Gary Speed

What a sad day for all those who knew Gary Speed.  What shocking news it was to hear of Gary's untimely passing today.  Speedy was part of the Leeds team that Ed and myself watched home and away through the late 80's and into the 90's and was part of the team that won the title in 1992.  He was a part of a midfield that in my opinion has never ben bettered, Speed, MacAllister, Strachan and Batty.  Speed and Batts were part of the young guns with MacAllister and Strachan providing the experience in an unbeatable midfield combination.

Speed was fantastic in the air but had the pace and guile of a winger too.

Gary Speed, you were a Leeds legend my son. R.I.P

The Baildon 'UFO'

I've recently told some of you about the recent sightings of the Baildon UFO.  As usual you have all poured scorn on these sightings, closed minds and all that.  At the weekend we captured the UFO on film for the first time.  The picture is taken at the back of the 'terrace'.

Although we have had much clearer and closer visual sightings including Karen Knorr and myself watching it when it was just the height of two houses above us (when we pointed at it it went away..!) at least you can make out the shape and note it is NOT a helicopter, what helicopter has square rotor blades lol.

We also have video of it too and am working on getting the footage on here.

Here's the first pics...

Here the picture is in it's natural state, no zoom.  From my own viewing it clearly has eight 'legs' to it joined by a mesh structure around a central body.

Slightly zoomed in..you can make out the square shape better..

More zoom....

Watch the skies......

The week that was..

Hello Blog watchers...frustrated Mr Smith here.  I continue to have teeth clenching, fist balling, blue air making, new swear word inventing, tantrum throwing, I.T hating computer issues with my pathetic human hating, tempramental, period having, piece of s***e silicon hardware croc of excrement known as my laptop.  So, and breathe, my postings are limited at present to those occasions when i can access a laptop or pc that has bluetooth (for the photos).  This is limited more than i can believe but there you are.  Unfortunately most of my friends and associates have I.T. that Fred Flintstone would find old and regressive.

Anyway, here i am for now and what have I been up to I here you ask whilst dialing for those men in crisp white coats to come and pay me a visit ..

This week I have driven 611 miles on behalf of HMRC visiting the absolute delight of Canterbury then followed by the total despair of Croydon.  Guess which one is the archetypal old English town with the historic and beautiful Catherdral surrounded by wonderful historic medieval streets and feeling of 'Englishness' and tranquility and which one is a city sprawl rampant with an immigration population explosion, road rage, aggression, site of the recent City riots and a feeling of total and utter despair at the lack of 'Englishness'...?

I took the odd picture of Canterbury Catherdral at night...

After having checked into my hotel in Canterbury after a 6 hour drive from home (delays around the London urban sprawl and the Blackwall tunnel, Fog on the approaches to Canterbury on the M2) I relaxed by strolling around the Cathedral which was lit up for the night.  It's a huge Cathedral with many old buildings surrounding it and walkways down medieval passages. 

It certainly had that 'atmospheric feel' to the place..

Here's a view of the passageways i found myself in...



An amazing place to walk around on your own at night...



Impossible to capture even half the Cathedral in one shot...

Here's Ollie and myself enjoying the fireworks at Baildon Rugby club on Bonfire night..





They were good fireworks eh Ollie?





It's Children in need time and here is a piece of art that ollie made for his Mum and Dad that we bought for £6 each with proceeds going to Children in Need...good pic Ollie!



It's Christmas (well almost) and that means School photo time!  lol

Whilst driving into Croydon on Wednesday I passed the old Art Deco buildings of Croydon Airport.

This was the first London airport and opened in 1920 and was the first airport to introduce Air Traffic Control.  It was also a famous WWII Battle of Britain fighter station.

The plane shown on struts is a De haviland Heron, a small propeeler driven airliner of the 1950's.  I'd seen a documentary about Croydon airport on tv recently and recognised the buildings straightaway as i was passing by in the car.  Winston Churchill took flying lessons here, Charles Lindbergh landed here after completing the first solo trans Atlantic flight, Amy Johnson the first woman to fly solo to Australia took off from here.

The airfield offically closed on 30 September 1959.

For the Fallen

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them

If you go down to the woods...

Last Friday night saw Megan Knorrs 21st birthday celebrations..congratulations Megan.  A number of family and friends met for a celebratory dinner at the Halfway House Baildon

Having a good time Megan.......?


OGDEN WATER

Went for a walk aroung Ogden Water near Halifax at the weekend with Des and Sharon, Chloe, Sophie, Ollie and Jo.  We had a laugh esp when Ollie was holding court at the ' Court of the King' in the woods.  New laws were decreed and forfeits had to be paid.

The kids..leading the way as usual..

No matter what they did, they would NOT leave their sticks....

"Are we there yet...?"

Forfeit being paid by Jo and Sharon at the Court of King Ollie...

Des, you are lucky here, the video of your 'dancing' forfeit has hit technical difficulties...

Does any family trip out end any differently...?

Shades of France...

It's a sign of the times..





Dinner in Bourne

Was in Bourne at the weekend as I had been invited to a dinner party at Cath and Marks, friends who live in Rippingale, a village just outside Bourne.

A good night was had by all and resulted in a retiring to bed time of 5:30am on Sunday morning (for some of us!)