Liz's Musings

Back to the Real World

2012-01-04T17:50:00.001Z

After an exciting December that included not only the usual Festivities, but a trip to New York with work, yesterday saw life getting back to a more normal position. The alarm is now set for 6am again and breakfast and lunch are meals to be eaten at one's desk.

But it is a New Year so there are bound to be new challenges, so I am sure much of it will be good.

Here's to a great 2012.

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T13:16:00.001Z

So 2011 is well and truly over and 2012 has started.

Last year was certainly one to remember, both personally and globally. It was the year I left an employer I had worked with for 20 years and joined a new employer, which so far seems to have been a really good move, long may that continue. In a global note, it was the year of unrest in the Middle East, earthquakes in New Zealand, flooding in Japan an Thailand, not forgetting Pakistan. New countries in Africa. The Eurozone on the edge of collapse. A new leader in North Korea. What a year.

2012 could be a pivotal year. There are elections due in a number of major countries. I think it could be the year of make or break for the Euro. Scotland may vote to split from The Union. Who knows what natural disasters the year could throw at us. And London has the Olympics.

Here's to 2012 and fingers crossed it treats us well.

I am so special!!?

2011-12-22T17:52:00.001Z

I know this is the season of goodwill to all, BUT. Did I miss the memo that said, if you have been Christmas shopping all day and have a pushchair full of child and shopping and are late for 'your' train, that it is OK to run down the platform pushing people out of the way and yelling at them to 'Mind out!' in order to get on to, not a carriage where there is space for you and yours, but the fullest carriage you can find, where it would be a squeeze to get just Mum in, and then proceed to push said pushchair into innocent bystanders' shins and demand that they find room for you, that clearly is not there.

Sorry, but that is just rude and self centred.

The Lights Are On

2011-12-08T07:22:00.001Z

The lights in the trees outside our offices are on and twinkling in the dark of a crisp Winter's morning. The Christmas festivities have started. Christmas Lunch will be available in the staff restaurant next week for those who want as many Turkey dinners as they can get. I will not be there to partake. I will be the other side of the pond, visiting our offices in the Big Apple.

I wonder how different the build up to Christmas will be in NY. Next week I will find out.

Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness

2011-11-05T22:40:00.001Z

Autumn truly arrived today. The morning started misty and chilled. The leaves had all but fallen from the trees and were being swept up by park attendants and other adults, only to be kicked at by those with a child inside them. This is the time for bonfires and fireworks, for dark mornings and darker nights, for getting cosy in front of a fire, for warming soups and woollen socks, for jumpers and jumping. Autumn is finally here heralding the winter ahead. I wonder what the winter will bring this year. Will it be wet and mild or cold and crisp. Only time will tell.

When You Hand Looks Like This ...

2011-10-25T07:41:00.000+01:00

When your hand looks like this there are only limited things you can so. Start with noting that the ring and little fingers are strapped together. The add the fact that you are not allowed to get it wet for ten days and that, because of the strapping, you can not get a rubber glove on, and you have the makings of a few fun days. Oh, and did I mention, it hurts!

Happy days, it should be better soon.

What Kind of Paper Person are You?

2011-10-17T09:29:00.002+01:00

I have started a class with Shimelle Laine, Pretty Paper Party, and our first task is to take a photo of our Scrapbooking Stash. Here is mine. What kind of Paper Person am I? I am a cross between a Collector and a Contender, with a dash of Scrap Sorter thrown in to address my Scottish roots.
FYI, the empty shelves are not really empty, I went to a Crop recently and have not put the papers back yet.

Indian Summer. Early Morning

2011-09-30T17:58:00.000+01:00

There are a few benefits to starting the working day early and they are often the things that add that extra sparkle to your day.

This morning at about 7.30 I was greeted by the sight of the sun rising over the Tower of London. The air was still and warm, you could still hear birdsong over the noise of the traffic, there was almost no one else about. It was as near to a perfect morning as I have seen on a work day.

On a day like today, even a station looks good.

2011-09-29T17:08:00.000+01:00

With the continued good weather I am spending time looking at ordinary sights from a different perspective. Because the weather is so fabulous so late in September, there is a light that just would not be seen during the proper Summer months. It is imparting something special on to the ordinary, making the extra ordinary.

Very special. Look around you for other special sights.

Indian Summer

2011-09-27T16:48:00.000+01:00

I have to say I am finding our weather very strange these days. There was a time when summer arrived in late May and hung around, more or less, until late August or early September. For the last couple of years we seem to have had most of our summer by early May, then we have a strange mix of Spring and Autumn (including leaf drop some years), then in late September we have another visit from the 'Summer Fairy'. Don't get me wrong, I would rather we had this than no summer at all.

Could someone please let me know what is going on. I am getting confused and have no idea what I am meant to be wearing from one say to the next.

You Ask, Quietly

2011-09-20T18:18:00.000+01:00

I spotted this in a gents' outfitters yesterday and have been thinking about it since then:

You don't take a photograph, you ask, quietly, to borrow it.

This set my mind going in a number of ways. Firstly, thinking about photos generally, do we ever ask if we can take, let alone borrow, a photo these days? Time was, and in some cultures still is, that taking a photo was thought as a way of stealing your soul.

Secondly, I have been thinking about the difference between 'taking' and 'quietly asking'. So many of us assume we have a 'right' to do a thing or have a thing, when did we last ask, quietly, if it would be OK to do so?

I shall have to think about how I can build that into my life and so more quiet asking.

(Sorry about the finger over the lens.)

Much Better

2011-09-15T17:53:00.000+01:00

After the slightly fuzzy photo yesterday, here is a better one of the same wonderful sight. This is what getting close to home looks like for me. And today more than most; tomorrow I do not make this journey, so this is doubly wonderful.

Getting There

2011-09-14T19:36:00.001+01:00

When you have had one of those really long days and really want to get home, it is good to see a sight that lets you know you are nearly there. This is that sight for me.

Getting there, nearly home!

Getting There

2011-09-14T18:51:00.000+01:00

Finally some sanity!

2011-08-26T16:42:00.000+01:00

This post comes with a warning. Parents will probably not agree with much, or indeed, all of what I have to say. Read on, don't read on, I really don't mind.

I rarely get the time to read a newspaper from cover to cover, but having been away with little to do and all day to do it in, I have had that pleasure. Unfortunately my paper reading coincided with the announcement of this year's GCSE results. This is usually a topic to get my blood pressure going in an upward direction; this year was no different, as the papers announced yet another year of increased pass rates and increased grades. How? So many youngsters that I have come across in my working life are incapable of using correct grammar, and I am convinced that were it not for Spell Checker, they would be using spelling that has only a very rough approximation to English. They change tense part way through a sentence, do not know when to use the singular and when the plural. It is often painful to read.

I am sorry, but GCSEs are NOT the same as O Levels were, they are set and marked in such a way as to allow more, if not most, to pass and pass well. How does that help future employers gauge which the best applicant is for a particular role. It does nothing for the child either, who will have spent their school life succeeding at everything, only to find that in the real world, they fail. Let me state here and now, there is nothing wrong with failing, as long as you learn from it. I know, I have failed often in my life, particularly whilst at school. In fact I was so good at failing at school that I had always assumed that I was not the brightest button in the box; I was right, I am not, but I am actually a lot brighter than I had thought while at school. Moving into the real world was wonderful for me, I suddenly started to succeed more often, not always, but certainly more often.

I should explain that I was a bright youngster and this meant that I was pushed into the higher class, meaning that I was always one of the youngest in my year and, once I hit 10 or 11, I started to struggle to keep up. For better or worse (and I hold that it was for better) I was allowed to remain in the higher year, but it did mean that I found school life quite tough.

In my later years I have excelled in my studies, most recently passing a Degree level Professional Course with Distinction. This is something that I never thought I would achieve, indeed, during the exam I was convinced I had failed!! How wrong.

So, why is this post headed 'Finally some sanity'? Yesterday there was an article in the Telegraph with the Headline - 'GCSEs: sloppy grammar will cost pupils one in 10 marks'. Finally markers are going to be allowed to deduct marks for bad grammar

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8721387/GCSEs-sloppy-grammar-will-cost-pupils-one-in-10-marks.html

GCSE exams in English and English literature, to be sat in 2012, will reserve at least 12 per cent of marks “for the use of a range of sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate punctuation and spelling”, said Ofqual

This will be followed with History and Geography in 2013, with Religious Studies possibly being included in 2013 also. The article suggests that bite sized modules, that pupils can resit until they get the grade they need, are also to be abolished; I had no idea they existed, but it certainly explains how we got to the position that we are now.

I appreciate that this Post may cause some to seethe, but trust me when I say I have been seething for some years now, it is someone else's turn. Roll on sanity, it will help us and it will help our children.

Three nights of Bliss!

2011-08-23T17:46:00.000+01:00

Having had a fairly busy last six months, I had, at The Man's suggestion, booked three nights at Grayshott Spa. The time has come and I am here! Settled in my room and already two sessions of pampering done, so I now have pretty hands and feet.

I am looking forward to three nights of pure pampering and indulgence. Not, as one of my colleagues suggested, a time to dry out and detox (this is not The Priory), just attentive service and pampering.

