This afternoon we had a nice 4 mile walk along Sandsend beach on the North Yorkshire Coast and then on into Whitby . The beach had been raised by about a metre since we were last there and there was a stream cutting through the beach meandering the 100m or so to the sea. We saw an excellent deposition feature of lots of stones and shingle being washed through the beach carried in the river water towards the sea . There is always something interesting ! A very chilled out walk because other than looking at the continuing erosion in the glacial till cliffs it was just very mellow. There were very few people in Whitby and we finished our walk munching super duper fish n chips at Hadleys and then walked the mile back to the car in the dark , home and Star Trek. Nice .

After the birdwatching session yesterday morning / afternoon, with the whole family I went to Leeds so Miles could skate the great Works Skatepark. He had an amazing session and his health has fully returned . Fit as a fiddle! Good doggy! Fo, Clifford and I had a very nice 5 night-time walk out through Leeds City Center and those back streets are quite mysterious and ghostly at night . The 18th century buildings in Leeds are amazing and it is surprising how much good history you can get just reading the information printed on some of the buildings . Umm, can't think what you call those oval information plates pinned to historic buildings but there you go. The new modern buildings look great at night as well. A nice evening time out and great end to a marvellous day particularly the bird watching .

As I have said to many people over the years as a family we don't do holidays as such just days out : lots of them . It can work out more expensive than a holiday and we mostly take our own grub! Around Darlington and within a 50 mile radius we have the North Yorkshire Moors , Yorkshire Dales and Lake District National Parks the first two being only 15 miles away , loads of countryside around us and lots to do. Anyone and everyone : get out walking around the towns, countryside or cities . Good for the mind and the body!

Just got back from amazing time out on my own bird watching at Harlepool Docks and Saltholme RSPB site in Teeside . Saw the Red Breasted Mergansers again at Hartlepool but with the binoculars this time . Amazing . There was a Great Crested Grebe with them as well minus the great crest because its winter . I also saw Dunlin just one at first but they are so well camouflaged that I didn't see the other 3 for a while. Without binoculars even close up they are very difficult to see .

Oh boy , Salthome . What can I say . First thing seen was loads of Goldfinches feeding in the bird feeder area , always nice, then I padded around a bit and there was nothing but a huge heron in the first hide because the lake was still frozen . Walked to the other side of the site and saw two Water Rails which are really common apparently but very elusive and the only reason that we were looking at them was the lake and reeds were frozen so it was forced to the edges of the lake where there was a bit of open water conveniently situated by the hide ! So, I was having a good look at these birds and I looked around and said " Er, whats that big brown thing flying over there?!" There was a stampede behind me as about 12 people descended on my viewing window to see a Bittern . A very rare sight. I saw another one flying about 10 minutes later and I thought that would be that but I saw one crouched in the reeds about a mile away and it was almost impossible to see because it was so well camouflaged! Just before this I had spent 20 minutes looking at a Long Eared Owl and having a good chat about it with one of the Wardens who seems to have taken quite a shine to me . Most just have a look at the owl and go but I was quite captivated by it and he said sometimes they get 6 of them in this large 500m square thicket . Saw a lot of other wildfowl but I've yet to look them up . Mega exciting morning /afternoon out .

This afternoon Fo and I went to Hartlepool on the Coast so she could assess the local museum for a school visit soon to happen . I went off for a nice three mile walk over the hour and saw , joy of joys , several male and female Red Breasted Mergansers which are similar to Goosanders because they both have saw bills , bills with serrated teeth in them to keep a grip on the fish. I also saw 2 Oyster Catchers and a Curlew which was nice because we often see them inland on the moors during the summer . After Fo's visit I took her to see the Mergansers but only two were still there so we walked to another part of the dock and 100m away saw a a group of about 10 of them and then they all simultaneously dived to fish. Mega good stuff only ruined by the fact that I had forgot my binoculars . Bad, bad doggy!

