tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33977164730672829652024-03-19T04:17:29.165+00:00My God It's Full Of Stars<br>We work in a Library. In a University. If ever a place was going to be full of enchantment and wonder, with the potential to change not just the future of mankind but of the very universe itself, this would be it.<br><br>
You'd think so, wouldn't you?<br>Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-76199898809324632432015-10-08T13:00:00.000+01:002015-10-08T13:00:31.128+01:00Found Art<br />
It has been a long time since I've posted any crafty pictures here, hasn't it?<br />
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Actually, it has been quite a long time since I have posted anything here at all. Never mind.<br />
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I have been on my holidays and while I was away I found this. It was partially embedded in the sand in a secret little cove on the west coast of Lewis.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJjm78dNzoUWE7u-fKRjnd3ovpfaMrVt4nNW4fgmFB8PZ85SHOxWj_8SILWYuP8n91izgbmP03ES-sPXd7upZoLgpeSiMAyD0Z0C1_Zblik_4kHV_orp-hnnLlI44YOcqasQ2QzmWcjg/s1600/Capture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJjm78dNzoUWE7u-fKRjnd3ovpfaMrVt4nNW4fgmFB8PZ85SHOxWj_8SILWYuP8n91izgbmP03ES-sPXd7upZoLgpeSiMAyD0Z0C1_Zblik_4kHV_orp-hnnLlI44YOcqasQ2QzmWcjg/s640/Capture.JPG" width="499" /></a></div><br>Pretty, isn't it?<br><br>If you are wondering where the little cove was, here it is on Google Satellite:<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9DMml3w6KcTmnpKatKhVJYYLgtE_2CyngYyHnmCDK0Du8q7jqZlWZ283r_4jOIAQESxFcuNx1AVFznkoqouGXhspxsCT1Lok8nUcAWswneIaN1Q2gvOhKEqUlYaT2bSu3aORt34YC2c/s1600/little+cove+of+found+art.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9DMml3w6KcTmnpKatKhVJYYLgtE_2CyngYyHnmCDK0Du8q7jqZlWZ283r_4jOIAQESxFcuNx1AVFznkoqouGXhspxsCT1Lok8nUcAWswneIaN1Q2gvOhKEqUlYaT2bSu3aORt34YC2c/s1600/little+cove+of+found+art.JPG" /></a></div><br><br>I'm not sure that leaves you any the wiser?<br><br>
Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-51235109644062411432015-06-18T17:50:00.000+01:002015-06-18T17:50:11.376+01:00Living the Dream<br />
I haven't been around here much lately have I? Here's a quick round up of what's been happening.<br />
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Our Women's Team won their league! It was pissing down the day they won it, so here's a nice sunny photo of them with their trophy taken the following week:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbsRn-psU-4gJigJCC21mBbqeoJ4cMB0Kum9oWCOh21QIudkNd5r7rDUaIJxiv3_Nxi_fvKYKtu7J3omy9bDxUoKRkL68vAVC3G4_6HG6YmMW4H67VjcIPnV_Ho_7DKuBjOO4_XAbLIXk/s1600/FC+Women.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbsRn-psU-4gJigJCC21mBbqeoJ4cMB0Kum9oWCOh21QIudkNd5r7rDUaIJxiv3_Nxi_fvKYKtu7J3omy9bDxUoKRkL68vAVC3G4_6HG6YmMW4H67VjcIPnV_Ho_7DKuBjOO4_XAbLIXk/s400/FC+Women.JPG" /></a>
(<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_l_photos/albums/72157649731901813/page2">Photo from here.</a>)
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The Women won a Cup too!<br />
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Then the Men's Team won their league!! Oh what a magic evening that was!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRv9lssveUMk9_UX9jWXUe_CM9E4UVv3sxraNZgH6Oc8xJU9iTE0rutVusjK3wpPaTMwvH666-N5xRurPydqDJ9i_Qie0zKsCZYFrC4AYhcjlmIkQxQJ-ub870BaJKhkYsLxiHk12c4Bo/s1600/Curzon.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRv9lssveUMk9_UX9jWXUe_CM9E4UVv3sxraNZgH6Oc8xJU9iTE0rutVusjK3wpPaTMwvH666-N5xRurPydqDJ9i_Qie0zKsCZYFrC4AYhcjlmIkQxQJ-ub870BaJKhkYsLxiHk12c4Bo/s400/Curzon.JPG" /></a>(<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/38910764@N03/sets/72157651667996027">Photo from here.</a>)<br />
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Here's a little movie of how the evening panned out: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkUBVISn7F4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkUBVISn7F4</a><br />
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We're off to the giddy heights of the Conference North next season!<br />
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And then - and this is probably the best bit of all - we moved into our new home!<br />
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SL Benfica came and helped us party.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1l4s5q0xhhX9WUGjSNpf6sC7mcAmsRCwTXPRxsYA4UKYM5hFONPd5YXaRcYqW5OZ3rDHA5QGbn5yT0G-pv3592bPexpTy2sSRobAGOZ5rR67LZ9nobbXX07GE0aMLuLl2CI4unLoYftU/s1600/Broadhurst+Park.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1l4s5q0xhhX9WUGjSNpf6sC7mcAmsRCwTXPRxsYA4UKYM5hFONPd5YXaRcYqW5OZ3rDHA5QGbn5yT0G-pv3592bPexpTy2sSRobAGOZ5rR67LZ9nobbXX07GE0aMLuLl2CI4unLoYftU/s400/Broadhurst+Park.JPG" /></a>(<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/38910764@N03/albums/72157653705799515/page1" target="_blank">Photo from here.</a>)<br />
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<i>WTF!! How did we ever get to play a team like Benfica! Still can't believe it, shakes head ...</i><br />
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Here's another movie: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Job7aKK4sHo">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Job7aKK4sHo</a><br />
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And now it is the closed season. I still walk - 1,000.5 miles so far this year. I still cook nearly all my meals from Pemba Lama's lovely book. And I am currently painting a bit more of my house yellow.<br /><br>
