Sunday biking

After the very enjoyable Mad March parties (thanks to the organisers!) we decided to take it easy today and took Pops down to the mill for a ride. She rides just great for a four year old, which is all down to Susie, who started her off without training wheels.

End of an era

The Kowloon restaurant in London has been sold. I've been going there for 19 years and it's a sad day. They were always so friendly.

Mutti's 60th - Part 3

A fantastic time for 50 people in Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park. Everything went really well and it was lovely to see both sides of the family and so many friends together.

You can see a larger version of any picture by clicking on it.

Mutti's 60th - Part 2

Outside with Jobst, Antoinette, George and Poppy:

Mutti's 60th - Part 1

Some pictures from the first evening in Surbiton with the German side of the family. It was fantastic to see everyone:

Isle of Man

Just back from a sunny few days on the Isle of Man. Quite a nice, relaxing time, except everything is shut until Easter. Castles, railways, trams, everything. The B&B was OK except for the rancid kipper smell but it had a DVD player in the room, which I've never comes across before. Gave me the chance to brush up on a few magic tricks, but not many as I could follow how James Brown was doing them but was nowhere near being able to do them myself.

The IoM was sunny and breezy, just how I like it. And expensive! Still, the buses were reasonable, as was the quality of the pub grub so I wandered around the island a bit and took it easy. The way back took longer than expected as the ferry had been diverted to help another vessel in distress but by tea time I was back in the Broadbottom drizzle. Down to London with Pops tomorrow.

One thing I noticed on the IoM was there was only one person I'd call at all cheerful. Scary.

Chester Zoo

A top day out at Chester Zoo again, in spite of the wind and rain. Pops and I were both in good spirits and determined to make the best of it and the animals obliged: the lions scrapped over their beef, the elephants rolled in the mud, the snakes slithered and chimpanzees played. Normally they all just sit around. One chimpanzee even tightrope-walked along a long webbing strap on his hind legs which I've never seen before. The penguins frolicked and even the storks put on quite a show. Only the rhinos wished they were elsewhere. There are some great new bats too, with a wingspan of 1.5 metres!

It is such a contrast to the awful Eureka "museum" in Halifax - fake bats, fake shops etc. Give me Chester Zoo any day!