a funny thing happened on the way back from London...

There I was having another mini adventure when I found I was following a car and guess what...? the registration was none other than... BOD! HA HA! If you're read below then you'll understand the significance of those 3 little letters. Made me chuckle as I drove back from the BIG City. London was great today. I drove down to visit the girls and we went to Covent Garden for lunch of sea bass with black and green olive gnocchi, roasted tomatoes and watercress... yum! All of course washed down with a pretty glass of blush pino. You can see I was having fun... Then I had a wander round a very busy Oxford street with the lovely K80. We went back to the apartment via Starbucks and the most amazing confectionary shop. They had cadbury's mint flakes, cherry chocolates and all kinds of popular branded in flavours that I'd never seen before. The north circular was a delight on the way home. They are such aggressive drivers down there. They cut you up, undertake you and would run over you as much as look at you. It was a relief to get back onto the M4 and head west back to fresh air and sanity. See that big black spiddy on the wall of the restaurant...? I caught one just like that when I got home, it was the size of a wopping great saucer!. It can fly now ;-) x

where to start...

A whole month of adventures have happened so there's a fair bit of catching up to do! I was thinking about what I'd choose as the highlight. It has to be 'The Thinker'.. I meet some interesting guys but this guy 'Le Penseur' has to be one of the most powerful images I've ever seen. Created out of both marble and cast in bronze, he depicts a man in sober meditation battling with a powerful internal struggle. The sculpture is nude, as Rodin wanted a heroic figure in the tradition of Michelangelo, to represent intellect as well as poetry. He sits proud on his pedestal in the gardens of the Musee Rodin in Paris. He can be viewed from the road outside and there are over 20 versions of this cast in museums around the world. I have now seen the original - woo hoo!

This guy just impressed me by his sheer size (yep, call me shallow!) he looked like the kinda guy who'd protect me and let's face it, he'd be great at getting rid of those cobwebs! His heart of stone might take a hell of a lot of softening and he's unlikely to keep my toes warm in bed but hey, looking on the bright side, I've got a soft top! I did try to smuggle him out of the gardens of Versailles but sadly, he'd been standing there for so long, he was rooted to the spot!

Shakespeare and ashes...

No one has dates like I do! Sunday evening finds me sitting on a bench beside the river sharing a bottle of wine. No real surprises there I hear you say. Except for the fact that I'm squigged up on the bench between Bod on one end and dead persons flowers on the other end...! Perhaps not the most tactful way to describe them, but true all the same. As I walked over to the bench by the side of the river i could see what appeared to be bunches of flowers in buckets and a large arrangement sitting on the bench. It was only when I got closer that I realised they were a couple of weeks old. I even had to go and look in the river to see if there was a body... no, phew! It's not the kinda subject to be discussing on a first date and anyone who knows me would have whisked me away from there in a flash... but I knew that that wasn't going to happen. And if you think that's surreal, read on because that was only the beginning.

As the clouds gathered above us big rain drops started to fall so we hurried our wine and dashed back to the car park. We were in separate cars so having made the decision to leave mine closer to the venue, we both left to drive the few miles to Slimbridge for the outdoor performance of A Winter's Tale. This is when the heavens opened!. The rain poured and for one fleeting moment I thought I would just keep driving as far away from that place as I could. But I'm much to well mannered for that. I just thought I must be totally, stark staring bonkers to go and sit in a field to watch Shakespeare in such atrocious weather. Sometimes life throws us a challenge and tonight was such a night! Within the hour I was sitting in a field in the pouring rain with a bunch of other people who were obviously totally bonkers. Kindred spirits you could call them ;-)

With my jumper, my coat, my hat, my scarf and umbrella and a bar of Green & Blacks... and Bod, for that's what I'll call him. Just Bod, nice but undeniably doomed from the start... The performance continued through the wind and the rain and although I was seriously questioning my sanity at this point, in a crazy way, you know what, I was really enjoying the play. The cast were amazing and delivered every line as if it were a summer's day. I admired their fortitude, their great spirit and sense of adventure and as the play had to go on, so I decided I was going to sit there right up until the bitter end. 3 hours later.. the sense of relief as I got back into my own car to drive home was without doubt, enormous. I know stuff happens to me and life can seem pretty odd at times, but tonight could only be described as... a real CRACKER!

Paris, the city of romance...

Don't you just love it! Everyone else is taking photos across the Seine, snapping away at all the most famous landmarks of this great city and I looked down and voila... here on the grass below is the most romantic symbol in the world. I don't know where it came from, or even if it was supposed to be there, but I like to think it was there, just so that I could photograph it to show it to you. Often the best things in life are the things other people don't notice. I bet that most of the visitors were so busy scaling the dizzy heights of this oh-so-famous Eiffel structure that they didn't notice what was carved out of the lawns beneath them. Today I looked down and I'm so glad I did. x

Anna Pavlova...

Here's a dance costume which includes real feathers, photographed at the Paris Opera House. A lesser known fact is that she spent her private days at Ivy House in Hampstead, London where she kept a collection of exotic birds and animals - including a pair of pet swans. These were no doubt the inspiration for her remarkable onstage performance. She was perhaps the most famous dancer in the world.

A striking piece of structural art...

