Robbie Williams and the Southampton Boat Show

Well it's been quite a week, not least the fact that I have been away for most of the week for work at Stratford on Avon and Dorking. On Tuesday it was Robbie Williams and I must admit that I wasn't looking forward to this that much. Not that I don't like Robbies songs you understand, it was just that because things have been so hectic recently I didn't relish the thought of waiting around for hours in the middle of a field and paying silly prices for food etc. The concert however was very good and the time seemed to fly by, with the pre Robbie warm comprising Basement Jaxx (very good) and Orson (ok)

A late finish that evening meant that I spent the remainder of the week recovering though - must be getting old.

Saturday was the Southampton Boat Show and as last year the weather was particularly good. No major purchases, but a few little bits and pieces for the boat and an enjoyable day just wandering around the boats and stands. A few beers and a curry to complete the day made it a good one.

In a fit of peak I decided to buy a 1.4x teleconvertor for my DSLR and it would be nice if it were to arrive before I go on holiday, but no matter if not. I believe the wildlife is so tame in Galapagos that you can get really close to them.

No sailing this weekend as a combination of work stuff, practice packing and the Gym have made it difficult. But hope to go next week before the hols. Last weekend was good though, Andy and I went out for a few hours and we had good time although the wind could have been slightly stronger. Janet and Carol stayed ashore and drank red wine so they were happy too.

Busy week ahead again but making the countdown to the last day before I go away. I'm sure there is something that I have forgotten...

Wet n Windy

It was fusion of two hobbies - motorcycling and sailing when our friends Janet and Andy joined me for a sail on the boat last weekend. Both had expressed an interest to have a go but it was the usual juggling of comittments, free time and the weather to try to make it happen.

Three adults in boat was a bit of a squeeze, particularly at first when I was trying to turn the boat around and didn't quite know where to place the tiller, but we soon got into the swing of it and had a good afternoons sailing. Andy took to it suprisingly well and the trip wet his appetite for another session this weekend. It wasn't only appetites that were wetted though as we had a dry capsize which led to Andy getting a little wet and me jumping out of the boat as it approached the shore thinking it was less deep that it actually was!! The link between motorbikes and boats? Well it's typical for bikers to demonstrate their prowess by doing a "donut" with the bike - so Andy thought he would try it with the boat and we did a full 360 degree turn whilst trying to tack.

Carol and Janet will be shore side this week though so expect some pictures from the event - hopefully before they consume all of the wine they are going to take with them. It was a bit of a rush to get up to Mom's last Saturday night and we were exhausted by the time we got there. A days shopping at the Bullring on Sunday to get some clothes for our holiday including shorts and fleeces etc.

The week has been busy with me staying away a few nights this week. Carol went out with the Blog Totty - but they didn't invite me, strange that ... and we watched Robbie Williams in concert on the new Telly to give us a warm up for the concert at Milton Keynes next week.

Slightly boring day today housework and cleaning cars, but I did go to the Gym and managed a very respectable 1 minute 55.5 seconds average per 500m (over a distance of 5000 metres) on the rowing machine which is an improvement on the 2.05 I started at.

Sailing tomorrow weather permitting and the Southampton Boat Show next weekend - just have the little matter of a weeks work in between that , but eh never mind

Poor weekend for sailing... again

I write this at 07.45 on Sunday 3rd September and it's raining and quite windy outside at the moment. Hoped it would be better today so that I could do a bit of sailing later on. It's been a short week this week with the Bank Holiday break but still glad to get to the weekend though.

The Sky Man came on Thursday so now I am the proud ownwer of Sky HD and the picture is superb I must say. So what else has happened well not much really I have repaired the scratch on my boat after our erratic landing a few blogs ago and taken the car in for MOT. The Gym is still going well and this week I played Squash with my ex neighbour again (and lost)

Back to the Home Cinema, today if the weather remains poor, I will be dismantling the equipment rack to raise the shelf a little so that I can accomodate all of the equipment better - what an exciting life I lead!!