JORVIK VIKING FESTIVAL 2025

orvik Viking Festival, Europe's premier Viking event, has become a cherished annual tradition for us. Having attended for the past three years, Morticia and I were excited to delve deeper into the festivities this year with an extended two-night visit. 

THE END OF LIVE CYCLING...

ne thing everyone knows about me is that I love cycling. I'm on my bike most days, and the Grand Tours are a sacred event. The thrill of the race, the beauty of the course, the sheer grit of the riders – it's pure theatre. The Tour de France, a free-to-air treasure in the UK since the 80s, has always been accessible to everyone. But the curtain is about to fall.

AWKWARDLY SOCIAL

oneliness is a significant and often overlooked challenge in today's society. Many individuals find themselves increasingly isolated, with social interaction primarily occurring through digital devices. While technology offers connectivity, it can't fully replicate the richness of face-to-face human interaction.

However, real-world engagement is essential for our well-being. The disconnect from genuine human contact can leave many feeling ill-equipped to navigate social situations and cope with the demands of interpersonal relationships.

THE GATE-KEEPERS

ocial media has undeniably become a cornerstone of modern life, offering both significant advantages and potential drawbacks. On the positive side, it facilitates connections between loved ones separated by distance and fosters communities around shared interests. However, the platform also harbours its share of negativity. 

Online bullies, known as trolls, inflict emotional distress, while phishers exploit the digital realm to deceive and defraud users. Moreover, the rise of 'gate-keepers' — individuals or entities who  attempt to control, manipulate and suppress.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2025

appy New Year. 2025 is here, we are a quarter a way through the century. Time is something that rages past and we can't control the speed in which it travels.

So, Yule is almost over for another year and soon "normality" will return.

THE CAPTAIN'S YULETIDE MESSAGE

ule is a special time, a moment of peace and reflection that transcends beliefs and means so much to so many. The world continues with its wars and the disasters continue it’s important to cherish the simple joys of life whilst the rich still seem bent on destruction for their own benefit.

So whilst the King is waffling on on the telly I get to deliver my message to the world.

YULE LOVE THIS...

ell I’m shaking things up a bit here! While the subject matter will remain the same — after all, this is my blog — I’m looking to freshen up the delivery. I’m happy with the overall look of the site, but it needs a jolt to rekindle my interest.

So, before we dive into this post, what do you think of the new medieval-style graphic?

2412.03 LIGHT AT THE END OF THE BEGINNING

In my previous post I mentioned a few things about the last few months which have been a whirlwind of challenges, testing our resilience as a family. From unexpected family issues to car troubles and a broken television, life seemed to conspire against us.

2409.16 THUNDERCLIFFE

This post has been in limbo for such a long time. Stress, family & work issues and illness have held me back. Now this post is a little redundant as it was supposed to be about somewhere I visited back in September. 

2409.16 FIRST HOLIDAY

Because Rags couldn't come along in May we organised a return (which we took last week). This makes this trip my Grandson's first proper holiday. I'm proud that his first holiday was in a place that is so special to all of us.