From the BOC 2009 HOC Hut...







you can (almost) never have too much Banoffee Pie especially when prepared by Beata Falk.

After the M45L course at the British orienteering champs (11.0km in 85 minutes) off to
the National Motor Museum




A very early Bugatti - first owned by Mrs Bugatti (hence the leopard/giraffe print wheel trims)
Given to the nation in lieu of death duties



My first trip to Beaulieu was probably on our first trip to the Isle of Wight
(between 1966-1969 I guess).
I think we saw Chitty Chitty Bang Bang so 1969 makes more sense as the film was 1968.



ooohhhhh, nice!!!



Bluebird

Echo bonding session - Browns Restaurant Bath
I had the Duck Terrine followed by a rather nice seafood platter

and so to Hollybed Common for a MADO event - what a difference a week makes - Sunday 15th - 1 deg. C and 4 inches of snow at Silverstone, Saturday 21st 15 deg. C and glorious sunshine at Hollybed. A good turn out - folks having relaxed fun - like the old days - this is the future for orienteering.

On the way back there was an impressive show of Lenticular Clouds over Birmingham - by the time could stop and take photos the best had been passed by...






There are some amazing photos here

The 4th quasi annual pilgrimage to Wagamama...



Number 42 goes down well - and all with chopsticks this time



Plus a "light starter" - Spinach is now a favourite...




To see previous posts ... http://ddwilliams.blogspot.com/search?q=wagamama

We were in the Orange shop buying a new phone from a very nice sales assistant when who should we bump into but Tom Chambers who was in Birmingham for the Strictly Come Dancing Tour (see below).



Of course being British no one made any acknowledgement or mention at all - though I suspect that neither of the staff were strictly strictly target market.

Last WEE of the year.

Night race on Walton Hill, covered in snow, clear skies and freezing cold. Bliss and found them all in a few seconds under the hour.

Best bit crunching through deep and untouched snow on the East flanks - with my new LED headlamp lighting it up like a Christmas card - twinkling reflections from snow crystals and all, with the lights of Halesowen in the distance.




then collecting controls in "solo" and a very nice Winter Stew in The Vine

New chums from Poland - Chris, Agnieska, Karol
Full evening tour of Birmingham - ending up on Broadstreet for a curry*
(Shimla Pinks was in the process of relocating)

*at least I can translate Sag Aloo into Polish!

...there are worse places to work...
(On the left Moulding 2, on the right Bournville Place)