tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19318378953656115712012-02-02T11:15:18.452ZKnitting and London life. Not necessarily in that order.DDKKnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4691100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-20783612734850237692011-12-31T12:49:00.000Z2011-12-31T12:49:03.666Z

After a long knitting drought I made the most of the train journey to Chesterfield and a few days at home with the folks to finish up the socks that had been hanging around for ages, and to knock up a little cowl to suit my new coat. The cowl is the Pimlico pattern by Alexandra Brinck, and I made it with a ball of sock yarn that's been knocking around in my stash for years. The other finished

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-11675015091098034382011-12-26T18:48:00.001Z2011-12-30T11:05:08.872Z

With the Curse off to a Boxing Day footy match, I took the opportunity to strike out to the Medway for a nice leg stretch today. Whenever I have driven over the River Medway on the M2 motorway bridge, I have gazed upstream along the valley and suspected that glorious walks await me on its wooded shoulders. So despite the rather grey demeanour of the day, the occasional glimpses of sunshine

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-82595271961029415022011-12-26T16:49:00.001Z2011-12-26T16:50:46.760Z

Christmas was a rather modest affair chez Knit Nurse - I cooked the traditional christmas ham on christmas eve and we sampled it in a quiche that night, but other than that it was a rather non-traditional christmas. I dragged the Curse out somewhat reluctantly for a short bike ride along the Waterlink Way - to be fair it was pretty windy and not the best weather for it - and then we cycled over

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-40121023157588909782011-12-23T11:19:00.004Z2011-12-25T10:50:06.244Z

It seems to have become a bit of a habit for me to try and do something I've never done before on my birthday every year. This year I went to Bethnal Green! I've been wanting to visit knit/craft/gifty shop Prick Your Finger for ages, but it's not the easiest place to get to from south east London, particularly since the Greenwich foot tunnel has been under refurbishment, making it awkward to get

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-53105399087251331632011-12-22T18:55:00.000Z2011-12-22T18:55:18.099Z

Like it or not, Christmas is on the way. The Curse demanded a tree this year, which I'm fine about as long as he goes out and buys it and brings it home. We decorated it on Monday night and the little clay stars I made about a month ago finally found their rightful place. With two birthdays on successive days, just a few days ahead of christmas, this time of year is complicated as far as cards

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-52561561543580624602011-12-08T22:16:00.001Z2011-12-08T22:20:17.163Z

A weekend in York was a tonic for myself and the Curse. We passed bridges old and new, walked the full extent of the city walls, drank pricey but sublime coffee in Betty's, caught up with an old friend, and looked at lots of very shiny trains in the National Railway Museum. They must spend a lot of time polishing in there! Unfortunately you can't buy Bile Beans any longer, which is a shame

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-9482135361746830362011-11-20T08:32:00.001Z2011-11-20T08:40:23.621Z

I've been itching to get out for a good autumn woodland walk for ages, and last Friday the planets were all in the right aspect as my friend Gareth and I set out for an 8-mile leg-stretch in the Surrey countryside. The weather met the expectations of the forecast (dry, sunny with cloudy spells); the trains were all running well; we both managed to get out of bed on time and make it to Waterloo

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-35363248757587404602011-11-17T10:34:00.002Z2011-11-17T10:36:49.294Z

This morning I noticed that my blog seemed to be getting a lot of attention from Russia, the Ukraine, Bulgaria, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus and Lithuania - not my normal visitors! And they were all looking at my Green Dragon Socks! With my investigator's hat on I went to the website www.darievna.ru where everyone seemed to be coming from, and discovered that they had used one of my photos to

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-80409300958373742162011-11-14T08:54:00.000Z2011-11-14T08:54:58.632Z

Leaving London early Saturday morning, heading for the west country, did not start off too well - the train trundled through thick fog and gloom for what seemed like forever, robbing me of the usual soothing views of urban sprawl giving way to rolling hills. Luckily the fog lifted just past Newbury and the stage was set for two glorious days of autumnal sunshine in Somerset and surrounds. This

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-19225241102858230322011-11-11T11:48:00.000Z2011-11-11T11:48:18.446Z

You may recall my first adventures in guerrilla gardening some months ago, which resulted in a lovely crop of sunflowers which made me smile every time I went past on my way to work. They are still flowering now - one sunflower in particular is like a huge sunflower tree - not just one tall stem with a single flower on the top, this plant is pushing out flowers like there's no tomorrow! When I

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-57628526521009393892011-10-14T18:51:00.000Z2011-10-14T18:51:37.845Z

Five days on the Kentish coast suited us very well, especially staying in the Greenhouse Apartment at Walmer Castle. Rather pricey, but worth saving up for a bit of a treat - of particular note is the fact that you get to enjoy the extensive gardens out of hours. We felt hugely priviledged to do so, as if we lived in the castle itself! The sunny and warm weather made for glorious walks at

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-70029650529455761372011-10-07T16:30:00.000Z2011-10-07T16:30:17.961Z

Taken a few weeks ago when I spent two nights there with my friend Gareth, enjoying the Folkestone Triennial arts festival. We had hot, sunny weather and these fountains, which played away day and night, were hugely popular with all the kids. As for myself, I preferred the chilli and garlic scallops that were freshly cooked up by Chummy's seafood stall (in the background). Folkestone has a lot

