Toni’s crew whooped the Eaton crew handily in their 600 metre race this afternoon, under a brilliant blue sky… and 30+ degrees… on a lovely section of the Thames by the village of Burway (the Burway Regatta). Winning that heat qualified her crew for the final against a boat from their own school. The other boat, crewed by slightly older kids, slightly more experienced, won… the sad/disappointing thing is that Toni’s crew lost the race before they even left the starting line. The older girls psyched them out… The Thames, itself, was actually very busy. The race course was situated … Continue reading A lovely Sunday on the Thames…

Just a quick note to update what’s happenin’…We’re getting ready to set off for Warwick Castle, then on to Woking… then hanging out until my flight on Tuesday. Once we get to Woking I will spend some time talking about the last three days, including the visit to the fabulously enigmatic Portmerion, the only place I’ve ever been where they print the times of high tide on the admission tickets!All is well… Continue reading Just a quick update…

The weather is wet and windy again this morning… the forecasters seem to have even more trouble getting it right for this part of the UK as they do in northern Alberta.On Sunday morning, I did board a train for Liverpool, all by myself. There was absolutely no resistance to me setting off on my own… and yes, I was very surprised. I suspect that Gail was starting to see the chinks in my good humour about it all, and decided to avoid the fight…After paying my 3 lbs, 70 for the return trip, I took a place in a … Continue reading Can’t quite figure out this weather…

When the television cameras take their shots of the eighteenth hole and the clubhouse building in behind, if you look really, really closely, you’ll see us on the other side of the glass in the clubhouse, staying warm and dry! I would try to post photos, but the ones I have are of the practice rounds (which I may post anyway). They are confiscating cameras and cellphones at the gate to the grounds.The wet and the winds have been outrageous… we’ve found that it is more acceptable to be in the clubhouse (thanks to Sally and Derek’s member guest passes!) … Continue reading At the British Open

Yesterday was an all round good day. We went for a long walk down one of the many public footpaths… and actually met a woman who has lived in Namao and Edmonton; bit of a brassy American who has now settled in the same district as Andrew and Hayley. The husband is a bit eccentric, wearing a violent blue (and yes, I meant to use the word ‘violent’) ball cap with his gold engraved name tags from his previous American employers flopping all over it.The girls rode their bikes, while we hoofed it, with the dogs running merrily through the … Continue reading And last night we…

As promised, here are photos of where we’re staying in the UK… We are actually living in the darker building… they (our gracious host and hostess) are building the brick building shown in the other photos… Notice how close together they are… the darker building will need to be knocked down before they can finish the main entrance. They expect to be complete by December, so long as Andrew’s other building projects (Andrew Adams Developments) don’t suck up too many resources. Seven bedrooms, just as many full bathrooms… this place is absolutely huge! Continue reading the Bishop’s residences in UK

If you try this:apple acre, pyle hill road, sutton green, woking, surrey gu22 0sr you might find the place on the map, however, if it doesn’t work, trySutton Green Golf Club, Woking, Surrey and if you zoom in you will find Pyle Hill to the south… Continue reading

Woke this morning to bright sunshine. Will it hold? It bloody well better… we’re seeing Elton John at an outdoor concert in the early evening.We’re going to take a quick run in to Guildford and then to a pub for lunch and walk by a canal. Where? I haven’t got a clue… I’ve got to sort out some addresses so that you can Google map where we are… I know that the house we are staying is in Woking, Surrey, on Pyle Hill Road; the house is called Apple Acre. Will it work as a Google address? I don’t know… … Continue reading

Today has been an ‘okay’ day from a weather perspective… until quite recently when we were treated to a brief downpour. The temperature has plummeted, things have gone a bit gray…At the home where we are currently staying, Andrew and Hayley’s on Pyle Hill Road, things are in quite a state. We are staying in their current house, an older frame house that has seen better days. But on the rest of their 2 acre plot, they are building a neo-Georgian mansion of 5000 square feet. The new house is absolutely huge… the current house, referred to alternately as the … Continue reading