Back

Knock knock.

Whose there?

Micheal.

Michaeal who?

Congratulations, you're on the jury!

As many of you will have noticed I've been away for a while. I'd like to say I was on a sabbatical, or away on business, or something that sounds vaguely like a good reason but the truth of the matter is really that I've just lacked the urge to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard as it would be). Works been a bit mad for the last week and a half as I left for holiday as the top performing person in my position in the country (to the best of my knowledge) and have had to put some serious effort in to ensure that I reclaim that position. I will have to see if the effort has paid off. Thankfully I seem to have settled back into some kind of a groove again so things should get back to normal on the posting front.

Life in England has changed quite drastically with the arrival of Nat, and we've both been settling down into a pattern that's new for us. I'm still trying to get over the female undergarments that have suddenly begun to populate my room and I'm sure there's a list of things she's adjusting to to.

Yesterday was possibly one of the best days out I've had since coming to England. We got out of bed around 9am and decided to day trip down to the South West of England (Wilts and Dorset). After departing around about 10:30 our first port of call, by complete accident (although I was planning to visit it later that day), was Stonehenge. I've been past the stones hundreds of times in the past, and often stopped to have a squizz at them. Yesterday, however, was the first time I've actualy stopped and paid to get beyond the fence to have a proper gander at them. They're pretty amazing, but the experience is tempered by the fact that it's not actually possible to get up close to the stones, or touch them. Apparently in the past that's been possible but thanks to people who insist on carving their names and dates into these ancient stones the rest of us have been robbed of that privilege.

After Stonehenge we headed down to the Lamb at Hindon, which was my first place of employment in England. It's always had a reputation for great food, but thanks to new owners (who have given the entire pub a superb facelift) it has surpassed even my own expectations. Nat and I both settled to traditional pub cuisine (I had Cumberland sausages and mash, Nat had steak and mushroom pie). There just aren't enough superlatives to express how good the food was. And to top it off we relaxed next to a blazing hearth with a couple of pints of ale and marinated in the moment.

Following lunch we headed into Shaftesbury, a town I used to live in, to see Gold Hill and enjoy the views of the Blackmore Vale. I discovered that I still love the South West of England.

After coffee at the Mitre in Shaftesbury High Street we decided to make a last minute detour around to Old Wardour Castle. Yet again it's another landmark I was familiar with from the outside, but had never been close up to it. The experience was unbelievable. It's a real taste of English history, and if you think it looks vaguely familiar cast your mind back to the mid nineties. Kevin Costner was at the top of his game and Brian Adams released a song called Everything I Do (I do it for you). That should be enough of a hint.

Besides all that, I think the photo's speak enough for themselves.

Enough rambling though, I'm off for my weekly himiliation. It's squash time again.