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More than one way to cross the Itchen – a postcard from Crosshouse

28 March 2017

We’d had an adventure in Eling and I’d given my knee a good testing, but the walking wasn’t quite over for the day. This evening I had a meeting to attend close to the town end of the Itchen Bridge. Commando needed the car for work but he offered to drop me off in Woolston on his way. The timings were a little out, meaning I’d be more than a little early, but at least I’d only have to walk across the bridge. Time to kill down by the water there is never time wasted so I didn’t much mind being early. Continue reading More than one way to cross the Itchen – a postcard from Crosshouse

Hidden surprises in the medieval walls – first published 9 June 2014

Early June 2014 and I’d crossed the Itchen Bridge and walked along the seafront to God’s House Tower. There had been some vague notion of walking up towards West Quay when I started out but nothing you could actually call a plan. I stood, looking at the tower, partly marvelling at the way it had stood the test of time and changes, partly wondering where to go next. What I didn’t realise as I stood there, was that these old walls I’ve lived with all my life and grown to love could surprise me with things I’d never noticed before. Continue reading Hidden surprises in the medieval walls – first published 9 June 2014

Rain rain go away – first published 5 January 2014

5 January 2014

A while ago I said I don’t make resolutions and I don’t, but I do set myself the odd challenge from time to time and it just so happens the current one starts at the beginning of the year and ends at the end of it. This is not, by any means, a New Year’s resolution though, ok? Because my life is very much upside down at the moment I don’t feel able to commit to anything like a Moonwalk this year, although I will be doing the normal Care For A Walk fifteen miles in the spring and maybe the odd other thing if life settles down. This leaves me with rather a gap in the motivation to get out there and walk the miles stakes, which is not good. So I decided I would set myself a challenge to walk at least one hundred miles a month for the year. Continue reading Rain rain go away – first published 5 January 2014

A very peculiar colour – first published 10 December 2013

Early December 2013 and some kind of bug struck. Saturday morning saw me feeling tired, more tired than normal, I put it down to hefting all the boxes on Friday afternoon. By the time I came back from my jaunt up the Big Hill with CJ to get the food shopping, tiredness had become a vaguely sicky feeling. Somehow I managed to ignore it long enough to make the lasagne and the pizza topping for the week but after that I retired to the sofa and dozed the afternoon and evening away. I hardly ate a thing all day, couldn’t even bear the thought of food. It was very unlike me. Continue reading A very peculiar colour – first published 10 December 2013

Sholing wanderings, Spike Island and a hidden henge

28 June 2016

Today, with blue sky overhead for a change, CJ and I decided to see if the flood that gave Commando such problems getting home from work last week had caused any lasting damage. There was also a cutway I’d spotted on the map that looked as if it could do with some exploration and might provide an alternative route home. Continue reading Sholing wanderings, Spike Island and a hidden henge

The final miles

24 May 2016

So there we were on the Itchen Navigation somewhere between Shawford and Compton Lock with a bull blocking the path ahead. Just as we were about to turn around and walk back to Shawford to catch the train home the bull took a few steps, reaching for some more succulent leaves. Suddenly there was a gap between his huge posterior and the edge of the path. It wasn’t the widest gap and, being mostly filled by bull, it looked a little dicey but it was now or never.
I turned to CJ and said, “let’s go. Quickly but don’t run.” Continue reading The final miles

The magic of seven

21 April 2016

At the beginning of March CJ and I took a long walk in search of boundary stones. There were, supposedly, two up for grabs but we came home disappointed, having found none. Later I discovered we’d been within spitting distance of one stone so, armed with more detailed instructions, I decided to try again. This time it would be a shorter walk. The plan was to drive to the Sports Centre and start from there. Given my shortage of walking miles this month, this was probably a mistake. Continue reading The magic of seven

cat burglar part three – first published 15 October 2013

The cat burglar hadn’t quite finished with us back in October 2013. We were just about to go on holiday and she was at it again. This time she went a step too far. Continue reading cat burglar part three – first published 15 October 2013

random musings of a geriatric delinquent – National Service – first published August 20 2014

From 1948 until 1960 all healthy males aged between seventeen and twenty one had to complete eighteen months of national service and, afterwards, remain on the reserve list for four years. This period of service was extended to two years in 1950 when Britain became involved in the Korean War but the reserve period reduced to six months. This instalment of Commando Senior’s memoirs tells of his National Service in the RAF in Iraq. The heat and culture of Iraq must have been quite a shock to the system for a boy from the humble terraces of Southampton but, as with everything he did, he seemed to take to it like a duck to water.

Continue reading random musings of a geriatric delinquent – National Service – first published August 20 2014

back on board for an emotional day – first published 24 July 2013

Five thirty in the morning is no time to be getting out of bed. Even less so when you have to run around like an ant being chased by a magnifying glass to get showered, dressed, made up, have breakfast and get out the door by seven. This was what it was like on turnaround day in the summer when we had ship visits. There never seemed to be enough time and I always ended the day exhausted. Nevertheless I’d love to be still doing it now. Continue reading back on board for an emotional day – first published 24 July 2013