Badger Cam

I saw my first live badger this year. He was crossing the road.

Then about 3-4 mths later, I saw my second one - in our driveway!!

They are the only 2 live badgers I've seen in the 2 years we have been in the UK. So, I think this webcam is too cool. . .Badger Cam

Book Club

I've started a new book club with a few letterboxing friends. It is called 'The Letterboxers Literary Society'. We will be picking one book a month to read and discuss with the option to do an LTC on the book. So, if this is your cup of tea (so to speak), come and join in. August will start the first book selection.

Loving iPhone

I love my iPhone. Look at the fun things I use it for:

1) TV Shows - I can download US TV shows off of iTunes and watch them on the iPhone. The individual episodes are released a day after they air on the networks. That's still like MONTHS sooner than I would see them in the UK, if they even air here.

2) Movies - Catch up new release movies you want to see. I use a program called Aimersoft DVD Ripper to copy my DVDs to the right format for the iPhone then just drag and drop in iTunes. (This software works great. I use it to make copies of my DVDs also.)

3)Feeds - One of my top applications is Feeds. Feeds allows you to add all the various blogs you read and then shows you when any of them have a new posting. I love this - what a quick way to keep up to date and enjoy your favorites. As my interests come and go, I update the blogs I follow. I know there are lots of RSS apps out there to allow you to follow your favorites, but I like the ease of use of Feeds.

4) Facebook, Twitter, and Blogger - I'm still trying out what applications I like best to post from, but having the option to post live photos and text from the phone direct to any of your accounts is really fun. And allows you to keep up with your friends while you're on the go. (This works well for me as Texting to my US family and friends just isn't an option!)

5) Internet Access - perhaps it goes without saying, but having full internet access is wonderful. Numerous times I've had to find a number or location or opening hours, etc., and was able to just search on the phone for them via the internet while traveling.

6) Games - I admit it. I love games. I've gone through tons via the Application Store. (Maybe I'll start a review service! haha) But I find it relaxing and enjoyable to sit down and play anything from backgammon to Mafia Wars.

7) Sports Updates - One of my favorite sports apps to use is CBS Sports. Live scores from all the major sports PLUS access to my fantasy baseball leagues.

8) eReader - reading books by phone has been going on for years - I've been reading books this way for that long anyway. It's never been a major mainstream activity. However, I've seen more products and hype in the last 2 years then ever before so look out! Personally, I have always used eReader for both the book downloads and the phone software (software is free) and have never had any issues.

9)Audio Books - continuing on with books - if reading them on the phone isn't your cup of tea, how about listening to books via your iPhone? I recommend Audible.com for your audio books. Again, software is free and everything is easy to use.

10) Maps & Geocaching - ever get lost? even in your own town? I've used the Maps app and others to pull up my location. It's fantastic. Also, use the Geocaching app to pull up caches around you along with the description, logs, hint, and map. I haven't used the iPhone to find many caches yet. (Problem with the durability of the phone out in the wild.) But I'm going to test it out on 2 easy local caches and see how it works out. Maybe investing in a hard weatherproof shell is cheaper then buying a Garmin. . .

And there you have it. 10 things I love to use on the iPhone (in no specific order). Perhaps you're wondering about all the time it takes for these. . .well, for me, I seem to have some many blocks of time where I'm waiting. Waiting on kids, waiting for an appointment, sitting on a train, etc. Time just marches by in bits and I use it catch up with all the things I enjoy with my iPhone. (Plus, Mr. usually hogs the TV for his sports so I never get to see movies or tv shows that way anyhow.)

What are you waiting for? Go get one.

Good Summer Read

I have a recommendation for a summer read: 'Queen of the Road' by Doreen Orion. The book details Doreen's 1 year adventure RVing around the US with her husband on their custom bus.

It's an easy read. Not as funny as it could be but enjoyable.

Mostly it tugs at our inner nomad. The desire to have all of life's pressures taken off of us and free to roam about. Read it and see what I mean - you will be thinking about buying or renting an RV/caravan for sure. :)

She has a web-site too with a blog. The book certainly appears to be doing the book club circuit.