Why is it that three nights here is like a fortnight away somewhere? Is it as simple as having others running round looking after you, or is it something else

Bliss.

Wild Swimming in Olney

2011-08-22T09:20:00.000+01:00

Yesterday a group of us headed north to near Milton Keynes to find a spot to go Wild Swimming. We were heading for the town of Olney, on the River Ouse. We arrived in time for a very pleasant lunch at The Bull and then went in search of our perfect location.

We had been pointed towards the Playing Fields, which have step access to the river, but found this was a little too popular. This is great in one way, but we were seeking some seclusion. The good side to the popularity is that there were a number of families making use of this wonderful location; particularly popular with boys aged about 8, who were jumping in without hesitation. But, as I say, we were looking for something a little quieter.

We had some very pleasant walks around the town until we found our spot, behind the Church, by the Old Mill. We walked down a footpath and across a field until we found some little beaches, we selected one of these and got changed into our wetsuits (other than The Man, who was trying to prove he was a MAN, and only wore swimmers).

And we were off. What a wonderful time we had, the water was reasonably clear, and surprisingly warm (once you were in!). We saw small fish, dragonflies, all sorts. There was quite a current, but not so much that it made it unpleasant. What a great way to spend the afternoon.

Five Things I'm Loving This Friday

2011-08-19T07:16:00.001+01:00

I have forgotten this post for some weeks now, but it's back!

So, today I am loving:

The sunshine being back, even if it is only for a short while.
The mist on the River Thames this morning as I passed over Richmond Bridge. It may be a reminder that Autumn is on its way, but it was still stunning.
Today is my last day at work for two weeks.
Tomorrow will be spent with friends, playing with paper and glue.
I am blessed with good health, even though I feel totally shattered at the moment having worked close to 12 hour days all this week.

See you soon.

Hold Your Head Up

2011-08-16T08:09:00.000+01:00

Too many of us spend too much of our time with our heads down, determined to get to our journey's end as quickly as possible.

Stop. Look up. Be surprised by what you may see. I am sure most people would miss seeing this camel train above a bank in Great Tower Street, but there it is for all to admire.

Take the time today to look up and find the little pleasures that so many miss.

My New Toy

2011-08-07T12:10:00.000+01:00

It has arrived!

It took a while, thanks to the DVLA losing the paperwork for my personalised plate. But it is here now and is perfect! How can you not smile when you look at it, it is just a little blue box of joy!

Worth the wait

Scrapbook Pages

2011-07-02T16:56:00.003+01:00

As promised to some of my friends, here are some pages that I have been working on recently. Some of them use the same layout, but may look either subtly or quite dramatically different due to the papers that have been used. Some of the layouts have come from my head and others are inspired (or scrap-lifted) by Shimelle Laine.

These are the same layout, but one has been turned through 90 degrees

Close Up

These two both use the same layout:

Close Up

Again, these have used the same layout, but are meant to work opposite each other, so the papers are from the same range. Can you see the hidden information on the train layout?

Can you see it now?

These layouts are all singles, other than some close up details.

So for those of you thinking about joining my next class, I hoe there is some inspiration for you in these pages. You will see that I have a number of styles, both organised and geometric, and shabby chic/vintage. Don't get too tied to the 'theme' of your papers; the using the sepia photos used paper from a Bridal Range, but they don't look at all bridal as I have used them. Also, keep our eye open for pretty things; the corners of the sepia photo with the group of ladies, uses doilies that have been inked up to match the red highlight in the papers - the doilies were from a tea I had at an hotel I was staying at. Don't throw out clothing that has buttons without first removing the buttons, particularly if they are not just white shirt buttons. Remember that most blouses these days come with ribbon inside to help keep the blouse on the hanger, if you don't use them, cut them off, they are only going to stick out anyway; instant free ribbon.

Five Things I'm Loving this Friday - I'm Back

2011-07-01T07:11:00.000+01:00

What a strange month June has been. By which I mean a number of things. The weather was more like April, I seem to have been rushing around like a mad person with no time to really do anything.

But I am back now, so:

Five Things I am Loving This Friday:

I am really tired, but that doesn't matter because I have today off work
The forecast for the weekend is really not too bad
We have a good day planned, out and about and having fun
Our National Trust Membership will be used again today
Life is good

Fungi Comes in All Shapes and Sizes

2011-05-30T22:53:00.000+01:00

Over the past few weeks I have seen a number of fungi and am fascinated by their variety:

Five Things I'm Loving this Friday

2011-05-27T07:10:00.000+01:00

Five Things I am Loving This Friday:

I have today off work
Father is home and progressing well
We have a good week planned; time with friends.
Our National Trust Membership pack has come through just in time
I am in a good mood.

Five Things I'm Loving this Friday

2011-05-20T21:18:00.003+01:00

Five Things I am Loving This Friday:

The forecast for the weekend is good
Father is due to go home on Tuesday, with luck and a fair wind
We have a good weekend planned; time for us, time for family, time for self.
Nature is a wonderful thing that produces some amazing sights

We had our own, wonderful, strawberries for supper. Yum!

'Come and have a look at this!'

2011-05-15T12:27:00.002+01:00

'Come and have a look at this' comes the call from The Man. So I run into the kitchen expecting to see some of the neighbours' cats being cute. But no, this is the sight that met me:

I am not sure why, but it reminded me of A A Milne's poem, The Three Little Foxes:

Once upon a time there were three little foxes
Who didn’t wear stockings, and they didn’t wear sockses,
But they all had handkerchiefs to blow their noses,
And they kept their handkerchiefs in cardboard boxes.

And they lived in forest in three little houses,
And they didn’t wear coats, and they didn’t wear trousies.
They ran through the woods on their little bare tootsies,
And they played “Touch Last” with a family of mouses.

They didn’t go shopping in the High Street shopses,
But caught what they wanted in the woods and copses.
They all went fishing, and they caught three wormses,
They went out hunting, and they caught three wopses.

They went to a Fair, and they all won prizes —
Tree plum-puddingses and three mince-pieses.
They rode on elephants and swang on swingses,
And hit three coco-nuts at coco-nut shieses.

That’s all I know of three little foxes
Who kept their handkerchiefs in three little boxes.
They lived in the forest in three little houses,
But they didn’t wear coats and they didn’t wear trousies,
And they didn’t wear stockings and they didn’t wear sockses.

Five Things I'm Loving this Friday - a bit late

2011-05-14T08:57:00.000+01:00

Things have got a bit behind this week for a host of reasons, so this post is a little late. But time to catch up now, so, Five Things I am Loving This Friday (Saturday):

The sun is out and it is a beautiful morning
After two weeks, Father is now out of hospital on on the road to recovery
I work with some wonderful people, who are incredibly supportive
I live with the most amazing man, who always (well, mostly) knows just what to say to make me feel better
I have a day of playing with paper and glue planned, which always makes me feel good!

Scrapbook Day: Challenge 3

2011-05-07T19:12:00.001+01:00

I am taking part in some of the Challenges on offer for (Inter)National Scrapbook Day. This page is in response to the Challenge that Shimelle Laine has on her Blog here (the layout is based on one of her's also). It is one of the pages that I am doing for The Man's Birthday Scrapbook. I did not have photos for his early twenties, but he found a few, these are some of those and show him dressed up as a Roundhead when he was in the Sealed Knot.

What a Difference a Day Makes!

2011-05-07T12:30:00.000+01:00

So 24 hours after my last blog and the strawberry has gone from pale blush of pink to full on red, another few hours and it will be ready! Will I get to eat it before the squirrels, that is the next question.

Five Things I'm Loving this Friday

2011-05-06T10:24:00.000+01:00

This Friday I am mostly thinking about the wonders of nature, particularly as in this part of the Country everything is so far advanced for the time of year. So, This Friday I am loving:
That we will be able to eat salad greens from our own garden from now on:

That very soon we may be able to eat Strawberries from our garden:

That the Ceanothus in next door's garden is in full bloom:

That the bulbs that my Brother and Sister-in-Law gave me last year are now coming into bloom. I have no idea what they are, but they are pretty (if you know, please tell me):

That the Lavender is already in bloom and smelling wonderful:

Afternoon Tea

2011-05-02T10:25:00.000+01:00

This weekend we are celebrating The Man's birthday. I really did not know what I wanted to do to mark the occasion, but after a bit of a search on Google I found that a local hotel do a proper Afternoon Tea every afternoon. I have always wanted to 'do' a proper Tea, so I dropped them an email and the table was booked.

The weather was perfect, a bit windy, but a really clear blue sky which meant that we had the most amazing views of the Thames valley from halfway up Richmond Hill. To make it even better, we were offered a table on the terrace, out of the wind, so could enjoy the weather and the views from the open, much more 'us'.

I was so pleased with the Tea and how we were looked after, not too much attention, but just enough. Perfect.

Five Things I am Loving This Friday

2011-04-29T16:30:00.000+01:00

I need to thank Fiona at Staring at the Sea for this idea; it is a straight lift as I think it is a wonderful idea and something that I hope will achieve two things. Firstly I hope it will give you an insight into what makes me tick and, secondly it should give me the spur to post on a more regular basis.

