17-Nov-2025
The website still isn't functioning properly, hence the prolonged silence.
The problem is getting photos to load, so The Velvet Cushion is faring better (fewer photos per post, you see).
But I have to do something, because I'm getting PT-writing withdrawal symptoms. So this is a makeshift post, with the bare bones of the last two weeks, plus a few token photos:
1. The last couple of days on the Isle of Man...
A final train trip. Chuff. Chuff. Chuff... Chuff-chuff-chuff-chuff-chuff-chuff. Chuff-chuff-chuff-chuff-chuff-chuff...
Oyster-catchers on Gansey beach as we walk home
And birds the next morning...
A cavalcade of horse trams, with all the trammers out in force. It was a kind of dress rehearsal for the 150th anniversary of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway, which is next year
On the boat, heading for England. We saw dolphins... The first time I've ever seen dolphins in the Irish Sea. I hope they're a good omen
2. Back in Denby...
Walks round the village
Catching the Rainbow One from Ripley to Nottingham. This follows the tram route of the "Ripley Rattler", through Codnor, Heanor, and Eastwood, as described by D.H. Lawrence
In Nottingham we found a number of things that we didn't know about... This is Green's Windmill
The Sneinton Dragon, by local sculptor Robert Stubley: "The dragon, it seems, came forth from the depths of the collective unconscious, from deep in the compost of our local imaginations... Rather than a planned artpiece, it was more as if Mr Stubley was suddenly compelled to make the dragon sculpture and then sought out a place to put it in Sneinton"
The Hermit's Cave
Love these lions...
And a tasty lunch at Blend Cafe
3. The route back to Sarawak
First, a stop in Cheltenham. Elegant even in the rain
On to the Golden Heart (not Hart), Winterbourne Down, for an exquisite lunch with friends
Now that's what I call a fishcake...
The mini-desserts are actually not that mini...
Second time overnighting at The Grange in Winterbourne. A very relaxing place. Which was a good thing, as it wasn't too relaxing after that... Return car to Birmingham airport. Catch coach to London Heathrow (very efficient). Catch tube to Terminal 4 (not at all efficient). Overnight in the Premier Inn (highly recommended). Fly to KL (12.5 hours). Fly on to Kuching (2 hours). Draw breath...
4. And.. Home!
Catching the end of the Deepavali vibe
Surely this can't have gone up since we left...?
We've had some wonderful meet-ups with friends and neighbours already. This was the condo durian party, where we were able to sample no fewer than three varieties of the King of Fruits. Yum...
So... Renewed apologies for the scrappy and truncated nature of this post (the content of which would normally have been spread over four posts...). Still hoping we'll find a solution for the website problem soon.