A Quintessential British Summer: Camping in Lee and Bodyboarding at Woolacombe

As the British summer unfurls its gentle warmth, there’s a delightful call to the great outdoors. And what better way to answer than by pitching your tent in the charming village of Lee, followed by the exhilarating rush of bodyboarding in Woolacombe? If you’re in search of tranquillity mixed with a bit of seaside adventure, and of course, the classic campfire cuppa, here’s your ideal summer jaunt.

Camping in the Heart of Lee

Tucked into a lush valley and fondly dubbed the ‘Fuchsia Valley’, Lee offers the very essence of British countryside camping.

1. Perfect Pitch: Whether you’re after a shaded spot beneath age-old oaks or a more open pitch with views of the stars, Lee’s got the lot.

2. Outdoor Fires: Nothing beats the magic of gathering around a roaring fire as dusk settles. Toasting marshmallows, sharing a yarn or two, and the comforting warmth - it’s pure bliss.

3. Campfire Cook-up: British summer camping isn’t complete without cooking over an open fire. Whether it’s grilling a bit of fresh fish, toasting a sarnie, or brewing up a kettle for tea, there’s a distinct smoky flavour that’s simply top-notch.

Bodyboarding Adventures at Woolacombe

Just a stone’s throw from Lee, Woolacombe with its golden beaches and splendid waves beckons.

1. Catch a Wave: With Woolacombe’s reliable waves, both novices and seasoned boarders can have a right good splash. The sheer joy of catching a wave, and that smooth slide towards the shore, is absolutely cracking.

2. Safety First: If you’re a tad green, fret not. There are plenty of local shops offering lessons to get you up and boarding safely in no time.

3. Sun, Sea, and Sand: Post-bodyboarding, it’s time to laze about on the sandy shores, maybe have a go at sandcastle building, or indulge in a classic 99 Flake.

In Conclusion

Between the peaceful embrace of Lee and the lively vibes of Woolacombe, this trip is a slice of British summer heaven. So pack your kit, grab your board, and prepare for a summer outing that’s as British as it gets.

A Glimpse into the Life of a Veteran Nurse: The Past Five Years

Nursing is a profession that demands dedication, resilience, and a deep-seated commitment to the well-being of others. For a nurse with 15 years of experience under their belt, the journey is marked by countless triumphs, challenges, and learning experiences. This blog post aims to provide a glimpse into the life of such a seasoned nurse, focusing particularly on the past five years.

Year 11: The Pursuit of Specialization

After a decade in the field, many nurses choose to specialize in a particular area of healthcare. This could range from pediatrics to geriatrics, emergency care to surgical nursing, or any number of other specialties. The 11th year often sees the nurse diving deeper into their chosen field, pursuing further education or certifications, and honing their skills to provide the best possible care to their patients.

Year 12: Leadership and Mentorship

With over a decade of experience, a nurse naturally evolves into a role model and mentor for less experienced colleagues. The 12th year is often characterized by taking on leadership roles, such as charge nurse or team leader. This involves not only managing patient care but also guiding and supporting newer nurses. It's a year of giving back to the profession, sharing wisdom and experiences, and helping shape the future of nursing.

Year 13: Overcoming Challenges

The 13th year brings its own set of challenges. Whether it's dealing with a global health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, facing staff shortages, or adapting to new healthcare technologies, this year tests the resilience and adaptability of the nurse. However, these challenges also provide opportunities for growth and learning, reinforcing the nurse's commitment to their profession.

Year 14: Advocacy and Influence

By the 14th year, a nurse has a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the healthcare system. This often leads to roles in advocacy, where nurses use their knowledge and influence to advocate for better patient care, improved working conditions, or healthcare policy changes. This year is about making a difference, not just at the bedside, but in the broader healthcare landscape.

Year 15: Reflection and Renewal

The 15th year is a milestone that prompts reflection on the journey so far. It's a time to celebrate achievements, learn from challenges, and renew the commitment to the nursing profession. Despite the demanding nature of the job, the fulfillment derived from making a difference in people's lives reaffirms the reasons why they chose to become a nurse.

The past five years in the life of a 15-year veteran nurse are a testament to the dynamic and evolving nature of the nursing profession. It's a journey of continuous learning, leadership, overcoming challenges, advocacy, and reflection. Despite the demanding nature of the job, the fulfillment derived from making a difference in people's lives makes every step of this journey worthwhile.

4 years!

Wow! 4 years, no updates. One would assume I've done something in the intervening time - and I have; I've done many, many things.
If you've seen me over the years then you know very well what I've done. If you're a casual viewer of this website then I imagine you're not in the slightest bit interested.
So let's leave it at that, eh?