So here we go, Five Things I am Loving This Friday:

that there is a Public Holiday to celebrate The Man's birthday. OK, I know this is not the real reason, but it is the best reason I can think of
that after weeks of good weather, today was not the day that we had rain; I think a certain couple will be pleased, as will a few thousand people attending a certain event
that my printer has started to work properly again
Nails Inc Nail Varnish - a lot!!
that I am a Royalist and proud of it

My Day in Photos

2011-04-27T07:53:00.000+01:00

See more days here

Easter Sunday BBQ

2011-04-25T08:45:00.000+01:00

I know Easter is very late this year, but how strange, if nice, to have a BBQ in the evening and not need to be wearing thermals. We have originally planned to have it the day before, but the Met Office has issued a Weather Alert for extreme heavy rain, so we decided to postpone - there was rain, but not much.

Last night, however, was dry and sunny and warm, so we broke out the disposable BBQ and some kebabs and we were away. Add a couple of chilled beers and heaven was not far away.

Perfect.

One of our neighbours poked his head over the fence to see what was going on, very cute but I missed the photo, just a head and his front paws (didn't I mention he is a cat?).

The view from a moving train

2011-04-21T07:05:00.000+01:00

There is something slightly odd going on with our weather at the moment. It is still only April, but the weather is amazing and set to continue over the Easter holidays, which is also amazing as it is rarely nice over Bank Holidays.

This picture looks a little hazy, but that is due to it being taken from a moving train with far from clean windows. What it is actually showing is that really sift light you tend to get early in the morning of a very hot day. We will see.

On a personal note, I just want to get through the day as quickly as possible so that I can enjoy the long weekend. So here's to a busy, and therefore, short day.

Is it just me that can see the bunny?

2011-04-10T03:01:00.000+01:00

I was at a local garden centre today and seemed to be aware of something that no one else was, a very tall golden rabbit was sitting next to the Rosemary. Was it my I
imagination? Well I was the only one taking any notice if it.

Is this our summer?

2011-04-08T06:52:00.000+01:00

Walking to the station after visiting a friend I was thinking what a wonderful evening it was. Then I wondered, is this going to be another year where we have an amazing April only to find that there is no real summer to follow. Or, is this the start of a really splendid summer, a hint of things to come.

I for one hope it is the latter. We had a tough winter, so here's hoping for a great summer to compensate.

There are worse places to work.

2011-03-24T06:59:00.002Z

There are times when you need to stop and look around you. It is amazing what you then see right in front of you, something that you often just accept. Take the time, have a look, this is what I saw a couple of days ago. How could I not have noticed before just how stunning the view is on my way to work. The Tower of London is not small, and yet I really had not taken in the fact that it is there.

Note to self, take the time to look around and see what is straight in front of you.

And Now, The End is Near.

2011-03-01T18:11:00.000Z

So after a couple wonderful days of pampering and de-stressing, I am at the final night of my time away. It has been, as predicted, bliss for me and I would recommend it to anyone.

Why is it though that there is always at least one person who is fortunate enough to be able to treat themselves to a visit such as this, but who does not seem to be happy unless there is something that they can complain about, at the top of their voice. Do they not realise that there are any number of people who would live to be able to sample this. People!

But forget them, this was bliss!

Pax intrantibus. Salus exeuntibus.

Bliss!

2011-02-27T17:28:00.001Z

I have been waiting for these few days for some weeks. Three days of bliss in the middle of the Surrey countryside. Nothing to do but be pampered and relax. This is what having time off between jobs is all about, recharging the old batteries ready for the challenges ahead.

Valentine Surprise

2011-02-14T17:48:00.000Z

Whilst we like to do the romantic bit on Valentine's day, we do not always do the flowers and stuff. But look what greeted me when I got home! He is an old romantic after all.

'Home James!'

2011-02-14T16:48:00.000Z

Time to head home for supper with my Valentine. We don't do the mushy romance bit that often, indeed a bit mire would be good, but 14 February is a day for romance in my book. So, I am 'on' my trusty steed and heading home.

Is Spring on its way?

2011-02-08T07:32:00.000Z

Scrapbook Getaways - Day One

2011-02-05T08:24:00.000Z

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch - The Results

2011-01-30T09:41:00.000Z

As planned, I was up early this morning ready to take part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, hot coffee in one hand and binoculars in the other. I set a timer to 60 minutes and I was off.

So what did I see:

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

2011-01-29T11:29:00.000Z

This weekend is the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. Anytime on 29 or 30 January 2011 you are asked to spend just one hour recording the birdlife in your garden, your local park, wherever you happen to be.

All you need is a pen, some scrap paper (or, a printout of the handy bird ID sheet), and an hour to spend watching the birds in your garden on either Saturday 29, or Sunday 30 January 2011. From past experience you get more birds early in the morning, rather than in the afternoon, so if you can bear to get up early you will probably find it more rewarding, there is nothing quite as boring as gazing into your own garden for an hour with nothing to record. I will be up with the sun on Sunday to see what this year's count will be, I have already ensured that there is lots of food out ready to tempt the local feathered visitors, putting it out today means they will know that it is there tomorrow.

Then simply record the highest number of each bird species seen in your garden, or local park (not flying over) at any one time, and come back to this page to tell the RSPB what you saw.

If you're not too sure what bird you've seen, try the easy to use bird identifier, or have a look on the A-Z of birds pages.

You can also ask questions, and share your tips for a brilliant birdwatch on the RSPB friendly Big Garden Birdwatch community group.

Helping garden birds really is a lot of fun, and couldn't be easier.

From the back of a bus

2011-01-12T20:10:00.000Z

It's a slightly wet Wednesday night and I have just had a really enjoyable evening with a friend. The choice is to become a mole and dive underground to get home, or jump on a bus and have a look at the City at night. Easy.

This is the, not well photographed, view from the back of the bus. St Paul's is in the far background and is very impressive at close quarters at night; beautifully lit and well worth a look.

A view of the river will be next, then on a train and home.

A good end to a good evening.

The Holidays are nearly over

2011-01-03T16:30:00.000Z

So here we are on 3 January 2011 and the long break for the Christmas and New Year Holidays is nearly over, and it is back to work tomorrow. The 5.30 am alarm is going to be a bit of a shocker in the morning having got into the habit of waking naturally at about 8.00 am.

Oh well, it is going to be an exciting few months, getting ready for leaving one job, after 20 years, and starting with a new company, that happens to be their largest competitors; a very interesting start to the year. So here goes with both feet!

Happy New Year to one and all

2011-01-01T15:00:00.000Z

Happy 2011 one and all! Another year has passed into the history books and a new one has begun, and I hope this one brings everyone all they could wish for.

For myself, it is due to bring new employment after 20 years with the same employer, so quite an adventure, only 7 weeks to go before I leave my current employer and then a couple of weeks off before the new adventure begins.

Whilst I am very well aware that it is going to be a bit strange for the first couple of months, it is high time for a change, and such an good opportunity, I am finding the prospect most exciting.

Tax Return, tick!

2010-12-29T17:59:00.000Z

So yet again I have waited until almost the last minute to do my Tax Return, but it is done and only took me 3 hours this year. I keep meaning to write myself a guide to how to do my Tax Return, every year I forget where some if the allowances go and where you should claim each item, but every year I am just so pleased to have got it done that I just move on to the next thing on the list of things that I actually want to do. I really must think about doing my Return earlier next year, maybe in April or May!

But it is done and now I shall get on with enjoying my Christmas holiday and recovering from Flu, much better use of my time I think.

And so this is Christmas! Well Eve anyway.

2010-12-24T16:32:00.000Z

Santa has arrived with us today, a little early, but he says he needs to get a head start as there is so much to do these days, and the snow has really not helped with the transport of toys and other gifts. Apparently any delays caused to air, rail and road travel are nothing to a stroppy reindeer that has cold feet! After all, we all know what happened to Rudolph's nose, and I am told that toes are just as susceptible to the cold and wind.

So how long will it last?

2010-12-20T20:23:00.000Z

The snow fell in a couple of hours on Saturday morning, a good 6 inches in two hours - quite a thing to see.

I took this photo last night and it looks the same tonight, the temperature did not get above freezing all day so I start to wonder how long we will keep the snow for. I do not remember anything like this before. And the forecast, currently more is expected.

So how long will it last?

Organisation or Chaos?

2010-11-14T20:18:00.000Z

The final weekend before next week's exam and I am preparing my final notes to take in with me. But is this a scene of organisation or complete and utter chaos. Next week will tell. Fingers crossed.

Sometimes The Usual is Amazing

2010-11-10T20:21:00.002Z

Yesterday, as I was walking back from a meeting I decided to cross the river using the Golden Jubilee Bridges. I was staggered by the view that greeted me. This is a view that is not new to me, and yet it stopped me in my tracks. I think it was as simple as my being extremely busy in every part if my life at the moment and there I was with nothing to do but take in what was around me. Just amazing.

Yum! Simple but effective.

2010-11-08T21:03:00.000Z

I made this at the weekend and it is really yummy. I have to thank Nigella Lawson for the recipe, you can find it on the BBC website, it's called 'No Fuss Tart'. Trust me, it is very simple to make, keeps well and is worth every moment of the very small amount of time it takes to prepare.