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-71244160704372109012011-10-06T20:15:00.002Z2011-10-06T20:17:11.037Z

I have been enjoying Colleen's postcard series so thought I would copy it, with imitation being the sincerest form of flattery of course :-) Last weekend for my spoon carving course I stayed at a lovely bed & breakfast in Little Bourton, and on the Saturday evening after a scorching day, took a walk down to the canal at the end of the farm's land. I was desperate to swim but wasn't sure about

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-20767411316426639712011-10-05T21:53:00.001Z2011-10-06T21:04:55.686Z

I don't seem to have time to post much these days - I'm very tied up with local issues including a campaign to try and get a massive local development redesigned - but I'm still here and I'm still busy doing new and exciting things. The craft side of my life has not been neglected even though my knitting is rather in the doldrums - I spent last weekend learning the ancient craft of spoon carving

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-27698637444614428602011-09-16T18:50:00.000Z2011-09-16T18:50:03.969Z

The Curse and I took a trip to Devon last week, and enjoyed a good few days of warm sunshine, a couple of showery days, and one day when it pissed it down all day without remorse. Such is the British summer of course - but it didn't stop me swimming in the sea nearly every day and we enjoyed a couple of good walks and some lovely visits to the towns of Dartmouth, Kingsbridge and Totnes. We ate

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-10376247389809342852011-09-16T18:28:00.000Z2011-09-16T18:28:27.275Z

This pair of socks was finished a few weeks ago, but I didn't get round to blogging about them. They are very green - a cut-price bargain from the sale shelves of The Yarn Yard - and the Falling Leaves pattern from Knitty makes them look a bit like dragon scales. I enjoyed knitting them, although the pattern took quite a while to get used to. It wasn't until I was on the leg of the second

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-88931945256238903392011-08-27T14:37:00.013Z2011-08-27T14:37:00.317Z

Yesterday I made ice-cream for the first time in my life. Having always been scared off by the fact that I don't have an ice-cream maker (and don't want to buy one as it's just another machine to find room for) and people saying it's a faff without one, I was spurred into trying by Delia Smith, of all people. Well, not actually Delia herself, rather her Summer Collection book which I acquired

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-78093575891221910312011-08-26T14:32:00.000Z2011-08-26T14:32:27.309Z

This is my current work in progress - first attempt at knitting two socks at the same time. I've made great strides over the last week due to train journeys to Eastbourne and Bishops Stortford to visit friends, and am finding it pretty easy. The Magic Carpet yarn from the Yarn Yard was the catalyst that made me try two at a time; it's knitted out of two strands of sock yarn, and dyed in its

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-55293999789656524562011-08-26T09:11:00.001Z2011-08-26T10:35:05.565Z

A couple of years ago I posted about pickled courgettes, linking to the recipe on the Riverford website that I had adapted. Since then, it has gone off the website and left no trace. Luckily I wrote it down in my cookbook and it's been in use today for pickling the lovely yellow courgettes given to me by knitting friend Jenny, which I stupidly forgot to photograph before slicing them up...!

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-51409620495556471722011-08-14T13:50:00.001Z2011-08-26T15:05:51.890Z

Last weekend I was lucky enough to find a new internet friend who was offering spare fruit from his garden trees. He turned out to have a garden full of damson, greengage, apple and fruit trees, not to mention some rather luscious blackberries. I had hoped to pick a bag of greengages that myself and the Curse could gorge on, but it turned out there weren't many gages left. Instead I picked a

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-28880365209795818552011-07-22T16:08:00.000Z2011-07-22T16:08:46.603Z

This was actually now more than a week ago, and a very short trip at that, but I thought I'd share a few things with you. I just went for two nights to stay with my folks who were there for a week. They have been going for quite a few years now, and always rented the same bungalow which was accessible for my granny. She loved to sit on the seats on the sea front and watch the world go by, and

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-46266584671245572192011-07-19T18:11:00.000Z2011-08-26T15:06:07.854Z

Despite being rather overworked of late, I've still found time to fit in some of my favourite pastimes, such as pickling for example. Last weekend was time to lift the garlic from the mum-in-law's garden. It's been happily growing away there since I planted it last October, with very little intervention required. I wasn't really sure how well it would do - the soil is very dense and has a high

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-79165467772159236432011-07-13T07:59:00.001Z2011-08-26T15:06:14.847Z

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind, mostly of work, but as part of that, it's good to be able to get out of the office and visit other places in Europe from time to time. This was my first visit to Poland, to the small city of Wroclaw (pronounced Vrot-swarv) and I found it a very welcoming, friendly and interesting city. The market square is very pretty, although most of the buildings are

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-37877751716458663732011-06-26T09:02:00.004Z2011-06-26T12:03:06.104Z

The last few weeks and months have been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster in our family, with health problems looming over several members and uncertainty about the future. Last week we said goodbye to Phyllis (Granny) Russell, who died at the age of 96, and hello to new niecelet Sophie Helen, who sprang seemingly out of nowhere after my younger sister announced her pregnancy on the Monday and

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-41139404692027865462011-06-11T14:38:00.002Z2011-08-26T15:06:24.331Z

