September 11, 2011 in
The Old Blue Truck with
At exactly 8:46am (New York time) on September 11, 2001, I was sitting in the Duke William Pub in Ickham Kent. It was 1:46 pm local time, and I was due at David and Patricia’s place at 2:00 pm. It was to be a very special reunion, we had not seen each other for 35 years. We didn’t know how special…
At 2:00 pm the Publican’s wife took a phone call, and I could tell from the look on her face that she was not hearing good news. It was her son, in New York, and he was describing what he was watching from his apartment window – less than a mile from the Trade Centre Buildings. She struggled with the remote and switched the bar TV to CNN. We watched LIVE as the second aircraft crashed into the South Tower…
Our overnight reunion lasted four days. The world had changed a lot in the 35 years since last we met, but it changed a whole lot more during those four days… There’s more about our reunion here.
May 24, 2011 in
The Old Blue Truck with
Wouldn’t you know it – We’re under construction again! I love these old buggers – but they do tend to leave me to clean up after them! This is a story of old friends, who met in 1966 when they were kids in London, and have stayed friends since. It’s a story of their travels together – and those they met along the way… Enjoy their journey. I won’t come with you – I’ve heard it all before - several times!
One last comment: If you are still running Internet Explorer (even IE8) as your Web Browser – you will notice that this site seems slow to load. Reason is that the new design is running some JavaScript-rich functionality which requires more speed and sophistication than IE8 can deliver. Suggest you try either FireFox or Google Chrome or Apple Safari – they’re all free – and they’re fast!
April 19, 2011 in
Family Stuff, The Old Blue Truck, Travel with
A quiet drive to Bishopsbourne, to see the first home/s of famous people, and then to Dover. I’ve flown above them and sailed below them – but this time we walked along them… Pilots don’t normally suffer from vertigo – but I would really have preferred a guard rail! Back home through Fordwich, England’s smallest town. Wonder if that’s because they still have a fully operational ‘dunking stool‘ which is attached to the riverside wall of the old Town Hall? We could franchise those…
April 16, 2011 in
Family Stuff, The Old Blue Truck, Travel with
A 15th Century Kent Pub and a well respected French Chef combine to make for a memorable dining experience. Joel Gross (Owner and Chef) is a long time friend of both David and Richard, Trish and Carla joined us, the weather was delightful. English Country Pubs and French Food – do they mix? Oh yeah! Timber Batts? They’re the verticle timber thingys that David and Joel are leaning on in the picture above. Late afternoon we journeyed on to Richard and Shelley’s new country ‘cottage’ – like every good Aussie home – the BBQ is very important.
April 14, 2011 in
Family Stuff, The Old Blue Truck, Travel with
“Fancy a little run in the XJS?” David asked – over a pint at the Duke Willy, “tomorrow”. I didn’t realise he was talking about France. Seems there were two pressing issues… In June, a group of the lads from Ickham are planning a day trip through the Somme to the quaint medieval village of Gerberoy – and he wanted to check out the restaurant. The wine cellar also needed topping up… But I suspect it was more to do with the frustration of owning a V12 sports car – in the tight lanes of Kent!
April 12, 2011 in
Family Stuff, The Old Blue Truck, Travel with
I’m sure I was born for English Village life! Every time I come back to Ickham, it’s just like… well… coming home. That’s a lot to do with David and Patricia, sure – but it’s also the lanes, the thatch, the streams – and the Duke Willy! For those of you new to this site, David was one of the original Old Blue Truck team.
December 22, 2010 in
Family Stuff, The Old Blue Truck with
Happy Christmas to all of you – from those of us downunder…
These shots were taken at the Gallery Christmas Show (my annual ‘make-a-fool-of-yourself-in-a-silly-costume’ event) - more here. And we’re starting to get quite excited about seeing you all in March. (more…)
December 1, 2010 in
Family Stuff, The Old Blue Truck with
They say that a picture is worth 1,000 words – I hope so because captions are out of the question!
November 27, 2010 in
Family Stuff, The Old Blue Truck with
David said to me yesterday that, “I am doing a lot in my old age”. This didn’t really help my general mood as I turn 59 this weekend. No longer full of the promise of youth, what is it that remains for the middle-aged who will, in normal circumstances, live for a couple more decades?
Looking back, I have not changed the world, nor did I really want to, never having been particularly idealistic without (hopefully) being too cynical. However, I still wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then! I quite like being in the present – my mother used to say to me, “then you’ll have to keep moving”! Maybe that’s what David meant and maybe that is what, he and I have in common. (more…)
November 24, 2010 in
The Old Blue Truck with
I was wandering around in Google Analytics the other day and noticed a little spike in visitations. The search string said… “Le Mans, Cafe le Tertre Rouge.” WHY, I wondered, would anyone be searching for OUR restaurant? So I Googled it… and here’s what I found… (more…)
October 10, 2010 in
The Old Blue Truck with
Florence writes…
Dear All,
Just to let you know that I’m still alive – and to explain my ‘Summer Silence!’
Kisses, Florence (more…)
October 2, 2010 in
Family Stuff, The Old Blue Truck with
David’s new toy. A Jaguar XJS Convertible V12. 1990. He sold his Reliant Scimitar GTC for exactly the same amount as he paid for the Jag! Jammy Bugger… I had several Jags during my corporate life – but never an XJS – and I can just see ME cruising through the Kent lanes in that…
September 10, 2010 in
The Old Blue Truck, Travel with
“Terrific” I said, “What’s the West Coast Trail?” And he told me – sounded just like something we would have all rushed to do… forty years ago. So I did some Googling – and started (more…)
August 31, 2010 in
The Old Blue Truck with
Our multi-talented man in The Kingdom of Kent took this delightful photograph… possibly on his way home from my favourite pub (the Duke William is diagonally opposite) – but I digress… Seems the Ickham & Well Parish Council was also impressed. They had this picture on the Home page of their website - until a few days ago – when it has been replaced by a fascinating shot of a tree stump being removed from a fence!
Never mind David – that’s why we’re involved in marketing and communications – and they’re not!
June 12, 2010 in
Family Stuff, The Old Blue Truck with
This just in from Carla – for Florence. It may be the answer to her 40 year search for the significance of Peter’s gift… Years ago, from Hong Kong, he sent her 4 wise monkeys – and she asked us to try and find the answer… Go here and scroll down.
