I can't tell you exactly what I was doing when I heard that retro pop sensation Michael Jackson had died however I did find out on Twitter which I'm sure will make the BBC happy. However that's all I have to say on that matter as I have been preoccupied …

Our visit to Manchester was considered a success. It was a slightly longer visit than usual as Fliss was working in the area. This gave us the opportunity to travel up on Wednesday evening. What follows is a summary of what I/we did:

Wednesday saw us at the climbing …

My arms are starting to approach some sort of healthy* shade of brown as I've spent the last three days out in the sunshine and fresh air.

Friday I took advantage of my current employment flexibility to join my parents for a walk in Hertfordshire. My parents had been planning …