Excited! You bet your a*s!

Those of you who have read some of my posts, you will have realised that I have a real love for the city of York. I worked and lived there for about 2 years a couple of years back, and I love the whole city, it's feel, the fact that you are surrounded by history, and just the whole atmosphere. Other than a few couple of hours grabbed here and there (and to be honest it is my own fault.....it's only 35 miles away, and since I have been let go from the relationship my diary has been my own!)

There have been a number of nights out that have been arranged, but these have the tendencies of falling apart, usually as a result of a severe case of Cantbe Arseditis not just on my behalf, but unfortunately it has meant that the great nights in York, typically out at Fibbers, Bar BPM, or The Gallois! have not taken place.

Imagine my excitement however because.....Saturday night.......house party.......alcohol......halloween-ish......York night out!

Hotel room booked - City Centre York - ü
Alcohol purchased - ü
Outfit cleaned and pressed - ü

Wednesday night and everyone still up for it - ü

So I am a little bit excited!!!!!

And the fact that friends in York have just had their second baby so get a "Baby Fresh" fix before a night on the beers (okay that sounds so wrong but let me clarrify.......I love the fact that there is nothing quite like the smell of a baby......I will clarrify that again a freshly cleaned baby smell!) so I am just a little excited.

Food for the soul 2..........Whitewall

A couple of months ago, as a means of wasting a lunchtime I decided to wander around the Manchester Art Gallery which was fantastic.

Today, and again with the prospect of a wet cigarette and an expensive cup of coffee I decided to see what else was out there. I know that there are a large number of museums in the area, but many of them would take longer than the allowed 1 hour (okay so sometimes 90 minutes but don't tell anyone!) to see, and lets face it if you are going to see a museum you really want to see it all.

I know that there is another art gallery on Portland Street and intend to see this, but with other minor errands to run I knew that I would not be able to appreciate it fully. Instead, whilst walking down Deansgate/King Street I stumbled across Whitewall Galleries. Okay so it wasn't difficult at all to find, and I have walked past it a couple of times and considered going in.

Well today was the day.

I was amazed at what could be done with such a small space, and really enjoyed all the art that was on display. My favourite was a very moody sea-scape by an artist called Philip Grey, whose "Irish Storm" (I think that was what it was called although I didn't feel like I could take a picture of it or get my phone out to record the name whilst I was in the gallery!) The use of the colours made you feel like the crashing waves could flow out of the frame and soak your shoes.

Further sea-scapes by Chris and Steve Rocks were also very impressive, and if I had the odd £5,000 lying around I would have loved to have bought an oil on canvas of a wood-scape by Inam. Unfortunately I don't have that kind of cash, and even if I did there would be so many far more pressing uses for it (but it's nice to dream, and I might just have to try my luck on the lottery tonight!)

I would really recommend Whitewall Galleries, or certainly the one in Manchester. Even though I was somewhat dressed down, within 10 minutes of walking through the door I was being offered coffee, and whilst it's not somewhere you can spend hours, it is a very pleasurable way of spending 45 minutes.

My two favorite cities............one long day

Sometimes The Law has its advantages. One of them used to be the perk of client entertaining for Defendants. When you are working for a multi-million pound insurance company the benefits of client entertaining used to be massive. I have heard of trips to the Channel Islands in private jets, hot-air ballooning around the North York Moors, meals at all the best restaurants, and flights all over the world. I have to say that in the current financial climate the entertaining budgets have declined massively, and I came to the 'dark-side' only relatively recently so now it's an occasional trip to see the clients to share a limp sarnie in a Holiday Inn on the M25. (not quite as glamourous........another of those FOX lies!) 

I have to admit I don't particularly look forward to these events. There is often a lot of small talk that can be quite forced when you first meet people, but last night saw the entire team being taken down to London to drum up business from a big client. Given austerity measures this was held in a really nice Turkish restaurant behind Southwark called Ev. Whilst it was never going to be a night out with friends it was a really good night. What made it more so was that three of us were 'lucky' enough to stay down in London (we had to write why we should stay down in less than a hundred words with pictures), and appartments were booked just off Fetter Lane. The party broke up at about 11:00pm and a short journey back to the appartment and the other two went to their rooms. This left me with an opportunity to walk around one of the biggest commercial centres at night.

