Holiday in the Peak District

Week of the 20 August 07 and there we are in the Peak District.
Memorable Moments were:

Well Dressing in Taddington Chatsworth and a rainbow

'Atmostheric' Haddon Hall
(it's a family joke)

Lyme Park and the Damien Hirst 'Pregnant Woman'Bakewell in the morning and Bakewell Puddings!

Too many Bakewell puddings!

Sarah and the'Bean'

Sarah and James (aka 'The Bean') have decided to get married on 20 December 08 in Thame with a reception at the Oxford Golf Club afterward. I wonder if I can get a game. Great News they are a well suited couple though Bean did not put in the casserole tonight and Sarah has banned him from going out. So he has to stay in and play with his Wii (sounds rude, that)

Time Flies

Time flies when you get older. It seems to speed up and, there you are, you're in September. It's the same with Flat Four it was only five minutes ago when we all first met and decided to put on plays together -and now it's twenty odd years later. So there we are having an August weekend in Selsey. The weekend was typical 'Gillian' . Ever the excellent hostess she laid on sunshine, shopping, dancing in the street (see below) and a visit to Patrick Moore's garden party.
Swimming in the sea and croquet (we let her win).




There was much silliness and a cat







Perhaps we should have been reading plays











Early morning Selsey












Robert is never far from a cat (hmmm)or a cat is never far from Robert









Selsey Street Fair







Caught in an untypical pose (drinking)!!













Caught in a typical pose (shopping)








Aaaaah!












Thats better. Kitchen bitches!







Dancing in the streets!








Early morning Sunday in Selsey





Oh, by the way the weight is now 15 st 3 lbs ( I thought if I put it in here then no one would notice)

Music that cheers me up

Pleasant Valley Sunday - The Monkees
Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty
The title music to the series 'Firefly'
The Castleford Ladies Magical Circle
The Lark Ascending
Variations on a theme of Thomas Tallis
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Jerusalem
I'm a believer - The Monkees
Sympathy for the Devil - Rolling Stones
Penny Lane - Beatles
Duelling Banjos
Faure's Requiem - Libera Me (funnily enough)
The music from the film 'Badlands' - Musica Poetica (a haunting theme to one of the most brilliant films ever made)
Little Green Bag
'I wish' and 'Tragedy'- from Into the Woods (in fact most of the songs from that show)
Days - Kirstie
Eleanor Rigby
Angie - Bert Jansch
Tam Linn - Maddie ( oh Maddie xx)
Paris in the Rain and Play the Song again - Maria Friedman
Take 5 - Dave Brubeck
He is an Englishman -reminds me of 'An Englishman Abroad'
Red River Rock - Johnny and The Hurricanes

and a song that can make me cry

In the Sky - sung by Maria Friedman. Please go and get a copy and listen very carefully. It was written by a 12 year old boy in 1940. He was one of the Jewish Community in the Vilna Ghetto.
It is the voice of an individual soul crying out against the horror and ravages of war. I first heard her sing it live at the National Theatre as part of the play 'Ghetto'. Perhaps the only play I ever attended when the 'curtain' was met by profound stunned silence. Listen to the music and try to get a copy of the play. The messages of both song and play, resonate still. The song is a track on 'Maria Friedman' 1995. Carlton Home Entertainment Ltd.

another play that had a similar effect on the audience was 'Oleana' by David Mamet. The only two hander I have encountered in which, no matter who you side with, you're wrong!

Thames rising

Same bridge on two consecutive nights

Stranded boats

Flooded meadow near the Swan Inn

Mallorca

It's been a while since the last entry. Been away to Mallorca. I've always been a bit of a snob about 'Majorca' and the images that it conjures. I was persuaded to go on the recommendation of a colleague. I'm glad I did. Had a relaxing time in a quiet neighborhood (Costa del Pinos). Good weather, great beaches, friendly people and plenty of good food. The weight, I have to admit, suffered badly. I am ashamed to put it in writing. I spent most of the time swimming, lazing on the beach and reading. During the latter I re-aquainted myself with 'Canon Alberic','The Mezzotint', 'The Tractate Middoth', and 'A Warning to the Curious' et al. I was lucky to have the Oxford version so lots of juicy footnotes and explanatory bits of biography.

Re visiting M.R. James put me in the mood for visiting a gothic Cathedral. So a day in Palma was called for. The Cathedral is majestic (I think it's the largest in Europe) dominating the waterfront.

