Berwick upon Tweed 2009

Ray and I spent the last 2 weeks of September in Berwick upon Tweed. The weather was wonderful – as it usually is in late September. This year we managed to get over to the Farne Islands, which has long been a dream for me. Sadly all the puffins were gone – they spend 9 months of the year at sea. We did get to see plenty of other birds though, and some rather grogeous seals. In fact the seals seemed to be watching us watching them.

We spent a lot of time on the beach watching the birds and the seals. The gannets were compulsive viewing (well, for me anyway). At times there would be hundreds of them diving for fish. They dive from about 30 feet into the water at a speed of aobut 60mph. This photo is a little blown, but it gives you a flavour.

It was a fantastic holiday but now we’re back into the real world, but a bit of me remains in Northumberland with the seals and the gannets.

An alien in the garden

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Flowers

Ray and i had a lovely long weekend in Castleton last weekend. We mooched about, went down a mine, and did some birdwatching. This little Wheater was rather fun.

At one point he had 2 friends with him, but they weren’t playing ball with my camera.

This weekend i’ve been playing with my new Nikon D40x. I kind gift from a friend who has upgraded and no longer had need of the camera. It is poppy season over the fields and really very beautiful – and irresitable to snap away with the camera.

Some other flowers get a look in too

It has been useful getting out with the camera as i’ve been feeling low since hearing that a friend has died. I met Anne on GoldToken 5 years ago, and we became good online friends. She used to live in Sheffield until she was diagnosed with progressive MS, and frequented may of the places Ray and i love. Her online name was Tigerlily, a very apt name for Anne. I met up with Anne in real life too, when she had a trip to sheffield and the Peak District in 2007, sadly it was her last trip here.

“I think it’s because we’ve stopped darning our socks”

So says the existential detective, Wallander in the brilliant books by Henning Mankell.
He describes how Swedish society has changed from one where children used to be taught in school to darn their socks, to a throw away society where it is not just socks that get thrown out, but humans too. Mankell could be writing about any Western society, not just Sweden.

I’m writing this while bread is baking in the oven. I’ve been lazy of late and have been buying my bread, but this quote reminded me of all the benefits of baking my own bread (i posted some time ago on the revolutionary act of bread making ).

A few weeks ago at work we were discussing Easter, and i said that this year i’d be making Easter eggs and not buying them. My colleagues looked at me as if i had 2 heads. They still find my alternative lifestyle hard to grasp, so i suppose i should not have been surprised by their reactions. I also explained i’d be making truffles to go inside the eggs. The was only one question on their lips, “why?, why make an egg if you can buy it cheaply?”. Well for a start there is less packaging, it is fun, it is personal, it’s not going to cost as much to make in terms of carbon footprints…the list is endless.

One of Ray’s cameras has recently developed a fault, so i went to the camera shop to discuss getting it repaired. The helpful member of staff suggested that as we live in a throw away society it would be easier just to buy a new camera…i replied that just beacuse i lived in such a society i didn’t have to join in with throwing things away that could be fixed if we put a little effort in.

This all ties in to a brilliant film called The Story of Stuff…well worth watching, thinking about, and acting on.

Weekends

Ray and i enjoyed a long weekend in Castleton last weekend. The weather on the Saturday was very Spring -like and warm. Sadly Sunday wasn’t as warm, or sunny, but it was dry. It was nice to get out into the Peaks and get some fresh Spring air.

There were also plenty of lambs to watch. These two were happy chasing each other and leaping in the air.

There is something magical about Castleton for me. There is something about the place that replenishes my soul, and makes my heart lift. I spent the rest of the week at work with part of me still in the gorgeous Dark Peak.

This weekend i’ve tided up the pots in the front garden and met up with our friend Sally. We had a lazy lunch at my favourite noodle bar, East One, just off of Devonshire Green. After spending a few hours catching up, we had a little bit of retail therapy. We’ve not met up in ages, and i hope we don’t leave it so long until we next meet.