My business life involves an annual visit to the Pennsylvanian city of Pittsburgh - famous historically as the centre of the steel industry, and named after the British statesman William Pitt the Elder. My colleague and I usually plan to arrive on Saturday and have a free day on Sunday, which enables us to do a bit of sightseeing or shopping - whether it's the Warhol Museum, cycling along the

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-2797268106995541262011-05-29T18:08:00.000Z2011-08-26T15:06:38.602Z

With boxes of six lovely ripe mangoes selling for £5 on Deptford High Street today, I decided to have a go at making my own mango chutney, something I've been meaning to do for ages. I was also prompted by the fact that the plum & chilli jam is running low, so I'm in need of something a bit spicey and sweet for that curry/sausage sandwich/pork pie type of moment. I started with this recipe from

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-59324527181439062802011-05-27T20:36:00.001Z2011-05-27T20:39:40.877Z

So, it's been nearly a month since these little babies were planted. It's been a hot old month; the rose bushes down the other end of the flower bed have done well, proving that it's not all barren ground. About half of the very unpromising-looking clumps came out in a huge flourish of colour for a week or so but they are going over now. I've been down there every few evenings with my watering

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-7449169149003377912011-05-13T21:16:00.001Z2011-05-27T20:41:12.543Z

But not at the same time! The Curse and I took ourselves out of London this morning for a breath of fresh air and a bit of thinking time. We drove to the RSPB reserve Northward Hill which is on the Hoo Peninsula in Kent. Well worth a visit if you get chance. I've written about the heronry before, and we had come specially to visit during the nesting season. That plan turned out to be a foolish

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-29911639832286139612011-05-08T19:58:00.000Z2011-05-27T20:39:53.784Z

I do like a bit of shortbread, and when it's got a twist on traditional shortbread, so much the better. This shortbread offers the subtle combination of flavours of cardamom and chickpeas, while the yellow gram flour gives it a lovely colour. Very simple and quick to make, irresistible! 100g gram (chickpea) flour 50g plain flour 75g caster sugar 100g unsalted butter, softened 4 cardamom pods

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-92039904695586528072011-05-01T08:39:00.001Z2011-05-27T20:39:40.878Z

Just along the road from my house is a very unloved flower bed. It sits in the middle of a small gyratory, next to the railway viaduct and a car mechanic's yard. It was obviously built with care; it is a large flower bed, surrounded by stone walls and taking a prominent position on the roundabout. But years of neglect have left it far from its best. The few scrubby rose bushes that remain,

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-49590515664051061802011-04-23T15:12:00.002Z2011-05-27T20:41:02.326Z

On a glorious morning on a long bank-holiday weekend, 6.30am does not seem like a silly time for a bike ride. The tide was just on the turn, the river high and still. Myself and Mrs Fox eyed each other cautiously as we met just a few feet apart, while skirting the hoardings outside the Greenwich Foot Tunnel - she trotted down to the river to slake her thirst while I rode on. Valerian flowers

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-63054458081699480582011-04-17T21:52:00.001Z2011-05-27T20:40:43.341Z

I love Broadstairs in Kent even when it's not sunny, but today was a winning combination. We left the marathon runners and their supporters behind for once, and after negotiating the peculiarities of Stratford station and Stratford International station (you have to take a courtesy bus through the Olympic park to the weirdly deserted International station) got the high speed train down to the

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-56367482467342596792011-04-17T07:49:00.002Z2011-05-27T20:41:33.059Z

I am still making things, I just keep forgetting/running out of time to take pictures, or to blog about them! The sock is the Falling Leaves pattern from Knitty; been meaning to make this pattern for ages but I assumed that, because it has 72 stitches on the round (and I normally use only 60) it would be too big for my feet and I would have to mess around with gauge. In fact, even with all the

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-21328908753852141872011-04-05T20:56:00.002Z2011-05-27T20:41:54.575Z

After a couple of weeks of indecision as to whether I could spare the time away from my freelance project, I finally cracked and headed off to Bridgend for a night with my friend Gareth. I'm so glad I did! He's staying in a lovely cottage just a mile or so from the 'Glamorgan Heritage Coast' to work on a personal photography project and I piggybacked his hols for a night away and the chance to

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-55031265272217707482011-04-02T13:37:00.000Z2011-04-02T13:37:40.343Z

I'm having a modest destash of yarns - not getting rid of as much as I probably should but I have a few really nice yarns that deserve to be used rather than lingering around in my drawers, so to speak. There's also a few basic items on offer. All the yarns for sale are detailed in my Ravelry stash which is here. You will need to have a Rav account for this link to work, I think. I'll be

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-75241796486943474082011-03-27T11:01:00.000Z2011-05-27T20:42:02.523Z

Every year the tarragon plant on my balcony bursts forth with renewed vigour after surviving another winter - and every year I fail to make the most of its glorious flavour. With the garlic chives also shooting out many new leaves I decided I should make the most of their spring freshness and whip up some herb vinegar. 'Whip up' is perhaps a little optimistic, since it takes about a month or so

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-37057685977933207322011-03-26T17:18:00.000Z2011-03-26T17:18:16.130Z

The Curse and I are not natural demonstrators; he likes to make his feelings known to the TV and I am an expert letter writer, perhaps to the point of being slightly obsessive about it. But sometimes we feel the need to stand up and be counted in our own modest way. Writing letters and grumbling at the TV is all very well but it's no substitute for getting out there and hearing the beating

