biffa'sblog

2009-09-21T00:32:00.002+09:00

Just testing whether I can access Youtube vids embedded into blogger at school. Youtube has been blocked by Netlinc and as such restricts the use of some great resources. This vid could take part in a topic lesson on Africa. I will check to see if I can run it tomorrow.

Garden Update

2009-07-05T05:12:00.011+09:00

ニンニクを収穫した！！　新鮮なニンニクは特に強いです。口が大変臭いよ。サヤインゲンはみるみる成長している。サヤエンドウは来週から収穫だ黄色のズッキーニーは緑のほうより遅いんだけど綺麗なんだ。彰ちゃんはのんびりだね。ブロコリーと黒フサスグリとラズベリーとイチゴとズッキーニ手つくりジャムです。畑の上の空だ。

The next big one

2009-06-26T17:42:00.002+09:00

I'm training again, clocking up about 27 miles a week. I had a difficult time after the Paris marathon with a lack of motivation to run and energy levels flagging. I've recovered fairly well now, though my performance is not quite what it was like three or four months ago.The reason for the continued training is straight forward: I have another big goal. The next big thing is this:Iwaki

Garden shots

2009-06-24T05:55:00.005+09:00

トマトちゃんはもう何個も咲いています。The toms are growing in numbers and I'm starting to lick my lips every time I walk in the greenhouse. That pesky mole better keep his wits at a safe distance because I won't tolerate any more attacks. If he such as lays one small digging claw on their roots I shall have no option than to resort to firm measures. Mole, if you're reading this, you've been warned!!ブロッコリーはあと二週間で食

New camera and new fruit

2009-06-14T05:20:00.009+09:00

We've had a spring clean in the Winn household this week. Out with the old and in with the new: laptop, camera, strawberries, tomatoes, raspberries, broccoli and one wild mushroom.The evidence is clear:This literally popped up overnight. It wasn't there yesterday, but stands at 6-7" this evening. Don't know what it is, and there's no way I'd eat it lest it send me crazy.Only about a week to go

Another garden post

2009-05-26T00:08:00.020+09:00

This blog may yet become more monothematic than it was when I was climbing Iwaki every weekend. The pass time in question is gardening. No, I should say hardcore gardening. Yep, gardening has gotten wild up at Canwick plots with no end of cut-throat action and drama. Read on for details.P.S. I have to practise my Japanese for mingling with the in-laws this summer, hence the funny writing below

Blood on my Spade

2009-05-10T23:14:00.006+09:00

Pak Choi, poorly grown.I had a new experience today. I intentionally killed an animal for the first time in my life. It gave me a desperate feeling that I don't want to experience again.Garlic, growing well despite the rich soil.I've been successful lately, with the mole traps that we put down, and there had been three clean trappings prior to this morning. I was really fuming though because the

Paris Marathon and Beyond

2009-04-23T05:08:00.003+09:00

Well, I did it. I managed to complete my first marathon, in a time that I am very pleased with. I haven't really been running much since the race, mainly because of this chesty cold that I have right now, but also because I thought I'd give myself a rest in the meantime. The meantime being until my next big run that is. I have marked my sights on a non-competitive goal for my next big run. It

Training Update

2008-10-10T06:20:00.002+09:00

Well, it wasn't to be on Sunday. I planned, as you'll likely remember from my previous post, to run a 23m extension of my usual route down the river. It was tough from the outset, so I trimmed it down a bit and did 18m instead. I did the following route:It didn't go quite so smoothly as the time I ran this distance before, and I'm not sure why. Maybe something to do with

Running for a reason

2008-10-03T15:18:00.005+09:00

Just to let those people who still occasionally read this blog know, I'm raising money for a leading UK cancer charity called Cancer Research UK. Through participating in two running races - the Hastings Half Marathon in March 2009, and the Paris Marathon three weeks later - I'm hoping to raise as much money as possible for a charity that is important to everybody in some way or another. My

1st Anniversary and Mablethorpe Half Marathon, and Cornwall 初めてのハーフマラ

2008-09-16T05:45:00.013+09:00

Just the shots, not a great deal of commentary. Apart from my 1hr 34min finish in the half marathon yesterday!!Just a note about this guy next to me. He has run 450 marathons/ultra-marathons and his mate has run over 270. They're legends in my book. It's funny, looking back at this shot I realise that I didn't even ask him if it was ok to take one in the first place. I think I know what he might

Ii nagama naa

2008-07-14T21:03:00.002+09:00

I made this short clip for Aki. Private joke, long-running. This mountain range is one of many in Niigata, where Aki's sister lives. The mountain I just summited was called ....... well I've forgotten now but it wasn't the one I aimed to climb. I wanted to climb one of the hyakumeizan mountains but there was a bit of a balls up in the organising side of things. Not to worry, I've still got plenty

Japan Trip

2008-06-21T06:34:00.009+09:00

Yes, me and the missus went back to Japan for a three week trip this year in May. We had a wonderful time, and I've gathered some shots here to share with those few people who still check this blog. To summarise, we first arrived in Tokyo and spent a night there, waking early and heading out to Tsukiji fish market before getting the Shinkansen up to Aomori. We stayed in Hirosaki at Aki's mum's

My first 10 K

2008-04-23T02:24:00.004+09:00

Since returning to the UK I've had to substitute the lack of climbing I can do here with another less interesting, but altogether satisfying sport, which is running. It's not only a substitute for sports inaccessible to me now, it's also an incentive for me to continue with my abstinence towards smoking. Yep, it's been a year since I last sparked up and I now feel that I can give myself a good

