Planet Ruby Starrs

Well Kalbarri delivered on every count...it was a great time with old and new friends And thanks to Mr October we ate the most amazing cray fish.. as a spread, pickled, and BBQ'd...  But first we were made very welcome by Mrs October (by default) and it was lovely to finally meet up with our friends from Castlemaine. There are a lot of rocks at Kalbarri... we went for a wander on the cliff side by mushroom rock and round the bay - the rock here is a beautiful deep red colour and just gleams in the sun.   There were a few daring exploits involving a sticky out bit of rock that was lots safer than it looked.. and this picture doesnt really do it justice to how high it was or how gloriously blue the sea and sky were.  and then some climbing on the (recently named) wedding rock - a large piece of granite that had fallen off shortly after our friends had been married under it!!! Fred played at being crushed by the rock... its strange h...

Life is very quiet at the moment - due to the pandemic we had to forgo the usual Yuri Gagarin first man in space celebrations which was a shame given it was the 60th anniversary -  flying the flag for Yuri (T Shirt actually) as this date is also Dr Freds birthday we did have 6 friends for a picnic in the garden - post snow with a firepit.  We were all wrapped in blankets and ate enough curry and cake to make our bodies keep warm burning calories - but we missed the space tunes and the other party goers but the occasion was marked and we reminisced about the 50th anniversary party in the scout hut near Hebden Bridge where most people dressed up and we had a very tuneful night - much food and alcohol was consumed - good night... 50th anniversary pic 2011... don't have permission for all faces..... This year we didn't even get the yuri bunting out or the CCCP rocket stored under the spare bed, no space suit or dancing light up shoes ..... these days will come again.... Other news...

Our frogs know nothing about lock down!!! They are hopping between gardens and believe me are making copious amounts of frogspawn and that requires breaking all social distancing rules....  I am ridiculously happy to find frogs and spawn in my pond!   It was just the icing on the cake when I had one of those good days - we had been feeling the pressure of the current situation when the sun started to shine, I had a major (for me) break through with InDesign, my 'lost in the post' plants turned up, my neighbor turned out to be friendly and then the frogs turned up!!!  Of course that night we sat down and watched the news and came back to reality - that's the last time I looked at the news... I find it so depressing and alarmist - I cant do anything other than what I am doing, I check odd bits on the internet so not completely unaware but I am, like many others, finding this constant battering very difficult. could this be a prince? I actually feel very privilege...

Boys will be boys - even grown men... Dr Fred and his stargazer pal built a rocket, using extremely suspect measurements from eye, guessing heights of ceilings and working out from fire door sizes.... they managed miraculously to make it just small enough to fit in the middle of the Girsby and Over Dinsdale Village Hall to be the 'space'tacular  centerpiece of this years Yuri party!! We have held a party every April 12th now for quite a few years - the date that Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space - there are parties held all over the world every year - not so many in the UK and we were defo the only one in Teesdale.  We have varied the venue from having smaller bashes at home, parties in friends barns, for a couple of years we did more public events in a bar in Newcastle and this year it was the village hall- set in the middle of nowhere with a camping field right next door - excellent venue! The day coincides with Dr Freds birthday which means even more excuse for...