So, the rest of the summer hols kick in tonight.
Off for 2 weeks!
Woo hoo!
We will be taking in the usual spot of camping at our usual place. We are nothing if not predictable, but we really love going back to the same site and village each year, it is like having a holiday home on the cheap.
The rest of the time will be around our home town, a few days out, a few lunch dates for Mrs RC and myself, a few dog walks together etc. Oh, my birthday also falls in this break (totally planned, working on my birthday is gains my religion).
Oh, before I go, more animal related news. You might remember our fish, Lonesome George, Toffee Penny and Nemo? Well Nemo and Toffee Penny have started to lay eggs and it looks like George is actually a male and is doing what comes naturally is such a situation. Mrs RC has collected some of the eggs to see if they hatch. Any that hatch in the pond are likely to get eaten, so we might end up with a second pond for a while....
I will be dropping in here from time to time, hopefully posting a few photos. In the mean time, have a great summer!
Friday, 7 August 2015
Tuesday, 4 August 2015
Animals
A while back, Mrs RC made a nest box for a pair of doves that were extremely bad at nest building.
The box worked, the doves moved in and here are the babies they had!
The adults have now rebuilt the nest and seem intent on having more babies before the summer ends...
When we found this in the garden I thought it was some sort of snake at first. Turns out to be the caterpillar of a Giant Hawk Moth.
Having looked it up we decided that my mum has the ideal plants in her garden both for the caterpillar and the moth when it hatches. We wish him well!
Bees and butterflies also seem to like our garden.
On my ride to work this morning I passed this. The road is supposed to be closed for repairs, but at least one vehicle came this way last night.
There are a lot of people who just will not get rid of their junk properly and just dump it. Some call them animals, but I don't think that this term is at all appropriate, do you?
Monday, 3 August 2015
Summer Part 1
Back to things after a week's break, mainly at home.
Not a very restful week, but still great fun, including going to a niece's wedding in the village that Mrs RC grew up in. We had a family stroll through the village while being regaled with childhood memories, including admiring the tight bend on the road where Mrs RC's mum once fell out of the car and had to run along the road to catch up.
On Friday, Mrs RC and I also snuck out for a meal together, just the two of us. A problem with the rabbits (two of them have started fighting each other, so have had to be separated) meant that we could not go far, so we headed to the sea front, wandered along hand in hand until we found the place that we wanted and then grabbed a table.
We had a drink each and a plate of ribs and stuff each and just sat and chatted about whatever subject came to us. It was really nice. We love having our kids around, and family meals are a big thing for us, but just sneaking in the odd few hours with just the two of us is very relaxing and good for us. I guess that, as the kids grow older we will be getting more time like this, so why not get in some practice :-)
Oh, one more thing before I go. The council have given me an early birthday present. Most of the road between home and work is closed for pot hole repairs. I continue to use it, of course, so this week is going to be great for cycling. After that I am on holiday for another 2 weeks, including a spot of camping and my birthday. In addition the good weather seems to have returned, so everything is looking rosy right now!
Back soon with photos of the latest creepy-crawly to appear in our garden...
Not a very restful week, but still great fun, including going to a niece's wedding in the village that Mrs RC grew up in. We had a family stroll through the village while being regaled with childhood memories, including admiring the tight bend on the road where Mrs RC's mum once fell out of the car and had to run along the road to catch up.
On Friday, Mrs RC and I also snuck out for a meal together, just the two of us. A problem with the rabbits (two of them have started fighting each other, so have had to be separated) meant that we could not go far, so we headed to the sea front, wandered along hand in hand until we found the place that we wanted and then grabbed a table.
We had a drink each and a plate of ribs and stuff each and just sat and chatted about whatever subject came to us. It was really nice. We love having our kids around, and family meals are a big thing for us, but just sneaking in the odd few hours with just the two of us is very relaxing and good for us. I guess that, as the kids grow older we will be getting more time like this, so why not get in some practice :-)
Oh, one more thing before I go. The council have given me an early birthday present. Most of the road between home and work is closed for pot hole repairs. I continue to use it, of course, so this week is going to be great for cycling. After that I am on holiday for another 2 weeks, including a spot of camping and my birthday. In addition the good weather seems to have returned, so everything is looking rosy right now!
Back soon with photos of the latest creepy-crawly to appear in our garden...
Monday, 20 July 2015
Another Proud Parent Moment...
On Sunday, we took our youngest (Arnie the power lifter) to his second competition.
He was not sure how he would get on, as the last couple of weeks had seen his sleep, exercise and diet regimes all somewhat out of whack.
On the train there he was red-eyed and dozing.
On arrival he was greeted enthusiastically, given a quick tour, some forms to fill in and weighed. He came in a good few pounds under his category boundary, which made him happy.