That is all!<br><br>Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-4963575597119318782015-02-05T16:15:00.001+00:002015-02-05T16:16:32.610+00:00The postie's been...<br>and there's something for me!<br><br>Look where it's from.<br><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6_QveBm27L0ZlOLkxg3bx4QUAvv1B-ULSg1sGL9ksQY3tXXjLogsIumoL49r5OX2aZe5cscf-_8gUiGUp5wnchAje7gMBX_4JEKFLk9N_baOcqUt50BoPc8PDhluB5Q_vdJQfAfNZl4/s1600/P2041674.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6_QveBm27L0ZlOLkxg3bx4QUAvv1B-ULSg1sGL9ksQY3tXXjLogsIumoL49r5OX2aZe5cscf-_8gUiGUp5wnchAje7gMBX_4JEKFLk9N_baOcqUt50BoPc8PDhluB5Q_vdJQfAfNZl4/s400/P2041674.JPG" /></a><br><br> I wonder what it could be?<br><br><br><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYM8V2YWdJgd0fHrpa_c4zTEifzOOMpeoJ4aoN1hdYvYYejdV6DD8DXmNvgAHakjJqgu0q4sn-8K6u-CYXBFpw1xarNOnlHT7aQzjUnFswCYywyymJ6FeyzuEVleXm8VmTZiQh7-DE2fA/s1600/P2041676.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYM8V2YWdJgd0fHrpa_c4zTEifzOOMpeoJ4aoN1hdYvYYejdV6DD8DXmNvgAHakjJqgu0q4sn-8K6u-CYXBFpw1xarNOnlHT7aQzjUnFswCYywyymJ6FeyzuEVleXm8VmTZiQh7-DE2fA/s400/P2041676.JPG" /></a><br><br>Oh goodie goodie goodie! How giddy am I?!!<br><br>Only two more sleeps. Sigh...<br><br>Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-11155094492718557132014-12-01T15:44:00.001+00:002014-12-01T15:44:54.527+00:00Merry Christmas!<br>It has been quite a long time since I have blogged. I haven't disappeared.<br><br>Everything is good.<br><br>
Almost all my meals are still coming from Pemba Lama's <a href="http://dishwashercrab.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/this-book-changed-my-life.html">wonderful book</a>. My life has become so delicious; that man is my hero!<br><br>
I have been fixing the <a href="http://dishwashercrab.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/a-fairytale-for-valentines-day.html">previously-mentioned</a> damage done by ex-crab, and now every bit of my home that I can reach has been repaired and redecorated. <br><br>
I am still walking. By the time I get home tonight I will have walked 2,066 miles this year.<br><br>
That's me done. I'm off on my holidays.<br><br>
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!<br><br>
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Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-52608196998952974552014-07-15T14:47:00.000+01:002014-07-22T14:05:59.287+01:00This book changed my life!<br />Well, if not quite my whole life, it has certainly changed my mealtimes.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrFb0BKLKGTcRub7ju-qhgHbl5DPdug8zRY4mlg85cVT5iwbSbWp0vHsWnxdDBuBckw-Ard7M7fyJPK9LjNxgXz7WdFmlBRZ1l7funkDGd6nfDME_xuoirDMO2j_B18VkcqDwRa_A9uc/s1600/ultimate+nepalese+cookbook.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrFb0BKLKGTcRub7ju-qhgHbl5DPdug8zRY4mlg85cVT5iwbSbWp0vHsWnxdDBuBckw-Ard7M7fyJPK9LjNxgXz7WdFmlBRZ1l7funkDGd6nfDME_xuoirDMO2j_B18VkcqDwRa_A9uc/s400/ultimate+nepalese+cookbook.JPG" /></a></div><br />A couple of weeks ago I was sitting at work, idly wondering what I would like for my tea. I had a hankering for a Nepalese curry. Without the means to suddenly book a holiday in Nepal (which would be excessive anyway) or even to book a table in a restaurant I googled to see if I could find any good recipes.<br /><br />And I found this!<br /><br />Through the joys of internet shopping, it arrived in the post the next day. I read and salivated and looked in the fridge to see what I had the makings of.<br /><br />Spicy grilled sea bass and potato & cauliflower curry, as it turned out.<br /><br />So I followed the recipes and ground and blended and mixed and cooked and served, and then I sat down and tasted.<br /><br />BLOODY HELL, IT WAS GOOD!! <br /><br />I was so astounded I could've wept - but I was far too busy eating. It tasted of sunshine and joy and very high places and it was the most delicious meal I have ever cooked.<br /><br />I was so excited I couldn't wait to tea time the next day so I could some other new things. The next night I cooked three dishes from the book - again all extraordinary.<br /><br />And so it goes on. Never in my kitchen have so many pots been used so many times in the production of a meal. Never have I had so much fun cooking. There is nothing in this book I don't want to eat, or don't think I am able to cook.<br /><br />Now, here's the thing. When you look at "recipes for one" they almost invariably suggest that a single person wants to throw together something quick and easy for their tea.<br /><br />I say bollocks to that. I want to eat food that's been prepared with care and passion. And here's why:<br /><br />
As previously mentioned on this blog, I used to have a husband.<br /><br />For sixteen years he sat there every night with face like a slapped arse, waiting to be presented with food like he had a god-given right to receive food on a daily basis - without so much as ever making me a piece of toast.<br /><br />Now he is gone and I am living alone - in a little happy paradise that I made myself.<br /><br />Everything is good! yum yum yum<br /><br />
Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-90730789966794990832014-04-25T14:11:00.000+01:002014-04-25T14:11:01.893+01:00Every single one of us...<br>is fucking proud of you, fucking proud of you, fucking proud of you. Fucking proud of you!<br><br>This is one of the many love songs we sing at FC.<br>Tomorrow is the last league game of the season (sob, it goes so fast!) and no doubt we will be singing with great gusto.<br><br>It has been an astounding season, and we still have a sniff of <i>Winning the League!</i><br><br><b>How amazing would that be!!</b>
<br><br>Our last road trip of the season takes us to Barwell tomorrow. I don't know much about Barwell, except that it is Leicestershire. I am not entirely sure that I've even been to Leicestershire before, but I know it's somewhere in the South.<br><br>Another thing I know about Barwell (which I have just learned by reading that font of all knowledge, The Internet) is that on Christmas Eve, 1965, the village was showered with fragments from a turkey-sized meteor. The Internet does actually describe it as 'turkey-sized' - but I suspect that's just a bit of Christmas winsomry.<br><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvsyh8FuQwZysejc_LA9b5bLSUH-0D5INse-iW-UsoxBNdsmqgQuwN5Ta_0VnmARKZXL_x8fLL28EaTVpzLiAWxehUU7P4-z8zQykE4WQ1psVZ20AwdNbqnHGlCbHblkLN7CIqZ3CzoU4/s1600/Male_north_american_turkey_supersaturated.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvsyh8FuQwZysejc_LA9b5bLSUH-0D5INse-iW-UsoxBNdsmqgQuwN5Ta_0VnmARKZXL_x8fLL28EaTVpzLiAWxehUU7P4-z8zQykE4WQ1psVZ20AwdNbqnHGlCbHblkLN7CIqZ3CzoU4/s320/Male_north_american_turkey_supersaturated.jpg" /></a><br><i>Turkey from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesticated_turkey">Wikipedia</a></i>.<br><br>So anyway. Maybe we win the league tomorrow, maybe we don't. It's still win-win - we'll be in the play-offs and that means another game to watch. Maybe two!