The Dodgey Archive for 2011

Greetings from the Dodge household at the end of yet another year.  Job-wise we're still both where we were this time last year - Chris with Network Rail at Cardiff, Denise at Companion Care at Filton.  When we got back from France Denise looked at herself on the holiday video, and immediately started another diet.  Chris meanwhile was horrified at no longer fitting 36" jeans, but was somewhat mollified when the 38" replacements needed hot-washing to shrink them down a bit.  For no discernable reason whatsoever, one of our YouTube videos - an A330 doing a high-alpha pass into a headwind at Farnborough in 1994 - recently went viral, with 444,000 hits to date and counting, which is even more than Tom Archer's wretched pigs !  It's attracted lots of feedback too, with comments including 仮にジェット機が押し戻されるほどの向かい風が地上付近で吹いていたとすれば地上の建物は壊滅的な打撃を受けるだろうし、そんなんだったら見物人が傘さして立っていられるはずがない。ズーミングと再生速度を変化させて編集しているのかな to mention just one*.  Big In Japan  - whatever next ?

Here are some photos from 2010 and 2011

Remember where we started ?  This was Boxing Day 2010 at Instow beach, with snow right down to high water mark.

Once again we were lucky enough to enjoy 2 weeks in Tenerife in January......

The view from our balcony at dusk

No talk of diets in January.....

Someone should put these two on 'Strictly' !

Spot the punter pointing his camera at the big screen....

'Benchi Express' manoeuvres into the harbour at Los Cristianos

Time to search out the elusive Gin bottle !

At Instow, Chris is delighted to find something to play with on the beach !

The view from the Control Tower at Bristol, during a Flying Group visit during March.

'Bristol Radar's view of the world.  The Panic Button was an optional extra !

Spring at last !

Abbot's Wood in late March

Another April, another birthday - Denise and Roger prepare the curries

Nephew Ed with new arrival Rufus - a new 'cousin' for Bonzo.

No, Rufus was not a birthday present.

Siesta time !

Darryl and Babs Williams joined us in the spring to sample canal life - they'll be joining us for a full week in Spring 2012.

Two views of the Anderton Boat Lift.....

Hungry Heron meets Hapless Haddock !

Bonzo - still fighting fit at 11 years old

"Slowly but surely, the gin bottle emerges from it's winter hibernation into the spring sunshine.. "   (Sorry, been watching Frozen Planet again !)

The Red Arrows perform at Kemble Air Day in June - tragically, two of the pilots would be killed in separate incidents before the end of the year

A day out at Lapworth during June

Ah yes, summer! Steve and Rachel's summer barbecue was rescued by the hiring of a marquee

Just the place to be on a typical summer evening in 2011 !

All that excitement was a bit too much for someone !

A week later we were off to France, exploring Franche Comte this year - after an absolutely perfect first day, the boat is seen here moored at Dole.

The river Doubs

The boy and his toys.....

Dusk at Port-sur-Saone

Tunnel vision.....

Healthy Salad pour moi s'il vous plait !

Braised Bunny for Denise on the last night....

Celebrating Chris's Mum's 88th birthday - it's July, so the coat was de rigeur !

A day out at Teignmouth - the day the diet began !

Regular viewers will recognise this as a typical 'Flying Proms' picnic !

The weather this year was kind enough for the 'Edwardians' to put on a display.  Both aircraft are replicas which were built for the filming of 'Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines'.

As ever, a spectacular conclusion....

Scrubbed up for Julian and Karen's Wedding, held at Bristol Zoo in September

Bride, Groom and family

Dieting, and very hungry !

Our September boating week this year took in The Cheshire Ring, aboard nb 'Katie',

with Steve and Sarah Rendall

This was about the time that a voice from the bank called out "I hope you've fed it !"

Marple Top Lock

The view from 'Cloud 23' in Manchester

Cocktails at dusk.....

....and Pimms on the final afternoon.  Steve really was enjoying himself, honest !

'The Piggies' in Abbots Wood.  Sadly one of them was incinerated by yobs during the summer, and the other partially burnt......

....time then for the Restoration Challenge, along with a bit of discrete flame-proofing at the same time.

An autumn visitor to the Avon Valley Railway

Remember that glorious hot weekend at the end of September ?  We were lucky enough to be at Instow with Andy and Wendy Tandy

Warm enough for a plodge.....

And even for breakfast outside !

Someone's having his "It's The Last Of The Summer" whine.....

Back to Devon in November, this time Fortescue House, near Mortehoe

At 'The Old Bus Station' Cafe-Bar in Barnstaple

The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway - on Remembrance Sunday, 'Ash', bearing an appropriate wreath, enters Woody Bay Station

"Alright, that's enough" !

Have a great Xmas 2011, and a happy and prosperous 2012

Chris & Denise

P.S: If by any chance you feel the urge to look at previous years, here are the links:

2010  2009  2008  2007  2006

For our Youtube content, including the viral A330 clip, click here

* Google translates this as "Assuming the ground near the head wind was blowing about the jet pushed back temporarily Ground and building will undergo a catastrophic impact, should not have spectators can stand with Empire umbrella such a move.  I have edited a varying playback speed and zooming"

.......which says it all really !