Blazing a trail

I am starting to feel a bit lost, being without employment and all..It gets to me, insidiously.
But then I thought, well why not go and visit my Brother in Oregon..I havn't seen him for ten years or so now..
So I have been fantasising of renting a cool bike, something like a Triumph Bonneville or just a big old single or a twin.
Pick it up at Denver and just blat over the Rockys for a couple of days..Take my time, looking all cool and a bit renegade, smoking roll ups. And rowing with rednecks..
And just ripping of into the hilly distance..Then he and I could fish for a weekend.Chew the fat and drink two bottles of twenty five year old Macallan.
And swear a bit..

Dirty dogs

Glorious weather of late. Walking back at dusk the other night, young Basil had snatched up some leaves.Or so I thought, He looked a bit shifty and wouldn't meet my eye so I grabbed the stuff off him..Turned out to be a big meaty lump of dog..shit.

.Egg was well and truly on my face..I could hear my wife and son, groaning and chuckling away behind me as I walked the rest of the way to our house..I still think he is ace though..

filthy animals

So I am between jobs at the moment, Which gives me lots of time to spend with Basil. Yesterday we walked in the local woods and we met Lee the international football talent scout from eighties Liverpool, and his Staffy pup Rocky.The two pups are exactly the same age and they loved each other.

Lee and I discussed the problems facing the English youth game, of which he feels partly to blame. He told me how important it is when taking on a young Argentinian superstar to know how he may react to being two nil down on a wet No vember night in Darlington..

While we talked, (me giving my best, fake, bloke footy banter). The two pups raced and wrestled each other filthy.I had to shower him straight away, pulling out loads of thistle heads.

Rejuvination time

The last few days I spent walking and swimming in Exmoor national park.
We swam in the East Lynn, up from Watersmeet. In a oxbow pool. The rivers are in spate and brimming with vigour.
We also swam in the Barle, downstream from Simonsbath..We wandered up the rivers course and swam in a pool below an ancient ruined settlement. We walked back picking raspberries and whortleberries.We didn't meet a soul until back near the village. A (East home county)Woman asked.
"Wots up there then?" I described the river meandering through the heather and bracken clad hills. I tried to en capture the tranquility and romance..
"Is that all!" We looked back at her..."No animals..Deer?"..
We wished them good luck.
We swam yesterday at Woody bay. And walking back up were asked again by a large group; "Is there anything down there?"
I looked askance..
They meant in a catering sense.
I was tempted to lie about a really funky kebab bistro ,with succulent shish kebabs cooked while you wait. And a little cool terrace, where you can sip ice cocktails while soaking up the view and the ambience.

Dog whispering/shouting

We thought we were moving so we bought a puppy. He is a lovable little tike, but I feel sorry that there are so many NOs in his world. He has many chew toys, but in fact likes to chew everything.
He had his last jab recently but we still have to keep him in, nearly all the time. We do take him to quiet places, for little strolls. And if we see another dog , I pop him in his bag. He sticks his head and paws over the top.
If we walk anywhere public, it brings on a chorus of ahhs. And many glances and nudges. It is possibly the nearest experience I could get to being a film star..
Oh, he is a Border collie called Basil..

way out west

We spent last week down in the west country. The first few nights on the Lizard, in an empty field bar one other tent..The occupant of which was a trained sniper! It isn't everyday you get chatting to a sniper..
Then we headed back along south Cornwall..We walked down to the cove at Lanssalos, all wet suited up ready for action. The sea however was far to rough so we headed inland and camped on Dartmoor..Headed north next day and swam in the Salmon pool at Castle Drogo.It really is a lovely spot..The River was in spate and was a rich tawny whiskey colour, it made our bodies look really magical.
The last few days we spent on Exmoor, probably my new favorite spot in England.We camped in the Lynn valley and swam in Crook pool upstream from watersmeet.

The big picture

On Friday I flew back to England from Gothenburg. We took off and headed north, up toward Marstrand then out over the Skagerack to Denmark.It was a beautiful sunny evening as we crossed Jutland and then down the North sea..All the way down are blocks of shipping, groups of twenty or so, on both sides about four miles off the coast, just anchored up waiting for commerce to start again..
On Saturday I rented a van and drove down to Shoreditch to move my daughters..One has moved to Clapham, and the other to Finsbury park..It was a hot day, and we had some tense swearing, as I manoeuvred the too large van through the busy teeming streets..
Next week is the beginning of my four week summer break, and we are starting off with a weekend of Foraging, wild swimming, Astronomy and Philosophy in Devon..