I do try not to repeat myself on here, but after 2,636 days it’s gonna happen, sorry — so here is another version of the shot offered on day 1,134, 2nd October 2014. Same hands, same dentist, and same person — Joe — being inspected. But also a better version of the shot, I feel. We come here every few months, roughly, so the next time you might see this is some time in late April next year. Or perhaps not.
Joe is the person who has appeared on this blog the most often, but the last time was three months ago, in Guernsey, so let’s have him return with an action shot from one of his rehearsals for his upcoming Food Technology exam (or whatever it is they call it these days). The egg whites are whipped up successfully to the soft peak stage, and the chocolate (72% cocoa solid…) is about to go into be melted. And it all turned out very well.
I know how he feels… even if it is the weekend. Mind you, he could also benefit from having less luggage.
I’m on a three-day weekend (Thursday, Friday, Saturday). I can think of worse places to spend it. In the background: Red Screes, Caudale Moor, Thornthwaite Crag.
I started this blog on 26th August 2011, my 42nd birthday — hence its name. We can now demonstrate that I am 2,619 days old than Clare, who reached that same milestone today. It is right and proper therefore that for this one day she can be both the subject of, and co-contributor, to the blog: as she is, today, “Being 42”.
As subject — above, Clare on the phone to Joe, who has been whisked off to Berlin for the weekend with 25 other 15- and 16-year olds on a school trip (no, I don’t really want to think about it either). We took advantage of this opportunity to bugger off down to London for a couple of days, but this shot is taken in Manchester’s Piccadilly Tavern before we got on the train. And no, it wasn’t deliberately taken at 4.20pm either. Honestly.
And as special guest contributor to the blog — we decided that as I was always going to offer one of her today, she would offer one of me. Here’s me descending to Euston tube station in London, later in the journey… being 42 years + 2,619 days old.
Happy 42nd birthday darling xxx…
I’m sure even non-smokers appreciate the notion of the smoking spot. There’s almost always someone sitting on this bench in Pall Mall Square, Manchester, whenever I walk past and I’ve been eyeing it up as a portrait for a while but seeing as it’s the kind of shot which would only work if I was facing straight on to the subject, then the risk of being busted is rather high. However I got away with it today. And it’s another quite good wall, isn’t it… not uniform at all.
A week ago I injured my hand for reasons which were unnecessary to share on here at the time and there’s nothing to be gained in revealing them now. The specific location of this injury was the ring finger of my left hand, which is where I’ve been wearing my silver wedding band since 2nd July 1999. This finger is currently strapped to its neigbour, and (not so apparent on this photo) is swelled up like a comedy cartoon appendage, Yosemite Sam’s hand after he has had it whacked by Bugs Bunny, that kinda thing. So I can’t wear my ring, for the first time in 19 years.
Fortunately the wife has agreed to accommodate it. Isn’t she sweet? That’s it, down there.
Hopefully the ‘autumn colours’ theme isn’t stale yet. Hard to avoid at the moment, really. Clare indulged me today by coming along for the usual Saturday non-league football fetish, here at Todmorden Borough FC in the wild uppermost reaches of the Calder valley. There haven’t been many portraits of the family on here lately, but let’s change that today. Her blue top against the background is a good contrast. And I like the way the railing stops halfway along.
Where there is a conference, then there will be a conference reception, usually held in whatever local municipal building is considered most convenient: here, Oulu City Hall. It had a ceiling considered worthy of documenting by my fellow delegate Jesús — who comes from Mexico, the sort of place where they name their men Jesús, a name I have always thought must be something to live up to.
Thirty-five minutes in and the day goes from bad to worse for Tow Law Town, in the stripes; already 4-0 down at this point they have just had a player sent off, as well. Mind you seeing as the final result was 5-2 to hosts Nelson FC, technically this improved their performance.
The reason I like this picture is that the referee looks, to me anyway, to be about fourteen years old. A clear sign of middle age on my part, I know. Brave chap either way. Look at the size of the guy behind him, for instance.