Studying in the Autumn

2010-11-05T09:35:00.003Z

You would think that studying in the Autumn would be easier and have fewer distractions than studying in the Summer. But when the view from your chosen location includes such wonderful colours, and the promise of piles of leaves to kick your feet through, it is not as easy as one might think.

All one can do is focus on the fact that in two weeks time it will all be over (results permitting!) and then you will be free to kick your heels up and enjoy what Mother Nature brings.

True Stories

2010-10-25T20:56:00.002+01:00

I have just signed up for another on-line class with Shimelle Laine. Details can be found here

True Stories. This time it is about writing/journalling, something I am not very good at when it comes to 'personal' writing for scrapbook projects. Give me a report to write, or indeed a blog, and I can write my little heart out. Give me a pen and a blank piece of paper and that is a different story. That involves using my not very good handwriting. I mean I appreciate that many people hate their own handwriting, but mine is really not great. I am too hesitant, so it looks like I am, well, too hesitant.

Anyway, this class involves many blank sheets of paper, and no guilt about making mistakes, indeed crossing out is positively encouraged!! So here I go, why don't you join me?

Sunrise over the City

2010-10-22T07:51:00.000+01:00

Those of you who know me will understand that I do not particularly enjoy the whole 'getting up at 5.30 in the morning' thing. It is bad enough in the summer, when it is at least light, but for the past couple of weeks it has felt like the middle of the night. It has been dark, and recently, extremely cold, with thick layers of frost on the windows of cars, adding to the frustration of the morning journey to work.

But there are benefits as well. The chance of not just getting 'a' seat on the train, but 'your' seat, are increased significantly. There is no queue at your favourite coffee shop, and the baristas have time to greet you and have a chat whilst making your coffee just how you like it.

And sometimes there are additional benefits, that only happen very occasionally. Today is one of those days. As I walked into the office and glanced out of the window on the way to my desk, this is what I saw:

This is why you should get up at 5.30 in the morning, because this is something you do not get to see otherwise. This makes it all worthwhile.

Farewell to Priceless Paintings from W7

2010-10-20T20:51:00.000+01:00

It is with sadness that I must announce the Termination of Priceless Paintings from W7.

This blog was an inspiration to us all, particularly those of us who know the blogger well. But it is no more, it has ceased to be, it is an ex-blog.

Farewell Priceless Paintings, those of us who are relatively new to blogging will try to keep up the standard, but you will be a hard act to follow.

We Don't Often Get Days Like This, Particularly at a Weekend

2010-10-10T17:40:00.000+01:00

It is not often that we get such a wonderful day in October, and for it to fall on a weekend is an added bonus. Clear blue skies and 70 F is not at all what I expect on 10 October, and yet, here it is.

It is a little windy, but who can complain when this is what you can see all around.

Sometimes Only the Best Will Do

2010-10-08T07:45:00.000+01:00

Even though I am trying to be good and not spend too much money on frivolous things, there are times when only the best is good enough; now is one of those times.

It has been a tough week, and a tough few months, so this morning I decided that the usual source of my morning coffee would not do.

Today I was going to treat myself to a really great coffee, courtesy of Taylor Street Baristas.

And what a treat it was. Rich and Smooth, just what the doctor ordered. My only hope now is that the rest of the day will be equally Rich and Smooth!!

Didn't We Have a Wonderful Time?

2010-09-26T15:19:00.000+01:00

Not the day we went to Bangor, but the day Les Girls came over for a day of Scrapbooking!

This was a class I ran for 6 family and friends as an introduction to scrapbooking. It was also and introduction to me of actually running this type of class.

It took me a few weeks to get everything ready, bit at a time, and to make sure that everyone had the same things in their kit. I also had to get the set of instructions sorted out and let the ladies know what they needed to bring by way of photos.

The plan for the day was to start making a mini-book, or brag-book, and for the ladies to have the instructions and sufficient 'stash' to take away to be able to finish the project at home.

I think the ladies were amazed at how quickly time flys when you are playing with paper and glue, but they all seemed to really enjoy the day and I am already planning the next session.

And how was the day for me? I was really pleased that I had put the work in before the day, as everything went really smoothly, and it proved to me that I can run these types of event. I was so proud of what the ladies did, without exception, they all exceeded my expectations. But boy, was I tired at the end of the day!

Back to Work - Good, Bad or Ugly?

2010-09-20T21:55:00.000+01:00

So, I was back at work today after a holiday of just over two weeks. To say that I was dreading what the first day back would be like would be to understate how I felt. My expectation was not great, particularly as I stupidly turned on my work Blackberry last night (by mistake in my own defence) to find that I had just over 350 emails in my inbox. Even allowing for the fact that some of those would be 'rubbish' and some from my colleagues replying to emails on my behalf and copying me in. Even so, they would all need to be read and filed both within my email system and physically.

I got in to the office at 7.00 and started the process. By 9.00 the figure of outstanding emails was down to just over 150, it is amazing what you can do when there is peace and quite. By the time I left the office, admittedly over an hour late and having worked through my lunch hour, I had only 11 emails that had not been allocated to a specific case.

And the purpose of this blog post? To crow about how efficient I have been today? No, it is specifically to show that today I learnt that with purpose and determination (and quite a lot of luck) you really can do what you initially thought to be the impossible.

Busy Learning Something New Every Day

2010-09-06T08:31:00.001+01:00

As you may have noticed in an earlier post, I have signed up to Shimelle Laine's 'Learn Something New Every Day' on-line course that is being run this September.

The idea of this course is that you record something that you have learnt each day. Generally you will record this the following day, as you are unlikely to know what you have learnt until the day is over.

So what have I learnt so far. Well, there are a few classics and a few that are very personal. On 1st September I saw a poster on the Underground that had a quote from Gandhi 'There is more to life than increasing it's speed'; what a wise man he was. Yesterday I learnt this lesson the hard way. I was rushing to get things done, specifically making the bed, with no shoes on, ran into the bedroom, swerved to avoid the cat which was, inevitably lying in the way, and straight into the bed leg with bare toes. Here I am this morning still suffering with stubbed toe syndrome. What a great start to a holiday!!

So what will I learn over the next 25 days?

A Story of One River

2010-08-30T18:01:00.000+01:00

August Bank Holiday Weekends are notorious in the UK for really bad weather, so I was pleasantly surprised when Saturday dawned to blue skies and fluffy white clouds. I decided that a trip into Kingston would be a good idea before the weekend got too far underway. I planned to do some tidying and needed some basic boxes to pack some stuff away in, and some pretty ones to store some items for display.

And so it was, I spent most of the rest of Saturday, and some of Sunday, tidying. And it was quite successful, although I had less to store than I had expected. But a general tidy and the use of the new, pretty, storage boxes did the tick and things are much more organised, and I think I will even remember where things are.

The remainder of Sunday was spent getting ready for the new on-line class. It starts on 1st September, and for once I actually took heed of the suggestion to get everything ready in one place, thus allowing for the possibility of actually making a 6x6 page every day for a month, rather than spending most of the time trying to decide what to use and then trying to find it. Here's hoping the strategy works!

As the forecast for Monday was good, The Man suggested that we take the train to Windsor to do a short cycle trip, to use as a possible group trip either later this year or early next year; at 16 miles, it would be easy to achieve in an afternoon.

Although it was a little cool in the morning, the weather was wonderful, and by mid afternoon, it was reasonably warm. And so it was we cycled along the Jubilee 'River' (I will always think of it as the Windsor Flood Relief). We saw all kinds of wonderful views and bird life (the speck in the sky is a Redkite, honest) and had a really good afternoon.

Some of us managed to complete the tour without the need for a stop. Some, however, did not! I think the picture says it all, but if you feel the need for more information, just ask.

And so, back to Windsor, and a view of the Castle I am not sure I have seen before, rather impressive, or is that imposing?

Finishing with some over indulgence at 'The Chocolate Theatre Factory Cafe', which, along with some amazing looking chocolate cakes and drinks, also serves a pretty good Cream Tea, just what is called for after a cycle ride.

Then back to the station, and home.

August Bank Holiday Weekend (mostly)

2010-08-27T21:54:00.000+01:00

So in case you haven't remembered, this is the start of the August Bank Holiday Weekend, well for some of us in the UK, but not for all. If you live north of the Border, you had your August Bank Holiday on 2 August, so hands off, this one is for Sassenachs and Welshmen, and a few Irishmen over the Sea.

There is a modern legend that the traffic on the Friday before the August Bank Holiday starts building up from about Lunchtime. And sure enough, when I left work today, a little earlier than often, the traffic was indeed heavy. The reports on the radio confirmed that the M25 was already backed up from Junction 17 round to Junction 11, about 20 miles! So I avoided that and went on the M4 instead, but as is often the way, when the M25 Western section clogs up, the roads inside it clog up as well, so it was a very odd route that took me home.

Now remember I said that this is not a Bank Holiday north of the Border, so I was amused that the Radio 2 traffic report started with a statement that 'Bank Holiday traffic is already building up. The roads around Perth are already very busy and traffic on the M8 into Edinburgh is moving very slowly . . . '. Can someone tell me what that had to do with a Bank Holiday south of the Border? Had hoards of drivers headed over Hadrian's wall specifically to cause traffic problems in Scotland?

