Category: Family

Family related posts; generally only of interest to fellow members of the Brown Clan and relations by Marriage into this mad house.

Posted on

Holiday Road Trip – by an Electric Car

Picture of Southwold pier. The cafe shop at the end can be seen, and people walking dogs on the pier. A clock is central and the sky a clear blue.

Most people with electric cars rave about them, those who do not, worry about range and battery issues. As with many things the truth is somewhere between.

If I needed a car for work, and drove long distances then whether it worked for me would depend on things like do I need to tow; am I heading north to south or south to north as most the main roads going up and down the country are well served with fast chargers.

If you are travelling around Yorkshire and many other rural counties, or some east to west routes, the charging opportunities are few and far between. Yes there are chargers but there in ones and twos, not large charging hubs. If you need to rely on getting a quick charge they could be in use or one could be faulty.

A row of electrical car chargers for EV's. One car a grey MG estate (Station wagon)

If you’re on holiday then there is no pressure. For our recently holiday the destination had little charging but the holiday cottage did advertise a charger, but would it work.

So the plan was to stop half way, get a lunch break and walk for Ted the Greyhound and during that time get a charge, so we picked a suitable stop that had eight chargers, so the odds of getting a charge was high. We would charge to a relatively high level to ensure we would arrive at are destination with 40% giving us options to get to a charger if the cottage charger did not work. There was places to walk Ted and the manager of the local Costa’s let us all in to grab something to eat and for the humans to have a comfort break as well.

The trip there starting from a 100% charge was easy, we had alternatives on route but just carried on; this particular hub was never showing more then 50% capacity so odds were good.

When we arrived two other cars were charging so plenty of room, we plugged in and started to charge; then we got Ted out of the car and took him for a brief walk to stretch his legs and have a comfort break.

Then we all went into the Costa’s after I made a quick enquiry if we could bring Ted in, which was met with an affirmative. Coffee and sandwiches were ordered and eaten, a quick trip to the toilet facilities and then a walk back to the car, by which time we had way more then enough for the trip ahead.

While in the coffee shop I had tracked the number of free stalls at the charging station, and our rate of charge. It had not taken long to get to our target charge and if the chargers had been busy I would have gone and unplugged and moved the car to the coffee shop parking to free up the space, but the eight bays never had more then five occupants.

The key for road tripping by an EV, is pick large charging hubs so your not waiting, have alternatives planned and always plan on doing something else while the car is charging so its not actually the charging your waiting for. We would have needed to stop, walk Ted and get something to eat ourselves anyway, so a perfect time to charge the car.

The charging network does need to be bigger, but with more cars coming with over two hundred miles of range, some of the higher end ones now at four hundred, charging times coming down to 16 minutes, we will get to the point that charging is easier and far more convenient then standing at a cold petrol pump waiting five minutes for the car to fill.

Posted on

Remembrance Day

Some home made poppy flowers hanging from a gate post in a cemetery with a cross in the background.

Last week was Remembrance Day.

On the Sunday before we had a church service in the village; unfortunately I was working. The grave yard was decorated with poppies as has become a tradition.

On the 11th of November we all stop for a two minute silence. We remember the dead from all sides for all the conflicts.

The poppy was blooming in the fields of death that marked the first world war. Many died for their countries. England still had an empire at that point and many nations; from the home countries of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all died for freedom, but also from further a field, thousands of Muslims from India came to Europe to die for their king, the old colonies sent men from Canada and Australia.

It was the First World War, the war to end all wars they said. Unfortunately not true, but on the 11th of November we fall silent and think of those who died for us in all the wars.

Posted on

The Suffolk Coast – Beccles

Old church in the background, with a window central to the image. Three gravestones can be seen and the picture is framed by a trees and plants.

Beccles is typical of the slightly larger town you can find in Suffolk.

Old but colourful houses. The main one in the centre of the image looks tired but is a pale pink in colour.

In places a little run down, as many places were post COVID-19 which accelerated the death of the high street, but places are opening up.

Old brick building that's now a coffee roaster.

I remember just a few years ago when all there seemed to be on the high streets was instant coffee or corporate Starbucks, there were few independent coffee roasters and few independent coffee shops selling quality, well sourced coffee.

Smart looking old building now an antique shop

But now coffee roasters and cafes seem to be springing up even in the most unlikely of places.

