Cambridge Islay and Jaid

Jaid is now back from the vet resplendent with a smart but huge bandage on her front left dog foot. She is able to walk but it looks funny and sounds strange too.

The Cambridge beer festival was a well run and large event with around 170 ales on draft but the cider bar attracted my a tension mainly because of one ‘appley concoction that had been aged in a whisky cask, it was 7.5% but went down like apple juice and was simply lovely.

I’m off to Yorkshire later on today and Jaid is staying with June and James over the next week as Clare and I travel.

Our travel arrangements are now in place for Islay and we have decided to fly in both directions. It would have been nice to take the coach and ferry over to the island but it’s a 7 hour journey from Glasgow so we have knocked it on the head for this time at least. We are doing the Caledonian sleeper train in both directions and will take some time in Glasgow to chat with friends in the wonderful rollicking city.

Jaid, Islay and other bits

Jaid’s off back to the vets today for an x-ray and possible small operation to remove what ever is actually still in her little foot, I really hoped all this was over but sadly not. The little furry bugger started to limp again yesterday in the middle of London.

I went over to Epsom on Tuesday evening and had a few beers with Andrew and it was a cracker of an evening. A healthy slug of Highland Park 12 capped it all off in fine style.

Yesterday night was also enjoyable at the Dove beer festival. They had around 70 beers on all of which were in fine fettle, well the ones I tried anyway.

Chris and I are off to the Cambridge beer festival this evening and then I’ll be in the office on Friday for a sight village meeting.

I have our accommodation booked now for Islay and we’re staying at the Lochindaal hotel in Port Charlotte, more on this as we make arrangements.

Keysoft 7.5 B29 online soon

HumanWare is pleased to announce the release of KeySoft 7.5 Build 29 for the BrailleNote
family of products. These revisions to KeySoft are available at no charge or SMA
count to current KeySoft 7.5 users.

Build 29 contains 4 user improvements:
1. mPower now supports Wig-If 802.11 g protocol: A driver has been included to support
the later model Ambicom WL54G Wi-Fi card. This card is more readily available than
the currently supported Ambicom WL1100C. The US Robotics Wireless MAXg USB Adapter
USR5421 is also supported.
2. Appointment Scheduling: The error associated with scheduling an appointment to
a date other than the current day has been fixed. This previously generated an error
saying that the entered date needed to be after 1601.
3. USB Device Identification: The problem causing some USB and CD ROM drives to be
incorrectly identified as printers has been corrected.
4. Words Added to Spelling Dictionary: Depending on the choice of braille table,
words added to the spell checker were not being retained, so appeared as spelling
errors on future spell checks. This has been corrected.
We encourage existing mPower KeySoft 7.5 Users to take advantage of these free improvements
as the Development Team continues working on implementing the exciting new features
of a new KeySoft release for fall 2008.
The version will be available for download from our web site by Thursday May 22nd.

Sunshine and Escape

Clare and I had a lovely time last weekend. Friday saw us
enjoying a pint or two in the Dove before going to the Royal
India for a very good meal. On getting back home I was tired so
went to bed.

After a bit of a late start on Saturday we walked in to town and
once more investigated the Dove but sadly the beer choice was not
up to the standard I'm used to because they are having a beer
festival this week so the idea was to run down the selection of
ales a bit before it's starts this Wednesday when around 70 beers
and ciders will be on offer.

We then toddled off to Wilcos for a few bits and then it was the
bus home and some tv watching and malt slurping.

COLIN took us to Tesco on Sunday and then we had a bbq which was
a success, so much so that we are going to invest in a really
good charcoal burning one which should last us a good few years.
With the new table and other garden bits we've ordered I'm sure
Ellenbrook will become a nicer place to live.

I went into london on Monday for work and am on the train at the
moment preparing for some braille tuition at the office. This
week will find me at the office on Thursday and Friday but I'll
be back at home tonight because of an appointment in Grenich on
Wednesday.