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-63597443142735804802011-03-25T16:35:00.000Z2011-05-27T20:42:12.073Z

I had planned to work at home today on my freelance project, but the glorious sunshine made that unlikely, so the Curse and I took advantage of the weather and set out for a trip to England's oldest public art gallery, Dulwich Picture Gallery. It took two buses to get to Dulwich Libary, from where we enjoyed a stroll through the park and past the boating lake and the Barbara Hepworth sculpture

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-90349906743432189062011-03-23T14:48:00.000Z2011-05-27T20:42:21.978Z

Hurrah for the rhubarb season! I do like a bit of stewed rhubarb, particularly on my muesli after it has been chilled in the fridge (the rhubarb, not the muesli). Here's how I normally cook it: Chop your rhubarb into short pieces, put in a pan with a little bit of fruit juice, a piece of cinnamon stick, a star anise, and some sugar or honey to taste (probably more than you expect to need,

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-32737551948879862512011-03-12T17:11:00.000Z2011-03-12T17:11:34.617Z

During our recent trip to Southwold, the Curse and I enjoyed browsing the local papers. The Southwold Organ is a local publication of the 'parish newsletter' variety, which is available around the pubs, shops and businesses of the town. A report of a recent town council meeting started with crime statistics. PCSO Wallace reported that there had been three recorded crimes since the last town

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-14232863379037326312011-03-06T22:00:00.000Z2011-03-13T21:22:02.617Z

Cold but sunny, lovely sounds and smells, reed buntings and egrets, fish and chips. Clearing the head, recharging the batteries, tiring out the legs and letting the mind wander. Muddy boots and wrapping up warm. Every pub with a real fire and real ales.

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-27344832431510139762011-02-24T22:13:00.002Z2011-02-24T22:15:23.421Z

The Curse is fond of saying 'every day's a schoolday' and I have to agree with him - sometimes, however, I find myself re-learning lessons that I thought I'd learned ages ago! Today was a good example. I'm generally the sort of person who doesn't mind spending a little bit more money to get something that will last longer, be more durable or do the job better. For some reason, though, I seem to

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-18131840580677990802011-02-13T12:47:00.005Z2011-03-13T21:22:02.618Z

Some days everything comes together nicely; Saturday was one such day. Armed with confidence in the weather forecast, a bit of forward planning and a few slices of chocolate brownie, Gareth and I met at Victoria station at 10am for a day out on the South Downs. We first did this walk a couple of years ago, at about the same time of year, and the few months I've been yearning to repeat it. It is

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-55176894298814925632011-02-07T23:05:00.000Z2011-02-07T23:05:27.147Z

Loved this worn metalwork on the door of the church at Dover Castle. How many hands must have pushed against these doors over the years?

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-10207467114318260552011-02-05T23:06:00.001Z2011-03-13T21:22:02.619Z

What a day to choose for a trip to Dover Castle! Winds of 80mph, grey skies and intermittent showers. My parents gave both myself and the Curse membership of English Heritage for christmas last year, and although we made good use of the cards last September in Whitby Abbey and Scarborough Castle, we hadn't used them since. I've wanted to visit Dover Castle for ages, and since it stays open

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-88558155288549217272011-01-30T10:25:00.000Z2011-03-13T21:20:02.006Z

I served this curry to a few people on my last birthday and it was almost universally popular (not with the Curse of course, as it contains No Meat!). Quite a few people have asked me for the recipe and because I've not made it since, I had to steal the picture from the Guardian's website where the original recipe can be found. It's very easy to make and very comforting - Allegra McEvedy

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-13722888492933362822011-01-30T10:10:00.000Z2011-03-13T21:20:02.007Z

This recipe is so simple, requires very basic ingredients, and has come out perfectly both times I've tried it. What's more, it only uses a single bowl! 5oz/140g unsalted butter 10oz/280g sugar 3oz/85g unsweetened cocoa powder (eg Green & Blacks) quarter tsp salt half tsp pure vanilla extract (I used double this, as it was the fake stuff) 2 large eggs, cold 2.5oz/66g plain flour walnut or pecan

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-26234435816301375902011-01-23T18:07:00.001Z2011-03-13T21:27:12.096Z

With apologies for the gloomy pics - the greyness is back and it's been impossible to take any decent photos of these socks. However there's a very sunny story behind their completion! As I got closer and closer to the toe of the second sock I started to get worried about whether or not I would have enough yarn. Every time I picked up the knitting I felt a little sick at the prospect of running

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-12810025033225402182011-01-22T15:23:00.000Z2011-03-13T21:29:00.089Z

After a hard day's work in the library I nipped off a bit early so I got chance to see some late afternoon sunshine. Glorious

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-4711591551377173102011-01-15T14:08:00.000Z2011-03-13T21:20:02.007Z

At christmas I bought this book intending to give it to someone as a gift. I'm a bit of a sucker for Hugh with his unkempt hair and spoddish appearance but I suspect he would probably get on my nerves a bit in the flesh. Actually now that I've just written in the flesh and it has piqued my imagination I feel a bit queasy. Hugh, we were never meant to be. Sorry. Anyway, I liked the look of the