Highstreet of a small town. A church can be seen in the distance, and a bright blue bookshop in the foreground.
smart old building now an antiques shop.

What the high street will look like in the future now on-line shopping dominates is unknown, but cafes and good coffee seems to one thing that we will be able to find.

Old traditional English church with a plain window in the centre.

Beccles is an old town with lovely old churches and building, well worth a walk around after you have refreshed yourself with coffee.

Old red brick building, a notice board on the wall and an old sign post in stone. It shows Beccles to London 109 miles.

Reminders of its links to the larger towns and London are all around.

Shop selling shoes and jewellery
Old English tea shop. A couple of women can be seen enjoying a drink though the window.

So if you on route to one of the larger cities try a visit, whether a quaint book shop, a delicatessen or locally roasted coffee there will be something for you.

Posted on

A change to your morning routine – Local Media

My morning routine used to start with our radio alarm clock broadcasting our local commercial radio station; LINCSFM. An award winning station, with local presenters highlighting local events. It was good entertainment and fun.

Farm house gate decorated with a union flag to celebrate the late queens jubilee

Like much local media and local small independent shops, everyone is under a lot of pressure. Our local newspaper has gone from daily to once a week. And now the local radio station has gone.

Thanks to a change in legislation by the last conservative government, the local Media Act 2024 enabled larger companies to buy up local radio stations and last Friday they were able to remove all local broadcasting.

Its a sad good bye to:

  • Steve and Karen (North East)
  • John Harrison and Liesl Soards (and producer James Crookes) (South Yorkshire)
  • Alex and Nicola (East Yorkshire)
  • Elliot and Matilda (Staffordshire)
  • Leanne and Joel (Lancashire and Liverpool)
  • JD and Roisin (West Midlands)
  • Jo and Sparky (East Midlands)
  • Joseph Begley (Lincs)
  • Leigh and Claire (South Wales)
  • Neil and Saffy (Cornwall)
  • Mylo and Rosie (West Yorkshire)

In the mean time I’ll be tuning into my local BBC station for their breakfast show, and I see a new local radio station is trying to start up. https://www.lincssound.com So I’ll be giving them a listen when they start up on the 30th June.

Posted on

The Suffolk Coast – Bungay

The Suffolk coast has for a long time been a bit of a mystery. Small traditional inland towns and villages, relatively unchanged over the last fifty years, coastal towns like Aldeburgh and Southwold, often cut off in bad weather and in the past more accessible by sea than by land.

Today we find modern industrial ports like Lowestoft, the growing city of Norwich in the county to the North and sea side resorts like Great Yarmouth but these modern islands of metropolis are few and far between.

If you kept to the few main road that cross Norfolk and Suffolk, leading to these modern towns you would think the county was like any other. But you do not have to go far when you come across the old towns and villages seemly untouched by the passing of time. Traditional shops, cafes for tourists and the odd electrical car parking point and mobile phone tower give a hint of some modernity.

If your taking the scenic route to the Suffolk coast from Norfolk you will come across many small towns like Bungay.

A town you would not likely visit unless you knew of the remains of the castle. Though the lovely old churches are worth a visit. Wondering through the old graveyards in the late high contrast autumn sun, while not conducive to good photography is good for ones own well-being.

The old Norman castle was on the losing side of a number of battles but restored after Henry II confiscated the castle when the loyalty of the previous owner was called into question.

It featured in the fictional novel by Elizabeth Bonhôte, published in 1797, set during the first Barron’s war.

When one explores Suffolk, you are continually surprised by the number of traditional Italian restaurants, cafe’s and ice cream parlours.

There is a long history of Italians making homes in area, and good food and coffee is never far away.

Some of the old shops look like they could have been here for years, the modernity given away by ‘wifi here’ signs or the odd neon sign.

So whether it’s the food, the history, or to wonder the antique shops and find out the little fabric and quilting shops. There is something for all, unless you are after the busyness and noise of most places now.

Suffolk, the place of modern port cities, and tranquil towns and villages.

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1006060

And Bungay is certainly a typical small market town of the region and worth a visit.

Posted on

Aurora – visible in the midlands

I was out walking the dog last night and was surprised to see the northern lights, or the Aurora Borealis was visible. From the village and naked eye a pale ghostly red glow, with an hint of green.