Well after the journey I had, I for one will be avoiding main roads this weekend, it just isn't worth the stress. I think a nice quiet weekend tidying up my craft room and preparing for Shimelle Laine's 'Learn Something New Every Day' is called for.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

2010-08-23T22:54:00.000+01:00

I know that there has been some concern about a lack of rain, particularly in the South East, but did we really need the rainfall deficit all to fall in the space of a few minutes?

When I left home for work this morning it was a little damp, but not too bad. Still a bit damp when I got to Waterloo, and no change by the time I got to Bank as I started the walk up to Bishopsgate. Then, suddenly, with no warning the heavens opened and it poured. And I don't mean that the rain got a bit heavier, I mean it poured, it was like standing under a power shower.

Happily a bus came along just in time to give me shelter and I completed my journey in this relevant comfort only to be disgorged at Liverpool Street Station and into the Bishopsgate River, for that is what it was this morning. The water was so deep that it topped my shoes.

I took refuge my favourite coffee shop, only to be greeted with the sight of one chap who was proudly accepting of the fact that he had left home without raincoat, jacket or umbrella, and had made the unfortunate choice of a white shirt. Needless to say, the shirt may as well have been invisible, for it was soaked through and clinging to his well sculpted torso. So the morning could have been worse I suppose!

Christmas is Coming. Geese start that diet now!!.

2010-08-20T21:45:00.000+01:00

No I have not gone totally mad, well actually there are times when I think I have, but not because I think Christmas is coming, when we all know that we have a few more months to go.

But for me, Christmas is coming tomorrow. That is when I start my Christmas paper craft demonstrations. I have spent a some time over the past couple of weeks making samples ready for the demonstrations. Most of the samples use very basic techniques.

But I usually make a couple of more advanced samples, partly just to show off, but mainly so that others can see what is possible.

So tomorrow I will be buzzing round the M25 to my first Christmas demonstration. Having seen the weather for tomorrow, it looks like it will be almost winter as well, so it may even feel about right.

And what will our Christmas cards look like this year? I have absolutely no idea, watch this space.

Sow what do we have here?

2010-08-10T19:01:00.001+01:00

This is a bit of a quiz really, have a look at this photo and guess what it is? It's a bit of a Rolf Harris question really - 'Do you know what it is yet?'

If you are thinking peppermint rock, think again. There's a clue in the title of this post, if that helps. So for those of you who thought I had forgotten how to spell, the answer is 'No', I have just dug up a rather bad sense of humour from somewhere. Here is another photo that may help you.

Any closer? 'Do you know what it is yet?' If you are thinking vegetable, then you are getting closer. These are photos of the stems of Swiss Chard, in this case a variety called 'Bright Lights', and this is not a reference to 'Gremlins', sorry my brain is doing very odd things today.

So what do the plants look like when still in the ground? Well you will have already seen this in an earlier post, but here it is again.

Did any of you get it right?

And if you are wondering what you use Swiss Chard for, other than just eating, the answer is that you can eat young leaves raw in salads, mature leaves can be cooked like spinach, but better, and the stems either be braised, or used in soup.

Bugs and Blooms

2010-08-08T14:11:00.000+01:00

Although I am not feeling great today, thank you to The Man for sharing his bugs with me (gosh I must be feeling rough, that is going to end up as a truly bad pun!), I could not resist a quick visit to the garden with my faithful Fuji on Super Macro setting. Within a few feet of the backdoor I found the makings of some great shots (she says immodestly). I should add that most of the flowers, although not all, were grown my me from seed.

So what did I spot? Well here we are:

Hoverflies on Californian Poppies with Alyssum in background.

This time without the Hoverfly, but a slightly different colour of Californian Poppy.

Alyssum in the foreground and background this time; I love taking photos with a very short depth of field, I'm not sure what it is about them, I think it might be the ability they have to make you look at what the real subject of the photo and not the clutter around it.

This time a different colour and fewer petals, but still a Californian Poppy.

And this is definitely my favourite colourway, there are so many subtle hues, from bright fuchsia through soft salmon pinks to yellows and creams.

Change of bug and floral focus. This time a classic 7-spot Ladybird on some Alyssum .

And again!

And a Hoverfly on Alyssum .

Now some alpine flowers, I am afraid these were bought from the local garden centre.

But they are pretty none the less.

Especially this one, I love the veining on the petals. And the flower heads are each only about half an inch across.

There are Moments when I feel VERY OLD!!

2010-08-06T18:55:00.000+01:00

It has been an interesting week for a whole host of reasons. There have been emotional ups and downs, highs and lows, irritations and laughter.

Having tried out the Boris Bikes at the weekend, I ended up using them every day except Monday. The reason for trying a bike on Tuesday was because one of the girls at work had invited some of us to join her for a drink after work in celebration of her 'nothing in particular' birthday. The prospect of lugging my Brompton to the bar was not one that I relished, so Boris Bike came to the rescue; and it was so easy.

Much of the laughter of the week was provided by the barman. He was a very jolly Irish chap and came over to take our drinks order as we sat down, unfortunately he was so desperate to please that in his rush back to the bar he ran straight into a low cupboard, he assured us he was fine, but we all felt it. All was then fine for some time, until a few more of our colleagues joined the party and ordered some soft drinks and another bottle of wine, these were duly brought to the table on a tray. As he was about to serve the drinks down, the tray started to wobble, the contents of the tray wobbled more, he tried to stop the wobble, the more he tried to stop the wobble the worse it got until . . . . . everything, the full glasses, the empty glasses, the bottle of wine all hit the floor. Nothing survived, it was all gone, the poor chap, we couldn't help ourselves, we just had to laugh!!

So that clearly covers the laughter and an emotional up for me, if not for the barman, so what about the lows and the emotional down? We have had a lady in to cover for maternity leave, so has only been with us for a short while, but she has been an inspiration to us and has brought so much knowledge with her. I have learnt heaps from her and really hope that her next role is a success for her, she will be sorely missed.

And now for some irritation/a bit of a rant. You have been warned, you may not want to read any further. Why don't children know how to behave well in public and why, if they clearly don't, do their parents inflict them upon us during the rush hour when things are stressful enough as it is? On two afternoons this week a parent has boarded the the train I have been taking home, with more than one child in tow, all old enough to be able to understand basic instructions, such as 'NO' and 'STOP KICKING THAT LADY', but clearly thought it was amusing to ignore the instruction. I am not talking really young here, I am talking 9 or 10. On one occasion the subsequently chastised child then screamed, and I mean high pitched, glass shattering, fingernails down a blackboard, piercing screams. I know I am an old fogey that has no children, so clearly has no idea what I am talking about, but is this meant to be normal, acceptable behaviour? Had it only occurred on one evening I would have put it down to an over tired child with an over tired parent, but twice!?

But I have to end on a positive note. The Boris Bikes are great, I had a bit of a blip getting one out of the docking station on Thursday, but all in all a really great experience and a huge enhancement to London's public transport system, I just hope that it is well maintained so that it continues to be so.

An Afternoon on Boris's Hire Bikes

2010-07-31T22:42:00.005+01:00

This afternoon The Man suggested that we take the train up to London and try out the new Cycle Hire Bikes. We had applied for keys earlier in the week and they had arrived surprisingly quickly; I certainly felt that if that was an indication of the efficiency of the scheme that this was a good start, particularly so close to the launch.

We arrived at Waterloo Station and crossed the road to the Docking Station on Concert Hall Approach; this is meant to be a reasonably large station with 33 bikes and, happily there were more than enough for our needs.

We had heard that some of the bikes had tight rear wheels, so we checked that our bikes were OK. I chose 14389 and The Man chose 16176.

It would appear that I was better at checking than him as we had not gone that far before he noticed that his bike was quite stiff to ride, which is not what we were expecting.

We decided to do a tour of our respective work places, so headed along Stamford Street and Southwark Street towards Southwark Bridge and the City. As we went, we noticed just how many Docking Stations there are, all of them had bikes in, although the one on Stamford Street had no spaces to dock, which would have meant going to one of the other Docking Stations in the area. Some Docking Stations, like the one on Queens Street, are not fully finished yet, but had bikes, and a few are not finished at all, such as the one at Bank of England Museum, which is still a building site. But that said, even without all of the Docking Stations fully finished, the coverage on the route that we took was very impressive.

We found our way to Devonshire Square Docking Station and were pleased to see that there were some vacant spaces so duly docked our trusty bikes. My bike was more than happy to be docked and the light went the required green. For some reason The Man's dock light insisted on staying amber, although the bike seemed to be securely docked so we assumed it was as we went on a walk to my office to fill the required 5 minutes before we took another bike out (you can take another bike straight away, but then you do not benefit from the free first 30 minutes deal - having a 5 minute break means you start a new 'first 30 minutes'). The Man had not realised that it was as far from Bank as it is, he knew it was close to Liverpool Street Station, but seems to have foreshortened the distance from Bank.

