sticks and stones

At least the two sets of parents are getting on. The mothers discuss a range of subjects of which I have so far overheard none and the fathers (pictured... see if you can guess which one is mine...) have spoken of motor cars, crime and local government that I can remember. The three hundred and twenty miles and disinclination to understand IM between them means that they're unlikely to fraternise too often without prior arrangement but at least if they do we can probably fret easily knowing that they don't massively disike each other.

Neither of them are blippers either. In a way it's a shame but in another way it's quite handy, not least when both of them are attempting to take a picture of me. I wasn't being rude and sitting apart from them - they had foolishly sat down in a sunny little parklet so I was sensibly resting beneath a tree to protect my delicate and passty necks and forehead from the nasssty sun. Another possible advantage of the various degrees to which they find the internet and digital image manipulation a mystery is that they might not secrets of the innermost workings of their minds to one another via the strange candour of the blog.

Not exactly sure if I'd recommend Harrogate as an holiday destination but we got a good deal with the hotel and are within easy bus/car/cycle/foot reach of a range of popular and exciting tourism destinations suitable for codgers and youngsters alike. Today we went to Ripley Castle and Gardens, omitting the Castle to just wander round the Gardens getting sunburnt necks and pictures of leaves, ducks, plants and people which I shall FTP upwards when I get back home. For some reason everyone decided to go to a Fish and Chippery for the evening meal... not exactly my cup of tea (fish are EVIL NASSTY SMELLY SLIMY DISGUSTING things) but my steak was reasonably accurately cooked and the bill was £60 less than yesterday's fancier food (and the floor of the restaurant as much more level, too).

Secondary Purpose postponed until tomorrow...