On the 19th February, just after 9.00, a police car travelling from Bicester to Aylesbury on a blue light run was overtaking a van just before the Plough and Anchor pub. The van was turning into the pub, and has hit by the police car. The van ended up in the hedge. The police car took down the pub sign, (5 by 5 inch timber post), the cast iron lamp post which was shattered into may pieces some of which travelled 50 meters down the road. Took down the metal fence, hit the pub wall damaging the window and was wedged between the pub wall and the fence. No one was hurt. I was totally oblivious to what had happened, and only became aware of the problem when I went to the pub for a late nightcap. In the morning I took some pictures of the pub including one of Paul holding part of a pub sign on the other side of the road.

March 16

On Saturday I travelled to Hundred House and did some paragliding.  Unfortunately on one lading on the slope I heard a load crack.  I assumed my boot had broken.  My ankle hurt, so I packed up and drove home.  Gear changing was awkward as pressing the clutch down hurt my foot. 

In the morning my ankle was too sore to walk on. Rosemary took the day off and we visited A&E at Stoke Mandeville. X-rays taken within minutes, and then a five hour wait for the doctor. Left after seven hours with my leg below the knee in plaster. I had broken the small leg bone near the foot. Some talk of having to have an operation and plate inserted, but as the bone had not moved and I had been walking on it then plaster will be sufficient. What a disaster, when will be be back in the air?

The issue had been my landing.  Not breaking and not standing up in the harness when landing.  Result was foot hit the ground at a fast forward speed. Silly boy.

June 14

In the morning we set off to survey some of the ponds in the Grendon Underwood parish. This is part of council run biodiversity initiative. We planned to visit five ponds on a walk to the highest and furthest point of the parish, Finemere Hill. All the ponds, bar one were now overgrown and contained mature trees. It was obvious they had been ponds, but were no longer ponds. At Finemere Hill there was a very nice pond, about 20 meters in size. It had been used by cattle for water, as there was a slope down into the pond for that purpose.

Afterwards it was back home for a BBQ and wine in the Garden.

August 31

Erected a sign and thermometer at Kingswood crossroads to publicise our broadband campaign.