If you were "Across the Pond" at the moment you could not fail to notice that a general election is looming. Gordon Brown is expected to name election day any time now. The game of mud slinging has started.
Ahead of the game the conservative party seems to be aiming at the gay vote. It has published a list of its out gay candidates standing for election this year. This "Rainbow" List according to the Mail on Sunday, which says the Tories have 20 out gay candidates, with 11 of these happy to be named and has published a list of its out gay candidates standing for election.
The party has three out gay MPs – Mr Herbert, Alan Dunce and Greg Barker – and five of the 11 who wished to be named are likely to win based on current polls. One of the eleven is a lesbian.
At the last election, of our 193 MPs elected, just 17 were women, only two black or minority ethnic and two were openly gay. If we were truly representative of the country we would have 99 women, 16 black or minority ethnic and ten gay MPs.
Life can be such a gamble at times. Even if you think you are on a winning streak, someone can come along and spoil your fun. As competitors of the European Poker Tour international tournament in Berlin found out this weekend. A gang armed with machine guns, grenades and machetes made off with an estimated £225,000 ($340,000) after storming the poker tournament in Berlin. The final gambling sessions of the tournament were back on yesterday — but this time under armed police guard.
A car crash in Cudjoe Key is being blamed on the fact that the driver was attempting to shave her pubic hair while at the wheel. According to reports, Trooper Gary Dunick says that the two-vehicle smash was caused by the fact that the woman was attempting to shave her bikini area, while her former husband held the wheel.
Her car then crashed into the back of a pickup truck.
'She said she was meeting her boyfriend in Key West and wanted to be ready for the visit,' Dunick told the Key West Citizen.
Ladies please do not shave your bush while you are driving a car, that goes for men too.
6th March 2010
Holy Moses - The Pope has got his hands full yet again, if it is not bad enough that he has Irish Priest playing with young boys it would now seem that the Vatican is turning into a call boy centre. One of the Pope's ceremonial ushers, as well as a member of the elite Vatican choir, have been involved in a homosexual prostitution ring.
The allegations came to light after Italian newspapers published transcripts of phone calls recorded by police, who had been conducting an unrelated corruption investigation.
The tapes appear to record Angelo Balducci, a Gentleman of His Holiness, negotiating with Thomas Chinedu Ehiem, a 29-year-old Nigerian Vatican chorister, about men he wanted brought to him for sexual purposes. Balducci was allegedly paying 2,000 euros ($2,714) for each man he met, according to the Irish Times.
Balducci is recorded describing precise physical details of the men he wanted. The transcripts record that during five months in 2008, Ehiem procured for Balducci at least 10 contacts with, among others, "two black Cuban lads," a former male model from Naples, and a rugby player.
Balducci held a high position within the Vatican and carried the coffin of Pope John Paul at his funeral in 2005.
Well Well and all this happening whilst the Pope is ironing his frock to visit our shores and tell us all how evil we are.
The South African President Jacob Zuma visited Buckingham Palace on Wednesday to meet the Queen at the start of his state visit to Britain, he beamed with pride as he handed over a specially-crafted chess set featuring Zulu and Xhosa warriors made out of glass and pewter.
"The perfect gift,' he must have thought. 'Decorative, symbolic of my culture and heritage and highly unusual. She can't have seen anything like this before.' But she had. Barely 20 minutes later, on a tour of the Palace's Picture Gallery, Her Majesty and President Zuma stopped to admire a present given to the Duke of Edinburgh by the visitor's predecessor, Nelson Mandela, in 1996. Cue embarrassing silence. It was an almost identical chess set which, just like Mr Zuma's, featured pieces carved into the shape of Zulu tribesmen.
'Oh, another set,' said Mr Zuma, shuffling his feet. The poor man – so ebullient earlier in the day – looked crestfallen.
Now if you want to feel some dick, then head over to Japan for the penis festival, which is celebrated every year on March 15 . During the festival a huge wooden phallus is carried around. The penis shrine is believed to help women to get pregnant and to bring vitality to children and elderly who touch the sacred phallus.
3rd March 2010
Earlier this week the House of Lords approved an amendment to the Equality Bill allowing faiths to hold ceremonies for same sex couples if they wished. Despite the fact that the Lords made it clear that it would be up to each individual faith to have the option to hold such ceremonies, some Church of England Bishops believe that it will leave the church open to being sued. They claimed that gay couples could use human rights legislation to sue vicars who chose not to officiate for them.
The proposed law would allow civil partnerships to be held in religious buildings and contain religious language. Under current law, they must be completely secular, although some faiths will bless gay couples.
All is not well in some of the West End's theatres. According to a recent survey actors involved in some of the best known plays and musicals in London have disclosed that the majority of theatres are infested with rats, mice and fleas. Three quarters of the 250 actors surveyed in a report said that their theatre had a "problem with vermin and infestations" and two thirds agreed there was "evidence of vermin infestation inside your dressing room".
One solution was to send in cleaners immediately after a show to clear up food scraps left by theatregoers. "We did get a report that one theatre did this, and the problem diminished. If you leave it till the morning then the rats and mice have a party overnight." According to Malcolm Sinclair, who is vice-president of Equity
I am not sure what to make of the outfits worn by some of the competitors at the winter Olympics. Flattering they are not as they turn their "Manly Hood" into " Mangina".
What the dickens was this guy doing ??
1st March 2010
Thank you Mike for pointing this one in our direction.
Spencer Tunick has been at it again In all over 5200. volunteers gamely doffing their clothes early Monday morning to pose nude in front of the Sydney Opera House.
Volunteers began queuing before dawn to participate in the Spencer Tunicks installation, which included a series of images shot outside as well as inside the iconic Australian landmark.
Today's event, dubbed The Base, was commissioned as part of the city's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival. "It was difficult to get the straight participants to embrace the gay participants and vice versa," Tunick said afterward.
One of Britain's most influential chefs, Rose Gray, has died of cancer
She was the co-founder of London's iconic River Cafe restaurant and is widely regarded as being responsible for helping to revolutionise Italian cooking in this country. Ms Gray launched the business with Ruthie Elias (now Ruth Rogers) in 1987 at a time when she said Italian food in the country was 'spaghetti Bolognese and tiramsu'. Jamie Oliver was a protégé of Rose, he paid tribute tonight, describing Gray as a 'pioneer' and a 'really great boss'.
