2 out of 3

Inverness Caley Thistle won against Falkirk 4-2
Scotland won against Italy 18-16
but
Richard and I lost our semi-final 4-6, 4-6.
We played well but our opponents made fewer errors. And there was a disputed line call when we were 4-3 ahead in the second set which we let get to us. We lost all three games from that point.

Pity - it would have been good to have featured in the final.

AGI 2007

I have just returned from our annual conference, which this year was held in Stratford-upon-Avon. I think it was a great success and that seems to be the feedback from delegates. We put in a lot of hard work both in the planning stage and during the event itself. It was worthwhile.

I am exhausted, but satisfied.

Tennis quarter final

This evening Richard and I played our men's doubles quarter final at Totteridge. We were playing a pair who play in much higher teams than we do, and I expected to lose easily. But I played well and somehow we scraped through 6-4, 2-6, 7-5.

So now we are in the semi-final.

Malaga again

We've just returned from 6 days in Malaga. I had meant to do loads of things, but I slept far too much, spent some time on the beach every day and did quite a lot of cooking. There wasnt time for anything else.

It was a good break though - and the weather was fantastic.

The Ultimate Golf Shot

I have enjoyed recently playing golf at my recently reopened and revamped golf course now called The Shire London. So far though I have not mastered the fiendishly difficult par 4 18th hole. The hole slopes gently uphill. The is a huge 'S' toward the end of the hole shaped in water with the green enclosed by the lower part of the 'S'. So the shot onto the green has to go over two large expanses of water and not go through into the water behind the green.

On Saturday I was making an even bigger mess of the hole than usual. My drive went into the thick rough on the lest. I chopped the ball out but it ran into the bunker about 200 yards from the green. Bravely but rather foolishly I took a 3 wood to my shot in the bunker. I hit it solidly without taking sand. It soared towards the green, over the water, and landed softly about 30 feet from the hole. Miraculous.

Once I got to the green I hit the put confidently and it rolled down the slope, broke to the right and went straight into the hole. A par 4 - when I had feared at least double that. Now I need to try to repeat something like that when I next play in a competition.

Car Man

Last night we went to see the Car Man at Sadlers Wells. Wow!

It was fantastic. A dance adaptation of Bizet's Carmen set in an American mid-west town in the fifties. The music was great of course, and played live. The choreography was stunning and the dancing was sexy, physical yet tender, and wonderfully competent. The whole thing was riveting. Well done again to Matthew Bourne and company.

Eurogames 2007 - final thoughts

The closing ceremony in Antwerp was quite moving. We rightly gave thanks to all the volunteers who had done such a magnificent job. One of the volunteers suddenly proposed on stage to her girlfriend. A young kid sang movingly as part of a choir of the children of same-sex parents. There were more music acts including a superb 'Shirley Bassey'. Then finally the games closed and were handed over to Barcelona for them to take up the baton in 2008.

And we watched it all in the happy company of Michael, Ottmar and Heinreich over a few beers,

The weekend was well worth the journey. I think we will

revisit Antwerp.

Eurogames 2007 - a review

Well we have arrived back from a fantastic weekend in Antwerp. The organisation of Eurogames 2007 was excellent, the local people were really friendly and supportive, the city is small but vibrant and the weather was fine.

I enjoyed hugely being part of the opening ceremony and marching into the main square behind the British banner. And then came the golf. Having missed out on a medal in Sydney 2002 and Munch 2004, I was so keen to win a medal in Antwerp. But as my round progressed and I started to hit a few wayward drives into the trees or out of bounds, I thought I'd blown the chance. But I scrambled some points and then with a few holes to play, felt that I might, just might have a chance. I really concentrated especially on the 18th tee. I hit a good drive there, but leaked my second shot to the right of the green with a large bunker between my ball and the flag. Watched by those in the clubhouse, I managed to pitch the ball over the bunker to about 10 feet from the hole and then rolled in the putt for a par and 3 points to give me a total of 32 points. My playing partner, Michael finished with 33 points, so I knew I was behind him. I just needed to have only one other player ahead of me. And that is what happened. One of the other guys had 36 points to win the gold medal, but my 32 points were enought to win bronze. I was really chuffed.

Eurogames2007

I am off on Thursday to take part in Eurogames2007 in Antwerp. Five years ago I played golf at the 2002 Gay Games in Sydney and somehow lost out on a medal by three-putting the last green and losing the bronze medal on countback. This time it would be nice to do better, but I am not playing very well and will be happy just to take part and enjoy the weekend.

Italian Chapel, Lambholm

I cannot leave Orkney without a mention of the Italian Chapel. During the war a number of Italian prisoners of war were sent to Orkney. In camp 60 at Lambholm one on the prisoners, an artist called Chiocchetti, asked to be able to create a place of worship. He was given 2 old Nissen Huts. Using materials which were available, he created a magnificent chapel. It still survives, a testament to his wonderful artistry and to the people of Orkney who have maintained the chapel to this day.

As one of the original prisoners of war, Bruno Volpi, said on his return to Orkney in 1992 - 'People cannot be judged by their precarious situations. Their culture, spirit and will to express themselves in creative thoughts and deeds are stronger than any limitation to freedom.'