I've got the urge to go over to Islay in June so I'm trying to
sort it out at the moment. It will be smashing to get back to
the piece and salty air of this most amazing of places if I can
find some digs for the busy june holiday season. We are probably
going to travel over on the berry rather than flying this time.
We may even take the sleeper train out of London to Glasgow
something that neither of us have done before.

traveling

I’m glad to report that Jaid’s vet has given her the all clear so I’ll probably take her out for a walk today if the precipitation stops. Still it does clean up the air, it’s been very hot over the last two weeks and I’ve enjoyed the sun.

Clare and I have purchased one of those garden tables with a bench at each side for outside our little dwelling so next time we get some sun we should be ready for it. It’s proper pub style and I can already feal the pints flowing down on those barmy summer evenings I’m sure we’ll get this year.

Next week will be a busy one with work and the one after equally packed with travel but of a holiday type nature. We’re off to my parents for a few days, then over to March to relax, eat and use the Jim and then it’s Dave and Emma’s in the lovely city of Worcester for a little feed and drink.

Work have given me the opportunity to go over to represent them at the World Blind Union conference held in August over in Zurich Switzerland and I’m pleased and looking forward to it immensely.

It should be a quiet weekend as we’ve nothing planned but I think a trip over to the Dove may be in order some time today.

Royal India - Ipswich

Royal India Ipswich

I’m afraid that I can’t remember much about my first visit to this newly opened establishment as the exertions over the bank holiday weekend had taken it out of me but Clare and I returned last Friday.

The restaurant is opposite the railway station and actually shares floor space with the Station Hotel pub.

The food is of a high standard with the various dishes nicely and variously spiced, fluffy breads and good Smokey sweet DHALL SAMBER.

It’s also possible to bring real ale in from the pub to quash the hot flames of those fiery dishes and the hops in my spitfire did this rather well.

Service was good and the staff suggestions welcome, they also have an accessible menu on the restaurant’s web page which is linked above. I’d highly recommend this restaurant to anyone near Ipswich station or who wants to try a well priced and reasonable quality within the Ipswich area, especially if you like a drop of ale with your spicy fix.

Station Hotel - Burrell Road - Ipswich - IP2 8AJ
01473 691737
OPENING HOURS
Mon to Sun Lunch Time - 12noon to 2pm
Evening Time - 5pm until Midnight
Open 7 days a week Including Bank Holidays

Hot May Tuesday

Just a quick update as it’s all I’ve really got time for.

Jaid’s out of action for a few days with a recurring grit in the foot problem but the quacks are on to it as it were so I’m working my way around with a cane for a bit.
It’s Clare’s birthday today so we’re off out tonight for a Chinese with her parents.

We went to Bressingham last week for a day in the sun with those of the cast of Dad’s army who’re still able to talk and write, plus we went on a small gage steam train which Malone disliked so much he jumped off Indiana dog and the temple of bones style.

I’ve opened up a Springbank 1997 10 year old vintage which I’ll make notes on later on this week. I also cracked a few other older bottles but won’t blog about those as I’ve decided only to create whisky notes about those bottlings still available should you wish to find them.

The new Def Leppard cd “songs from the sparkle lounge” is out and getting regular spins on the stream as is the new White Snake cd “good to be bad”. I’m also impressed at the moment by the latest effort from Karine Polwart “this earthly spell”

I’ve been making tangible progress at losing a few pounds over the last week or two and keeping off the beer during the week and I’m walking much more and riding the exercise bike which is all jolly nice in an aren’t I good kind of way. I’ve still had a few beers or more than a few at the weekend and I enjoy a dram most week nights.

The real ales available near me in Ipswich are getting better with the Kingfisher offering two including Adnams Best and the Station Hotel serving a verry good pint of Spitfire plus Adnams. Even the Belsted Arms across the road should be adding an ale or two soon so I may pop in on Friday to check it out.