On Sunday we once again battened down the hatches after been given an extreme weather warning here in the south of England. Luckily although we had a lot of wind and rain no damage was reported, however the savage Atlantic storm Xynthia hit the west cost of France and caused 45 deaths and left over a million homes without electricity. Spain and Portugal, where Xynthia first fell, lost 4 people in total. Another loss of life was reported in Germany.
27th February 2010
Imelda Marcos eat your heart out. More than 1,700 pairs of shoes have gone on display in South Korea in the hope that the owners will come forward to claim shoes that are rightly theirs. In South Korea it is the custom to remove your shoes as a mark of respect. While shoeless and paying saying goodbye to a dearly departed friend a sneaky shoe thief has arrived in cheap plastic shoes and quietly slipping his light fingered feet into a nice bear of designer footwear. The fifty - nine year old has now been arrested for being in procession of over 1700 pairs of knocked off shoes. The slip shod thief refuses to admit the crime, stating that he has bought the shoes as he likes second hand designer shoes.
Tomorrow is Sunday once again so it must be time to strip off your clothes and go to church, at least that is what worshippers at a church in Virginia are doing. The church is bringing new meaning to the expression "come as you are." Everyone at this church is nude, including the pastor. Congregants say they don't think God cares what you wear when you worship, just that you worship. These people have no problem getting the word of God from a pastor in his birthday suit.
A 1939 comic book in which Batman makes his debut sold at auction this week for more than $1 million, breaking a record set just three days earlier by a Superman comic A Dallas-based auction house said the rare copy of Detective Comics No. 27 sold for a total of $1,075,500, which includes the buyer's premium, to a buyer who wished to remain anonymous. The consignor wanted to remain anonymous as well. Holy Comic Batman.
My old mate Daniel "Call me Harry Potter" Radcliffe has filmed a public service announcement to help prevent suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth.
Daniel made the film for The Trevor Project, a non-profit US organisation that runs a 24-hour helpline. He said "I have always hated anybody who is not tolerant of gay men or lesbians or bisexuals. Now I am in the very fortunate position where I can actually help or do something about it."
Oh to be in Sydney for Mardi Gras. Thousands of people in lavish costumes and various states of undress danced and partied their way through Sydney's streets today in Australia's annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade. The parade — one of the world's largest and most flamboyant gay pride events — had 9,400 participants and 135 floats and featured the theme, "History of the World" — a look at gay history.
25th February 2010
New laws which will require state schools to discuss contraception and gay relationships are set to be passed by the House of Commons next week. However, Ed Balls the education minister is in favour of including an amendment which would let religious schools teach the subject in a way that is in keeping with their own prudish, gay-bashing beliefs.
Ministers were accused of making a U-turn on sex education in faith schools after a Commons amendment effectively allowed them to skew teaching towards their particular religion.Under the Government's new proposals, which are unlikely to come into force until 2010, five to seven-year-old children will learn to talk about their friendships, peer pressure, their feelings and relationships. They will learn the names of different body parts and the concept of animals having offspring will be introduced.At some time between the ages of 8 and 11 they will be taught about the biological aspects of sex. Once they start secondary school, the idea of contraception will be introduced.
Britain has the highest number of teenage pregnancies in Europe, Around 40,000 under 18 year old girls fall pregnant each year in the UK. Ministers say that government strategy will be overhauled - a considerable embarrassment after the £280 million spent on initiatives they promised would transform thousands of young people's lives. Among plans to be announced today will be more access to long-acting contraception, such as implants and injections, and phone texts to remind girls to use contraceptives.
Will this mean that classic fairy story will take on a new meaning.Who's been sleeping in my bed.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Other stories that may need to be adapted include: Pinocchio: The Dangers of Getting Wood, Cinderella: The Biggest Floosy in Town and Beauty and the Beastiality.
22nd February 2010
Sussex Beacon Half Marathon Start
Yesterday we woke to terrible weather, wind and blinding rain, but despite all of this over 6000 runners braved the weather to run the Sussex Beacon half marathon in Brighton. Now in it's 20th year the half marathon raises funds for the Sussex Beacon, providing care for people living with HIV/AIDS. St Duncans, who provide invaluable physical and emotional support to blind and visually impaired ex-Service men and women. And WaterAid, providing water, sanitation and hygiene education to some of the world's poorest people
This morning the Met Office issued a severe weather warning across the South East. Heavy rain is expected to spread north east across the region with up to 30mm of rain falling in three hours in some places.
Well we have just got back in doors and can confirm that the countryside is flooded and already bad road surfaces damaged by the frost and snow and now in an even worst state of repair, with more potholes and the whole of the road surface being lifted in parts. Driving is a nightmare. Last week a pothole cost me a new car tyre. And according to the garage mechanic l was lucky a lot of people have had to have their whole wheel replaced.
A Ugandan clergyman's decision to show gay pornography to his congregation has been labelled as "twisted, homophobic propaganda" by a gay rights groups. Pastor Martin Ssempa, equates homosexuality to paedophilia. The pastor showed the pornography in an attempt to gain support for a proposed law which would see some gay people facing the death penalty.
The bill, under consideration by MPs, has been condemned across the world.
I am not really into watching The Winter Olympics, but this sport lucks like a little fun.
Luge, in fact l had never heard of this sport until today. A luge is a small one- or two-person sled on which one sleds face up and feet-first. Steering is done by flexing the sled's runners with the calf of each leg or exerting opposite shoulder pressure to the seat. It looks more fun with a man laying on top of you.
20th February 2010
Amy Williams became Britain's first gold medallist in an individual discipline at the Winter Olympics since ice skater Robin Cousins, who triumphed at Lake Placid in 1980.
Amy Williams slid her way to glory in the skeleton bob cheered on by her fans
A left-wing party in Holland has suggested that winners of a cycle race should swap the traditional celebration of kisses from attractive girls for kisses from gay men.
Usually, the winner of the Amsterdam leg of the famous cycle race Giro d'Italia stands on a podium surrounded by women in miniskirts who kiss him. A left-wing party in Holland has suggested that winners of a cycle race should swap the traditional celebration of kisses from attractive girls for kisses from gay men.
Associated Press reports that Fjodor Molenaar, an alderman from the Green Left party, which is part of the city's governing coalition, said: "It should be possible for gay men to celebrate with the winner. One rider in ten is gay."