This afternoon Fo, Clifford and I had a gorgeous 4 mile walk around Richmond in Swaledale. In the car on the way over we could see a low 100m or so thick mist in the Vale of Mowbray and deepening down into the Vale of York and the North Yorkshire Moors were prominently sticking out on the opposite side of the valley 20 miles away . That put the route on the walk which was to start at Quakers Lane in Richmond and then walk up to the race course on a very slippy back path which fortunately had plenty to hold onto because it was quite steep.I jogged the first section but it got to steep and slippy. At the racecourse we had a magnificent 60 mile view down the Vale of York and right over to Redcar on the NE coast. We also saw an unidentified flock of birds which I thought were Ouzels but according to the RSPB bird identifier can't be because they aren't here in the winter but we cut down to Gallowfield Road , named for obvious reasons, and saw what I thought was a thrush with a deep reddy brown streak but have just identified as a Redwing. Mega exciting because I've never seen them before and after going back down another very slippy back path with a very convenient handrail (life saver!) and down to St. Mary's Churchyard we saw the same birds again. Very exciting the best bit being anticipating getting home and identifying the little beasties.

Because Fo enjoyed the kebab in York yesterday but not the venue , a bit grotty , but I like that sort of thing , I made sure that we walked past Richmond Old Station where there is a super cafe , reasonably priced and it was large cappuccinos and curd tart all around . She glowed! If you're ever in Richmond visit the Station Cafe and Business area all within the Old Station . You get to see local foods and crafts , they even have a Cinema there ( must take Fo sometime! are we to old for necking : nope because she wrings mine several times a year !) it just goes from the erotic to the garrotic a necessary behavior from any self respecting middle aged female with a marriage partner of 22 years but unfortunately who still thinks he is 22 years old. I've been brought to heel boys but I like it ! "Choke chains' my middle name !" Been listening to to much Bob Dylan recently ! We then went to Richmond Falls, well frozen over, around the Castle Walk which was treacherous and back to Quaker Lane and home . Star Trek finale to the day and a grand winters afternoon out .

Yesterday with the whole family we had a nice 8 mile walk around York. It was similar to the one I did last year on my own except there were a lot more people around yesterday. We started at Clifton Green then The District Hospital, Gillygate and then arrived at Foss Islands Road via the Foss River path because its one of the places ie flats I'd like to live in if or when? we move back to York but there is no chance because the Green Fingered Goddess I'm married to wants a garden! There was a convenient bench at the Walmgate Bar end of Foss Islands road notable because whilst we sat all chatty and chirpy munching our favorite cookies people were staring at us as they drove by. Probably thought we were a homeless family . It was a pretty cosy bench and right next to where I munched fish n chips parked up in the car over 15 years ago at two in the afternoon after Fo had given birth to our second doggy . Sacred spot as far as I am concerned!

The sun was just setting blood red as we went past York Uni library and there were a few students about all foreign students of course and its nice to know that British Universities preoccupation with their profit margins continues on . The world education system is so rational that eventually all UK students will study in China! Barely a duck in sight on the Uni lake so the "food aid " handed out by the groundsmen doesn't seem to have the desired effect! But seriously I hope they are not all dead but quite sensibly and in line with their genetic programming they've all flown off . You see they know its "on yer bike time" if you've got a problem in the UK economy so it stands to reason that they've got " take to a wing" or even better a pair of them to earn their crust in the New UK order of Tory land . Possibly they have realized that if they fly away abroad and come back the Uni will see them as foreign ducks, charge them in the only way you can charge a duck which to call for volunteers for the Vice Chancellors dinner plate and be allowed to charm the two legged students and visitors like me with there heads down in the water study methods . I never realized that caddis fly larvae and pond weed were so interesting but then again idiot I may be , plenty of evidence for that, but bird brain I am not !

We headed off for Rowntrees Park via the Millennium foot bridge which was all lit up with multi colored lights giving me a flash back experience to the early 80's when I saw exactly the same bridge and all lit up even though it didn't exist . Strong ale in York! Surprisingly Miles started to get cold which was the first time in his life that has ever happened to him on a walk and is proof that he has still got a bug or is suffering from the after effects of one . The kebab shop cheered him up and we got back to the car and back home in just over an hour to settle into double Star Trek. Family Trek - Star Trek : we are so consistent ! A nice afternoon out.

