exeblog

End of the road

2010-09-27T18:30:00.003+01:00

Well, it is the end of the road for this blog, this weekend I move away from Exeter for the first real time in my life (unless you count a short spell in Exmouth, which most people don't).

I love the city, and love living here but circumstances are taking me to South East England and the market town of Aylesbury. I am sure it has lots of great things about it and I love the idea of discovering a new area of the country.

But that means that, for the foreseeable future this is the last entry in this blog. Thanks for the comments and for reading!

Dont forget my podcast though, which will continue at http://wordsfailmepodcast.blogspot.com/

Long Summer Walk

2010-07-02T14:47:00.003+01:00

On Monday I decided that a lovely long walk in the sun was called for, so I walked from Starcross, all the way to home. That is almost from the coast to the city, so quite a long walk! Luckily there are several excellent pubs on the way, so that broke it up a bit. Here are a few of the pictures I took on my phone.

The train I had just got off in Starcross.

Strange markers along the path from Starcross to Exeter Quay.

Looking across the estate at Powderham, where I saw Deer, Heron and Egrets, shame my phone camera does not have a zoom!

The stillness of the Canal at Turf Locks.

Me looking crazed and windswept at Turf.

The canal path in glorious sun!

Not the nicest part of the walk, but the motorway bridge does at least give some shade.

On the Quay at Exeter over 4 hours from the start, and almost home!

Last of the last of the summer wine.

2010-06-02T18:19:00.001+01:00

I think this Facebook group, and the number of members sums up the demise of Last of the Summer Wine.

Wiscombe - April 2010

2010-04-26T17:56:00.002+01:00

It was the first Wiscombe Hill Climb of the series this weekend, we worked out that I have been going for 7 years now! Looking back through the photos of previous years I worked out I have been to at least 14 individual meeting there, and I still love it!

These days has the added bonus of watching my friend Steve whizz up the hill, I believe he came 2nd in his class, which is not a bad start to the season. Here are a few pictures of his car, slightly modified from last year, unfortunately a shower of rain put the dampers (literally) on the time of his second run up the hill.

Mostly people kept it on the track this weekend, but a few people found the hairpin a little slippery in the wet!

Tiny Oboe

2010-04-22T20:49:00.002+01:00

David Cameron Learns to play tiny Oboe. What a talented man.

Words Fail Me Podcast 3 - Mar 2010

2010-03-27T22:04:00.005Z

Well it has been out for a few weeks now, and we have had over 50 downloads of the episode - which is excellent! I think that the great response to this episode is to do with the excellent guest Dave managed to get for us... Sir Patrick Moore!

I genuinely had no idea who the guest was, and am very impressed.

We also discuss Dave's recent TV and Radio appearances and deny all stalking of the Sugababes.

You can download it here http://wordsfailme.podbean.com/2010/03/14/words-fail-me-3-march-2010/

Another topic is 3D glasses, hence the below picture...

An open letter to the owners of Frock Off in Exeter

2010-03-21T12:30:00.003Z

Dear shop owner(s),

I have walked past your shop in South Street Exeter many times, sometimes on my way to work, sometimes walking to the nearby Wetherspoons, sometimes just having a stroll in the sun. I have to say not once has your pun of a name raised a smile, nor have I ever thought it was a good name for a clothes shop.

I don't know how much thought you gave the name, my guess is somewhere between 'one second' and 'not at all'.

On every single level the name does not work. The pun is clumsy, barely sounding like the intended word.

Why would you want the first thing people think about as they approach the shop that you already want them do go away, even before they have entered? "Frock Off, OK, I think I will!".

Also being a clothes shop wouldn't you want people to put clothes (and frocks) on? Perhaps at the end of a drunken night in the Walkabout pub the frocks will be awkwardly taken off by a man called Clive who works in the BT call centre, but otherwise a shop should be all about putting clothes ON not taking them OFF?

A better pun (that I just came up with) would have been 'Frock On', at least this rhymes with the phrase it is punning with, and describes more closely what happens in a clothes shop.

I beg that you consider changing your name. otherwise I fear you will be one of the many shops that have recently closed down in South Street and you will be promptly replaced by yet another charity shop.

Yours sincerely,

Neil Denham

exeblog

Words Fail Me Podcast - Second Podcast

2010-03-03T19:43:00.003Z

The second Words Fail Me podcast has been up for about a week now, and has a good number of downloads and great feedback!

We had great fun meeting the great man Mark Kermode in Bristol, and he was a true professional, he didn't hurry us and took us seriously, which is great for a little podcast like ours! We had a great day at the Watershed in Bristol, an amazing arty cinema complex that has almost everything you could want, food, great ciders and 3 cinema screens.

I hope the finished product is even better than the first, we took your feedback into account and made it slightly shorter overall, but with more of the celebrity dictionary opener.

You can download on the Words Fail Me blog here! http://wordsfailmepodcast.blogspot.com/ any feedback is welcome!

Will be recording again tomorrow with a new dictionary opener, and next week the main podcast for March.

Wrong BBC Headline

2010-02-04T17:42:00.002Z

I think the BBC are running the wrong headline to go with the chosen picture...

Surely the fact that the clock tower at Westminster Palace is falling down should be the major news? Big Ben is going make quite a clang if that lot falls...

Words Fail Me Podcast... now online

2010-01-26T20:57:00.003Z

It's finally here, the Words Fail Me podcast is online! Listen to Dave and I discussing everything from Squarials to Belgian towns... and also a celebrity guest!

Find out more at http://wordsfailmepodcast.blogspot.com/ and download and listen to the mp3

Words Fail Me

2010-01-15T20:05:00.002Z

After my short experiment with exepod I am launching a brand new podcast next week, Words Fail Me.

I will be joined by my good friend Dave, and we will be reading through the greatest book of books - the dictionary!

May not sound thrilling but bear with us, we think it will be more entertaining than it sounds.

Find out more at http://wordsfailmepodcast.blogspot.com/ and do download the first episode later next week.

Exeter in the snow

2010-01-09T19:38:00.003Z

A few pictures of Exeter in the snow.

More forecast overnight, and the River Exe is starting to freeze up as well!

Happy Christmas

2009-12-25T09:21:00.003Z

Happy Christmas everyone!

Here are a few festive pictures from last week in Germany, most of these are from the market in Bremen, and although we did not see any show there was a lot of very pretty ice.

A disturbing one that!

Have a great day everyone!

Bus Shelter Demolition in South Street

2009-12-09T17:40:00.004Z

Today a bus decided that it was not going to stop at the bus stop, but drive right into it!

These photos are from just after the incident...

I knew it was those northerners to blame!

Italy Day Trip - Part One - Bergamo

2009-11-22T13:47:00.004Z

As promised ages ago the pictures from our day trip to Bergamo in Italy. The fights cost us £7 each return and Dave kindly organised it all for us! We were in Italy just 24 hours, but we had brilliant fun, here are a few pictures.

We arrived late afternoon, and after checking in to the hotel went for a walk up to the old town, that is the old town looming ominously on the hill! The train below was the easiest way to get up to the top.

The old town consists on lovely old streets, cakes shops and cafes.

Half way along the main street is a square with the main Church in it. It is a wonderfully ornate and slightly overwhelming structure inside. The incense is strong enough to make you feel ill!

Some stairs at the back of the church lead to what I can only assume was a very strange and creepy art exhibition. The weird images and sounds were enough to freak me out!

Back out in the real world we went to a cafe to recover!

A great place to visit, and you can do it in a weekend from Bristol airport.

Cakes!

Me returning from old town.

Storms in Southern England

2009-11-14T20:09:00.003Z

If you had not noticed it's been a bit stormy here today! Here are a few pictures from Teignmouth this afternoon at high tide.

Majorca 2009 Part 6

2009-11-04T20:42:00.002Z

Me with another pint!

The full moon low in the sky. Taking this one made me realise I need a better camera.

Majorca 2009 Part 5

2009-10-31T07:43:00.001Z

Me testing the water (which was warmer than the pool!)

Me again.

Our hotel at night.

Majorca 2009 Part 4

2009-10-28T07:41:00.003Z

My favourite picture of the trip for some reason...

An experiment in photography...

This one was taken just as we arrived on the island, which is why I look a bit pale still! This pint of Cruzcampo (not Fosters as the glass suggests) was the best beer I have had for a long time, knowing there was a whole week of holiday in front of me!

Majorca 2009 Part 3

2009-10-25T19:56:00.003Z

Trip to Puerto de Soller.

Majorca 2009 Part 2

2009-10-24T16:55:00.002+01:00

Us on a boat trip from Cala Dor

Another locked church, I don't think the Spanish like tourists wandering around their churches.