There was almost no-one around other than black cabs, and I had the opportunity to walk through the middle of these huge buildings, surrounded by light and almost silence, whilst around me the banks and the big legal behamoths slumbered. Whilst a social animal, I also love spending time on my own, and to find peace and tranquility in the heart of the capital was amazing, being able to walk past the historical buildings dating from between the 16th and 21st centruries, and it is one of the reasons I love London.

From London (and thanks to engineering works on the train network) for some crazy reason the quickest route back to Hull was via York, but this gave me another opportunity to spend time in York. The other city that I love (other than Hull of course!). Again a chance to walk through historic and ancient buildings and with no reason to rush to again watch the world race by whilst enjoying the peace and quite of a place I love.

Sorry no pictures cos the camera died on me, but I would have loved to share the tranquililty and emptiness of London at night (obviously just a specific part!)

Autumn

After a somewhat (unexpectedly) hectic weekend, and a full house, I decided that after a really bright and sunny day it might be a chance to escape to one of my favourite places to think and be by myself. After resolving the work and conflicts of the last few weeks there was nothing that has been specifically on my mind, but I love to just take some time out occasionally and enjoy the world around me. Beverley westwood is a quite large piece of public land, just outside Beverley (unsurprisingly) a medium sized Town a few miles away from Hull. The Westwood has previously got me through a number of relationship break-ups, job stresses and even some quite deep depressions, but it is also a place that you can enjoy the woodland and some fantastic panaroamic views.

I'm note sure if it has just been me, but although the days have obviously been getting shorter, it seemed that we maintained some of Summer. Over the last few days however, despite some sunny weather, Autumn definitely seems to have arrived.

I enjoy Autumn, although I know some people dread this time of year.

Autumn

A burnished light from sun

strikes a mist bound earth;

shines through the bronzed and scorched

halo of the trees;

preparing to shed the last vestiges of life,

to slumber for a season;

Whilst above flocks flee to their Winter's rest;

Life fleeing;

Life sleeping;

A year dying;

Hoping for re-birth

Gotta love a student!

Having been a student on a couple of times in my life I know I have done a number of crazy things in the name of joining in and team membership (from dressing up in matching floral dress with handbag and hat to singing and dancing naked in a rugby ceremony).

I currently live very close to Hull University and since the freshers have turned up there have been a large number of crazy sights that kind of take me back!

For example last night, a friend and I thought it would be a good idea to catch up. He's married witha  kid and having grown up with him (and having been his best man and dragged him round the Munich Beerfest on his stag-do!) we don't catch up as much as we used to. We thought a quiet drink at the 'Old Grey Mare' was in order only to be confronted by what seemed to be a football team (weren't big enough to play rugby!) drinking heavily and abusing the waitress who had to take plates of chips and sausages to the ingrates (again it may be a case of my upbringing but even in my worst of drunken states abusing a member of staff, female or not who was bringing you sustenance is just something you don't do!). This was added to by numerous students running in, wearing T-shirts covered in graffiti and swearing loudly (seriously is this necessary!) A decision to head on was swiftly made to be presented by a huge number of strange sights......apparently it is the new thing to dress up.....we saw groups of pirates, a bunch of naked chefs (seriously it's not that warm!)  , three legged school girls and a bunch of golfers (I'm not sure what the collective noun for a bunch of golfers is but your recommendations would be warmly welcomed!)

Tonight my sister and I decided that having looked at the television listings, a quick drink down Newland Avenue was the way to go, only to be presented by more students in more fancy dress costumes.

I cannot recall a time when I was a student when I could afford fancy dress costumes.....even though I had a job through out my degree. Our idea of fancy dress was something made at home out of paper mache, or a bad taste party which would involve a trip round the charity shop to spend less than £3 for a complete outfit (although I always rejected the idea of buying second hand pants......I think, or at least I hope it was just a Dundee thing!) but these guys seem to have the complete works from golfing plus fours to a pirate outfit that wouldn't look out of place on Kiera Knightley or Johnny Depp (okay there isn't too much to get for a naked chef......other than an apron!)

University was a place to find yourself whilst learning that money really had to be earned (I still think that a cheap box of cornflakes and a pint of milk makes a dinner for three days!). Here's hoping that they enjoy every minute!

Told you there was some bad taste going on!

Family visit - Oxford Part 3 - The Extra Factor

I am not a huge fan of the X-Factor. To be honest I cannot remember who won what, when and other than a handful of contestants I cannot really think of any who have made a real career from winning it.