Yesterday Fo was better so we got out for a walk around Durham but not with Miles because he didn't feel well. The ice on the River Wear was melting and the weekly compliment of 5 Goosanders and 4 Little Grebes were seen. Fo wasn't in the best fettle but getting going is often the best remedy for getting better . After a nice 4 mile walk and coffee and cake , Fo is with us after all upgrading the walk with a bit of middle class input , we trucked off back to Darlington to find Miles feeling a lot better and wanting to have a meal out to lift his spirits . Well , we are not the sort of parents to turn a hungry man down so we went back to Durham and woofed our way through sizable portions of Chinese food at the Inshanghai Restaurant . The lads wanted a walk afterwards and so did I so we had a walk around the town up to the cathedral , popped in and got an impromptu recital of Bach organ music . Magic . Even the lads were impressed . Good fun was had walking in the nighttime woods and I tried to scare our lads on the other side of the river with a loud growling sound but it didn't work . They just laughed . We listened to the new U2 CD in the car on the way up and down and it was brilliant . Nice day and early evening but best of all the family is nearly fully fit so we can get out for longer walks.

I took the lads sledging in Durham this afternoon. Fo was still zonked out but getting better. Into her grub anyway! The snow was quite thick but wet so the sledging was a bit slower than expected not that I noticed because I had a nice three mile walk around the river Wear and into the City. A few snowstorms blew over which made it really cosy and I had a good look with dripping binoculars at the two very mature Goosanders I saw yesterday . True to form as soon as I stood still to observe them they moved off but didn't fly off . Not many open patches of water at the moment so the risk/reward ratio was in favor of staying put. When I got back to the lads for biscuit break the they were having a good time so I went off for another just half hour trek this time through a downpour of snow . Great ! When I next got back to the lads Miles had just about ripped his trouser leg off because ( as far as the little pratts were telling me ) they zoomed down the slope held together by this stick which broke , stuck in the ground and then ripped up Miles leg taking out the trouser part leaving a nice deep scratch that was going in the direction of his wedding tackle . As I have frequently said in the past " Always protect your nuts" but I chewed him over anyway because if the stick had stuck more firmly in the ground it could have impaled his leg or worse . I had a bit of a job keeping a straight face when I did this but he still believes me even when I was in Oscar winning performance mode . Good! Cracking afternoon out made even better by being greeted by a warm cuddly wife who is feeling a lot better !

Fo was still zonked with the bug today , Miles was zapped out from an excess of skateboarding last night at RKade in Redcar in a -7c temperature and he is still getting over a series of bad colds so he was wasted this morning , Clifford was quite happy to stay in , wimpy doggy, so I went out on my ownsome lonesome again for a four mile walk around Durham. Usual Shincliffe and back route but since a few days ago the River Wear had completely frozen in places and mostly frozen in the rest . I saw five , yes five , Goosanders today the usual three who've been there a while but two much bigger ones had turned up just downstream from Elvet bridge . These were not shy and were quite happy to be observed from 10 metres away although I walked slowly and didn't stop because I knew that could spook them . Why so many Goosanders? The obvious answer is that most of the lakes and ponds in Durham County are frozen over , big Rivers like the Wear are freezing over so fish eating divers like Goosanders are being concentrated in the clear water areas. Cormorants weren't there at all except for one because they can shove off to the coast where there is no ice but lots of fish. Way to go : brains working today!

On the River wear where it was completely frozen there were 45 degree angled lines in the ice highlighted by the snow on them and how they got there I've yet to conjecture. The river got frozen over by a two processes ; freezing from the edges ; and bits off ice that had broken off from river ice upstream getting stuck around those edges and then hey presto the whole river is blocked . Further downstream I heard a weird cracking sound I'd never heard before and that was the sound of metre square patches of ice floating down channels of fast water then crashing into frozen parts of the river . Very exciting.