<br><br>Not only has it been a cracking season for the team, it has been a cracking season for the club. We are building our <b>Own Ground!</b><br><br>For nine years we have all been raising money and now we have saved up enough money to make this!<br><br> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Am3MD1qM9f4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br><br>Oh, this makes me so happy I could cry. I am so fucking proud of all of us!<br><br>If you happen to passing by my blog and you've read this far, got some spare cash and a kind heart, we are now <a href="http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/kit-it-out/updates/?">raising money to kit out our kitchen</a>. Click the link to donate.<br><br>Sadly I am somewhat short of funds these days, due to the scuzzy habits of my husband, as mentioned <a href="http://dishwashercrab.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/a-fairytale-for-valentines-day.html">previously</a>. I will be paying off his debts until the day I retire. Here's an email he sent me earlier in the week:<br><br><i>If you have no objections I will at some stage initiate the process with a view to legally ending the marriage based on 2 years separation in January 2016.</i><br><br>Pompous twat, dubious grammar. I am well-rid!<br><br>Enough of that, time to go back to dreaming my FC Dreams...<br><br>Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-38506421586667616312014-03-26T15:07:00.000+00:002014-03-26T15:08:16.546+00:00Top of the League!<br>Last night FC won 5 - 2 away at Witton Albion.<br><br>This has put us <b>Top of the League!</b> <br><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-63152IY6iXPBNs1xbTDor7U7MiJjC6_FkJxwow2O-w2Ix9jbxHR9-Vwpe7pFHaJeRwTDu1jbK0OENOxpxSVEQL-KJFK0-Ps0ZmFqQoDv0Oo3gmto2VCBxTt-QYjrGC_RlZkgtTrAmLk/s1600/Capture.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-63152IY6iXPBNs1xbTDor7U7MiJjC6_FkJxwow2O-w2Ix9jbxHR9-Vwpe7pFHaJeRwTDu1jbK0OENOxpxSVEQL-KJFK0-Ps0ZmFqQoDv0Oo3gmto2VCBxTt-QYjrGC_RlZkgtTrAmLk/s400/Capture.JPG" /></a><br><i>(Table from <a href="http://fcunited.ru/en/">Yura's excellent website</a>.)</i><br><br>Admittedly, we may only be top for twenty-four hours; Chorley play tonight and could overtake us. But I've always been a big fan of seizing the moment and celebrating whatever I can whenever I can.<br><br>Last night was a cracker! Not only did we see some smashing goals, I learned from a mutual friend that Mr Crab's new girlfriend is a Cockney with 8 (that's EIGHT!) children, various fathers.<br><br><b>Bloody Hell!<i></i></b><br><br>
How confusing for my poor husband. So with her eight, and his own two sons (abandoned by him when they were toddlers) and his ex-wife's two daughters who learned to call him Daddy before he abandoned them too, that's, ummm, let's see ... Oh I've run out of fingers to count them all on! <br>A lot of children.<br><br>I wonder if she's making him watch <i>Eastenders</i>. He always used to hate that programme.<br><br>Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha<br><br>
Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-11867272448805734002014-02-13T13:29:00.000+00:002014-02-24T11:56:42.857+00:00A Fairytale for Valentine's Day<br>I know I am posting this a day early for Valentine's Day, but tomorrow I won't be here. I will be doing something else entirely.<br><br><i>Here is the tale of how this came to be...</i><br><br>Two months ago it was our fourteenth wedding anniversary. <br><br>We did not celebrate it, because three weeks earlier Mr Crab had met a random woman on the streets of Norwich and decided his life would be better with her than with me. And so the pair of them ran away to be together in Ipswich.<br><br>(That's two Witches in this story already - I told you it was a <i><b>fairytale</b></i>!)<br><br>This came as a huge shock to me. Normally he had been no bother at all; he just sat there like a lump most of the time. <br><br>A lump with secrets...<br><br>Before Mr Crab ran away he put £23,625.00 of personal debt on to our mortgage. This also had been a shock at the time - I have no idea how he racked up such a sum. I certainly never saw any benefit from all this cash.<br><br>Before he left he also filled our house up with garbage:<br><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCouQ7v4gIMgv-djswR25Tv4i_NFYQYT7nGpjzwxrp1WKDTGII_a_GX16rx86_XGQsOqycNRAmVJOJfTQ9PE_-B6Ib7WMdslN4gu3N6lGt85U8Kz2C_MvkyiDgO6vm4pzApjrKBMDEHw/s1600/PC280125.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCouQ7v4gIMgv-djswR25Tv4i_NFYQYT7nGpjzwxrp1WKDTGII_a_GX16rx86_XGQsOqycNRAmVJOJfTQ9PE_-B6Ib7WMdslN4gu3N6lGt85U8Kz2C_MvkyiDgO6vm4pzApjrKBMDEHw/s400/PC280125.JPG" /></a>
<br><br>Impressive, isn't it?<br><br>Here it is again, a couple of weeks later and light is starting to appear at the end of the tunnel (literally):<br><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiORngMq4DHSd8BRdM_sJzLM0htdpL7UhgtrtDJN6Ygrp68iokJwcMOtIBKIxY0B2qmVULMneqISBOQT_5gvgP-UB43Jju4o7p2EYVWdfD2XlMTWzrmLKEE-c77JvuZ8_X7zZDuCzhnyEY/s1600/P1200159.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiORngMq4DHSd8BRdM_sJzLM0htdpL7UhgtrtDJN6Ygrp68iokJwcMOtIBKIxY0B2qmVULMneqISBOQT_5gvgP-UB43Jju4o7p2EYVWdfD2XlMTWzrmLKEE-c77JvuZ8_X7zZDuCzhnyEY/s400/P1200159.JPG" /></a>
<br><br>Anyway, time has moved on, the house is now mine and the room is clear! Moving this amount of garbage wasn't easy, though. Look at the state of my hands:<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3a6ztrVBv0XnLbBIipmVdZtNp1oBgloEOk7ZGkoHT6AkRrkLmvXimqYBLX7DkdIMR8vr4wFdih112NMsJx9VLSy0H2nHDo9igDpDgDVADMHPX0cIYdWDIrEIQKj0DiGwkwv7nCFnWWec/s1600/P2100174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3a6ztrVBv0XnLbBIipmVdZtNp1oBgloEOk7ZGkoHT6AkRrkLmvXimqYBLX7DkdIMR8vr4wFdih112NMsJx9VLSy0H2nHDo9igDpDgDVADMHPX0cIYdWDIrEIQKj0DiGwkwv7nCFnWWec/s400/P2100174.JPG" /></a></div><br><br>Admittedly that is only one hand - I had to hold the camera with the other one. It is just as bad.<br><br>Like all good fairy stories, this one has a <i><b>Happy Ending</b></i>!<br><br>Tomorrow I am having a day off work. A local charity shop is collecting the few bits of furniture which can be considered serviceable, and a Man with a Van will take the rest of the garbage to the tip.<br><br>I am already living happily in the future.<br><br><i>Happy Valentine's Day to all you young lovers everywhere!</i><br><br>Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-12494891811073907602014-01-31T13:03:00.001+00:002014-01-31T13:04:50.761+00:00Happy New Year!<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheATHjjfXPDbbnVsTVHCR8vHgPyo1xU_I_jJACMvYr1Ovza6T20iSU8VuXF_qmpbqnPikIatzKFcHk7gZiuDYJxRHFUkAVwUD0QmlzMvcB-M5EyqwRLmDrPyWU4IvkufAKZizPOjGTb28/s1600/CaveartHorse_lascaux.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheATHjjfXPDbbnVsTVHCR8vHgPyo1xU_I_jJACMvYr1Ovza6T20iSU8VuXF_qmpbqnPikIatzKFcHk7gZiuDYJxRHFUkAVwUD0QmlzMvcB-M5EyqwRLmDrPyWU4IvkufAKZizPOjGTb28/s320/CaveartHorse_lascaux.jpg" /></a></div><br> Picture from <a href="http://art-history-cave-to-renaissance.blogspot.co.uk/">here</a>.<br><br>