I hold my hand up and admit that I will occasionally watch the first few open audition weeks, although this is typically with the same type of morbid fascination that the ancients watched gladiatorial games. It is incredible to see young Wayne, whose Mum has put him up for it and whose voice she says is that of an angel, who would only be able to hit the correct note if it was lying bleeding at his feet and he had a big shovel in his hands, and who has as much chance of hitting the charts as I have of becoming the first man to walk on the sun! But for some reason it's is almost addictive to watch these people come on and murder a song before being ripped apart by the judges on the panel. It does seem a bit sad that celebrity is something that is so desperately sought that people will willingly risk national humiliation for the chance to gain it (I know that I couldn't carry a tune even in a bucket......and therefore I would not enter myself into a singing competition!)

This weekend, my Sister, who really enjoys the X-Factor, but knowing that she was going to be sharing the TV with three rugby lads decided to make things slightly more interesting with an X-Factor drinking game. I believe she found it online, and having had a brief look I know that there are several out there all along the same lines, but the rules that we played are these:

With a TV turned onto the X-factor and a drink of your choice in hand (admittedly alcohol in our case but this is not necessarily a requisit and I certainly don't suggest or recommend drinking in excess.....even if I do tend to end up doing it!)

Everytime one of the following happens two fingers depth of drink and drunk:

• Louis Walsh mentions that Simon Cowell brought the world...........(you can choose for yourself who to suggest or just use the fact that he mentions anyone)
• Louis Walsh mentions Westlife
• Simon Cowell winks at a contestant
• A contestant describes that this is their "life dream" or that they are "going to give it their all"
• Cheryl Cole calls someone "Pet"
• That anyone of the judges uses the phrase "you owned that!"

If this was not enough you are then to "down" the drink if:

• A contestant's performance is described as karaoke
• Cheryl Cole cries
• A performance is described as the "Best performance of the night", or
• Someone utters the phrase "you are the reason that this competition exists!"

I admit that after the first few rounds we had to swiftly move on to shots as we were running out of beer, although we kept to the longer drinks for the two finger challenges.

I don't know if I enjoyed the X-factor anymore than normal, although I must admit that it did seem to go faster.

Sunday was not so much fun!

Family visit - Oxford Part 2

Whilst in Oxfordshire we decided that we would take the opportunity to visit Minster Lovell Hall, now in ruins, about 10 miles from my Sister's house (well I say we.......some of the guys decided to stay at home and watch Welsh rugby and drink beer, but five of us went!)

We are hugely lucky in the UK to have ruins just literally lying around the place! They are usually really well kept by English Heritage and are always really interesting. I love the feel of old ruins and the places area always hugely atmospheric.

Minster Lovell Hall was given to the Lovel family by Henry I prior to 1124, passing through a succession of Lovels until John Lovel (d. 1310) was created first Lord Lovel.

After the Battle of Bosworth it was passed to the uncle of Henry VII but the Hall as ruined was built in the 1430s on the foundations of an older house, although nothing beyond foundations remain to the east, where accommodation chambers may have been sited.

The atmosphere was quite strange and apparently it is the home to two ghosts. The first is supposedly of Lord Lovel, who was said to have been hiding in a secret room when the servant who knew the location of the room died suddenly. The story is that workman later found the room where they found his skeleton sitting at a desk with his dog and a book in his hand. On opening the room everything fell to dust and his voice is apparently heard around the stones at night.The other is that of the Mistletoe Bride who whilst playing hide and seek with her groom, hid in a chest and got trapped. She is apparently seen climbing an no longer existing stair case. I didn't see any ghosts, but it was a very nice, but atmospheric place.

 

 

 

Such a cutie!

I did try and find the Mistletoe Bride or at least the missing staircase.

Richard, Jess, Bex and the Sopharola!

Another of the possible missing staircases

Family visit - Oxford Part 1

I think I have probably mentioned that my Sister and my little Niece moved down to Oxfordshire so that they could live with her husband who is in the RAF. They moved a couple of months ago, and although my parents and other sister had been down to see them, I have always been away, or busy or just not around, and so this was the first time that I have had a chance to see them and their house in what has seemed a really long time. So Sister I and I headed down from Hull, whilst her boyfriend and my half sister headed up from down South.

