Easter cake making 2012

In a series of backdated posts that I'm posting in Septemner I'll start with this all the way back in... Easter.

Nicky and Oscar made a Simnel Cake, well Nicky made it and Oscar helped to decorate it although he got a bit carried away pushing down the mini eggs.

Open day at the Exmoor Pony Centre

After seeing the Exmoors on Exmoor and nearer home we decided to make a visit to the Exmoor Pony Centre on their open day.  It's a very nice centre staffed by volunteers.

Oscar got to groom a couple of ponies although he's too small to go for a ride on them.  Perhaps on a visit in the not so distant future.

They are very distinctive with their white tipped face and 'toad' eyes. 

I really liked this mare, Kate, she was very friendly and keen to say hello

Barney jumps

I had no idea that Kate and Julie's horse Barney could jump so well; it was great seeing Nicky riding his over the jumps and Oscar found it very entertaining.

The Clown Bike Reborn

Yes, if you hadn't seen my folding fixie before then you have now.  It had been out of use for a long time due to bottom bracket / crankset woes.  Finally I have made a hack for the bottom bracket (A shimano UN72 with the 26tpi cups from the stock bb with a headset spacer to make it fit the extra wide 76mm shell).

It is a 1976 Raleigh Twenty Stow-away (aka a r20 folder).  The 451 wheels have durano slicks on and the 46t chainring with a 13t sprocket provide a decent 70 gear inches.  The Tektro long reach calipers came as a pair and are pulled by the dia-compe reverse action levers on a cut back drop bars into bullhorn style and with the sun rim on the front provide decent stopping power when my leg breaks need help.  The rear hub is a fixed-fixed affair but I haven't put the larger 15t sprocket on it yet to offer an easier gearing for the Mendips.  (The lapize pump has be cut down to fit and I'd hate to have to rely on it to get any serious pressure into the tubes...)  The Brooks b15n lacer is from my out of action Carlton Cobra and sits on top of the longest alloy seatpost I could source...

The bike is back on the road and I forgot how much fun it is to ride and how rapid it is; joy!

Oscar the Tiger

Oscar often comes home from Nursery with his face painted; truth be told I never know what he's supposed to be but this time I could actually tell he was supposed to be a tiger; the roaring helped!

Wareham Common

Nicky grew up in Wareham and spent a lot of time in Wareham Common so we went out for a day trip.  It was very nice and reminded me of time spent in fields near Tuckton when we visited my Grandparents.

The dogs loved it but kept trying to catch the swan on the river.

It really was too cold for wading.

Nicky's dressage test

When she was a kid Nicky worked in a stables and rode a lot, she hadn't been able to ride for years but our lovely friends take her riding on their horse Barney (or Mathias which is his show name).  She rode him for a dressage test locally and did really well, they looked super.