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-78870099621162217922011-01-09T14:37:00.001Z2011-03-13T21:29:43.414Z

Yesterday's intermittent sunshine saw me bounding out of the house to try and boost my body's levels of vitamin D. It was only a short bike ride around Surrey Docks and Russia Dock Woodland, but it did the trick in feeding my soul and reminding me that hopefully, there are better days ahead. I took a couple of snaps from the top of Stave Hill in the fading light. London's skyline is getting

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-45586151981873003982011-01-07T21:56:00.000Z2011-03-13T21:29:43.415Z

Since buying my Raleigh 20 almost a year ago, I always keep an eye out for other small wheeled bikes as I ride around London. I spotted this one parked up outside Dover Mansions on Tooley Street, and had to stop off to take a closer look at the adaptations someone has made! The second seat is the most obvious difference, but if you click on the picture to make it bigger, you can also see the

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-41729390276022834492011-01-02T12:46:00.000Z2011-01-02T12:46:48.549Z

With Susan Philipsz's song cycle for the city of London, Surround Me, due to finish this weekend, I met up with some friends under London Bridge on what was one of the gloomiest, coldest new year mornings I remember. We had plotted the route meticulously and were all anticipating a morning of aural stimulation in the near-deserted city streets. Unfortunately it didn't quite turn out that way.

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-43987911948189498912011-01-02T11:55:00.000Z2011-03-13T21:27:12.097Z

Ironically we have seen little sunshine since I started knitting these socks on Christmas day. Boxing day - which we spent driving to visit my parents in Derbyshire - was glorious but since then it has been grey, grey, grey. Luckily the pattern and yarn has brought a little sunshine into what is turning out to be a rather gloomy period, and I have already finished the first sock and cast on the

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-5236449211388492092010-12-30T17:35:00.001Z2010-12-30T17:35:59.744Z

Bought the Curse some lovely felt slippers for his birthday and soon realised that I needed a pair too....! Yes, I know I could have made my own but sometimes there's a great pleasure to be had in the immediate gratification of retail therapy! Plus I was supporting our local independent shoe shop...ah well, enough excuses. They are lovely and warm! Next year perhaps a pipe or hip flask?

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-45450650864832338812010-12-18T09:01:00.001Z2011-03-13T21:25:23.620Z

A typical dinner when I'm home alone is heavy on pulses and greens. Last night I made my favourite store-cupboard dinner lentil dal, and served it with pak choi that had simply been browned in groundnut oil, plum & chilli jam and plain yoghurt. The dal recipe is one I was given years ago by a woman called Sumudu whom I met on a BTCV weekend break. The only thing that niggles me slightly about it

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-15045593235571133962010-12-12T10:19:00.002Z2011-03-13T21:28:13.854Z

A sunny afternoon with no commitments was a great opportunity for myself and the Curse to get out of London for a couple of hours, so we drove down to Trosley country park near Meopham in Kent for a leg stretch. This is one of several small country parks that are within a relatively short drive of us and are a great fall-back for walks when you can't be bothered to pore over maps or search the

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-84481984787949615552010-12-10T22:33:00.001Z2011-03-13T21:27:12.098Z

I love to make tea cosies. As someone who brews up a large pot of tea every weekend morning and proceeds to drink several cups in succession, I am well aware of the importance of keeping the tea warm while it continues to brew. I reckon I've made at least a dozen in the last few years - from special old-fashioned granny-type cosies for my granny to cosies based on the construction method used

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-22758040867423425012010-12-05T15:35:00.000Z2010-12-05T15:35:32.899Z

It has been a gloomy week or two what with one thing and another - even when London was blanketed with snow we only got greyness, no sunshine. Various family crises made it necessary to travel in difficult conditions, and we experienced the worst of the winter. Thankfully today we have had some sunshine - a reminder that winter is not all doom and gloom, and that life goes on despite everything

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-35326481646909639692010-11-18T13:47:00.001Z2011-03-13T21:26:25.565Z

As I finished off the last slice of Botham's Whitby gingerbread yesterday (bought way back in September and still as tasty - the best before date on the packet was March 2011!), buttered and eaten with a slice of hard goats cheese, I was slightly bemused by the statement on the wrapper along the lines of: 'This is not for everyone'. I couldn't find any further explanation of this rather

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-38622790059650001632010-11-14T16:52:00.000Z2011-03-13T21:25:46.969Z

This is one of my favourite soups and is great for using up those droopy leftovers at the bottom of the veg drawer. You can tart it up with some soured cream or spice it up with a crushed dried chilli, but the basic recipe also works exceedingly well. It's also a good way to introduce pulses into the diet of those who might otherwise be resistant to them ;-) When we have had roast chicken I

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-21832864034054934652010-11-08T21:49:00.002Z2010-11-08T22:05:39.070Z

I love fairground rides with a passion - and very disappointingly I find myself almost alone in this among my friends and family. I usually have trouble enticing the Curse to even visit a fairground, let alone go on any rides. My folks enjoy visiting the fair but are very cautious in the type of rides they will go on - these days the Golden Gallopers (carousel) is about the most adventurous. As

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-59642217662776362462010-11-06T19:01:00.001Z2011-03-13T21:27:12.099Z