As I walked into town a snowstorm came over and happily for me there was a Starbucks nearby so I sought refuge in there . I missed the family today because this was the second time this week they couldn't make it and there were many exciting and interesting things to see which I know they would like . Still , Fo is on the mend and the lads want to sledge in Durham so hopefully we will get a family afernoon out soon. Nice afternoon out in a somber snowy Durham.

Today the plans to have a family afternoon walking in York were scuppered by Fo feeling grotty with flu like symptoms this morning . The lads didn't want to go without Mum so I went on my own. Miles was still a bit wasted from skateboarding and walking yesterday and he felt grotty last night . Family is a bit of a worry sometimes . So, I went out on my own and had a nice 8 mile walk around York. When I got into the City Centre I'd just finished munching a sausage roll when I saw my friend Sybil Wood. She looked not very well and said she had come back from work because early because she was feeling grotty. I only spoke with her for a few minutes ! I got chatting to the young Irish lady who served me coffee later and she said that nearly every customer who'd been in the cafe over the last week had been ill , recovering or just going down with the lurgey . I haven't had anything at all. I'm beginning to feel left out !

York City was lovely in the low afternoon winter light and when I walked around the Foss River area there were what looked like long brush marks in the middle of the frozen river which were the landing marks from the feet of ducks and geese gliding down to feed . The university lake was all frozen and I noticed university groundsmen feeding the ducks. I suppose if they didn't do that a lot of them could die . Isn't that what is supposed to happen? Good for the fox population! What next feeding fish in the river! Coming out of the Uni grounds I ran into my friend Harry who I have known for over 25 years and I played music with him in the Irish sessions and I lived just 'round the corner from him for 2 years . He is a very nice man straight , constant and very intelligent . He has been doing research and lectures in the Environmental Unit in York Uni. I last ran into him about two years ago and I'm going to the Sunday night session soon so I can see him again and have a good night out . I managed to get to the City walls between 3 and 3.45 because I wanted to see the sun going down and that was really nice . Got home in time for Star Trek and tea with the family . It was a great afternoon out particularly running into Sybil and Harry but it would have been nicer with the rest of the family gang!

Fiona and I had an excellent night at the Butterknowle Acoustic Club Xmas do. The roads on the way up there were more slippery than a bankers tongue and it was even worse on the way back because it was -7C and I just knew going slowly and carefully was the only way to go . And home of course! Anyway , Butterknowle Village hall is a welcoming place mostly because of the very nice people who go there but I noticed that it was slightly cooler than expected . When I saw Brian Whiley one of the organizers he told Fo and I that the heating had gone off because the fuel had run out quite likely because the thermostat kicks the heating in when it is really cold to protect the pipes! Well, no problem in a very capable village community and I saw a lot of this in Reeth and Muker communities in the 70s when I played in the brass bands in the Dales. Because Butterknowle has many adjoining farms someone knew one of the farmers and many gallons of heating oil were whipped over to the village hall. Bet that could be trickier to do in an urban community .

The music got going and there was much laughter as well particularly when one of the folk singers got going on a John Denver song " Today when the blossoms still spring from the vine , "cough, cough" " and so on . He eventually stopped, blaming the peanuts he had munched beforehand , something I of course as a harmonica player would never do! , but everyone including the singer thought it was hilarious . Got the night off to a good start . Julie McGrath the folk/country singer was excellent taking me to inner places I didn't expect to go on a cold night in County Durham. The Exiles from Eden folk Band were also great. I had a good play with the Button Hole Jam and they are a really good band and I had to make sure that I didn't over play and kept my self out of the way when it was right to that . It is important in a band that all voices are heard and everyone gets to musically say their bit . Button Hole Jam pull that one off really well.

