Rite of Passage note

Posted on

Just a quick note to record this moment for posterity. My boy and I have just played his (and therefore our) first game of EA’s FIFA15.

While we’re certainly not a family of gamers, this is an important moment for him, and obviously for me too. It’s basically 20 years *weep* since I played my first FIFA game.

He chose to play as Sheffield United (proud dad moment, right there) and I was randomly assigned Luton Town by the Sony machinery.
For the record, the score at 90 minutes was 1-1, thanks in part to a late defensive error by the Luton centre back and the lightning quick reactions of a pixelated Marc McNulty.
The penalty shootout which followed was a tense affair, with the Blades amazingly triumphing 1-0.

Happy days. Everyone’s a winner.
Except Luton.

Bramble Banked

Posted on

We watched loads of vehicle carriers rounding Cape Agulhas this last week. None of them got stuck on any rocks or sandbanks (and there are both around the Southern Tip). But they were obviously just lucky.
Here’s a great picture of the grounded Hoegh Osaka on Bramble Bank in the Solent:

ho

Initial reports suggest that the captain made a decision to delberately run the listing vehicle carrier aground there in order to stop it falling over completely capsizing [Loving the technical terminology. Nice work. – Ed.]. If so, that probably represents the best demonstration of parking under pressure since I swung into that gap 30cm longer than my car directly outside Caprice in late December 2009.

Marine Traffic reports (entirely accurately, I suppose) that the Hoegh Osaka is currently “Stopped”:

mt ho

Next to it are the tugs Lomax and Svitzer Alma. That red diamond is the West Bramble Buoy – warning big ships of the sandbank there. And acting as a parking marker for listing carrier captains everywhere.

Stuff you should know about Bramble Bank: It’s an underwater sandbank between Southampton and the Isle of Wight. Oh, and THEY HAVE A CRICKET MATCH ON IT EVERY YEAR!

The Bramble Bank is renowned for the annual cricket match held there, when the Royal Southern Yacht Club play the Island Sailing Club. The match takes place when the bank is exposed but never lasts very long before the tide returns. The undulating surface with large puddles ensures it is more a social occasion than a serious cricket match, and the scoring reflects this – the victor of the game is pre-determined, and the two clubs simply take it in turns to “win” the match, regardless of play. The Brambles cricket match has been described as “quintessentially English”.

Yep:

bb2 bb1Brilliant. Just brilliant.

Back II Life

Posted on

And so, as was mentioned yesterday, Cape Town is slowly getting back into the swing of things. As with everything Capetonian, it’s a glacially slow process, and while managers will be encouraging their charges to hit the ground running, deep down, they’ll be well aware that it will basically be February before anyone here is up to speed.
This process will in no way be assisted today by the dichotomous circumstances of the rain (currently washing most of Cape Agulhas off my car) and day 4 of the SA v West Indies test match at Newlands.

And so a little Soul II Soul is called for to ease us back into this working life. Remember back in 1989 when this won the (somewhat niche) Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals? No. Me neither. But “Back to life, back to reality” very much sums up the sad situation we find ourselves in this morning.

If you are back to work today, stay strong. It’s only 345 days until December 16th 2015. And one or two of them are public holidays.

Halcyon Days…

Posted on

And so, the holiday draws to an end. Tomorrow brings with it work, bacteria, admin and meetings.
But what a break it’s been: family, friends, London, Sheffield, snow, real beer, a “proper Christmas” and some amazing memories being made.
And then, as the icing on the cake, a few days of excellent weather and relaxation down in Agulhas.
And then, as the cherry placed gently upon the icing on that luxurious cake, Sheffield United demolishing QPR at Loftus Road and our porcine neighbours losing out to a last minute winner at the Etihad.

Could it get any better?
Well, I could do without heading back to the lab tomorrow. But otherwise, no. It’s been amazing.

But in the meantime, for those who are interested, there are updated photos here and here.

Sense at the Black Oystercatcher

Posted on

We went out to the Black Oystercatcher for an amazing lunch today. And while there was a lot to admire on the menu, it was this that particularly caught my eye:

image

Yep. After I commented on the struggles of local businesses in season, here’s a completely reasonable solution, elegantly mentioned at the top of the menu.

Nice work, Black Oystercatcher. And bloody good food as well.