1) Yesterday 120 lengths (3 km) in 95 mins -- first time I've managed it within the 100 min barrier. Today a mere 1 mile (64 lengths) in just under 50 mins.
2) Sunday: despite the dodgy weather 60+ turned out for 'Palace Gates Railway' walk I suggested to Tottenham Civic Society and co-led -- principally the stretches that now run through two allotment sites, one of them ours. Railway enthusiasts waved a slim vol on the 'Palace Gates to North Woolwich Railway' by JE O'Connor, and pics in a hardback vol titled something like Old Passenger Railways. JN was hero of serving refreshments -- raised £25 for the local Save Wards Corner campaign.
3) Last week: at Norderns Ark (the Northern Ark), a conservation zoo in Sweden which focuses on breeding and re-introduction of northern temperate species. I got to go in the wolverine enclosure while they were being fed (and given their cinnamon aromatherapy fix), and since we were very good, to then go in with the otters while they played with their food. Did not go into the Amur tiger or Amur leopard enclosures while they were being fed; and 'dinner with wolves' kept the wolves on the other side of a glass-wall, though their keepers did walk among them dishing out their scraps. Lots of charming 'groda' and 'pada' (frogs and toads) in new wetland area -- all under threat from pollution, the chytrid fungus, and habitat destruction. Bronze Age rock carvings of ships just outside the zoo boundary -- where fresh water runs down to what would have been the shore of the fiord at that time. We were there as a bunch of international experts invited for a workshop on why society doesn't value nature as it should, and what role Norderns Ark could play in remedying this: discussion highlighted new parents and their babies (training and follow-up 'club' possibly including birthday books for the first 5 birthdays); Young Ambassadors scheme; and hosting key political meetings in the zoo, so politicians make decisions where they are reminded why they, and other people, actually really love nature when they encounter it (feeding them to the tigers if they make wrong decisions wasn't discussed). Special star visitors to bring in press attention were Jane Goodall (the chimp lady) and Crown Princess Victoria, whose entourage included two very impressive Arnie-Schwartzenegger look-alikes). Sure enough: double-page spread in the main Swedish newspaper on the morning we said our goodbyes.
4) Week before: Provence -- Roman remains, picturesque medieval towns, Cezanne's delightfully peaceful studio a long climb above the town centre of Aix... Must write up properly...
5) Next weekend: walking bits of Hadrian's Wall
6) Hello garden? hello allotment? First swifts spotted here last Friday. Today, about half a dozen just-fledged great tits perched fluffily gormless all around the back garden.
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