Top 10 tracks of 2013

Each year I reset the play count in iTunes, at the end of the year I have a look to see what the most popular tracks are. Here's my top 10 of 2013

1. pomDeter - Call Me a Hole. Last year Carly Rae Jepsen's Call Me Maybe was my top track, this year it's this genius mashup based on that song and one from Nine Inch Nails. 102 plays.
2. Ylvis - The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?). I like this one, really. These guys aren't even singers, really, they're tv comedians. Musically great, lyrically stupid.
3. Dave Stewart - Secret. A surprise re-entry. Bought this in 1995 when I was at uni, a great track which I'm amazed isn't more popular. 
4. Kate Rusby - Village Green Preservation Society. Nothing else new here in this list, a perennial favourite. I'm a big fan of the cover version, I think I prefer this to the original.
5. The Lightning Seeds - The Life of Riley. It's a great song, but I don't know why iTunes has been on a nostalgia trip this year. Perhaps it doesn't like any of my new albums? I've never seen the video to this before!
6. Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf. "I smell like I sound". Having watched that video I need to watch Raider of the Lost Ark now.
7. Men Without Hats - The Safety Dance. Another crazy 80's video there. They looked like they had the best time.
8. Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al. The whole Gracelands album has had a lot of play this year after I saw the anniversary programme on telly earlier in the year. I love the album, didn't know about the shonky politics at the time. But I'm disappointed that Malcolm McLaren's Duck Rock didn't get the credit for, 5 years earlier, introducing us to that African sound.
9. Sachal Studios Orchestra & the Master Musicans of the West - Everybody Hurts (Ya Rab). I love this Asian flavoured cover. 
10. Dexys - Come On Eileen. From the 2012 hootenanny, Dexys & Jools' R&B band do a Ska tinged version of this classic. A bit like Save Ferris' cover. 

Top 10 2012

My personal top 10 songs of 2012, as compiled from play count in iTunes.
Every year I reset my play count & start again.

#1 ♫ Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen — Simply a great pure pop song.

#2 ♫ Together In Electric Dreams by Kish Mauve — From an ep of covers of the amazing original (see #8)

#3 ♫ Absolute by Scritti Politti

#4 ♫ Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) by Scritti Politti — I’ve recently rediscovered Scritti Politti via the wonders of twitter.

#5 ♫ Drop the Pilot by Joan Armatrading — rediscovered 80’s classic

#6 ♫ Village Green Preservation Society by Kate Rusby — Theme to Jam & Jerusalem!

#7 ♫ Week-end à Rome by Étienne Daho — Excellent 80’s French pop. “Original” of Saint Etienne’s He’s On The Phone

#8 ♫ Together In Electric Dreams by Phil Oakey & Giorgio Moroder — Best song of the 80’s

#9 ♫ Kitty by Racey — Another “original” version - this time the male version of Toni Basil’s Mickey

#10 ♫ All Together Now by The Farm — Brilliant bit of 90’s indie.

Top 100 tracks of 2011

1	Hitten	Those Dancing Days
2	Together In Electric Dreams	Kish Mauve
3	Live It Up	Mental As Anything
4	We Didn't Start the Fire	Billy Joel
5	Only You	The Flying Pickets
6	The Safety Dance	Men Without Hats
7	Don't You Want Me	The Human League
8	Go Outside	Cults
9	Week-end à Rome	Étienne Daho
10	Turn It Up	Grum
11	Ninth Place	Buckwheat Zydeco
12	Fuck You	Cee Lo Green
13	Village Green Preservation Society	Kate Rusby
14	Double Dutch	Malcolm McLaren
15	No More Pressure	MessyJames
16	Walk This Way	Run-D.M.C. feat. Aerosmith
17	True	Spandau Ballet
18	Baby I Don't Care	Transvision Vamp
19	Enya vs Prodigy (Lenlow Edit)	Apeboy
20	Justified & Ancient (Stand by the JAMMs)	The KLF
21	Pure	The Lightning Seeds
22	Enola Gay	Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
23	Japanese Boy	Aneka
24	Walk Like An Egyptian	Bangles
25	Celebrity	Brad Paisley
26	Bould O'Donoghue	Brendan Shine
27	The Reflex	Duran Duran
28	World Shut Your Mouth	Julian Cope
29	Together In Electric Dreams	Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder
30	I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)	The Proclaimers
31	For America	Red Box
32	It's Different For Girls	Rhodri Marsden
33	Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)	Scritti Politti
34	Morning Train (Nine to Five)	Sheena Easton
35	Girl Don't Tell Me	Tony Rivers and the Castaways
36	I Need You	Wireless
37	Senses Working Overtime	XTC
38	Take On Me	A-Ha
39	Only You	Alison Moyet
40	(I Just) Died in Your Arms	Cutting Crew
41	Just Can't Get Enough	Depeche Mode
42	New Song	Howard Jones
43	We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off	Jermaine Stewart
44	Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)	Paul Young
45	Since Yesterday	Strawberry Switchblade
46	Ride On Time	Black Box
47	Dog	Dictation
48	Happy Hour	The Housemartins
49	Centerfold	The J. Geils Band
50	I Love Rock 'N Roll	Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
51	Footloose	Kenny Loggins
52	Together in Electric Dreams	Mechanical Black
53	Tom Hark	The Piranhas
54	Ghostgirl Lovesick (Epic Mix)	Polly Scattergood (featuring Vince Clarke)
55	A-Punk	Vampire Weekend
56	Fade To Grey	Visage
57	Roam	The B-52's
58	Love Really Hurts Without You	Billy Ocean
59	Twist & Shout	Deacon Blue
60	Come on Eileen	Dexys Midnight Runners
61	Hoedown	Emerson, Lake & Palmer
62	On Melancholy Hill	Gorillaz
63	Is She Really Going Out With Him?	Joe Jackson
64	Baggy Trousers	Madness
65	Jerusalem	Matisyahu
66	West end girls	Pet Shop Boys
67	Starburst	The Venus Hunters
68	Does Your Mother Know	ABBA
69	I Touch Myself	DiVinyls
70	Can You Feel It	The Jacksons
71	Rush Hour	Jane Wiedlin
72	Love Will Tear Us Apart	Joy Division
73	Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy	Kid Creole & The Coconuts
74	Crazy Crazy Nights	KISS
75	Never Ending Story	Limahl
76	Let's Go All the Way	Sly Fox
77	Break Out	Swing Out Sister
78	You're Gorgeous	Babybird
79	Domino Man	The Beautiful South
80	The Tide Is High	Blondie
81	Young At Heart	Blue Bells
82	Rave On	Buddy Holly
83	Wot	Captain Sensible
84	Kung Fu Fighting	Carl Douglas
85	Harvest For The World	The Christians
86	Rain King	Counting Crows
87	Afternoons And Coffeespoons	Crash Test Dummies
88	The Love Cats	The Cure
89	Don't You Want Me	The Farm
90	Too Shy	Kajagoogoo
91	Kids In America	Kim Wilde
92	A New England	Kirsty MacColl
93	Down Under	Men At Work
94	Time Of No Reply	Nick Drake
95	Moonlight Shadow	Oldfield Mike
96	You Can't Hurry Love	Phil Collins
97	The King Of Rock 'n' Roll	Prefab Sprout
98	Crash	The Primitives
99	Ghostbusters	Ray Parker Jr
100	Say Hello, Wave Goodbye	Soft Cell