The latest news from Holland this afternoon is that the coalition government has collapsed.
IF it is not bad enough having to endure an arranged marriage, can you imagine what your reaction would be when the veil was removed to reveal a beard and cross eyes. Well this is exactly what happened to an Arab ambassador is Dubai.
He called for an instant divorce when he discovered that he had been tricked into marrying the ugly sister. He claimed the woman's parents sent his own mother and father pictures of her far more attractive sister.
The would-be bride had hidden her face behind a Muslim niqab throughout their short courtship, meaning the diplomat had no idea what she looked like. But as soon as the marriage contract was signed in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, he tried to kiss her, before coming face-to-face with her hairy face and strange squint.
18th February 2010
In recent weeks here in t the UK there has been much discussion over euthanasia. One mother escaped prosecution for helping her daughter to die, whilst in almost the same week another Mother was jailed for nine years for helping her son to die.
Ray Goslin
This week Ray Goslin a veteran BBC reporter disclosed on a TV programme that had killed his lover who was suffering from AIDS. He has now been arrested on suspicion of murder by Nottinghamshire police and is being questioned.
Mr Gosling has not revealed the name of the man or when the mercy killing took place. He said yesterday he would refuse to divulge any more information about the man "even under torture", as he said this was part of a pact they made.
He claimed that a doctor hinted that he should kill his partner and he then killed the man by smothering him with a pillow. He said on the programme: "I killed someone once… He'd been my lover and he got AIDS."
An Oklahoma student is suing state officials for barring him from getting a personalised car number plate reading "IM GAY". Keith Kimmel, of the Oklahoma City Community College, says his First Amendment rights have been violated and that he will appeal if a judge rules against him. He was barred from having the number plate due to an internal rule at the Oklahoma Tax Commission which bars numbers or words which "may be offensive to the general population".
A top Italian food writer has been suspended indefinitely Italy's version of the television programme Ready Steady Cook for recommending stewed cat to viewers as a "succulent dish".
RAI, the public broadcasting network, said that it had dropped Beppe Bigazzi, 77, for offering the recipe on La Prova del Cuoco, which is broadcast at midday on the main channel. Its switchboard was inundated with complaints from viewers and animal rights groups. Bigazzi said that casserole of cat was a famous dish in his home region of Valdarno, Tuscany.
"I've eaten it myself and it's a lot better than many other animals," he told viewers. "Better than chicken, rabbit or pigeon." He said that for optimum flavour the meat should be "soaked in spring water for three days" before being stewed.
15th February 2010
It was purely incidental that we had a Chinese lunch today. Today is the start of the Chinese New Year - the year of the Tiger. The holiday officially lasts six days, but many workers take up to a month off. This makes it the busiest time of the year for the Chinese railway system when an estimated 210 million people – more than the population of Russia – using the railways during the New Year travel season, up 10 per cent from last year.
This weekend a Dad with three kids won the largest lottery prize ever in the UK. Splitting the £113 million jackpot with the holder of one other ticket, which was bought in Spain. He will get close to £57 million ($ 89 million). What on earth would you do with £57 million l can't even begin to imagine. I also can't imagine why you would want the publicity that goes with the win, when you can opt out.
After 51 years a gay guy is fighting to clear his name and have a conviction for buggery removed from his criminal record. He was 19 at the time and was having consensual sex with another man. Although the law began to change in 1967, it was not until 2004 when gay people were given completely equal sexual rights.
This poor guy still has a criminal record for playing around as a young man and is fighting to clear his name.
Last year, prime minister Gordon Brown made a formal posthumous apology to gay mathematician Alan Turing.
Turing was convicted of homosexuality in the 1950s. He lost the right to continue his code-breaking work and subsequently killed himself after undergoing brutal hormone treatment. Some critics welcomed the apology but said the estimated 100,000 other British men who were convicted of homosexuality offences should also receive similar recognition.
The UK may not be perfect for gay people but it is certainly a lot better than it was 50 years ago when most gay people were hiding in the closet.
14th February 2010
Happy Valentine's Day.
Valentine's Day is the second largest card sending and receiving day each year only surpassed by Christmas. One billion valentine cards are sent each year. In fact it is believed that the first greeting card ever send was a Valentine.
The first written valentine is attributed to a young Frenchman, Charles, Duke of Orleans. From his whilst being held prisoner in the Tower of London. He fought his lonely confinement by writing romantic poems or rhymed love letters to his wife in France. About sixty of them remain. They can be seen among the royal papers in the British Museum.
During the seventeenth century people made their own valentines using original verse or poems copied from booklets with appropriate verse. The Victorians took the cards to elaborate lengths, trimming them with lace, silks and satins and embellishing them with special details like feathers, flowers, Cupids and hearts, gold leaf, hand painted details and even sweetly perfumed sachets. The first commercial valentines appeared circa 1800 and were rather simplistic. Cards were hand-delivered. Until the mid-1800's, the cost of sending mail was beyond the means of the average person, and the recipient, not the sender, was expected to pay the cost of mailing.
Cupid, the mischievous son of the Goddess of Love, Venus, is supposedly responsible for people falling in love. According to the myths, anyone being hit by Cupid's arrow falls in love with the first person he/she sees.
The Church of England General Synod (the ruling body) this week approved giving the civil partners of deceased gay clergy equal pensions rights. This means that they will be given the same pensions benefits as heterosexual widows or widowers.
Currently, straight surviving spouses can receive pension benefits based on the entire length of their spouses' service, but gay spouses can only receive benefits depending on the length of service from 2005, the date of civil partnerships legislation.
Gay clergy may enter a civil partnership as long as they promise to remain celibate ( Yeh ). Since the Civil Partnerships Act came into law, an estimated 200 gay clergy members have tied the knot.
A 'kiss-in' will be held as part of Sunday's Valentine's Day protest against the Pope's visit to the UK. Demonstrators plan to march from London's Westminster Cathedral to the Italian embassy in Grosvenor Square and those willing are being asked to take five minutes to publicly show their love for their partners.
Kiss-in organiser Nicolas Chinardet said the idea was to use the traditional day of love to send a message to the Catholic Church over its stance on homosexuality.
11th February 2010
This weekend we caught up with an old friend from our Brighton days. It's good to chit chat and catch up on old times. We discovered that since retirement our friend Roger has taken up freelance journalism in the travel and tourism industry. He now goes by the nom de plume "The Roaming Pen", years ago Roaming Penis would have been more apt. But as they say life moves on and Roger has settle down and is married to Mike, believe it or not another freelance journalist. Roger and Mike are now the proud parents of a brand new allotment.