A lot of bad things have happened since my Happy Christmas post. Mostly they are in the past now, and I am starting the new year today, right now!<br><br><b>Happy New Year!<i></i></b><br><br>Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-48231206193687427642013-12-24T10:35:00.001+00:002013-12-24T10:35:52.761+00:00Merry Christmas Everybody!<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCfES5T-gzz1uYkL_BRXDT6TM6aFHJIjuscF_a0NJww34v91nxFQtdxmI6g65BduCpmx0Tu4rHqosOkv9y-ABfMXdS4ZeQ62OXvdTQpfiUwfiTub9tzQALqtmvuvQnxy6X5dM1j87qA4/s1600/baubles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCfES5T-gzz1uYkL_BRXDT6TM6aFHJIjuscF_a0NJww34v91nxFQtdxmI6g65BduCpmx0Tu4rHqosOkv9y-ABfMXdS4ZeQ62OXvdTQpfiUwfiTub9tzQALqtmvuvQnxy6X5dM1j87qA4/s400/baubles.JPG" /></a></div><br>Happy Christmas from my kitchen table.<br><br>It has been a long grim year and I will be delighted to see the back of it. And in about 90 minutes from now work will be over. Nothing left to do but drink beer, go home and start Christmas fun.<br><br>Hurrah!<br><br>Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-40856159850391748912013-11-06T13:05:00.000+00:002013-11-06T13:05:51.831+00:00Fancy that!<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgieDG1aac-zxcTF0A8NE3HMAIOkdxvWibOluK5K5c8hKKKL169q0QNwMDxoFfBF4AZd1i69vZ1prqXFQHHGlwpKAaEcQ_1vEmGnIWr051YSbvBuDUkZyklgWkfUmK8hn6kWWLG9fLKoVc/s1600/P9210323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgieDG1aac-zxcTF0A8NE3HMAIOkdxvWibOluK5K5c8hKKKL169q0QNwMDxoFfBF4AZd1i69vZ1prqXFQHHGlwpKAaEcQ_1vEmGnIWr051YSbvBuDUkZyklgWkfUmK8hn6kWWLG9fLKoVc/s400/P9210323.JPG" /></a></div><br><br>Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-8349688303632996392013-10-25T14:07:00.001+01:002013-10-25T14:07:13.387+01:00It's all gone far too far this time<br>It's been a long time since I've blogged, hasn't it?<br><br>That's because it has been a truly SHIT summer. Not weather-wise, that's been glorious - and as I have mentioned, when I've had the heart to blog, I have had some happy days in the sun.<br><br>The shit I am talking about is work. Back in April we were rounded up for the <i>Redundancy Talk</i>. At the the time it was handled very badly - and since then things have got much, much worse.<br><br>For the last six months intelligent, hard-working and talented friends and colleagues - good, good people - have been losing their jobs - or being put through the wringer to battle to get jobs on even lower salaries than they had before.<br><br>The redundancies are over (for now) and we've been left with a <i>structure </i>- and I use the term very loosely - where we are horribly understaffed and many of those who are left are doing jobs they haven't been trained for, under immense pressure.<br><br>Unsurprisingly, we now have a very stressed and sick workforce.<br><br>There is only so long you can go on, being shat on and watching your friends being shat on before something cracks. The misery of it all broke the heart of one dearly-loved colleague. Literally. He died.<br><br>The grief here is like a thick grey jelly.<br><br>Here is how I cope with stress:<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ8SOL-Lf21mxUF2Er_MCKR5yPg5YFD1je8oH3RY18Xe6SkMcO2b7pufdAw11OvLUM0tyl60bYanUMdiE_u11xOqlYp0M0AmDe28jpA4eiUQwehp2n8yq4LTBQVw4XFffbGXa8xjKDaks/s1600/poor+hand.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ8SOL-Lf21mxUF2Er_MCKR5yPg5YFD1je8oH3RY18Xe6SkMcO2b7pufdAw11OvLUM0tyl60bYanUMdiE_u11xOqlYp0M0AmDe28jpA4eiUQwehp2n8yq4LTBQVw4XFffbGXa8xjKDaks/s400/poor+hand.JPG" /></a></div><br><br>Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-64859503599824047852013-08-22T16:32:00.000+01:002013-08-22T16:32:18.094+01:00Hare and Hounds (15)<br><br>My <a href="http://dishwashercrab.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/725.72"><i><b>Hare and Hounds Project</b></i></a> is well into its third year and I must admit it has lapsed somewhat. Well actually quite a lot.<br><br>Never mind, yesterday I had a day off work and I got myself back on track with a visit to this Hare & Hounds - in Holcombe. It was lovely!<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP02um92iXHJ8sAprUzPE8Rf44zunW85LJkGfmjt330-11XbIyVbMKI7CD9_hyphenhyphenuQSKMq2HSGAjuEIRHy_GplFr0gu_7HT4U0cIQEvRLdWb_hySFQGswvNx9STW4McO6nGO_F6s34COlgY/s1600/Hare+&+Hounds+Holcombe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP02um92iXHJ8sAprUzPE8Rf44zunW85LJkGfmjt330-11XbIyVbMKI7CD9_hyphenhyphenuQSKMq2HSGAjuEIRHy_GplFr0gu_7HT4U0cIQEvRLdWb_hySFQGswvNx9STW4McO6nGO_F6s34COlgY/s400/Hare+&+Hounds+Holcombe.JPG" /></a></div>
<i>(Photo from Google Streetview.)</i><br><br>It is a bloody good job that we can have days off, go walking in the woods with friends and visit lovely pubs. Back at work today and it's not so good.<br><br>