When we returned to the Docking Station The Man was not able to take a bike out, other than the one that he had used from Waterloo, clearly this was the result of the incomplete Dock earlier. So we decided to go only a short distance to Wormwood Street, re-dock and have a drink before we set up again. This time the bike docked without a problem, and the drink was very welcome, so a bit of a win win.

So it was on to Monument and The Man's office. This time it was my turn to have an eye opener as I had not realised how close to The House of Fraser his offices are, and how close to London Bridge. We looked for his nearest Docking Station and found one not too far away on Eastcheap.

We then cycled over London Bridge and started to retrace our steps (or pedals) to Waterloo having had a really enjoyable afternoon using the latest addition to the London Transport System.

So what are the bikes like and how do they work? They are sedate, it has to be said, courtesy of their weight and wide tyres. Do not expect to be nipping in and out of traffic on these, they are aimed at the casual and occasional cyclist, not at the Lycra clad enthusiast. Cycling in a suit or a skirt should be no problem and there is a (smallish) space at the front of the bike where you can put a bag, probably up to the size of a laptop bag, kept in place with a strong elastic band. There are three gears, set very low, which are controlled by a grip shift on the right hand, and a bell on the left, tucked in under the grip. The usual front and rear brakes are provided and clearly labeled as such for those not used to riding. The seat is a bit like an armchair, but not uncomfortable, and the height can be adjusted very easily. So we are definitely fans at the moment and as long as the bikes are maintained well, we see no reason why that will not continue to be the case. Well done Boris!

Somewhat Odd Selection - But Hey, Life's Like That

2010-07-28T20:57:00.003+01:00

So, I got home somewhat earlier than usual and having opened the backdoor, was surprised to find that our cat had decided to venture outside, unprompted, for the first time in months. I had to take a photo, just to prove it to The Man.

OK, so by the time I took the photo she was heading back in, but that is not the point!

But now I had my camera out, so I had to take a few more photos, some were an attempt at being 'arty' some were just for fun, the other cat is not ours by the way, although she spends as much time with us as she seems to spend with her owners.

I've Been To A Marvellous Party

2010-07-25T18:38:00.000+01:00

It may not have had quite the Press pull of the party held earlier this week a mere 10 miles away, but I am sure it was a more entertaining event, and the invitation list certainly did not include the dodgy characters that the 'other' garden party had to contend with.

Advertised as an evening of food, friends and garden games, that is certainly what it was.

We started with 'Smash the Glass' followed swiftly by 'Hunt the Shard', games that I invented as I was greeted by our host!

The hit of the evening was outdoor 'Jenga', which started before we arrived and was still going strong when we left, about 5 hours later. We tried a few variations on the rules, including one round of 'Cheat Jenga', but we decided that the original version was by far the best.

There was also a large Draughts Board, a game that I have never managed to get my head around, but a few games were played and enjoyed.

There was also 'Lawn Darts', which I think was our host's way of getting his lawn aerated, and Croquet, which was not played until after sunset, hence no photos.

As well as the games, there were other objects that called to me to photograph, including our hostess's new lace top, she had not realised how pretty it was from the back until I had taken this photo:

Inside there were some other objects that needed to be photographed, some just a bit quirkier than others.

Are you attending any Garden Parties this year? Do let me know what you are up to.

And for those interested in the history of the title of this post; written by Noel Coward for the New York Edition of Words and Music, Set to Music (1938) and sung by Beatrice Lillie, one of Coward's sublime parodies of the hedonistic international cafe society he inhabited. The indefatigable society hostess Elsa Maxwell had invited Noel to 'an informal beach party' that summer - 'just come as you are'. When he arrived he found a hundred revellers 'in the last stages of evening dress' expecting to be entertained by him!! Here is a really fun version (although some of the video my not be for younger eyes!), recorded by The Divine Comedy for Twentieth Century Blues in 1998; this album, one of my favourites, raised money for The Red Hot AIDS Charitable Trust.

My Favourite Things - Part One

2010-07-18T15:15:00.000+01:00

I have been thinking, which is always a bit of a worry, but this time I have been thinking about what my favourite things are.

As I was sipping a wonderful cup of coffee this morning, I was asking myself what my favourite things might be and realised that one of them was in my hand at that moment, the cup that held my coffee.

It was a gift to me from a dear friend who clearly understood me well. The note around the saucer had me in stitches, it is so apt and at the time we had three cats, which managed to occupy most of the bed, without the need for any further balls of fluff!

The cup holds a secret, although it is not very secret really when you think about it as it has already appeared on one of these photos, but I like to think of it as a secret anyway, its just more fun that way. So what is the secret:

That and the fact that it is huge, and holds an enormous amount of coffee, which for those of us who love our coffee, is a real bonus.

So what are my other favourite things? Well that would be telling, and I'm not doing that yet! But you can tell me what your favourite things are if you want.

What a great time we had!

2010-07-17T11:16:00.001+01:00

On Thursday evening some friends and I went to see 'The Railway Children' at Waterloo Station. I had been called off the subs' bench for the event but did not hesitate to take up the offer. The film is an all time favourite of mine, so I was really looking froward to seeing the live adaptation of the book.

I am so pleased that I had the opportunity to go, it is a wonderful evening's entertainment and everyone should try to go. It is a true spectacle, with a real steam train making more than one appearance during the show. For those of you who enjoy a different production space this is a fascinating space that makes such good use of the railway, that is the theatre. The rails are not only used for the scenes with the train, but also for trucks to change the acting space and to bring props on and off the stage space.

The theatre has 1,000 seats split between two platforms, literally. As a result of this the acting is very much 'in the round' and is brilliant.

We sat on Platform Two, in row H in the middle block, these were perfect seats as we were far enough back to be able to see all of the acting space, but not so far back as to feel out of touch. This is a dreadful photo taken from our seats, but gives an impression of the space.

We met at 7pm outside the theatre, by platform 19, and started our journey back in time and up to Yorkshire. As we entered the 'Theatre' we walked through and echo tunnel and were encouraged to make noise from the start. When we entered the main front of house space it was slightly surreal, having previously been in the same place prior to a Eurostar trip to Paris.

The Front of House space is bright and airy, benefiting from its former life. We had planned to order interval drinks, and duly decided to share a bottle of pink champagne in tribute to 'red flannel petticoats'; what a good choice it was too.

All in all the show was amazing and a great way to spend an evening. And did we cry; what do you think?

A Bit Too Close for Comfort

2010-07-12T21:46:00.000+01:00

When I was cycling home from the station last Friday I picked up the smell of burning. At first I thought it was someone having a bbq, then I realised that it was more of a bonfire smell and wondered who would think about having a bonfire after all the dry weather we have had.

The nearer I got to home, the more obvious the smell became and my mind started running riot.

I turned into our road and saw smoke billowing from behind the houses to my left, clearly coming from the nature reserve behind the houses, and all too close. Fortunately the Fire Brigade arrived just as I was looking to see where the source was. But further along the road, there was more smoke, with a Fireman clearly trying to find how to get to the second fire. That evening we had a number of fire engines driving up and down the road.

Today I came through the reserve to take photos for Shimelle Laine's online class, and found this.

Last week the same place looked like this

What a difference a couple of days makes.

On a brighter note, I did get some good photos for the class and some generally cute shots:

And these were taken in the garden, having been grown from seed.

This is a first!

2010-07-11T12:14:00.000+01:00

Last night we were invited to join some very good friends for supper. He is an exceptional and inventive cook, so we knew we were in for a night of good food and company. The meal started with homemade tomato soup and bread, but look at how is was served, certainly saves on the washing up.

The meal continued in the same vein, but as we were also served with chilled Erdinger beer, my ability to take photos declined (just as well we were on our bicycles and not in a car!!)

It was a wonderful evening but eventually we had to go home, we finally flopped into bead at about 1 in the morning, so this is not going to be the longest or most erudite entry.

In the UK and, yes we do have Parakeets in the garden!!

2010-07-09T21:41:00.000+01:00

I was talking with someone at work a couple of days ago about sitting in our garden and hearing the sound/noise of Parakeets. They could not believe that I had not actually lost my mind and was not hearing things.

Well, as I was downloading some photos from my camera yesterday for the class I am taking with Shimille Laine and found these, not very good, photos that I had taken a few days ago and forgotten about.

Why Wouldn't You?

2010-07-06T21:58:00.005+01:00

So, as I was cycling home from the station today, taking the scenic route through the park/nature reserve, I spotted people who seemed a little unsure which where they should go and being a little hesitant about directions. Here's a question, had they done as I had, chosen to go the slightly longer, scenic route, home.

Then I looked around me and thought 'Why wouldn't you?' Given a choice between a traffic jam, or this, there is no choice in my mind, also allowing me to take some photos for 'Love Your Pictures, Love Your Pages' Prompt 2, not the best photos I have taken, but still interesting.

The last photo is my favourite, in spite of the flower ( the supposed subject of the photo) being almost invisible at first sight, I love the perspective. What do you think?

What a Special Place

2010-07-04T14:19:00.002+01:00

I sometimes have to remind myself about the special place I live in. At other times there is no need to remind myself because it is so clear from the sights around me that I just know. Cycling home from the station one day last week was one of the latter. I chose to come back on the scenic, but slightly longer, route and spotted these little friends as I was coming through one of the parks.