You Americans may not know what an allotment is. Allotment gardens are a collection of garden plots at one location typically 200 to 400 square meters, each allotment holder is responsible for cultivation his own plot to produce vegetable and flowers for their own use and to give to friends ( Hint Hint). Normally the allotment holder will erect a shed to store his or her tools and equipment and to sit drinking gin in the summer months.
Roger - "The Roaming Pen" has very kindly offered to share some of his article with our friends from "Across The Pond". If you are planning to visit the UK this summer then follow his advise, his reviews are pretty spot on.
The Roaming Pen
As it was our sixth anniversary, we decided to
see exactly what a romantic weekend could
be. Bath has been a favourite place for
weekends for over two thousand years. The
Romans knew about such things and we drove
down to darkest Somerset to find out more.
North East Somerset, which is virtually part of
the Cotswolds, is packed with very
picturesque little villages with equally
picturesque names, like Limpley Stoke, Little
Cumberwell and Hinton Charterhouse.
Last Sunday would have been the 189th birthday of Charles Dickens, notably one of the most read British writers of all times He was born in Portsmouth in 1812, his Father worked in the pay master's office for the Navy in Portsmouth docks.
Charles Dickens
His good fortune of being sent to school at the age of nine was short-lived because his father, inspiration for the character of Mr Micawber in 'David Copperfield', was imprisoned for bad debt. The entire family, apart from Charles, were sent to Marshalsea ( a prison on the south bank of the Thames ). Charles was sent to work in Warren's blacking factory and endured appalling conditions as well as loneliness and despair. After three years he was returned to school, but the experience was never forgotten and became fictionalised in two of his better-known novels 'David Copperfield' and 'Great Expectations'.
Like many other writers he started his career in journalism. In April 1836, he married Catherine Hogarth. Within the same month came the publication of the highly successful 'Pickwick Papers', and from that point on there was no looking back for Dickens.
On Sunday l heard his Great Great Great Grandaughter Lucinda Hawksley being interviewed on the BBC. It got me thinking about the oldest relative that l could remember, this being my Great Grandmother who lived to almost 90 and died when l was a small boy. I do remember going to stay with her. Her house had no electricity, she had gas lighting and we would carry candles upstairs to bed at night. She cooked on an open kitchen range and also has a paraffin fuelled oven. Hot water was provided by the range. She also had an outside wash house where my Mother told me that after she was widowed in the First World War she would take in laundry to pay the bills.
Looking back she must have been born around the time that Dickens died, this puts into prospective the hard life that she had and relates to some of the scenes in Dickens's stories.
Charles Dickens wrote a book that was not published during his lifetime. The Life of Our Lord, this was written for His Children During the Years 1846 to 1849. It was eventually published in 1934, sixty-four years after Dickens's death.
Just before he died Charles Dickens wrote in his will that he wanted to be remembered for his work alone. No plaques, no statues, "no monument memorial or testimonial whatever" were to be allowed to commemorate the life of one of Britain's greatest authors. To this day there is no statue to Dickens in England.
The only full-sized statue of Dickens in the world is located in Clark Park, West Philadelphia.
Unfortunately, Frank Elwell, the sculptor who designed and cast the beautiful grouping of Dickens and Little Nell was not aware of this restrictive clause in Dickens's will, thus the statue came into being without the blessing of the Dickens estate and heirs.
The Statue was commissioned for the Chicago World Fair in 1894, after the fair was over it was decided that the Statue be shipped to England as a gift from the American people. However when the head of the Dickens family discovered that this statue had been made he became incensed that his Father's wishes had been broken, he returned it to America. On its return to America, the statue found its way to Philadelphia.
Now, almost 140 years after his death, Dickens' final request has sparked an impassioned debate among his most ardent fans – and his family are suggesting his dying wish be laid to rest. Seeking an appropriate means of marking the 200th anniversary of his birth, several of Dickens' descendants have come out in support of a commemorative statue at Eastgate House, Rochester, Kent, a building that appears in many of his novels, including The Pickwick Papers.
6th February 2010
I though that bizarre things only happened in Key West. Apparently not so, New Zealand is high on the agenda these days. A student from New Zealand has auctioned her virginity to a stranger for almost £20,000 to help fund her university tuition fees.
The 19-year-old New Zealand woman offered her virginity to the highest bidder in an online auction on the www.ineed.co.nz website after she found herself desperate for money. The student, who called herself "Unigirl", said that she was delighted with the outcome and thanked auction participants who had bid more than she expected. Perhaps there is nothing left to sell in Key West.
Seaford Head
Look closely and you will see a Martello Tower
Seaford, a sleepy seaside resort here in Sussex had a rude awakening this week when blood dripped into an architect's office from a flat (apartment) above. The body of a local man was later discovered, the forensic experts were still there four days later. Detectives have now named the prime suspect and have issued an all ports warning to prevent him from leaving the country and warned people not to approach him.
An unpleasant pheasant is terrorising a sleepy Yorkshire village. For more than a month the fearless bird has harassed residents and local dogs, and chased prams and cars. It lies in wait for children to get off the school bus, before chasing them screaming to the village green.
Sonia Hall was terrorised by the bird while walking with her two-and-a-half-year-old grandson Jacob, the pheasant flew at her legs and pecked until it drew blood. Luckily, the 60-year-old retired hotelier was rescued by a passing postman.
Now some news for my animal loving friend in Flickerdale. Currently, animal sex is not itself illegal in the Netherlands as long, as it could be proven the animals were not injured - a situation rectified by the legislation approved on Tuesday by the upper house of the Dutch parliament. The new law bans human sex with animals, including in private situations where the animals are not injured, and prohibits the production or distribution of animal pornography.
4th February 2010
London has reclaimed the crown for selling the world's most expensive art work from New York. A staggering new record for a Giacometti sculpture Bidding for Giacometti's L'homme qui marche I began at £12 million and soared in eight minutes of frantic bidding between around 10 would-be owners to £65 million ($104 million).
A farmer who secretly built a castle and lived in it for four years while it was concealed behind bales of straw has lost a High Court bid to save it from being demolished.