Majorca 2009

2009-10-23T16:17:00.003+01:00

We stayed at a resort called Cala dor, on the east coast of the island. The hotel (the Ponent Playa, Cala Ferarra) was fantastic and the perfect setting to do very little in the sun for a week!

Being an island one of the things that is a must is going on a boat trip, we did 2! Here are some pictures from the first trip around the resort.

Holidays

2009-10-23T16:05:00.002+01:00

It would be almost impossible to convey how much I enjoyed being on holiday, and also the little mini holiday we had with friends the weekend after. So instead of typing one huge post there will be a week of pictures and comments from Majorca, and a week from Bergamo in Italy...

I must also mention I sacrificed the 2 most exciting weekends of Grand Prix action to be on holiday... I didn't mind really, but next year I am going to plan things a bit more carefully...

Go Button!

End of the Summer...

2009-09-28T17:50:00.004+01:00

It clearly is the end of the summer, despite a nice day yesterday. I can feel it in the mornings, the flat is really cold! But I don't mind too much as we are off on holiday to Majorca on Saturday for a week, yay!

Have had a good few weeks since the last exepod post, had a fun game of Poker at the Double Locks (I lost), have been watching a lot of motor racing, F1, BTCC and even some of the ALMS series from the states. I have also rediscovered my GT Pro Series game on the Wii, and am excited at the launch of an official F1 game for the wii next month.

We also went to a fun walk to Turf Locks one evening...

Will try and blog after the holiday with some pictures, and if anyone has any ideas for the next exepod, or wants to help in recording it let me know, would be nice to have more than my voice on it.

(Steam train whizzing past Powderam)

Exepod - Blues night at the Bridge Inn

2009-09-11T19:35:00.000+01:00

Monday night and I forfeited poker to go down to Topsham to go to Blues night at the Bridge Inn, My friend DT had his guitar and his wife Zoe and their son Patrick also came along for the ride!

It was a fun night catching up and some mostly great music, DT played a couple of songs and I terrorised him with my MP3 recorder!

The Bridge Inn is a great old fashioned pub in East Devon (as I am sure you can see from the pictures) and always provides a good nigh whether there is live music there or not, a range of superb ales always ensures I will drink slightly too much just because I want to try as many as possible!

The evidence of too many beers is all too apparent in exepod episode two!

Download this episode (right click and save)

Exepod - Wiscombe Hill Climb.

2009-09-05T21:56:00.008+01:00

Announcing the first ever Exepod! It is my first attempt at podcasting, and although it is far from perfect I am actually pleased with how it turned out!

Download this episode (right click and save)

It was recorded today at Wiscombe Hill Climb, the weekend of the Five Clubs Championship. Myfriend Steve was on the hill with his Impreza, and while I was there was doing very well!

Unusually there were loads of Red Flags on the hill, the track was very slippery under the trees, and for the first time ever I saw cars turning over! Luckily no one was hurt in either incident, but is was very dramatic.

First there was this mini, The first picture taken moments before the accident.

Then this Sprite, It was hard to get a picture through the trees.

Please download the Podcast and leave your comments!

Edit: At Sarahs suggestion I have used Podbean, let me know if it works, it does not seem to be Chrome friendly for me!

Download this episode (right click and save)

Bank Holiday Weekend in Exeter

2009-08-31T10:16:00.003+01:00

After work finished on Saturday afternoon I raced home to catch the Grand Prix qualifying, I managed to get in just in time to see the last two parts, and exciting it was too! It was worth getting out of breath for (a little worrying for my Great West Run prospects next year that a short downhill run left me in that state!)

Then in the evening we wandered down to the quay for a drink. There was a band getting ready for a gig, outdoor bars and balloons. I managed to get a balloon even though I think they were for the children!

It was a nice evening, but even at 8.30pm it was starting to get dark and cold, the summer really is nearly at an end! At least we have a week in Majorca next month to get some sun!

Sunday was spend mostly watching motorsport. The organisers of the BTCC series seemed to have messed up the scheduling and clashed with the Belgian Grand Prix, but I watched as many of the races as I could then caught up with the missing ones on the ITV Player later in the evening. We also met Darren and Dave for a spot of Wii Bowling in the evening.

Today I lay in until 10am, and later will be off to Nick and Sarah's for a Barbeque (weather permitting!)

I thought I might find it strange not being at the Greenbelt festival this weekend, and the internet has been strangely quiet as many of my "online" friends are there, but in fact I have not missed it, and enjoyed relaxing at home for a few days. I might revisit it again one year, but I also fancy trying out some of the other festivals around too. I guess it all depends where we end up living and which festivals are convenient.

SPCK, Jobs and Podcasting

2009-08-24T17:59:00.003+01:00

Good news about the USDAW employment tribunal against St Stephen the Great Charitable Trust. 32 workers have had a payout, covering missing wages and other costs. More can be found at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8218413.stm and all the other usual places!

Ivonne didn't get the Bristol job, and has not heard from the other one yet. Imminent plans of a life in the big city are delayed for the moment! Other jobs have been applied for, hopefully she will hear back from some of those soon.

I have been playing with a voice recorder, microphone and editing software with a view to put together some sort of podcast (or podcast segment for someone elses podcast). Had a fun afternoon playing with Audacity, anyone else have any advice of really simple Podcasting tools for the PC?

Off to poker tonight, wish me luck!

Brisblog? Lonblog?

2009-08-16T18:58:00.004+01:00

This blog depends on an important factor, me being in my hometown of Exeter. Over the next couple of days Ivonne has interviews in Bristol and London, and should she get one of them we will pack up and move. I will try and get a transfer, if that fails then I will fall back on a plan B which as yet I have not formulated.

Of course she may not get either of these jobs, and a job will come up elsewhere in the future, or even a job in Exeter or near by, at this stage who knows!

Whatever happens the reality of moving city is starting to hit, it makes me excited and nervous all at the same time.

Things will become clearer in the next few days and weeks, but this could be the end of exeblog, and my life in Exeter, and the start of something new!

Plymouth Firework Championships 2009

2009-08-13T21:36:00.002+01:00

On Tuesday we went to Plymouth with Nick and Sarah to see the first night of the National Firework Championships. We went down early and saw a bit of Plymouth (never a welcome sight, but the weather was really nice!) and then hung around on the Hoe for the fireworks to start. They were stunning, and I think even better than last year. Photos do the event no justice, but here are some anyway!

Waiting for the fireworks in the glorious sun!

A quick look at the Darwin 200 garden.

The crowds gathering on Plymouth Hoe.

Aaahhhhhh! Oooooohhhhh!

Could the last person to leave Plymouth please turn out the lights. Oh, that would be us!

Chillies

2009-08-06T14:03:00.003+01:00

For Chris and all the Naked Scientist Forum readers here are our Chillies!

Online and Cornwall

2009-08-06T11:41:00.004+01:00

In the last few months I have discovered Twitter, although I am not totally convinced of the purpose of it I have found it a lot of fun, and a good way of keeping up and communicating with some of the comedians I enjoy so much, such as Richard Herring, Sarah Millican and Mark Watson, and also broadcasters such as Andrew Collins, Geoff Lloyd and Simon Mayo. Some of them have even replied to my comments, I certainly don't expect any replies, but it is lovely that these busy people find a moment to throw a comment back at me! Add me if you like, NeilDenham1978

I have been enjoying the Naked Scientist podcasts the last few months, if you have even a passing interest in science then this podcast from Cambridge is well worth a listen. It is professional, never patronises, but also never leave complicated terms unexplained. This week they even answered a question from me! http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=24758

I have also realised that I have not posted since we went away to Cornwall way back in March! We had a lovely time and the weather was mostly good! It really is a great time to go away, it is totally quiet down there. Here are just a few pictures.

That was the summer?

2009-08-04T15:47:00.004+01:00

I am sorry, it has been a long, long time. But now I have a week off and instead of enjoying the glorious drizzle outside I decided to update this blog.

So what has happened in the world of Exeter? well, 2 new Wetherspoons have opened, one especially for the chavs of Cowick Street, and a slightly better one on the former Hogshead site. The day the new "Chevalier Inn" opened I witnesses a strange fight involving 2 men and a dog happening right outside the main doors. If anyone has any information about this fight I would be really interested, as I sure could not work out what was going on. The pub also made front page headlines when it banned a blind man in a football shirt from going in. Why this should have made news is beyond me, as is why it was relevant that the man was blind and had "been an Exeter City fan for 20 years". Story perfectly summed up here: http://www.thisisntexeter.co.uk/site/local/455

Poker at the City Gate has been gaining players week after week, with players from Sweden, Spain, Northern Ireland and Germany joining us in recent weeks. I have had one win, one second and one third since I last posted.

Other than that a few shops have opened in town (new HMV, Fopp, Disney Store), Foodeze has gone for good, a nice Beer festival happened at the castle, Micheal McIntyre came to the Northcott and we are planning a holiday in the sun for when Ivonne finally finished her PHD...

