"The biggest blog in history"

We are being encouraged to take part in the biggest blog in history.

'One Day in History' is a one off opportunity for you to join in a mass blog for the national record. We want as many people as possible to record a 'blog' diary which will be stored by the British Library as a historical record of our national life.

Write your diary here reflecting on how history itself impacted on your day - whether it just commuting through an historic environment, discussing family history or watching repeats on TV.

You can enter your blog anytime up to October 31st.

a bit too close to the truth

1. Your houseplants are alive, and you can't smoke any of them.
2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question.
3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.
4. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.
5. You hear your favorite song in an elevator.
6. You watch the Weather Channel.
7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of "hook up" and "break up."
8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.
9. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up."
10. You're the one calling the police because those %&@# kids next door won't turn down the stereo.
11. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.
12. You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.
13. Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up.
14. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonald's leftovers.
15. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.
16. You take naps.
17. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.
18. Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 AM would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach.
19. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and
pregnancy tests.
20. A £2.00 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good shit."
21. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.
22. "I just can't drink the way I used to" replaces "I'm never going to drink that much again."
23. 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.
24. You drink at home to save money before going to a bar.
25. When you find out your friend is pregnant you congratulate them instead of asking "Oh shit what the hell happened?"

What I did

Funny old day. My dad has been thinking for months about buying a new Telly. He always likes buying from John Lewis as they give you a free 5 year guarantee. Anyway the three of us turned up and he looked and asked Mum's opinion (which is do you like the look of it! Mum is never that bothered as long as she likes the look of it). I expected him to then go look somewhere else compare prices but of course my Dad being my Dad has a rush of blood and buys it. Its 37 inches LCD HD ready, turns up Thursday week. Will be good for Christmas!!

This afternoon I popped into Rye Meads. Very quiet, ducks looking very dapper. Two Redshanks and Snipe being the highlight.

Then pulled up the plants ready for the tip.

Birding in Norfolk

I was up at some ridiculous hour and set off to Dave's. It promised well with an Urban Fox near home but just as we neared our first stop a Moorhen walked in front of the car :(

We arrived at Holkham at about 7:50 and promptly had a Woodcock fly over our heads. Lots of birds in the woods with some large tit flocks (predominantly Coal and Long Tail) and lots of Goldcrests. There were lots of Grey Squirrels and a few muntjac. Our target birds were Yellow-Browed Warbler and Firecrest, both were heard but......... we also heard Bearded Tits.

We headed back to Titchwell, which was absolutely packed with twitchers for the Whiskered Tern. This had advantages as the cafe was empty and we had prompt service of Bacon Rolls! We then strolled along the path with Water Rails grunting, Beardies pinging and Cettis being mouthy and saw the Whiskered Tern. Ran into two Harlow Birders at Titchwell as well. You drive 110 miles.......

So where next? Twitchers eh! Off to Salthouse which was quiet, Razorbill and a Juve Puffin off coast as well as Gannets and a Red Throated Diver. In the nearest pool was one Dunlin and a Curlew Sandpiper.

Lunch at the Dun Cow Salthouse was rather nice and then we stopped at East Bank Cley. Red Throated Diver off coast and a pair of Eider flying through. The White-Rumped Sandpiper was a right git to find luckily for me it flew with 2 Dunlins giving nice rump views.

Stopped off at Blakeney to twitch the Cattle Egret (honestly don't you hate these tick and run merchants).

Curiously the hardest to find was the Snow Goose. We sort of misjudged it and found a massive Pink Foot flock but no... oh there's another one over there, drove to far. Well found some birders and the promised two barnacle geese were there but uh no Snow Goose. We then did what we should have done in the first place and used the OS map and found the right field and there it was.

A rather pleasant day in the usual good company. I missed some good birds like Marsh Harrier and Little Stint out!

Not very Christian is it........

