Writing instead of walking

I've spent the month of November carrying this notebook and pen pretty much everywhere with me. I've been taking part in NaNoWriMo - the National Novel Writing Month - the point of which is to write a complete new novel of at least 50,000 words during the month. Obviously that means a first draft, not something of publishable quality.

It's been interesting. Some days it was really easy to hit the average 1,667 words needed, on others I tried, but missed that target, on still more I didn't even try because something more interesting had been happeneing.

What I can say now is that I have written a novel?

This is something that I have tried to do before. I have the first third, or maybe half of a novel that I tried to write after my creative writing course in 2009. It stalled on a difficult scene and stayed stalled because I had no real incentive to go on. I also have the opening of two or three other things that I've wanted to do none of which have made past the first few pages, or have expanded beyong the initial short story. Why? No real incentive to go on.

So, when I saw this challenge to write a novel in a month, a whopping 50,000 words, I went for it.
And it worked. The novel is finished. I expect it will get much bigger in the second draft and then smaller again as I tidy it up - I'll be aiming for something around the 80,000 word mark, the traditional 300 page target - I really don't agree with the whole 700 page novel nonsense - a book should be 300 pages, a song 3 minutes, a movie 90 minutes.

There can be exceptions to this rule of course - but I'm not exceptional. My book will be 300 pages, like the songs I used to write were 3 minutes and if I ever make a movies it will be 90 minutes.

Oh - and did I actually make the 50,000?

A Visit to Brownsea Island

Visiting Brownsea island in Poole Harbour for my birthday is becoming something of a tradition. despite my birthday being in the middle of October, I usually get good weather and this year was certainly no exception.

The drive to Poole is always a bit of a chore - the distance makes it right of the edge of what we can do for a single day trip.

We arrived in time for the noon ferry crossing from Poole Quay, and had a bit of lunch in the excellent cafe before we set off around the island. Initially, family groups with small children making loads of noise kept the squirrel sightings quite fleeting.



We walked up to the south side of the island first, passed the church where a Pea Hen was fussing over a couple of chicks...



Then up to the cliff overlooking the Sandbanks ferry.



My first shot of a Red Squirrel for the day - he was really moving fast across a path.



Then he stopped a couple of feet up a tree.



Futher along the south shore we came across a young Sika Deer, who seemed completely oblivious to the cameras. I'm sure loads of people will have taken excellent photos.

 



Later in the afternoon the light changed and the paths got a little quieter, and that's when the squirrels really came out.







We managed to get on a ferry before the last one for a change, so got a tour of Poole harbour on the way back to the quay.



Happy birthday to me!

Heritage Motor Centre

Dad was 76 on the 28th September, and as he's almost impossible to buy presents for, I decided to take him on a trip to the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire. Neither of us had been before and at 90 miles it would also give Dad a good idea of what the Silver Scirocco is like. The trip reminded me a lot of when Dad used to take me to the Motor show at the NEC all those years ago. I took Tuesday off work, rather than go at a busy weekend, and fought off a developing cold to get up and over to Mum and Dad's place. It took around an hour and a half to get up to the Museum.

The Museum complex looks fairly new and is very clean and well kept; there are nice access roads and large car parks. The resturant is modern with an art deco theme, and we had sandwiches and an excellent coffee from a machine, none of which was overly expensive.
 


A proportion of the exhibits came from the old British Leyland collection, so there is a definite bias towards Rover, Wolsey, Morris, MG et al, rather than Fords and Vauxhalls. There is a Model T on display, and lots of more modern cars - including some movies cars.

This is a collection of MG record breakers, designed for salt flat racing.



A More modern racer - an Aston Martin DBR9, and a TVR Tuscan racer behind in black and yellow.



This is an experimental Rover gas turbine car, based on a P5. The unusual treatment around the nose made it look like a sports car.



Dad. We found a car you can sit in.



Two halves of an MG.



Lara Croft's Luggage.



Lara Croft's Land Rover. Behind to the left is a Land Rover made up as a Mega City Cab from the Stallone film Judge Dredd.



This might be the only MG SV I've ever seen. These were based on a De Thomaso concept and were quite fierce - with a Mustang V8 they had the power to match the looks, but it all happened at a bad time for MG Rover.



