ok this is an experiment. I am updating this from my phone as we are driving. It is pretty slow and arduous. I am going to do the same update in a minute using qik so it will be on the right of the home page. Let me know which method of updating you prefer and why! Right lets get filming.

Well the last few weeks have been really busy for me. Having a broken arm has given me the time to work on my portfolio and apply for lots of jobs. It looks likely that I will be working in London soon and commuting everyday which will give me lots of train time, so maybe this site will get some attention who knows.

Our vegetables are doing really well. We had some courgettes the other day:

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A bit funny looking but they tasted ok.

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Been going on some walks.

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Also we are moving house soon, so I have been clearing out the garage. There are my digging shoes from the last 3 years!

Going away tomorrow so no updates for the next week. Enjoy the weather!

I was on Radio 4 on Saturday morning. On this show. You can listen to it here. Fast forward to to 10:55.

They were interested in this idea.

UPDATE: The BBC delete podcasts after a week. You can download the file with this link:

iPM – 25th July 2008

On Wednesday night I fell off my bike. This happens fairly frequently, but on this occasion something about the way that I landed meant that both of the bones in my right arm snapped. I wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary, it was just one of those things.

Luckily for me Tom and Nigel were on hand to sort me out. I couldn’t move at all because my wrist was moving independently of my elbow and the bones would have poked out of the skin. This was the most painful thing I have ever felt, by a long way. I can’t describe how bad the pain was, but I was making horrible noises and shaking and shivering. The paramedics came in about 20 minutes which was quick considering where we were and gave me gas and air. That is good stuff.

To cut a long story short I have 2 plates in my arm and a cast for the next few months. The nurses at Ashford hospital did a really good job and I am so grateful for the NHS, and all the people who helped me. I can’t imagine how bad it would have been if I had been alone, (especially as my phone gets no signal at the trails).

I don’t want to ride with plates in my arm, especailly with what happened to Tim, so I think it will be 2 or 3 years before I am back on a bike, but I do hope to ride again one day. I am sure you will see me at the woods before then with my camera anyway!

I don’t want loads of sympathy or anything, I know this is a risk I took every time I rode my bike. I am just grateful for the 6 years riding I have enjoyed and all the good memories. Don’t take it for granted.

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Let me explain what is going on here. I am sitting in my garden working on my laptop. This is my new office. The laptop gets internet access from the wireless connection in my house, and the headphone are getting music from the transmitter on my hifi. The music comes from the internet through last.fm. Technology is pretty amazing.

Also in the picture you can see the courgette, strawberry, chili, carrot and tomato plants we are growing. Free food!

There are some more pictures of July in the garden.

The other day I woke up to this sight. Someone had cut down two trees right next to my car. I was pleased that the car was ok, but I needed to leave and there were 2 trees blocking my way.

The trails have been really quiet this week. Riding by yourself is not ideal but its better than not riding at all. When you have 10 lines to choose from you have to choose carefully, as there’s not time to water all 10. Today I rode 3 different lines. Tomorrow I can probably ride 3 others. There’s so much fun to be had at the trails. Just wish there were more people to share it with.

Saltash trails look like nothing I have ever seen:

Todays topic for discussion is quality over quantity. This was raised when I thought about how some people manage to update their website everyday, and I don’t. There are a few reason for this. One is that some days I haven’t taken any pictures. Another is that sometimes I am very busy. But this got me thinking, should I be doing updates often and not worrying too much about how good they are, or should I just do good stuff and have it more spaced out. Not really sure.

Tonight I went to the trails and got heckled by some kids, so we embarrassed them by showing them how weak they were by their inability to push a wheelbarrow. I didn’t take any pictures (again) which is pretty terrible, but I had a good ride.

Then when I got home I played the piano for about an hour which was just so fun. I love playing the piano it might even be more fun than riding. I just wish I had more time to do everything I want to do.
Well one of the things I want to do is sleep, so I am going to do that next. Goodnight.

The wife told me the guestbook was rubbish, so I brought back the old one.

Also, I made a links page. I went through the old links page and it’s amazing how many sites have died. Most of the sites on the link page now have been around for ages, but the new ones seem to come and go a lot.

I have just moved to a new server so everything is a little strange. I will be doing little changes here and there and bringing the old stuff over slowly. Let me know if you have any problems…

Sorry I haven’t updated in so long. I have been sort of working 2 jobs and then doing 2/3 hours a night at the trails too which doesn’t leave a lot of time for this thing.

I am planning on making some changes to the site, as it’s been like this for way too long. I have some ideas myself, but I would really like some suggestions from people who use it (if there is anyone!). Any contributions you make will be greatly appreciated. Tell me what you don’t like, what should be changed, what do you want more of, what do you want less of, draw me a picture, or anything. Thank you!

Oh you can  write on the guestbook or email me; ben at scruffian dot com…