Tweets this Week (2010-07-25)

Posted on 25 July 2010 by Graham

Recommending Waitrose's Scottish Heather Honey—amazing flavour, rich. It's £5 a jar, half the price of some other Waitrose honey (NZ) #
Just swam from Grantchester to Newnham with swimming club (about 15 of us). Took about an hour. Lovely swim, beautiful river. #
Had fun picnic at the Riverbank Club after swim. Lots of wine & chat. Now in the garden at home sipping sherry—wonderful to sit out till 10! #
Made honeyed Eaton Mess with Sarah and Jason's raspberries, for after BBQ. Another lovely evening, another lovely wine: The Puglist Cab Sauv #
This is a good lampoon of today's thought for the day: Right Awful Anne Atkins – Agonising Aunt and Vicar's Wife http://j.mp/dvgVoB #
Was impresses by the Michael Radford film version of the Merchant of Venice last night. Good review in the Guardian. http://j.mp/aWqnqC #
Time for a Belgian Beer in the Elm Tree I think #
Having fab picnic at Granchester Meadows with Pink Punters—we cycled over, too lazy to punt this year (blush). http://twitpic.com/28jjy6 #
Relaxing, fun day. Picnic at Grantchester then wine, swim and Sundays papers at the riverbank club. Weather held out, but cooling off now. #

Swimming from Granchester to Cambridge

Posted on 21 July 2010 by Graham

Michael was tipped of by Liz about a group swim yesterday from Granchester Meadow to Newnham. About 15 of us walked to Grantchester (in bare feet) dodging the cow pats as we went. Group photo at the Meadow close to the tearooms before a bold dive in to the river. Lovely weather and warm clear water. The weed has grown rather tall and at times it was hard to swim through. Becky was up front in her turquoise swim cap. Swim took about 50 mins, and we were chilly when we got out. Got a nice fire going at the Riverbank Club and dragged out our wine and picnics. Stayed chatting until about 9. I don’t know where the time went.

Tweets this Week (2010-07-18)

Posted on 18 July 2010 by Graham

Michael and I are at the ADC to see Under Milk Wood. Big cast on stage. http://j.mp/9736pe http://twitpic.com/259uxf #
Having an amazing Belgian beer at the Elm Tree. Landlord talked me into a 9% amber—Troubadour Magma http://j.mp/dB9gra Good recommendation. #
*Under Milk Wood* blog post http://www.grahammccann.org/JetPlane/?p=2012 #
Enjoying a member's BBQ at the riverbank club. It's cloudy, but I can feel the sun and it's tingly hot. Next a swim (carefully after wine!) #
Parkers Piece smells wonderfully on lime blossom at the moment. Cycled past at lunch time and the sweet honey smell was pretty strong. #

Under Milk Wood

Posted on 15 July 2010 by Graham

Michael and I went to see Under Milk Wood at the ADC Theatre last night, produced by Bawds.

This is one of my favourite plays and Bawds did a good job of the production. They brought a good level of action onto stage, and dramatised the dialogue well. The lead cast were great: Mrs Pugh—Rosemary Eason, Waldo—Guy Holmes, Mrs Ogmore-Pritchard—Meg Dixon, Mrs Beynon—Christine Easterfield, Nogood boyo—Tim Gifford and Polly Garter—Lindsey McAuley. It was also good to see a colleague, Fran Bourgoyne, on stage as Gossamer Beynon, with one if the more poetic lines: “Call me Delores, like they do in the stories” (with a Welsh accent). The stage production was notably bawdier in production since the famous 1950’s radio play—no surprise really, times have changed.

From the ADC Web Site:

‘Come closer now …’

Join us for a spring day in Llareggub. Dylan Thomas’s much-loved play invites us into the village where the shop sells everything—custard, buckets, henna, rat-traps—where Mr Waldo sleeps in his little pink-eyed cottage with a milk stout and a slice of cold bread pudding under his pillow, and where a cast of colourful but instantly recognisable characters is waiting to meet us—Captain Cat, lovely Polly Garter, Organ Morgan, the formidable Mrs Ogmore-Pritchard, Mrs Dai Bread Two, lolling gaudy at the doorway…

The Sunday Times called Under Milk Wood ‘beautiful, bawdy, affectionate, reckless and deeply original’. The Reverend Eli Jenkins calls it ‘a greenleaved sermon on the innocence of men’. It is, by turns, funny, touching, fanciful and true.

