Lewis's Stag

For occasions like this one, when a picture is worth more than a thousand words, I prefer to direct you to the images and let you draw your own conclusions. (WARNING: Some images NSFW)

It's not every day...

...that you find a genuine autographed copy of the Bible! And in a hotel room drawer too. Who'd have thought it?

It's been a while, hasn't it?

It sure has - and so much has happened since I last caught up with you all. What kind of thing? Well how about:

• Quitting my job - part one, part two, epilogue
• Joining the gym, losing 21-ish lbs
• Visiting the Tower of London - it's awesome!
• My sister's had a baby, a healthy girl called Baden Rose
• Finding out about JET - I'm in!
• Having an inpromptu Parsonage reunion
• Deciding to move to London for July

And that's just for the start of things, really. Busy busy busy. It's cheating I know, but I'll be backdating a few posts to fill in the gaps, and back-linking this post to them retrospectively.

And it's the end of things too. A kind of end at least. My last bullet point is the clue: no more Manchester. So no more DTRMCR? Well, let's see...

The Big Giveaway - part 1

I'm leaving Manchester at the end of June. In my six-and-a-half years here, I've accumulated lots of things that I can't take with me on the plane to Japan. Do you want any of it?

Manchester Bucket List.

Have you ever seen a film called The Bucket List? It stars Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, and it is one of the biggest piles of stinking shit to ever by passed by the bowels of Hollywood. Two great actors, one steaming turd of a film. It's a shame because the basic premise – making a list of things that you want to do before you kick the eponymous bucket, and then doing them – is strong. In seven weeks, Laura and I are leaving Manchester. Here's what's on our list so far:-

• Eat at Bem Brasil
• Ride the Manchester Big Wheel
• Entertain Robbie and Rachel
• Drink at the Briton's Protection
• Walk in the Peak District
• Eat at El Rincon de Rafa
• Entertain Tracy and Andy
• Drink at the Peveril of the Peak
• Eat at Kim by the Sea

Yes, that's right my keen-eyed friends, it is mostly based on eating and drinking. But it's by no means finished yet. If you were leaving Manchester in a few weeks, what would you consider unmissable? C-c-c-comment away!

Mere Sands Wood.

Photos of Japan, one month after the tsunami

As ever, the Big Picture feature over at Boston.com provides stunning photogrpahy of the earthquake, tsunami and its aftermath. Click here for the gallery, from which a few highlights after the jump.

What's wrong Laura?

What's that you say? The shinkansen is out of control? And Gojira is up ahead? OMG!

Impromptu Parsonage Reunion

Man, I love these guys.