Archive for July, 2007

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Pop gear

Monday, July 30th, 2007

The car’s gone in for repair today.

Documented on these pages before, the last year or so has seen it dogged with maladies, no doubt signs of it approaching its twilight years.

‘It’ is a 1994 VW Polo Coupe GT; being a leading light in the UK’s longest-running VW Polo organisation, it couldn’t really be anything else. Next year I’d have owned it for nine years (the longest I’ve owned any car), and we’ve journeyed over 100,000 miles together. So, realistically, although it’s a few pieces of metal, glass, plastic, and rubber, sentimentally, it’s like an old friend.

We’ve been through a lot together, and it has rarely let me down. Now quite a rare thing, I wanted a Polo GT so much in 1990 when I was 17, as back then the model was brand new, and I was tooling around in my 13 year-old Mk 1 Polo. Unsurprisingly, I was very pleased when the opportunity came to buy this one nine years later, especially having seen the exact same car for sale three years earlier when its price was way out of my grasp.

But, this year has been one of slowly declining health.

And, although I feel the tiniest bit guilty ‘Evo Car’ (as the Polo is affectionately known, due to the ‘evo’ magazine sticker in one of the rear windows), I know that it’s purely just an age thing. I mean, 14 years and 149,000 miles is enough to wear anything out. But thankfully, the car doesn’t get driven very far now (certainly not on race tracks), and I think it secretly enjoys its semi-retirement.

On track with my Polo Coupe GT

Anyhow, today it’s gone in to have the gearbox looked at. While it still feeds the power to the car, fifth gear seems very reluctant to work, and when it does slide in to its slot, it pops straight out again. For the last few months, I’ve been driving everywhere using the other four gears. Not a case of fifth being top gear then, more pop gear. The gearbox also leaks – like a motoring version of an incontinent aunt.

Today’s diagnosis wasn’t too bad.

For a reasonable sum, fifth gear can be repaired (don’t ask me how), meaning it should be back to business as usual. The gearbox doesn’t even have to come off the car. I’m hoping that the leaking will be fixed, too, and I can return to proper cog swapping using all the gears as Volkswagen intended.

Once that’s done, it’s then a case of getting the slipping clutch sorted; the fan heater motor replaced; and the exhaust sitting correctly. That’s not to mention also spending an afternoon crawling around on the floor painting or renewing the brake lines before the next MoT at end of the year.

Of course, it’s realistically cheaper to either buy a newer car, or do without, but, as the Polo normally costs peanuts to run, is still fun to drive, and looks good for its age, I’m inclined to keep it for a little while yet.

Posted in Cars | 1 Comment »

The farmers’ market at Wyken Vineyards

Saturday, July 28th, 2007

Locally-pressed Wyken Moonshine
Locally-pressed Wyken Moonshine

Wyken Vineyards at Stanton (9 miles north from Bury St Edmunds) has been described as ‘one of the pleasantest places to dine in the English countryside’, and although I’ve been there to eat before, our morning visit there today was for the farmers’ market.

As well as a seven acre vineyard producing wine and beer, the Wyken Hall Estate boasts a picturesque Elizabethan manor house, orchards and gardens of all kinds, a farm, and a medieval barn in which the most delicious food is served.

Every Saturday from 9am to 1pm, the farmers’ market in the ramshackle open sheds and barns is a haven of local produce, with fresh bread, cheese, fish, herbs, meat and vegetables all jostling for your attention and taste buds.

Free advice is offered, too; I found out that yellowing basil leaves are a sign of poor nutrition, while coriander and parsley are two of the most problematic herbs to grow, as I had suspected.

A particularly nice morning, we enjoyed tea and coffee while we gazed at the rare sheep and llamas which grazed in the nearby meadows, and vowed to return, not only to explore the bewildering number of exotic and traditional gardens, but to also visit the Leaping Hare Vineyard Restaurant to experience the expensive, but expansive seasonal food menus.

Posted in Local produce, Suffolk | No Comments »

Pet Shop Boys at Newmarket Nights

Friday, July 27th, 2007

It’s not often that a top pop act comes to the wilds of Suffolk, so it was with great expectation that I booked our tickets for the Newmarket Nights event tonight, which featured the Pet Shop Boys.