I will leave you with a couple of pictures taken at Bickleigh last month on an unusually sunny evening. Hope to update sooner next time!

Norman Lockyer Observatory

2009-03-15T09:47:00.006Z

Now that I am 31 I need to do grown up things, so instead of a Saturday night at Rococo's (joke!)we decided to visit the Norman Lockyer Observatory near Sidmouth. He was the man who discovered Helium (He missed a trick, I would have called it Lockyerium if I had been him!), and also looked at many stars through telescopes. Can you tell my research is a bit shaky?

You can find out more at http://www.normanlockyer.org/ and it is well worth the fiver entry on an open night to see the 2 dinky little domes and historic telescopes.

Last night was specifically to look at Saturn, and we all got to look through the big telescope at it. Amazingly it did not just look like a blob, but you could actually see the rings sticking out each side.

There is also a Planetarium show which is very impressive, I was particularly impressed with the 60's technology that projected it!

Also in the last few weeks it has been my birthday, and we had a fun gathering at the flat, poker and the Wii were played, and I drank plenty of my new favourite drink, Westons Perry!

I have also won 2 out of the last 3 games of poker at the City Gate, so things are looking up!

Just a week now until our week in Cornwall, I will be very happy to have a week away from work and relax properly!

10 Things

2009-02-22T15:37:00.006Z

There has been a lot of work this month, but it has not all been work. Here are 10 other things I have done this month so far.

1. Played poker at the City Gate. I toyed with the idea of giving poker a break as I had not played well since the new year. Last week though I came third (out of about 12) so that has boosted my confidence. Although 3rd is still a wasted fiver it is a lot closer to the elusive tenner and the even more elusive first prize than my previous 3 performances of being last out!

2. Pub quiz at Newton St Cyres. Now that Dennis lives out that way we have been going to the pub quiz each month at the Crown and Sceptre. It is a really friendly, traditional pub. The first Tuesday of each month is Curry and Quiz night. The Curry costs about £6, the quiz about a pound, and drinks bring the total cost up to about a tenner. Both times we have been our team has won a bottle of wine. I will try and get out there with my camera and do a Pub Guide on the place.

3. Met up with ex-SPCK employees. Great to see them all again, and pretty much all the staff (apart from one) came along. Great to see everyone is doing well and planning fun trips and getting new jobs and just generally getting on with life. We referred to the situation with the shops maybe once or twice, but mostly we were just catching up with each other, which was great!

4. Played Mario Kart and unlocked the Mirror Cup. To any non-players this means nothing, but was an exciting event in my life!

5. Went to see the film Milk. It was great to see the story of Harvey Milk told in such a high profile way, and the story is a very important and interesting one, but I could not help feel it rather brushed over some of the interesting themes of the way he approached his politics and a documentary would have told the story in a clearer way (in fact there was a documentary out last year which I must seek out). Still a worthwhile watch though.

6. Watched the original Frost/Nixon Watergate interviews on DVD. After watching the film we were interested to see what they were really like when broadcast, and Dave lent us a DVD of them he bought at the stage show a few years ago. Seeing Frost back then made me realise how great Sheens portrayal of him was, and some of the extras on the DVD confirmed that many of the incidents in the film actually happened.

7. Went out to The Orange Elephant farm shop to get some nice food in the shop and some coffee in the cafe. The newly built shop is really good, but I hope it never becomes as big as Darts Farm which is a bit posh and a bit soulless!

8. Decided I do actually really like the sitcom Not Going Out, and despite thinking it is formulaic and often stupid I still end up laughing loads the whole way through.

9. Booked a holiday cottage in Cornwall. In March we will get getting away for a week in a village near Looe. The plan is to get away from computers and work and Exeter and just slow down and relax. We hope to go to the Eden project at some point too.

10. Took some photos of Exeter today. Needed a bit of air and a wander so took my camera out and wondered about taking random photos.

The first two are peering through the window at the newly restored Mint Priory, I was quite astonished when I looked in, as last time it was an empty shell!

I wont caption these, but see if you know where they are!

Snow, Toad and Working hard

2009-02-15T10:31:00.003Z

Well it's been over 2 weeks since I last updated this blog, so what has happened in my life in Exeter?

Well the most exciting thing was the snow. It is great how at the darkest most miserable part of the year nature decides to throw down a nice clean white sheet of snow to reflect the light and make things feel cheery again. Anyone who knows me knows that I love snow. Hours spend gazing out the window and checking the BBC Weather website.

In all the excitement I forgot to take any pictures, so it was starting to melt away by the time I took these. As you can see in fact it was glorious blue sky!

The snow did mean that a few people did not make it into work over the last few weeks, making an already busy time doubly as busy. A combination of factors has made it very stressful and manic at work, but I know it is only a phase and we will pass through it - which makes it a little more bearable!

I have been finding time to relax though, mostly either in the form of ploughing through an Ian Rankin book while sat with a pint of Black Prince (St Austell Ales) in the Mill on the Exe, or trying to complete all the levels of Mario Kart Wii (as trusty Toad, pictured!)

What?

2009-01-30T22:34:00.002Z

Slower or faster?

The Guardian is confusing me.

3 Films

2009-01-25T18:07:00.005Z

In the last week I have seen three films at the Picturehouse in Exeter, starting the year as I mean to go on!

The Reader

I went to see this one by myself, Ivonne was slightly worried that it would not live up to the book, and although it was not as good as the book (what films are?) it was certainly a faithful retelling of the story, and caught a lot of the original spirit of the book. It is annoying that reviews keep saying that Winslet plays a Nazi Guard, because that is not what the film is about, the film is about a love affair, and mostly about guilt about the past. I hope this wins some Oscars, as it has been rather overlooked in the recent crop of films.

Slumdog Millionaire

The most talked about film of the moment, and for good reason. Not, as the advertising would have you believe, the Feel Good Movie of the Year, although it does have a happy ending. This film is extraordinary, it follows a clever story telling device of questions in the quiz show being the way of the main characters life story being told. It is in places brutal, but over all makes you feel that life is good.

Frost/Nixon

This is a story that predates my birth by just a year, but I was totally gripped. The motives behind Frost wanting the interview stay fairly shrouded, but the themes of success, fame and notoriety are clear in both characters. The acting of the support cast is shoddy in places, but overall this is a thought provoking film that will pique interest in part of our recent history that you perhaps don't know much about.

Just a Minute

2009-01-13T19:30:00.006Z

Yesterday afternoon we embarked on a mad afternoon to London, our friend Dave kind drove and got tickets for a recording of Radio 4s Just a Minute. So after a morning at work we drove up to London, parked up in a side street and got the tube into Oxford Circus to Broadcasting House.

It seemed surreal that in the morning we were at work, and then a few hours later standing on the pavement in London queueing to get into the home of BBC Radio. Two shows were recorded featuring Paul Merton, Clement Freud, Josie Lawrence and Jack Dee. It was very very funny and I can't wait to hear how they edit it all down into two half hour shows.

We then went for a bot of a wander to soak up some of London, and then set off home. Unfortunately we got stuck in a nightmare traffic jam on the M4, a serious accident closed it for at least 45 minutes and people (we men) resorted to getting out their cars and trying to ascertain what had happened up front!

Eventually we got home just after 2am, and I have been just a little tired at work today!

A great day out though, thanks to Dave for driving us all the way there and back - despite the late night I can't wait to do it again soon!

Exeter Winter Ales Festival 2009

2009-01-11T12:32:00.003Z

I was invited to the Exeter Winter Ales Festival by my CAMRA card carrying friend Nick yesterday. I must point out that he does not have a beard, and has never tried Morris dancing (to my knowledge). In fact he works in a bank and is quite normal.

So after work yesterday we wandered up to the University for the festival. You first have to buy a glass to use throughout the day, then exchange your real money for a sheet of beer tokens. On the sheet is a few 50p tokens, a few 20p and loads and loads of 10p tokens. If real money was distributed in this way we would be having to carry suitcases of 10p coins around to pay for anything.

With over 80 beers and ciders I decided I needed a system, so I only had beers that had a prime number. This worked as good as any, as most of the beers tasted essentially the same. I said this to Nick rather to loudly and thought I was going to be lynched by men with red noses.

I realised it was the first time I had ever been in a room that had more beards than women in it.

Was a really fun afternoon, something I have never done before. I think it is a shame that the venue is so soulless and rather stuffy (the smell of warm beer and men... hmm) and I also think it is a shame they don't tell you a bit more about the beers, who made them and where you can purchase it. I would even like to meet some of the people who make the beer and ask a few questions. Will certainly try and get along to the Summer Beer festival though.