Whilst Jenny ransacked the shops I enjoyed strolling around the narrow winding streets of the Old Town in Palma. The courtyards of the old houses are a delight with surprisingly theatrical presentations of works of art .

Great set for 'Romeo and Juliet'

We also experienced the public transport preferring bus to car. Very reliable but took ages to get anywhere. So tended to walk (and still put on weight). On a beach near Callor Millor (a concrete hell hole although the beach was OK)) I nearly met Wales, Liverpool and Swansea legend John Toshack. He was at the next table in a beach bar and I earwigged his conversation (talking about the Rugby World Cup, funnily enough). Jenny was unimpressed. Oh yes I also enjoyed the white stallions ( of the Mounted Police) outside the Palace in Palma.

Anyway, I've got lots of photo's of sand and blue sky and sea but they can be a bit boring so I'll keep them to myself. We got back to England on 20 July just after the rains came. Gloucester was flooded and the Severn and Thames were steadily rising. Didn't affect us much though, although Jenny's family were in dire straights (David was 18 hours in a rescue centre after getting his car caught in the floods, Stephen was putting his furniture upstairs and Megan was cut off in Newent with the tides rising and people stockpiling water and food). Goring lock was submerged but it was the next village, Pangbourne, that was hit quite severely. One chap at work was devastated when his was the only house in the street to be flooded just because of the lie of the land. We got off scot free (funny expression that! why 'scot' free?)

Science Museum

I'm just taking a few minutes to update the blog. It's been awhile. A friend of mine pointed out an apparent paradox. We complain about the increasing amount of 'unecessary' surveillance that predominates our society and yet an increasing number of people share intimate aspects of their lives in 'blogs'.

Spent last Saturday at the Science Museum in London. Jenny and I went with Steph', Chris and Lara.

We wanted to show Lara the Lions in Trafalgar Square but we couldn't get in because Gay Pride had cordoned the square off for their annual march. I feel I want to say something about a 'gay pride of lions', but can't think what.

But we did meet John and Ruth and, as the weather was pretty lousy, we went to the Science Museum. We spent all afternoon playing with gadgets and puzzles. I enjoyed the medical bit and Stephenson's Rocket. It was a great day out (and cheap - free entry). Brilliant for all us kids (and the adults too).

John distinguished himself by attempting to put the largest Jaffa Cake that I've ever encountered into his, considerably sized, mouth all in one go. I don't know who he gets that from. Must be his mother. I take a few moments for a brief aside. It seems that entering the venerable estate of marriage has not matured this boy one jot (I'm pleased to say). He invited me to be a 'friend of his' on a site called 'Facebook' or something of the kind. On entering this website I find that I have been bitten by a 'zombie' and that I now can 'poke' and 'bite' other people. His, is a strange world. At least I thought it was his world until I found that Karrie (a Flat Four friend) had also invited me to be her 'Facebook' chum. Mind you, she's not responsible for her actions either.

Back to London. We finished off the day at Hamlys Toy Store where we were assaulted by a woman with a'bubble gun'. Oh well!

The rest of the week was pretty tame after that.

A nice recipe and the 'Bacon Sandwich'

First, Happy Birthday to Sarah and John (30 and 33 today). Sarah is in Mexico and has just phoned to tell us that James has proposed to her today! She accepted. John and Ruth, his new wife, would like to be in Mexico but have just bought a house and can't afford holidays for the next 100 years.

One of the joys of having a new daughter in law is that, because she is a vegetarian, we have had to extend our culinary knowledge base. Learn to cook plants. I used to think that the most potent argument against vegetarianism was 'THE BACON SANDWICH' (fanfare and pause for applause). But I have become enlightened and although 'THE BACON SANDWICH' (fanfare) is still a force to be reckoned with there are some very forceful counter arguments in the vegetarian camp. One being the Artichoke! You may stand aghast but try this recipe.....s'good....honest.

