140. Maj Bloodnok

26th April 2011. Next month sees the arrival of Maj and Mrs Bloodnok to these parts. A larger than life character, he's been mentioned before here. I'm looking forward to showing them the Basque country. 

Two more months and the tourist season starts here.. can't believe it!

The plancha is still sitting in the garage waiting for the weather to change permanently into summer. The green square of grass (haven't mentioned that for a while) is finally starting to look like a lawn - but I'm not holding my breath. Birds have been pecking holes in it the size of coffee cups (the little darlings!).

If, as has been suggested, we're in for a major heat wave this summer, there's no need to worry about the well-being of your correspondent - I've got an idea:

I've been trying to avoid mentioning 'the' wedding but, as an example of the insanity that's gripping some sections of the British media at the moment, this article takes the biscuit. I won't be mentioning you-know-what again.

Here's a YouTube clip I made of our Andalusian trip.. (for some reason the YouTube image below has been made up from a composite of several of my photographs and the resultant mess has something of Gustav Klimt about it - no?) 

   

28th April 2011. Nice outing in an VIII sculler this evening - apart from an attack of cramp! Warm sunny evening, with a light breeze blowing up the river. Did 14km. (Running total 616km)

29th April 2011. In case you're wondering, I'll be mostly knitting myself a royal corgi today.. (aaaaaggghhh!)

30th April 2011. I don't usually comment on royal matters here but I have to admit - as someone who has previously held views unfavourable to the monarchy - that if William and Kate represent the future then - judging from afar - it will be no bad thing. Without naming names, a few previous generations could easily be described as dysfunctional stiffs - a good handful of whom I would personally cast out without so much as a second glance, whereas the newly weds seem refreshingly normal. Long may they remain so.

31st April 2011. Lovely and sunny out on the river this morning - I went out in a bateau de nenettes which is always fun. We changed positions a few times to make sure everyone got a row - did 14km (Running total: 630km).

Semi finals of the H Cup as they call it here (Heineken Cup to us Anglos). It's Toulouse - Leinster today and tomorrow sees Northampton locking horns with Perpignan.. Difficult to spot the winner but tipsters are making Leinster favourites to win today's encounter with Perpignan perhaps edging the game tomorrow in what will surely be a titanic clash.

Read this in today's paper:

Prince Harry was said to have insisted that bacon and sausage sandwiches were available later in the night. An ice cream van was also said to have been hired to provide an alternative dessert.

Sounds like this could mean an end to the all-pervading stuffiness that has surrounded the Royals for far too long.. (Edited to add in 2023: how wrong could I be!)