Friends are still losing their jobs and there is an air of despond over us all.<br><br>On the bright side, we are no longer buried alive in the office with no windows. We have been moved to a new office with windows - not just any old windows either! We can open these ones, and look out onto the trees in the park.<br><br>On the other side of the park is the Irwell - which could be nice, but all week it has stunk of rotting corpses. So there isn't just despond in the air, there is stench and quite a lot of flies too. Puke.<br><br>Sometimes open windows aren't such a good thing.<br><br>I should have stayed in the pub.<br><br>Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-54684339361468660652013-08-05T16:14:00.001+01:002013-08-05T16:14:23.231+01:00Ashes to Ashes<br>Last Friday I took the day off work and went to watch Day Two of the Third Test at Old Trafford.<br><br>I love cricket. I love the whole mindset of the game. What other sport has meal breaks? What other sport allows you to go home at night, have a sleep and then start again the next day where you left off?<br><br>Where else can you play the same match for five days and at the end of it all no-one has won?<br><br>Cricket is the epitome of English optimism: what are the chances of even getting five days in a row of nice weather in this country? (Actually pretty good this year.)<br><br>Here are some Aussies. They look full of optimism too, don't they?<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobEBMT0-502k2rjrVBcYNSV1MwDdfUiwawru-CoM2v8ao1qYFUlPa3A8VJHVErKRRx5ghpqKJ28iDMzuhC3NdXSc6zbNQYeg7tFzbb0oNqEDNLw9O8oc4pzQ6Cq7vvSDW0m61Ll5-TfA/s1600/P8020597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobEBMT0-502k2rjrVBcYNSV1MwDdfUiwawru-CoM2v8ao1qYFUlPa3A8VJHVErKRRx5ghpqKJ28iDMzuhC3NdXSc6zbNQYeg7tFzbb0oNqEDNLw9O8oc4pzQ6Cq7vvSDW0m61Ll5-TfA/s320/P8020597.JPG" /></a></div><br><br>Sky Cameraman. I reckon he could probably see our house from up there.<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigT13eW9n4tFzmo4WxfaBtKFm1VPIdVIL3Wca1JAWQly07T50eqiyo_2ybUHDl1TKEcTlsbR9GflRBXyQpl5bQGE5FZc5RE63IG64b9xrPYJvL8YUkc3IIf29AxL_XDL9a4z1nP2zfLgI/s1600/P8020580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigT13eW9n4tFzmo4WxfaBtKFm1VPIdVIL3Wca1JAWQly07T50eqiyo_2ybUHDl1TKEcTlsbR9GflRBXyQpl5bQGE5FZc5RE63IG64b9xrPYJvL8YUkc3IIf29AxL_XDL9a4z1nP2zfLgI/s400/P8020580.JPG" /></a></div><br><br>It is a long day at the cricket and by the evening session many folk like to create their own entertainment, possibly with a craft activity like this: the Lager Snake:<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0lnD6t1spBPTu742jdZHT3ZTQ6ppzMFdTnQz8XJmCeivCXjlox67js0t02u_1HJIJ6hMFkMVOfGk9xsTjQg11GfknifpDhtLPe5X8Bmg5bOey-ImWHWVhK75fqfx9H1tvURoMjn0HYI/s1600/P8020592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0lnD6t1spBPTu742jdZHT3ZTQ6ppzMFdTnQz8XJmCeivCXjlox67js0t02u_1HJIJ6hMFkMVOfGk9xsTjQg11GfknifpDhtLPe5X8Bmg5bOey-ImWHWVhK75fqfx9H1tvURoMjn0HYI/s400/P8020592.JPG" /></a></div><br><br>If you click the image and zoom in you can see what an impressive piece of cooperative teamwork this is, especially when you consider that most of these people had been drinking for about seven hours already, and in theory shouldn't even be able to stand upright.<br><br>That's enough hoo-ha for one day. Yesterday I went to the hills:<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQaI2wMdkYvpBmDRHYpZ5IELJzaBLj6pCes-AU66pT1rrVFstlqm3kYnTqWZTC8b-YrMc3UZg_CDnZRH5tS7N2a9bDKCsxs4MUytdDL7wF7kz4HBMyje6pNQibK2OHHfB4gkmarIz8V2o/s1600/P8040669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQaI2wMdkYvpBmDRHYpZ5IELJzaBLj6pCes-AU66pT1rrVFstlqm3kYnTqWZTC8b-YrMc3UZg_CDnZRH5tS7N2a9bDKCsxs4MUytdDL7wF7kz4HBMyje6pNQibK2OHHfB4gkmarIz8V2o/s400/P8040669.JPG" /></a></div><br><br>Bliss.<br><br>Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-68387523286339057712013-07-01T15:02:00.000+01:002013-07-01T15:50:12.444+01:00Half Way<br />It's the 1st July and we're halfway through the year. Work is still shit, possibly getting shitter. Sorry about the language, but there's no easy way to say it.<br />
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Luckily, there is more to life than work. Six months in, and I have walked 1,004 miles so far this year. Here are some photos from about 13 of those miles.<br />
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Bleaklow, a couple of weeks ago:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyheOoC7Z38NDreFBpeK0BNtRyRlogQEdU1yWWHXwKNSB2AYSPJVxLb040-DUBzX5ptgGViwPUcQ46m45oMf9Fo62GOOeyq_jYJETY8kZg_xw_tJqR0rNCU68CeRm2NKkG58QlESCz6gg/s1600/P6090261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyheOoC7Z38NDreFBpeK0BNtRyRlogQEdU1yWWHXwKNSB2AYSPJVxLb040-DUBzX5ptgGViwPUcQ46m45oMf9Fo62GOOeyq_jYJETY8kZg_xw_tJqR0rNCU68CeRm2NKkG58QlESCz6gg/s320/P6090261.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
About 2 miles, still in the Longendale Valley. That hill is where I am going.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkviBOzCPsGCnPkjG7e3pXXXb78CfNnFAzP6SYx0hnqdGUAQa72tO37X-NuqJ1KeeqyB4-Hb9lBTVz3YKu3yH9e69-4-mao4vdW3MIAzRAG4btyPsdJCsW9Qnpdn49cMNsvpfCYojUq_Q/s1600/P6090266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkviBOzCPsGCnPkjG7e3pXXXb78CfNnFAzP6SYx0hnqdGUAQa72tO37X-NuqJ1KeeqyB4-Hb9lBTVz3YKu3yH9e69-4-mao4vdW3MIAzRAG4btyPsdJCsW9Qnpdn49cMNsvpfCYojUq_Q/s320/P6090266.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Going up the hill.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnkF91QiDERxvN6dbCyfX7z6qoHsd-9uoElvYXeD08_wrA9156NBCYy_7uMXyp2W19fvat9RTdcji_gonaNHe1YZKRhtvIDaLRaMSI8OMYd0IxoLljjN2jdmdD467DgtnQVF3MNlEmGM/s1600/P6090273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnkF91QiDERxvN6dbCyfX7z6qoHsd-9uoElvYXeD08_wrA9156NBCYy_7uMXyp2W19fvat9RTdcji_gonaNHe1YZKRhtvIDaLRaMSI8OMYd0IxoLljjN2jdmdD467DgtnQVF3MNlEmGM/s320/P6090273.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
And a bit further.<br>
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On the top of Bleaklow there are bits of crashed aeroplanes. This one has been here since 1948.<br>Even on a sunny day it's spooky.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45dEDqbrCspzWm9y36c4tw32nNEmWnAWDVSLNB972cJFtHRpxc-JD5wbnVEOdh2VtfmgM1Qa2Dtxuq8gNd1tjaIR8FNRKmDpPOmiQcx7k21S4qnctFo_C3ydruZZYqWB0Hu2MdZMFpqg/s1600/P6090298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45dEDqbrCspzWm9y36c4tw32nNEmWnAWDVSLNB972cJFtHRpxc-JD5wbnVEOdh2VtfmgM1Qa2Dtxuq8gNd1tjaIR8FNRKmDpPOmiQcx7k21S4qnctFo_C3ydruZZYqWB0Hu2MdZMFpqg/s320/P6090298.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>And strangely sculptural.<br>
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Also on the top of Bleaklow, the rocks look like they are kissing each other.<br>
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It's not always this gorgeous up here.<br>
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The long path down.<br>
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Nearly on the ground again.<br>
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I hope you enjoyed that little tour. I might share some other days out with you in the near future.