Sinbad Sailors—Tim Gifford Mrs Pugh—Rosemary Eason Polly Garter—Lindsey McAuley

Tweets this Week (2010-07-11)

Posted on 11 July 2010 by Graham

The train is stifling. Really looking forward to getting out at Cambridge. #
BBQ is almost ready, and I'm trying hard not to open the new spelt beer from Glebe Farm, Cambridgeshire. http://twitpic.com/23jki4 #
Trying a lovely Sam Smiths Organic Cherry beer. Dangerously drinkable, tastes like a pop. http://twitpic.com/23jvi3 #
Really looking forward to the Asian Mela in Cambridge on Sunday http://trunc.it/9h1hr #
Feel so good after my swim in the river. Very refreshing. #
Perfect evening for BBQ: had beef ribs slow cooking in the oven while we were swimming, now listening to the Parkside music while we cook. #
The Real Thing seem good: they started with 'Lovely Day' at Summer in the City. #
Heading put to see the fireworks on Parkers piece #
*Card from Mum and Dad* blog post http://www.grahammccann.org/JetPlane/?p=1991 #
*Henley Royal Regatta* blog post http://www.grahammccann.org/JetPlane/?p=2000 #
*Lunch at the Moon and Sixpence* blog post http://www.grahammccann.org/JetPlane/?p=2002 #
The river is now 20°C apparently—feels like swimming in the Med, but with punts. Quite a few punting out to Grantchester in the midday sun #
Lovely chana panipuri with a tamarind and Ginger soup. Pretty spicy. Enjoying the Parkside Mela http://twitpic.com/24d77z #
Waiting for some pakora and samosas to be fried at 1001 Bites. Another roasting day. http://twitpic.com/24da7l #

Card from Mum and Dad

Posted on 10 July 2010 by Graham

Made me laugh after our trip to Wales—

Tweets this Week (2010-07-04)

Posted on 4 July 2010 by Graham

We're having a slow morning after a great meal at Cwtch* in St David's and after walloping the Penderyn whisky! #
Finished watching A Single Man on DVD. Great acting and photography. Bittersweet story from Christopher Isherwood http://j.mp/c0XLJt #
Just back from a late night stroll. The clouds have descended and we were walking through them. The few lights we could see, mistily hazy. #
Found Laverbread (Bara Lawr) in deli, tinned! Then found it 40p cheaper in Nisa supermarket, by tinned spinach http://twitpic.com/20xb76 #
Today we are in Fishguard, the Old Town is picturesque. #
Having lovely tea and cakes in Fishguard at No 14 http://twitpic.com/20z7v3 #
Munch munch in Fishguard. http://twitpic.com/20zbx9 #
Left mum and dad in St David's while we came back to the cottage. Weather is glorious again, BBQ planned 🙂 http://twitpic.com/2107a7 #
Water buffalo on the farm now, have replaced the ducks. What's next I wonder? #
All quiet—parents have gone to bed. http://twitpic.com/212gpy #
Had pints of Double Dragon at the Farmers (nice pub, ok beer). Now having a much fruitier and more enjoyable pint of Rhymney at the Bishops #
The tidal race over The Bitches gets to 15 knots according to our boat guide. 6 knots at Springs according to the almanac on the pub wall. #
The Bishop, St David's. Nice beer, feels more like a restaurant. http://twitpic.com/21bykv #
Rain hitting my window, blown by the rain. Bbrrrr! #
Handed back our rental 2010 Mondeo Zetec TDCi, from CEM Days. Lovely car. It's being retired from rental now and sold for about £23k #
Avatar was brilliant (thanks Christine!) #
Stopped to have a quick look at Newgale Beach on way back from dropping parents of for train at Haverfordwest http://twitpic.com/21pgxc #
At Llanelli Crossroads Little Chef. Drab, Drab, Drab. Hope we can do better fir lunch. My turn to drive to the Wye Valley for lunch #
Stopped for lunch at the Moon and Sixpence on the river Wye. Nice local pub worth the detour. http://twitpic.com/21r27o #
Back in Bicester. Looking forward to a cup of tea after travelling all day. Mum and Dad have just left Preston on the train for Glasgow #
RT @drable: Ah I love #Cambridge Student rush hour – hundreds of #bikes – we rule the roads: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA_Crc67SAM #
We're having Brakespear OxfordGold at The Swan Inn, 13 Church Street, Bicester, Oxfordshire. http://www.qype.co.uk/place/316461 #
Arrived at Henley on Thames for the Riyal Regatta. Chris has our tickets for the Stewards Enclosure. http://twitpic.com/220fyj #
Rowing man of mystery http://twitpic.com/220hfk #
Almost made it to the Pimms Bar at the Stewards' Enclosure. http://twitpic.com/221yij #
After Pimms, champagne, wine and a lovely lunch in the sun, it is a relief to collapse in the shady stand http://twitpic.com/2224br #
Dawn made a lovely lunch, and we picnicked at Henley in Green Field. http://twitpic.com/2224kj #
Met Simon and Peter in the Stewards' Enclosure. Nice chat. Now time for afternoon tea back at the picnic! #
Afternoon tea. http://twitpic.com/222uqn #
In our way to Reading for the night. Henley Regatta was great fun, and I managed to avoid being burned to a crisp in the sun. #
Moaning about Pride is just another way to hate ourselves | Jon Blyth
http://gu.com/p/2t5t8/ip #
I'd forgotten that our room rate at the Malmaison had a two course evening meal included, pleasant surprise. But no breakfast! Suits us! #
Hot, slow drive back from Henley on Thames. Rewarded by a long relax at Newnham Riverbank Club and a refreshing swim in the river (19.5°C!) #
Added Dubrovnik to the weather app on my phone. Time to start looking forward to the next holiday  http://twitpic.com/22gvq9 #

