January 22, 2009

Yesterday’s drive to Barlovento was very nice, even though we didn’t go for the best of reasons (see previous post.) We got to the local police station, and found it shut. So we popped into the bar and had a coffee and a nibble. Then Theresa remembered that the insurance firm had given her a photocopied list with all the phone numbers for all the police stations on the island….

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The best laid plans…

January 21, 2009

So I finished my day’s work and waved Helena and Theresa off. Then at half-past nine, they phoned to say, “HELP!” There they were, driving peacefully towards home, when a sizeable rock detached itself from the side of the cutting and leapt towards them, screaming “Banzai!” It bounced on the other side of the road and rolled to a halt just half a metre in front of the bumper. Of…

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Great News

…and we interrupt our regular programming to bring you a news flash. BSFA (British Science Fiction Association) preliminary 2008 award nominations for non-fiction includes: “How to Burn a Chicken – Using Astronomy for Worldbuilding” by Sheila Crosby (in Escape Velocity, vol 1 issue 2) I haven’t been able to confirm this yet, but the unconfirmed report made my day.

January 13, 2009
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Busstops

Yes busstops. Here in the municipality of Breña Baja, we have the nicest bus stops on the island. The council built them, and the local painters’ association turned them into works of art. busstop34 Jigsaw Puzzle That was two years ago, and they still haven’t been vandalised, which is another thing I like about the place. It’s not that the whole island is grafitti-free, but there isn’t much, and it’s…

January 12, 2009
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A Blinding Flash of the Bleeding Obvious

Yoga is never going to get easier. The whole philosophy is that you do as much as you can, and then a bit more. Even if I get good enough to cross my ankles behind my neck, I’ll always be trying to touch a spot that’s just outside my reach. Of course I could always make it easier by settling for what I can do already, but then I won’t…

January 12, 2009
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Our son was getting obsessed by video games, so over the Christmas break we insisted that he was only allowed limited time on the computer. He promptly started drawing – of characters and scenes from his favourite games. But the first few were good, and they’re getting better and better. This is Hyper-Sonic and friends with the Chaos Emeralds. (Apparently in the game they’re called emeralds whatever colour they are.)

January 11, 2009
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