 

I have to say that the house was beautiful (well bungalow!) and although a Friday afternoon drive was hell (well it was the M1, followed by the M40 which at about 4.30 on a Friday afternoon was never going to be an exactly fun journey, but 45 minutes to do about 5 miles really did seem like it was taking the biscuit.....god bless loud music, nicotine and caffeine drinks.) We all arrived at about 7pm and got to catch up on what was happening in everyones' lives, who was seeing whom, how work was going, and where the short future was taking us (oh and maintained the family drinking tradition.....I should be able to update you further on this in Part 3 with a fantastic game!)

Saturday saw us taking my Niece, with my Brother in Law, and Brother outlaw, to a fantastic park just outside Carterton (a brisk walk of about 5 - 6 miles, which was really nice to get out of the house whilst the ladies organised things - Jess took her bike, although very much like her Mum who would insist her bike on any walk, and after about 200m decide that she didn't want to ride, but rather my Dad would have to carry the bike and give her a shoulder carry!)

I remember parks when I was a kid.....there was invariably a couple of broken swings, a slide with something smeared along its length, a see-saw and a roundabout with metal surrounds (I loved that.....is it just me and my friends who used those to see how fast we could get someone else to vomit?) typically covered in empty beer/cider cans, various items of clothing and pages from those top shelf magazines. My "old" parks would not even stand next to this one......a sandpit with cranes and a bucket and pulley system, two sunken trampolines, numerous swings of varying designs, an adventure playground that would have put the US Marines training grounds and the Krypton Factor's assualt course to shame, numerous slides, and a roundabout that looked like a cross between an IKEA table and the Travelator from Gladiators.

After a couple of hours of playing (I mean looking after Jess whilst she played) we headed back to a lunch that the wonderful ladies had prepared (we did treat them for their kindness later with boxes of chocolates and fizzy wine!). We did spend the afternoon either sitting watching rugby or out at Minster Lovell Manor, details of which I will bore you with tomorrow, but in the meantime I enclose a couple of photos of Jess, who is a wonderful bright spot in our life, enjoying her bike!

The trials of Trial

I am quite fortunate that Clinical Negligence litigation is rarely taken to Court......a process that usually involves a huge amount of work, time and pressure, as well as anxiety for both you and your Client.

Tuesday saw the start of a two day trial in Middlesbrough at which I was representing my client (okay I was there to provide mutual support for my client, whilst the Barrister and our instructed expert really presented the case!)

The work on this file started 2 years ago, but the significant preparations for the trial started on Monday last week, with endless reviews of the evidence, the file and the papers to ensure that everything was ready, followed by repeated telephone calls to the client, the barrister, the expert and the insurers to ensure that everyone who needed to be there would be at Court at the right time (and at the right Court......it has happened before when you are sitting outside the Court waiting for someone to turn up to find that they are at another Court.....fortunately it wasn't me!). This in turn leads to endless sleepless nights, whilst your mind runs through all the evidence and options in your head (and I have to say the repeated questionning of whether it would all work!)

Days extend to 18 or 20 hours and even the weekend was given over to working. So Monday came round and it was agreed that I would travel up to.......wait for it.......Middlesbrough! (and who says that we don't get to see some exciting places!) The day didn't start well missing the bus, meant that I missed the train to Manchester, but after some panic and a lot of running around I managed to make it.....to find that the expert could find a medical model, so some more running round and a dash down to the medical department at Manchester University.......(Yay! I now have a model of a human eye! Doesn't everyone need that?) but everything back on track. An easy journey back home to head towards Middlesbrough at about 5.30pm. How could things go wrong?

Well:

1. Definite need for petrol sees a stop over at a petrol station, where the pump attendant points to my car and asks "what the liquid pouring out from under the engine was?"
2. Ahhhhh the radiator! Is there a serious leak? Can I fix it?
3. Limp out of the petrol station to a nearby carpark and open the bonnet! - The radiator hose clip has corroded through - re-attach the hose, pour 3 litres of fluid into it and limp down to a nearby car shop.
4. Spend the next 45 minutes under the car, getting covered in coolant trying to get a clip onto the radiator hose..........

So what was intended to be a relaxed evening, possibly visiting the gym and the pool at the hotel, maybe a meal and a few drinks before an early night in preparation for an early start on Tuesday......turned into an extended night, a rush to the hotel and a quick pint in the hotel bar before bed (to be honest it was never going to be a relaxing drink......it was one of those places where the bar goes silent as you enter.....hmmmm a quickie and then quick retreat to the room!)