Long needed update

2007-12-06T17:39:00.000+09:00

日本人の読者は英語の勉強として読んで下さい。時間が少なくて英語しか書けないからね。番長，これ読んだらもうちょっとで写真を送って上げるよ。I know it's as if this webblog has long ben defunct and out of use, but my excuse is that a lot has been happening since the last update. Aki and I are now married, which took place on the 15th Sept of this year. It was a good day with lunch at a nice restaurant on Steep Hill after the ceremony and a barbeque in the evening at

More Sun in Lincolnshire

2007-08-06T18:19:00.000+09:00

More sun, but more importantly than that I had a birthday and got myself some new runners. You may not be aware, but I've got pretty keen on running lately, and I'm doing quite a bit of off-road/cross country stuff. The shoes I'm sporting in this shot are Asics Moriko, and they did me proud yesterday when we went to the beach for the day. I went running southwards along the Lincolnshire coastline

Sunny Lincolnshire

2007-08-01T20:16:00.000+09:00

Coming back from Pleasley Vale.There are three or four different power stations lined up along the Lincolnshire Trent river. From certain viewpoints you can see them all. I could see just two from this layby between Tuxford and Darlton. Aki says that days like this one in Lincolnshire remind her of the Simpsons. Aki's trying to ignore my lens, walking back along the peer at Skegness. Skegness can

Pleasley Vale のクライミング (this post includes weird translation)

2007-07-28T16:59:00.000+09:00

時に日本語能力のために日本語でブログにアップロードしないとだめ。すごいへんだけど読み我慢してください。I have to practice my japanese quite a bit because I want to be able to get on well with Aki's family when they come over late rthis year. After they've left I can forget all about it! 最近、クライミングに行く所はもうちょっと近くなってなかなか便利ですよ。pleasley vale といわれる岩場はかなり小さいけどオーバーハングとかいっぱいの難しいトラバースもあるから色々なチョイスですね。上の写真は、不良のクライマーと言えば。。。。この場所までは５０分，車で。ピーク国立公園に行くより３０分早い。イギリスでは

Climbing in the Peak ピーク国立公園でクライミングについて

2007-06-14T04:18:00.000+09:00

Peak grit is like nothing i've ever layed my mits on so far. Super grippy and full of volume, with the occasional crimp thrown in for good measure, the bouldering areas I've visited in the Peak have been great days out and have taught me just how weak a climber I still am. ピーク国立公園の岩場は厳しいぜ。でも，とても楽しいです。A huge garden of boulders. でかい石のある庭。Another great thing about the Peak is that you climb in the

クライミング

2007-05-06T04:31:00.000+09:00

イギリスに戻ってからクライミングできる所を見つけるのは難しいです。僕の出身は平たいから岩場絶対ないね。嫌だよ！！でも、リンカーン市から近い都市で面白くてラットみたいな屋内のクライミング場あるのでそこに行く。ここだ：毎週１回しかそこのクライミング場に行けないから、自分の壁を建てたいです。もと近くに自分で壁を作れば安いんだと思う。ガソリンとかで一回分は二千円だからね。作ってから写真をブログにつける。次は、伯父さんの車だ。こっちはRadicalという車だ。伯父さんはスポーツカー馬鹿なんでやっぱりこういう速度早い車がある。乗るのは怖いですよ！！！最後に、僕も伯父さんになった。ラストの写真はグレースイーファウイン。可愛いでしょ？でも毎晩彼女がすごく泣いて大変ですよ！！

The change: what's going on.

2007-04-22T02:01:00.000+09:00

This was taken on my last visit to Mt. Iwaki just before I left Hirosaki earlier this month. I knew I wouldn't summit the old girl, but I wanted to get to at least the Devil's Ring before turning back. The Devil's Ring is the most photographic spot on the mountain in my opinion. I didn't feel too sentimental that day. I really didn't feel like it'd be my last encounter up there. A couple of days

The Engagement Party

2007-03-27T13:26:00.000+09:00

The Kudos. Sunday was a brilliant day and everything turned out better than I'd expected. The sun came out in spring fashion at around noon which meant that folks could head outside. Aki wearing her kimono, and a very geisha-like pose.The party wasn't as tense as I thought it would be, and there was plenty of time for people to eat and drink without being bored to death by speeches and

Farewell frenzy （クレージな送別会）

2007-03-23T11:38:00.000+09:00

Last saturday there was a leaving party for four guys who regularly frequent the Rat Walls climbing gym. Fujimoto, who is going back to Hokkaido after completing his degree here at the University of Hirosaki; Rider, whose real name I've never learned, is heading down to Yokohama to start a new job; Cris, who by now is probably taking off from Narita heading back to Australia, and me, who will be

Chillin with my girl

2007-03-09T12:58:00.000+09:00

Sitting down to watch TV with the missus. We've both had seperate complaints so the masks are just a simple precaution, Japan style. A quick shot that I took on my way out to pick up Aki the other day.Three weeks left and it's starting to get wierd. Looking forfward to seeing my new niece though.

Selection of photos

2007-02-09T10:44:00.000+09:00

I haven't used my camera much over the past few weeks, and I seem to lack the initiative to write a blog without photos. Something very memorable has happened though; something important to me that I haven't felt like wailing about to others. I'll write about it now though, since I do have some photos to accompany the things I say. Most people close to me and Aki know we got engaged last weekend,