Inviting a novice to a rally, is it wise?

One of my colleagues at work has always shown an interest in my metal detecting exploits. I have often said to him why don't you come along and have a go at it? This week, I informed him that I was going to an open rally which would take place on Sunday and would he like to come along? Tentatively, he said "yes ok then". I think he had a mixture of excited apprehension and a small dose of fear.

After mentioning it on the clubs forum last night I was reminded that my friend would have to be insured. To be honest I had overlooked this small but rather important issue. I remember a couple of years ago I had to get a rushed insurance done to allow me on a dig. I drove to the guy who organised the insurance house to get registered in time. This time I need not go to that extreme, as the web site has an on line registration form which I quickly filled in and sent off my £8.00.

My friend has no metal detector, and has never tried using one. I have two spare machines, 1 which is a Garrett GTA 500, a very simple machine. The second is my Whites spectrum XLT which may be a little complicated for him to use. I have 3 (soon to be 4) shovels, 1 of which is about to go and see Jesus, so it won’t be a problem kitting him out. The only problem I can foresee is that I will not be able to concentrate on my own digging as I will be worried that if I don't help him he will not enjoy his day.

Let’s hope that we have a bit of decent weather for Sunday. Rain is the only thing that could completely ruin the day. At present the weather looks cold, with no rain forecast. Won't it be great if he can find at least 1 interesting item to get the bit between his teeth?

I am sure I will blog the dig, so keep em peeled.

I have had gastrointestinal endoscopy, its a breeze.

Having suffered from acid reflux for many many years i have finally had the cause of it identified.

About 5 weeks ago i traveled to my local hospital to see a specialist. The specialist booked me for a gastrointestinal endoscopy. The symptoms i presented to him were the following;

• Constantly fighting to keep acid heartburn at bay.
• 15 years of taking various types of antacid medication.
• My throat has swollen enough to make it uncomfortable swallowing. This has slowly got worse over the last 8 years.

Now i don't care who you are you always begin to worry that the big 'C' may be taking hold and i am no different anyone else. Waiting for the day of your appointment can be traumatic in itself as you kind of start imagining things are getting worse. Well from experience i can safely say that in most cases its all in the mind.

I was booked in for a Monday at 3.25pm . This isn't the best time to go in for the procedure as you end up worrying yourself sick all morning.

Fear not though, the procedure is not that bad at all. in fact the worse thing about the day is paying for the car parking at the hospital!
I had a spray in my throat rather than have a general anesthetic, which in hindsight i am glad i did. The spray anesthetic is rather like the ones you have for a tooth extraction except you have it applied by a spray directly into your throat. It takes seconds for it to work, and it really does numb everything.

The doctor/surgeon who conducted my procedure was very compassionate and professional . He talked me through what i should expect to happen and reassured me that it would not be painful in any way. I made a comment that i gag easily, as even brushing my teeth causes me to gag! They laughed and said everyone gags as its a reflex response. I closed my eyes and in went a mouth guard, then the camera. I instantly gagged  and again and again! I gagged about 12 times in total, which is far less than when i have had a skin full and the room is spinning.

The procedure took about 4 minutes then it was all over. i had a quick debrief from the nurse who said i had a hiatus hernia, she gave me some literature, and i was off home.

So if your having it, don't be worrying yourself its a breeze.

Time team is no more.

Metal detecting is a hobby closely related to amateur archaeology in my opinion.
In fact some would say that detectorists are amateur archaeologists.

Its a minority hobby, and as that is the case we get very little coverage in the media.
One of the programs that did quench my thirst for some TV coverage was Time team.
A ch4 show that has run for 20 series, covering every facet of our history. Just like we do when detecting, we find something from the war torn Britain era, then two steps further we find a Roman coin.

I have always looked forward to my Sunday evening watching Time team (always hoping it will be a Roman site). I would then cool off with 4 hours of the NFL on sky sports. But this alas has now almost run its time. Just one more series to come (series 20), then 4 specials.

The strange thing is that Time Team would almost always try to hide the detectorists they had working the spoil heaps and finding all those thing we loved to see. I believe that Mick Aston (the old curmudgeon with stripey jumper and bushy grey hair) had no time whatsoever for metal detector enthusiasts. I think that old Baldric was of the same mind, with a uneducated view on what detectorists do.

The fact that they did not like detectorists, has never turned my head as they do for a living what i do for nothing. I will be so sad to see the last episode i will probably have a little weep at the end of it.

May be it will be resurrected as i think they were wanting to move one or two of the old crew on in the last series. Word has it that Mick Aston did not agree with the new shiny white toothed presenters they were bringing in. In fact i hear he quit the program due to this.

Any way good bye my old friend, Sundays will never be the same.

Photography.......i wish i was a little bit better.

I have always been a amateur photographer, and they way i have progressed, i always will be.
My wife is looking for buying me a new camera this Christmas  which i will cherish just as much as the Nikon D60 that she got for me 5 or 6 years ago.

