Category Archives: Portrait

Jun 07 2012
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

Town beach, Kristiansand

Monday 4th June 2012, 5.30pm (day 284)

Kristiansand beach, 4/6/12_low-res

We transited down to Kristiansand today, in the southernmost part of Norway (though still as far north as Aberdeen in Scotland). Wouldn’t have chosen to come here normally, but was invited to give a keynote speech at a conference. It’s not as dramatic as the western fjords but it’s pleasant enough, and the sun was shining. This picture makes it look like it’s got wide, sweeping sands, but actually it’s a pretty scrubby bit of beach, probably artificial. Nevertheless, the kid’s having fun, and it was quite a sunny and pleasant evening.

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Jun 07 2012
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Daily Post, Family Member, Portrait

Joe in ‘Vilvite’

Saturday 2nd June 2012, 12.05pm (day 282)

Joe, marble run, 2/6/12

‘Vilvite’ is Bergen’s kid-oriented science museum. Joe’s favourite exhibit – and, except perhaps for the big artificial stream in which one could play with sand dams and watch the formation of alluvial flows, probably mine – was this big marble run with about a hundred different little channels and toys and bells in it. Took me a few goes to get this shot, but I like it a lot.

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May 31 2012
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

Working on the Summer House

Thursday 31st May 2012, 4.10pm (day 280)

Summer house, 31/5/12

“Ere, mate. Dontcha think it’s ironic, like, that the day we put up this ‘summer house’ in the city centre, it’s the first rainy day in a fortnight?”

“Yeh, it’s all part of the comedy of life innit. Or maybe because it’s a Bank Holiday weekend. Anyway, sod that. I want to know why Jack ever thought that those shorts were a good idea.”

I’m off to Norway tomorrow – most likely there won’t be posts on here for a few days but you’ll get a big lump of them all at once when I get back. Including one of a fjord. If it kills me, there’ll be one of a fjord this time.

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May 29 2012
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Daily Post, Family Member, Friend, Portrait

Mölkky in the woods

Tuesday 29th May 2012, 4.30pm (day 278)

Mölkky, 29-5-12

Even the keenest follower of this blog is unlikely to have lost a great deal of sleep over the fate of the mölkky (Finnish skittles) set last seen on Christmas Day. But here it is, providing an excuse to involve Joe, Clare and our neighbour Keith in some enjoyable physical activity out in the woods across the road, on another glorious evening. Better than just hanging round the pub anyway. (Which we did anyway, afterwards…. too nice to stay in.)

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May 28 2012
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Daily Post, Family Member, Portrait

Clare in red glove

Monday 28th May 2012, 10.35am (day 277)

Clare, red glove, 28/5/12

Grrrr. No comment necessary.

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May 24 2012
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Daily Post, Friend, Hebden Bridge, Portrait

Myu on the Stepping Stones

Thursday 24th May 2012, 1.15pm (day 273)

Myu on the stepping stones, 24/5/12

Every year I invite my students to come to Hebden Bridge for a day out in the countryside. The end of May usually does see good weather but – especially considering what it was like a week ago – this year we were spectacularly lucky.

I like this photo because although Myu is at the back of this line of people (and I cropped a couple more off the right end) she is also quite clearly its focus, with that happy smile. Incidentally she is also the striker for the University of Manchester women’s football 2nd team, who have just finished second in their league: so she’s probably better at football than you are, as well.

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May 23 2012
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

Student in sunny suburbia

Tuesday 22nd May 2012, 1.55pm (day 271)

Sleeping student, 22/5/12

Worked today at Rose Bruford college, a partner of the University of Manchester, located in Sidcup, near London – the epitome of suburbia. No hardship to be down there today, however: a glorious, sunny late spring day.

I should also point out that about 10 seconds after I had taken this picture, another student came and tipped a bottle of water over this girl’s back. Sweet.

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May 21 2012
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Daily Post, Friend, Portrait

Jack, outside the pub

Monday 21st May 2012, 5.50pm (day 270)

Jack, 21/5/12

Yesterday was good, and today continued very fine: best weather since the end of March. Here we are sat out in front of the Railway; yes, it’s by a main road, but it’s a great little suntrap. This is Jack: you will recognise him better with the hat and glasses on than without them. There’s me, too, if you look carefully.

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May 18 2012
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

Queueing for ‘Brief Encounter’

Thursday 17th May 2012, 7.35pm (day 266)

Cinema queue, 17/5/12

This is officially Clare’s favourite movie and when the cinema ran a poll a while back to vote for which films the community would like to be shown at our excellent local movie house, she engaged in some serious lobbying on its behalf. Whether it made the final difference, who knows, but sure enough, we had the chance tonight to see Brief Encounter as all films are meant to be seen – at the cinema. So me, her, and what seemed like the entire middle-aged female population of Hebden Bridge were there tonight.

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May 16 2012
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

Gymnastic display, Exchange Square

Wednesday 16th May 2012, 3.30pm (day 265)

Gymnasts, 16/5/12

Where, a month ago, the Wheel of Manchester still stood, there was today this gymnastic display by a group of energetic ten year-olds. This’ll all be some Olympic games run-up thing. I snapped this one as I went past on my way to the station: luck more than judgment, I can assure you.

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