Thursday 31 July 2008

Britain's Top Photographers..!

As we arrived at the Gumstool Inn for supper, we both had the same idea, crazy or what?! We both leapt out of the car, dashed over the road to take photographs of this amazing combine harvester. It was a fabulous sight and another reason to smile.. ;-)

Call me Anna of Green Gables... !


There's always something to be glad about. I was driving home last night when I spotted the petrol prices at my local garage - £1.12 a litre! My car veered onto the forecourt before you could say 'bargain'! Yes, we've been brainwashed into thinking that paying over £1 for a tiddly amount of petrol is a bargain. Anyway, jumping off my soapbox ( yikes, I sound like my brother!) I gladly filled up casting my eye to the enormous, and I mean absolutely enormous wagon filling up on the side of the forecourt. I went inside to pay and the guy behind the till who always has a cheery word to say showed me the other guy's bill. It was a staggering £408!!
Yes, over four hundred pounds (doesn't look any less in words!) to fill up his enormous wagon. We had a joke about it and I felt very grateful for my little min. Mind you the guy was smiling when he came out and it must have been at me because seriously, you wouldn't find a bill like that very funny would you?! I couldn't resist taking a picture to remind me to stop winging and be glad and thankful more often.. ;-)

"Trouble at Mill" said Moomintroll

My antenna are working jolly well at the moment. Lots happened already this morning, and all before 7:30am! I awoke at 20 past 6 and sensed all was not quite right. I peeped next door and sure enough, Ginger was zzzzzzzzing still asleep. She had planned to get up at 5:30 and I somehow knew I hadn't heard her go. One eyelid opened and up she shot, into the shower and puzzled as to why her clock was set an hour earlier, hey ho, she was away by 7! I went back to bed and was lying dozing when I realised I could hear an unfamiliar noise... munch, munch, munch. Trouble at Mill...?!
4 COWS A MOOING...
Not ducks, not boys but cows wandering around the lake. First this direction, then the other, then something must have startled them because they were just didn't know which direction to run. I knew I'd taken that police patrol number for a reason. Well who else am I supposed to call? One quick phone call and very nice Mike said he'd deal with it. Thankfully, they finished munching their way around the lake, disappeared round the front of the mill, then someone came out and shooed them up the road! Just glad a car didn't come around the corner because they would certainly have had a chocolate milkshock!

Tuesday 29 July 2008

6 swans + 1 random duck a-sleeping


I never fail to marvel at the view of my sweet slice of home. After last night, I really do get the feeling I live inside a nature reserve. The calm after the storm brings the family of mute swans to the side of the lake. It's 8:00am this morning and they are still asleep. The water is crashing down the slipway and the leaf-heavy boughs of the trees surrounding the lake are sitting heavy in the water. I'm so lucky. The view through my window is an awesome sight and I love it! x

Oh lummy, yummy... what a mess!


One day scorching sunshine, the next day floods! I drove home tonight through a storm and reminiscent of last year's dramatic floods, there was a wopper just along the road between me and home! I had to drive through it, which was none too pleasant. Of course, being so hot I'd left my windows open so the sills were drowning in water, the carpets wet, my mirror blown off the spare bedroom window sill onto the floor, my table in the lounge splattered in very large rain drops and even the door to the cloakroom on the landing didn't escape a drenching. I'm just glad I wasn't home - though I could have closed the windows if I had been. Ginger arrived around 6:30pm and within two minutes the door bell rang. Why does that always happen when she crosses the threshold..? ;-) It was Don about Rich's camera, all mended - fab.
Best bit was going to the Gumstool for some yummy dinner. Mind you, it was a hairy ride with trees down and debris strewn across the road as if there had been a hurricane. We went the back way to avoid the big flood and it was worth the trip, the Eton mess was as delicious as ever. One dessert with two spoons please. We sent our regards to the lovely Jack, well Ginger did. Got home and what happens - the door bell rings. Next time Ginger can answer the door as I'm still convinced she's a man magnet! It's David and Lynn this time with tales of a flood in their basement bathroom and even though his windows were closed, the rain still got in! Yikes.. I'm sooooooooooo glad I'm not in the servants quarters and paid a little more to be up on the 3rd floor.. yippee! ;-) x much, much later, me & Ginger have just been making Christmas cards and I've been iris folding. What is it with iris folding? I've discovered that it's not that difficult to do, and now I've done it, I hope never to have to do it again! It's a quarter to two and it's time for sleeping not scrapping! x

Monday 28 July 2008

Over 100 years of history - GONE... !