A judge ruled Robert Fidler, 61, who took two years to build his dream home with ramparts and cannon, was not entitled to benefit from his deception of the local planning authority.
He and his wife Linda, 40, and son Harry, nine, moved into the castle when it was complete in 2002. For four years they kept it hidden from the town council behind walls made of straw bales and tarpaulin. Mr Fidler eventually took away the bales in May 2006, thinking by then his new home had become immune from planning enforcement controls as it was four years since the building works had been completed.
But the council issued an enforcement notice in March 2007 requiring that it be demolished on the grounds that the building had been erected without planning permission.
A young woman was asked to show proof of her age when she was shopping at Tesco's this week because she looked under the age of 21. Can you believe that she was not even buying alcohol, but a piece of cheese and onion quiche off the deli counter.
Tesco have apologised and said there was no reason why she was asked to prove her age when buying quiche, either over the deli counter or the pre-boxed variety. A spokesman said: ''We're at a loss to say what happened here. We couldn't find the staff member who asked for the ID.
Where did he get that hat
His eminence The Pope is at it again, this time he is attacking the UK's Equality Bill, He is facing a backlash after urging Catholic bishops in England and Wales to fight the UK's Equality Bill with "missionary zeal".
Pope Benedict XVI said the bill - which could end the right of the Church to ban gay people from senior positions - "violates natural law". The Pope will this year make the first papal visit to the UK since 1982.
Japanese boffins, always hungry for a new invention, have invented a smoke alarm for deaf people that smells of sushi. The device sprays out a synthesised version of the wasabi and in tests the odour woke volunteers up in two-and-a-half minutes..
This definitely could be a life saver – unless you've got blocked nose.
1st February 2010
Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans History Month takes place every year in February. It celebrates the lives and achievements of the LGBT community. This year for the first time the pre-launch day took place in the British Museum. LGBT History Month is an opportunity for everyone to learn more about the histories of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Britain and Northern Ireland. In the past, the silencing of LGBT people was often reinforced by legislation. The most recent example was Section 28, passed in 1988 and repealed in 2003, which was intended to restrict debate on homosexuality, particularly in schools.
Harry picks himself up from the fall that nearly lost his children's charity £30,000
Prince Harry treated spectators to what could only be described as a right royal strop. Prince Harry demanded that his mount make a fast turn, but the animal's legs gave way and it dumped his highness onto the Barbados dirt.
Unhurt he jumped up, only to fling his mallet to the floor and gesticulate wildly at the fund-raising match for his children's charity. The fall, he thought, had cost his charity a £30,000 cheque. A mystery businessman offered the royal the five figure donation if he stayed in the saddle. But the wager was honoured by the individual, described as a "star" by the Prince, who said that the horse and not the rider was at fault.
Last month The United States lifted a 23-year ban on visitors infected with the HIV visiting the country. The ban was imposed in 1987 amid fears that HIV/Aids could be spread by sharing lavatories or even coughing. Waivers were offered to some of those infected, including would-be immigrants who were in heterosexual marriages, but not gay couples. Many HIV-positive travellers simply opted not to declare their HIV status to US Customs.
The United States — home to an estimated 1.1 million HIV-positive people — was one of only a dozen countries that barred entry to HIV-positive visitors.
If you are visiting London this month, then pop along to Kings Road Gallery in Chelsea, to see the cheese sculptures, the work of cheese-lover Prudence Staite, who has a huge appetite for turning everyday food into stunning works of art.
For her latest mouth-watering artwork Ms Staite turned to LowLow mature cheese, which is apparently ideal for sculpting. Here we have "Low-bama" himself - How cheesy is that.
30th January 2010
A Tesco store this week banned shoppers from wearing pyjamas, night-gowns and slippers.
And mum-of-two Elaine Carmody, 24, became one of the first casualties of the ban. She said: "I walked in with my trolley and the security guard came over and told me to leave.
"I've got lovely pairs of pyjamas, with bears and penguins on them. I've worn my best ones today, just so I look tidy. A notice at the store entrance in St Mellons, Cardiff, said: "To avoid causing offence or embarrassment to others we ask that our customers are appropriately dressed when visiting our store and no nightwear is permitted)."
Somehow they seem to have forgot that in a 2007 ad campaign its own advertisement features Martin Clunes buying milk in a pair of jim jams. Mr Clunes, who stars in Men Behaving Badly, is seen rushing into a Tesco in striped pyjamas to do a quick bit of shopping before heading off on a camping trip.
January is the time to stock up with sugar and Seville oranges and get to work making marmalade for the coming year, although manmade can be made with any citrus fruit it is the Seville orange that produces the best results, thus called because it was originally imported from Seville in Spain; it is higher in pectin than sweet oranges, and therefore gives a good set. Marmalade.
Marmalade made then why not enter it into "The World's Original Marmalade Festival", which is held on 14th February up in Cumbria in the north of England, where top producers and home cooks from around the world compete for The World's Best Marmalade title and help to raise money for Hospice at Home.
The judging is carefully monitored by The Cumbria-Cumberland Federation of Women's Institutes, my Mother the "Dowager Duchess" is a member of this industrious Federation as was my Grand Mother.
There are lots of categories to choose from to suit your style of marmalade making. For home cooks the categories are: Seville Orange Marmalade; Romantic Marmalade); Citrus Marmalade; Military Marmalade, for home cooks with family in the Armed Forces in aid of Help for Heroes; Children's Marmalade, made by anyone under the age of 16); Dark Chunky Marmalade; Merry Marmalade, marmalade with alcohol; Man-Made Marmalade, for guys who make their own; and Clergy Marmalade, for ministers, rabbis, monks and anyone working with a religious group. So there is a category for everyone.
Gay rugby player Gareth Thomas hosted a coming out party last night in central London to thank friends for their support. The player and a number of high-profile gay figures partied at Movida, best known as a celebrity hang-out. He was accompanied by team-mates and other rugby players. Gareth had invited another high-profile gay sportsman – who is still in the closet – to the event but the star declined.
28th January 2010
Yesterday was the 100th anniversary of Thomas Crapper's death. Although it was long thought that Crapper invented the flushing toilet he did contribute to its use and popularity. He in fact invent the ballcock which is a mechanism used to fill water tanks. The toilet was actually invented by John Harrington in 1596
Interestingly enough, the word crap derived from Dutch(krappe) and was used well before the existence of Thomas Crapper. In the 1880's Prince Edward purchased plumbing from Crapper's company thus giving Crapper a Royal Warrant – which gave him the right to advertise as a supplier to royalty. Could this be the original Royal Flush.