Then Mrs RC and I found seats to watch while Arnie went to get warmed up.
They did two events.
Bench-press, where you lie on your back, lower the weight bar to your chest and then push it back up again. He managed 102.5kg (225.5 pounds). This was the same as he did at his last competition back in Feb.
Then it was the Deadlift, where you grab the weight bar and then stand up straight. Last time he lifted 202.5kg (445.5 pounds). This time I thought he would try 205kg, but Mrs RC said he was hoping to lift 210kg (462 pounds). Instead he went for 212.5kg (467.5 pounds, 2.5 times his own weight), the most he has ever lifted. He has not even done that it training!
And he did it - just! I am sure that the cheering, screaming girls at the back had a lot to do with it...
He beat everyone close to his own age, and a lot of the older lifters too! (The best lift by anyone all day was 270kg (594 pounds) by a guy in his mid 20s.)
So he now has his sights set on a regional competition in November. He is aiming high for this one, looking to Deadlift 227.5kg (500.5 pounds). 500 pounds is a very symbolic number, I think.
Are we proud?
Is The Pope Catholic?
He was not sure how he would get on, as the last couple of weeks had seen his sleep, exercise and diet regimes all somewhat out of whack.
On the train there he was red-eyed and dozing.
On arrival he was greeted enthusiastically, given a quick tour, some forms to fill in and weighed. He came in a good few pounds under his category boundary, which made him happy.
Then Mrs RC and I found seats to watch while Arnie went to get warmed up.
They did two events.
Bench-press, where you lie on your back, lower the weight bar to your chest and then push it back up again. He managed 102.5kg (225.5 pounds). This was the same as he did at his last competition back in Feb.
Then it was the Deadlift, where you grab the weight bar and then stand up straight. Last time he lifted 202.5kg (445.5 pounds). This time I thought he would try 205kg, but Mrs RC said he was hoping to lift 210kg (462 pounds). Instead he went for 212.5kg (467.5 pounds, 2.5 times his own weight), the most he has ever lifted. He has not even done that it training!
And he did it - just! I am sure that the cheering, screaming girls at the back had a lot to do with it...
He beat everyone close to his own age, and a lot of the older lifters too! (The best lift by anyone all day was 270kg (594 pounds) by a guy in his mid 20s.)
So he now has his sights set on a regional competition in November. He is aiming high for this one, looking to Deadlift 227.5kg (500.5 pounds). 500 pounds is a very symbolic number, I think.
Are we proud?
Is The Pope Catholic?
Tuesday, 14 July 2015
Random Photos
While out walking the dogs the other day, I stopped to take a pic of some of the grasses that have turned to some wonderful colours, only to find the even more wonderful spider getting into the shot! A spider with camo is new to me!
This gull is now a fairly regular visitor to our front garden. He is a tight fit onto this feeding table, but he seems to think it is worth the effort.
Another friend I made while walking the dogs.
Mrs RC has been hard at work in the garden. This is a sheltered seating area for two that my mum has adopted for her and Spot. In this pic she is sharing some sausages between the dogs.
Frou Frou on the bridge over our pond.
A vapourer moth caterpillar that has made its home in one of our plants. An amazing looking thing, I am sure you will agree! I was a bit worried by it but a friend of mine on Facebook told me what it is.
Finally, an example of the silliness that we get around here when it comes to cycle routes. This insane arrangement saves the cyclist about 100 yards, but sends them into the face of oncoming traffic, with cars cutting across at 2 points in this short stretch. (It all looks quiet in the photo, but when it gets busy it can be very unpleasant.)
Friday, 3 July 2015
Thursday, 2 July 2015
My Town is Famous Again!
Following up its previous claim to fame for having the worst Christmas Tree in the country, my little town is in the national news again.
JAWS: ‘Great white shark’ spotted off Herne Bay coast causes exodus of terrified swimmers from sea
Could have been a horrific incident, you would have thought that this news would have spread like wildfire.
But, um, no.
My son spent the entire day at the beach and was totally unaware of this incident until I told him what I had seen on Facebook.
In reality, I suspect that it is either a large dog fish or a small basking shark, both of which are pretty harmless...
But it got us in the news again, and not because everyone is laughing at us!
Yet...
JAWS: ‘Great white shark’ spotted off Herne Bay coast causes exodus of terrified swimmers from sea
Could have been a horrific incident, you would have thought that this news would have spread like wildfire.
But, um, no.
My son spent the entire day at the beach and was totally unaware of this incident until I told him what I had seen on Facebook.
In reality, I suspect that it is either a large dog fish or a small basking shark, both of which are pretty harmless...
But it got us in the news again, and not because everyone is laughing at us!
Yet...
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