Isle of Portland

I spent last week down Cornwall with Mom and Dad on a much needed holiday. I decided to do some exploring on the way there and went to the Isle of Portland on the south coast, just beyond Weymouth. I set off a bit late (it was a long week) and hit traffic so got there a few hours later than planned. I was hoping to go to the Tout Quarry but I tried and tried and could not find it. (It's a giant hole; you wouldn't think it would be that difficult!)

But the Coastal walk was worth the trip.

I parked near church which was lovely and very popular (for graves anyway). I can't remember the name of the church but it was a nice quiet walk around.

The Church.

After an on-foot hunt for the quarry I gave up. (Location is still unknown.) The whole isle has a coastal path around it (which is now on my list of things to do). I only walked along a small section and found somewhere nice to sit and have lunch. But the views were very nice!

Looking towards Weymouth.

On the way out, I stopped at Chesil beach for a drink and snack.

After that, things kind of went down hill (literally a few times). I had the clutch changed on the car a few weeks ago and apparently get a dodgy cable. Which gave up on me. This meant the clutch kept getting stuck to the floor. Not helpful when trying to drive. I thought I was just stalling it as I was tired. But then on the A30 while sitting in traffic it just got impossible to drive. It was manageable to drive when in motion, using the right foot under the clutch to change gear, but not possible from sitting.

Luckily the hard shoulder actually had some barriers so I pulled off and hit the hazard lights. At least I felt a bit safer with the barriers. 

It wasn't all bad as the weather was lovely so I sat reading my book, catching some sun. A few people stopped to make sure I was ok (usually guys with very big beards and full sleeve tattoos - because appearances really are deceiving and mean little). One sweet lady even got out her car while her husband drove and ran alongside the car to give me a cold drink. People really can be lovely!

After about 3 hours Green flag came and rescued me (best money I ever spent on that rescue policy!). 

They decided they couldn't fix it and towed me off the motorway to the service station to wait for the next tow. So at least I could use the bathroom!

Not the dinner I had planned.

But a lovely vintage!

I had to wait to a flat bed, so had some dinner and a bottle of milk. In a wine glass. Because a girl should have standards.
It took a long time for the flat bed to arrive as apparently everyone was breaking down that day. But eventually we got a ride.  I guess at least I saved money on the petrol. :/

Our ride.

The ride took nearly 2 hours and the GPS took us down some roads we really shouldn't have been going down in a wide, long vehicle. At one point I had to hang out the passenger window and reattach the side mirror which had been knocked off by a branch/wall/tree. (We couldn't open the doors!) It was an interesting trip. I got to the site at about 11.30pm, 7 hours later than planned. But the view the next morning was worth the effort.

Along the River

Spring has finally hit! The weather has been amazing this weekend so today, I got the bus to Hampton Court and I took a walk along the river from Hampton Court to Kingston. It's about 5km one way and a lovely walk along the river.

I thought about getting the steam boat but wanted to walk. Maybe next time.

River boat.

Leaving Hampton Court. 

River gates to the palace. 

Open path.

Spring! (Summer?)

Kingston coming into view.

In Kingston I got some lunch by the river, sitting in the sun with a glass of iced tea before walking back. 

I am certain I am going to hurt in the morning. I've already had to ice my knee down. But it was worth it to be outside and hopefully start my tan a little ready for my upcoming holiday! 

Coding and Cocktails

It's been a crazy busy week as usual. Not helped by my bad planning of putting an astro talk to the company at lunch and then a training session in the evening all on the same day.

On Thursday, I organised a Coding and Cocktails session to introduce SQL to as many people in the business as I could. Especially those who have never done any coding in their lives. The idea is you are taught SQL and complete queries. For each complete query, you get the element of a cocktail (or two) of your choice. (Well, one of the 8 I had recipes and alcohol for.)

We set up a bar in the top kitchen and had about 10% of the company show up, including one of the execs! There should have been more but for various reasons I can't go into, it has been an extremely rough couple of weeks for the company. But the ones that did show seemed to really enjoy themselves!

My team helped out with checking the queries, and making the cocktails, which they enjoyed a lot more by the sounds of them at the end. ("One for you, one for me" maybe?)

Our bar.

Geek joke

Everyone said they really enjoyed themselves (not sure if it was the coding or the cocktails - I am going to go with the combination). Afterwards my team certainly enjoyed themselves making up some cocktails. I have never seen a mojito make someone blink in shock. But they do when made by my team. (At least they weren't giving those portions sizes to the crowd - they would never have done any coding!)

Hopefully we will make it a regular-ish thing. Though as much fun as it was, I can't face organising that every week.

Walk in the Park

Last weekend I got bored at home and took a walk in Bushy Park. This time I went prepared with my camera and zoom lens (I am not getting closer to the deer than I have to). And I was lucky. Not only was the weather lovely for the most part (I missed the rain while in the cafe) but I saw 2 herds of deer out and about.

Scratching their antlers off.

Main walkway through the park. 

I spent some of the time wondering (a little bit lost) through the wooden garden which as very pretty but I think I ended up going the long way on my hunt for the cafe. It is finally becoming more spring like and though not many leaves yet, the flowers are out in force.

Spring. 

White Hart.

On the way from the park, I stopped by Garrick's Temple to Shakespeare. I have meaning to see what it was for a while. I still am not sure. But it made for a few nice photos.