Nikon D60 which has traveled the world with me.

As hard as i try i can never take what i consider to be a great photograph. My wife says that a photo i took of a grey horse in Alrewas is her favorite. I do like this photo as it looks somewhat unreal, but i have not done any photo shop on it. The one thing that annoys me is that just seconds before i took the snap the horse came rite up to my face and started neighing at me and showing its teeth. If only i had the presence of mind to catch that moment on camera i might well have my best ever photo. Instead i stood in amazement for 5 seconds then fumbled around to set the camera up and the moment was lost.

My shot of the Grey stallion and hay cart.

As anyone who has ever read my blog will know i am a keen metal detectorist. You might expect that i would get some good shots while out with the detector. This is not the case though, it's very difficult to carry a large slr camera and all of my detecting kit. I do carry a small digital camera with me, however having dirty hands and using a camera is very difficult.

Its always pleasing to get a good landscape shot (or what i consider good) while out walking. I think that if you have a mind to take good photos, you are always on the look out for an opportunistic shot. Here is one i snapped just a few weeks ago while in York. I was passing through a park early in the morning and noticed how the sun shining through the branches of a tree was lighting up the mist.

Early morning in York.

I will endeavor to take a better photo over the coming months/years as i expect all armature photographers do.

God bless ya.

Clodhoppers dig 14th October 2012.

I thought i might blog the dig i attended on the 14th October with the Clodhoppers.

The dig was near the village of Southam on a mixed arable and pasture farm. 

There was a relatively good turn out of club members, all of whom may i add are a happy go lucky bunch. The ground conditions were a a bit wet to say the least. the Barley stubble left in three of the field was fairly week allowing the coil on the detectors knocked it down easily. The problem was that the fields drainage was non existent, with pools all over the place.

 Not a great photo taken on my Blackberry  ©W Parry2012

The dig was not a memorable one for me as i only found a handful of bullets and other uninteresting items.

Some of the members however found some very nice finds. There were three hammies found, a hammie is a hammered silver coin. These coins are less than a millimeter thick and made from silver. They date from about 1000ad through to about 1700ad. Now if a detectorist finds one of these, they are highly likely to break into a hammie dance. So if you ever see a detectorist getting down in the middle of a field you will know he has just found a hammie. Yes detectorists are human and do have a sense of humour.

The video clip bellow shows a few of the finds from the day, and includes a trio of detectorists doing their hammie dance. Its only Three minutes long but well worth the watch.

VIDEO WITH THANKS TO SID AND CLODHOPPERS.

Engine lane Brownhills and my shock visit.

Today I took the dogs a walk up Engine lane at the top of Brownhills. My objectives were to exerciser the dogs, but i also wanted to do a search for building long since lost. The said building has been mentioned numerous times on the very informative and entertaining Brownhills Bob blog. It appears on old maps, however there is no mention of its use.

I was shocked to find that the cycle way at the top of the lane had a thick chain across it. Obviously not for the convenience of cyclists, so why was it there? I know there have been problems with motorcycles previously, but that's a bit extreme.

Definitely no cycle way here! Notice national cycle route on gate.

I moved on into the wooded area where I think the long lost building may be, that was after negotiating some rather nasty barbed wire obstructions. It began to dawn on me that these obstructions were not haphazardly put there. They were there for a reason (probably not sanctioned) which i can not yet confirm. It would certainly bring a motor/cyclist down in a hurry.

If you look closely the barbed wire is looped out from the gate about 18 inches!

As we moved into the wooded area a cow let out a moo that was obviously only a few meters away. I nearly crapped myself when a large brown Heifer lifted its head only three meters in front of me. It was then i noticed that the whole heard were close behind it. I made a hasty retreat and put the dogs on a leash.  I couldn't see any signs warning of the livestock being on the land, which i thought was a bit naughty. Two guys walking their dogs were coming my way and I asked them how long the cattle had been on the land? They informed me that they had been there for some time. They also passed a not too complimentary comment about Ansell's riding stables taking over the place.

Stand off with cow, i lost.

The view of the cabins from road.

I returned to the part of Engine lane that the building may have been located and took some measurements under the watchful gaze of the cows. On my way back to the car I took a few snaps of the land now occupied by the riding stables.

This was wild scrub in the past, my only concern now is the amount of barbed wire there  is.

I personally don't mind what they are doing with that land. It looks a lot tidier now than before they set up camp there. If they are responsible for the chain then that is out of order, as is the looped barb wire. I am not sure it is them who put up the chain as i think it may be there to stop the cows escaping. It’s all a mystery to me, but i have no doubt someone will tell me what is actually going on.

A view up engine lane.

Answers below please?

A montage of metal detecting finds.

Here is a short slideshow of some of my detecting finds.

if i get any positive feedback i will put a better one up with my more spectacular finds on it.