How would you feel if you fell against a $80 million Picasso painting giving it a six inch tear. That is what happened when an adult education student fell against Picasso's painting The Actor at the Met. The museum said the tear did not occur "in a focal point of the composition" and could be repaired in time for an April display of 250 works of art by the painter at the Met.
Five disabled Florida sea turtles now have a new home here in the UK. They are to receive intensive long-term care at the purpose built turtle sanctuary in Weymouth Sea Life Park Aquarium. All 5 turtles, whose injuries range from paraplegia to shell damage, have been long-term residents of The Turtle Hospital in Florida, but due to an over whelming amount of new patients over the past few weeks, the 5 turtles were in need of a new home.
It would seem that the British Public attitude to homosexuality is becoming more liberal, according to a government-backed survey. Some 36% thought homosexual acts were "always" or "mostly" wrong, down from 62% when the British Social Attitudes survey was first carried out, in 1983.
The survey - which asks people about their attitudes to politics and social matters - suggests views on cannabis have hardened over the past decade, with 58% of people saying it should be illegal, compared with 46% in 2001.
On cohabitation, 45% said it made "no difference" whether a child's parents were married or just living together - up from 38% in 1998.
Tesco, one of the UK's largest retailers is asking it's staff about their sexual orientation, to the objection by some of it's staff. The retailer has added the question to its annual Viewpoint survey, which quizzes staff on everything from whether they have the right equipment for their job, to how good they think their prospects for promotion are.
While it is common to ask for personal information such as age and ethnic origin, asking staff their sexuality is unusual. However, Tesco said that in five years time it may well be common practice.
News from our capital. London's first lesbian, gay bisexual and trans tourist information office has moved to Soho, the heart of the capital's gay scene. It has a new team of volunteers, along with laptops for tourists to browse the Internet for free.
Back here in Sussex Brighton and Hove council are aiming to attract American Gay visitors to the south coast. The city is thought of as the top LGBT tourist destination in the UK and local tourism bosses are keen to hold onto this position and attract more overseas visitors.
St James Street Brighton During Pride
The council will team up with Visit Britain to see the city featured in US advertising and a special website. According to the council, research on the gay travel market in America shows gays and lesbians are keen to visit the UK, with many hoping for a two-part break in Brighton and nearby London.
We hear that Barack Obama was called for jury duty recently, however dealing with issues surrounding Afghanistan, the economic crisis, Haiti and the day-to-day running of the country were deemed enough to prevent the U.S. president from reporting for service.
The longest place name in the USA is Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg in Massachusetts, with 45 letters (49 if you include 'Lake'). Earlier this year, local officials were forced to change some road signs, after they discovered they'd spelled it as Lake Chargoggagoggmanchaoggagoggchaubunaguhgamaugg instead of the correct Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg. How embarrassing.
It means "Fishing Place at the Boundaries -- Neutral Meeting Grounds".
23rd January 2010
Home Again - Home Again - Jiggerty Jog.
After almost three weeks of Sh---y weather the drive down the Keys back to Miami Airport was just stunning, beautiful weather, wall to wall sunshine. In over twenty years of January's in Key West this year was just the worst. However as always we had a great time. Thank you all that always make us so welcome on your Island Paradise.
Just a quick word about airport security, the trip out from London was delayed by over two hours as every bag boarding the plane was opened and hand searched. The return journey from Miami was over in about five minutes, almost no queues and no boarding checks were made. It does seem like the threats are planes flying into the US and not departing flights. Just my pennies worth.!
Arrival back home, the weather was sleety with snow expected, but since then it has been around 8 degrees (46 f). Well infact warmer than some of the nights in Key West.
You might be interested in the comparison of gas/petrol prices between Florida and Sussex.
We hired a car in Key West to drive back to Miami, in all we did somewhere in the region of 180 miles, topping up the car in Miami cost is a fraction over $ 22 (£13.75). Our return trip from home to Heathrow airport was also in the region of 180 miles and the cost of refuelling was $66 (£ 41.59) The cars were of a similar size, so guess the cost of motoring in the UK is about 3 times higher.
This prompted me to look at the cost of buying a car in both countries. The conclusion is a dollar for GB pound equivalent. A basic Ford Focus in the States starts at $16,290 (£10,181) in the UK $ 28,590 (£ 17,870).
Although l guess the insurance costs are higher, someone please let me know how much it cost for a pretty standard car insurance policy in Florida. duchess@gaykeywest.co.uk. Thanks.
It was sad to leave the boys behind at KWEST, they were a nice bunch of guys this trip and pretty too, on top of that there were intelligence and had people skills. It was also great to see Tom Luna behind the bar, sorry Tom about the slip up on the last night. Good also to see Billy back in KWEST. Enough bar talk.
How sad this week that the woman convicted of murdering her brain-damaged son by injecting him with a lethal dose of heroin has been sent to prison. Also this week another Mother here in Sussex was cleared of murder after she helped her disabled daughter end her life. The daughter tried to take an overdose and her Mother after realising what had happened administered some more drugs. A year before her death, the daughter had tried unsuccessfully to kill herself, the jury was told. She also said she wanted to attend the Dignitas euthanasia clinic in Switzerland and in April 2008 signed a 'living will' stating she must not be resuscitated.
The Jury found that the Mother could not be found guilty of her murder as it was unsure if the drugs the daughter took herself of those administer by the Mum had caused her death.
What would you do in the circumstance when you love someone so dearly.
How does an Essex girl turn on the light after sex.
Opens the car door.
18th January 2010
Just when we thought that we were settling into a few nice days before we head back "Across The Pond" Whoosh the rains came down and another sunless day. In over twenty years of coming to Key West we have never, ever had weather quite like this, not forgetting that we were even here for Hurricane Wilma.
Back Home we hear that the snow is now thawing, so hopefully by the time we land back in the UK it will be gone.
I was shocked today to discover that in most of the States in the US you can be fired for being gay. Hopefully this may change soon. Last week, a Senate panel passed a bill to ensure that all Americans receive equal treatment in the workplace. The bill has yet to go before the full Senate, but Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle has told gay-rights advocates that he is committed to bringing it before his colleagues before this session ends. We are so lucky in the UK, the world of the gay man and woman has changed so much in the last few years.
