Monday March 31, 2008

Penguins that fly!

It is true - there are some penguins that really fly.

Two birthdays

Josie Russell who survived an attack that saw her mother and sister killed has turned 21 . She and her father have kept away from the media since the horrific events many years ago but tonight she is on a program that has her going back to those events; meeting the people who cared for her and brought the killer to justice. Happy birthday to her. The program is Josie's Journey: One Life, Tuesday, April 1, BBC One, 22.35.

Also today the R.A.F. is 90 today. Happy birthday to it and the people who service in it today, those who have served in it and of course those who have died in action while serving this country.

The first day of BST

After a set of miserable weekends in terms of weather and my own health which kept us indoors Sunday was a lovely spring day. We did a circular walk starting at the pretty village of Hurley. We followed a path parallel but away from the river in the direction of Temple lock. At Temple we crossed the large footbridge built in the 1980's to replace the ferry which had ceased to cross the river there years ago. After Temple lock we again walked away from the river and turned right again running parallel with it. Here we met some the Marlow Striders who were doing our circuit for the second time today - after the first circuit they had cycled to Hambledon. At least the weather was kind for this activity even if the paths very muddy. We then arrived at Marlow.

We had a forgettable lunch in a pub; the tearooms called Burgers are excellent but are closed on Sundays. The town has had many famous resident writers - Mary Shelley - she finished Frankenstein while living there, a Thomas Love Peacock, also a little known but prolific writer in the middle of the 19th century called G.P.R James and T.S. Elliot who moved here to be away from London in the war. I think all of them lived in various houses in Marlow but all of them on West Street.

Our path back to Hurley followed the river and at Temple we had a hot drink and cake at the lock where the lock keeper's wife runs a tea room. Even if you are not keen walkers starting at either Hurley or Marlow is a nice stroll even if you only get as far as Temple - where you know you can have a coffee stop.