Non-stop present buying.

I often think that there is no chance of ever getting straight with my finances - and it basically stems from rather ridiculous family planning. Father's Day starts the round of present buying - June. Into July, there are 3 family birthdays. We have a respite in August - thankfully or there would be no money to spend on any holiday break. September, twins' birthday; October sees brother's birthday - although to be honest, I don't bother with him now - his wife is too disapproving of anything that comes from me! November brings in eldest daughter's birthday, partner's birthday and my mum's!! And then we're into December... In January I barely have pause to recover, because my twin nephews have their birthday in February.. March and April bring Easter and Mother's Day with them - before one more break, May!

I love this photo - my dad and Flora on Father's Day... just after ordering the next history book on his list from Amazon - as his FD's pressie!

Saturday Me Time

Saturday Me Time, a photo by boo * on Flickr.

On Saturdays I take my daughter for her golf lesson. I sit in the bar and have a latte, (so yummy), read my Kindle and write notes in a pocket moleskine with the glorious Mont Blanc pen my parents gave me when I graduated. I have glasses for reading, and sunglasses for sitting on the terrace, looking out over the golf course and soaking up the sun. Saturday lunchtimes are 'my' times!

Reflect

The last few weeks I've been taking stock and looking back - trying to discover what I need to keep with me to take into the future - what skills, talents, characteristics and emotions will help me find a fulfilling and rewarding future? Although everything changes, all of the time - and life wouldn't be life without change, right now my life is changing at turbo speed. That I haven't put into motion those changes makes it very difficult to plan and to sift. So this is what I am doing now. Reflecting, so I can pro act and not re act.

By the way, I have started a blog for my professional work. You can find that here.....

Improving

Improving, a photo by boo * on Flickr.

My holiday reading is tied in with a desire to improve my photography skills. I want to know HOW to achieve a certain look BEFORE it gets to Photoshop! And although I know what settings to put my camera on to get a particular style, I really want to improve on that. However, no work without play - and I do love to read an inspiring cook book - and this one fits the bill!

Creating A Story

I haven't been out to take photos for a long time - not out, deliberately, with the big camera. I've either caught events on my iPhone, or reworked old, usually very old photos. But today, the sun was shining, the dogs needed a long walk - and I thought what better time to add to the over flowing library stock than now? I persuaded Flora to dress for modelling - and off we went, Flora and I - and the two dogs. But so many people were out walking, that Flora became uncomfortable and wouldn't relax - so I had to grab what I could. What do you think? I think they tell a story!

Keeping Busy

I have been keeping myself very busy over the last few days. I've added to my Etsy store, continued researching the possibilities of setting up as a photographer and tried to keep sane despite the fact that only a couple of weeks remain until redundancy looms. Reworking old photos to make them suitable for selling, is providing an element of respite from all the confusion around me and for a time, stops all the questions and fears from racing through my brain.

I did go to the optician yesterday, and have some new glasses on order! I have noticed over the past 6 months or so, a rapid deterioration in my reading ability - and so it will be some relief when I pick the new glasses up late next week to be able to see cooking instructions clearly again! The children have been getting a lot of strangely cooked food - usually due to me misreading temperatures or timings!

race for life - Norfolk Showground, Norwich, 15th May 2011

race for life - Norfolk Showground, Norwich, 15th May 2011, a photo by boo * on Flickr.

A happy post, tinged inevitably with sadness. Flora has been wanting to run the Race for Life for ages, so this year she trained and entered with her friends Izzy and Karen. Whilst Izzy and Karen remembered their grandma's, Flora ran for our friend Zoe, who sadly died from a brain tumour leaving her husband, a year old baby and an elder daughter who was a week shy of her 3rd birthday. We also remembered Lindsey, another mother, who's two sons were still at school when she died from breast cancer.

But the race was not a morbid affair: women from all over Norfolk dressed up in their pink finery. There was dancing and music and thousands of supportive well wishers. And this team of three far exceeded their target.



