Gheluvelt Park swans update: Tuesday 25th May, 2010.

Walking though the park today I noticed that the nest had been abandoned and there was no sign of either the adults or any signets. Walking around the pond I eventually spotted them. Fair warms the old cockles, as they say. Let's hope they both survive.

East Devon (Pt II), Sunday 22nd May, 2010.

1) Wha-hey! It's late afternoon and we're two British day trippers by the seaside in sunny east Devon. Branscombe Beach to be precise. We've got our grasstrack/hillclimb chairs to sit on and we've paid for two hours car parking. Blimey. What on earth are we going to do for all that time? It's amazing how therapeutic this is. Pick up a pebble, twirl it between yer fingers. Flick it back onto the beach while chatting and watching folk. Repeat. The two hours fly by. Off to Beer next.


2) Despite the hordes we've parked up in Beer and have hit the beach to get some early evening shots of the most photographed fishing boats in the whole wide world. Well, East Devon, anyway. Oh alright, in Beer. Everyone photographs them, anyway, and we're no exception.



3) Here's just one person who photographed them today. Another one is behind the camera.

4) The beach at Beer is shared between the fishermen and their boats and the visiting holiday makers. Each tolerate the other. It's essential that you look where you are going at all times. Nets, lobster pots, hawsers, ropes, fishermen, all over the place. You wouldn't want to be tripping up, would you? Very embarrassing (and, no, we didn't, but you might).

Time to get something to eat before we get driving back home. Oooh look, says David, there's a fish and chip shop open on the High Street. Handy that.

The Donkey Sanctuary, Nr Sidmouth, Devon, Saturday 22nd May, 2010.

1) We estimate that it has been about 20 years since we last visited the Donkey Sanctuary. It's changed a lot. Bigger, better layout. Far more donkeys to make friends with and much longer walks around the paddocks where they graze. It looks like we might be here far longer than the couple of hours we envisaged.

2) It's just gone midday and the sun is shining but, thankfully, it's not too hot yet. The lovely weather means all the donkeys are outside (unless they're unwell). Obviously, they are happy to be outside. Some would appear to be, ahem, happier than others.

3) Having done the first mile walk it's time to hit the Sanctuary's cafe for a well-earned drink and a panini. Make mine a ham, onion and mustard, says David in that way of his, and go heavy on the spicy wedges. Vicky seems happy to indulge him on this occasion. Hmm, thinks David, must come here more often.

4) This isn't a donkey. This is Gypsy, a pony, who shares a paddock, and is best-est friends, with the the donkeys Laurel and Hardy (stars of daytime TV), and Tim who are enjoying the early afternoon sunshine. Gypsy is a bit hot though and would like to stay here in the shade if it's all the same to you.

5) Pardon? No, sorry, you'll have to speak up, I didn't quite catch that. Don't know who these ears belong to but you couldn't possibly resist them, could you?

6) Someone has got their eyes on Howard. An inquest has started. He's not after our buttercups, is he?

7) Mmmm, buttercups. So juicy at this time of year.

It's nearly 4:00pm and time to leave now. We have been here for about four hours. It has been great. We shall return soon. Shan't wait another twenty years, anyway, that's for sure.

Evesham Cats Protection, Sunday 16th May, 2010..

1) Anne and Vicky being attacked by what can only be called a 'swarm' of kittens. Some of whom don't mind taking their medicine while others, ahem, are more reluctant. They'll be popular with visitors though and will be gone in no time.



2) Talking of 'gone', Derek is having to move an inmate 'cos this one's cell-mate has (gulp) escaped during the night.

3) And here's the hole, cunningly gnawed during in the night, through which our feline friend's friend escaped into the wilds of Worcestershire.

4) His cell-mate is probably well south by now and must have said what his precise plans were but this one's saying nowt despite Derek's best interrogation attempts.

5) Meanwhile the Prisoner of Cell Block 5 is enjoying a Sunday morning cat nap. Between snores, he was heard to mutter: "escaping's not for me, it's sooo yesterday."

Birmingham, Saturday 8th May, 2010.

Birmingham's indie record stores update.

1) The fate of indie record stores appears to be sealed and there's nowt we can do about it. Swordfish's premises are up to let and it'll be replaced by what? A massage parlour? A tattoo emporium? Who knows.


2) Worse still, Tempest Records has reached the end of the road. It's been a slow and painful death. It clung on as long as possible but couldn't swim against the tide of 'on line/download' alternatives any longer. Probably did well to last as long as it did. We didn't shop there all that often to be honest but it was always good to know that if we couldn't find that obscure, and unavailable elsewhere, CD we could always get it at Tempest: albeit for a few pounds more. Perhaps, therein, lies a clue to its demise. Sad, all the same.

Gheluvelt Park, Worcester, Sunday 9th May, 2010.

1) The Met Office has done it again. It's one of those days when they say it's definitely going to be dull and wet. As a result we cancel all plans and decided to have a lie-in and then stay local. By the time we emerge from our pit it's lunchtime and, lo and behold, the sun is shining and it's a wonderful spring day. Typical.

2) At least our local park looks lovely. All the hard work the 'parky's' do in the week has come to fruition. It's quite difficult to get a shot without hordes of families lounging around picnic-ing. Ruddy Met Office.

3) Gheluvelt Park nesting swans update: you'll have to take our word for it, but there are only two eggs left. So, at least five have been predated by something or someone. I could have got a shot of the remaining eggs as the swan stood up and preened itself for a split second or so but I was too slow. The Pentax was neatly encapsulated in it's little protective wallet-thing and by the time I'd unzipped it, ferreted about, switched the blighter on and zoomed in, the swan had sat down again. Sorry.

GT World Championship, Silverstone, Saturday 1st May, 2010.

We've come to (sunny- gasp) Silverstone for the third time in 3 weeks for a spot of GT racing. We really must try to stop coming here. People will think we can't think of anywhere else to go.

1) Every time we wandered past this Michelin Man folk of all ages (and species) were queueing up to have their photo taken. MM has changed a bit over the years - he's a bit more cuddly, perhaps - but his appeal endures. Now that's what we call marketing genius.


2) Vicky will go to any length (if not height) to get that elusive 'jaunty angle' shot of the GT3 cars in the Holding Area.



3) Vicky leads a delegation of race fans out to convince gullible promotion girls giving away free T shirts that, yes, they have always been big fans of the Nissan GT Team and, most definitely, will change into them and promote the team for the rest of the day, no probs. We'll have two, please.

4) Having strolled around the paddock, and photographed every single car/mechanic/driver in it, it's time to hit the Paddock Cafe, change into our new free T's, and read the programme over a nice hot cuppa tea (or hot water, in Vic's case). Always been a big fan of Nissan GT cars (oh yes).

5) Silverstone Bears do their best to ignore Bright Green interloper upsetting the symmetry of their display in the Paddock Shop. Luckily, we rescued Howard before someone purchased him (customers were fighting over him at one point).

6) Mental note to self: must google Chevrolet Corvette GT to see if it's slightly faster than a Lancer Equipe 1.6 automatic. Doubtful.

7) Let's finish with a couple of action shots. Here Vicky's favourite car of the day leads two Nissans around Luffield (I think that's what the corner's called). But it didn't win (boo!). That honour went to car number 23 (in second here) which was duly awarded the RAC Tourist Trophy.

8) Rather nice Lamborghini Murcielago looked rather good entering the new Abbey Curve, and sounded the part, but it wasn't all that fast. Finished in mid-field, just to prove the point.

All-in-all a splendid day out. Quite enjoying rediscovering this car-racing lark. Next visit to Silverstone, however, should be for the Moto GP in June. Roll on.