a bit better

I went back to fencing. My son was with me. He's been out of fencing for a while. He challenged me to a bout at foil, which I haven't tried for months. Still, I picked up the weapon - always strangely light after epee - and looked at my son. Last time I fenced him he was smaller than me. Today he's taller.

I told myself that meant a larger target area. Unfortunately it also meant longer arms - and he's faster than me. We didn't have a ref. so argued about right of way from time to time. However I looked at it, he beat me.

But once I was fencing epee I felt a bit more comfortable than last week. A few of my hits went where I intended. The arm-hits may not have been great but they felt like an achievement. Unfortunately I took a few wrist-hits - not hard, but I've got to work out what's going wrong.

I have fewer new bruises this week. The epee coach will have time to work with me in a few weeks, when the beginners are more independent. I'm still unfit, still busy at work, still sleeping badly.

Quite a lot of fencing is like this - not doing too well but trying and hoping. It's better than not fencing.


On another topic, I'm worried to find that Craig Murray's blog has been removed by its hosts under threat of legal action. There's a little more about it HERE. The weblinks give further information.

ADVERTISEMENT - not about fencing

This isn't about fencing. But I think this book is important so I'm including the advertisement on this blog too. I know some of my readers are film fans so you may like to know that a film of Murder in Samarkand is scheduled for release next year. And North American readers can buy used and new copies from Amazon.com (prices is $$ U.S.), get new copies from Canadian on-line retailer Indigo (prices in $$ Canadian), or order directly from www.amazon.co.uk.


Craig Murray's book, Murder in Samarkand, is part of a 3 for 2 promotion in Waterstone's. (That means that if you go shopping with two friends, you can get a copy each and only pay for two of them). It's also reduced in their internet shop. You don't have to buy it there. If you have a good local bookshop, buy it there. There are various on-line booksellers. Your library should stock a copy - or several.

You can buy it in paperback or in hardback - or borrow it.

Above all - read it. It's a good read and has important things to say. The focus is Uzbekistan. But it discusses the way British foreign policy operates. It explains a great deal of the background to the so-called "War on Terror". Unlike most books on politics, it's gripping. A friend stayed up reading it till the early hours of the morning because he couldn't put it down until he knew how it ended. (But the big story isn't over.)

You can also log on to Craig Murray's website and blog.

P.S. I think that Craig Murray's a hero. But he would disagree.