Tuesday dawns......not too much sleep.....next door seems to have been at it all night, well certainly from the noise of head-boards! Lucky gits - not at all jealous!!! but off to Court. Found the court.....not too difficult, and ready to go. Actually the first day went really quite well, although you never really want to believe it cos this tends to go horrendously wrong the next day, but a meal with the Barrister, expert and client, put the mind at ease, and everyone thought that a good night's sleep was on the books.......(of course the nerves are still there and the fact that the lucky beggars next door were still there!) so still little sleep! 

Wednesday morning and all we had to do was to get through our expert's evidence and Counsels' closing arguments and finally the judgement......fortunately after what seems to have been the longest 10 days ever, it was over. 

I have to say that Solicitors are (or at least I am) extremely superstitious. After the Monday.....hey karma can't be that cruel to someone, and on opening the bedroom curtains on Tuesday I was greeted by two magpies and another 2 sets of 2 magpies on the way to Court! (hey how much more luck do you need? - And Tuesday really did seem to go well!) Not to be undone, this morning found another two magpies sitting outside my window, and being superstitious on went another white shirt, the same cufflinks, the same tie, even the same socks (although not the same pants!).

It must have worked because thankfully the Judge found for us, and we had won. This is not really something that you jump around and celebrate, with the other party still in court, but there is definitely a massive release of tension, and relief for your client. After 3 years working on the file it all ends with handshakes and thanks, and it's over.

Having watched Kavannagh QC (think that's how it's spelt) or Rumpole of the Bailey I have to say that like Ali McBeal going to court is nothing like how it's represented on telly, it is not quite as glamorous and there is a whole lot of sitting around waiting usually in dingy little rooms without natural light. 

Manchester Legal Walk - Part 2!

The overall plan of action......note lots and lots (and lots) of really pointless turns!

 I would like to thank those of you who left their views on the what to wear on our round Manchester ramble (although unfortunately I was advised that for legal reasons......and my future employability......I would not be allowed to walk round Manchester in a Mankini! - I also didn't realise that our little wander would take us down Canal Street!)

The start point, just outside the Crown Court

We managed to set off from the Corwn Court at about 5.30pm, and managed to complete the 10 km in just under an hour and a half.....quite a respectable time I thought.


The weather over the week before had been less than condusive for a ten kilometre walk but we were promised sunny spells, and that was what we got.

Chapel Street

More Chapel Street (I think!)



Blackfriars Road

Like the Toad Trail, it was actually really nice to spend an hour (well okay an hour and an half after work walking round, with little to worry about, other than working out which road we had to take, or who were we following!)
Within the first ten minutes the 27 of us who were doing the walk had managed to spread out along the route, well not the whole route as there would have definitely been something wrong with that, but it ended up walking and chatting to friends as we wandered round and the weather was really nice, and the whole atmosphere was very friendly.

Victoria Street towards the Manchester Cathedral

 

The front of Manchester Cathedral

Thomas Street

Portland Street



More Portland Street

 

Princess Street - Towards the Manchester Art Gallery



St Peter's Square - still with the security barriers from the Labour Convention

I really enjoyed it and it was fantastic to see places that I had probably seen, but never noticed, and through areas that I had no idea existed.

With some crazily long legs and a real enjoyment of walking it was not long until my friends and I ended up at the front of the pack (although we were really following another team from another legal firm) so the pressure to correctly read the directions was never going to be too onerous.

Manchester Central Library

Manchester Town Hall - sorry about the blurry photo

Cross Street

Just under the 90 minutes after we started, we crossed the finish line, aptly at the door of the Ha Ha Bar. Somehow, although taking the lead after about 20 minutes, there were at least 10 people from our team were already there (work that one out if you can!) Unfortunately the guy who had the free drinks vouchers was somewhere with the back group (and who hadn't taken that magic turn to get to the bar early!)

Within about 10 minutes the rest of the our team arrived, and a free drink (or two or more for those of us who didn't have to then race for a train!) but it was well worth it and we raised £775 for Charity, so a good eveing.

New Quay Street

Bar Ha Ha

A well deserved free drink!

P.S. I'm sorry about the quality of some of the photographs, but a cheap camera that I could walk around with.