I stayed on for a bit as I bumped into some old friends, and spent the rest of my tokens. When I got home I fell asleep on the sofa - that's daytime drinking for you.

Frozen Exe

2009-01-07T20:01:00.003Z

Anyone in the UK will have noticed it has been cold, very cold! Parts of the River Exe (mostly the flood relief channel) have started to freeze over. Seagulls are a little unsure what to do...

A heron has been wandering the stretch of river just outside our flat, but as yet has evaded mt camera. I will get a shot of him (or her) one day!

The ice has bee quite thick in some places, two boys were thwacking it with hockey sticks and not finding it easy to break through. One of the greatest noises of nature can be got from throwing a stone of bit of ice across a frozen river, it sounds a bit like Twhang thwang thwaaaang.

Some amazing icicles have formed on bushes overhanging the Weir.

I am starting to enjoy the cold weather, and kind of hope it hangs around for a few more weeks!

New Pound Coin

2009-01-04T13:03:00.001Z

At last, the final piece of the jigsaw that is the new design of the British coins. Actually not so much the final piece, rather it's the jigsaw box!

Post Christmas period

2009-01-04T10:57:00.003Z

"On the twelfth day of Christmas..." and the preceding 3 or 4 days it always feels a bit weird to me.

The combination of adjusting your body to a less rich diet - yet still having lots of chocolate hanging around, a forest of dead discarded Christmas trees in gardens and dumped under bridges and anywhere else people think of, a slightly philosophical time of year thinking about new starts and the year ahead

I have been distracting myself in several ways...

Ivonne gave me the latest Danny Wallace book Friends Like These which I am really enjoying. He is of course a Hollywood star (almost) now, but this book goes right back to the roots of Are You Dave Gorman and Join Me, a very relevant book as it is about Danny Getting older and hitting his thirties.

We have also been watching the comedy DVDs we got for Christmas, Micheal McIntyre and also Russell Howard, both were hilarious (although I think I laughed at Micheal McIntyre a little bit more).

The River Exe flood relief channel has started to freeze, now at least a centimetre thick across most of the surface, We will go out and inspect it later, and perhaps take a few photos.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T12:35:00.003Z

Well, it's 2009 already, it seems only yesterday it was 2008.

I have not made any new years resolutions again, apart from the usual "Do good things more and bad things less", but I can't promise to stick to it. One year I gave up Class A drugs, with remarkable success (that year and every year in fact). I may try to eat Humus a little less this year.

Christmas 2008 was really nice, just spending time with friends and family, got some great presents including the Bourne Trilogy on DVD and a book called Professor Stewart's Cabinet of Mathematical Curiosities, as well as lots of other nice things.

New Year was spent out at Half Moon, a great house party with charades and the "rizzla game" and mini sparklers and nibbles. Thanks to Dennis and Lucia for the invite!

I won't promise to write more on my blog in the coming year, that would be foolish and doomed from the outset, but I will try and update at least every few weeks. I think even I can manage that!

Germany 2008

2008-12-21T09:45:00.004Z

Sorry that it's been so long between posts again, this is partly because of Christmas (all shopping done and wrapped now) and the fact I have been in Germany last week. Had a really great time meeting Ivonne's family, eating sausage and buying Christmas gifts at the market in Bremen.

So much I could say, but for now I will just put up a few pictures...

Me outside one of many Christmassy cake shops.

Part of the huge Christmas market in Bremen.

Bells in Bremen.

Cold and Christmassy!

I love BO

2008-12-04T19:34:00.003Z

To the people at http://www.barackobamatshirts.co.uk/ - Think, before you print up T-Shirts.

Christmas decorations went up yesterday, and the house looks lovely and Christmassy, some pictures on Ivonne's blog here http://ivoinexeter.blogspot.com/2008/12/christmas-is-coming.html

Living Coasts, Torquay and being cold

2008-11-30T16:06:00.005Z

Yesterday we went on the train down to Torquay to go to Living Coasts (http://www.livingcoasts.org.uk/) and to do some shopping. Living Coasts is like a zoo for the sea, and although is perhaps only an hours entertainment it is great fun. Contains mostly birds (with a smattering of seals and fish) and the penguins are the highlight (everyone likes penguins, surely?)

I think the above penguin looks a bit sad!

You could walk under the sea pool and see things swimming above, which was quite fun.

The estuary area lets you get close to birds that otherwise you would only be able to see from a distance on the Exe, such as the Avocets here.

And Auks and Puffins,

We then went to the Harvester restaurant on the harbour and had a really nice meal (Harvester have vastly improved recently) and then into the town to do some Christmas shopping.

It really was quite freezing down by the coast, but it was also freezing today when I decided to go for a cycle ride along the river Exe to the Double Locks. Two Winter Warmer beers helped, but I was still very very cold! This is me being cold, and a friendly Robin that kept me company!

New Ten Pence

2008-11-23T10:13:00.002Z

Thanks to Sarah at work for discovering this one. Just the Pound coin to go now.

Exeter Pub Guide, No. 3, The Double Locks

2008-11-15T17:50:00.002Z

Where is this pub?
Down the canal towards Countess Wear, but on the other side of the river. You can drive there, but most people cycle, canoe or walk on a sunny day.

What would draw you to this pub?
Lovely canal side location, good beers, the chance for some exercise and fresh air

What sort of person would you find in this pub?
The middle class family, the sporting young couple, wannabe marathon runners, fair weather drinkers.

What can you consume in this pub?
Mostly Young s Ales, including at this time of year Winter Warmer. Several other guest ales straight from the barrel, Addlestones cider, a rather expensive range of wines and plenty of soft drinks.

What is quirky about this pub?
The location, it takes a bit of effort to get to. Also the pool table outside, and the outdoor area for children. Live music and Barbecues are also a regular feature of this pub.

What is specifically “Exeter” about the pub?
The Exeter canal, this is an historic pub that has been used for centuries by traders and locals. The local bands, the poker playing bar manager.

What is there to do in this pub?
Admire the views, play pool, run around outside, get fit getting there.

What are the worst things about the pub?
In the summer it gets awfully busy, and the food is pretty average.

Is there an old man sat at the bar?
No, just a man with lycra shorts and bicycle clips.

In a word, should I bother coming here?
Yes, but pick a midweek day, or a sunny winter afternoon. Make sure you don't wobble off your bike on the way home.

Acting for babies

2008-11-13T14:40:00.002Z

From the BBC News website

But I had heard it was such a popular evening class...

(there are just too many ways to read this headline!)

Christow and Bridford

2008-11-12T17:07:00.013Z

I went out on a walk with my dad this morning from Christow to Bridford.

This is the area my dad grew up in, so the walk was interspersed with stories and reminisces about the local area. The views across the Teign Valley and Haldon are really lovely, and the villages feel proper villagy!

Wandering up to Bridford we had a surprise when we saw a couple fields of Llamas! Not exactly what you are expecting to find in the Devon countryside.

We then went up to the lovely little church in Bridford, it has a very interesting screen in it with strange little figures carved into it. I am sure they all have a meaning, but sadly some of them were defaced by those pesky puritans so it is hard to make out who each is supposed to be.

Also a colourful stained glass window.

There is a tiny little brethren chapel that my dad used to visit sometimes, it looks like it my hold about 10 people (and looks pretty run down and disused now).

We then stopped off in The Artichoke pub for a bite to eat and popped into Christow church.

Lovely day out in this hidden corner of Devon, makes me glad I live where I do.

The all new, new look, new Wibsite

2008-11-12T09:40:00.002Z

It has been a long time coming, but the Wibsite (community site of my friend Dave Walkers) has been redesigned and brought kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

http://wibsite.com/

Well done to Chris, the technical brain behind it, for such a good job. Do take a look around, many of my friends have blogs on there, and my old blog is still lurking there with intent to spring into life one day. (http://neil.wibsite.com/)

River Exe watching yet again

2008-11-11T17:05:00.004Z

A week off work and I have spent the first two days reading and walking around the river. I guess doing very little is all part of having a holiday.

Here are some photos of today's potter around the quay and local area.

This part of the river path is quite impassable at them moment, so I had to take the long way around.

Cormorant making use of the temporary buoy that has been put in place on the river.

The clock on St Marys church, I was just in time to watch the little guys do their mechanical striking routine!

A "free" bookshop, I resisted going in today, I have more than enough books to read at the moment.

River Exe watching again

2008-11-10T13:57:00.003Z

Went out for a wander in the rain earlier and look these pictures of an increasingly turbulent river Exe.

And I found another funny name on the Environment agency site

River Exe watching

2008-11-09T11:54:00.003Z

One of the things about living next to the River Exe (apart from the high contents insurance costs) is being able to watch the river rise and fall with the weather. It seems to take about 12 hours from a heavy rain fall until the river noticeably rises. A few weeks ago it was very high, and the Mill on the Exe scrambled to move benches and put the flood barriers in place around the pub, I expect they will stay in place for the whole winter now.