Here's Weston Super Mare Pier, or what's left of it after it was burnt down today. It apparently took just one hour from the start of the blaze to being an inferno. It's now totally destroyed. A little slice of history - gone. I remember sitting on the end of the pier eating fish and chips. It's a good memory. Weston was renowned for it's beautiful Pier and it's sad to see such a great landmark disappear in a puff, or two of smoke.

Sunday 27 July 2008

Bath life to the Super Bad

I love going to Bath. It has a totally different feel to where I live and yet it's just down the road. The architecture is stunning and the place is full of surprises. I was just walking back to my car last night and there was a beautiful air balloon gracefully gliding over the roof tops of the circus. An awesome sight. I really enjoy the drive up Lansdowne, past the racecourse. The scenery is stunning and there were more air balloons taking advantage of what must have been, the best and sunniest day of the year so far.
Mauger Modern, one of my most favourite art galleries. The people there are just so friendly and here's a glimpse into the world of modern art at their Summer Preview Evening. The people visiting are as colourful as the Kia royale champagne cocktails. Jemma, the gallery manager (who is so lovely) introduced me to an art dealer. A lovely guy who she said really knows his stuff and has been buying art in Bath for a long, long time. The guy playing guitar on the mezzanine, just perfect. And you couldn't help notice the seriously older guy with the very strikingly slim and very young girl in the red dress, who I can only imagine was his niece! Money talks, hey... silly old fool!
I've done this before... you know when you recognise someone and wonder if they've served you in a restaurant, or you've met them with a group of friends? I was doing just that with a girl and guy last night. It was bugging me because I knew I'd seen them before, and low and behold, I had. On the tele! Jemma said she was an actress and that set my mind a whirring. I got as far as period dramas and this time, unlike my David Cameron moment, I decided to speak up and ask her. None other than Claudie Blakley! Yeah, I can hear you all going, WHO?!

She played a maid in Cranford, which was screened on the tv recently and also plays Emma Timmins in Lark Rise to Candleford. Her hubby on the set, Brendan Coyle, who plays Robert Timmins, was also there with her.
The two are photographed here together in Lark Rise. I also managed to capture them from the mezzanine so if you take a look in the earlier photo, they are standing with their backs to me right in the centre. Claudie is lovely. She said there are here in Bath filming another series of Lark Rise, along with a Christmas Special. Whoopee! Although I was glued to Cranford, I found that Lark Rise didn't capture my imagination enough for me to watch the first series. I guess, having met Claudie, I'll be taking a lot more interest in series 2! As for the Super Bad - I loved it!

It's all in the detail...



I thought this was one of the most striking images at the gallery. The artist, Brett Goldstar, is a self-trained mural artist. He brings images together that appear to contradict or oppose. I first saw this on the mezzanine but being close up to such strong tiny images makes it difficult to see what he's trying to do. It was only when I was downstairs that I looked up and suddenly realised what the main image was. It's hard to portray this because a photo will easily draw the images together so you see the main image first - then the tiny details. The theme of Super Bad contradicts the character of Superman being made up of tiny images of some very notable baddies. I like this kind of art and the idea of capturing history with a twist appeals to the scrapbooker in me. Perhaps I should try this with the family, he he!

Come Dancing Champions 2008!