If anyone would like to donate to this worthwhile cause which has affected someone connected to all of us, the website is here.

Well done!

My New Etsy Shop!

I'm really pleased to announce the opening of my new shop on Etsy! You can see a selection of prints already available for sale, and more will be added over the next coming days. I am always happy to discuss the sale of other prints you may like on my Flickr site too. I've only been open for just over 12 hours and am terribly excited that I've already had some prints faved, as well as my shop! And only 2 hours after listing a print it was included in a beautiful 'treasury'. Do come and visit me by clicking on the above link - I'd love your opinions.

he followed the sun & she followed the stars & in dreams they listenedclosely for the beginning of all things, for that was where they knewthey'd find each other

he followed the sun & she followed the stars & in dreams they listened closely for the beginning of all things, for that was where they knew they'd find each other, a photo by boo * on Flickr.

I've been reworking up some old shots to try and get a folder of images organised to stock my empty Etsy shop! Its been a manic last few days; I decided to completely reinstall my operating system in order to try and get my aging Mac running a little faster. All was well and good - after I'd cleared space on my external hard drive, until I came to reinstall my applications. Needless to say, my chaotic life means lost discs, no record of serial numbers etc. So Flickr, blogging - all ground to a halt. But slowly I'm getting back up and running...

The Happy Royal Wedding Campers

It's been quite a while since I added to my blog and a lot has happened over the past week and a half. The first piece, of quite terrible (although not unexpected) news, was that my job - in fact the entire team I work with, has been put at risk. Effectively, this will mean redundancy as it appears we are being replaced by an unqualified and untrained team. As my team give efficient and successful teaching in literacy and numeracy to students on vocational subjects, who in the main do not have basic GCSE qualifications, despite the fact that the vocational equivalent they are studying is (in my case) A'level standard - I don't quite see how the new plan is going to work. Only yesterday I corrected a student's essay with her - to discover that the vocational tutor had corrected it already. The first example I came across was that the students had typed the word 'consists'. Absolutely correct, nothing wrong with it. The vocational tutor, untrained and unqualified in English, had crossed this out and written her correction; 'consite'. The essay proceeded with at least TWENTY FIVE similar examples!!!! The student, who is dyslexic, was in a terrible state, asking me why she had gone so wrong. And diplomatically I had to explain she hadn't - and all her careful work was correct. I am looking at redundancy. I cannot apply to join a team, to do the same work I am doing at present for half the money, over three quarters of the year and to see years of training, qualifications and experience be equated with others who have none of these things.

Despite the shock -and I felt, and still feel it deeply, we, (twenty five of us) embarked on our long awaited 'Royal Wedding Camp'.

We met at our chosen campsite in Cromer, to discover that our excitement was about to be severely dampened. My friend Maureen had been given a brand new Bell Tent for Christmas and was literally jumping for joy at the thought of its first outing. Can you imagine her distress when the tent was hauled from its bag, to discover that despite the assurances of the company, there were no poles, no tent pegs and no guy ropes. I thought the whole trip was going to fall apart. But no, M and her husband G were made of sterner stuff. They raced all the way back to Norwich, managed to make Go Outdoors by 7.45, grabbed the first tent that could squeeze 6 of them in, paid over £250 and returned to the camp site as darkness was settling in to put up the replacement.

 

The next calamity was when a 2nd group of friends, comprising the owner of the fab 1821 Art Gallery and her family, discovered they'd arrived without any bedding. Undeterred, they accepted gratefully my partner's dust sheets and plastering blankets that he'd left in the car. And a third group of friends, also arrived with a tent without tent poles. Luckily (as I'd sold them the tent!) they returned to Norwich to discover they'd left them behind in the under stairs cupboard. As for myself - I'd managed to forget toothbrush and mugs. But my Bell Tent looked wonderful, despite the additional pain it must have given poor Maureen, to see what she was so close to having had.