After last nights rather heavy rain I thought I would check the Environment Agency's site to see if any warnings are in place.

Thankfully they are not. My love of funny place names was satisfied when I saw where there was a warning.

Frisby-on-the-Wreake!

Talking of funny names I spotted this mountain on Wikipedia the other day...

New Fifty Pence

2008-11-08T15:01:00.005Z

Finally the new 50p! Just the 10p and £1 coins to go now.

Congratulations to Steve for getting into the Guardian work suppliment this weekend, online version available here http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/nov/08/working-life-used-car-salesman

Blogs and F1

2008-11-02T22:20:00.002Z

Well that is the end of the F1 season for another year, It simply could not have been more finely balanced! Enjoyed it very much, and I think it is good to have a British champion once more (although I am much more of a Kubica and Vettel fan).

Sorry for the lack up updates this week, I have been feeling under the weather and having stupidly early nights, have managed to fit in Burn After Reading and the new Bond film, will review them soon, honest...

Looks like I have gained some minor fame this week on the SPCK/SSG blog (http://spckssg.wordpress.com), in fact I watched tonight's grand prix with an ex-manager of the Exeter shop.

The Wave

2008-10-25T09:44:00.004+01:00

Sorry for the delay in updates, Ivonne has been away for a week, and other than playing on my new Wii game, GT Pro Series (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GT_Pro_Series) which is basic, but fun (and very cheap!), having the occasional pint at the pub, reading about Quantum physics (I kid you not), and coming third in poker, I have not done a lot.

But last night we went to the Picturehouse and watched "The Wave", a recent German film about an experiment carried out in the 60's at an American college. The story is retold in modern Germany, and although based on real events has a much more shocking conclusion than the real experiment.

The story of the film, in brief, is a high school teacher wants to teach his pupils about autocracy, but some of his pupils say that it is a waste of time, nothing like fascism could ever thrive again in Germany. The teacher (brilliantly played by Jürgen Vogel) decides to try an experiment, and through small things (getting pupils to stand when talking, adopting a uniform and name) slowly the pupils get drawn into "The Wave" and it takes on a life of its own.

The film not only shows how easy fascist regimes can take hold, and the strange comfort some personality types take from it, but also the difficulty of resistance against these kind of groups, the main character for me in the film is Karo (Jennifer Ulrich), who, despite liking the teacher taking the class simply cannot take part in the experiment (despite initially being keen), she and a friend become the sole resistance against the class, and immediately see the dangers of what is happening. The got me thinking, are some people more immune to fascist or cultic movements, and if so why?

Certainly a lot to think about in this film, and if you are interested then it is on again tonight and tomorrow night at 6.15pm at the Exeter Picturehouse.

Saturday delights

2008-10-12T13:46:00.003+01:00

Saturdays have many things going for it, at least half a day off work each week, fried egg sandwiches, some motor sport and the weekend edition of the Guardian.

The Guardian on Saturday is great for many reasons, Ben Goldacres Bad Science, Tim Dowlings hilarious column, the Writers rooms photo, but mostly the Coopers of Stortford advert in the magazine.

Coopers of Stortford (http://www.coopersofstortford.co.uk/) are a rather old fashioned mail order company who think they are selling cutting edge items, but in fact most of the things they sell are faitly ridiculous. This week was a real treat for Guardian readers everywhere, not only the usual advert but also a whole glossy brochure of items. This was truly a red letter day for Coopers fans everywhere.

You can go to their website yourself, but let me point a a few highlights...

"With identity theft on the increase every year, it's crucial you don't let personal documents fall into the wrong hands. These innovative ergonomically designed Security Scissors act like 5 pairs of scissors and effortlessly destroy sensitive statements, bills and receipts."

Which is essentially 5 pairs of scissors stuck together, all for the same price as an electronic shredder would cost in Argos.

"'Fly the flag' from your garden or premises with these patriotic flags and traditional flagpole. Now comes with both the British Union and English St.George's flags, making it ideal for supporting your country, St. George's day celebrations, The Queen's Birthday or whenever you are feeling patriotic! "

I know with me it's a feeling that comes and goes, and I always like to have a flag ready for the occasion.

and finally the deluxe Bible case, which provides "Transportation of all your worshipping needs".

I salute you Coopers of Stortford for making my weekend that little bit happier.

Rome - Part Seven - Spanish steps

2008-10-01T17:16:00.003+01:00

One of the most famous tourist sites in Rome, in the past you would have picked up a hooker there, or unwittingly been enrolled into the Spanish army, but now is jam packed with people loitering and soaking up the atmosphere.

I was not expecting much, how exciting could steps be? In fact I was really impressed with the elegance and architecture of the whole area. Too busy to be romantic, but certainly has an atmosphere of its own, and from the top of the steps the view is fantastic.

I did mislead Ivonne into believing there was ice cream at the top, an honest mistake, but to be fair we did eat early that day and then find some ice cream after that!

As a vague connection with my last post, my new employer is Spanish, and it looks as though our jobs are safe for the foreseeable future, and in fact exciting new opportunities could develop from the takeover of the savings business - only time will tell! (I am an optimist, as my posts when SPCK was taken over will show (http://www.wibsite.com/wiblog/neil/read.php?19520), sometimes my optimism is misplaced though, lets hope this takeover is a little more positive)

Uncertain times

2008-09-28T16:42:00.003+01:00

The UK looks like it is entering phase two of the banking crisis this weekend, and judging by the announcements that are expected tonight or in the morning I could end up being a government employee for the second time in my life tomorrow!

Not a great deal I can say, but please think of me tomorrow, I don't know whether it will be queues out the door, explaining the same things over and over, or just an eerie quiet day! If you do have a branch of the "beleaguered" bank near you then do pop in with some chocolate or something nice for the branch staff who will likely be stressed and fearful over the future.

Trying not to be too worried, it is all totally out of my control and I just need to get on with whatever needs doing and hopefully things will return to some sort of normality soon.

SPCK Bookshop Exeter - R.I.P.

2008-09-19T19:43:00.004+01:00

It looks like the shop that I spent many years working in, and was much loved by its staff and customers over the years has finally closed closed down.

Of course it was only a shell of a business in the last few years anyway, with no new stock and terrible mismanagement and sporadic opening hours (and weeks on end of being closed), but still, it is a sad sight to see it stripped bare of stock. I hope my former colleague won't mind me quoting from an email she sent me yesterday (edited to take some names and local context out).

"I saw a notice declaring a Closing Down Sale with an offer of 40% off all stock.
However, whatever staff they had employed were told this morning that the shop was closing today... later there were two men there and cartons (presumably of books) stacked waiting to be loaded. They said they had had instructions to clear everything... the entire stock was being transferred to York."

She goes on to say how upsetting she found the sight, and I have to agree (as I sure you can from the pictures) that seeing the shop looking this way, when it was once a thriving hub of activity in the Cathedral area and wider community in Exeter is very sad.

Of course for many the saga continues, the Brewers (the American brothers who took over the shop from SPCK) have found themselves in court for various reasosn in the UK and in the states, and many former employees lives have been ruined by the actions of their management. You can follow the saga on this blog http://spckssg.wordpress.com/

"...this really looks like the end of the shop."

Rome - Part Six - Ancient and Modern

2008-09-17T17:45:00.005+01:00

Wow, Rome seems such a long time ago now, been back to work 3 days and already the sun is forgotten!

To cheer me here are a few random places in Rome that I loved, This is Hadrian's temple, which we just stumbled across, but is a lovely peaceful piazza near the centre of Rome. The columns are now part of the stock exchange building, but I am sure they will last longer than the temporal nature of the financial markets!

And in another conflict of ancient versus modern here is a very old building reflected in a modern bank building, one of the very few glass fronted buildings in the city.

And this is the modern art gallery I spent a happy few hours wandering around

Rome - Part Five - Colosseum & Roman Forum

2008-09-13T09:03:00.004+01:00

In many ways the Colosseum IS Rome, and it is certainly an imposing and amazing building. We did not go in, but I had a good wander around the edge of it and the surrounding area. Actually for me the Forum is more interesting than the Colosseum, a wide area of fragments of building and archaeological sites where interesting things are stumbled upon all the time.

First here is the Colosseum, without tacky pictures of people in gladiator uniforms,

And some of the forum,

Rome - Part Four - Trevi Fountain

2008-09-11T20:04:00.004+01:00

One of the most famous sites in Rome, but not the most impressive! Even though it is a lively area of the centre of Rome, and is near one of the many McDonalds which actually have a public toilet...

At night it has a good atmosphere, and is surrounded by many great Ice Cream parlours, and the more you look at the fountain the more impressive it gets!