Enjoy!

Getting a Green Thumb

My thumb is getting green. I'm having these urges to grow some plants really bad. Specifically, growing vegetables. Problem is, I am a complete rookie when it comes to growing most anything.

Actually, there is another side problem. As we are renting, where will I plant? In the UK, a big thing people have here are allotments. Rental gardens if you will. Not sure I want to do that. I'm sort of thinking of doing container growing. But as a newbie, I'm wondering if/when do they have to come in the house at some point? If so, I'm not sure where I would put them. This gardening thing definately takes some planning.

After digging around a little, I found this store that looks promising. Help in the form of holding your hand most of the way, and sales. That works for me. Let me study on. . .

Wanted: Letterbox Stamps

Since I need to get out there and plant letterboxes - taking the 'if I plant them, they will come' approach - I'm asking for any stamps you might have to send. New or used. Just something good for others to find.

I hate carving. Mostly because I think/know my carving skills are substandard. I'm leaving it to those who are good at it and enjoy it. So, if you have something you would like planted over here in Surrey, England, drop me an email or comment below and I'll get the address to you.

Postage for one (or two stamps) in a No. 10 envelope should be very minimal - $1ish. Now if you want to include a logbook or even the box, that's up to you, but it will be costly to send. (But I'd to receive!)

Anyway, bring them on!

The Going Gets Green and Tough

I've been reading the new James Rollins book 'The Doomsday Key', and it has me thinking about a lot of future events. Key to the events in the book is the whole concern about global warming and population growth. With uncontrolled population growth will come food shortages. Unfortunately, this is not just all fiction. The upcoming G8 meeting has as its main topic of discussion - food. Yes, there is a lot of concern over future growth, supplying enough food, etc. In fact, if you want to look at from a financial point of view, we all know stocks/equities have been down. Will they get better? Maybe. But what we are in now is a commodities cycle. For the next 10 years or so, commodities will be the investment of choice. It all ties into supply and demand. And brings me back to wondering what does the future hold? I've been digging around various websites and reading about lots of interesting things - growing your own food, living off the grid, living in eco-towns, car and transportation options, etc. It is an amazing amount of information. Should we be concerned about things like food in our lifetime? Our generation is one of the few who have never been touched by such concerns - I mean in relation to war and global effects. (The US I'm referring to here.) Or even local issues - what about the after-effects of Katrina?

What do you think? Are you taking any steps to protect yourself in case of future problems? Will there be anything to worry about in our lifetime?

Missing Boxing

I've been missing letterboxing this week. Reading about events. Special stamps. Summer walks. Signnn. :( Only option here is to get over to Dartmoor.

But here's the thing with Dartmoor boxing - it's a vast vast open area right. No special trails or fun places to hide boxes. Just grid references. Yawn. I'm just missing the American style of letterboxing. Not grid or GPS references. Real written directions - 'go to the yellow trailhead at XYZ Park', 'continue down the trail until you come to the split with the red trail', etc. And boxes hidden in trees, stumps, signposts, and so on. Not just the same rocks or moss.

I can see I REALLY need to get to a US event soon. If it weren't so dang expensive to fly. . .

On a plus note though, I still have some boxes here to plant. I think you'll see these out in the wild before the end of the year. Finally.

One blog or two?

Need some advice. . .for the few of you who read my blogs, was wondering if I should continue my separate non-letterboxing/geocaching blog or just incorporate it all into this one? If I incorporate, it will be much more day to day and thoughts and opinions then actual activities. But on the plus side, you would see many more posts here. Hmmm. Let me see if I can post a poll and see what you think. Thanks! (and Thanks for continuing to read!)

Fantasy Football League

It's that time of the year again - the English Premier League Football/Soccer starts up again next month. If you'd like to join in on our fantasy football league this year, send your email to: teamkinguk@gmail.com. I'll send you the link to join. There is no cost. It's all just for a bit of fun. I'm working on getting a few more UK friends involved so it should prove even more challenging this year. Yikes!

Anyway, give me a shout if you are interested!