These socks were my portable project for the last few months while the Sweet Pea Coat was my home knitting project; they suddenly reached completion after a couple of long train journeys and the clocks going back. Knitted in Yarn Yard toddy. They are the Azure socks from Knitty, designed by Deb Barnhill - a lovely pattern that became quite hypnotic after a while. I very much liked the design of

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-74417766718454138982010-11-02T21:24:00.038Z2011-03-13T21:28:13.855Z

The gardens of Chatsworth House in Derbyshire provided a fantastic setting for Sotheby's 'selling exhibition' of sculpture 'Beyond Limits' which has just finished its fifth year. We were lucky to get good weather for our visit on Saturday - the pictures make it look like we were one of just a few visitors, but in reality it was heaving! Manolo Valdes - Butterflies Lynn Chadwick - Ace of

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-47249703958833454252010-11-01T20:48:00.000Z2011-03-13T21:25:23.621Z

Inspired by the efforts of my friend Rowan, I have spent the last ten days or so building up to the baking of a sourdough loaf. You have to start a week or so in advance for this process if you are planning to make your own sourdough starter - alternatively if you have a generous friend who keeps their own starter, you may be able to beg some from them. Keeping the starter alive involves

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-60641457044156673202010-11-01T20:38:00.000Z2011-03-13T21:27:12.100Z

One of the first yarns added to my stash when I got back into knitting about ten years ago was this gorgeous, super chunky,  Rowan Harris Tweed. I started several projects with it and ripped them all back, never finding the best use for it. Then a couple of months ago I finally managed to match up Kate Gilbert's Sweet Pea Coat pattern from Twist Collective's winter 2008 issue, which was in my

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-11309437626424685502010-11-01T14:01:00.001Z2010-11-01T14:02:18.649Z

1 November is a significant date in our household - it's officially classified as the first day that the heating is allowed to be switched on for the winter. Our maisonette has hot air heating, supplied by a huge, ancient boiler housed in a massive cupboard right in the middle of the house. I'm pretty sure it's the original boiler that was installed when the block was built in about 1970. So

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-22576144023576070452010-10-26T08:21:00.000Z2010-10-26T08:21:40.928Z

In the event of a lack of posts over here I would like to point readers over to the Icehouse for a fabulous report on a fungal foray in Thetford Forest. Leezz has posted some beautiful and inspiring photos of fungi picked on a forage in the local forest a week or so ago. The stinkhorn is particularly gross - not for nothing does this type of fungi go under the name 'Phallaceae'.  I have never

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-17788569335602363632010-10-17T20:00:00.001Z2011-03-13T21:28:13.856Z

With good weather promised for today I was up early and off for a walk on the Hoo Peninsula (although I did manage to make a few jars of spiced beetroot chutney first of all...!). I decided to go to Cliffe Pools RSPB reserve on the Thames in north Kent to see if I could spy any interesting waders. One of the main (birdwatching) lessons of the day was that my binoculars are not a great deal of

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-86927962482940288262010-10-11T18:14:00.000Z2011-03-13T21:31:08.525Z

My work takes me to some very interesting places. A few weeks ago I found myself at the top of one of the towers of the Humber Bridge near Hull. It was rather a grey day but the views were still rather fabulous.

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-23738910021179286062010-10-03T18:20:00.000Z2011-03-13T21:29:43.416Z

Don't forget to bring some wet wipes or tissues if you are going to use a bike from the racks at Northumberland Avenue. Last week there were only two left and this was the one with the least/driest bird shit on it. It was on the handlebars too!

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-16382109922759569772010-10-03T17:45:00.000Z2011-03-13T21:29:00.091Z

A bit late posting about this one, but it's been a bit of a crazy week and I've barely had time to catch my breath, never mind keep up with the blog. Sometimes life just gets in the way a bit too much! Last weekend I was lucky enough to get up to Yorkshire for a break, and my friend took me to the Masham Sheep Fair - a fab day out for someone who loves yarn and sheepy things so much! We witnessed

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-47130882650531427192010-09-28T13:02:00.002Z2010-09-28T16:53:42.693Z

I spotted this sign from the train while waiting at Doncaster Station. It has obviously been altered, but from what and why?! *Updated later - thanks Val in the comments for supplying a link explaining that 'brute' actually stands for 'British Rail Universal Trolleying Equipment'

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-2260799314188160202010-09-19T20:25:00.002Z2010-09-20T13:32:19.104Z

The sloes have been so prodigious this year I have been itching to go out there and pick a potful in order to stoke up my first batch of sloe gin. It's recommended to wait until after the first frosts to pick your sloes, or prick each one individually in order to break the skin and allow the flavour out. If, like me, you are not confident that you will be organised enough to pick on demand, or

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-17760959359867204922010-09-19T11:13:00.002Z2010-09-23T12:59:48.004Z

I'm very proud to say that a friend of mine from university is currently riding his bike from Orkney to Chatham on his own personal adventure/challenge/fundraiser. Hugh is a keen cyclist who has long been envious reading about my solo tours on the bike - although he often goes out cycling with his family, he has also yearned to take off for a different kind of adventure and a personal challenge

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-91604836407577416972010-09-18T17:22:00.006Z2010-09-23T13:01:25.452Z