Hello, mum and dad! I was searching for a photo with the two of you together. Not easy because most of the time, one of you has a camera in your hand! But I found one! Remember this moment...? It's one of the lovely Kati's photos from Dan & Jo's wedding and hey, I'd vote for you! Love you loads and miss you lots too xxx

Thursday 24 July 2008

Great friends...


These were taken a couple of months ago when Fi & Rob came to stay. Lovely aren't they? x

Polly Doodles Day


Here's the 'gang' all having fun on barbeque night. Here are my little projects too... x



Tuesday 22 July 2008

no sausage...

Do you ever get the feeling that you're missing something?! I seem to be having a running buffet this July. My meals are random, let me explain. Tonight I had cauliflower cheese. Lovely, homemade and yummy, but I felt there was something missing - sausage! I had sausage......... on Saturday night........ and on Thursday night... but not tonight! It's like having a starter, missing a few days and a few meals before you have your main course! I also ate some leftover homemade lemon cake.
BIG MISTAKE!
Why is it that you have already eaten half of something before you find the moldy bit! Eeeeeeeeeeek! ;-( x

Sunday 20 July 2008

a smile costs nothing...

And it could save you money! I'm a the very picturesque Toddington services having spent the night at the Travelodge. OMG, I hear you say, what is she up to now?! Craftability demos!! So I just got my capuccino & pecan danish & got a discount off, 25% no less, for my lovely smile! Grumpies take note! X
FROM MY PHONE

Wednesday 16 July 2008

Today is...

like being in an old black and white movie... and I want a bowl of butterscotch icecream.

How do some people stay at home all day? I know I'd get seriously bored with just the thought of shopping, hoovering, cleaning, cooking and what's that again... more shopping? Feeling okay, not great, head feels fuzzy and I'm still not up to conversing very much in an audible way. If this truly was a holiday I'd be bouncing around doing jobs and stuff. I've been out because the fresh air makes me feel better than just sitting. I know this bug quite well now. One day recovering this week will hopefully avoid 3 days of prolonged suffering next week and the week after. From memory, it took me at least 4 weeks to really get myself feeling back to normal last year.
That's a 12th of a year!
Yesterday's flu diet was cake - yes, carrot and passion fruit cake, followed by an eccles cake with current overload! I don't fancy fruit so the closest I've come to getting my daily 5 is to have it in cake! Sound decision don't you think. This week I'm missing out on work - not visiting Fi and her scars - not seeing Naomi and not talking to anyone very much. You don't really notice the tone of your own voice until it changes. Sunday I was struggling to squeak at a high pitch and now my best voice is lower than usual. Best to keep my mouth shut really - not something I'm used to but I'm sure it won't be for much longer. Happy Wednesday to mum & dad & Kati in hot Hungary - Happy feeling better to Fi and Happy that this isn't your Flu Day to everyone else x

Tuesday 15 July 2008

Uptime, downtime, your time, me time...

Hurrah to be ME! Today is the first day I've felt better than the day before in almost a week. That's got to be progress! Last week's sore throat has become this week's flu. I'm taking some 'me time' out so my little grey cells can regroup to save my body and soul from those dreaded flu bugs. "Take time to smell the flowers" as the lovely Donna Kooler would say to me when I was over in California. I rush around like a loon, I chase deadlines, never let people down, always keep my promises, try to be a good person and as a consequence, sometimes forget that life can expect too much sometimes. I think at that point, when I've used up all my realtime energy and most of my reserves, my body say 'hey, stop missy' and trips me up. The little voice in my head which always says 'I can...' changes to 'I can't...' and I need to step off the bus for just a short while and take time to watch the world go by for a change. I've just realised that's what holidays are for...

Monday 14 July 2008

Is this a piece of my car?!

