I've had blogger's block.

I've had bloggers block the last month. It's not that we haven't seen and done some pretty cool things the last month, I just haven't felt inspired.

Well today I'm inspired and before I forget what I want to write about I'm going to make a list. Please hold me accountable if I fall short:
1. My new romance
2. Crackling
3. Lost and Found
4. Guinness
5. How I'm Indiana Jones
6. Accidental Stonehenge

1. My new romance is with Harry Hall. Harry Hall is my new used bike and I'm in love.

Having lived in Portland I relied on my bike(s) a great deal. Commuting, groceries, meeting up with friends...all can be accomplished from my last bike. She was Bianchi and was near and dear to my heart. She was an older steel lugged frame from the early 80s. Something about the older bikes that I just like so much. The ride is so smooth and not jarring like aluminum. Plus there's just an elegance about them that doesn't exist with the mass produced carbon jobs today.

When I finally started looking around here, naturally I was looking for a wonderful older lugged frame. I thought that since we're so close to Italy and France that there must be Bianchis or a Peugeots for sale at every shop. Not true. Haven't seen one old frame like that. I turned towards the once proud English frame builders and found a mid 80's Harry Hall in sky blue. Harry Hall owned a bike shop and built frames Manchester during the 60s - 80s. From what I understand a pretty accomplished frame builder who retired to race at the age of 62. I like this guy already. I'm lucky to have purchased my Harry Hall from the original owner. Harry is a bit of an odd one though...Shimano, Suntour & Campy all grace his frame. A bit odd, but he rides like a dream. All he needs is some new tires, a new saddle and bike lights to be safe and I'll be in heaven. Heaven to me is not having to ride the Tube.

2. Here they call pork roast "pork joint". The biggest difference is that the roast comes with a big layer of fat and skin. Apparently the skin once cooked is called crackling and is wonderful. So I'm told.

About a week before Christmas Jo & I had purchased some pheasant for our Christmas dinner, but we came across something I couldn't pass on. A beautiful 2kg, free range, organic pork joint straight from the pig farmer. We happened upon a market at closing and the price was right....%50 off. Long story short we decided that we could roast it up a few days after Christmas and have some great leftovers for sandwiches... Anyway I roasted the joint per instructions from the farmer. Score the skin, pack with salt and rub in olive oil. Bake till delicious. I did as told and I have to tell you it was awesome. And the crackling was like pig candy. I kid you not. It was amazing. What I did learn is that you have to eat the crackling hot. Cold crackling is not that good.

3. Jo's present to me for Christmas was tickets to a show called Lost & Found Orchestra. It's from the creators of STOMP. In STOMP they mostly stomp. In L&F they've created instruments from all sorts of things. I'd love to explain but it's easier to take a look. I was in awe of the creativity some people have. If the show goes on tour I would recommend it to anybody.

4. When you head to the pub you can get a Guinness two ways; normal or extra cold. Normal means room temperature and naturally carbonated (flat), while extra cold means...well normal to most of us. It comes carbonated and cold.

When Jo and I were at the pub the other night having a few drinks before dinner. I ordered a local ale and Jo asked the barkeep for a Guinness. Here's the conversation as I remember it:

Jo: I'll have a Guinness
Barkeep (in thick accent): Normal or extra cold
Jo: (looks a bit sad) Oh. I'll just have an ale too...(As she motions towards my drink)

Barkeep and Chris look at each other confused...

Chris: Why are you getting an ale? He said normal or extra cold.
Jo: Huh? I thought he said no more extra cold...
Jo: I'll take an extra cold Guinness...

For some reason I though this was highly entertaining. I might have wasted precious moments of your life, but I think it's funny.

5. I'm just like Indiana Jones but without the hat, leather whip and Nazis chasing me.

Jo and I went to Devon in the SW of England for a few days to take in the coast & countryside. What I didn't originally know is that we where staying near an area called the Jurassic Coast. Apparently on this section of the coast you can walk the beach and find fossils in the waning tide. The town has a half dozen fossil shops with fossils taken right from the beach. I was instantly excited by the idea of finding fossils. So much so that when we were in town the night before I bought a hammer to smash rocks and find the precious fossils. I also bought this little guide titled, "Fossils in Lyme Regis; How to see, find and understand the fossils of Lyme Regis". I figured with this book and my new hammer I couldn't lose. I was bound to find some new species that has never been discovered by man.We decided to have a walk in the morning while the tide was going out. The best time to find the newly washed out of the mud fossils. The coolest part of the walk was this area called "fossil pavement". It was a large slab of limestone with hundreds of fossils imbedded in the surface. It was a truly incredible site to see.
After a long morning of looking at rocks, smashing rocks with my hammer, and breaking my hammer while attempting to smash rocks I came out with a handful of fossils. My prized find was a fossilized sea urchin or Echinoid. I feel pretty good about this one since the book says, "Echinoids are not very common in the Lyme Regis area." See I'm practically Indiana Jones.

6. On our way to Devon Jo was driving and I had a wee bit of a nap. Driving makes me sleepy. While I was deep in slumber I was awoken to Jo slapping me in the arm and exclaiming, "Look! Stonehenge!". And as I looked, there by the side of the road was Stonehenge. Weird that we just happened to drive by it. We decided it was worth a look, but on the return trip.

On the way home from Devon we did manage to stop. It was an odd experience. There's a large car park with a half dozen coach buses and maybe a hundred cars. The whole thing is fenced off and inside the fence roped off yet again. You can gaze upon Stonehenge from afar. Just sort of strange.

I've written way too much so hopefully you're still with me...
Cheers,
Chris