Sunday 1st May 2016, 1.45pm (day 1,711)
Even on May Day this kind of behaviour is inexcusable. Really, you shouldn’t do this kind of thing in public, guys.
Grown men acting silly
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Category Archives: Portrait
Sunday afternoon snack
Sunday 24th April 2016, 3.20pm (day 1,704)
Although a chillier day today than it has been, I think we can still say that spring is here. Not sure whether these two were feeding themselves, or the ducks in the river below their feet (and cropped out of shot), but either way the title still applies. Why the black and white? Why not? Sometimes the colours just don’t work out so well.
The Railway diaspora
Saturday 23rd April 2016, 3.35pm (day 1,703)
Since the Boxing Day floods took out 95% of the town centre four months ago, five of Hebden Bridge’s pubs have reopened: the White Lion (which never shut), the Old Gate, the Crown, the Trades Club and the Fox and Goose. However, this leaves seven that remain closed: the White Swan, the Shoulder of Mutton, Nelson’s, the Sports & Social, Stubbing Wharf, the Albert and the one that I and many friends feel most keenly, the Railway. Martin and Shelley, pictured here, are members of the Railway diaspora, drinkers in exile (in this case in the Old Gate). Perhaps we will all return home some time soon but to be honest at the moment there is little sign of it.
Students point cameras at me
Wednesday 13th April 2016, 1.45pm (day 1,693)
Teaching has restarted after the Easter break so I guess I should put in the occasional appearance on campus. It’s also that time of year when the assignment kicks in on the video production course, and some students develop an urge to point cameras at me and others for educational ends. Shen (left, from China) and Gatya (Indonesia) here anticipate that I will be able to talk about something interesting over the next ten minutes or so.
A rare appearance on the blog for my office: the sharp-eyed may note the newspaper cutting on the wall celebrating Brighton’s League Cup victory over Manchester City in 2009. And why not.
George in Arundel Park
Sunday 10th April 2016, 9.45am (day 1,690)
My friend George featured on the blog fairly recently (in February in fact) — but I like her purple hair, just right for this very pleasant morning in West Sussex, so let’s feature her again…
Whitehawk Ultras
Saturday 9th April 2016, 3.15pm (day 1,689)
One reason for going down south was to attend a game at Brighton & Hove’s other football team, Whitehawk FC. Why? Why not? They have an active set of Ultras, anti-racist, anti-sexist, a no bad language policy (exemplified by the chant, “the referee’s a… referee”) and the atmosphere put many much bigger clubs to shame. Right result too — Whitehawk 3, Wealdstone 0. Perhaps I have just found my second team.
Mario Bros. (and mushroom)
Saturday 2nd April 2016, 11.25am (day 1,682)
Why? Because reasons, as Joe would say. And this was definitely his kind of event.
Outside the Shoulder of Mutton
Tuesday 29th March 2016, 2.55pm (day 1,678)
The Shoulder of Mutton in remains closed, as do about half the pubs in Hebden Bridge town centre. This guy looks mildly distressed by this fact, or possibly he’s decided that it’s really time he found a hobby other than skateboarding (I assume the board on the table next to him is significant).
Pace Egg play
Friday 25th March 2016, 2.20pm (day 1,674)
The Pace Egg play is performed at various locations around Hebden Bridge each Good Friday. St. George defeats all challengers, there is death, rebirth, all that jazz. It dates back hundreds of years — ‘Pace’ comes from the Old English word for Easter. A troupe of actors perform it at Hepstonstall each year, and then this group from Calder High (Joe’s school) tour it round the villages with the help of a non-medieval blue van. I caught this performance in Luddenden in this Good Friday’s pleasant weather.
Joe and his Great-Gran
Saturday 19th March 2016, 3.15pm (day 1,668)
Joe’s great-grandmother — Clare’s gran, Alma Draper — is 90 today; happy birthday to her. That’s a lot of life. We attended the celebrations in Morecambe today. This picture shows them both standing up, incidentally — Joe is getting much taller, and Gran, well, she’s never been particularly tall.