Past tense

I took a load of my gran's old clothes & old suitcases & things to charity shop this morning. Had to empty the loft for it to be insulated.
I told lady in shop they were all my grandmother's things - just to tell her they were lady's clothes rather than anything else. Shop lady said of the suitcases,"she must have been quite the traveller" seemingly thinking that I was talking about my grandmother in the past tense as she was dead. I was using past tense as the clothes & things were old.
I suppose it's an honest mistake to make but also I think I tend to talk about people in the past tense inappropriately too. I'm often telling people my father was Scottish; I assume he still is.

Endura strike ycling gloves

These wind proof waterproof winter cycling gloves from Endura are great. They're thin so one has complete control & in the 2° 70 minute ride I've just done my hands are the warmest part of my body. £26 well spent.

Morecambe & Wise Legionnaires Sketch

I caught the end of the Ernie Wise programme in the week, there was a few snippets of M&W sketches at the end, one bit was the two of them washing their hands in a public toilet dressed as French legionnaires with the Kepi on & the neck covering. Ernie washed his hands & turned to use an old roller towel dispenser. Eric turned & pulled a length of towel from Ernie's Kepi. You could see it coming a mile off, but this 10-20 second clip was the funniest thing I've seen all week. It was simple, perfectly performed & funny.

I've been looking for a copy of that clip on YouTube or similar since, can't find it anywhere. Do you know it? Can you point me to it?

Save Gaby's Deli

Dear Mr Cameron,

As a supporter of Ms Portas' recent report regarding safeguarding and revitalising the high street I wonder if you are aware of the Marquess of Salisbury's plans for Charing Cross in Westminster? As part of the development proposal a number of small shops & businesses are being forced to close to make way for a larger venue that appears to have been earmarked as a possible location for a large 'chain' restaurant or similar. Amongst the business that will be affected is Gaby's Deli at 30 Charing Cross road - a place that is known though out the world & is held in high esteem in the hearts, minds & stomachs of people worldwide. Personally my family have been eating there since they opened, indeed my grandmother seems to recall a deli there before Gaby took over. It would be a shame to lose this treasured restaurant within our capital, especially given the emphasis of Ms Portas' report I wonder if you might request a reassessment of these plans by Lord Salisbury?

Yours Sincerely,

Kyle Thompson
[Address supplied]

Together in Electric Dreams.

I've always been a big fan of 80's music, mainly I suppose because I grew up in the 80's & many of my earliest musical memories come from 1979 onwards (the 80's started a year early with The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star").

In 1984 Phil Oakey & Giorgio Moroder released the very best song from that decade, a song that hasn't really been bettered by anything since. Not only does the Oakey & Moroder original sum up the 80's perfectly but also as a song it is superb - I have collected various cover versions over the last few years & every one is a product of its time & every one is superb in its own way.

Now that's clever, writing the perfect pop song.

Test

This work?

New glasses.

I picked up my new glasses today.

I quite like them.

I was drawn by the hinges & good design

I almost look good

I hadn't heard of Persol before, turns out they've been going years. Quite happy.

Posted via email from X Kyle M Thompson