Simon, who runs the excellent Suffolk and Norfolk church websites, was telling me (ok it was an email!) about a Vicar who has asked him to remove the entries for the two parish churches he serves. The two churches are Hunstanton St Edmund & Ringstead St Andrew. I hope Simon doesn't mind me quoting but the vicar's objection seemed to be Simon having a website based on his "own prejudiced ideas". Apparently there is an OFFICIAL website and he finds "it very worrying that someone can set up a website without the permission of those whose task it is to attend to the ministry and mission of the Church.". I mean really who do these people think they are. Everytime I find myself drawn to the church, and yes there are times, I find myself put off by something. Whether it be clergyman/wardens to full of their own importance or finding them as big supporters of creationist theories. Anyway I was trying to find the offical website when I came across Ship of Fools. Ship of Fools is a christian website that describes itself as The Magazine of Christian unrest. I do like those religious types who can laugh at themselves. Anyway I happened across a Ship of Fools Mystery Worshipper report of St Edmunds Hunstanton. But that isn't what prompted this blog. There is an article whereby by SofF got fooled! They received a complaint that one of the reviews was too positive and apparently its a cold day in hell when this happens. It would appear that a Priest/Vicar wrote the reports himself praising his dress sense and singing. It would also that he has done this before under different user ids. The priest has even admitted to misleading his congregation about taking a service at Westminser Abbey. Sounds a trustworthy bloke doesn't he. Of course there are vicars/churches with a sense of humour. Sadly the excellent Rivenhall Church near me is normally locked but the Vicar was able to give me instructions as to how to get in. In their website is the following section. Go look you'll enjoy. The lovely Kate was asking me for info about St John the Baptist Finchingfield and whether I had any photos. I have told her I don't..... yet. I'm off next Thursday YES I KNOW!! But I can't keep accumulating hours and I don't want to take the Friday as we are putting stuff live tonight and I want to be about for the next few Fridays. So I think a walk in the forest at Hatfield and a trip over to Finchingfield and its environs is a good idea. Expect to see some photos!!

Questions more questions

here we go....

47. What do you think Canada is really like?

48. What's in your pockets?

49. What do you consider 'depression' to be?

50. What makes you v.angry?

51. When was the last time you burst out laughing, why?

52. Tell me your fashion disasters.

53. Write your own obituary in less than 10 words.

54. What can you put in a box to make it lighter?

55. You have to change your name, what would you legally change it to?

56. Your favourite 3 course meal?

57. Recall your super-natural experiences.

58. What is your 'trade mark' party trick?

59. Tell us your favourite joke.

60. Which of the above questions were supplied by someone other than Dave?

Flakes

In her blog today Kate mentions 99 or flakes. Now mention of cadbury's flakes makes you think back to those classic adverts of a an attractive girl "eating" a flake. For me the classic was the girl in the bath drool.... sorry mind elsewhere but I can't find that so for your entertainment....

Waiting Again

Well Mum has had the biopsy results and its cancer. However she and Dad seem to think its not as serious as it might be (guess its all relative), apparently she's going to have a 10 minute chemo (not sure how often) but she won't lose her hair and she'll have to take some Hormonal tablets.

She seemed quite upbeat.... even Dad didn't sound as down as I thought (my Dad can find the negative in anything!).

I'll pop in later to see them and get more info.

Did I jump when the phone went!! Heart goes in mouth etc!!

Coming back from Holiday I discovered my House and contents was up for renewal. I KNOW I am paying through the nose and I've discovered how much I am paying through the nose. Not certain who I'll go with but it'll save enough for 4 nights DB&B in Norfolk. Ever practical.

Stuff

Well as I've lots of flexi time I shot off at lunchtime yesterday to take my little travelscope back for repair. Before anyone says anything I was in the office at 7:30 so leaving at 12:30 isn't too bad.

The bloke has sent it back to Nikon. I've heard there service is naff so it'll be a while lucky I'm not dependent on it. I'll slum it with my Leica!!

Well as it was still early I popped into Rye Meads. The reserve was quiet (naturally). Ducks coming into plumage. Teal numbers increasing. Little Grebes showing off, Snipe and Green Sandpiper present. Cormorants very entertaining.

Sunday 8th October

Jan wanted to get back to London so I arranged to meet her and Tony near Exeter and pick her up.

Decided that it would be nice to stop at Stourhead. I won't waffle on about how nice it was....









Jan who is not quite as old as the gardens (I'm dead aren't I sweetie) and who will be a blogger when she gets on broadband.



Dropped Jan off and visited the old folks. The reason this blog is finished is that Jan wouldn't let me do anything!! Cooked dinner made cups of tea. Oh I opened a very nice Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc.

Had a super week. 3 weeks until next short break - LOL.