Which brings me into a point to be considered by musicians : anyone out there : get music clubs going like Butterknowle Acoustic Club or if you are a band trying to get ahead , good thing to do , play small venues and give the audience a really good time not by just playing well for a short period with music superbly produced for your demo but takes so long to write and rehearse that you can't put together enough music to be able to entertain everyone for at least two hours , you know you are , my favorite band at the moment, but play well for a long period : at least 2 hours . Win the audience in other words. Then, musicians will be supported as they are every month in Butterknowle. Point Proved ? Butterknowle Acoustic Club produced over two and a half hours of music last night all of good quality and yes one will wince occasionally at the gaffs as much as I groan at my own talent level and many gaffs I made last night such as doing a very nice little musical run in one of the songs but " Hey folks it was in the wrong key and at the wrong time " . Groan. I don't know how I get away with it sometimes but maybe I do : everyone in Butterknowle Village Hall wants to have a good time so they hear the general impression which was pretty good from all of the musicians . What face doesn't have some spots on it? I like my own, spots and all , but not as much as I like my wife's!

A really cracking night out and I would like to thank the Butterknowle Acoustic Club organizers and particularly Brian and Klara Whiley : excellent musicians and comperes who got everyone going and made us all feel really welcome comfortable . Thank you.

I took Miles skateboarding this morning at RKade in Redcar and was surprised to find about 10cm of snow in the Tees Estuary. There had been none in Darlington . Miles had a great session and his friend Luke Bourner pulled off a really difficult trick . Good lad . After this we went to see my Mum in Richmond and had a walk around Easby Abbey in the low winter light and it was cloudless and beautiful. We saw a small flock of birds we couldn't identify but I think they may be Golden Plovers and I saw two woodpeckers ripping across a field . Got some speed those birds . Richmond is nice at any time of the year but in the winter light it is wonderful . My Mum was in good fettle and we had a very humorous time . We all seem to get very excited when we see her . Star Trek and egg and chips coming up and I'm playing at the Butterknowle Acoustic Club Xmas do tonight , with who I'm not quite sure but the Button Hole Jam said they'd put up with me for a few numbers and Fiona said she'd be my personal groupie . Wow!

Today has been a beautiful day . Darlington Borough Council gave permission for us Darlington Bahais to do a street stall to let the Darlington people know about our religion and I did this , this morning in High Northgate . A lot of people had a good look at the stall and one young lad took a booklet. Standing in the cold got my toes colder than they had been in years but the rest of me was fine . I felt really good doing the stall and I'm a passionate believer in all groups and religions from Muslims to Gay Rights people getting their voice heard on the street. Sort of adds a religious , political and moral dimension to the body politic .

After the morning on the stall I went out with the family to Durham and did a 5 mile walk . From Darlington to Durham is about 20 miles but the temperature dropped considerably and on River Wear there was a high browny smudge to the water but it was really low . This quite likely reflects the recent floods. 10 minutes into the walk we saw the Goosanders and my they are touchy . This bird just glimpsed us and then flew off. For some reason the low afternoon light made it difficult to see with our binoculars but there is also an effect from the low quality of the binos that we use because last year at Saltholme RSPB reserve at Teeside I had a go of the wardens very expensive binoculars and said to him that I didn't see a huge difference between them but he said you really see the difference in low light conditions and after today's experience in exactly those conditions I could see he was precisely right . The cloudless walk into Durham City was magical and joy of joys we saw the Little Grebes again by Framwellgate Bridge really close up , 5 metres away and the male, small as he was, looked so capable and cocky. Bet he's looking forward to Spring the female Little Grebes will be queuing up for his genes and even Fiona took a shine to him!

We went to the Cathedral but couldn't walk around it much because they were about to do a Carol Service but it was all dark and mysterious in there as Durham Cathedral always is . Because it is mostly made out of Dark sand stone unlike York which is made out of very bright Limestone , it has a heavy moody feel about it which I find absolutely enchanting . On the way back into town Fiona noticed a fake fur hat which she thought would grace her good looks whilst I said it gave the strong impression of wearing roadkill on her head! The lads just laughed their heads off. But after a little while walking the streets I did say she looked very cute in it and she said she was as warm as toast . So, she has a new town walking hat although I said that it would be best not to wear it up in the hills just in case some bird of prey mistook her head for something edible . Anyway , I'm expecting the buzzards to be circling when we are up in the Howgills next week! I expect her to be carried because no doubt they will find her as tasty as I do!

