and suitable confidence to attack the edges. It's always easier with a wingman who has a ton of experience at such things.

Undercoat!

Time lapse larks and house progress :-)

Sand the floor (wall).

This weekend is  a step forwards in house decoration, mostly achieved by my good pal Oopas.

With the house warned by May 2015's Woodburner install, this weekend is about sanding back the filled wall, cleaning it and then applying undercoat.

Undercoat today ahead of my chosen grey paint tomorrow. Onwards!




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BerlinBS5

Today was my first full day in Berlin, having flown in last night with Jemma. A few weeks ago we picked this weekend as a relaxer for her after managing a project these last few weeks that concluded in a Charity Ball just a few days ago.The days to Berlin came around fast and they were suddenly here. 

We hoofed it out of Bristol for a 2 hour zoom to Germany. A late check in at The Dude Hotel in Mitte and then into the full throes of the tourist today. We are well travelled between us but with neither of us having visited Berlin, it was an unashamed tourist checklist. 

We took in  the East Side Gallery, the Berlin Fernsehtrum, The Berliner Dom, the Metro and The Brandenburg Gate. A solid 10 mile day on foot! Here are some pics before we put in another full one tomorrow. Happy travellers indeed. 

Bassett walk!

Last weekend I attended a much anticipated walking event with Jemma.  A walk in the Mendips with the Basset Hound Walkers group of the south west.

Some background first,  though: Jemma's fine hound Boris is a Bassador, that is a hound who is 50% labrador and 50% Bassett. On  acquiring a hound, Jemma did not want to go full on Bassett and thus the ad' she saw for a halfway house appealed. The result is Boris, a hound of distinction and good training - training I  make all efforts to corrupt through embracing Boris' inner-goon and developing it with him.

Boris was cordially accepted on the walk as were we, and a happy six miles followed wth a most welcome pint half way through. Here's some pics which are a bit fuzzy as my phone seems to be out of focus these days.

Wednesday Pump Action Action

Tonight on the way home from a store visit to Winchester I had to fill up on diesel. This I did on the way home which is unusual in itself as I am normally too idle and somewhat keen to hit the sofa instead. Anyhow, I parked up and fired in some diesel.  Right there on the first click as it reached the air brake I hit  fuel pump near-perfection. Rounded to the pound and a symmetrical and palindromic litre reading.

Living the dream here in BS5.

Cowes, yachts and larking about

Last week I had a couple of days of sailing for work! We hold our team meetings every other month and with six of us meeting over two days, as often as not it's cheaper to hire a cottage, boat, venue, event as it is to stay in a regular hotel.  We shift the location and meet in England , Scotland or Wales to share the distance.We also try to fold in an event that is on the agenda for our customers.

This time it was sailing, Cowes and August & September trade.

There was a meeting and some fairly intense number crunching but you don't want to see that!