Summertime!

You wouldn't believe the weather here...its a summer! Over 2 weeks in the mid to high 20s (which is hot), sunny, no clouds, cool at night but perfect for evening drinking. I've even been for a swim at a beach, Porthcawl, which is about 40 mins from here, an old seaside resort that's now being rejuvenated. (Its much better than Barry). Sandy beaches, although when the tide is out in the Bristol Channel (2nd biggest tide in the world, apparently) you have to go out about 100m for the water (not so cold) be be over your knees. There was a fun fair there (along with the obligatory amusement halls and chippies) and I found the best thing ever!!(or since I was 16)...The Rotor, like there was at Luna Park...had to go on it.

Porthcawl Sandy Beach

What else? Oh, I went to London to catch up with Jason, Rachael and Selby. Went to the "David Bowie Is..." exhibition at the V&A Museum. Fantastic (if your'e a fan like me), all the outfits he wore on stage and videos, and really worth going (sadly no photos). Jason had been to a market and bought the biggest oysters I'd ever seen, had to shuck them with a hammer and screwdriver.

I'd forgotten how bad it id on London transport when its hot...smelly buses and sweaty tube. I also went somewhere I'd been meaning to see since I got here, 19 Comyn Rd Battersea which is where my dad's father Charles Montague Cartwright was born in 1892. Its right near Clapham Junction station and coincidentally near where my friends Ann and Pete used to live (where I crashed out for a month...good times). Its two flats now, I did ring the bell but neither was in...I wanted to stake a claim to my ancestral home.

 Its in a OK neighborhood, and it would be worth at least £700000 now, could do with some work.
Close to shops and transport and Clapham Common.
I could live there.


(Agar out for 98! Great innings. Go Aussies)

I've also got to go places I'd never been, went for a weekend in Manchester, Its a great city and had a huge night there with some of the Fuji people who had left (lots of them do). Also did some work up north and went to Liverpool. Checked out the Cavern where the Beatles started. Its small and smelt like disinfectant,

 Also spent a day at the cricket in Cardiff, an ICC champions ODI game Sri Lanka v NZ (the kiwis won) great weather again. No chance of getting Ashes tickets, and there's no test at Edgbaston in Birmingham which I could have got to easily.

Work is over! My contract finished this week, they asked me to stay but of I did I would still be here in six months waiting to complete the jobs they want me to do...they are still so disorganised. But they let me keep the company car for as long as I need it, which is great. I feel a bit bad for leaving, but I only wanted to be here a year, and its up. I'm home on 14 Aug.
So now I'm unemployed. What's the best thing for that? Drinks by the pool! Ann & Raj have an outdoor pool (unheard of in England) and its been hot enough to use it. Who'd have thought?

UK summer

Until next time...