A great day and an afternoon where Fiona and I were way to excited, so much so that Miles said we were "boisterous" . About right and I hope we have two weeks of it!

From midday we went over the Pennine watershed, now the snow had gone , and down to Southern Lakeland to visit Fiona's Mum. On the way over we listened to the Time Out of Mind CD by Bob Dylan although there were grumbles from our lads. Well , children, sometimes Mummy and Daddy want to look at the great countryside much of which we have walked over think about those nice times and TOTALLY FREAKOUT to some cool music . Hey you both did admit you liked the band our Bobby was playing with . It was Leonard Cohen on the way back and the two grumblos in the back like him. Teenagers who like Leonard Cohen . What's wrong with them?!

Anyway , Fo's Mum Veronica was in good cheer but very frail, she is in her 80's and I am always raised up by that good cheer and how good her mind is, still very sharp, sharp enough to appreciate my wayward humor, in spite of the vascular dementia she is suffering from. It just goes to show you cannot keep a good woman down! The boys were really and I mean really good with her and she enjoyed all the photos of them sledging which we had on the netbook.

On the way over we had an hours walk around Ulverston where Veronica used to live and Miles led the walk and took us around a very interesting route with much to look at and talk about . He will be a good Dad one day . Good doggy. There are many architectural history points in the town such as a meeting room of some sort built in the 18th century with another storey added in the 19th century the only reason we knew that was because they had put the dates on both buildings.

Well , after a very dark drive back we were going to watch The Beebs Shakespeare offering with Patrick Stewart, Macbeth, but we decided to watch Star Trek instead. Sorry Mr Ian Fletcher of Taiwan my infallible guide on all things literary, but I often say that Star Trek is the new Shakespeare and now you know that I am dumb enough to believe that . Is there hope for me ? I hope not !

This afternoon with the family I had a nice four mile walk in the low winter ight around Durham. The river was in flood due to the thaw setting in in the uplands but it was not as big a torrent as it could have been because the snow cover on the hills was not that deep in spite of the cold and snowfall. There had been a fairly big landslide near Prebends bridge and the onward erosion of the UK continues on ! Near Framwellgate Bridge we saw a Little Grebe again and it was hunting for larvae and insects close to the bank because the river Wear was roaring along . We were 5 meters from it . A really lovely grebe and we saw another further down river and this was much smaller so I assume it was the female . Can't wait to see them in their summer coats. In town we grabbed some spare chairs to use for out biscuit break and it was very cosy sat at the bottom of the market. For about half of the walk we were walking on melting ice which was more slippery than a bankers reasons to sell you something you don't want! Very slippery. A few days ago I said to my friend Sybil Wood that walking around a town in snow and ice is worse than clambering around the hills in the stuff and today was very tricky . A nice afternoon out with the family and a Trekky evening is coming up and that's great. Star Trek is the new Shakespeare.

After the lads had a good morning session with the maths and Clifford was in school for an hour and did some maths as well we decided to to sledging in Durham for the afternoon. Miles has fully recovered from whatever cold bug he had so he was raring to get out and thrash the slopes with sledges for 90 minutes which is just what they did. Because of everyone sledging over the weekend and a hard frost last night the slopes were almost dangerously slippy and when Miles first whizzed down he was amazed at how fast he went . After watching them for five minutes I went for a nice 3 mile walk around the town and woods really enjoying the low winter afternoon light glancing across the building and the trees. Hardly any bird life to be seen on the River Wear but I did notice that between Prebends and Framwellgate Bridge it was icing over . Gosh it was cold this morning . When I drove Fo into work it was -11 and on the way back just before our house it descended to -12.5. The only time ever in the UK I have known temperatures like that we have been high up in the Howgills or Teesdale and there has been wind chill as well. Today just outside my house -12.5 and no wind whatsoever . Man that's cold . Before we went out today I did a careful gear check with the lads and they had their body warmers on and Clifford was in double gloves . Mind you when they hit the slopes they were that excited with the speed they were getting I don't think they noticed the cold.

