Flying Ant Day

Hello again,

Last Thursday was "Flying Ant Day". I don't know if this really does only happen once a year but it certainly seems to be the case. On a warm, humid evening the little critters come piling out of their nest and swarm into the sky, presumably hoping for a better life, more choices and a home of their own.

This year we had the biggest swarm of the little winged fellas I have ever seen. Next to a low wall in my front garden, adjacent to the footpath we had a mass exodus of Bigglesed insects. Certainly hundreds but more likely thousands of them fled their nest and wafted up into the sky, or at least that was the intention. They were everywhere; in the sky, on th footpath, all over my car, all over me (when I took the photo), everywhere.

I guess the mortality rate for a flying ant is high; it being their maiden flight and with no maps or satnav, where would you go? what would you be looking for?. I also imagine it is an annual feast for the insect eating birds like Blackbirds and Robins who must sit around just waiting for dinner to be served.

It must work though, a few of the brave little beasties must make it to their chosen destination because it persists and every year we still have a Flying Ant Day. Bravo them...

Until next time...

Drag [on] Boat Racing

Hello again,

We took part in the Kingston Charity Dragon Boat Challenge yesterday. We were raising money for Jeevika, a charity aim is "To work towards an India without absolute poverty where all people have the opportunity to live with dignity free from hunger, deprivation and marginalisation. See http://www.jeevika.org.uk/

The reality is though, that 16 men dressed up in saris and long black wigs, hence the drag...on and learnt to paddle the boats. You could say it was a liberating experience as some of the guys enjoyed the dressing up much more than what could be considered to "the norm" - no names, but I think you know who you are.

Each team (and there were 34 teams in total) had three heats culminating with a final for the fastest 6 boats. Our first heat was a disaster, we were on a very steep learning curve of paddling skills, timing & co-ordination. Our time was, I think, the 30th out of 34.

After a team meeting and some "dry land" paddling practice, we had our second heat and "bingo" it all came together. We thrashed the other two boats and put in the third fastest time of the day.

Buoyed (excuse the pun) by our success we looked forward to our third and final heat only to find that complacency and cockiness had got amongst us. We did okay, but everyone felt a bit down as we didn't improve our time significantly.

After this we had a long, nail biting wait to see if we would make it to the final. Our possible spot in the final was under huge pressure as all the other teams improved their times. Eventually though, we were placed in the final.

What was surprising, was that as the day went on, how competitiveness took a grip of each member of the team. At the outset there were probably six team members who had turned up with the intention of trying to win, another six who were would try their best and the final six who would consider themselves not to be that competitive. By the time of the final, we were all "in the zone" doing warm up exercises, team building chants, practising etc. We had become a squad of focused, cross dressing, paddling demons with grit, determination and a will to win.

The six fastest boats lined up across the Thames waiting for the starter to release everyone.

Tension was high with some spirited sledging (mainly from our boat) upping the anti. A strong current and an even stronger wind was making the task of getting six boats to line up very difficult with each boat continually having to back up. Sadly however, whilst we were backing our boat up, the starter let everyone go. So by the time we got ourselves paddling forward we had lost almost two boat lengths. We gave it our all and began to catch the other boats but it was too much water to make up in too short a race.

We came a creditable 6th out of 34 overall, which at the beginning of the day, having never paddled before, we would have been delighted with. However, we all felt like it was an opportunity that got away, due to a stroke of bad luck.

Never mind, there is always next year.

Until next time...

Deer stalker?

Hello again,

Strange things are afoot in Richmond Park. It has become the training ground for an elite herd of undercover deer.

As you can see, they are in the process of being taught the fine art of camoflage, how to blend in with the undergrowth and not be seen. You can see from this picture one of the trainees with his bracken headset disguise. Sadly, this trainee failed the course partly because his disguise is rubbish and partly becasue he stood beside the road letting me take a photo of him. However, the eleven others behind him, passed the course with flying colours.

So watch out next time you are there!

Until next time...

Grafitti is art - do you get it?

Hello again,

Have a look at this fantastic grafitti. Menacing, witty and slightly sinister - art at its challenging best.

Enjoy

Until later...

More fixies

Me again,

I thought I'd add another shot of the beautiful bikes for your interest.

Until later...

How cool are fixies?

Hello again,

Today I came across this great shop in East London selling custom & bespoke fixies, just off Brick Lane - fantastic or what? They stand up as pieces of art in their own right

Until next time...

Fiat 500s are ace!

Hello again,

You might know but my business is a garden irrigation & garden lighting installation company. We design, install and maintain watering and light systems in private gardens throughout London and the South of England.

The reason that I mention this is that we have recently purchased a new vehicle for the Estimators to visit the prospective clients in. Previously, we had van versions of small cars but this time we have got a Fiat 500. We got a black one, to fit in with our "look" and we have signwritten it, tickertape style, in reflective writing. This means that when it is driven at night the signwriting looks like it is glowing or that it is lit - clever eh?

I have to say the Fiat is brilliant, it is fun, cheeky, easy to drive, simple to park, easy on the eye and most of all it makes total strangers smile. There seems to be a real affection for the Fiat 500 that partly stems back to the original. Fiat seem to have produced a new modern car that respects its past without slavishly trying to replicate it. Most of all though, they have managed to recreate the character of the original and that is their real success.

Until later