Not Blogged in ages - blog

Updates in my world blog.

Well I have been missing from the blog front for a while now. Nothing to write, the dear reader might ask.

Not really just lazy and an annoying game on a certain web site which drives you mad once you start to play it.

So whats been happening since the Scottish adventure.

Archery of course. That is fast becoming (if not already) something I have really got into and has got under my skin just a touch. I am sure I have said it before but who cares if you repeat a line or two.

Recently I decided to change how I approached archery in order to over come a couple of issues. Basically on Friday night I would just shoot, no scoring, but just relaxing after the week and trying out a few technical things.

Saturday I would shoot a round, which for indoors is mainly a Portsmouth round. This was to see how well I could improve my overall scoring. Plus it helped me concentrate and gave me targets to aim for (all puns intended).

Sunday I would review what I had done shot Saturday and see what changes to make for the next week.

Simple really, almost one might say a training plan. Others have also joined me in this plan which is good and has made the club step up a little I feel.

The club TVA - Trent Valley Archers - really has made archery for me. It is relaxing, fun, enjoyable and most of all friendly. And they do encourage what I am doing.

So dear reader (like old Terry of the radio I have one maybe two) you may ask, what have you been scoring. Well over the past 8 weeks I have scored from 495 up to a new PB of 530 - this out of 600. Now considering April of this year I posted my last indoor score of 475 shows that I am improving.

Archery is a sport. Feeling the bow in your hand, pulling that string before settling on the gold. The beauty of seeing the arrow fly towards the target. I have said it before in other blogs.

It is becoming very rewarding for me to see how well I can do this. Yes I still have the odd blue and loose release, but that's becoming fewer each time.

Very soon we will take part in the first indoor competition and I am feeling very good about it. After that I want to do a competition elsewhere. I want to improve and know I will.

What else has happened. Well I have changed jobs and its better for me. Its still in the same place and in IT.

Also soon I will be getting a new telescope. That means cloudy skies, rain in the evening and wind like conditions over the next few months. I am sure I will start a telescope blog along with the archery blog.

OK that wraps up the past few weeks. A trip is planned down to the South visiting friends and a new dog.

Blogs away.

Scotland Holiday part 3 and home

The last part of the holiday.

Steam driven and walking.

Atlantis was of course a ship. A wonderful little trip and the chance to see the loch floor again though not in a wet suit like years before.

The steam driven part of all this was a wonderful train. An old amazing piece of technology that was so ahead of its time. The black tar coloured train had power, such power in fire, water and steam that could explode if not handled correctly.

It was as many people saw an amazing way to travel. Of ages past, steam driven and yet modern. First class was a little different than the trains of today. It was almost as if they found a whole set of armchairs and made sure they could stick them together. Not packed in. Not uncomfortable. Not anything but ageless.

So the engine was made ready and the journey began. Again something that hardly happens now save for real trains. We were waved at every point of the journey. Stunning scenes raced by as the smoke drifted along. The main stopping point was by a sea loch.

After a short visit , some lunch of course, it was time to get back on the train and that all important photograph.

The train pulled gently towards the now even more so famous bridge and the driver gave us all the chance to take that shot. The bridge, the train, the scene.

Not as good as some take but who cares, it was my shot.

So Scotland, more scenery, more driving after the train journey to the last hotel of the holiday. Now we planned a good two day stay in Inverary and with good weather a good walk.

The hotel room had a power bath which was fun and so needed to give the old body a good refresh and relax.

The following morning and wonderful blue skies and good weather meant the walk around the castle and the grounds was certainly on. Again such scenery that you only get in Scotland, the colours so real, the air just so clean.

At the top of a very long walk up a hill through a forest (almost magical) you could see for miles. And once more not let down as I saw two Eagles soaring along the air currents. As if to complete the scene below us (dont forget we were on a hill very high up) swept through the valley past the castle a single metal eagle - Tornado actually.

The walk down ended a little painfully as my right knee slowly started to remember injuries of the past. (Running ones at that take note).

Then off for the last good meal of the holiday and homeward bound the next day.

As blogs go this is more a journal (read old blogs on my thoughts about blogs and names) and its less punched more wandering through my thoughts.

The holiday was good, the memories are renewed, photographs all there (so heading to the web site soon) and now the blogy journals.

Took a time to write the end of this but its been worth doing for me. Back now to 'normal' days, back to archery weekends, (going to see I'm Sorry I haven't a clue soon) and back to work.

By now folks know how that went.

So to end, Scotland it really is as good as I remembered and still has much much to discover. Including lots of whiskey.

Scotland Holiday part 2

So far - Travel to Scotland from Newcastle via the northern Newcastle and found a delightful 1st location.

Skye and the voyage of Atlantis

A new day dawned and at least the rain and wind had given up. Highlanders castle looked almost stunning in the sun (yes we had sun) and the car packed, Skye was the next location. The drive towards Skye was not long but the sunshine made all the difference.

What beauty after such weather, the colours as the grey clouds lifted. Maybe it needed such rain to wash away the grey.

Again there was a soundtrack to accompany all this landscape and this time I picked. There was a little less desire to keep all the grand music as the days before so light-heartedly I decided to 'shuffle'. I wont say what I shuffled, but close friends will guess that some of the picks made for odd sounds. If only I had reached Banana Splits. (For the younger readers google is available as well as many other search engines).

Approaching Skye is - so I was told - now a simple run. The bridge at the mid-point connecting the two lands is yet another show of Man's engineering skills. There is a point when you drive up the bridge you do think it wont end but then you hit that crest and behold Skye.

The place has yet another character, another beauty and another feeling. To really see Skye would take another couple of weeks which was sad as time was against. But there was the chance to sit and view.

Then came the choice. Drive on down Skye and find a ferry. Or. Atlantis. Even the name gave that almost desire to see. (Building up here). Many will know what Atlantis means - lost cities? or TV prog?

Ok so by now I have twittered and FB'd this enough. But what is it.

Well Atlantis is a ship. Which had glass viewports down below the waterline. I just cant keep it up on here.

The chance to take a ship out (no they would not let me be Captain) and see under the water was much better than a drive and a ferry.

So here is what we saw.

Yes thats the deep waters of Skye sound. Well maybe 6 feet deep.

It was fun and different. I kept thinking of all the jokes but just let the twitter/FB run its bit.

The hour long trip went around the Skye sound (so to speak) and as if on request, two RAF Tornados buzzed over head. I of course enjoyed, others well not so.

And did I see lost cities or sunken ships or Atlantis itself (SGA for those who dont know) - as Hitch-Hikers once said stress is not good so quick answer - No.

Back to the car after a trip around the Kyle of Lochalsh and onwards to Fort William. Now here is where music was not all it needed to be. I picked a shuffle and it shuffled. At one point however to one piece I almost thought the Tornados where back. Any guesses add as comments.

As I write this blog late now in Fort William, I do wonder who reads. I have said this often and wonder if they ever get anywhere. I do have a group of friends who enjoy what I write.

How many others write with no friends? Who keeps logs.

Tomorrow is another day.

Tomorrow is a train day, hopefully steam one.

Atlantis found, Highlander seen, a MacDonnell scarf bought.

Blog-on!