Coins flung into the fountain,

Rome - Part Three - The Pantheon

2008-09-10T15:38:00.003+01:00

By far my favourite individual site in Rome is the Pantheon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon,_Rome). This is the oldest complete building in Rome, and was built 125AD as a temple to "all the gods", but is now consecrated as a Catholic church.

The building has to be seen to be believed, I cannot describe the feeling you get when you first walk in, or the sheer size of the place. Photos give you no idea of scale or atmosphere. It is so amazing I had to revisit it again to really try and take it all in.

Here are a few attempts of photographing the inside, and more successfully the outside.

Rome - Part Two - 10 things about Rome

2008-09-09T22:41:00.003+01:00

1. Every pizza you eat, even the worst one, will be better than any pizza you get in the UK.

2. Bus routes have no logic, but will get you from any part of the city to any other part of the city if you can crack the code.

3. Italian stamps just wont stick.

4. Roads look scary to cross, but in fact Romans reactions are so fast that you just just wander across the road anywhere.

5. White wine is light and tasty.

6. Domes dominate, fountains come a close second.

7. Italian radio is mostly either dance music, or religious.

8. Ferrari is the only F1 team worth following, but no one owns a Ferrari. (in fact a Fiat 500, old or new is the car to have, or otherwise a Panda will do.)

9. Most people speak English, and many signs are in English, despite what other people may tell you.

10. Rome is always warm, even when it rains.

Rome - Part One - Vatican

2008-09-09T11:35:00.003+01:00

We are back from Rome now, as expected we had a wonderful time, the weather was glorious (unlike the awful weather here in Exeter), the food was great and Ivonne's conference and presentation seemed to go well too.

I could write lots, but I think pictures say a lot more in Rome than words, so here are some pictures of Vatican City, which we visited on our first full day.

The Dome of St. Peters.

A few pictures from inside.

Standing on the steps of St. Peters looking out.

Rome

2008-09-02T07:47:00.001+01:00

We are off to Rome for a week now, see you when I get back!

I will leave you with 2 final Greenbelt pictures.

New Twenty Pence

2008-08-29T07:55:00.001+01:00

Ivonne came across this on Wednesday...

Just the 10p, 50p and Pound to find now.

Dave Walker at Greenbelt

2008-08-28T13:55:00.003+01:00

I can exclusively reveal that cartoonist Dave Walker uses a small IKEA pencil to draw his cartoons, I have proof.

He was recovering from a virus when this photo was taken, so any larger writing implement could have taken far too much out of him.

Greenbelt 2008

2008-08-26T16:34:00.005+01:00

Have been away from Exeter for the weekend to go to the Greenbelt festival in Cheltenham. Another good year, although I am finding less and less each year to interest me, but still plenty to do and friends to see!

Some highlights for me were Beth Rowley (http://www.bethrowley.com/), who was fairly new to me, but very impressive on stage

Juliet Turner (http://www.julietturner.com/), a long time favourite of mine!

An artist totally new to me, Esther Alexander (http://www.estheralexander.com/)

And the mainstage headliners of José González and Seth Lakeman on the Saturday night both put in spirited performances.

Off the stage all sorts of things were happening, films, meeting people for a pint of cider, a marvellous collection of photographs called Hard Rain (http://www.hardrainproject.com/exhibition.htm), floating angels and plenty more.

Slight change of plan for the Wibloggers meet, but the "Tiny Tea Tent" was the venue that had the honour of hosting it this year. Not ideal perhaps, but we made the best of it, and had a complicated system in place for keeping track of tea orders.

Leaving Do

2008-08-20T19:46:00.001+01:00

Saturday night our friend Ruth was leaving Exeter to move up to London to make a career for herself in singing and songwriting, and we met up at The Living Room in Exeter to see her off. There were some songs from Ruth herself, including a requested version of Big Yellow Taxi, and then her brother Sam played a few songs with his “Peachy Farmer” band mate. Great fun evening and just about dodged the worse of the torrential downpours!

Most of the weekend, however, was spent watching the Olympics. Can't believe how many medals Team GB (Why GB? Why not UK?) have won, I regret not having taken a few days off to watch it.

This weekend I am off to Greenbelt (http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/), quite under prepared for camping this year, but hopefully a trip to Sainsburys tomorrow night will get me all the essentials I need (Cereal bars, Wine and Torch Batteries). Really looking forward to Beth Rowley and Jo Enright, but most of all catching up with old friends!
Will blog again next week...

British Firework Championships 2008

2008-08-16T17:29:00.003+01:00

Although it has been a busy week at work, and I have been getting home pretty exhausted we have still been pretty busy this week. On Wednesday evening we took the fairly spontaneous decision to drive down to Plymouth for the British Firework Championships final. (http://www.britishfireworks.co.uk/2008/)

If you have never heard of this event before (and we hadn't until last year) it is 6 firework companies that compete to put on the best ten minute display. The event takes place over two nights and we went to the second night of the championships.

After some Fish and Chips down on the Barbican we walked up to the Hoe where there was a fair and thousands of people. In a fit of idiocy we decided to take a ride on a manic spinning ride, £3 each for Ivonne to scream solidly for a few minutes and me feel sick for half an hour. Money well spent!

Then the fireworks started, and they were spectacular! 30 minutes of the sky over the sea to be lit up in many colours and fireworks I have never seen in my life before. One of the fireworks exploded into the shape of a smiley face, amazing!

Didn't get home until gone half past midnight, but it was worth it, and we will definitely be back next year!

(Thanks to Ivonne for the pictures)

New Two Pence

2008-08-09T16:52:00.002+01:00

Sarah at work found this yesterday...

Brilliant!

Just been to see the Film Man on Wire, a documentary film about a french man who walked across a tightrope strung between the twin towers in New York, amazing and mad stuff, but agree with the chap who did it that is was a beautiful thing to do. Even though he could not give a good reason for doing it (When I see three oranges, I juggle; when I see two towers, I walk) it seems to me that such a dangerous, potentially life ending stunt carries a lot of meaning... I just have not worked out what that meaning is yet!

5 Things on 2 days off

2008-08-07T11:47:00.002+01:00

I am on the second of 2 days off work today, I had built up a fair bit of lieu time so booked 2 random days in August off mistakenly thinking the weather would be lovely...

So instead of laying around drinking cider in the sun here are five unrelated things I have been doing and thinking about in the last week.

1. I am getting rather excited about the Olympics, generally I am indifferent about most sport, but this seems an exceptionally large and important event, with all the added side news stories of human rights, smog and drugs. From tomorrow I will be glued to BBC1 and FiveLive.

2. Been watching a few films, Anchorman last night (never seen it before, and although it's very silly it made me laugh lots), some fairly poor Woody Allen efforts, Stardust, and on Sunday night re watched There will be Blood, which is just as good, if not better the second time.

3. Amazon sent me an email this morning telling me about a new book. “As someone who has purchased or rated books by Sophocles, you might like to know his new book will be released on 14 August...” amazing, after 2500 years he is still churning them out!

4. The SPCK bookshops saga rumbles on, I feel that some of the bloggers on this issue are getting a bit obsessed and occasionally silly about the whole matter, but it has been interesting to see that Private Eye magazine have picked up the story (http://spckssg.wordpress.com/2008/08/07/better-than-a-cartoon-private-eye/) and my sense of vanity notes that I got a mention on Phil Grooms blog (http://spckssg.wordpress.com/2008/08/03/sunday-sermon/).

5. Not totally unconnected from the previous point is the fact I have finally booked to go to Greenbelt this year. I was in two minds about going (saving money for the Rome trip being the main concern), but have decided to book it anyway. The year I missed going to Greenbelt felt odd, like I had not had a proper summer, or space to relax with like-minded people. I have also not seen some people for ages, such as Dave and Maddie, Ship of Fools people, Steve and all the other people I bump into year after year. The Wibsite (http://www.wibsite.com) gathering is also always an event to remember.

Wiscombe Hill Climb 2008

2008-08-04T18:06:00.000+01:00

The weekend before last was the National Hillclimb championships at Wiscombe Park, Cars of various shapes and sizes take in turns to hurtle up a narrow track tucked away in a (previously) quiet valley. This East Devon course is considered by many to be the hardest on the calendar.

My friend Steve Clarke was one of the mad people to whizz up the hill, more can be read about that on Sarahs blog (http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2008-07-27/priorities-for-the-day-updated/). I am pleased to say he was fastest in his class, and set his best ever time for that particular hill!

The weather was fantastic, and the pint of Otter Ale (http://www.otterbrewery.com/) and Ice cream were very welcome in the heat, goodness knows how hot Steve was in his fireproof overalls.