The format of a Newmarket Nights evening is simple: a few hours of racing, followed by a concert from a well-known act. And of course, with the home of horse racing being only 30 miles or so away from Ipswich, it is very easy to get to.

Never having been to the races before, I was excited about that, but this was topped further by the prospect of a concert by one of my favourite musical groups. I’ve followed the career of the electro duo for many years, and saw them for the first time last year, coincidentally again in East Anglia. Thetford Forest provided the open air aspect in 2006, and with support from the brilliant Lorraine, and a bright, visual, and rousing show, I was expecting another fun night out.

But first, the racing.

Until tonight, I’ve never really understood how the betting process works, and was bewildered by the ever-changing odds. A quick explanation soon helped, though, and after checking out the form and watching the previous race, we placed a Tote ‘place’ bet of £2.00. A modest payout would then be made if the bet upon horse was placed in the top three finishers.

To make things easier to understand, I bet on the horse which was favourite to win, while Nik bet on the next supposed front-runner. Walking back to the grandstand, we settled down to watch the final parts of the race unfold in front of us. It’s exciting to watch a race in which you haven’t bet, but that excitement is heightened once you do have money literally riding on the outcome.

To my total surprise, the favourite did get placed, and though not first, brought me home an extra £3.40. Flushed with success, we had another go, and though not lucky this time around, we still enjoyed the anticipation and excitement it gave us. At least I did win something; both Nik’s horses missed out on being placed, and the ones he thought would win in other races (and did), he never bet upon.

Doh!

The post-racing entertainment was, of course, provided by the concert. When you think of a live show by the evergreen pop duo, ‘visual’ probably isn’t a word that would instantly spring to mind. But, very visual it was, and while the PSBs’ electro soundscapes wafted over the old buildings of Newmarket and into the Suffolk skies in spectacular style, the stage was a riot of colour, costume, and choreography, largely courtesy of lurid outfits and big-screen projections.

Sounding as good as before, and as good as their studio albums (but with live vocals), they certainly know how to give the audience a good time. That audience was mixed too; oldies danced and sang alongside youngies, and had a good tine. A trio of obnoxious bankers (they kept pointing at themselves at any mention of money during ‘Opportunities’) in front of us who thought they were in ‘Heaven’ circa 1992 with flailing arms, and silly bottom and hip rotations, were certainly losing themselves in the music.

All the hits were there, my own personal favourites being the ‘Minimal/Shopping’ mix, and they all stood up to scrutiny and a live performance very well. Album tracks for the most recent long-player ‘Fundamental’ heralded something new, while over half of the content from 1987’s ‘Actually’ provided hits of the old. (Both albums are incidentally two of my favourites, with ‘Actually’ probably their finest work).

As the last note and applause filled the night sky, our thoughts turned to what a very enjoyable evening it had been. And, as Messrs Tennant and Lowe may have sung, it would have been a sin to miss it.

Posted in Journal | No Comments »

Cycle lane cameras: pedalling the way ahead?

Tuesday, July 24th, 2007

Drivers will be fined £120 for straying into cycle lanes under plans to give local authorities powers to install yet another set of roadside enforcement cameras.

Even minor infringements, such as moving briefly into a cycle lane to pass a vehicle turning right, will result in a fixed penalty. Drivers will not know that they have been caught until the penalty notice arrives in the post a few days later.

(Source: The Times)

So, it appears that errant motorists could be forced to pay the penalty of taking up even more road space than they need, which, as a cyclist, I think is good news. The amount of drivers who don’t look where they’re going, and almost side swipe bike riders when they’re turning at junctions is shocking. And, that’s without those who park in cycle lanes.

Only recently getting on the bike regularly again, I have been amazed at how little road etiquette has changed since I last regularly rode. Still cyclists aren’t given enough room by overtaking motorists, especially if the road narrows. There’s a stretch of road, which pinches in on the way home from the station to make way for a pelican crossing, but over-zealous/ignorant/non-observant (delete as appropriate) drivers still try to shoot past as I’m approaching it, leaving only a whisker of room between them and me. It’s no wonder I sometimes (wrongly) use the path.

