Beginning To See The Light

After a token couple of hours work, I was getting cabin fever ( it doesn't take much ). The sun was shining, it's spring. I must be outside.

So I walked down to creek re set my peeler crab traps, only to find time and tide really don't wait for no man, the traps almost all having been covered in silt. Not a great loss.

On the way back I bumped into a fox. Luckily it didn't see me, so I crouched down and waited, hoping it would come right up to me. When it was about 30 yards away, it froze and suspiciously stared at me, before turning round and jogging off. Suspicion that has enabled them to thrive whilst being relentlessly persecuted.

The next day, the strong onshore wind slightly changed direction. I thought this a good opportunity for a quick fish at the local beach ( after all work was completed, obviously ). It certainly was still breezy, but not unfishable and sunny to boot. Four decent sized skate obliged and I kept two.  It's a long walk back and I didn't want to be bringing them all back home. God, I hate skining them.

Another sunny day yesterday and I had my last training run before the Colchester Half Marathon on Sunday. This comprised of a couple of miles half hearted jog and the rest walking. It was too nice a day to rush along the river. As someone once said,  "don't forget to smell the flowers along the way".

I can't say I'm enthusiastic about the race though.

Just as I finished the run one of my mates came by. He said he'd like to come fishing with me soon ( he's a non angler ). Fine, any time, I said. He then made a huge faux pas. "Are there any sea bass around". I immediately struck him hard with a straight left on the nose, followed up with a vicious right uppercut. Actually I didn't, but that's what I feel like doing when some calls a bass a "sea bass".

It's one of my my many irrational loathings of inconsequential things. Some others include......

Cafes serving coffee with milk, not cream ( bit of a first world problem I agree ).

PLC speak of any description e.g "our value added selling proposition". Yes kids, I've really heard this.

"The winningest team/captain, etc". What ? A disgraceful abomination of the English language.

Clarkson. I loathe this man beyond reason.

And to show I'm not a totally miserable old git, five simple things I really love.....

Boiling my eggs perfectly, so they're runny but without that snotty bit.

Saturday newspaper, read in a cafe (drinking a coffee...with cream obviously)

Green and Blacks plain dark chocolate after every meal

Preparing to watch MOTD, with a glass of red, when Man Utd have lost

The sun. Always the sun.

TT and BB, a few of you're trivial loves/loathings please ?

On The Beach

First beach session of the year. Me and The Whittler headed off on a mile long walk across the shingle, to our favourite roker mark. "Tonight's the night", I thought, perfect conditions. Calm, biggish tide.
I'm pretty sure there is no better place in the country for beach roker than this spot, which is very convenient, as it's only fifteen minutes drive from home.....plus the twenty minute walk.
In short, we had a good night with nine roker to about 7lb and a sizeable codling ( to The Whittler ) between us.

A mercifully blurred photo of The Whittler (he's an ugly bugger)
with roker number 1

The day before I had a walk down by the river, along the creek near Thorrington Mill. I stopped at a sheltered spot in the sun and went to sleep. Again. Several chiffchaffs calling, although I have yet to hear or see any other migrants. A gorgeous spring day.

Once Upon A Time......

The Mighty Turdster with a monstrous 15lb turbot. Caught despite ( because ?) defying skipper's instructions. Alderney, 2011.

10lb 12 oz Stour zander, 2009. I was well chuffed with that.

23lb Stour carp. I vaguely remember Goozgog being there too. 2003.

Mak with a big perch from Ardleigh in 1985

Bainsy, Shanus and me at Alton, 2009.

I love looking at old photos. There's always a hint of melancholy about it....how time flies and people physically change. None of these photos are related, just a random snapshot of some of the thousands I've taken over the years.

Mak Baines wedding.Mak, Shane, me, Lobby ( before he threw up in Shane's car )

Above - Shanus throwing out his 4lb carp livebait on the Ebro in Spain. And the result, a catfish of around 80lb.
Below - More Ebro stuff including a rather nice photo of me sunbathing in pants.

The now iconic photo of Mak Baines, in forlorn pose, after losing a winter carp after waiting hours

Perchtastic pics, from Smeg's and the Kennet.Late 90s.

Hang on son ! There's a 140lb catfish attached and it's doing it's best to pull me in.

Smeg with an 80lb conger, with Goozgog keeping his distance. Weymouth 2010.

Goozgog and my Dan. A balmy evening on the Stour in 2001.

At Blenheim Palace, with Goozgog, Smeg and Liitle Owl. Tenching, but catching bream. 2001.

Goozgog in Ireland 1985

Goozgog on "The Point" at Alresford, circa 1985

Banal Ramblings

The drill was put into action for the second time in my 50 years. A top quality,  bespoke house number, designed and crafted by yours truly. Is there nothing I can't do ( comments on the grammatical  correctness of this sentence welcome ) ? It's taken me twenty three years to put a number on the house.

The most pathetic thing on the blog so far ?

