Bank Holidays

Blogs can sometimes be like a bank holiday. They appear at the same time each year (almost the same bar one which is a pain due to various things I wont go into), they can appear to be long, they often have new 'something or others' but mostly end up repeating themselves.

This blog was started on bank holiday Monday in August while watching Ironman. So to catch up with what I have been up to.

Archery plays a big part of my weekends now, it is so calming, annoying, delightful and amazing when I do shoot, and certainly very good for me. Its almost an art when you draw the bow, when you actually pull that string back and feel the power building up. You have to hold that raw power for that moment, when the arrow strains to be let loose. Your fingers feel the string that point at which you let it slip through. Then the arrow flies. In seconds you hear the hit.

I have had ups and downs like everyone does and I have to remember that it has not been a year since I started. The club is excellent, very helpful people and perfect for me. The outdoor season is almost finished and now I will concentrate on of course indoor season.

What else since the last blog. Well the Doctor Who story is still under revision which is annoying as I really want to finish it. Problem is no book is never really finished so the true authors say. For me it's not just a matter of completing the book it's a matter of pride, knowing I can write.

Also I need to sort out my poems and put a few new ones on the web site along with some new photos. I may do that after my Scotland expedition, particularly after the steam train.

Cricket. How wonderful. The ashes back again and England did play well for once. Trott could be a new find and lets hope a long term batsman.

Soon the new rugby union season starts and this year I will be able to watch some of the matches as I have sky sports.

Guess that wraps it for this blog and the rain keeps coming. Roll on Scotland.

North face of shopping

Well its been a couple of weeks since my last blog/journal thing.

Like Gibbs on NCIS I do sometimes wonder what a blog is for, web log as it really should be known. I don't blog everyday as I use things like twitter and face book, but I feel a good long blog helps the soul. Well helps my soul at any rate.

And who does read this, my version of the world, what I am up to, what I enjoy etc.

This past couple of weeks have been fun. Archery plays a role now in my life and last Sunday (7th August 09 just in case) I went to my third archery competition. It is - as I have said - amazingly calming, mind clearing and just fun. Shooting at 80 yards was a first, not brill as yet but not a complete mess. 108 shots, 487 scored a personal best of course. Wonderful day, great weather, great company around me.

So what else has happened. Well Maddie had her 7th birthday - Steve and Carlys daughter. Plus they have a new puppy Logan (and if the name is for that Logan the runner then wonderful). That will be a full household and yes we will go to visit. Oh yes and English cricket had its ups and downs as normal with the Ashes.

And I hear someone ask (I hope anyway) what does the title mean. Well it means I went to North Face at Cheshire Oaks and found a few things to buy. That's not difficult for me really. New shirt for archery (green), new daypack (green) and canvas jeans (green). Green is the new black or white.

Also I will be spending the day at Edgebaston 20/20 cricket, watching the two semi's and a final. I will blog on that later.

Time to wander now. Oh yes and films. A few to see, GI Joe, Harry P and a couple of others. More later.

Archery dramatics for the weekend

Another weekend and some very interesting events.

Amateur dramatics on a Saturday night. What does amateur mean? Well considering that Sir Patrick Moore considers himself an amateur is odd. He is one of the most knowledgeable people in Astronomy. So what does amateur really mean.

Well to me it means just people who are not paid for what they enjoy. So watching my sister enjoy her first performance was quite something. "Sailor Beware" is an old play set around the 50's.

My sister played the comic part but very straight which as people may or may not understand is very difficult. To have comic timing whilst not laughing is not easy. I was I admit impressed by how well such people put on such a play without all the dramatics around them. Simple, easy, no problems great fun.

My sister did a great job, in my humble view.

So amateur dramatics , people doing what they love for no pay, just like many others, and some do it very well.

Well what did I do this weekend. Three days of archery. A little bit of searching for replacement items like a new digital phone (not replacing my iPhone nothing could). The old land line phone had many issues not least I could not hear many people, which could be a blessing.

As for my archery, each session was indoors which at this time of year I was hoping for more sun or at least less rain. However indoors gave me the opportunity to concentrate on my technique, letting the archery flow. Its more than just a physical element of the sport its in the mind as well. And is it a sport? Not to me. It was a military weapon, a way of hunting, a desire to ensure countries could keep themselves safe, defend whatever. At Agincourt it was deadly. Very deadly.

Now it does something for me. It relaxes, focuses, gets me to exercise and most all is fun.

Archery is much more than just how to draw a bow, what poundage you need, the draw length. Its seeing that string drawn, feeling the power in the bow, looking at the one spot on the target, waiting that one moment longer.

Then the power, all transferred back to the bow, the arrow in flight, the moment when its there then hitting the target. Seconds.

So did I enjoy my weekend. Of course. It was pleasurable relaxing enjoyable and fun. I feel a poem coming on.

Now for the week ahead, the normal mixture of meetings, managing and with a fair wind completion of a few tasks.

So another blog or diary ends. What with twitter, Face book, myspace, yahoo etc I am glad I express myself so deeply in each.