Author Archives: essiep

DofE 1: Princethorpe Bronze Practice.

Posted on by
Reply

19C, Sunny, clear and still.

What a thoroughly well organised school Princethorpe is. They started this bronze practice from the school site and took rural routes to a campsite 10km away.

My group were enthusiastic and lively. Though likable, that led them to make some glaring navigation errors early on. I confess, I let them. It was obvious early on that they’d have the stamina to return and correct their mistakes which is what they actually did.

I probably would have made the same mistake at the age of 14. They followed a group in front who happened to be girls.

Their stamina, or lack of started to show after about 8km but the others urged them on regardless. Little time was wasted on rests. We did take time out searching for water which was eventually delivered by their own teachers..

This is my favourite part of DofE, navigation training. Near the finish, they were about to make another (small) error but I said “you’re making a mistake but I’m not going to tell you what it is“.

Notes for next time: my luggage scale is faulty; take a spare water bottle; wear thinner socks in hot weather.

Renew First Aid

Posted on by
Reply

22C, Clear sunny blue skies. Still day one, breezy on day two.

I learn’t more on this course in the first morning than on the entirety of the previous course three years ago. One aspect of their teaching technique was drill. They drilled into us the routine of Assess/check Airway; Breathing; Circulation and then damage checks (ABCD). There were lots of role plays (which I normally hate) but it did build up nicely.

I was kept on my toes all the way through, mainly because I’d learnt so little on the first course.

We finished not long after 5pm each day which gave us a free evening on day one. A little group of us decided to walk up to Mam Tor to watch the sun go down.

peverilCastle

The route was gorgeous (pun intended) but we were late for the sunset (20:05). Even so, there were plenty of people on the hill enjoying the beautiful evening. Moving east a little along the saddle is the descent. From here we needed lights. Our companion Karen, was a little nervous about this. I was a little annoyed that my head-torch battery had gone flat and had to rely on a hand-torch. It was plenty adequate.

From a leader’s point of view, this is where it got interesting. Karen knew the route from walks in daylight and took the lead. However, she went off track which immediately seemed wrong to me. It’s interesting because you can see how smart people make mistakes. The combination of stress and changed estimated distance was one thing. Another is that once her stress levels rose, she admitted “being frightened”, and then there is the single-minded determination to see it through. These meant that she didn’t see the over-view and take in all the available clues on that dark hillside. This whole area of compound errors is studied in heuristics.

Heuristics is something I am conscious of when leading teenagers in DofE. More of that tomorrow.

Working away.

Posted on by
Reply

Getting warm soon.

A six day week: Invigilation; First Aid certificate renewal; Lead DofE practice expedition, then back to Invigilation.

Colour testing the Masonary paint. It’s close, a smidge dark and blue. I’m steadily getting this done but my efforts are spread thin over too many jobs.

Next jobs, plaster skim coat, remove scraps of backing paper, hang fresh lining paper etcetera.

Painting is the most satisfying bit but the ceiling will be hard.

Seafront machines.

Posted on by
Reply

12°C, bright start but front building. SW breeze brisk.

I rode Paddy Wagon with MapMyRide+! Distance: 50.27km, time: 02:09:21, pace: 2:34min/km, speed: 23.32km/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/2821770613

It was only 30 miles but it felt like a half century.. I stopped on the front to use some of the exercise machines, they’re rather good. It was quiet at 8am so I didn’t feel too self-conscious using them. They didn’t need any adjustment because many of them rely on body-weight for resistance. If you’re light, the resistance is low.

Early morning walk.

Posted on by
Reply

I walked with MapMyRide+! Distance: 11.96km, time: 01:59:57, pace: 10:02min/km, speed: 5.98km/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/2819841856

I woke very early this morning, up by 04.30 and invigorated after breakfast. I embarked on the wall even before coffee. Such is the effect of spring and the escape from a recent head-cold.

There were also some unwelcome colours in the canal.

Probably diesel from a barge.

By 7.30 I had done my good deed for the day. Passing a remote cottage, I spotted bank card in the road. Usually, these things are junk but this one was valid and signed. I did the obvious thing and went to the nearest house and knocked. The woman who answered looked worried at first. Perhaps she thought I was police. I was mostly wearing black. I asked by saying [his name] and she said “yes, he lives here“. His credit card was lying in the road and I reached it over. She must have realised and melted into gratitude. “Are you just out for a walk” you’re not police then?

The card was probably good for a few contactless purchased up to £30 each time before it got blocked. However, it’s worth more to hand it over and make somebody’s day instead. You don’t often get to do that.

Plastering

Posted on by
Reply

8°C, rain all day.

The old techniques are coming back. Since my skills are rather rusty, I decided to buy base coat plaster and then layer skim coat over another day. That skim needs to be smooth and that’s the difficult part.

Once finished, I ventured into the loft. There is the largest wasps’ nest I have ever seen.

It’s about the size of a full rucksack, so around 40 litres. However you look at it, it’s a fine and beautiful object. I see no reason to remove it.

RSPB tour.

Posted on by
Reply

8°C, NE cool breeze. Grey.

I rode kona Jake with MapMyRide+! Distance: 15.18km, time: 01:06:21, pace: 4:22min/km, speed: 13.73km/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/2816224618

I’ve had a filthy stinking cold. Today, day 10, sees me not fully recovered and I’m wary of ramping up the exercise to quickly. Too quick and it all comes back.

It was good to visit the RSPB ‘visitor centre. There were knowledgeable volunteers there who pointed out an Avocet and a Spoonbill. The latter is a funny looking bird, more so because they look so serious with that absurd spoon.

I came away with some plans in mind: put up some House Martin boxes and maybe remove brick from the gable end. That will make it possible for bats nest in my roof. Some people worry about House Martins because for a short time of the year, they drop guano. That is a problem easily solved by fitting a window box. The window box holds nice plants and the Martins drop regular fertiliser.

Frogs have left the pond.

Posted on by
Reply

6°C, grey.

No activity at The Pond today. This is what I think happened: last week, there were 10 males at the pond. Waiting, they would occasionally say “gribbit”. My suggestion is that they were staking out the pond waiting for an egg laden female to arrive.

It must have happened because there is plenty of frog spawn in the water. I’ll miss them but there are fascinating treats to come- tadpoles and then tiny frogs. I will construct some log piles for their cover.

Continue reading →