Gustave Eiffel was named the 'Magician of Iron' when he created this temporary structure way back in 1889. It was only supposed to stand for 20 years but it's still standing. A symbol of love, peace and hope, I'm sure Gustave would applaud the awesome twinkling light show which happens every evening when darkness falls which quite honestly, keeps his magic alive. I can only marvel at the amazing design skills required to create such stunningly, beautiful curves.

From someone who took an instant dislike to history in her first year of high school, and failed her history exam consistently every year after... I now find the history of such iconic structures fascinating. What bored me to tears then, now enthralls me. Prepare to be enthralled... the design for this gigantic monument was unanimously selected from 700 proposals to symbolise the centennial of French Revolution. Built as the entrance arch to the Paris Exhibition, it's fair to say that the Parisians weren't that fond of it from the start. They considered it to be an eyesore. But in the first year of the exhibition, it's true value as a tourist magnet was realised when it was visited by over 2 million visitors in 1889. With the money rolling in, the tower quickly became a national symbol of France. It is now the most visited paid monument in the world! Well done Eiffel...!

Who could believe that in 1909 it was due to be demolished? The lease on the land it stands on had expired and it was only saved from the bulldozers by the fact that it was being used as a radio transmission antenna. A little known fact is that Eiffel originally planned to build the tower in Barcelona but the spaniards thought it was strange and expensive so turned it down. A year later the design was accepted by the French and the rest as they say, is history... and I love it!
Did you know..? Our Eiffel was a talented chap. His skills as a phenomenal structural engineer were exactly what was required when it came to building the one and only, 'Statue of Liberty.' Designer, Bartholdi, needed someone who could take on the challenge of designing the massive iron pylon on which the lady now stands. Hence the reason why there is a quarter scale bronze model of Lady Liberty standing alongside the Seine, 2km north of the Eiffel tower.

Monet's Garden..

Enchanting.. where else but Monet's Garden...

How do they do this..?

Could there be such a thing as a cone-shaped tree cutter? How do they trim these trees with such precision? Every tree has been trimmed so perfectly, not a twig out of place and every angle lined up perfectly with the tree alongside. I'm left pondering...

The other kiss...

Lost in a moment Rodin captures two lovers in a heavenly kiss. I wonder how many others have stood beside this statue, taken photographs and shared this kiss? How many more will do the same? If you had to be locked inside a moment, I'd say this was a pretty good choice, wouldn't you? x

One thing I've learnt is that...

Mothers are always right, particularly wise ones like mine. So the debate has to be... who is the more glad? In the blue corner is Pollyanna sponsored by my Mom and in the pink corner, Anna of Green Gables sponsored by me! The internet is a wonderful web of words so here's the first bit of glad news... Extract from Anne of Green Gables..

On Wednesday Miss Barry took them to the Exhibition grounds and kept them there all day.
"It was splendid," Anne related to Marilla later on. "I never imagined anything so interesting. I don't really know which department was the most interesting. I think I liked the horses and the flowers and the fancywork best. Josie Pye took first prize for knitted lace. I was real glad she did. And I was glad that I felt glad, for it shows I'm improving, don't you think, Marilla, when I can rejoice in Josie's success? Mr. Harmon Andrews took second prize for Gravenstein apples and Mr. Bell took first prize for a pig. Diana said she thought it was ridiculous for a Sunday-school superintendent to take a prize in pigs, but I don't see why. Do you? She said she would always think of it after this when he was praying so solemnly. Clara Louise MacPherson took a prize for painting, and Mrs. Lynde got first prize for homemade butter and cheese. So Avonlea was pretty well represented, wasn't it?
Pretty GLAD wouldn't you say?

Extract from Pollyanna..

"And so it's hurt that I am, and not sick," she sighed at last. "Well, I'm glad of that."
"G-glad, Pollyanna?" asked her aunt, who was sitting by the bed.
"Yes. I'd so much rather have broken legs like Mr. Pendleton's than life-long-invalids like Mrs. Snow, you know. Broken legs get well, and lifelong-invalids don't." Miss Polly--who had said nothing whatever about broken legs--got suddenly to her feet and walked to the little dressing table across the room. She was picking up one object after another now, and putting each down, in an aimless fashion quite unlike her usual decisiveness. Her face was not aimless-looking at all, however; it was white and drawn. On the bed Pollyanna lay blinking at the dancing band of colors on the ceiling, which came from one of the prisms in the window. "I'm glad it isn't smallpox that ails me, too," she murmured contentedly. "That would be worse than freckles. And I'm glad 'tisn't whooping cough--I've had that, and it's horrid--and I'm glad 'tisn't appendicitis nor measles, 'cause they're catching--measles are, I mean--and they wouldn't let you stay here."
"You seem to--to be glad for a good many things, my dear," faltered Aunt Polly, putting her hand to her throat as if her collar bound. Pollyanna laughed softly.
Pollyanna is so much gladder! In the books, her philosophy of life centers on what she calls "The Glad Game", an optimistic attitude she learned from her father. The game consists of finding something to be glad about in every situation. At the height of her popularity, Pollyanna was known as "The Glad Girl", and Parker Brothers even created The Glad Game, a board game based on the book and character. Whoopie Do!

The blue corner wins and you know what... I'm very glad about that! x

ps the other funny thing is that when I went to find these pollyanna pictures, guess what music started blaring out from a very American deardaisycottage blog site..?! None other than Mom's favourite... Acker Bilk - you rock MOM! x

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!

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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!

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...

Beach babe... x