"The balls which weren't wide looked dangerous"!

Quote of the weekend from Rahman, the captain of Marin CC.

Friday night was Kelly's Halloween party; Madeline and I went as a white trash bride and groom. Big success, minus the Southern Comfort which turned out to be a bad idea. Saturday morning, I was rudely awoken by Andy, who was on his way to pick me up for the cricket match I was 100% sure was on Sunday.

We drove to Marin, just north of the GG bridge, stopping briefly to pick up breakfast, (1/4 watermelon and a snickers). The cricket was awesome. Loads of the guys were English, great fun and refreshingly funny and easy going. I haven't played a proper game in my life; I don't think drunkenly standing in the outfield denying Charles boundary shots in Cambridge really counts.


So I made up numbers for Marin who were playing against a hybrid Pig & Whistle/Dylan's team, (both bars in the city). Fielding was a joy; the weather was amazing, the field was surrounded by lagoons and lush green mountains, and only rarely would the ball interfere with my day dreaming. A dropped catch at point blank range followed by a pickup and lucky run out prompted a change of attitude as I began to get more into the game.

Rahman, perhaps a little naively, slotted me in with the second to last over of the first innings. I'd told him I'd bowled in high school, but little did he know that my bowling extended only as far as the dizzy heights of indoor cricket with a tennis ball, aged 13/14.

Following an over characterized by inconsistency, with a hint of potential, Rahman thanked me and made a quick mental note not to believe me again. Our next stint at the wicket saw me opening, in my first real bout of batting since my 12 not out at the end of the 2006 Grey A/B fixture. I continued my frankly undeserved form by knocking the ball around some what convincingly until I chose to let one through, purposefully retiring myself for the good of the game. I lost count of how many runs/boundaries I slotted, but as the day wore on, I established the total in my own mind as approaching 50...maybe.

For our final bout in the field, we found ourselves short of a wicket keeper. Riding high on the success of my batting, and eager to prolong the box wearing further, I stepped up to the mark. The first ball passed the batsman, passed me and then the boundary. Rahman cursed his trusting demeanor! Things picked up following a few tips, and sneaked in 2 catches to restore some of my pride.

Saturday night, Madeline went out with friends, and I attempted to tackle my take home mid-term. Sunday was pretty slow. I worked, Madeline went to get her nails done, (a present from her friend Michelle) and we watched TV. Another weekend gone.



The big news of this week involves a certain Dr. Paddy Shaw-Brown, and Miss Katy Tickle! Rumor has it that they may be visiting Madeline and around mid-December which gives me Goosebumps it’s so exciting!

Things going well

I've been meaning to write a very positive blog about life in SF, but I've been too busy! I've had exams, a mid term assignment, a new gym membership, Halloween preparations and countless other little things to juggle over the past week, but it's been the best yet. The weather here is wonderful at the moment; warm sunny days and mild-to-crisp autumnal nights. I sort of miss rain, but I’m comforted by my customized Google desktop that the world isn’t going to run out of water just yet:



I decided earlier in the week that I really needed to focus on my studies and brush off the mid-semester slump. The healthy body, healthy mind idea resulted in me joining Gold’s gym with Madeline. We’ve been a couple of times, most notably at 6am on Wednesday morning! It’s a fascinating place, full primarily of huge gay men, and very different to Edge Hill. I’m not sure I’m completely sold on it, but it’s only a short walk from our apartment, so we can’t really complain.

Homeless people are interesting me at the moment. As it’s getting a bit colder, I’m beginning to worry for the regulars at the onramp for the 101, and the guy who sleeps in the doorway down the street. I can’t help but spend far too long wondering what they go through, what they did to end up on the street and just exactly how crazy they all are. Nothing really prepares you for city life like this. It just makes me realize how sheltered Durham was, and how lucky I was to grow up in the suburbs :)

On the way to the car the other morning, I passed a guy strung out on drugs looking very worried, the guy who sleeps in the doorway, several remnants of smashed car windows and a still-warm pile of human defecation. It sounds terrible, but we live in a nice area, and I feel safe and happy in our street. Weird.

School is going really well at the moment. I'm so busy, I have to enjoy it or I'd be deported. This weekend is typically busy; Kelly's Halloween party tonight, getting a credit card on Sat and playing CRICKET(?!) on Sunday. The cricket is against Marin, just North of the Golden Gate, for a team my English/programming friend Andy plays for. Should be fun.