The good and the bad. This is the town clock and the town hall of Desvres in northern France. The town is known for its painted pottery and we had come here for lunch in one of the cafes in the market square. We had not bargained for the godawful architecture. From the look of the town, the same 'architect' was employed to design the clock, the town hall and the library. Perhaps he or she is

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-19192839178638878952010-09-18T07:08:00.003Z2010-09-23T12:44:25.759Z

Almost exactly two years ago I first visited the Museum of Welsh Life at St Fagans just outside Cardiff on the way home from a cycling tour of the Brecon Beacons. Happening upon clogmaker Geraint Parfitt I made a spur of the moment decision to order a a pair of hand-made clogs from him - requiring nothing more at the time than having my feet drawn round and choosing a style and colour.I'd all but

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-21623727613941067902010-09-17T17:15:00.005Z2010-09-23T12:59:48.005Z

Not only does Whitby in north Yorkshire benefit from a glorious location, superb views and access to swathes of beautiful countryside, it also boasts at least two dozen pubs and a refreshing lack of supermarkets. There is a reasonably-sized Coop next to the harbour, but independent food shops continue to thrive in the town centre - largely, I believe, due to the lack of out-of-town supermarkets.

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-68479834578347039382010-09-14T11:45:00.002Z2010-09-23T12:59:48.006Z

..but only fleetingly. No time yet for a full post about the delights of Whitby, its many pubs and its resolutely local food. Instead I leave you with a taster of our week. First of three good walks - about 7 miles from Whitby to Robin Hood's Bay along the coastal path. A great alternative to Whitby on a sunny Sunday, the town was heaving and we were glad to get away. A couple of pints in RHB

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-56363938594015343002010-09-03T19:50:00.002Z2010-09-23T12:59:48.006Z

Taking a break to visit Whitby with the Curse, then I'm off solo on the bike for a week.Back in a couple of weeks.

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-27515247528518562872010-08-29T21:53:00.004Z2010-09-23T12:59:33.422Z

On Friday night I joined Deadly Knitshade and the Stitch London crew for a Friday late at the Natural History Museum. We taught people to knit and helped them to make knitted squid. Or should that be squids? Loads of people turned up to see the 8m-long knitted squid that Lauren had crafted using old carrier bags, as well as some of the smaller specimens that had been made by other members of the

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-73186874600663944252010-08-28T20:14:00.004Z2010-09-20T13:30:21.269Z

'Fresh from Kent this morning' according to the grizzled old bloke on Deptford Market who sells whatever fruit or veg is cheap at the wholesaler - he's great for seasonal stuff such as English plums or greengages, and today it was corn on the cob, three for £1. Boil for five minutes or so, then add butter, salt and pepper before chomping your way through it.I often crave greens after being away

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-71608859242157039722010-08-28T16:53:00.010Z2010-09-23T13:00:28.322Z

Last weekend myself and the Curse spent a few days in Glasgow - originally planned around the fact that I was doing the Great Scottish Swim but seamlessly converted into a city break when the swim ended up being cancelled because of a blue-green algae infestation. In fact we stayed in a rather luxurious apartment on the Oakshaw ridge in Paisley, just across the road from the Coats Observatory and

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-68430371781511152632010-08-25T05:39:00.005Z2010-09-23T13:00:28.323Z

Traditional northern fish n chips, freshly cooked and wrapped in newspaper to take away.I don't care what culinary claims they make down here in London - from more than 20 years' experience as a northerner living in the capital I can attest that you just CAN'T GET a decent fish supper here.So we took advantage of our weekend in Scotland to savour the real thing - I believe this version was even

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-58124452172917248042010-08-25T05:27:00.002Z2010-08-25T05:36:26.103Z

These came from my friend's back garden a few weeks ago but I've only just got around to posting about them.Aren't they beautiful?!I cooked them and then made 'pasta e fagioli' along the lines of this recipe.Cook the beans (they should take about half an hour if they are fresh).Chop a couple of cloves of garlic and fry for a minute in some olive oil, then throw in a couple potatoes, two carrots,

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-38872289299244995752010-08-17T12:41:00.003Z2010-09-20T13:30:21.270Z

Kent Discovery, no less!Much as I love the summer soft fruits and am currently enjoying greengage heaven, there is nothing quite like the arrival of the first English apples of the season to raise my spirits.Of course I bought these off a market stall - the supermarkets are still shipping their apples in from New Zealand, South Africa et all.

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-17615233057407465632010-08-15T12:09:00.003Z2010-09-20T13:30:21.271Z

Grown on my windowsill.These are small, mild chilli peppers made famous by the town of Padrón in Galicia, Spain. Often served in tapas bars they are fried in garlic, then sprinkled with salt and eaten whole. One out of every 20 or so is hot, although in my case I think I may have left them to grow a little bit too big as most of them were quite zingy! Definitely a success, they are on the list

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-46001284395336588172010-08-14T08:04:00.004Z2010-09-20T13:30:21.271Z

Another great River Cottage Handbook, Hedgerow, prompted me to set out on a local foraging excursion a couple of weeks ago. Here's what I found, within a comfortable cycle ride from home. I also picked the blackberries that I used for making the vinegar, and found a park full of trees laden with ripe wild plums. Unfortunately these were huge trees and it would have been impossible to pick the

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-3319878191989297902010-08-13T14:49:00.003Z2010-08-13T14:58:25.322Z