Henley Royal Regatta

Posted on 4 July 2010 by Graham

On Saturday we spent a baking day at Henley for the Royal Regatta, with Dawn, Chris and Emma. Michael and I took the train in from Reading and the other brought a lovely picnic int he car. We spent the day wandering around the Stewards’ Enclosure, and picnicking between racing in the field opposite. Met Peter and Simon for a chat, and recognised a few more people than I was expecting. The Pimms seemed lovelier than I remembered! It must have been the atmosphere. We spent quite a bit of the time in the viewing stand to try to stick to some shade—the sun was fierce. Didn’t manage to walk up to the start of the racing; but we did manage to stroll down to the end—it was a lazy day!

On Sunday we met for a remembrance ceremony for Michael’s dad, John, who went to Henley every year. His brother Peter arranged a lovely brunch at the Red Lion hotel, with champagne and a full English Breakfast, which was very nice indeed, We were in the Stewards’ Enclosure and int he town in general before the crowds and with the fantastic weather, Henley was a dream on a Sunday morning.

Lunch at the Moon and Sixpence

Posted on 3 July 2010 by Graham

On the drive back to Bicester we stopped at a pub recommended in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide, the P7020136 Moon and Sixpence in Tintern. Lots of ramps and steps for Elisabeth, but an interesting pub and good food. The views over the Wye were over a road, and so not quite as picturesque as we imagined. There is a waterfall in the pub which was fun (I’m imagining it’s fed from the hillside into which the pub was build, but’s that the romantic view).

St Non’s Well and Chapel

Posted on 2 July 2010 by Graham

The cloud was sitting over St David’s all day yesterday and it was pretty miserable. There was a break about 5pm and Michael and I grabbed the opportunity to walk from Caerfai Beach along the coast path to St Non’s Chapel. Lovely scenery along the path and the little modern chapel was interesting, with stained glass windows of St Non (mother of St David) and St David. Also on the site is an old spring, with a stone build housing and rather out-of-place shrine to the Virgin Mary close by. I had a drink out the well (a little put off by all the corroding coins in the well) and then we washed our feet in it (may work wonders, who knows, but it certainly got the mud off). The old chapel, built on the site where St David was born is little more than three low walls, but is in a great location.

Great clean air on the coast—beautiful lichen and a large variety of flowers.

Made a light supper and watched Avatar, a birthday present from Christine. The film was brilliant overall, exciting and full of action.

Michael (before he washed his feet in) St Non's Well

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Monthly Archives: July 2010