A life passes on...

26 April '11: my dear Tabby cat Becks, who in this picture is taking an interest in the datalogging process for my Sunboxes (in case we dropped some food nearby) has passed away... and I have to bury him in the garden.
  He was about fifteen, and had difficulty breathing and eating, so we had to do the right thing for him.
  Long live the memory of Becks! He will live on in my chargingtheearth blog, for certain!

Birthday meet at Owlers April'11

25 April 2013: We took a trip up the M1 to join Rose for Sally's 61st birthday celebration, at Owlers in Hebden Bridge. 

The weather was excellent and we all ate outside.

It has been an amazingly sunny April and it's lucky that Rose and Paul installed their solar panels beforehand. The new extension is great, blending in well with the existing house.

Despite the rainless April, the 6000 litre garden water tank is continually replenished from the spring on the hill behind, and keeps the Owlers garden growing well.

Nicholson-Cole family relaxing under the modern staircase in Owlers



The Wheelers, Stewarts and N-Coles. Dan+Fran and Phil+Rachel joined us later in the day. Sorry, not to forget Lucian, Dan+Fran's young son!



Sophie and Barney drove the whole way here in her Picanto

Becks the Cat April'11

12 April 2011: Becks, our cat is elderly now. He loves to take part in the family activity, so if you are reading the paper, he has to lie on it. Same with your attempts to write in the diary. 

Placid old gent!



If he was four times as big he might want to eat us. But he is happy to be the size he is and eat what we give him!

DNC in NYC for a week

10 April '11: DNC just got back from a week in New York City, with 17 students of the Nottingham Uni. Here's a picture of most of us in front of the Apple store in Fifth Avenue, at the south end of Central Park. We flew out American airlines, and lived in a small hostel on 337 55th St, very near to Broadway and Times Square... an easy walk to MOMA and Central Park.  I have posted a LOT of photos on Facebook!
First day was a Columbus Circle, Lincoln Ctr, Dakota, Central Park, Guggenheim, then south again to Fifth Avenue, Rockefeller ctr finishing at the Empire State.
Second was to the south end of Manhattan - Woolworth, World Trade Ctr, Battery Park, Skyscraper museum, Statue of Liberty, and finishing at Pier 17.
Third day was Midtown - MOMA, Park Avenue, Chrysler, Bryant Park, a seminar with KPF, and then off to do out own things. This was all a punishing schedule for the poor old feet.
Fourth day was to Chelsea and then Greenwich village. After that I took myself up to the Planetarium and then further north to Harlem. Finished the day with a good look round the Metropolitan museum.
Fifth day, I took an excursion to Washington DC with Thao on a chinese bus company. We only managed to see bits of Washington by taking a rather frantic taxi ride around the sights, as the tour company seemed to think we would be happy seeing nothing but the Jefferson Monument.
Sixth day was our last, and I did a bit of shopping at MOMA, then it was time to get the Subway to the airport... my feet were very relieved!