Childhood friends

Mole
Eastern European cartoon. Don't remember much about it. Just mole himself digging out of the ground. He was mysterious and amazing.

Barnaby
I used to sing Barnaby's song all the time. I'm sure there's an episode when he was in the Antarctic too.

Parsley
One of The Herbs. Parsley was the friendliest lion ever.

Dougal
A classic of course. One of a kind.

Barbapapa
Just strange. I thought they must be made of bubblegum.

Laandaan

Every day I'm up in London at the moment. Every day. It's a lovely area, to be fair - The Thames, Borough Market, Southwark Cathedral, Tate Modern, Millennium Bridge all within spitting distance, but no time to just wander around and enjoy it. I have much work to do. And pub socialising.

Lost in the trees

We've been in the New Forest for a few days. A short getaway to enjoy my birthday in some peaceful, natural surroundings (Finlay permitting) instead of the usual boozing down the pub.
We stayed in a little holiday park, which has some caravans, and also 'forest lodges' which is what we stayed in. Very comfortable little wooden house in a little Tim-Burtonesque town of similar buildings.
We did lots of walking in the trees, a bit of cycling, some very good eating at various pubs, and lots of red wine drinking in the evening. I'd never really explored the New Forest before, and I loved it. It's a big area, and criss-crossed with roads that cut across heathland, or carve tree-lined corridors and tunnels through the woodland. Wild deer, horses and cows wander around, and often across the road, so you have to keep your eyes open.
The 'tall trees walk' at Black Water was a highlight. Douglas Firs and Coast Redwoods. Fabulous.