After the afternoons exertions when we got back Miles got straight down to an hour of maths and he is really enjoying the last module of his pure maths course which doesn't start 29/1/11. He is well ahead and the other course he is doing he doesn't need to prepare up at all for that . Clever doggy! But he has also done a lot of work over the last three months. Nice afternoon out and to put myself in Fiona's goody extra goody books I have knocked up a chicken casserole for tea and I'm looking forward to hearing the "Ooooooooooooooooooo" from her when I tell her what we are having for tea. Cold weather walks, chicken, nice man what more does a woman want!

This afternoon with the family I had a nice 5 mile walk around Durham starting from Shincliffe village . The river was gunmetal grey with all the snow around and joy of joys the Goosanders were back. Three of them like last time so I'm assuming it is the same three. That was good but 500m downstream it got even better because I noticed a very small diving bird and I knew it wasn't one of the usual suspects so as I was loudly wondering a lovely lady from Ilkley said it was a Little Grebe and having just verified that : she was right . A Little Grebe in its winter plumage and we saw 5 of them at the Shincliffe end of the river one on its own at Framwellgate Bridge. Total bliss.

In town we went to see the Victorian Market up at the Cathedral and it was a very good show with lots of food and craft stalls. One of the stalls had several birds of prey from a local BOP centre and we noticed a few empty stalls which irritated me a bit because the lady from Durham Markets said yesterday that they had no stalls available for us to have a Bahai stall but I suppose some of the stallholders may not have turned up . Still she did say to book July 2011 for the next Victorian Xmas Market and we will take her up on that. Fo and I love doing Bahai stalls and it is great when people ask about our religion and interesting when they just want to disagree with it! We have met allsorts doing Bahai stalls!

On the way back to Shincliffe we saw a Goosander again and it just flew offf as soon as it saw us . They are a very wild bird with only 2600 breeding pairs in the UK although a lot more over winter which is why we mainly see them in winter. In the past they were heavily killed of by fishermen and landowners because it was (incorrectly) believed they dented fish stocks . Gosh , everything has it's story doesn't it! A gorgeous afternoon out ending up with Fo and I crashing out in bed and listing to Tenebrae her slaying monsters on the DS , me doing this and surfing the net . Cosy!

An interesting week. Clifford was off school all week because the school was closed due to the snow and he got loads of maths done . His future looks very promising and Miles is impressed with his work although I will have to make sure his exam technique matches his developing maths brain. It's no good learning all this maths and physics if you can't do it in the exams. On Thursday afternoon I took the lads sledging in Durham when there were huge snow showers blowing across the city. I had a walk around the very cold town and the clear colour of the River Wear was amazing because of all the snow melt water in it . In spite of all of the Pennine passes being closed including the one at Wearhead snow has been melting into the streams due to the sheer weight of the snow which raises the temperature at the bottom of the pile and so it comes pouring out . A sort of mini glacier effect! Anyway it looked very pretty. Going around the Cathedral was magical and there were only 4 people in the place and no one at the East End so I tried out my countertenor singing and was amazed how much it just filled the space and I could hear it echoing back from the West End. Cathedrals truly are places to sing in !

When I got back to the lads after 90 minutes they were having a great time and didn't get as wet as last time . After a slippy ride home Miles being Miles after tea wanted to skateboard at RKade in Redcar 25 miles over to the coast. He had a good time there but only did 90 minutes because he ( for once ) got quite chilled. I don't think he is quite over the cold bugs yet . A nice constructive week delighted up by the presence of Fo working at the kitchen table getting her planning and preparation done . Teachers : I love 'em! But I particularly love one of them!