You have to join this class!

2010-07-03T17:06:00.000+01:00

If you only take one on line class this year, make it this one. Shimelle is an inspiration and I know that this will be a great class. It starts on Monday, but you should be able to join at any time, so do!

I hope to see you all in the Class Forum.

Favourite Photos - what memories, or thoughts, do they provoke?

2010-06-29T20:24:00.001+01:00

I am writing this having been prompted to do so by one of my favourite Scrapbookers, Shimelle Laine. She is a wonderfully creative lady who runs on-line classes to help those of us who aspire to do better things get a little closer to doing so. I commend her website to you all. Oh, and she is a great fan of Cupcakes too!! Check out her recipe.

So, her challenge was to choose a photo that you already have, but that you either have not scrapped at all, or not enough. Mine is a photo that my father took of my brother and I with some friends many, many years ago (too many to even think about) while we were holidaying at Daymer Bay, North Cornwall. Looking at it now brings back many found memories, it never seemed to matter what the weather was like, we would be on the beach digging our sand castles and trying, and occasionally succeeding, to fly kites. The others in the picture now live in Germany and Australia, how times change.

Daymer Bay and the surrounding area was, and still is, a favourite holiday destination. My father spent may happy times there during the war, we holidayed there as children and teenagers and now my brother is taking the third generation there. It is an idyllic spot and all these years later is still remarkably unchanged.

Oh, the picture, I almost forgot:

So was it hot enough for you?

2010-06-28T21:17:00.001+01:00

So, slightly later than planned, here is the report of our trip on the Jubilee Greenway.

Once we had finished applying copious quantities of sun cream to ourselves and the concourse at Waterloo Station, we set off on our trip at 11.30.

Out of Waterloo Station, down to Westminster Bridge and these are the views that awaited us.

We then headed to Buckingham Palace, just in time for Changing of the Guard, so one or two people around, but not the Queen who would appear to have been away from town getting ready for her trip to Canada.

Up through, and I do mean through, Wellington Arch, half of which used to house the second smallest police station in London, but that has now been replaced with an English Heritage Exhibition. The other half is hollow and is actually a ventilation shaft for the London underground, good disguise!!

On to Hyde Park and then Kensington Gardens, Paddington, Little Venice and the canal. Where we stopped for lunch; the restaurant straddles the canal and this is the view from our table.

More canal tow path, strewn with bodies dangling legs over the edge and oblivious to everything going on around, it made for VERY slow cycling, but what great views. Eventually we joined the Jubilee Greenway proper, much of which has been relaid in readiness for the Olympics.

We got to see the building site that will soon be the 2012 centre, all very exciting, it even seems to be ahead of schedule, which is a worry of its own.

Then on to the views of London City Airport and the O2.

We crossed the river on the Woolwich Ferry, did you know that it is free? So, we were back on the South of the River and on to the Thames Barrier, what a feat of engineering and slightly out of this world, and more views of the O2.

We cycled round the O2 and saw a very strange piece of modern 'Art' that seemed to be made of used windscreen wipers. I now know that this is 'Quantum Cloud, 1999' by Antony Gormley, one of a series, which is itself a little worrying.

It was all a little intense and hot from there on as we tried to pick our way along the Thames Path, which seemed to spend more time away from the Thames than on it, so eventually we just headed for Waterloo and home. A great day, if a little warm and dirty, and significantly longer/slower than we had all thought so once we eventually got home at something after 8pm, a cool shower and a curry were very welcome.

Oh, and the temperature in the shade in London was recorded at 31 degrees Celsius, so quite hot!

Jubilee Greenway

2010-06-27T09:23:00.001+01:00

Today we are planning to cycle the Jubilee Greenway. This is a walking and cycle route around London and is about 35 miles long. Why wouldn't we chose a really hot day for it!! Happily it is mostly flat, and with the Football on this afternoon, it should be quite, with not too many people around. Come back later for photos of the day.

What a wonderful day for sitting in the garden and studying!

2010-06-24T10:51:00.000+01:00

If you have to study, which I do at the moment, what better day for doing it whilst sitting in the garden with a large umbrella for shade and the sound of parakeets chirruping away in the background. All this and I am in the UK! Amazing.

All distractions have been put to one side, it is just me, the sun, the umbrella, a long cooling drink, factor 30 and the parakeets!

Elephants on the Move!!

2010-06-18T07:33:00.000+01:00

So, there I am walking to the office this morning and what do I see, but an elephant on the move. Not sure why she is on the move or where it is going, but she is very pretty. Out came the camera phone and this is what I got.

So, have you seen any others around London?

Such a Perfect Day

2010-06-16T22:22:00.000+01:00

Is it just me, or did today turn into the most perfect day?

When I got up it was really quite dull and chilly, but by the time I got to work, it was already a lot brighter.

By the time I went out for a late lunch, it was the most glorious day; there was quite a breeze, but even so it was one of those perfect English summer days.

There is something really special about the quality of the light in the early summer, and for some reason it is better when there is a strong breeze. Is it because the wind blows away all the dirty and pollution, or is it something else? I really don't know, but it is just wonderful.

When I got home from work I suggested to my Man that we take the bikes and find a pub by the river for a swift pre-dinner drink, it was so peaceful. Possibly helped by the fact that we found the only pub that was out of the sun, but the views were pretty and we enjoyed watching the birdlife on the river.

All in all, for a 'school' day, it could not have been much better.

Strange what you see around the corner!

2010-06-15T21:02:00.000+01:00

So there I was walking around London yesterday morning, and what do I find round the corner?

Not one, but two baby elephants! I mean full size baby elephants.

OK, so they are part of Elephant Parade London 2010, but even so, it is still such fun and so cheery, you can't help but smile,

So let me introduce:

'Map Elephant' by Anna Simmons

'Map Elephant' by Lily Marneffe

So what is this all about? This is taken from the Elephant Parade London 2010 website:

Elephant Parade London celebrates the beauty of the magnificent Asian elephant. And this year – with 258 painted elephants in locations across central London – it is the biggest and most beautiful outdoor art event the city has ever seen.

The elephants are on the streets of London from May until July, and are attracting an estimated audience of 25 million, raising a projected £2 million and benefiting 17 conservation charities in the UK alone. Download the official route map from the Elephant Parade London website and please sign our petition to call on governments for securing a viable future for the endangered Asian elephant.

"All those who grew up with Colonel Hathi in the Jungle Book film, or those even older (like me) who remember him from the book of Mowgli by Kipling, must be shaken to know that without our help the magnificent Asian elephant may die out altogether. How dreadful to think that we may cause the extinction of this giant in our lives: and how fabulous to know that by supporting Elephant Parade and Elephant Family we can turn the tide and ensure their survival. Don't leave it until it is too late: join me and a thousand thousand others, and give now. Remember: elephants never forget. Let's make sure they will still be there to remember that we didn't turn our backs on them." Joanna Lumley, May 2010

For more information go to the website Elephant Parade London 2010

I just love coming across surprises like this, it just puts a smile on my face and makes the day so much better, I hope you all agree. Let me know what you think.

Have a good time until we meet again. Liz xx

What we have been doing recently

2010-06-13T21:59:00.002+01:00

A week ago we returned from our wonderful holiday in Germany. This had been planned for many months and had been talked about for a few years. Some good friends of ours grew up in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse just over the German border, near Alsace, and they were always telling us that we should join them there for a holiday. Finally late last year, we managed to get a date in the diary when the four of us would all be available to take a week off and travel over.

We decided that, as the cycling was reported as being so good there, we would drive and take our bikes with us, planning to cycle to most of the destinations that we intended to go to. There was the added advantage that we would not have to worry about drinking (or not!) and driving if we took our bikes.

And so the day finally came and we all drove down to Dover, The Man and I only just making it in time for the ferry, thanks to the dreadful service at the Service station on the M2, and the appalling traffic once we got to Dover, but we made it which was all that mattered. And so the holiday began.

Once we docked in France, The Man handed the driving over to me, he is not a great one for driving on the Continent, and even less good at driving at speed, which was going to happen. So, we followed our friends through France and Belgium (stopping for a meal early in the afternoon - I had not even realised that we had crossed into Belgium at this stage!). We then changed drivers and drove to Luxembourg where we filled up with petrol (very cheap) and changed drivers again for the end of our journey into Germany. If I had thought that they drove fast thus far, Germany was something else. We were driving at about 85 miles an hour most of the way and although a few cars overtook us, they did not do so at any great speed, Germany was a different matter; cars overtook us as if they were on a race track. Truly scary!

At about 9pm, twelve hours after we left home, we arrived at our destination, Gimmeldingen, a village just outside Neustadt.

Our landlord for the week, a friend of our holiday companions, kindly laid on supper for us, with some of the local wine to help wash it down. Now, when I say local, I mean local, this was the view from our flat, and where the wine came from:

If the wine did not travel well, that would have been fine bearing in mind that it only had to travel a few yards from the Weingut, or Vineyard. We did visit the vineyard on our final day to buy some Sekt, which was very pleasant and very cheap at €7.60 a bottle, more of that later.

So, after a long day, we finally got to bed.