On Friday morning, we leapt from our various tents, cooked breakfast 

(isn't funny how when you're camping you feel so healthy and yet you put away more cooked breakfasts than you ever would at home?) and then raced down to The Welliington in the centre of Cromer where we had been promised they would be showing the Royal Wedding. What a fab morning! The pub was packed - they'd supplied loads of cakes for us to eat and the entire place was decorated with bunting! And what could be a better excuse than a pub venue to watch the wedding of the decade, than to drink double G&Ts all morning??!!

We meandered back to our camp site after the balcony appearance to set out our wedding tea. Friends arrived from Norwich for our alternative street party - and although the wind picked up quite sharply, we all enjoyed the food which covered every inch of our tables!

It was lovely to see all our teenagers, (14 in total), enjoying themselves in the fresh air.

Now, I've rambled on far too long - but the weekend was fab and I (and the two others of our party affected by losing jobs) were able to forget, for a while, the horrors of losing our jobs.

My Girls and Me

My Girls and Me, a photo by boo * on Flickr.

We had a lovely, but very quiet Easter day. Although we'd been planning a picnic, the weather was so gorgeous and the garden was looking so welcoming, that we ended up taking all the food outside and eating there. We had the little fountain running, and we pulled the benches around the pond. Perfect! In the cool of the later afternoon, we took the dogs up to Mousehold Heath, a huge expanse of heath, woodland and open spaces we are lucky enough to have just 5 minutes walk away. It always amazes me that in one direction I have acres of wild countryside, and ten minutes walk in the other direction, I am in the middle of a busy medieval city. It's been so lovely having Ella home for a whole week and I shall really miss her when she returns to university tomorrow.

Via Flickr:
It's very rare to have a photo taken of myself with my daughters - they have grown up to be beautiful young women - in every sense of the word. I am so proud of them!

Getting Ready for Glamping!

For the Royal Wedding weekend, 25 of us (a motley bunch of 40 somethings and their accompanying teens) are heading for Cromer for a long weekend in our tents!! I am sooo excited about getting my beautiful Bell Tent out of its winter wrappings! One of my friends who is coming along too - got her Bell Tent as a Christmas present and we can't wait to see them up together! In preparation, my daughter Flora and I spent yesterday making bunting. We chose 5 different Amy Butler designs, and John Lewis cut them into 20cm lengths. This was enough for us to create two lengths of bunting, one for my Bell Tent, and one for Flora's brand new and oh so exciting classic orange Vango tent. She likes to have her own tent, and for the past few camp trips she's had a basic £30 model from Tesco. This has always done the job - until the last two camping trips. In Wales she got drowned out on her first night - and in Norfolk she almost blew away in hurricane conditions. So the Tesco tent is being relegated for festivals (my older teens seem to like these) and we splashed out on the orange expedition classic. Off for my first golf lesson of this season (yes, golf) - you'll hear more about that in a future post - and I'll leave you with these two pics of the bunting in progress.

Quiet Times

This is a very quiet week. I'm back at work, but there are no students, so the college is a vast space with a few members of staff and the occasional student who comes in to se the library. Ive spent the time catching up on my CPD - (professional development) - which as teachers we have to undertake. Yesterday I completed the essential Data Protection online course - and also carried on with my own CPD project. This involves trying to understand what it feels like to be told that your sketchbook doesn't have enough writing in it!! And where there is writing, how to make it analytical and evaluative. So, maybe some shots soon on how that's progressing! in the meantime, some springtime blossoms to give pleasure.

Both pictures above have been processed using Pixel Lounge's fab overlays, which I am enjoying so much at the moment. Below, is one of them with a different colour - I wasn't able to choose which one I preferred!!

A walk to blow away the winter cobwebs

We finally made it out to West Runton, to walk the three miles along the beach to Cromer. Once there we treated ourselves to chips, the best freshly made donuts, freshly ground coffee and finally - an ice cream!! Perfect food for a trip to the coast!!

West Runton looking towards Cromer.

Reaching Cromer, a quintessential English seaside town, full of Victorian charm and the best freshly made donuts we have come across!!