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<br />Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-76021324746165745812013-05-23T15:08:00.001+01:002013-07-01T15:50:31.908+01:00It's very quiet here. Where's everyone gone?<br />
It's been quite some time since my last post. That's because things here have been grim, very grim indeed.<br />
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We are in the midst of another tidal wave of redundancies.<br />
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This university is top of Britain's league table for axing staff. When I say 'top' I really mean top. Number One in the whole country. The only other thing we are doing well in is the <b>Bullying & Harassment League</b>.</div>
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Can you see a sort of pattern developing here?</div>
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When I began this blog in 2009 I thought I'd be discussing literature and libraries and other lovely things, but instead redundancy has been the recurring theme. </div>
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Our library has become a barren and desolate place.</div>
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On the plus side, I am off on my holidays for the next two weeks - starting any minute now. <i>Yippee!</i></div>
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Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-70717625583801521992013-04-08T13:31:00.000+01:002013-04-09T14:01:35.927+01:00Cheerio!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJP3dhRnQcjB_DCOQpCg8psu3Ics9PkcwGqIXSmYA63cxiPBjuFfciA8l2V3NuQzOY7mhFXtM-E_-rnSDFVzo-kSI-h7tG8IbLh_dSGslaLCW4nL766Y9VB2_b2bgA7KbNDzS-SwJd8A8/s1600/thatcherspittingim.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJP3dhRnQcjB_DCOQpCg8psu3Ics9PkcwGqIXSmYA63cxiPBjuFfciA8l2V3NuQzOY7mhFXtM-E_-rnSDFVzo-kSI-h7tG8IbLh_dSGslaLCW4nL766Y9VB2_b2bgA7KbNDzS-SwJd8A8/s320/thatcherspittingim.jpg" /></a><br />
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She's already closed down three of these furnaces and laid off all these workers.<br />
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<br />Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-88225425468868083362013-03-26T15:07:00.000+00:002013-03-26T15:07:48.862+00:00Early Doors<br><br>Tonight we should be here:<br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnDBmy2AcuuCIrfedi-DJtkkT88ZAS0jOR3S5Tt1bL7GyKwOZOl7fdyf8jcGmzMDEi_tnXSBlmG9eJltNOsoPC2GtbcaIR7M_kAp4Qrqgu-Clh3GY_GRcL4PBBJ1v-wwvbs7p6VO-0iQ/s1600/1364233962_0.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnDBmy2AcuuCIrfedi-DJtkkT88ZAS0jOR3S5Tt1bL7GyKwOZOl7fdyf8jcGmzMDEi_tnXSBlmG9eJltNOsoPC2GtbcaIR7M_kAp4Qrqgu-Clh3GY_GRcL4PBBJ1v-wwvbs7p6VO-0iQ/s320/1364233962_0.jpg" /></a><br><br>
Away at <i>Stocksbridge Park Steels</i>. Originally this was our fixture for New Year's Day. I have lost track of how many times it has been postponed...<br><br>
So it look like another night in front of the telly.<br><br>There's been quite a lot going on in Corrie of late, but the thing that has delighted me most is seeing the mellifluous James Quinn revisiting his role as a policeman - last seen in the delightful <i>Early Doors</i>.<br><br>
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vtH87QNcFJg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br><br>I do hope the Corrie scriptwriters have the good sense to let James laugh, at least once; his laugh is truly magnificent.<br><br>There's got to be plenty of opportunity, surely, he is investigating the torching of the Rovers.<br><br>Elsewhere on Corrie, Fiz's teeth continue to somehow retract in her mouth, the just when you think they've gone for good, they reappear. Thanks Agnes, for pointing this out - I had never noticed this phenomenon before.<br><br>Now I can't stop noticing.<br><br><b>Where do Fiz's teeth go?</b><br><br>My guess is somewhere in the back of her head, looking for a brain. What do you think?<br><br>There may be a <i>small prize </i>for the best answer.<br><br>
Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-88370527116839457192013-03-04T16:40:00.000+00:002013-03-04T16:40:29.627+00:00Win - Lose (Draw)<br>In a strange twist to normal life, this weekend our football was moved to Sunday, which meant Saturday was walking day.<br><br>I fancied a walk with a concept, so I set out on a <b>Win/Lose Tour</b>. Starting from Bamford I walked up <b>Win </b>Hill, down in to Hope then up to <b>Lose </b>Hill.<br><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mG0VU-t2pOwd_QyX2CnT2zLRE-M6cg_Txuyhn8fVbMO_3ZRxEuhEmZBZnu6SXrcokuNaNadl8YBaEDTiE0fo_WGOieRuaej7Lk4T54YO6gNeLLsBRjTd4_sQfp2IhV3XxgQOMY4DX3k/s1600/winhill.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mG0VU-t2pOwd_QyX2CnT2zLRE-M6cg_Txuyhn8fVbMO_3ZRxEuhEmZBZnu6SXrcokuNaNadl8YBaEDTiE0fo_WGOieRuaej7Lk4T54YO6gNeLLsBRjTd4_sQfp2IhV3XxgQOMY4DX3k/s320/winhill.jpg" /></a><br>(pic from <a href="http://www.peakdistrictinformation.com/outdoors/walk16.php">PeakDistrictInformation</a>.)<br><br>The weather was glorious and the day still young so I continued on to Mam Tor.<br><br>This changed the concept of my walk: no longer just Win/Lose, it was now <b>The Hope Valley Three Peaks</b>. <br><br>Everywhere has Three Peaks, if you care to look for them.<br><br>Of course, you could just walk along the ridge from Lose Hill to Mam Tor, but that isn't really in the spirit of a Three Peak Challenge, in that every peak should be climbed, and you should go up one way and come down another. Much more fun to drop down to Castleton, then head up to the summit via the Broken Road and the <i>Mam Tor Wall of Death</i>. (Actually I don't think that's its real name, it is just what we call it because it was blowing a gale the first time we ever climbed up it.)<br><br>Finally, down the dark side of Mam Tor to Edale and time for a quick pint before the train came.<br><br>One Sunday, FC were at home to league leaders, North Ferriby. It was a <b>Draw</b>, 1-1.