Italian chapel from the outside

And from the inside

Orkney

Back from a week in Scotland with the main destination being the Orkney Islands.

Despite being born and brought up in Inverness, I have never been to Orkney. The Islands are much greener and much more beautiful than I had expected. Perhaps that is just because they are so close together, so one is never far from the sea and a view over a number of islands.

Most are flat, but we spent a full day on the mountainous, magnificent Island of Hoy. we took the car and drove right round the Island from Longhope in the south to Randwick in the west. And Randwick was stunning.

I also enjoyed Kirkwall especially since we were there during the St Magnus Festival. And of course the Islands are full of history. Skara Brae was so impressive - amazing to think that it was inhabited long before the building of the Great Wall of China or the Pyramids at Giza.

Yes I really enjoyed the few days on the Orkney islands.



St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall



Randwick Bay, Hoy

Near Birsay

Birthdays

This week brings my boyfriend's birthday, my sister's birthday and then my father's birthday. And I don't know what to get any of them. Time to put on the thinking cap and try to come up with a series of original presents.

Festival Hall weekend

The Royal Festival Hall officially opened this weekend and there was a 48 hour non-stop extravaganza 0f free events. Despite the manner of my departure, i still feel a tremendous amount of affection for the place. Not only did I work there for 19 years, but I found out recently that my parents went there for a romantic weekend in August 1951 - exactly 9 months before I was born. No wonder I feel attached to the place.

This is what it looked like on Sunday.

Golf Club reopening

Another day another reopening. This time, at my golf club. After years of playing golf in the midst of a building site, we were finally allowed to play the refurbished course. The new name is 'The Shire London' and it is fabulous. The holes are all difficult, require tactical play and a lot of skill, and have bunkers and water hazards galore. But I really enjoyed the round and played quite well for a 94, net 77 which I hope I can improve upon when I get to know the course better.

The course has been designed by Sevvy Ballesteros and had been very well laid out and professionally done. I think it will become a well-known golf course in a few years time. In the meantime, I shall enjoy trying to master it.

Royal Festival Hall reopens

Next weekend marks the official reopening of the Royal Festival Hall after the £100m refurbishment.

I am of course somewhat ambivalent after the way I was treated in the latter period when I worked there and the fact that I was made redundant a couple of years ago without any real logic to that decision.

But generally I retain a sense of pride in my work there over 19 years and still have a feel for the spirit of the place. This evening we were invited to a pre-opening concert. There was a technical hitch so the official concert had to be cancelled. Actually that allowed me much more time to talk to staff both current and previous. It was great to catch up with old faces and I guess to show that I have moved onwards from my time there and have made a successful switch into the world of Geography. So I'm glad I went.

And I wish the RFH well for the official reopening next week and into the future.

Jeff Buckley RIP

It was exactly 10 years ago - 29th May 1997 when singer Jeff Buckley, son of Tim Buckley who had tragically committed suicide, went for a a swim in the Mississippi River in the centre of Memphis. He was with a roadie. One minute Jeff was floating on his back, the next moment he disappeared. And drowned.

In remembrance of Jeff Buckley, and in thanksgiving for his talent, here he is playing Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah'.

Summer illness

I've returned from Spain. Despite indifferent weather, it was a good trip. But I developed a sore throat during my time in Spain and this has further developed into a full cold. So I am sniffling away, feeling tired and not at all happy about having a cold in the summer time. At least it is a bank holiday and raining, so I do not have to go into work today. But I don't do illness very well.

Malaga Beach

The forecast was for a wet afternoon. Andrew had returned to the UK and I decided to catch some sun before the rain came. So off I went to the beach. It was early and the beach was almost deserted. There were a couple of people about 200 years apart, so I plonked myself between them, 100 yds from either. I'd get some peace and quiet I thought. Just as I was settling down, three large Spanish ladies came down to the beach and plonked themselves about 10 feet away form me - almost within touching distance. This despite the empty expanse of beach on either side of me. I have no idea why they decided to lie do close to me - it was slightly disconcerting. Reminiscent of a similar incident in Cairns many years ago. But anyway I got on with my sunbathing, including a couple of swims in the sea. The rain did not arrive and I stayed until about 4 pm, before I left to get ready to meet Brian and Geoffrey for dinner in Torremolinos.

We had an excellent meal at the Vesuvius Restaurant, including some fun banter with Jorge the waiter. It had been a good day.

The rain in Spain

Overnight we had torrential rain, constant flashes of lightning and loud claps of thunder. Not what I expect in Malaga in May. The rain continued throughout the morning but the sun came out late in the afternoon and we enjoyed a few beers at The Playa Chirunguito in Los Alamos.

Another birthday

Brian and Geoffrey came into Malaga from Torremolinos. We met them at the cafe of the Contemprary Arts Centre. Then we caught a bus up to the Gibralfaro where we spent a couple of hours wandering the ramparts and enjoying the stupendous views of the city of Malaga spread out below us.



Then we walked down to the Vino Mio restauruant for a late birthday lunch. They did us proud. Complementary starters, superb main courses, a selection of sumptuous deserts, Cava, two bottles of Rioja and a free baseball cap! The food was wonderful. Many thanks to them for looking after us so well.