Sunday 31 December 2006

A few years ago....


A few years ago I received a visit from a friend who lived in the Highlands of Scotland, we had met when we both lived in Yorkshire so hills and mountains were a part of our shared experience. After a few days we were driving between villages when he said "I know you like The Fens but I just don't understand why, there is nothing to look at". I explained that he was looking at it completely wrong,he should stop looking for hills and concentrate on the sky. He very soon understood why Fenland is rightly famous for it's wonderful, varied skyscapes.

Example

But there is another part of Fenland which is often overlooked, the other 10% of the view, the damp bit at the bottom of the sky, the land of the Fens stuck between the sky and the sea, the land filled with the history the lives and the loves of the people and places in it.

That is where this blog comes from.

So why start a blog at all? Reverse the question, why not start a blog? We can't all be Einstein, Shakespeare or Buzz Aldrin but everyone has a life to lead, a story to tell, a viewpoint to share. If no-one finds my blog interesting then nothing is lost, I will have simply created a
diary of musings for my own personal record and perhaps for my future generations should they be interested. If anyone likes my blog, even feels like responding, then so much the better, we may even have some fun. I have given some thought to what a blog should contain, for me at least, and have decided on the following broad categories:
1) Personal. Something that has happened recently in my life or those around me. Perhaps an observation or record of local news.
2) Likes / Positive. Something good or constructive from anywhere, local or further afield.
3) Grumpy Old Man Bit. Something that bugs me, in the hope that recording it may improve it.
4) Humour. We all need something to smile about.
Whenever I add to my blog I will consider as many of these categories as possible, although there is no guarantee I will not end up somewhere completely different!

So as this is my first entry I suppose I should start with a little about myself. My name is David and I'm 49 years old. I was born and bred in Sutton Bridge attending the local Primary School followed by Spalding Grammar School. On completion of a Print Design and Planning course
(with a large helping of photography thrown in) at the Isle of Ely College I was offered a place at London which I turned down in favour of a job, unemployment was very high at the time and a job was seen as the Holy Grail. The job fell through after a few months and my working life has been a series of happy accidents ever since. I currently work for a very
large food manufacturer looking after the design, repro and print processes for their packaging. I married SHE in 1987 and we lived in her native Leeds for many years. SHE is a wonderful woman and meeting her remains the 2nd most significant event in my life. We returned to my home area of the Lincolnshire Fens some years ago and we were lucky enough to have a child who we affectionately call W.C.

My Likes:
1) W.C. Whose birth was the most significant event in my (our) life.
2) Photography. I returned to this hobby after the birth of W.C. and am looking forward to the day I can get my hands on a new Nikon D80 Digital SLR Camera.
3) Malt Whisky. Thanks to my friend from the Highlands I am able to enjoy the Aqua Vitae in a fairly knowledgeable way and hope one day to visit Islay from where my favourite malts originate.
4) Golf. I discovered this great game far too late in life to be any good but enjoy it anyway. I'm pleased to be a member of Sutton Bridge Golf Club where I have been known to win the occasional game, and to lose many. Sutton Bridge remains my favourite course and I would recommend it to anyone.
5) Money. Always seem to need more.
My Dislikes:
1) Negative and Gossipy people.
2) Bad Car Drivers, particularly the ones who plague me week after week doing the same crazy things.

I'm definitely a glass half full person and my philosophy is Carpe Diem, although it is sometimes difficult to know which bit to seize.

So that's it, a small start to my blog. If you want to say hello I would love to hear from you, just post a reply. If you would like to contact me privately I will soon put up a link to my personal website and you can get in touch there.

Au Revoir....