Cromer Pier.

Back at West Runton, the view if we continued along the coast westwards...

What makes me happy?

1. When I spend a while on a photograph and Photoshop and I end up really pleased with the result! I used a photo I had of an acer in my garden, which had very shallow depth of field. I cropped it to the shape I wanted. Using a texture and overlay from the talented Pixel Lounge, I played with contrast, magic brush and contrast levels. Nothing seemed to be working. It was almost there - for a few minutes I was stumped. And then I remembered 'curves'. I love curves! And curves worked their magic and gave me a result I am actually really happy with!

 

It will be interesting to see what the reaction is on Flickr - often, when I really like something, it doesn't pull the same admiration from my contacts!! Conversely, when I'm not that happy with a pic - it tends to gather quite a few faves!

Finding my feet

I discovered photography when a friend introduced me to Flickr. I had been experimenting with a compact Samsung, my first foray into the world of digital, but this new world of other people's creativity stunned me. I tentatively purchased a starter Nikon SLR and began to explore my own capabilities. Someone had given me Photoshop and it wasn't long before I yearned to understand what it could do - and more importantly, what I could do with it! A painful self taught period started, and culminated in me throwing my arms up in despair. I couldn't, just couldn't, understand layers. And the more people kept telling me that "layers are great - they're so easy" the more I despaired. A kindly work colleague stepped in and patiently taught me exactly what I needed to know. Looking back, those first attempts at layers were not good! I think this one was the first to go public!!

But encouraged by the kindness of fellow Flickrites, I pursued my new found hobby. A golden handshake from qualifying as a teacher came through about this time - and with some trepidation I decided to abandon Nikon and move into the world of Canon - a 40D - at that time brand new. It felt fantastic and I began to fly. The past 18 months has seen a real interruption   to my photographic past time - and it has only been in the last few weeks that I have slowly been able to return. I cannot thank enough those who develop beautiful actions and textures which they give away freely. Lately I have been exploring those that come from the ever creative Pixel Lounge  as used in today's photo. Thank you.

Summer Holiday Dreaming

The weather has turned cold again - so unfriendly!! And I am left looking back at last year's holiday snaps and dreaming of next August when once again we'll be glamping in Gower!

Taking Family Photos

When my four children were small, there was no problem at all with taking their photos. Now, Ella at almost 21 is only interested in being behind the camera, George at 18 and Henry at 15 both point blank refuse. Only Flora can be relied on to provide a continuous record of visual imagery through her life. However, on Mother's Day I used all my emotional blackmail techniques, including the "I gave you life, the least you can do is let me photograph that life" phrase, and Henry agreed to a fast portrait session. Flora was not amused at having to share the lens with her twin - but did see the funny side of it after the first shot produced nothing but mutiny. So here are the best of the results, all taken within 3 very short minutes. The colour photos are SOOC with no editing or cropping. The b&w have been desaturated (obviously) with a few adjustments to contrast and brightness.

And finally, not forgetting the Mother who gave me life, here's one of her and Flora. Ella is back next week and I will make it my challenge to get one of all of us together...

Gardens and Allotments

The last few days have been blissful; unseasonably warm and so sunny!! Unfortunately this seems set to change, so the past weekend has been spent tidying and cleaning the garden. The build up of general muck over the winter is pretty amazing - I only have a tiny garden - but it took hours to sweep, bag rubbish and pressure wash. But it's now done - ready for some serious relaxing with wine, books and bbq's.

The pergola needs a new hammock! Each year I've bought a very cheap one - with the result that they collapse by the end of the Summer. This year I'm determined to buy a proper one!! The only problem is deciding on the colour from this selection....

My eldest daughter has been on the waiting list for an allotment for the last three years - and now that she's reached the top of that list, she's away at university during term times! Luckily, she was allowed to select an official co-worker - so the sunny days saw the first digging over of the allotment. I'm very impatient - we have carrots, peas, yellow courgettes and climbing beans waiting to be planted - I can't wait!!

