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friday 31st october
 In a contrast to the bad news in last months article - we start this one with proud news of the birth of my daughter, little baby Violet Jean Ebel :)
Although we experienced a few difficulties at first as a result of a tongue tie, this was resolved and life has started to normalise into a relatively consistent routine - and while difficult at time, she is an absolute joy and delight especially now she has started smiling and laughing at you :D
Needless to say, both CJ and I are totally smitten with her!
The summer has been fabulous, and provided a wealth of opportunities to skate, and we have made the most of it, both indoors and out.
Sherborne has been our destination a few times - those white concrete expanses proving an irresistable mix of features - while Prevail has been uncharacteristically empty, and the given us the opportunity to ride a relatively deserted park as the kids were outside in the outdoor parks.
The long-awaited Winchester skatepark opened in September, and Tim and I met Simon Johns and Max Anderson to check out this much-anticipated Maverick creation. I took a day off work and we arrived on a boiling hot Monday, to find about half the park composed of Bournemouth skaters - by sheer coincidence at least 3 different groups had independantly arranged trips to ride it... Bournemouth Takeover!
Had a good day, but found that with so many features in the relatively small space - everyone was constantly cutting across everyone elses lines to hit their own, which meant more often than not you were waiting for a viable gap to open...
One to return to when fewer people riding it.
I went on missions to check out more loca skateparks in the area, of note Hedge End near Southampton (top) and the redeveloped Salisbury park (bottom)..:
Hedge End has 2 blocks and a nice round rail, although possibly spoiled by the quarter-pipe at one end, that is tighter than a gnats chuff.
However Salisbury is really good - they have kept the good elements of the old park, and replaced the poor or knackered parts with a selection of well thought out concrete features, including a launch box, sweet double level mini, and a clover leaf-style bowl - plus the usual selection of blocks and manual pads,
A very good park with the features positioned out of each others way to minimise disruption of other people's lines - probably the best outcome that the redesign could have produced :)
The summer has provided a wealth of opporuntities for other pursuits too; the inevitable beach visits, building Violets room, family time with Jules, Jo & baby Camille, various weddings and parties, and lots of sunday breakfasts and walks down at Boscombe, just to name a few... ;)
 I have finally managed to get back in touch with a good friend of mine from my school years - Pam, our favourite tea lady from my school house C3.
I had lost contact with Pam when I had mislaid my address book in a house move and had always wondered how she was - so when I found it over summer I arranged a meet.
It was fantastic to catch up over a cup of tea and to find her in rude health and enjoying life - we chatted for a few hours before I took a trip down memory lane around Marlborough before returning home. Great to see her, and will catch up again early next year :)
here's a few random shots I have taken over the last couple of months..:
Good times - what an awesome summer we've had :D
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