For a moment I wondered if it was light pollution from the near city or the local village tennis courts, but then realised with the positioning it could be none of these things. Finding a dark spot I took out my iPhone and quickly took a few snaps.

With these kind of results you can see why smartphone cameras have killed the cheap compact camera market.

Its low light performance and shake reduction for the long exposure is quite something.

A wonderful sight and something I hope to see again when I am maybe in a darker part of the country with a tripod and my more serious cameras.

Posted on

Goodby Brenda

Our oldest chicken Brenda died last night, she was still boss of the coop right up to the end. Its always sad but she had a good life.

She had a good last summer, it was just a shame the last few months she has been stuck in a enclosed run due to bird flu restrictions.

Posted on

Planning, making time and looking ahead

Life had been getting very busy, things were getting dropped, photography was not going well as I lost focus and interest. Then Covid happened and we all got locked down. It was then decided we would not go back to the office but would work from home. I started heading up my own team with staff to look after. I started to focus on my photography.

Before Covid for the previous few years I kept myself organised and sane with planning diaries and journaling, whether it was planning the meetings and projects ahead or planning the veg plot.

Life is getting back to a new normal, I have started planning expansion of the chicken run now that chicken lock down seems to be a regular thing each winter.

So I need to get my planning back to to scratch. Note books, digital planners, Microsoft Notes, Outlook, my Apple iCalendar all have a place, but to get things physically down on paper with a nice fountain pen I find clears my mind and reduces my worry and concerns.

On the run up to December I got out some fresh note books and started to transfer the things I needed for the work ahead. My system does change from time to time, from just one large notebook, a home and work book plus journal and sometimes a Travellers notebook for carrying around when you need to jot things down.

I am note sure how things will altogether work but I am working on it.

Posted on

another year has gone

Leica Summicron 35mm

So another year has come and very nearly gone.

It’s been a year of change and of more the same.

My day job in IT has changed this year. From being a senior engineer, looking after my own area its evolved. COVID-19 had me leave the office and work from home full time. This is now permanent. I still head into a few clients data centres occasionally to under some task but this is generally only for projects implementing new hardware. The head of the infrastructure team has now left to go onto new things, so my roll now has additional duties. I now head up the infrastructure since April last year. Its challenging but I have some good engineers I can rely on and has certainly improved my people skills, having to deal more with the customer and not just the technical side of things.

My part time photography has also done well. Last year I pushed hard and this year I continued this, ensuring each month I did a good piece of work. On the equipment front, I have built out my grip and flash accessories, plus I am really enjoying the Nikon Z7 I treated myself last Christmas.

With being at home over the last few years I have developed a few bad habits, too little exercise, certainly not journaling enough and letting house work slip. Its odd that coming home from work at the office you then got on with other tasks, now being at home so much you leave your desk and do not want to do anything else at work. This has to stop.

Lastly I want to read more and practice my music more. The last few months I have been quite good at keeping up with the piano practice but I really must read more.

Posted on

a Bikers – Night before Christmas

I have posted this before but as it is Christmas Eve I thought I was worth posting again.

On the Biking Blog “Ride it like you stole it!” which is sadly no more by Dave Dragon, there was a poem “The Biker’s Night Before Christmas”.

Biker Days

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the pad,

There was nada happenin’, now that’s pretty bad.

The woodstove was hung up in that stocking routine,

In hopes that the Fat Boy would soon make the scene.

With our stomachs packed with tacos and beer,

My girl and I crashed on the couch for some cheer.

When out in the yard there arose such a racket,

I ran for the door and pulled on my jacket.

I saw a large bro’ on a ’56 Pan

Wearin’ black leathers, a cap, and boots (cool biker, man).

He hauled up the bars on that bikeful of sacks,

And that Pan hit the roof like it was running on tracks.

I couldn’t help gawking, the old guy had class.

But I had to go in — I was freezing my ass.

Down through the stovepipe he fell with a crash,

And out of the stove he came dragging his stash.

With a smile and some glee he passed out the loot,

A new jacket for her and some parts for my scoot.

He patted her fanny and shook my right hand,

Spun on his heel and up the stovepipe he ran.

From up on the roof came a great deal of thunder,

As that massive V-twin ripped the silence asunder.

With beard in the wind, he roared off in the night,

Shouting, “Have a cool Yule, and to all a good ride!”