Got it from BBC - Sunday Kitchen by Celia Brown

Preparation time less than 30 mins. Cooking time 30 mins to 1 hour

Ingredients
4 large fresh globe artichokes
1 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
300g/10oz mixed wild mushrooms, especially morels, chanterelles and ceps, cleaned and chopped into small chunks
2 tsp fresh thyme or lemon thyme leaves
80ml/ 3fl oz vermouth
150g/6oz mascarpone cheese
salt and pepper
25g/1oz pecans, crushed
a handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1 potato, boiled and mashed
olive oil
vinegar
Method1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil for the artichokes. Add a good glug of both vinegar and olive oil to the water and plenty of salt.2. To prepare the artichokes, snap off the stem and slice about a third off the top. Pull out what you can from the middle and use a spoon to scoop out all of the hairy choke. Place in the boiling water and cook until tender, about 30-40 minutes. They are done when a leaf pulled from toward the centre comes away without resistance. Drain upside-down until dry. Preheat the oven to 220C/400F/Gas 6.3. To make the stuffing, melt the butter on moderate heat in a wide frying pan and add the mushrooms, garlic and thyme with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. When they have absorbed the butter and begin to soften, pour in the vermouth and cook, stirring, until it has mostly evaporated. Finally, stir in the mascarpone. Allow it to melt and coat everything with its sweet creaminess.4. Spoon into the middle of the drained artichokes. Sprinkle with crushed pecans and bake for about 10 minutes, until heated through and golden on top. Finish with chopped parsley before serving. When eating, use the leaves of the artichoke to scoop out the creamy filling. Serve on a bed of mashed potato.

I found that the artichokes go black after cutting unless you coat them with lemon juice. I also put lemon juice in the water to boil the artichokes instead of vinegar.

Enjoy! I served it to Ruth (daughter in law) and her Mum (Jean) and they survived!!

Back to the 'BACON SANDWICH' (fanfare and wild adoration).

In April the BBC reported that scientists (from Leeds University) had, apparently, created a mathematical formula of how to make the perfect bacon butty and discovered the secret to the ideal sandwich lay in how crispy and crunchy rashers were.
They found that two or three back bacon rashers should be cooked under a preheated oven grill for seven minutes at about 240C (475F).
The bacon should then be placed between two slices of farmhouse bread, 1cm to 2cm thick.

Four researchers at the Department of Food Science spent more than 1,000 hours testing 700 variations on the traditional bacon sandwich (You see they are not a University just to waste their time!!).

They tried different types and cuts of bacon, cooking techniques, types of oil and a range of cooking times at different temperatures.

A shortlist was then tested with computers to measure the texture of each sandwich.

Fifty volunteers also judged each sandwich according to its taste, texture and flavour.

Dr Graham Clayton, who led the research, said: "Our research proves that texture and the crunching sound is important. While there was much debate within our taste panels on the smoked or unsmoked decision, everyone agreed that tough or chewy bacon is a turn-off."

The formula is: N = C + {fb (cm) . fb (tc)} + fb (Ts) + fc . ta, where N=force in Newtons required to break the cooked bacon, fb=function of the bacon type, fc=function of the condiment/filling effect, Ts=serving temperature, tc=cooking time, ta=time or duration of application of condiment/filling, cm=cooking method, C=Newtons required to break uncooked bacon.

I could have told them that

New Prime Minister today!!! S'funny I don't feel any different. Thought it was an impressive first speech outside Number 10. New Politics eh! I like that idea, let's see if it works. Pity Paddy Ashdown didn't see it that way. Best men/women for the job despite party boundaries -sounds good to me.

Oh yes the Artichoke recipe - next time.

Weekend away

Having returned from a productive weekend with the Flat Four Players I weighed myself to find I have lost 2lbs more. (14st 10lbs). I always loose weight over these weekends, must be the food or exercise.

Back home and John and Ruth have bought a house (hooray!), haven't seen it yet but apparently has all original features (Victorian, mid terrace) and nice garden with off road parking. Not far from the River Thames. So that's both John and Sarah settled (for a while anyway).

I'm working on a research project currently about the use of HDOT (High density Oxygen Therapy) as an adjunct to rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries. I was amazed to learn that I had to get authorisation from the MRHA (Medical Health Regulating Authority) as well as normal ethical research approval. Apparently Medical Liquid Oxygen is considered a 'drug' as it is listed in the British National Formulary. It's odd that the gas we are going to use (high oxygen content, though it is) is considerd Prescription only Medicine, when Divers use Oxygen mixed with Nitrox without a prescription. Anyway, I've queried that with the MRHA and we'll see what they have to say. I sent off all the appropriate forms today and I have 20 days to wait for authorisation so I'll keep you posted. I mean I'll keep me posted because I don't believe any else reads this. But as I wrote earlier this blog is for me to keep some sort of order in my thoughts and not really for anyone else.