<br><br>Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-20108822161061460322013-02-14T16:26:00.000+00:002013-02-14T16:26:01.899+00:00Go Green<br>What's that? You might well ask.<br><br> It is an exciting event that is currently underway at this university. Under the guise of <i>environmental sustainability</i>, we are in the midst of a month of activities showing us how to grow our own food, mend our clothes, darn our socks and ride a bicycle.<br><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqG5lHtkMhn1WW12inESJFI3rW72Kj0beFRH9POHAF2kfcOF5zSRWFyTOFTBXxpjHWCzlj0mHd7AtIKgybIGPC_jAIv_Zm9uStfvypH3HR1FB6RmaSC9HTFU4N9phPImTgvzhFm_0TbA/s1600/415yRijDjhL__SL500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqG5lHtkMhn1WW12inESJFI3rW72Kj0beFRH9POHAF2kfcOF5zSRWFyTOFTBXxpjHWCzlj0mHd7AtIKgybIGPC_jAIv_Zm9uStfvypH3HR1FB6RmaSC9HTFU4N9phPImTgvzhFm_0TbA/s320/415yRijDjhL__SL500_.jpg" /></a><br><br>All of which suggests that the next round of redundancy packages are going to be meagre at best.<br><br>Ah well, at least none of us can say that we haven't been prepared.<br><br>Today's activity was <i>'How to Make a Valentine's Card'</i>.<br><br>I could have spent my lunchtime pissing about with coloured card, glue-sticks and glitter, creating something to surprise Mr Crab with tonight.<br><br>But I didn't.<br><br>Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-88912632464236437112013-01-29T16:02:00.000+00:002013-01-29T16:02:13.914+00:00Happy Germination Day!<br>They reckon it takes seven years for a Strelitzia to flower. It is true.<br><br>
This is a <i>Strelitzia Mandela's Gold<b></b></i> which I grew from seed.<br><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6aQO8SSNd012LbOOPsXziYvSzTOgQvd_PFug8HP6eXmr33hpBe21QftIUr5qluvCZHjL-ceUDQ-fdWLBNDgY4MJId-k1-tbeSWXJN2UGbRm2USiYYfkCLohVe3PBz-HF-eyxCgwPLmLk/s1600/mandela+gold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="305" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6aQO8SSNd012LbOOPsXziYvSzTOgQvd_PFug8HP6eXmr33hpBe21QftIUr5qluvCZHjL-ceUDQ-fdWLBNDgY4MJId-k1-tbeSWXJN2UGbRm2USiYYfkCLohVe3PBz-HF-eyxCgwPLmLk/s400/mandela+gold.jpg" /></a></div><br>On this day in 2006, that seed germinated.<br><br>Look at it today!!<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwv8Ju1oBAA9GWwzs0MRvswAaP6DXlUkQMMjttb58jDzY53LlOEeqPXQbDSO9lmDBVYF2Q6Q_0TYWI08HJqDLhcORAGL2NAX8fHPGt1eM7HIJy4_ZArV7N12HRyJiNu1LjJURf7ZCISc/s1600/mandela+gold+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwv8Ju1oBAA9GWwzs0MRvswAaP6DXlUkQMMjttb58jDzY53LlOEeqPXQbDSO9lmDBVYF2Q6Q_0TYWI08HJqDLhcORAGL2NAX8fHPGt1eM7HIJy4_ZArV7N12HRyJiNu1LjJURf7ZCISc/s400/mandela+gold+1.jpg" /></a></div><br>Happy Birthday, Lovely Flower!<br><br>
Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-20557656894527069852013-01-23T13:11:00.000+00:002013-01-23T13:32:30.035+00:00January. It can be a bit difficult.<br>Last Wednesday night we were meant to be playing at Ashton United. The pitch looked like this:<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiod4FY2nmVic5FcvJXSZ44og0BDANSvytZbF-3BpTiO86k6m3kI8J4oyFEloEZ_uAIPb4dUIdB2jAu_4r7MkKRciCYdSEcIAvq0qzdIU8-agarprODc3QtBJmhyphenhyphenZZsHGTKOcJrruh8qdI/s1600/AshtonUnited.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiod4FY2nmVic5FcvJXSZ44og0BDANSvytZbF-3BpTiO86k6m3kI8J4oyFEloEZ_uAIPb4dUIdB2jAu_4r7MkKRciCYdSEcIAvq0qzdIU8-agarprODc3QtBJmhyphenhyphenZZsHGTKOcJrruh8qdI/s400/AshtonUnited.JPG" /></a></div><br>The match was postponed until tonight.<br><br>Now the pitch looks like this:<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XceKij7WBxl2ylDpUqMNYFoyTvWoU6BCd3ujeTKa0PqDRsu6PMg7NOabAMzztj490JIPsjWPjCQxBEqJqA1oUvKyUJOKefFlrk9NSwudk01jASEwZ8r5H046NQOIPvwQ1PwaSFZTJNs/s1600/1358805056_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XceKij7WBxl2ylDpUqMNYFoyTvWoU6BCd3ujeTKa0PqDRsu6PMg7NOabAMzztj490JIPsjWPjCQxBEqJqA1oUvKyUJOKefFlrk9NSwudk01jASEwZ8r5H046NQOIPvwQ1PwaSFZTJNs/s400/1358805056_0.jpg" /></a></div>
<br>No, in no sense of the word is that an improvement. No football for us tonight. Sigh...<br><br>On the other side of Manchester, where we live, the snow has melted and the world is dry and bright again.<br><br>Anyway, moving on. I think we are far enough into the New Year to look back on the old one and make resolutions for the new one.<br><br><b>In brief, 2012:</b><br><br>
<b>Miles walked - 1,961</b>. This is 182 miles less than the year before (it was a <i>very </i>wet summer), but 91 miles more than 2010. This works out at an average of 1,991 miles a year - which I think is perfectly adequate.<br><br>
<b>Hare & Houndses visited - 4</b>. This is a pathetic effort by anyone's standards, but I think I can take some comfort that two of the pubs were far away. The other two were very close, in fact one of them is across the road from Ashton United's snow-bedecked and frozen ground (as seen above).<br><br>
<b>Away Games - 30</b>. This is a new category for 2012. I have included the first team, the youth team and the women's team; league, cup and friendlies in the tally. That's a lot of miles and a lovely amount of football, isn't it? Now I don't feel so sad about tonight.<br><br>
<b>New Year's Resolutions:</b><br><br> Actually that should be resolution - I have only made one:<br><b><i>Pen-y-ghent</i></b>.<br> When I was doing my <a href="http://dishwashercrab.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/914.251">Pennine Adventure</a> last year I could see it in the distance, and I've seen it in the distance when travelling to some of those Away Games (above). <i>I have got a hankering!</i><br> I haven't worked out the details of my resolution yet (it still is only January, after all) but it will almost certainly involve a bit more Pennine Way. It might also involve a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yorkshire_Three_Peaks">Yorkshire Three Peaks</a> walk, or possibly a Twin Peaks walk (the latter isn't an official thing, it's just me not being arsed to trudge all the way over to Whernside). I might like it so much that I try all three options. <br><br>