Today, I nipped out for an hour or two (ish) at lunchtime, down the cafe and then a walk along the marshes. Layed down in a sheltered spot in the sun and watched and listened to the widgeon and waders. How civilised.

Thorrington Mill in the distance

On Tuesday, me and Wak Baines had a day perch fishing at a local lake. Lots of small perch were caught, along with roach, rudd, bream, carp and chub. We lost a couple of big koi carp too. Another day in the sun drinking tea, watching the wildlife and taking the piss out of each other. Saw a badger in the evening too.

Sir, do you have licenses for those four rods ?

A really lazy, enjoyable day. This week I've spent so much time not working I'm beginning to understand what it must be like to be Poodle Riley.

Grossly incompetent Wak Baines tangled up again

Oh yeah, and I put out a fire midway through the afternoon, but I'm too modest to talk further of my heroism.

A Full Moon, The Scarlett Elf Cup and Navel Gazing

Last night, me and the Whittler had a quick trip to the beach hoping and expecting a few codling and maybe a roker or two. What we got was a flat calm sea, a beautiful moonlit evening and no fish.
The Whittler rivals Wak Baines for the breadth of his interests and opinions. As an added bonus he doesn't mumble, which means you don't have to ask him to repeat things three times before understanding him. Always agreeable company.

Wildlife Watch : On today's walk I spotted a pair of buzzards, a pair of kestrels and a pair of sparrowhawks, along with the (apparently very rare), scarlett elf cup. C'mon, admit it, you've never heard of it have you ?

Why do we blog ? When I say "we", I mean  people who do it for a non commercial reason.Would it matter to the blogger if nobody read it ? Or is it enough to do it for it's own sake ?
I suppose I do it so I can post a few photos to show a few mates and as an excuse to.....Oh, I don't know, write was is essentially an on line diary. Would I do it if nobody read it. Dunno, probably. The need for self expression ?
I'm disappearing up my own backside. Time for red wine.
Over and out.

A Gig, a Run and the Thoughts of Chairman Wak

What a great week . On Monday, me and Youngooooous went to a (very) small gig at Rough Trade records in Spitalfields to see the mighty Wave Pictures. A short set to promote the new album and that was it. Good though.

Then on Wednesday I met Wak Baines for a day piking at Alton, where we sat all day without so much as a touch. However, lots of tea was drunk and many topics discussed. In the now traditional way I will list some of said discussions.

Public schools and why they should be abolished.
What do your kids think of you ?
Does, or can, a person fundamentally change between say twenty and fifty years old ?
If you really had to, who would you go to the pub with. Mark E Smith, Morrissey or Roy Keane ?
Why Greece should leave the euro.
The lack of general knowledge of most people under thirty years old ( dangerously close to "Da Yoof of Today" territory )
Tony Blair and David Cameron. Different sides of the same coin ?
Books you should read ( again ).
How chest waders retain the smell of a fart for hours.

The Daily Mail was not discussed.

So, a day chewing the fat with Wak, always an enjoyable experience.

On Saturday, me and Lady Bong flew to Seville for the city marathon on the Sunday. Lovely city, lots of small streets, almost all lined with orange trees, heaving with fruit. The Barrio Santa Cruz area was packed with tapas bars and restaurants.

Up early on the Sunday. Weather perfect, calm, sunny and mild. There was the usual shouting and hollering in the countdown to the start and then we were off.

Can you see me ? No, neither can I

It was a beautiful flat course, which took you round pretty much all of the city sights. The crowds lining the streets were fantastic, there were out in their thousands.
I latched on the the 3 hour 30 minute pacer early on and basically hung on for the whole race, only having difficulty in the last nine or ten km. I must admit the last half hour hurt a bit.

That's the back of my head that is

I finished in 3.28.41, much better than I expected, so well pleased. After the finish, me and Lady Bong took two hours to find each other, due to my imprecise post race instructions.
That evening we were sat outside eating (in smegging February) and afterwards tucked in to the wine in various tapas bars. Back in the hotel bar we narrowly avoiding a messy end to the evening after getting talking to two well oiled blokes from Carlisle.
A good end to a great week. Bit of a shite write up though, I'll try to improve next time.

Winter Finished- Official

I've decided winter has finished, bloody good job too. It can huff and puff, but it's on the way out. So says I.
Yesterday I did my last long(ish) run before the Seville marathon next week. All was going well until I wiped my sunglasses as I ran down Cox Hill in Lawford, when one of the lens popped out. I spent half hour on hands and knees, cursing like a madman, unsuccessfully looking for it.
How the hell can a lens that size disappear ?

Lovely day today, walked along the river from Thorrington Mill to Wivenhoe and back. Signs of spring everywhere.

Lots of green shoots on the honeysuckle and elder especially, woodpeckers yaffling, a buzzard mewing above the wood near Brightlingsea church and songbirds everywhere. Had a stoat run out in front of me too.