In other news, Madeline is thinking of applying to SF State to study for her teaching credential next year. It'd be so cool to car-pool to school together, and it'd be nice to have similar schedules. OK, well I'm excited to hear reports of mum's new car, and I'm glad to see Dad has been putting pics up. What's the link to your Lancashire Trail map?

Two wheels are better than Four!

Yesterday began just like most others Thursdays. I worked from 8-12, doing my little bit for the world of technical support, had lunch and revised for my weekly Biology exam. Madeline came home early for a dentist appointment she didn't have, we went for a run, and I went to class.

After class, I was invited to go to the club house of the San Francisco Motorcycle club down on 18th and Folsom. An English guy I do two of my courses with, Andy, is kind of into his bikes, as is his wife, and there were rumors of $2 beers.

We only stayed for a couple of beers, (it was a school night!) but at the end, Andy decided it was too dangerous a walk home for me, so he gave me a ride back on his hog!

It was only like 7 blocks, but wow! Don’t worry mum, we can’t afford so much as a bicycle :)

It’s lovely and sunny here at the moment, 27 degrees until next Tuesday according to the BBC. I think Madeline and I are going to run on the beach this evening, then out to a house party at Kelly’s house. Saturday is Madeline and Ria’s joint birthday party, which should be lovely with the weather like this.

So this morning was a little hurried as my commute was elongated by traffic on the 101. Fridays are always pretty quiet at work, but today, Scott has his almost 3 year old daughter in work with him. She was a little bit scared of me at first but we just played on my skateboard so I think we’re friends. She got in trouble because I gave her some of my breakfast muffin; I don’t think it was very fair, she said please and everything!

On the photo front, my camera is dead, and so pictures of the rocker will have to wait! Mandy, diving sounds awesome! You know when you found out that you’re “not heavy enough to compensate for the weight of my SCUBA tank in the water”? Did you just sink and end up lying on your back at the bottom of the quarry? We should Skype up to the max soon. We literally haven’t spoken since Christmas.

Sorry I haven’t been in touch with many of the Durham posse. I will improve, I promise. I hope you’re all doing well, Simon, how did the 3month review go? I was thinking of you on Wednesday. I hope you’re looking after Katie and Darius well. What’s Katie doing in the big smoke? Is she working? Jamie/Owen, I’ve got contacts here now, so be sure to pencil SF in on your world tour. I’ve been spreading the gospel of Milltown’s Grace all over the place. AJ/Helen, Madeline and I seriously can’t wait for you to get here. We’ve got so many things we want to do with you guys. Paddy, I hope PWC is going really well for you, I’m sure you’re making waves.
Tickle, Dan I hate you both for having fun in Durham still. It’s painful to see pictures from nights out and hear stories of B’ball/netball/rugby related success. I hope you’re making the most of the MCR and really enjoying 4th year. Ok, finally I have some work to do today and Ella, (Scotts daughter) has left, so I will bid you all farewell.

Love to all, Ben x

Greg comes to visit and Madeline's 23rd

Greg, (Madeline's dad) flew in on Wednesday afternoon and met up with Madeline in El Cerrito to check out her school. After a brief detour to pick up her birthday present, (DVD player) they headed back to the city and we finally got chance to show someone round our new place! He was really impressed, complementing us on our excellent eye for style and quality :)

We went to play pool at the local gay/biker/Irish bar, where Madeline and I had drinks bought for us by a random gay couple a few nights previously. Emilie arrived shortly after us, and a pool contest ensued. After Greg and I had established ourselves as the losers, we wandered up to a new Thai restaurant called Basil, (conflicts over its pronunciation are frequent). Post-dinner we went back to our apartment for ice-cream, and a good night’s sleep.

Madeline went to work at first light leaving Greg and I to pick up breakfast near inner-sunset. I left him at 9:30ish where he was due to be picked up by Denny, Fred and Jed, and went to work. He's up north until Wednesday, putting in the foundations for Denny's new 'Barn' on his property.

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This month always makes me smile because there is a full 2 year age gap between Madeline and I. Saturday started with a home cooked muffin breakfast, and was quickly followed by an escape to a project meeting. I left Madeline at the mall but we met up around midday to continue shopping. Big success in Gap as usual, then home to order blown up photos for the frames we got earlier in the month. At 6pm we wandered down to 2nd and Folsom for our first sample of Indian food in the city, (Mehfil Indian). Really, really good but very different from English Indian cuisine.