Oh, this is going to be a brilliant year!<br><br>Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-49709659865059788432013-01-11T14:42:00.000+00:002013-01-11T14:42:34.149+00:00So many things to celebrate<br>That's the first full week back at work staggered through. It hasn't been too bad.<br><br>On this day, back in 2005, I got run over by this bus on my way home from work.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1xVxe1CsNC5kcNkjZdLZXXWWUMWM64fUcfx7NV1doLwWJZvmp709Od3b3zlqw_8MxPCL3y6ic5WREMG086G4YoQm9YV4aXHiapzMnaiPL1pLq28aRQTAfPvBag_nFFk_2kxGIJIGI_Y/s1600/4843995880_e6a1bdfdc0_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1xVxe1CsNC5kcNkjZdLZXXWWUMWM64fUcfx7NV1doLwWJZvmp709Od3b3zlqw_8MxPCL3y6ic5WREMG086G4YoQm9YV4aXHiapzMnaiPL1pLq28aRQTAfPvBag_nFFk_2kxGIJIGI_Y/s400/4843995880_e6a1bdfdc0_b.jpg" /></a></div>
(Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mals_uk_buses/4843995880/">maljoe</a>)
<br><br><b>Arriva 2251</b><br>(It's amazing how you can find a picture of almost anything on Google, isn't it?)<br><br>Anyway, back to the bus. It shot around the wrong side of a traffic island just as I stepped of the kerb and splattered me. Three nights in hospital, then they let me go home. <br><br>
<b><i>To this day, I am still rather delighted with myself for not being dead. Yay me!</i></b><br><br>Okay, I know it's not the greatest anniversary to celebrate, but it's January, it's cold and it's dark and right now we are all clutching at straws. Things will get better.<br><br>
<i>PS. In case you are wondering, I broke its windscreen.</i><br><br>Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-91641989387130865242013-01-07T15:50:00.000+00:002013-01-07T16:01:30.470+00:00Here Comes the Summer!
<br><br>Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you've all had a festive season that was merry and bright.<br><br>
On Saturday morning we packed up Christmas and put it in back in the cupboard. Just the decorations, that is, putting mince pies and cake into long-term storage is just asking for trouble.<br><br>
On Saturday afternoon we were off to South Cheshire, for an away game against <b>Nantwich Town</b> - always a lovely, welcoming club to visit. And they have smashing sunsets!<br><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMoDArQIJbHC3jHTgLN57-cPVIfuZX-KuAD0Fy008O-t9qN1v9hU7PjHAVqtWJpTo6dG6_0pMQvJlXS7DsFKXVftjgETsOP3rMmEeMVafVEmtnR03PFSdqjTAHTFRm4FlV_A8URwZFKQc/s1600/8353841200_dcacfce2f8_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMoDArQIJbHC3jHTgLN57-cPVIfuZX-KuAD0Fy008O-t9qN1v9hU7PjHAVqtWJpTo6dG6_0pMQvJlXS7DsFKXVftjgETsOP3rMmEeMVafVEmtnR03PFSdqjTAHTFRm4FlV_A8URwZFKQc/s400/8353841200_dcacfce2f8_b.jpg" /></a></div><i>(pic by</i> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/manc72/sets/72157632448246185/"><i>Matthew Wilkinson</i></a><i>)</i>
<br><br>Sometimes we win, sometimes they win. This time it was our turn to win, 3-2.<br><br>
Yesterday I was out walking in East Cheshire - Middlewood to Bollington, up here (White Nancy) for some views and a sandwich, then back along the towpath to the station.<br><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1gLcYLWARhXLBS3Z7znBvVi23D3Et0axIudl9iDKMKDBXIUeRiF36eFP9Fo-OuPop_I9cec6nmYr2EVCcSDrq1wq8gDeuccL6SR7qzRRjgMEWJS16QFu9IgTtPgBZNuoTrVX0taJKL4/s1600/043492_80903d4e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1gLcYLWARhXLBS3Z7znBvVi23D3Et0axIudl9iDKMKDBXIUeRiF36eFP9Fo-OuPop_I9cec6nmYr2EVCcSDrq1wq8gDeuccL6SR7qzRRjgMEWJS16QFu9IgTtPgBZNuoTrVX0taJKL4/s400/043492_80903d4e.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>(pic by <a href="http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/43492">Andrew Huggett - Geograph</a>)</i>
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And that was my weekend - lots of Cheshire, lots of sky.<br><br>
<i>Oh dear, I may have spoken too soon about the summer. I've just noticed it has started to rain</i>.<br><br>Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3397716473067282965.post-71937723681776820592012-12-07T15:44:00.000+00:002012-12-07T15:44:22.859+00:00Hurrah! It's December<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XrMvU2xlSKWUMG96aGfZvwFBIbdcCUlj1tUJWe1x1Ttcxu4mFSLW-D5AbO8X0iJO59CXM7SidGrlrGs83jXFsjs7qZShtaYjkHuznSoSWczsSjHi6vr0vwJZPPAurdUQWrwoHro8B50/s1600/knitted+nativity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XrMvU2xlSKWUMG96aGfZvwFBIbdcCUlj1tUJWe1x1Ttcxu4mFSLW-D5AbO8X0iJO59CXM7SidGrlrGs83jXFsjs7qZShtaYjkHuznSoSWczsSjHi6vr0vwJZPPAurdUQWrwoHro8B50/s400/knitted+nativity.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And I've been knitting. (Click on the pic if you'd like a larger image.)
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The patterns for the geese and the hen came from Fiona Goble's <i>"Twelve Knits of Christmas":</i><br><br>
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And the patterns for the cat and the dog came from her <i>"Farmyard Knits"</i>:<br><br>
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<br><br>She has a pattern for a cow too, but the highland cow is my own design. As are the sheep, the donkey, the camel and everyone else.<br><br>
Christmas isn't just about the decorations though (although they are one of my favourite bits), it's about festivities and fun and seeing friends.<br><br> Unfortunately, my plans to catch up with Dear Pork Chop tomorrow have been thwarted by the weather - because December is also the month when frozen pitches and postponed matches kick in.<br><br>
We were lucky last weekend though - an away trip to <b>Blyth Spartans</b>, in Northumberland, which was ON.<br><br>
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(<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/manc72/sets/72157632155779412/">Photo by Matthew Wilkinson</a>.)<br><br>
A smashing ground and an astoundingly lovely club. Thank you Spartans for your wonderfully warm welcome!<br><br>
Dishwasher Crabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11429333439509688921noreply@blogger.com4