Thankfully NO, it's not a piece of my car! It's part of my brand spanking new DYSON! My apartment has now been dySONized within an inch of its life. Rich came for the weekend to visit the airshow (which for once in its entire history was cancelled!) so we shopped instead. We bought a dyson and a new set of very clever kitchen scales because frankly my old ones couldn't weigh toffee! I'm also now the proud owner of a freesat box too so I can view more than 4 rubbish channels.. lucky me! I can now view about 24 rubbish ones... well, not quite but at least I have some music channels to bop too and E4, WOW! We also got very close to buying one of those 'more cleverer than thou' circular hoovers that's computerised and just does it all by itself. A nice thought until you see the compartment for holding the dust. Believe me, it might hold one small fly, a spider, as long as half its legs have dropped off and 3 tiny bits of fluff - that's all! Hopeless when you have new carpets like I do that shed fluff like a molting afghan hound! So, to plan B and the swanky new ball Dyson, which frankly is Top Dog in my house now!

Wednesday 9 July 2008

Cots and Cocks

Another evening of entertainment comes to an end! Work hard and play hard is my motto for July! Me and Tash went first to the Ragged Cot. What a find... I didn't really say that did I, it was rubbish honestly and I won't be going there again because the delicious lamb, tasty baby carrots and delicious potato cake... was horrible! Honestly... ;-) We really enjoyed the cinema, again! There's so much to see at the moment so tonight it was Hancock.. great fun, very random. but good. I do enjoy our evenings out and I'll miss her when she goes off to uni... x

The Merchant of Venice

I love the experience of going to the theatre. ! I have a lot of admiration for performers who can memorise lines as they did last night. And being able to deliver them so that we, the audience, have any chance of working out what is going on, is a true skill. Involving the audience, as they did last night, helps. As does the humour that they injected into the play. I admit, I hadn't read it. I'm not a great scholar and although I wish I'd paid more attention in English Literature, I didn't. The Merchant of Venice was brilliantly executed and the simplicity of the set, along with the drama made this a good evening. I needed to read up on the bits I missed today, but that's all part of the enjoyment of a play that stretches my understanding. Georgina Rich as Portia...

Monday 7 July 2008

Beach babe... x

That's a first!

Parents do go soft as they grow old. As those dashingly, handsome pups made themselves welcome in the garden of number 15, we all giggled to ourselves. Doggies in grandmas garden, shock, horror! And I mean Grandma Marie this time, not Mary! Years ago the conversation would have been about babies and kids. Not so now... it's about chickens, ferrets, dogs, kittens and crushed egg shells! i didn't know what they were talking about and I think it's better it stays that way! It was lovely to see my big sibs and as mum said, it was better than Christmas. Strangely enough, we didn't all see each other at Christmas because some of us had a wedding to go to... so it's official, July is the new Christmas! ;-) x

Sunday 6 July 2008

A family of photographers!


Not one, but here I am with two cameras at the ready! I had scrapbooking tendencies even then, it must have been in my genes! These less than recent photographs, originally slides, are as precious as the family silver to us Szabo's. Every treasured memory, from playing in the garden to being seen here on the beach, has been captured on film and hasn't seen the light of day for years. It's fascinating to see these old photographs, I love them. The old cars, mum and dad when they were much younger than us kids are today, and how we all fitted into that tiny, white tent, I'll never know. I know it's one of dad's favourite photos and it's now one of mine too!

Thursday 3 July 2008

I want one...

I had to take my little min to the garage today to get the tyres checked. As I parked on the forecourt, here's what I saw... now I want one... please... x

Alleluia... It's raining... MEN!







Here I am again with my brolly up because it's raining men! And, it's pouring down, that's why I'm still smiling! It was a tough day (he he) spent with Rob doing his Prescott Hill Climb. I was expecting a herd of 50-somethings with road cars but I was very wrong. There were some very pretty cars and I had a fab day. Rob managed to sneak me into lunch, which was fun and although the sun gave up on us after lunch, the driving didn't stop. I even got a ride up with the instructor, Russ, who is a very experienced driver. Wow, that was exhilarating! I managed to flutter my eye lashes at another instructor, Mark, who after the certificate giving, sneaked me a mug so i had a memento of this fabulous day. Now I want to have a turn... x