So here we go again

2010-06-13T19:27:00.000+01:00

Yet again, I am going to see if I can keep a blog going. I think this is the third time I have tried, and they do say that third time is lucky, so here we go again!

Well, let's see if being really bored can get me to write something here!

2009-02-04T17:24:00.003Z

Life has been interesting over the past couple of weeks. Having had a frozen right shoulder a few years ago, which was successfully treated, I developed the same problem in my left one just before Christmas. Happily, knowing the symptoms all too well, I did not hang around and got myself referred back to the Consultant that I saw last time really quickly and he confirmed that I should have the same treatment this time around.

I have to say this was just as well and the speed with which it has developed this time is phenomenal, and I have been in serious pain for about 2 weeks, not sleeping well etc.

So I was due to have the treatment yesterday, and all was going well until we woke on Monday morning to 8 inches of snow. Not a problem in itself, but I knew that the Consultant Radiologist who was due to undertake the treatment was away for a long weekend skiing - no flights into the UK was, therefore a bit of a worry. I rang the hospital late on Monday and was assured that they had heard from him and that he was sure he would be back by the Tuesday afternoon.

I had planned to go to the office on Tuesday morning and, as the trains were running, there seemed no reason not to. Martin gave me a lift to Twickenham Station, which had more chance of trains that Whitton, and I duly got into Waterloo with very little trouble. Then the fun started. I had put my bag on the luggage rack so, after we had pulled into Waterloo and the carriage had emptied a bit, I reached up to get my bag down but lost my footing on the very wet floor, grabbed out to stop my fall and ended up 'dangling' from the luggage rack by my left (bad) arm.

The pain was indescribable, I got off the train and within a few steps I had collapsed on the concourse. Surprise, surprise, no one came to my aid.

So, by now I am in serious pain and shock, so why wouldn't I keep going to the office. I have no memory of the journey, but by the time I got there I was in tears and in a right old state. I took one look at my desk and broke down. Happily, no one else was in the office, so I had no witnesses, but, because she had sent me a text to see if I was OK getting into the office, I did call Amanda and blubbed down the phone at her and told her I was going straight home. I did have the presence of mind to grab my laptop and then I left.

Anyway, cutting the long short, that pretty much wrote the rest of the morning off.

I got to the hospital well in time for my appointment in the afternoon so was there to witness the Radiologist arriving at the hospital with a major limp! He had broken his leg the day before, having decided that as he was delayed coming back to the UK he might as well carry on skiing - on his last run, he fell and broke his leg. But he refused to have it plastered or even strapped up, after all it was only a fracture, he had another bone in his leg and the pain would go away soon! This is the man that was about to stab a needle into my really painful shoulder - me worried, why would I be worried?

It was excruciating having the treatment done, but at least the x-ray confirmed that there was no bone damage to my shoulder, just soft tissue, following my fall/dangle.

So here I am today in more pain than I can remember for some time, off work and banned, by the office, from travelling into town for the rest of the week even if I can do some work (that will have to be working from home). So I will get a few lie ins - every cloud . . .

So the next question is whether I am going to be fit to demo this weekend? Watch this space.

Oh, in case you were wondering, the photo is of my shoulder during yesterday's treatment - that straight white line is the needle.

And so we enter August, or is that April!

2008-08-02T18:45:00.002+01:00

Well, the blog that was meant to happen every day, seems to be more of a monthly thing. Must try to do better.

I have been really busy since I last wrote here; had a training day in Nottingham -on Christmas! and have already had my first Christmas Demonstration, it was last weekend and it must have been well over 30c, sitting in, what was in effect, a large greenhouse. But there were a really great bunch of folk there and it was great fun, particulaly one young lad who was there against his better judgement, but got involved and decided that the origami fold that I was showing him made a much better stealth fighter than it did a butterfly or Christmas Tree!

Work has been manic and I am getting more and more to do, with less and less time in which to do it. Just to help, we moved office over last weekend, so spent 2 days packing only to find on Monday that I had no power, IT or Phone working. Hey Ho, life goes on.

I am so looking forward to going down to Greyshott in a couple of weeks, I am going to do nothing, or very little, can't decide which yet. I booked some additional treatments today and, not unsurprisingly, they are all aimed at de-stressing and relaxing me.

Well after a really drearly start to the day today, here I am at nearly 7pm and the sun is shining and it is a really lovely evening.

Tomorrow we are going over to see my parents and my brother and his family for lunch. Curry at the local Tandoori. Really looking forward to seeing my brother and his family, we have not seen them for an age.

Well I have supper to finish off so had better finish now and get the food sorted!!

Will it never end?

2008-07-10T08:13:00.005+01:00

Well, here we are on 10 July and for the first time in, what seems like days, there is some sunshine. The forecast for the day is quite good as well, but rain again tomorrow.

I have not been on the Brompton this week, because of the weather, which is a real shame as I was beginning to really enjoy being out in the open at the start and end of my day. I saw some great birdlife last week too, particularly on the ride to the station in the morning. Green Woodpecker and a Kestral in the same week. Surely that is what life is all about!

Work has been really tough these last few weeks, I never seem to be able to get away on time and, not unreasonably, I think Martin is beginning to get a little hacked off with me always being late home. I am hopeful that things will calm down soon, but that may be wishful thinking.

Oh well, I guess I will just have to do what I can to keep it all together.

What happened to June?

2008-07-01T21:28:00.003+01:00

Well June went by without me even noticing.

I really must get into the habit of keeping up to date with this or there is little point.

Work was hectic again today, I sometimes wonder if my brain is actually coping, then I realise that it is not! I also wonder if I am speaking a different language from everyone else. I told some of the guys on the Project Team that I would not be available to help them tomorrow and must spend the day going through MY work, which they were fine about. But before I left their room one of them said he was going to ask me for some assistance tomorrow - I obviously don't speak clearly enough - I had to make the point again that I was NOT going to be available for them tomorrow, and again was being asked for help tomorrow, only to be told that they want to show me how to use an E-room that we were told earlier in the day would not be available tomorrow - I GIVE UP!!!!

Lovely day today though, the weather was amazing and it was a delight to cycle home.
Back soon I hope.

May update

2008-05-29T17:34:00.002+01:00

Well, not the best start in the world. Only been going a month and already I am not keeping this up to date.

Since my last post OH and I have been on two holidays. One in Scotland, where the threatened bad weather never came and we had the most wonderful time in dazzling weather and country. We made really good time and got to all our destinations well ahead of schedule. The crazy thing was that we both thought that the reports on the route we were following were totally wrong - the bits that other people thought were great and really easy cycling, we thought were the total opposite, but the bits that others thought were really tough, we found to be easy. Strange, but that's people for you.

We have just got back from our second holiday, this time in Cornwall. What a difference. The weather was as unkind this time as it had been last time. Not a total washout, but not great either. There was definitely more rain than we were due, indeed a campsite near where we were staying was closed due to the bad weather and the poor people staying there ended up in the local village hall.

Well I suppose I am going to have to do some real work now, so it is back to work tomorrow, just in time for the weekend. Must do some gardening - if the slugs would like to leave me some! And I must do some work for the Demo I am doing next weekend in Eastbourne.

May Flowers

2008-05-01T14:04:00.002+01:00

Well here we are in May at last and I am hopeful that we are going to be able to say goodbye to the April Showers now. OH and I are starting our, so called, holiday tonight; catching the Sleeper to Glasgow ready to start our cycling trip from Glasgow to Inverness. Are we mad? Probably!
With luck we will get some reasonable weather and clear visibility so that I can take lots of photos. Keep your fingers firmly crossed that we do not end up cycling through the hail and gales that are forecast! Catch up again when we are back this side of Hadrian's Wall.

Sunshine and Showers

2008-04-28T15:40:00.002+01:00

Working from home today as I have so much guidance material to write. The office is really not conducive for getting your head down and achieving goals like that. Happily I woke early and managed to get started straight away, so I am now feeling very virtuous as I have actually got all the material I was planning to finish done ahead of schedule, so that means that I will be able to finish work on time for the first time in living memory!

Had a really good weekend too. We had supper with my parents on Saturday night; they had an old family friend staying with them and, as I was painting the fences on Saturday, I suddenly remembered that I had recently scanned all the old photos that my father had taken in the 60s and 70s on slide film. Many of these included pictures of our friend's family, so I put together a 4x4 brag book for her with the help of my trusty BIA . Well, what can I say? she was thrilled. It was so good to see her looking so well.

Managed to get lots of crafting done, particularly finishing off the cards that I was making for the Marie Curie Cancer Care Card Appeal - they have to be in the post this week; finally managed to make about 45. Got those in the post today.

Also got some new cycle socks and gloves in preparation for our holiday later this week. I think we must be mad, we are cycling from Glasgow to Inverness, with the weather as it is at the moment it is going to be a challenge . But we will start with a high as we have had an invitation from the current owners of my old family home (our 'so called' country seat!) just outside Helensborough, it adds 10 miles to our route, but it is a flat and shortish ride on Friday otherwise, so it should still be a reasonably good day, and will get the legs broken in ready for the longest day of the trip. Whatever the weather, it will be a great trip and will be a good break from work. I so need to get away for a while as we really have been so busy.

Well, that's it for now.