Another Year Older

Well I'm now 45 - I know, I don't look it really do I... but there you go and it's been a whole week since my Birthday. If there is a good way to celebrate getting older then I guess we achieved it last week though. The weekend of the Black Country experience finally arrived which comprised two days sampling the culture and hospitality (read Beer) of my home town. The Black Country Living Museun was particularly good and not too crowded - no photos though as the batteries in my compact camera went flat!

"Drinking in the culture" was not all that we did though with visits to the Robin Hood - Bathams, The Crooked House - Banks's and the Vine - Bathams. Carol and I stayed on a while on Sunday after our friends left as it was my Birthday and it was present opening time.

Things I knew about but were still very welcome were a 60 GB Video Ipod, Sennheiser Headphones and some Grado Headphones - very nice!! but the present that took me completely by suprise was tickets to see Evita in the West End on the 5th August. This latest production stars Elena Roger who is actually Argentinian and I have seen here perform the signature song on Parkinson a few months ago and WoW!!! - so looking forward to that.

Still enjoying the new telly and I am extremeley pleased with the quality of the SD picture, it's now fed through the AV Amp that I have on component cables into the back of the set. I will go for HD eventually but at present the quality is certainly good enough and just as good as my old CRT - but bigger.

Sailing is being a bit of a problem for two reasons - firstly hiring the boat is getting difficult as Durleigh Sailing Club has a lot people keen to use it and also my sailing partner Elaine has just had an operation so she will be out of action for a while. Still onward and upward.

Technology Fest

Remember last Blog when I mentioned my new TV - well I colleced it from Sony this week and now it is sitting proudly in my lounge and it's great! I must admit its taking a bit of getting used to withe regard to the size of the set, but so did the 32" TV that I had before - and they say size doesn't make a difference eh... it's a bit like being at the IMAX at the moment.

As I write I have only just started to set it up - as you can imagine there are a lot of controls to fiddle with and the decision now is what is the best way of connecting up my DVD player, Recorder and media streamer. Its a bit frustrating really as since I had it on Thursday night I have been busy doing other stuff including going to see Kate Rusby in concert ( she would have been really disappointed if I hadn't gone) and getting ready for the air show this weekend.

Just seen Boff's Blog and it looks like he has just had a 60 GB Video IPOD, well it is my Birthday next week and I know that Carol has been ordering "stuff" on Amazon etc, so it looks like I might be getting one too. In fact in a totally unconnected action I am re burning my favouite CD's at a higher bit rate - just in case.

Weather is good this weekend and we have lots to do including sorting out our new Bank account (yawn). Finally and perhaps most significantly it was our wedding anniversary on Friday 14th July. 22 years of marriage and I have known Carol for almost 29 years. I could make all of the cliched remarks about it seeming like only yesterday etc - but it is true and I look forward the next 22 years and the next ... and the next....

It's Coming Home - But Not In Time For The World Cup

A rather tenuous link to my my new telly which I hope to have toward the end of next week (w/c 10/07/06). Finally decided on a Sony Bravia 40" LCD TV after doing a lot of research on the subject. There is a big gap on the HiFi stand at the moment which is only partially being filled by a portable telly drafted in from the Bedroom. I have sold my 32" crt to friend of Carol from work and it wasn't until we tried to move it I remembered how heavy it was (around 70kg!!) I have always liked Sony TV's and the new one will be great. I have also ordered some high quality but reasonably priced component A/V leads from a place in the States and I hope these arrive in time for the Telly. Time to dig out those old DVD's I haven't watched for a while.

No sailing last weekend or this i'm afraid due to a combination of other commitments and weather but hope to get out on the water soon. Next week though I'm off to RAF Fairford for the International Air Tattoo with a friend of mine. He has managed to get some tickets for the event and we are due to go there on Sunday complete with Sarnies drinks and of course my camera.

The weekend after is the "Black Country Experience" - Janet, Andy, Carol and myself are coming to the West Midlands for the weekend on a pub and culture tour but mainly with the emphasis on the pubs. It 's my Birthday that weekend to so I intend to make the most of it.

Barry