Bravo

That evening we went to a concert of Mozart music in Bromsgrove. At the end Ana's sister, who is Portuguese, was surprised that people didn't shout "bravo", as they would in Portugal. I had to explain that they might do that sort of thing in London, but certainly not in Bromsgrove.

Perving in Packwood House

Took Ana and her sister, visiting from Portugal, to Packwood House. The picture shows a rather magnificent magnolia growing up the side of the house.

Inside the house is a life-size mannekin, which was used by artists as cheaper alertnative to paying a real model. The thing is, it's very very detailed and anatomically correct, both internally, reproducing the bone structure in detail, and also in the "external features" . It may have been used for artistic purposes but you won't convince me that it didn't also offer certain pervy possibilities.

Year 52 begins

My 51st birthday today. The "celebration" is simple: a bike ride in the Worcestershire countryside stopping off at a pub on the way. I set out with a friend and we head out through Ettington, round the back of Bredon Hill, stop at Evesham for a cuppa and fry-up. When we get to the pub at Inkberrow I have done exactly 51 miles - how appropriate. My kids, my girlfriend and her kids are there so, all in all, a very pleasant morning.

I am invisible to the Weatherspoon's bar staff

<rant>Went into Wetherspoon's pub in Bromsgrove this lunchtime. Stood there for 5 minutes and couldn't get the barman's attention, though he wasn't that busy. There was someone before me in the queue, then me, then someone after me. So what happens? Someone else walks straight up to the bar and gets served before everyone else, ie jumps straight in fromt of 3 people.

This has happened so many times before in that pub. Once the barman served a person standing directly behind me as if I wasn't there. I had a bit of a go at the barman and he did come back to me next - I managed to get my own back by calling out my order to another barman who was standing behind him.

However, I'm afraid this pub is coming off my list. Plenty of other good pubs in Bromsgrove, ones where they fill your glass to the top without being asked.</rant>