Vaccination Planes

 So, I've been for my shot yesterday, and today enjoyed all the news about how my Astro Zeneca shot might give me a blood clot if I'm horribly unlucky!

On balance however, I'm glad I've had the shot. 

It was quite a strange feeling. Most of the folk were older people there for their second shot of Pfizer, while us very few younger ones - I reckon I was the youngest - were ushered down the fast lane for AZ. 

I say fast lane, but there was an awful lot of paperwork that seemed to be needed to be done in triplicate as I'm sure many of you will know. There shiny clinical setting that the jabs were done in was also slightly offset by the fact that the reception area, and then the post jab area you had to sit in for 15 minutes afterwards in case you keeled over, were both essentially cowsheds used for the agricultural shows that the showground puts on. 

What was surprising was that the injection itself I never felt at all, unlike the flu shots which seem to need screwing into my bicep. Sadly, I didn't get a massive plaster over the jab to show off, although I did get a sticker.

Afterwards I treated myself by riding over to the air museum and getting a few closer up shots of the planes. And then having a bag of chips from the works canteen.

Because that's healthy, right?

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 07.04.21

Journey to Vulcan

 A later start today but I still got out and walked for just over two hours. 

It was an odd sort of walk really, for it was hardly a scenic or pleasurable route. The main purpose was actually to see how long it would take me to walk from work to my vaccination appointment on Tuesday. Gee the glamour of the outdoor life. 

However, it wasn't all tarmac and traffic fumes, although it was mostly that. I saw a massive hare on the showground, a hare so big that I thought it was a deer when I first glimpsed its flashing white tail. Buzzards were circling in various places, and once the sun was out it was a reasonably pleasant day. 

I also saw the big Vulcan bomber at the air museum, although I couldn't get as close as I thought. It's a historic aircraft that arrived at the museum by actually landing on the runway next door, part of the old RAF Winthorpe site. 

I remember seeing a Vulcan Scramble at an air show at RAF Waddington. Those aircraft were BEASTS!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 03.04.21

Another Year Older

 It was my birthday last Friday, a very odd one where I stayed in and did any socialising I did in the virtual world, this new place where many of us have found ourselves visiting alongside all the folk who have been there for years. 

We may be Tier 2 here and so the pubs will still be open, but I have no intention of going. Working would be a worry, but I'm lucky enough to be in a large office that only has me in it for now - the return of my potential co-workers from home-working has been delayed for now.

I had my flu jab today, so no doubt I will feel a bit foggy for a couple of days, I did last year. 

I have a few random pictures from the last few days, of the grey world in which we have been literally and metaphorically living in. Today has just been mizzling most of the day. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 13.10.20

Spitfire Hunting

Today, in honour of the NHS, a Spitfire did a fly past of our hospital, watched by a fair crowd of socially distanced folk who gathered on the green opposite.

Trouble with aeroplanes is that they are rather difficult to photograph, especially when they are whizzing by quite quickly! But I got a few decent ones, although you can't make out the NHS message that was painted on the underside of the wings.

This little bit of plane spotting followed a long two hour walk out to Coddington village. There's a medieval fishpond there, but alas it's on private land and you can't get to it, as with the other pond in the village that I'd like to look at.

Tonight I will be hunting for Comet Neowise, which I failed to spot at 3am this morning. The noctilucent clouds were amazing though.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 11.07.20

A Good Old Fashioned Leather Chase

So, off to Old Dalby today, not far from Great Dalby where I have played in the past and the ground is a relic of ridge and furrow farming.

Old Dalby is a similarly tiny ground, but it is boringly flat. It does however have a flock of sheep next door, which periodically come to the fence to bleat "You're craaaaaaaaaaaaaap" at hopeless bowlers such as myself.

To be brutal, there was a lot of crap bowled today. We bowled first and my first two overs went for 30 odd, short deliveries being thwacked into the fence a mere 40 yards away. It was grey and miserable which helped nobody's mood, including one of senior batsmen who ended up driving to and from the ground for 60 miles thanks to a team mate who never showed, and some mis-communications.

At least we had the best dressing rooms I've ever encountered. We all had our own personal coathanger, and there was a shower like a tardis. There was also a dog fouling warning that appeared to encourage owners to shove a wine bottle up a painful place. Poor doggo.

Soooo, yes, about the bowling. For some reason one end seemed cursed, for no-one could bowl well from there. Everyone got battered by an opening bat who went on to make 122. In about 20 minutes it seemed.

In an hour they had about 160 on the board. It was relentless, but our skipper kept our heads up, apart from those who kept disappearing into a ditch on the boundary like they'd fallen into the bowels of cricket hell.

Two of our lads did produce an ok spell however, which clawed it back a bit, and then muggins here came back at the end to knock over a few at the end. Not that 356-9 is anything to be thrilled about, my own 4-52 included.

Our batting, designed as it was to secure bonus points rather than win the game, sort of meandered along, taking us to 160-7, but the job was done by that, although I was slightly miffed I didn't get a bat lol. Not that I can bat.

A chance for more tomorrow. But sadly no cheese shop stumps.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 06.07.19

Swinging that Ball Around

So, today was my first match back after my down below injury and also the nasty back spasm I had last weekend.

I was told I was unwise (read mad) to play, but the team needed me and I miss it to me. 7 hours where all I have to think about is the fun (!) and enjoyment (!!) of cricket is such a boon to me.

The RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight were obviously glad I was back though, as both a Dakota and a Spitfire appeared over the ground during the match.

To ensure maximum comfort, a cunning arrangement of underwear was devised, and I also did a lot of back stretches and wore a back brace to bowl. Needless to say, I took large amounts of painkillers as well. I'm not a Terminator.

I was very glad when we batted first against Southwell 2s, as it gave me a chance to do more warm ups and stretches. The wicket was slow and tricky, and although we didn't lose many wickets or  look troubled, we didn't really score quickly enough. Our father and son biffers had a great partnership to take us up to 120 for 3, and we initially though that that would be a testing target, as the outfield was very slow.

I was chosen to open the bowling, resplendent in my NHS issue brown corset, and I was nervous as hell as to how it was going to go. It could have gone a lot worse, as I was definitely hampered, although more by the back, as I could feel it tighten every time I gathered for the leap into the delivery stride and I wasn't able to really get through my action properly.

Frankly I bowl enough wides and no balls as it is without something else throwing my line out of whack, although to be fair to myself I haven't bowled in weeks.

However, I did manage to produce a big booming inswinger to bowl Southwell's left handed opener, and cause problems to the batsmen amidst the mediocrity, but they key moment came when the skipper dropped a difficult chance off my bowling, of the guy who rode his luck to score 71 and win them the game. He kept hitting the ball in their air, and it just never went to hand.

We fought to the end, but they won by 6 wickets. Nice direct hit run out by a guy who hasn't played in nearly two years though. That was good to see!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 22.06.19

Show Off Red Arrows Again

Well, it was a bitterly cold night, leading to a bitterly cold cycle to work with the degree of hand pain telling me it was -2.

Accurate too, as ever!

The ghostly moon faded and sank into her bed as the morning dawn came on, leaving the seagulls almost dazzling bright in the light while the carrion crows looked like nuggets of coal, hard as anthracite.

More man made creatures were also at work, with the Red Arrows doing their practicing a few miles away off to the north over featureless farmland. The hawk jets are invisible, but you can see the smoke trail emitted as the practice looping the loop, then looping the  loop inside their loop the loops.

Us earthbound mortals drink our tea, look out the window and wonder how much pain I'll be in cycling home.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 23.01.18