Another short walk through the city, which looked beautiful by night, led us to the Actors Theatre, where I had tickets held for the second night of Death of a Salesman. Madeline had tried to get me to read it after she studied it in England, but I had failed. I knew it was going to be a little glum, but I didn't account for such a powerful performance which quite frankly brought the night to a close! Sunday was work day for me. I had to write some algorithms in Small Talk which was surprisingly rewarding. We picked up some cushions for the couch, and finally watched the end of the Virgin Suicides, (a little disappointing, given my love of the book and soundtrack). We really must watch something a little more cheerful! This week should be busy as always, and this weekend, Kelly is having a house party (Fri), and Madeline is doing her big joint birthday day/night out with Ria (Sat). Sunday looks like another busy catch-up-on-work day.

USA vs Uruguay

Last weekend, (6th-8th Oct), Madeline and I went down to Stanford with the guys from Berkeley to watch the final American world cup qualifier between USA and Uruguay. We drove down with big Timm S-M, and picked up subs on the way after a thorough search of the local area for a burrito shop.
Stanford is amazing; their football stadium is massive! It is the equivalent of the 'stand' at Durham City, except it belongs to them. It used to be an 80,000 capacity but it's just been reduced to a more manageable 50,000 to make it nicer.


The Stanford Stadium

So unfortunately, the world cup qualifier didn't require quite as much space, so it fell back on Stanford’s purpose built rugby facility, the Steuber Rugby Stadium. Again I'd like to draw a swift comparison with Durham, apparently one of the elite Universities in the UK, where the men's 1st XV train on what can only be described as a field of shit.

Although the stand was far more modest than that of the football, basketball or baseball stadiums, (Stanford Athletic Facilities), it was perfect for what turned out to be a great day of rugby. The game was slow, hampered by a whistle-hungry ref, but the few times the USA got the ball wide, they looked good.

My camera tragically decided enough was enough and stopped working, but spirits were raised by some good old fashioned beers with the left over Uruguayan sandwiches.

A longer-than-normal drive home gave us little opportunity for a rest before Emilie came round and we headed out for a night on the town with the rugby boys. A good time was had by all.

The big move!

Ben is off to another late night class on campus, so I thought it was due time I filled all our faithful correspondents in on what has been happening in our lives.

First and foremost I am proud to announce that we are officially moved into our new apartment! Hurray! The change is like night and day. Our new place has wonderfully high ceilings and naturally lighting galore coming from our very own gorgeous bay
window. Too bad the window doesn’t actually face the bay, it faces shady one way street and another apartment, but it is still beautiful.

Moving was an ordeal. Seeing as we had no furniture or earthly belongings, we had to go around from garage sale to garage sale picking up random things. The first sale we stopped at was a winner. We bought two “retro” chairs. One of them is a funky gold yellow color and actually cool, the other green one is an absolutely hideous green rocker, but Ben adores it and when the lady offered us both chairs for $20, there was no holding back. Getting them both into the car was a whole new adventure but after about 20 minutes of struggle, we managed.

We then hit the goldmine when we stopped at a place that advertised a very sturdy industrial looking desk. The guy was moving out the day and started offering us everything that was left in his house, which included a lovely glass coffee table on wheels and a KING size bed! The bed is incredible. I can lay on one end and Ben on the other and with an outstretched arm he doesn’t even come close to touching me, its brilliant. We offered the guy $100 bucks for everything and left feeling very smug.

Then came the dilemma of how to get everything to the new house. We were initially planning on taking a few trips in my friend’s small truck, but with the oversized bed we were out of luck. So we rented a big uhaul van! We stopped to pick up a few more random items before moving in the next day.

The guy who lived in the rooms before us didn’t clean anything and the landlord didn’t have time to hire someone to come in and do it, so I was thoroughly disappointed. But after a quick run over with a vacuum and rags we moved all our stuff in and really made it feel like home. We are both still in awe that we actually live here, I hope you will all come and visit us so we can show it off! 

We are just a few blocks away from the BART station, so its easy for me to get to work and there seems to be a lot of other attractions within walking distance such as the Civic Center, the Ballet, the Opera and other small theaters, and some smelly homeless people scattered here and there. We are excited for the weekend so we have a better chance to explore the surroundings.

Well once again I have authored a novel, so I best be off to bed. We hope you are all doing well and we send all our love to you. xxx