Things are no better for gay in China it would seem, China's first gay pageant has been shut down by police for apparently not following the correct procedures.
The event was scheduled to begin today in Beijing, with eight contestants fighting for the chance to represent their country at the Mr Gay World competition later this year.
Especially for the Royal Watchers amongst you. Prince William is currently representing the Queen on his first official royal tour. The 27-year-old prince's receding hairline surprised members of the local media covering the visit. One local journalist was heard to say Oh my God, he looks really bald", "but he is still handsome as hell,' added a colleague. To add injury to insult, the Prince then got caught in the goolies by a rugby ball. while playing with a group of boys from Pakuranga Rugby Club.
16th January 2010
After days of huddling in the cold waiting for the sunshine and action everything seemed to happen together yesterday. Bingo the sun came out at last, almost two and half weeks we have waited for that to happen. We maxed in the sun for as long as possible before heading back for a quick shower then out again for the Old Island Restoration Foundation's House tours. If you have never done this then add it to your list of ToDo's.
Normally about five or six Key West residents agree to open their homes to the public. Sometime they are of particular historical interest as was The Seafoam Building on Fleming Street last year. At other times it is old houses that have been lovingly restored and very often it is houses that are on the market for sale.
Last night two very interesting houses were on the tour. 720 Eisenhower Dr. The home of Dr, Claude a local dentist. This old house was build for a local doctor and has actually been moved a number of times in it's existence. The final time we witnessed about five years ago. The house has been wonderfully restored. But in the words of one visitor that we followed around yesterday afternoon, it is very much a man's house.
1100 Flagler Ave. Was another hidden surprise, a concrete block house build by the Toppino family in 1956, it has been wonderfully restored, the original terrazzo floors are an amazing feat of workmanship, not a crack in sight after all those years.
Back from the house tours to Island House catching the birthday party of Dr Scott Hall. The management of Island house had laid on a little surprise for Scott's birthday.
13th January 2010
One of the most distressing things that this cold weather has brought is the effects that it is having on wild and marine life. Walking around Key West Bight this afternoon it was sad to see the amount of colourful fish either dead or dying in the water.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute has received calls from the Lower Keys through Key Largo, affecting all manner of fish. "Warm-water fish like snook are more susceptible to the cold," said institute spokeswoman Carli Segelson. "Some are killed outright when the temperature drops; others die after extended exposure."
Meanwhile back home in Sussex the snow fell once again last night on what is considered to be the chilliest day of the year. January 13 is St Hilary's Day and, according to folklore, is reputed to be the coldest day of the year.
Jairo Miguel Sánchez Alonso at only sixteen plans to take on six bulls in one afternoon in the bull ring. The prospect of a teenager facing six muscle-bound beasts has once more revived the debate on child matadors, even within the bullfighting world. What chance would he stand of escaping unscathed from KWEST dressed like that.
Gareth Thomas, the Welsh rugby star who came out at the end of last year, has said he hopes to find a boyfriend. Thomas shocked the sports world when he came out in December in an interview with the Daily Mail. In his first gay interview, with Attitude magazine, he revealed that despite looking like "a tough f**ker", he had a lot of love to give.
Thomas said: "I know a lot of gay men are looking for love. I've done this as well in the hope that I can find somebody
11th January 2010
I always say this, but anytime you work around Key West you always see something that you have not seen before.
Only this morning we were talking to a local who was telling us that last night he had an iguana sitting on the side of his pool with it's tail in the water, while quite immobile it was obviously drawing heat from the warm water of his pool
In over twenty years we have never seen an iguana at close quarters. Once we saw one crossing the road from a distance. Then law and behold we were walking the streets this evening and came across this beauty again quite immobile.
Knowing little about these creatures on investigation l discovered that Iguanas become immobilised when the temperature drops into the 40s, as it did last night.. While they usually revive when the temperature rises, they could die if it remains below 40 degrees for three days or more.
I did not realise that they were not natives of Florida but mostly imported as pets. I also did not realise that they were classed as pests. And that it is legal to kill iguanas, but it must be done humanely. Among the options is decapitation. You live and learn every day.
We also spotted this rather large palm flower forming at the library on Fleming Street.
It is always nice to catch up with old friends and gossip the night away. However we were quite surprised to discover that Our Royalist friend from Maine had a secret desire to become a
"Key West Wrecker"
Who Knew what a Dark Duck you really are !
10th January 2010
Almost 500 hundred riders braved the elements to cycle 165 miles from Miami to Key West this weekend to raise awareness for AIDS and HIV. The ride took place over two days arriving in Key West Saturday afternoon. The riders must be applauded for riding in what must surely be the worst weather conditions in the six years since the ride started.
In the first year 200 riders took part, raising to almost 500 this year, in total more than $1.8 million has been given to Charity since the ride started. Last year almost $600,000 was raised and it is hoped that another $500,000 will go to charity.
Bodium Castle in Sussex last Week
Back home parts of Sussex and Kent are bracing themselves for more snow, with a further 8 inches expected in some parts. It is reported that some Supermarkets have experienced panic buying of essential food supplies. Salt supplies for the roads is running very short, in some areas it is only the main roads that are open to traffic as minor roads stay covered in snow and ice.
Making the most of it: Thousands do battle in a giant snowball fight in Hyde Park, Leeds, organised by members of a Facebook group called The World's Biggest Snowball Fight
Sometimes Rules and Regulations, and health and safety go a little bit too far in the UK.
The city council in Glasgow has ordered that children under the age of 16 must be in sight of their parents anywhere on licensed premises — even if that means being accompanied to the lavatory.
The regulations have the potential for family embarrassment when, for example, a 15-year-old boy eating at a cafe with his mother has to use the ladies' loos. Restaurateurs say it is absurd to extend to lavatories the requirement for children to be in sight of an adult at all times, but believe they have no alternative if they are to avoid the risk of punishment. After all it is more that
"YourJobsWorth"
7th January 2010
OK this is now getting beyond a joke, over a week in the Sunshine State and we have still not plucked up courage to strip off and sunbathe. There is of course one consolation, it is ten times worst back in Sunny Sussex.
Brighton Seafront this Morning
Snow has caused chaos across Sussex. Buses have ground to a halt, schools across the region have been closed and major problems at Gatwick airport yesterday. Thank goodness for small mercies after all we are in Tropical Key West.