I was also thinking how many of the July meetings I had been to over the years, here all all the blog entries I can find from over the years...
2007 http://www.wibsite.com/wiblog/neil/read.php?25154
2006 http://www.wibsite.com/wiblog/neil/read.php?18199
2005 http://www.wibsite.com/wiblog/neil/read.php?11203

Ok, off to play poker now, wish me luck!

The Racists at the Exeter Odeon

2008-08-03T14:58:00.003+01:00

Exeblog can exclusively reveal that one of the main cinemas in Exeter displayed some slightly racist tendencies this week...

Shocking.

New One Pence

2008-08-02T15:59:00.002+01:00

Exciting stuff! Ivonne found this in her change yesterday.

So now I have the 5p and the 1p, where will the next one be found?

Exeter Pub Guide, No. 2, City Gate Hotel

2008-08-01T18:15:00.003+01:00

Where is this pub?
On the Iron Bridge (St Davids Hill) in Exeter. It may sound odd to say it is “on” the bridge, but it sort of is!

What would draw you to this pub?
The walled garden (sheltered from the wind), friendly staff, poker nights, traditional hotel pub atmosphere, reasonably priced rooms.

What sort of person would you find in this pub?
Older couples, hotel guests, the posher students and people relaxing after work.

What can you consume in this pub?
A range of Youngs beers (including Winter Warmer and Waggledance), Addlestones cider and all the usual lagers and spirits. Sprits and wines will set you back a fair amount.

What is quirky about this pub?
The walled garden is a real feature, with views of St Michaels Church (the vicar of this church can often be found in there) and the malthouse building (Now Ginos restaurant). A selection of Roman-esque statues and a fish pond with (manky) fountain. The new conservatory is a nice light place to sit, and strangely comforting on a rainy evening. The pub used to be a lot quirkier before major changes were made in the late 90's, but overall the changes have created a much better space.

What is specifically “Exeter” about the pub?
The views, some of the pictures on the walls have a local theme.

What is there to do in this pub?
The downstairs often holds private parties, and Monday night is poker night. The IT box gets a fair bit of use, and newspapers (albeit the Daily Mail and Telegraph) are always lying around.

What are the worst things about the pub?
Some of the drinks will set you back (£3.20 Pint Addlestones, pushing £4 for a glass of wine or spirits). The smell in the old part of the pub is a little musky. The staff are sometimes more involved in running the hotel part of the business rather than the bar part. The food is hit and miss and the chef is a tad on the vicious side.

Is there an old man sat at the bar?
Not at the bar, but at the round table in the conservatory. This pub has many locals, and the staff know them all by name (or at least by drink!)

In a word, should I bother coming here?
Certainly, it is near the town, but far enough away to feel you are off the beaten track. The staff will make you feel welcome and the ales are good.

SPCK Bookshops and The Dark Knight

2008-07-30T22:11:00.003+01:00

This is astonishing http://elizaphanian.blogspot.com/2008/07/my-correspondence-with-j-mark-brewer.html

I am beyond comment on this matter, other bloggers are doing a stirling job at exposing the goings on of my ex-employers.

I will though comment on The Dark Knight, the new Batman film from Christopher Nolan. Although not as great as Batman Begins this is a truly great film, and although not a comic geek I was totally drawn into the the world created by this film. The only off putting parts for me was the sonic viewing machine, which just resulted in a few confusing scenes, and the annoying thing Heath Ledger was doing with his tongue.

Former SPCK Bookshops and Blogging

2008-07-23T17:45:00.005+01:00

It seems that the saga deepens, my friend Dave has been told by Mark Brewer (current owner of the SPCK bookshops chain, and my former employer) to take down all the posts relating to the former SPCK bookshops on his blog (http://cartoonchurch.com/blog/) or legal action will ensue. The SSG/SPCK blog that I referred to a few weeks ago has also been put into "Red Alert" mode by its caretaker owner. (http://spckssg.wordpress.com/).

This is a sorry state of affairs for all involved, and I feel for Dave who has done a great journalistic job keeping people up to date with the fate of the bookshops (both good and bad developments) to have this added pressure on him at an already busy time at the Lambeth conference (see http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/blog).

It also makes me fearful for the freedom of bloggers who are powerless against the bullying of large companies, or as in this case just someone with more money than them.

For further discussion and opinion see these links:-

The Wardman Wire http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/07/23/my-name-is-dave-walker-people-posting-about-mark-brewers-cease-and-desist-notice/

MadPriest http://revjph.blogspot.com/2008/07/dave-walker-cartoonist-and-martyr.html

Ship of Fools discussion http://forum.ship-of-fools.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=010601;p=5

Ants, Cars and Shoes

2008-07-22T20:41:00.003+01:00

It is flying ant day today, the signal that we are in the midst of summer – not that it has felt like it the last few weeks. This is the day that the ants emerge from the ground to get swiftly eaten by flocks of seagulls. Actually they do it for a good reason, and there is in fact a Wikipedia page all about it! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_ant_day).

There are a few cars around Exeter that I always think are cool (certainly not the noisy Saab that I had to help push start on the Iron bridge last night), I do love this Beetle that is always parked on Exe street.

Just up from it is a Matiz (same model as mine) with some rather hippyish stickers on it. Perhaps I could get some big enough to cover the dents in mine?

Finally I forgot to mention the shoes.

This was sight that greeted us in the function room in the City Gate last night as we started our game of poker. Looks like Clarks were having a training session in the day, as there was a manual called “How to Fit shoes”. I flicked to the first page and it said “Before you can learn how to fit shoes you must learn how to put them on”. Real back to basics stuff!

Bonhay Road Closed

2008-07-21T23:43:00.002+01:00

Bonhay Road is closed this week after 7pm, this means that we are expecting to hear lots of noise all night as a result of the roadworks that are closing the route. The Mill on the Exe has decided to close up for a few days as all access is lost to it (I was told they asked for “Business as usual” signs from the council, but these could not be provided as Council staff were on strike), and I imagine the gym has had a quiet night due to the rather long route that will have been needed to get to it (all around the Exe Bridges and up Frog Street, I know how lazy these fitness freaks really are).

Anyway, if I was wanting to win awards for dull photos then these of Bonhay road would be ones ones I would submit to the competition.

On the plus side I won £10 playing poker at the City Gate tonight.

Cricklepit Mill

2008-07-20T16:57:00.003+01:00

This morning we took the short stroll to Cricklepit Mill near Exeter's Quay. It has recently been restored by the Devon Wildlife Trust to house their offices, and the 2 water wheels restored, one of them a fully operational grinder. Today they had an open day, and running the mill for one of the first times for over 50 years. I have watched the building disintegrate over many years, a fire a few years back pretty much finishing it off, so I was interested to see it in its restored state.

(I have later realised that this image is the wrong way, but I will leave it as I am sure no one noticed!)

A handful of early risers (well early for a Sunday) witnessed the massive iron cogs grinding into action, the wooden teeth perfectly locking together to make wheels turn, and grain to be smashed into grainy flour (which tasted, well, like grainy flour), and then went upstairs to see the grain falling into the mill stones (sadly hidden in a wooden surround).

Outside the small piece of land that runs alongside the leat (a westcountry name for a little manmade stream) had been turned into a wild flower garden. It really shows the potential of even a small piece of what was previously wasteland.

A quick wander around an exhibition of Devon Archaeology at the XCentre and the Customs House (also open to the public for one day, but rather disappointingly just boring offices now, albeit with rather pretty ceilings) a quick coffee and it was time to head off home to watch the Grand Prix.

New Five Pence

2008-07-13T13:10:00.002+01:00

I am sorry I have not posted a pub review this week, I have actually been to the City Gate several times since the last post, but forgot my camera each time!

Plenty happening at work to keep me entertained though, we have gone from being a troubled bank, to a beleaguered lender (what a lovely word!) back to troubled again. Next week is the Extraordinary General Meeting (I picture extraordinary as there being jugglers, dancing badgers, trapeze artists and perhaps a guest visit from Elvis) so we will be in the news all over again.

More excitingly we found one of the new design coins at work this week, if you did not know about the new designs then see the Royal Mint site (http://www.royalmint.com/newdesigns/designsRevealed.aspx). My plan is to collect all of them and mount them on a card or perhaps in a frame. Here is the first specimen.

SPCK Exeter and the rain

2008-07-06T10:43:00.002+01:00

Well what a rainy week it has been here in Exeter, bout 1pm on Wednesday there was a downpour that had the drains in the High Street backing up within about 5 minutes. The rain also timed itself perfectly for me going home early on my afternoon off!

I have not been out and about too much this week due to having to save money (a trip to Rome is booked for later in the year and I must ensure I can pay for that, and buy nice food and wine while I am there!), so mostly I have been staying in watching the tennis and motor racing and reading. This does not make for many Exeter things to talk about.