Working with my patients today and discussing their previous treatment. I am constantly amazed at the lack of information they are given by their surgeons (or medical staff) prior to, or post elective surgery. Nearly all the patients tell me how surprised they are at their lack of progress (before attending our unit of course) and didn't anticipate the weakness, lack of range of movement or lack of co-ordination they would experience post surgery. Go to surgery get fixed then I'll be OK. Well no, that's not how it works. You loose muscle bulk, strength and stability. There's scar tissue and wounds and pain and ....stuff!!!! Why don't the surgeons tell them this. It takes time for the body to heal for goodness sake.



Sorry going on a bit. Just that it's one of my pet frustrations. Another one is Bookshops that put price stickers over either the title or the dustjacket notes of a book you want to buy. STOP DOING IT!!
Ah well, back to work, see you.

Oh yes. I've got a great recipe for artichokes with a mushroom and vermouth filling. I'll put it in next time.

Waterloo

Today, 192 years ago, the Battle of Waterloo was fought in an area of just 3 miles east to west and 1.5 miles north to south. The opening battery commenced at about 11.25 hours and the battle was won by 22.00 hours. Wellington's army was 68,000 strong and Napoleon had 72,000. The Allied army is positoned on the north ridge sheltered, in the main, on a reverse slope sheltered from canon shot. 'Hedges of considerable size protect part of the British front, and the position is made stronger by the possession of three fortified points, the chateau, farm and woods of Hougoumont, the farm of La Haye Sainte, and the villages of Papelotte, La Haye and Frischermont'

The first attack, by the French, is on the Allied right directed at Hougoumont Farm and Chateau. Hougoumont is the western most outpost of Wellington's line and so important to keep to prevent his army being outflanked. First intended to be a feint to draw Wellington's strength from his centre the battle for Hougoumont lasts all day with an escalating amount of 10,000 French thown against the 2,500 defenders. It is never taken. Napoleon directs General D'Erlon against the Allied centre. He learns that Grouchy has not prevented the Prussians from marching to join Wellington. He deploys his reserves to guard his right flank against the Prussian threat. The farm of La Haye Sainte is taken at 5.pm. 'Of the original 678 men who had been garrisoned at La Haie Sainte only 42 managed to escape alive. Now the centre of the allied line was completely exposed to French attack.'

D'Erlon attacks the Allied right centre with 4 Divisions, Cavalry and Artillery. The action is saved by the heroic charge of the Household Brigade (English Cavalry) which sweep into the French lines. They attack the artillery but with their horses blown they cannot return and are destroyed by the French Lancers. 2,500 horsemen sustaining 1,000 casualties. But the main French attack is repulsed. The British position is desperate with fighting all along the line. Marshall Ney thinks the British are defeated and are retreating and attacks with massed cavalry unsupported by infantry or artillery only to find that the British have formed squares which repulse the attack. He attacks 12 times. The squares hold and this, arguably, proves the decisive phase of the battle.'Apparently towards the end everyone was so tired, the cavalry and the men in the squares merely stood and stared impotently at each other.' 4 p.m. and the Prussians are in site. They capture the village of Plancenoit on the French right. 2 battallions of the Old Guard repulse them stabilising the French position. Ney wears down the British centre by a series of co-ordinated attacks and begs Napoleon for fresh troops to finish the job. Napoleon delays for 30 minutes until 7 p.m. by which time Wellington has shored up the centre. The Old Guard are sent into battle. They have never been defeated. They are met by the resolute firepower of the Brigade of Guards. The Old Guard waver and retreat. Wellington, seeing this, orders the advance 'Now Maitland, now is your time!' The whole British line moves forward. The French are broken. Napoleon flees the field. Thousands of French are cut down. 47,000 are dead and injured on both sides.

'The ditches around Hougoumont were choked with bodies, and huge piles of corpses marked the area where the French cavalry had been cut down, and one could see the position of the 27th's square by the dead, still lying in that formation. Worse than that was the condition of the wounded, many of whom lay three days before being treated. Parties of Belgian scavengers toured the field, murdering and robbing the wounded; looters from both Allied armies scoured the area, stripping the dead and living alike. Over the whole field arose a continuous moan . Those who saw it acknowledged that the most sickening sight of all was in the Hougoumont enclosure, where a barn had been set alight, burning to death the scores of wounded, both French and British, who had been placed there.'

This is a much simplified account of my limited understanding of the Battle.

