This year’s big work about the house was to build a woodshed as last winter saw us woefully unprepared. We had the wood but because there was nowhere to cut, chop and stack it, my sons and I had had to go out in literal blizzards to chainsaw metre-long logs, then chop them on an […]

It wouldn’t be summer without a 13 hour drive to the Croatian coast. This year we booked an apartment directly on the sea in Šparadići near Grebaštica, Central Dalmatia. It wasn’t our usual sort of place (there were actually people nearby) but I was pleasantly surprised. Plus, after a month of building a gazebo and a woodshed […]

My daughter wanted to see Hallstatt in Austria so we booked a hotel in the Alps and, following a week’s break by the sea in Croatia, made a 12-hour drive through Slovenia and via the incredible Loblipass to Tauplitzalm above Bad Mittendorf. At 1650 metres (5413 feet) above sea level, we were woefully unacclimatized to our […]

Yesterday was the first day without rain over the Easter period so I took the opportunity to go out for a ride on Scarlet, my BMW F650GS. I didn’t go too far as I’m still running the engine in after a long cold winter. I went to the Valley of Death, scene of the biggest […]

Yesterday was a very, very, very long day but pretty damned cool. I travelled in a minibus across the entire breadth of Slovakia with several other members of Tilters Motorcycle Club to attend the Motocykel & Boat Show 2018 at Incheba EXPO Bratislava. We left at 0630 on the Saturday morning and got back at […]

Spring is on the horizon so today we went to the house to check the water situation. We switched off the mains supply over a month ago, before the temperature plummeted to minus 20, and we left the taps open. Unfortunately, the tap in the bath was dripping, although we have no idea why. Fast […]

I really didn’t think I would paint this year but after seeing a stunning abstract in a restaurant the other day I was inspired to do one. It’s acrylic, rather than my usual oil, and the canvas is 100 by 70cm. It’s entitled “Only Natural”. I hadn’t planned on doing so but maybe I’ll think […]

Today I fulfilled an ambition I’ve had for several years – to get a tattoo of Mr Benn. He has been a great inspiration to how I live my life. Sadly, he is a neglected aspect of my childhood as, compared to modern cartoons, the artists who drew him were graphically challenged (and animatorily challenged). […]

Last night, my wife and I went to Presov to an informal drinks-and-chat with His Excellency the British Ambassador to Slovakia, Andrew Garth, arranged by the Honorary Consul, Simon Lambourne. The do was held at Double Tiffany’s restaurant (which I would heartily not recommend), and a handful of other ex-pats and their wives attended. The […]

On October41th I had the vernissage of my Skin on Skin exhibition at the Saris Museum in Bardejov, Slovakia. Originally, I was supposed to have it in February 2018 but following a cancellation, they asked me if I could hold it sooner. Because of this I had to abandon work on several paintings due to […]