Last Saturday though I did meet up with some of the guys who I used to work with at the former SPCK bookshop in Exeter, 3 previous managers came along as well and we had a nice time catching up with the SPCK news (the Exeter shop is as good as closed now) and what we have been doing since we left. For those interested in what became of the shop there is a blog (http://spckssg.wordpress.com/) that gives up to date news, but warning, some of the commenters are very bitter and it does not make very happy reading!

The next Pub Guide will follow this week, I just need to get some pictures before poker tomorrow night.

Exeter Pub Guide, No. 1, The Mill on the Exe

2008-06-30T15:26:00.003+01:00

Where is this pub?
Bonhay Road, just opposite the turning for Exe Street, perfectly situated on the banks of the Exe.

What would draw you to this pub?
Location, location, location. The main time people come here is when the sun comes out and you can sit by the river with a drink. If it were not by the river it would not be half as popular.

What sort of person would you find in this pub?
Typically couples, or groups of middle aged people having a meal, very occasionally students (posh ones) and groups of lads from the nearby Fitness First.

What can you consume in this pub?
A great variety of meals, from ribs to salads, ranging from £9 - £15. The food has improved greatly recently and we eat there quite often. As for Nibbles Burts crisps are available, and some varieties of nuts. I recommend the Parsnip Burts.

What is quirky about this pub?
Nothing greatly quirky, it has largely been cleaned up and modernised, but look out for the picture of the large pig, the spiral staircase (below), and in the bushes outside there is an interesting piece of ironwork. (see above)

What is specifically “Exeter” about the pub?
Views of the Exe and of St Michaels Church, Geese, ducks and swans, posh exeter students turning up in their new Minis and Beetles. It is also a building steeped with history as it used to actually be a mill.

What is there to do in this pub?
I think there are a few games behind the bar, and at least one machine flashing its lights confusingly. Otherwise conversation is key, the music is down very low and is very mellow and won't get in the way.

What are the worst things about the pub?
At £2.80-£3.20 a pint this is not a cheap place to drink, soft drinks are not cheap either. Also the place lacks a certain atmosphere, it is a middle class inoffensive pub, and something exciting or interesting is unlikely to spontaneously happen.

Is there an old man sat at the bar?
No, this pub is strangely lacking in regulars, in fact I would suggest that our friends and us are the only regulars!

In a word, should I bother coming here?
Yes. But try and pick a sunny day and make sure you have a wallet full! This is by far the pub I go to the most often, mostly as it is less than 2 minutes walk away!

Things that are free

2008-06-29T18:11:00.003+01:00

Even though I am a Guardian reading borderline lefty (you can't be a centrey really, can you?) my heart is always warmed buy things that are free at the point of use in our society. It should not come as a shock, that is what socialism is about, but it still does.

This week I had cause to revisit the library, long forgotten since the weather turned semi reliable a few months ago and I started reading less (in fact the pile of books is accumulating, just as I thought I was going to be at a “point zero” in unread books). The reason was a trip to Rome booked for September, and the need to get some guide books, but not being able to buy them as all my money will be used paying to go to Rome. A catch 22 that the library provides a route out of.

Anyway, the point is that it feels odd to walk in somewhere, pick up books and walk out with no money changing hands. It was a bit like the time that Britannia Breakdown rescued my poor old Panda car from a busy road and got it going, I felt the need to give the repair man something (I didn't, as essentially I am tight).

I now feel a bit guilty that in my job I help people pay less tax on their savings, in fact I should be trying to encourage them to pay more, so I can read more books for free and and I remain the correct side of centre.

Week round up

2008-06-25T17:50:00.001+01:00

An unremarkable week in Exeter so far, some fire engines opposite where I work in the High Street yesterday for most of the day, but I never found out why, Monday night I was second place in the City Gate poker tournament, which is a tenner in my pocket, and a bit of time spent at the Mill on the Exe enjoying the sun this afternoon – apparently the downstairs is going to be open again in July, I remember when there were pool tables and druggies down there, ah, the good old days.

After my half day at work today I fully intended on going to HMV and getting the new Coldplay album, but somehow left with the Sarah Bareilles album instead. Somehow on a sunny afternoon it did not seen right to bring myself down with Coldplays misery, but I will get it at some point.

Tonight is a rarity for me, I will be watching a whole football match on the TV. Much as the sport leaves me uninterested I will be cheering on Germany for the sake of the two Germans present. Yay Germany for the World Cup, or whatever it is.

Gone Ape

2008-06-22T08:55:00.001+01:00

I survived the “Go Ape” experience, and although I am glad I have done the course I really hope never to do it again. At some points I was so scared I would have come down and stopped if I had had the choice... but you don't have the choice, the only way through is to do each challenge between the trees before a zip wire rewards you with the promise of solid ground.

On the way home, just opposite the Riverside Christian Centre, I saw a man try and kick a car. He was dawdling across the crossing and the lights turned green, the car in front of me started move towards him, he moved out the way but then tried to kick the tyre as it passed. Very amusing.

Going Ape

2008-06-21T09:43:00.002+01:00

The plan today is to "Go Ape" (http://www.goape.co.uk/) out in Haldon with some friends. I understand this involves swinging from tree to tree and whizzing down zip wires. In my mind this was a fun thing to do on a rare Saturday off, but this morning I was imagining being up high in the trees looking down at the floor and I felt a sudden moment of panic, and remembered that I am quite scared of heights. If just thinking about heights has that effect then what will the actually experience do? In just a few hours I will find out.

ExeShed

2008-06-18T21:29:00.005+01:00

Well poker did not go so well, 4th out of 8 players, but look, at the half way point I was doing OK!

Last night was a trip out with work to spend some money we had “won” from the bank (credit crunch... what credit crunch?) so decided to go to ExeShed for a meal.

We are no strangers to “the shed” but had never eaten there before. Sadly we were not impressed, although the food was lovely (Duck breast on a bed of mash and beetroot), the service was atrocious, pretty much the worse I have had since the infamous Tiger Bills evening. The pretty blonde waitress, when she eventually took our drink order had no idea what we were saying to her, and we must have been sat drinkless for over half an hour after arriving. She then spectacularly failed to open a bottle of wine and broke her little credit card machine by dropping it on the floor. Then after the meal (which I must admit was excellent) the tables were not cleared, then half cleared, then only finally cleared when we ordered dessert (we had to ask the manager for the dessert menu, no one was in a hurry to bring it, even after catching several of the staffs attention). There were 6 staff serving 5 tables, yet half the staff were huddled around together, not actually waiting on tables. Such a shame that a restaurant with such great potential does not quite come up to standards. I am sticking with Strada in the future.

On the way home I was disgusted by the disregard people treat their living environment, first was a girl on the Iron Bridge who just put her empty drinks carton on the window sill of the hairdressers, despite there being a rubbish bin just a little further on, and secondly this bunch of “chavs” who let their dog (not pictured) do a massive poop on the pavement in Exe Street and just walked off. Perhaps I am just becoming Angry of Exeter...

Pubs, in all their glory

2008-06-16T19:13:00.005+01:00

Pubs, we've all seen them. But what is so great about them? Is it simply the alcohol that flows so freely (well, not freely, more like £2.80 a pint), is it the gardens, the food, the conversation, the big screens, the lack of big screens, the friendly staff... the list goes on.

On this blog I will endeavour to try and encapsulate what I like so much about a handful of Exeter pubs. Using a “find 50” (see here) style booklet I will be the judge and jury of my local drinking holes. All in the name of research.

On that topic I must get to the City Gate now in time for poker, this week is my week, I can feel it.

Welcome to exeblog

2008-06-15T20:11:00.000+01:00

Welcome to my new blog, exeblog. The lack of capital letter on the exe bothers me slightly, but that's how it is, and I will just have to live with that, or change it – that would be an option too, and it is always good to keep your options open.

Anyway, quibbling over a capital letter that may or may not be there is not why this blog has been set up (although there are whole blogs on the subject, see http://spandg.blogspot.com/ or http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/) No this blog has been set up by me to document the things I see and do around my home town of Exeter. Exciting huh?

In a blog elsewhere I tend to ramble on about random things, and indeed this is reflected in the name of that blog (see http://www.wibsite.com/wiblog/neil/), but I felt the need for somewhere more focused to put my experiences and musings of Exeter. So if I see a badger crossing Cowley Bridge Road, or a man naked in ASK, or hear about a disgraced teacher in Pinhoe, or a bomb in town then this is the place I will ramble about it. How focused is that?

I am hoping that comments from people with connections with Exeter will liven things up too, and if it all ends up being really dull and pretentious then I see Blogger includes a hand “Delete Blog” button, and I won't be shy to use it.

So let the blog begin... (probably tomorrow though, as I have a nice bottle of Rosé open, and it is begging to be consumed).