Time changes everything

I’m writing in a different place now I have a lap top, and Cyclo is working in the office this week. I’m in the dining room with a view of the back garden, rather than upstairs with a view of the front.
So I’m getting a different view of the world when I look up from tapping.

It’s another dull day here most of the day – when it wasn’t raining –  but the afternoon of 1st November was a stunner. I ran out into the garden I took a few shots.

Do you remember this?

Continue reading “Time changes everything”

Match fixing sentences

It all seems a bit harsh to me.

They already have career destroying bans from the ICC but imprisonment!

Agent Mazhar Majeed was jailed for two years and eight months for his role in the fixing.

Pakistan Test cricket captain Salman Butt jailed for 30 months.

Former world number two Test bowler Mohammad Asif  jailed for one year for his involvement.

Mohammed Amir sentenced to 6 months in prison.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not going soft, in fact I’d lock up the agent and throw away the key, and Salmaan Butt, well he can sit, he should have known better and it appears that it was he who recruited the other two.

I remember the Hanse Cronje scandal, he was quite rightly banned for life, but the guys that he involved, where are they now? Well two of them have just finished playing in the Champions League Trophy in India (of all places).

Sure, the culprits have to be punished, but jail?

Not for me, not today.

Knitting Pattern 1: A Cuddly Bear

Knitting Pattern: Teddy Bear

SIZE

Approximately 10 1/2” tall.

MATERIALS

BERROCO PLUSH (50 grs), 1 ball #1947 Bubblegum, #1023 Shocking Pink or #1901 Cream (1 ball for each bear).

Straight knitting needles, size 8 OR SIZE TO OBTAIN GAUGE.

Small amount of polyester fill for stuffing.

1/2 yd ribbon for neck bow.

GAUGE

7 sts = 2”; 11 rows = 2” in Reverse St st.

TO SAVE TIME, TAKE TIME TO CHECK GAUGE.

Continue reading “Knitting Pattern 1: A Cuddly Bear”

The long unwinding road

Here’s a pic I took when driving through the Northern Cape and Free state. This particular stretch is part of the Hopetown (where diamonds were first discovered) and Hanover ‘short cut.’ Perhaps a distance of 160 mile or so.

The road goes through the Afrikaaner self proclaimed ‘independent’ Orania region (which would you believe has it’s own currency and flag amongst other things) and a very pretty part of the world it is too!

But not everything in The Free state is flat as the next pic will prove… Continue reading “The long unwinding road”

November’s Creative Writing Competition

Thanks Pseu – I’m somewhat overwhelmed by your choice – “like a stunned mullet”, as we say in Strine – but thanks again for your kind words, and for the congratulations from other Charioteers.

I could think of nothing to write about until I remembered visiting the Berlin suburb of Wedding a couple of years before the wall came down.   As soon as that popped into my head, the plot materialised fully-formed, and I could set to work.

I loved all the stories, and would have had great difficulty choosing between Bilby and Ferret if I had been in the hot seat.

The challenge for November –

We begin in a boardroom where a fierce debate is in progress.   The words ‘dahlia’ and ‘crescent’ must appear, and the story must be less than 2,000 words – and more than 1,000 ❗

Closing date is UK midnight on the 27th of November 2011.   Have fun! 😀