Author: 6000

Mindhorn review

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Remember Mindhorn?

It may only have been awarded three out of a possible five stars by reviewer Mark Kermode, but this paragraph alone made me 100% certain that I need to find a way to see this film:

Meanwhile, his small-screen sidekick Peter Easterman (Steve Coogan) is living the island high life after striking gold with his Mindhorn spin-off series Windjammer, peddling a strange mix of sleuthing and weather-resistant clothing that has somehow permeated the popular consciousness.

The combination of slapstick, cringe-inducing awkwardness and all-round pure British eccentricity are going to make this a great movie. And yes, it may well give “…the impression of being a 30-minute TV sketch stretched out to a 90-minute feature”. But then, if you love the 30-minute TV sketch, why would you not want three times as much of it?

Of course, maybe Mark was just being extra nice, given that he obviously has some Manx ancestry somewhere up his family tree.

Can’t wait. But, you know, going to have to.

Photo gemors

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Gemors being Afrikaans for a mess. Because that’s what I can like to be in with my photos right now.

The photos from last weekend still aren’t done. I just haven’t had chance. When I did have chance, I was away taking more photos in a place with no computer. And now I’m all mixed up, because some of the photos from this weekend are done. That’s because there are far fewer of them, so I just grabbed a couple (well, five) of the shipwreck ones and did a quick tidy up on them.

I took these with the Mavic this morning – the wreck is the Meisho Maru 38, and it lies on the coast halfway between L’Agulhas and Suiderstrand.
We’ve mentioned it here before, and we’ve mentioned why it has some of the name it has… well… it had, here.

But now my (usually very orderly) photostream on Flickr is all messed up.
I will edit those photos from last weekend and the rest of them from this weekend in the very near future.

UPDATE: You can start here!

Am alone

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Hello. I’m all alone.

I’m doing a “maintenance visit” to the cottage: checking that we have enough electricity to see us through until our next visit (we didn’t), and making sure that everything’s generally ok. It’s only the second time I’ve had to do one of these in six years, but we’ve had to cancel our last two weekends here due to important commitments in Cape Town, and we hadn’t planned on not being here for an eight week stretch.
You don’t want your freezer to die from a lack of power. Or anything else for that matter.
I used the opportunity to bring down some furniture as well – easily sorted when you have an otherwise empty vehicle. Two birds and all that.

I could have done it in one day, but the six hour or so round trip was unattractive, so I’m overnighting. I managed a walk on the beach this afternoon (photos to follow, as usual) and I’m now going to lob a steak on the braai. I’m making the most of the situation here.

There’s even talk of some brandy later, but you don’t want to believe everything you hear.

A single baked potato

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Busy day today, so here’s a bit of light relief. It’s Welsh comedian Rhod Gilbert trying to buy a single baked potato.
And it’s proving harder than he thought.

[dailymotion id=x2nt6bp]

Apologies for the quality of the image. I do recognise that it’s not great.
Still, it’s more the narration that you’re after. Give yourself a few minutes and chill out with a few laughs.

It’ll do you good.

Day 1 pics

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So, software downloaded and used (thanks CJW), photos polished up and uploaded.

You can see them here, but don’t forget that there are LOADS more to come!
This is just day 1! You lucky folks!

We’re just seven weeks away from midwinter here, and thus, the light (even in Africa) was rather washed out for a lot of the time.
Additionally, it’s not always possible to get the best angle for photography, despite the best efforts of Philip, our ranger. These are wild animals and if they want to stand between you and the sun, well, then they will. Moving around them or closer to them might, on some occasions, spook them and scare them away. And I’d rather have imperfect photos of them than none at all.

So, bear that in mind before you go in all guns blazing on my iffy ‘togging skills. Or I’ll set my rhino on you.
The big one.