It’s been a long few months since I updated the old blog, so here is a summary in pictures of a few things that I have been up to during the spring.

April saw some uncommon visitors to Leeds.

Now we are all old, after a hearty meal at the Aagrah and a few alcoholic beverages, we were forced into a (relatively) early retirement. It was the first time Lee and Jules had been in Leeds since I moved into my own place, so it was good to play host and although Oliver was not with them it does look like he had an equally fun weekend with his Grandma. We did have good weather for the visit too and on the Saturday afternoon headed out for a short walk around Swillington Ings, noting this oddly worded signpost along our route.

Does this fit the Tory narrative of a broken and immoral society? Even our footpaths are permissive. Personally though I was surprised; from what I have heard the footpaths of Wakefield have more of a reputation locally for being more errm lax.

On the lists of things not to mix up in the kitchen has to be these two

I am all for germ free and clean kitchens, but it is a bit much including Dettol as part of your food preparation as Mum did on my visit to Chesterfield in late April. Thankfully the fish she was cooking was salvaged.

Whilst I was there I had a unique opportunity to photograph an early artistic masterpiece of my brother’s, as the wallpaper had been stripped away in the lounge to reveal

In world news, the BBC made me aware that not only is homosexuality illegal in Malawi, but also the lesser known homesexuality is too

I got to visit the English Riviera for the first time in May, with a few days spent in Torquay at a work conference. Alas, it being a work trip meant I had no real time to enjoy the visit.

Mum also came to visit in May and we enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes movie, mumbling Robert Downey Jnr not withstanding, an evening stroll around Swillington Ings (see photo below) and a trip into Leeds to spend more of Mum’s money (light fittings this time).

June has been a month of getting reengaged with politics after the despondency that followed the election result and formation of the coalition government. I joined the Labour Party and on June 10th went to see Ed Miliband (one of five candidates for Labour leadership) speak at the West Yorkshire Playhouse.

The weekend that followed I was at the Compass conference, watching my first Labour leadership hustings (blurred pic below) as well as speeches from Caroline Lucas, Jon Cruddas and Chuka Umunna amongst others.

Whilst attending the Compass event I stayed in the Travellodge at Euston; convenient, noisy, basic and with this advert of a porn-surfing bear encouraging me to make use of their wi-fi access.

On the Sunday before I came back from London I went here:

To see this free exhibition:

And very good it was too.

Finally, this last weekend, I met up with Dad at Far Ings nature reserve. Nestled right next too the River Humber, it has the Humber Bridge has a rather spectacular backdrop.

Sadly the weather was very changeable whilst we were there, flitting from bright sunshine to heavy showers blown on a cold northerly wind. Barring an Avocet or two and a great view of a Roe Deer stag, we saw very little else of note.