Dad inspecting an Aston Martin DB2.



Morgan have just started making new 3 wheelers - but this is one of the originals.



The Triumph TR6. Always one of my favorites, and this one is about the same age as me.



Lotus 6.



Lotus 7. Much later than the six above, and almost identical in looks to the current Caterham 7 models that are based on it.




View from the Mezzanine across the main floor of the museum.
 

The Red car here was a proposal for a new MG, based on a TVR. The Green Car is a Triumph Lynx, which has the front half of a Triumph TR7, but a pair of small rear seats and a coupe back.


This display has three Minis - all Monte Carlo winners, from 1964 1965 and 1967.



All in all an excellent day out for Dad and me.

Walking in the Lakes (Part 2)

For the Weekend, Anthony, Eddie, Justin and I returned to the Langdale Valley to have another go at getting to the top of Harrison Stickle.

Eddie drove in his (surprisingly excellent) bus, and we stayed in an identical caravan as last time.


Us.


Weather conditions were pretty much perfect for walking up.


The Tarn, about half way up was calm and beautiful.


Justin.


Eddie, Ant.


And Me. Good god, do I really look like that?


View from the top with Lake Windermere in the distance.


Bacon Sandwiches at the top!


Fabulous views on the way down.


And we finished where we always finish... Kingfield v Westfield.

Is it safe to walk in London again yet...

Of course it is.

For anyone going about their business in London everything is normal. I'm sure there are places in Tottenham and Croydon and elsewhere where damage is evident - and I really feel for those people who have lost homes and personal items, for those who have lived in fear for the last few nights and businesses that have lost profits.

But London is not a war zone.

For the vast majority of people who live and/or work here, everything is normal. Except the undercurrent of fear and anger at the rioters. Everyone has an opinion - call in the Army, call in the water cannons, shoot them with rubber bullets, or even real ones. Some are quick to blame one race or another, either for the rioting or for causing the conditions that led to it.

I’ve followed the rioting at a safe distance through Twitter and TV reports, watching as the brave reported on what was actually happening in the streets, and as the misguided spread fear about non-existent problems in their community. The worst things I've read were filled with hatred and bile; I’ve also seen it said that for those involved the rioting has a carnival atmosphere - "a party with fires and free gifts". You can't shame these people by telling them that those affected have been left with nothing - most of them had nothing to start with.

So yes - we need to get control of the streets; repair the damage, we need to find those that broke the law and punish them appropriately.

But then what? Surely a part of the answer is education, both for the disaffected kids and parents that so obviously don’t have control. And finding some way to help those suffering the worst poverty. Not that real poverty was the cause of this any more than the police shooting an armed suspect. The looters were not taking things they need - food and basic clothing - but things they want - mobile phones, booze, trainers, designer labels.

But if you're reading this for the answer then I'm sorry to disappoint; I don't have it. What I've seen over the last few days has saddened and angered me - but not actually affected me. If the riots had been in my community I think I'd be there in the clean-up crew, but I doubt I've really got much to add beyond that. I've read articles that talk of volunteering to help the illiterate read, or of taking the role of appropriate adult. These are the type of things that really have the power to change things for the better - but like the majority of people, I don't have the time or the inclination to get involved myself.

Croatia

Long story short: This year the Gunnee/Page/Geaves clan took a holiday in Croatia.

Arrival.
We flew into Dubrovnic, and collected our hire car. This took about an hour due to the car place having internet and power problems - but we did get a free upgrade to a SEAT Altea, so that was much more comfortable than I was expecting.

Driving in Croatia was fine - there was much less traffic than at home, locals tended to drive either at 50 or 150.

Viganj

The venue was Footprints holiday villa, in Viganj which is on the Peljesac Penninsula, in Dalmatia. This proved to be a fantastic place - recently refurbished and very tastefully decorated, almost exclusively from John Lewis and Marks and Spenser.
Viganj itself is smart and clean, but is nothing more than a village - with a couple of Resturants, bars and a single shop. It's worth noting that 1st June is really considered the start of the season and some things are closed before.

Pool at the villa.


Split old town.























This is Croatian Coffee, which is excellent.












































John and Maureen - 50 years married.