A gay organisation in Canada has secured government grant money to help fund a sculpture of a nude hockey player that will greet visitors next month at the 2010 Winter Olympics in and around Vancouver. "Slapshotolus," a piece by Canadian artist Edmund Haakonson, will grace the entrance of PRIDE House, a gay meeting place at the Olympic games. PRIDE House is actually located in Whistler, 76 miles north west of Vancouver. Whilstler will host some key events, including downhill skiing, the sled sports and cross-country skiing.
Talking of art, you cannot walk around Key West without coming face to face with art, we came across this piece on Southard Street this week, some greenery had been stripped back and this piece revealed itself.
Another location worth a detour is this sand pit on White street, where a local artist creates some wonderful sand structures.
No strangers to sand structures we have had a couple of magnificent exhibitions in Brighton over the last few years.
Elvis Presley may have left the building nearly 33 years ago, but a raft of new events and books released this week to mark what would have been his 75th birthday ensure The King lives on.
His Birthday tomorrow, January 8, will be marked with a cake-cutting ceremony at his Graceland home, a new exhibit of his costumes, movie marathons, a Facebook application, a cruise later in the year, and a new Jailhouse Rock doll in the Barbie collection.
Whilst we moan about the cold the Chinese make the most of it. The annual International Ice and Snow Festival is takingplace in Harbin, northern China, featuring giant luminous ice sculptures and a fireworks display.
Visitors are free to walk around and inside enormous replicas of classical palaces, fairytale castles and Asian temples, all made entirely out of ice and illuminated by lights encased within their structures.
Even the Cows are Wrapped up in Key West
4th January 2010
What can we say about the weather, l don't think that in all our visits to Key West we can remember such a prolonged cold spell. We did manage to cycle around the island today but waited until after midday when the sun was at its best. Not the usual early morning ride that we are used too.
"Unconditional Surrender" - "The Kiss"
On our recent trip to Sarasota we were please to see a link to Key West. The artist Seward Johnson has one of his gigantic sculptures bang in the middle of the Waterfront.
Unconditional Surrender or more commonly know as "The Kiss" is Seaward Johnson's interpretation of one of the most famous photographs ever published by Life Magazine, "V"J day in Times Square" was shot in Times Square on August 14, 1945 by Alfred Eisenstaedt who was in the square taking candid's when he spotted a sailor "running along the street grabbing any and every girl in sight. Then suddenly he saw something white being grabbed. Eisenstaedt turned around and clicked the moment the sailor kissed the nurse.
This is the second time that the 25foot high statue has visited the city. It was first on show in 2005 before it headed to San Diego, California. It has now returned to Bay front Park in Sarasota, but not with some controversy. Members of the public art committee say the "Unconditional Surrender" sculpture is "ornamental and decorative," which disqualifies it from being public art.
More Public Art - Bayfront Sarasota
Committee members also cited rules against accepting reproductions as public art (there are at least three versions of the sculpture, including one on public display in San Diego); and suggested that a hurricane might topple it because of corrosion and a flimsy base.
Judging by the number of people viewing the statue during our visit, we would say it very much public art.
Visitor to Key West can experience Seward Johnson's art as they arrive at the airport and also around "The Custom House Museum"
I did not realise when l shot this photo that l had captured a "Blue Moon".
A blue moon occurs when we see a second Full Moon happening in a calendar month. This happened on New Year's Eve for the first time in two decades the last time this happened was in 1990. The double full moon phenomenon happens on average every 2.7 years, with the most recent in May 2007, and the next set for August 2012. Hence the saying "Once in a Blue Moon".
Can you believe that Barrack Obama has been in office for eleven months, it really seems like yesterday that we watched the Inauguration on TV here in KW. During his term it appears that he has installed a basketball court on the south lawn at the White House, however his passion for basketball seems to be fading in a preference for golf, Since taking office at the start of the year he has sneaked out of the White House at least once a fortnight for a round of golf with junior aides and long-time friends, with no press allowed. Secret agents check the balls for explosives and aides play ahead to clear the fairway so no one impedes a presidential swing.
In contrast to his 25 games of golf he has only hit the basketball court seven times.
According to The Wall Street Journal, which sniffed out his sporting secret, Obama is a mediocre player and has a cramped swing that goes to the left. He may be admired for his intellect, eloquence and athleticism but his golf handicap hovers in the mid-twenties — weak to average.
Not really much of a secret as compared to little secrets of former Presidents. from George Washington, who wore dentures made from hippopotamus teeth, to John F Kennedy, who had dilute cocaine injected into his back five times a day during the Bay of Pigs debacle.
We were not in Key West for the New Year celebrations, but were disappoint to see that Sushi had been banished from the front page of the Citizen in favour of some Wench from Schooner Wharf. Not only that but even Conch Colour had also given pride of place to the same Impostor.
1st January 2010
Happy New Year
Sure as hell this Island must be cursed. We had not been on the rock for an hour before we get accosted on Duval by Goddess, this is the second trip in a row that she has been the first local we have met on arrival. Not only that but she was the last local we saw as we departed from our October trip as we pulled our baggage along the street to make our exit.
Getting here has not been with out it's trials and tribulations. We flew two days after that nutter tried to blow up the Northwest Transatlantic flight. You can imagine the turmoil at Gatwick with all the extra security. Everybody boarding the plane had their had baggage thoroughly searched and had a body search. It was a good 2 ½ hours late that we finally took to the skies.
Our destination was not Key West but Sarasota, a favourite haunt of ours from years back before we got so hooked on Key West. The people were very welcoming, but alas the weather was not, in fact we really needed our UK winter wear for some of the time.
New Year's eve in Sarasota is growing in popularity, the crowd in the town centre last night was estimated at 30,000, l know about half that of Key West, but Sarasota does not have Sushi to decent on 2010. Instead they have a rather lifeless lit up Pineapple dangling amidst a fun fair that descended on the town. Some of the rides looked pretty hairy and not the sort of thing that two delicate English Belles would partake of. In favour of Sarasota l have got to say that the street food looked much more appetising and hygienic than other street fairs that we have seen.
The security leaving Tampa airport this morning was no where as tough as that experienced in London. We left grey skies and pouring rain to arrive in the barmy tropical world that is Key West - We are home. At least for a while.
It does seem that the weather has followed us down as no sooner had we arrived than the heavens opened.
