February 2011..Time flies by.

Hello I'm back. It's Thursday Feb 10th 2011, 11.54a.m precisely.

All is well here. I took my sons to the Bath Theatre Royal last night to see Handsel and Gretal performed in the 'Egg' by the Young Peoples Theatre. This was no ordinary fairytale!! But a modern take on coming of age. Hugely dark and nighmarish...just the thing for a ten and thirteen year old! Toby (10) is a budding young actor and I would be surprised if he is not involved in film, stage, production as a professional person in the coming years, he is a natural.

My gorgeous wife is away with conference work this week. I always miss her when she is away, even though for the past week she has been riddled with a nasty flu like bug and moped about the house. She now she seems to have recovered, gone off on her trip...leaving me with the early symptoms of a chest infection, and feeling very lethargic. Thanks Darling!! I think Rory is also suffering I am expecting him to come home from school early..But like me he does seem to grin and bare it.

Corsham Running Club gather on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. I plan on joining in this evening for a five mile run round the village. Not very inspiring on a dark and damp evening but I need the companionship of others to drive me forwards.

On the 30th Jan. The weekend before last..I raced in the Slaughterford 9..a hilly trail race with 'A sting in the tail' ..This is a local run and I have actually entered twice before but unfortunately not been fit enough and / or injured and been reduced to watching from the sidelines..Obviously the end of January is potentially bloody cold, wet, frozen and all over miserable..But as I surfaced from my cosy bed at 7a.m. I saw sun shining and blue skies...still chilly mind you!

Training had improved in recent weeks and my attitude was positive as I prepared a simple breakfast, cup of earl grey...swiftly followed by some freshly ground coffee beans in double espresso fashion...and then the regulation visit to the loo that accompanies all pre- race preparations!

I decided to cycle to the regristration point which probably warmed and stretched my muscles perfectly for the event. My number for the day..130. My hope...To complete the course in 1 hour and 40 minutes, allowing for the fact that I haven't covered more that 6 continuous miles at any time in the last year!! I add at this point that I have had some serious back problems that aside from wearing a neoprene harness regularly, I had to have treatment including needles along the right side of my spine and deep manipultion that caused me to 'bite the pillow' on more than on occasion!...I thoroughly recommend that to all my readers. The proof of the pudding...I am here and the run was fun! Except for the first and last hill..The first was at 1.5miles so I hadn't even got into my stride and I know it well...a short sharp dog leg in the woods that hits you immediately after charging down a track of loose rocks and roots...The last..The notorious 'Sting in the Tail' is a steep exposed terrace at about 8.5 miles...I watched the runners last year and I think the only people to 'run' up it were the first three out of almost 400!! I settled to become one of the masses, and walked..hands on thighs to the stile at the top...and some more afterwards...My family saw me at my worst unfortunately but I got the added bonus of a push over the finish line from my youngest son Toby, hands on my muddy backside and shouting "go daddy go daddy!" 1hour 32 minutes!!! swiftly followed by a one mile jog back to my bike and a short ride home ...No aches nor pains, well, not many..and the cracked/broken toe (the one next to my little toe on left foot) didn't play up despite most of the zinc tape that I bound my foot with, coming adrift!! 2012 will be 1.20 just wait and see!!!

Next competition...Well I have my eye on the Neolithic Marathon or the Half...crossing Salisbury Plain on 1st May. This will depend on a planned trip to the Isle of Wight with our old neighbours from Sawbridgeworth to cycle the 'Round the Island 100k'

1st of May is a Double Bank Holiday and coincides with the Royal Wedding of HRH Prince William to Kate Middleton...(That would be a nice photographic assignment!) The roads will be busy and there are many tempting sporting events nearby, not to mention trips to the coast of Sth Wales! But I will go with the flow and join the family in their ultimate choice.

Decent employment is ellusive, cold calling a thankless task. The climate is not the brightest but I am sure opportunities are out there..Does anybody know where?..I do begin to feel that the scrap heap beckons for ageing photographers like me!! But I am always busy with something, never sitting idly by waiting for the world to pay me.

Which reminds me, I need to fire up my chain saw and cut then split some timber for fire logs.

Best wishes one and all.