While going through the 2001 diary I came across an email from a woman who got in touch with me on Friends Reunited. This is what it said:Hi HSaw your name and had to write - how could I not contact the girl who stole my first boyfriend??Remember Peter D..., Newbold Green?Well after all this time, I guess I forgive you, although it did leave me scarred for life and incapable of forging a lasting

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-12043824422016270812010-08-13T13:54:00.004Z2010-08-13T14:41:55.579Z

Recent events have prompted me to indulge in an extended period of navel gazing. I spent the last week re-reading my old diaries from the 1990s and embarking on something of a rollercoaster of emotional highs and lows.I really have laughed and cried over some of the things I wrote and some of the things that happened to me - most of which I remembered in one way or another. Sometimes as an event

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-60993056294594851612010-08-06T07:25:00.001Z2010-09-20T13:32:19.104Z

It's very difficult to convey the beauty of this vinegar in amateur photos taken by a rather lazy photographer. Suffice it to say that it is the most scrumptious-looking potion I've ever seen! In the sun, the colour is dramatic and the aroma is mouth-watering. It's a great (and very easy) alternative use for blackberries if, like me, you don't eat a lot of jam.Use it in salad dressings, on

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-20734099141508551502010-07-31T19:28:00.003Z2010-09-20T13:31:44.292Z

When I bought my pestle and mortar I looked at the larger ones and thought 'who the heck would need a pestle and mortar that big?!Last week Row brought me a whole load of basil and I decided to make pesto, I found out! I had to make it in two batches as I couldn't get it all in the bowl!I discovered that pine nuts are extremely expensive - and harder to find than hens teeth in Deptford High

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-41042659826395282962010-07-28T07:39:00.003Z2010-09-20T13:31:44.292Z

For the beetroot I was torn between two recipes - one for beetroot & orange chutney that I found here, and Nigella's recipe for a straightforward beetroot chutney with heavy spice overtones. And you know how much I like spice! But I had a couple of oranges handy and I figured that I can always try the other recipe with some of the other beetroot that are currently waiting to be harvested!Beetroot

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-52523842108631542722010-07-25T12:50:00.004Z2010-07-30T23:09:14.447Z

Wow, look at those bean plants!I spent a couple of hours yesterday weeding, fixing the beanpoles (some of which were offcuts from the old apple tree that we cut down a few months ago) planting more beetroot and marvelling over how well the compost is rotting down. We have beetroot and potatoes ready to harvest.We have pears.And we have weeds! Many weeds! Despite my ongoing efforts.Green Alkanet

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-79929661761635720652010-07-24T12:01:00.003Z2010-09-20T13:31:44.293Z

If like me you find yourself very excited at having grown your first beetroot and keen to get the chutney/pickle/roast beetroot under way, don't be in so much of a haste that you overlook the delights of the beetroot leaves.I cooked up the leaves from my beetroot for breakfast; being very like spinach they make an excellent base for an omelette. Wash and chop the leaves, then saute gently in

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-8844279999932064722010-07-22T21:17:00.004Z2010-07-22T21:35:17.780Z

I haven't really written much about my battles with the mum-out-law's garden, mainly because they have been relatively fruitless and have involved lots of very dull weeding. Until now, that is! Elaine has a small back garden in Peckham which fell into disuse when she became bedridden. A lot of it is concrete, but it does have some flower beds, one of which she used to grow potatoes and spring

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-36397336203455968822010-07-14T13:41:00.003Z2010-07-14T13:57:20.604Z

As requested, an 'inspirational' photo showing the clean cupboard top with jars of freshly-made plum and chilli sauce in storage. A couple of things to point out:- it was supposed to be plum and chilli jam but I went way over the top with the vinegar :-( Not to worry, it will be great next time I make salt cod fishcakes.- I'm only about halfway through the cupboard top cleaning, still plenty left

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-83403819173074556172010-07-04T20:08:00.004Z2010-07-04T20:21:09.402Z

This revolting view is the top of my kitchen cupboards. Untouched since we moved in, the likelihood that the previous occupants of our flat ever cleaned them is very low indeed, considering the state they left the rest of the flat in!But yesterday I decided that it was time to start the deep-clean of the kitchen. I've run out of storage space in my cupboards, especially for empty chutney jars,

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-15605888750424378262010-06-29T14:02:00.002Z2010-09-20T13:31:44.294Z

Just the thing for sweltering days like today - a lovely chilled soup to cool you down at lunchtime. There's a glut of peas around right now, so grab a few and you can whip up this soup very quickly. Ingredients:1lb fresh peas, shelledapprox 1 pint waterhalf a limeone spring onionhalf a vegetable stock cubea few sprigs of fresh mint (optional - I put them in but the taste didn't really come

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931837895365611571.post-71884504524860569342010-06-25T08:20:00.004Z2010-09-23T12:43:54.956Z

Struggling to work yesterday on my Raleigh 20 (much easier cycling than walking with a sprained ankle, surprisingly!) I discovered that in my absence, part of my route had morphed into a section of Cycle Superhighway 7. Cycle Superhighways are the London mayor's idea of how to encourage people onto their bikes, and on the whole they consist of painting parts of the road blue and putting more

DDKKnoreply@blogger.com3