Of course the dogs come to help too!!

Art is the only way...

Art is the only way..., to run away without leaving home. (Twyla Tharp) a photo by boo * on Flickr.

I've had several exciting deliveries! First came an awning for my wonderful Bell Tent. It came via the Netherlands as even with postage, it worked out a lot cheaper than it's London counterpart... I am soooooooo excited that we are off on a camping trip three weeks tomorrow!!! There are 25 of us going, two of us with Bell tents - and we're going to have an amazing Royal Wedding tea party to celebrate the unexpected, but totally welcome, day off!!
My next delivery was the game Werewolves - bought specifically for the camping trip as it's an ideal game for more than 8 people - hopefully the camp site, the open air and the dark will lend it a huge degree of authenticity. The next arrival was Alison Jackson's latest offering, a totally irreverent but extremely funny look at that same wedding. And my final box?? Well, that contained Wonders of the Universe - a present for Flora who had produced a magnificent school report - A's for Maths and all three sciences... The box also contained the book by the lady who gave today's pic it's title. I can't wait to start reading it.

Flora, Mother's Day

 a photo by boo * on Flickr.

I'm overjoyed to have my camera back again! So here is my celebratory shot for Mother's Day. It's been a great weekend - relaxing in the bar at the golf club whilst Flora had her lesson - collecting my fab awning for my Bell Tent from good camping buddy Maureen, meeting up with my Mum today and eating, several helpings, of her wonderful deep fried won tons in sweet and sour sauce. Yummm - and most of all, spending the day with sweet Flora. I wish Ella could have been here today - but I did get to glimpse my boys for slightly more than 5 seconds!! Happy Mother's Day to all mums out there. xxxx

Summer Comes!

a photo by boo * on Flickr.

I haven't been brilliant with taking photos, keeping my blog up to date or posting on Flickr lately. This is because a week ago, I took out my faithful 40D from its winter hiding place, carefully put on my trusty nifty fifty lens and went out into the garden to catch some blossom. And oh no! The camera refused to work! I went to charge up the battery, although deep inside I knew the battery wasn't at fault. After a whole night in the charger, I tried again. Nothing, absolutely nothing. Almost in tears I researched on the web and discovered that some 40D's with a particular code, had a habit of their motor breaking. In despair I rang the most recommended repair shop and on hearing the serial number of my camera, immediately said it was more than 90% likely I'd lost at least one of the two motors. So, my camera is now being repaired -and I have to say that after only a few thousand photos, I am rather shocked that a Canon can be so faulty.

So here is my shot for today - we started with rain and we're ending the day with blue skies and the promise of HEAT for the weekend!!

1000 Cranes

1000 Cranes a photo by boo * on Flickr.

Next Wednesday I have my first (of many I hope!) Japanese house guest arriving. She'll be living as part of the family and is coming for 4 weeks. I'm really hoping she will enjoy staying here and feel the experience will be great. Today I found out a little about her - and thankfully the only thing she doesn't like to eat is "boiled giblets"! I can safely guarantee they won't be on offer!!!

Paper Cranes for Japan

Paper Cranes for Japan a photo by boo * on Flickr.

Well, my origami skills leave a lot to be desired - but my thoughts and prayers are very definitely with Japan. My Japanese friends have all ensured their family are safe, thankfully - but they are still trying to make contact with some friends. Meanwhile, my mum's cousin left Canada following his sister's funeral to visit Japan... we are still trying to make contact with him, his wife and son. It took mum a few days to locate her brother who was holidaying in New Zealand when the Christchurch earthquake struck - and now she's having to worry all over again for a cousin who she grew up with, days after the sudden death of his elder sister, whom mum was extremely close to. And yet, I think we have a valuable lesson to learn from the quiet dignity, even in extreme grief, that the Japanese are showing us all.

