When I was invited to play inside the mind of Tom "Berty" Cooper

Although the drummers were keeping the pace when we got there, when we got home we could hear the police van at the front getting the siren to do a "whoop-whoop" noise, which was echoed by the procession.

Rough and ready, unedited set of pics from Andy's Loukes' stag do. There might be some dodgy quality ones, as I just uploaded as quickly as possible.

Despite being Nottingham born and bred, I'd never been on the guided tour under the Castle - the caves known as "Mortimer's Hole". So on a trip back to the city (when I still lived in Chichester), my folks finally took me. As well as looking at spooky caves and dungeons, you also get to hear a lot about the history of Nottingham, including the Saxon foundation (at the Lacemarket nearby) and the start of the Civil War (the raising of the Royal Standard at Standard Hill near the Castle - apparently no-one took much notice and they moved on).

There's also some photographs of the Queen Elizabeth pub on Bottle Lane - just before it got knocked down.

Miscellaneous trips around Nottingham, including a bike rally, a trip up to the Castle after part of the wall collapsed, and Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem

Up in Manchester on an install

During the day we laughed at the suggestion that it might snow, sitting in the warm office looking out at sunny skies. Even getting into the car to go home, it was cold but clear (if a little dark at 6pm). On the five minute journey to my flat however, we went from clear, to thundery, to the first stinging flakes of ice as I put my key into the door. By the time I'd got rid of coat, bag and keys there was a tapping sound at the window, and outside was covered in a thin layer of white.

I put some food in the microwave, but decided that grabbing my camera and taking some photos was more appealing that microwaved pizza. Before it got too bad...

After doing some work in Manchester, the boys from the Freedom2 Chichester offices managed a detour via a village called Baslow in Derbyshire. I wonder how that happened? Could they be dropping someone off in Nottingham on the way instead of taking him back to work?

The Garden Café furnished us with coffees and some fine omelettes - although I had scrambled eggs and salmon on toast, Bob had another omelette instead of pudding - and then we had a relaxing walk along the Derwent. Well, it beats working.