I urge anyone interest in the Battle to read 'Waterloo, A Near Run Thing' by David Howard. One of the most enthralling books I have read.

Some of my account is taken from: http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~awoodley/regency/waterloo.html an excellent site dedicated to the Regency period. I urge anyone interested in this period to visit this comprehensive resource.

Saturday and Sunday

Lazy Sunday. Visited Benson Antiques and bought a photo frame. Cut lawn and sat in the garden enjoying the sun. 25 years since the Falklands War (I was at Akrotiri at that time) and there is a poignant reminder on the television. I can't remember much of what went on as it is all so remote now. I wonder if there will be similar commemoration of the Iraq conflict in 25 years. Somehow I doubt it. Tony Blair has only a few more days in power. What wasted potential. I hope Gordon Brown fares better. Heaven save us from the Conservatives. At least Dallaglio is back in the Englan fold (hoorah!). We might just get to the quarters! What price beating the Welsh on 4 August?
Saturday was spent in Oxford. There can be few things as pleasant as sitting in one of the old coffee houses in Oxford watching the tourists and students. Lots of activity with students wearing their examination robes cavorting, covered in food and paint and stuff, I guess to celebrate the end of term or at least exams. Parents loading cars down by Lincoln College. I enjoyed watching the kids enjoying life. Good for them. It is too easy to criticise 'the young generation'. In these students I saw hope and enthusiasm.

Then back home for a walk by the Thames (Goring Lock).






16/17 June 1815. Napoleon needed to swing from his engagement with Blucher and attack Wellington from the east. There had been a mix up with Comte d'Erlon's corp marching uselessly between Quatre Bras and Ligny. D'Erlon was now back under command and Napoleon should have attacked Wellington to prevent them withdrawing toward Mont St Jean. The Emperor did not sieze the chance and Ney did not hold the allies allowing a retreat northwards. The Prussians retreated to the north west to Wavre pursued by Grouchy. Napoleon wanted Blucher harried so that he could not join with Wellington but, in fact, with Grouchy hesitating at Gembloux, Blucher was nearer to Wellington than the two french armies were to each other..

Mercer was involved in fighting a 13 km rearguard from Quatre Bras. The weather had been characterised by thunder and heavy rain.

'The first gun that was fired seemed to burst the clouds overhead, for its report was instantly followed by an awful clap of thunder, and lightning that almost blinded us, whilst the rain came down as if a waterspout had broken over us. The sublimity of the scene was inconceivable. Flash succeeded flash, and peels of thunder were long and tremendous; whilst, as if in mockery of the elements, the French guns still sent forth their feebler glare and now scarcely audible reports - their cavalry dashing on at a headlong pace, adding their shouts to the uproar.We galloped through the storm for our lives.'

The retreat came to an end at the when the rearguard reached the low ridge running east to west across the road to Brussels. This is where the final stand would be made.

'The enemy finding us obstinate in maintaining our position, soon slackened, and then ceased firing altogether.; and we were immediately ordered to do the same, and establish ourselves in bivouac for the night'
The soldiers of all three armies would start the fight next day in a state of sodden cold, caked with mud and starving hungry.

Mercer writes 'Thoroughly wet - cloak, blankets and all - comfort was out of the question, so we prepared to make the best of it. Our first care was, of course, the horses......thus they,at least had plenty to eat.....For ourselves, we had nothing! absolutely nothing! - and looked forward to rest alone to restore our exhausted strength. Rather a bore going supperless to bed after such a day, yet there was no help for it.....We set up a small tent into which...we crept, and rolling ourselves into our wet blankets, huddled close together, in hope....of keeping each other warm....There was no possibility of sleeping...water pouring through the canvas in streams...so up I got and to my infinite joy found that some of the men had managed to maked a couple of fires, round which they were huddled smoking their short pipes in something like comfort'

At this point Mercer and a fellow Captain borrow a few sticks off the fires and light their own under a hedge sheltered by an umbrella ('which, by the way, had afforded some merriment to our people on the march'). They 'seated ourselves under it, he on one side of the stick and I on the other, we lighted our cigars and became - comfortable. Dear weed, what comfort, what consolation dost thou not impart to the wretched! - with thee a hovel becomes a palace. What stock of patience is ther not enveloped in one of thy brown leaves!

A Hanoverian soldier passes by and they offer him warmth by the fire. In return he gives them 'a poor half starved chicken. 'I got a leg for my share, but it was not one mouthful and this was the only food I tasted since the night before.