Now, the motorists would point their fingers at red light jumping cyclists, and as a pedestrian, too, I would be right in there with them. Walking in London is sometimes extremely hazardous, and junctions can become dangerous places for the unwary.  A red light is a red light, is it not? I hear couriers’ cries, but, as a car driver, I have to stop at them.

Motorists may also see it as yet another infringement on their freedom and driving rights, with yet another fine to add cash to the authorities’ coffers. It would certainly make life safer for bike riders, but it’s not without its problems.

Elderly drivers for example. Yes, an argument can be given that if a person who seemingly has all their faculties but has problems with their road etiquette, shouldn’t be driving in the first place. This would appear to be true, but however minor the possible non-incidental wandering could be, they would be collared with a not-too-small fine. If as TfL states, civilians would man the cameras, then there could be some leeway, but wouldn’t that negate the process in the first place?

And would motorists pay for all the new hardware, which needs to be installed? There are lots of answered questions.

As for the idea that giving cyclists more room would make for more of them, I can see the logic, but I don’t think that’s quite how it works. People cycle because they want to, as a way of keeping fit, or because they want to save time getting from A to B. Or, for all three reasons. Not because they have more room on the roads, and it will possibly be safer. I can’t deny that I would like that last bit to be a reality, though. At times, I do feel very vulnerable.

A good idea in principle, but with feet in all camps, I don’t know if it would work, or what indeed the best solution is. Unfortunately, the paradise ideal of cycle-safe paths cutting through our towns and cities isn’t going to happen anytime soon.

The whole idea of more cyclists on the roads is at odds with car lobbyists’ ideal of bike riders being banned from main carriageways, though. Going on that and the new proposed cameras, safe cycle path networks would seem to be the solution to please all parties.

But for now, if rude pedestrians (especially those with buggies) could be fined for walking cycle lanes - even when there is a pedestrian path alongside - we really would be pedalling the way ahead.

Posted in Life | No Comments »

Flowers, finally

Monday, July 23rd, 2007

It’s a case of flowers, finally, for the crop-bearing plants growing at the flat. Which is both a blessing, and a curse.

After 5 weeks of waiting, and seeming to be much further behind than the crops at the house, the tomato plants that are growing in my sunny and warm study are now bearing the tiniest flowers. Unopened of course, but flowers none the less, or at least that’s what I think they are. All of which means, the fruit can’t be far off from appearing either.

I also now have a quite impressive row of delicate white blooms on the top of one of the basil plants, which will mean that it will go to seed unless I pich them. Trimmed 3 weeks ago when we made the soup, the leaves of the four plants that I have left are slowly turning yellow (especially in the lower reaches). If the flowers are pinched and they don’t pick up, then I think their work must be done. (Apparently the leaves must be pinched, too, for a healthier, bushier plant). So, tonight I trimmed all of the canopies which were still mid-green and popped them in the freezer, to use at another time.

Basil flowers
Basil flowers

It seems a shame to think that I may not get any more useful foliage off them, but they have provided me with two plastic boxes of leaves which will be used for cooking. Growing them all from seed makes the whole process a little more meaningful, though, and gives me the slightest of self-sufficient feelings.

While the basil stems are very much alive (and still smelling strongly of basil, despite the yellowing leaves), the same can’t be said of the coriander plants. Moved outside when the tomato stems arrived - and to keep the new pepper tree and strawberry plants company - they now look very sorry for themselves. I’d been warned that coriander is one of the most difficult herbs to keep alive, and so they’ve proved. Limp, dry, and brown, it’s definitely time for them to be cleared and maybe some new seeds sown.

And I thought they was picking up this week, due to new stems (or ones that I’d missed when I trimmed it the first time around) reaching for the sun on my balcony porch.

It’s still all go for the chives, though. Cut and frozen the same week as the basil and coriander, the plants have since regrown, and are almost as tall and lush as they were before. Maybe they are an easier variety to keep, if you can find enough uses for them in the kitchen.

Finally, the lavender seems to be getting larger at a slow but steady rate, and the strawberry plants, while healthy enough, just aren’t doing anything. As at the house, they seem to want to concentrate their efforts on replicating themselves, rather than producing any fruit. So, after we got rid of the Chelmsford plants last weekend, maybe these will have to go, too.

Posted in Horticulture | No Comments »

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