Next weekend Ray has hos first 10k run for a number of years. He’s been training hard and i’m sure he’ll do well. I can’t go running with him, but i’m looking forward to seeing the race and being his kit monitor for the duration.

With no OU course on the go, and the Union Learner Rep course over i’ve enrolled on an on-line course with the RSPB. It’s a well built course to help you learn more about birds and how to identify them. I’m good at garden birds and some ducks, but i would like more comprehensive knowledge. It will be great to know the names of all of the birds we spotted in Berwick last year.

I’ve also joined LifeLines. An organisation that provides friendship and support to prisoners on death row. I’ve been meaning to do it for awhile, but you know how it is, time just speeds by. I’ve finally done it, and i’m waiting to hear who i have been linked up with. I’m sure the process will be hard at times, but i think also very rewarding.

Shad and Stu 14th of February 2009

Our friends, Shad and Stu were married yesterday. It was a beautiful service at the Quaker Meeting House, Sheffield. Followed by a lovely wedding breakfast at the Archer Centre. I wish them many years of helath and happiness together.

Darn it, i missed the snow

We’ve had a wonderful wintery time in Sheffield. Snow started falling in the early hours of Monday the 2nd of February and for once it settled and stayed.  It was topped up that night, wich caused mayhem at rushour (my own journey took 3 hours, but i had a seat and a good book, so it wasn’t too bad) Further snow fell on the Thursday and we had a little dusting over the weekend. Sadly i was busy working so I missed getting out with my camera until today…and most of the snow has gone. I used to be a keen skier before my accident, and i am a snow fiend. I could live with snow for at least 3 months of the year and not get bored or fed up with it. Ray was lucky to be off for the week and got to take some amazing photos. Our little cat Maisy was not so impressed. She’d only just got over a bout of cystitis and was adamant that the litter tray stayed in place. I think she went 10 days without getting her paws cold, bless her.

The snow did interupt the college course i’ve been doing though. Yes, i’m back at college – my friends will not be surprised to hear…I lasted all of 3 months without studying something. I’m training to be a Union Learner Rep so that i can help colleagues who want to gain new skills or knowledge find courses to suit them, and support their learning. It’s a voluntary post but i think it will be rewarding in many ways. As an Open Univeristy addict i’m passionate about aldut education so this Union Learner Rep post will be right up my street.

Happy Winter Solstice

Today is my favourite day of the year, the shortest day. From today onwards the days get longer, there is the promise of spring and warmer days. This year it has been the coldest start winter for 30 years, so celebrating the coming of warmer days feels particularly good.

Happy Solstice everyone!

Life’s Ups and Downs

It’s been a week of ups and downs.  Tuesday I found out i’d passed my exam,  and Wednesday I celebrated my first anniversary working for a housing association…then the downs came along. In September the company i work for announced there would have to be a 15% cut in staff. A voluntary redundancy scheme was put in place and a company wide re-structure put together. The re-structure was announced this week and it’s bad news for my team – one of us will be going…and there are only 4 of us .  I’d be gutted to go as i love what i …but then the guilt kicks in…if i don’t go one of the others will…So Friday was very much black Friday.

Ray went down to the Buddhist House for a pit-stop in the Bodhi retreat. My lungs are still recovering from the chest infection i had, and i decided not to join him. I have been watching my friends on the web though…

www.http://amidatrust.ning.com/

I’ve been feeling low since the news on Friday and I decided to take myself off to Castleton to lift my spirits. Friends know how this part of the country makes my heart sing, and as usual it helped. I’m dreading the weeks ahead; they’ll be non-stop discussion about which one of us will go, and the fairness of it all. Conversations i don’t want to be part of as it won’t stop the deed happening, it will just serve to  make us more miserable. I’d rather just shut the drawer on it and face the news when it’s announced in January.

Smiling sky

I saw an amazing moon on the way home from work while sat on the tram. The moon looked so odd i thought it was a projection, but it was actually venus, jupiter and the moon

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7759146.stm