What makes a good day?

hipstamatic iPhone

I wondered today, what exactly makes a 'good' day? On Monday, the power at work was off and we were all sent home. The weather was glorious and I enjoyed an unexpected picnic and a walk. Today, I received two lovely compliments, had the booking for my summer holiday confirmed - in a place I wanted to go to, but didn't think we'd get due to numerous national awards - so today was a good day. So I wondered, does the unexpected make for a good day? However, when my son's bike was stolen - that was a 'bad' day - and that was unexpected. So perhaps, just simple things that make you smile - that's all you need to create a 'good' day.

I'm looking forward to Easter - time with the family, a short holiday in North Norfolk with friends, the promise of chocolate and most of all, the hope of Summer.

Wishing you had a good day too.

always looking up

hipstamatic iPhone

What if this road, that has held no surprises

these many years, decided not to go

home after all; what if it could turn

left or right with no more ado

than a kite-tail? What if its tarry skin

were like a long, supple bolt of cloth,

that is shaken and rolled out, and takes

a new shape from the contours beneath?
And if it chose to lay itself down

in a new way; around a blind corner,

across hills you must climb without knowing

what's on the other side; who would not hanker

to be going, at all risks? Who wants to know

a story's end, or where a road will go? - Sheenagh Pugh

My eldest son had his bike stolen last night. He's had a bad run - leaving school, not finding work, a course he planned to take at college being removed from the curriculum.. about to go to Australia, he was suddenly offered a job and decided to take it so he could show some work experience on his cv - and then go to Australia later. He got the bike as an 18th birthday present and every day he's enjoyed riding it. When he came out from work, the bike, securely locked - had gone. As one friend pointed out - don't bike thieves realise a lot of people cycle because they can't afford to drive? I feel so bad for him - he felt that getting the job might have been a turning of the corner away from a run of bad luck.

Little objects that give pleasure

hipstamatic iPhone glass ceramic butterfly

I have an very large, old pine corner cupboard in my dining room, given to me by my mum when she 'downsized'. Everything stored on top is precious to me for the memories and the person who gave them to me. My mum also gave me the large milk churn - with a warning that it came with the cupboard and has to stay with it! One year for Mother's Day, she gave me the cream jug with the heart - to let me know that even though I'm her daughter, she thinks I'm a pretty ok mummy too! My girls bought me the butterfly, secretly, on a week's holiday in Lyon. The jelly moulds I've had for years - bought one sunny Sunday morning when I lived five minutes away from London's famous Columbia Road flower market. All the childrens' party jellies have been made in them. The just seen spotty glass bowl was a birthday gift from my cousin, the silvered glass tumbler, used for night lights, a gift from my brother - and the tall glass candlestick was brought back by my mum after visiting the yummy Baileys.

Nothing there is worth anything in monetary values - but it's all worth a lot to me for the beauty that simplicity and love bring into my home.



Happy Shrove Tuesday! xx

My blog has moved!!

You can now find me here. See you soon!

Welcome to my new blog!

iPhone, Hipstamatic app. Explored on Flickr!

Inspired by my friend Natasha, I've finally started a new blog. The old one was tired and I didn't like it! The college I work at closed this morning following a prolonged power cut - and what a day to be sent home! The sun was shining and Spring felt like she was really trying hard to break through the long winter. Simon came to meet me at lunch time, we visited our new allotment and then walked on with the dogs to Mousehold Heath. We had a hastily thrown together picnic before walking home.

For the start of this new blog, I'm going to welcome you with these wonderful, 20 blessings.



May the best hour of the day be yours.
May luck go with you from hill to sea.
May you stand against the prevailing wind.
May no forest intimidate you.
May you look out from your own eyes.
May near and far attend you.
May you bathe your face in the sun’s rays.
May you have milk, cream, substance.
May your actions be effective.
May your thoughts be affective.
May you will both the wild and the mild.
May you sing the lark from the sky.
May you place yourself in circumstance.
May you be surrounded by goldfinches.
May you pause among alders.
May your desire be infinite.
May what you touch be touched.
May the company be less for your leaving.
May you walk alone beneath the stars.
May your embers still glow in the morning.  by Thomas A Clark