Gerty

Gerty - a beautiful gentle goat who touched our lives and gave so much for so little.  Rest in peace Gerty - you were loved so much and we are so sad that you have gone, but will never forget you.

Niki

Thought I'd post up this pencil drawing of my dog Niki I did when I was 16.  I discovered it again in my attic.  It's slightly damaged (probably from the water leak again)

Anywhere here it is:

Dislocated shoulder

Today I  did something I haven't done for nearly 20 years - I dislocated my right shoulder! Ouch!

It's very wintry today and icy and sleeting - but did I slip on the ice? No! I fell and slipped down the stairs! What a plonker!

Have written a blog post today, albeit typing veeeerrrrry slowly with one finger! No work I guess for a few days as I'm in a sling and can't drive either! I would really like to use the time constructively - so hope to do some more scanning of old favourite photographs and post them up, so if there is a mad flurry, you will know why!  Just need help getting the boxes of photographs down - there are so many things I now can't do - you'd be surprised! Put your dominant arm behind your back for a while, don't use it and see how difficult it is to cook, write, use scissors, eat, dress, wash, etc etc....

I'm back at Fracture Clinic next week and will see what they say but the chances are I will be off until the end of term now - hurrah!!!!! :-)))

Work of Carl Albrecht

On my very first blog post I mentioned that my love of photography (and art to be fair), was enhanced by the encouragement and invaluable help, and support from Uncle Carl Albrecht from New Jersey. I was encouraged to start writing to him by my parents, as they were quite worried about his failing health and being a new but budding photographer, they thought we would get along just fine ...! It was great actually, I used to write pages to Uncle Carl and in return would get lengthy letters back, often accompanied by items such as a light meter, filters and even a twin lens reflex camera! We developed a lovely friendship - he was only too pleased to write to his late wife's neice and encourage and support, and then took over all my film developing and printing!

So I was delighted today to find some of his work - original American magazine articles, both pre and post war, featuring his photographs, along with a few other photographs and designs he had had published. I thought I'd share them here - a tribute to my Uncle Carl - who I will always be so grateful to.

Uncle Carl in the 1950's

This is one of Carl's published photographs - of my Aunt Sylvia - she was quite an artist herself!

More published work - this was in Harper's Bazaar, October 1937

Pre-war photo

More published work- pre war

1956 - c0ver of Pace College Magazine - Seal designed by Carl when he was Director of Art at the College

The Cinematic Orchestra 'Breathe' - Live At The Barbican

T-Bone and I are off to see Cinematic Orchestra on Sunday at the Royal Albert Hall. I can hardly wait and just watching this video again has given me goosebumps!!!

Great week!

Well it's that Sunday night, back to work feeling, but what a great week!  I've been off work this week (half term) and seem to have managed to do quite a lot in a relatively short time.  I had my lovely friend Clare Cox to stay on Monday and Tuesday - a treat indeed, since I haven't seen her for nearly 3 years!  We had a lovely catch up, lots of laughs, plenty of nice food and wine :-))  .  Haven't laughed so much in ages!  Was really a real tonic to see her.  We made a pact never to leave it 3 years again, and hopefully, all being well, will go down with T-bone in the New Year and have a weekend down in Somerset.

On Wednesday I went up to Wiltshire to see T-Bone and in the evening we went to see Sierra Hurtt doing her thing in The Vic in Swindon.  It was great to see her again.  She performed for an hour in the pub and was sounding really good.  We dragged her and Skeet , her guitarist, etc out for a meal afterwards, once we found somewhere serving food - and it was only 9.30 pm!

Back home Thursday morning, and then T-Bone joined me for a couple of days down here in Hampshire.  We found some blues to go and see on Thursday night, always lovely to see some music.  They were pretty good, although I didn't like the guy's voice and guitar style, but it was good to see anyway, and the double bass playing was really good! 

Friday evening I had a visit from my mate Merryn (more wine lol!).  Saturday I got to catch up with my sister  in Winchester and we had a really nice lunch and catch up, some shopping and then train home, before my mad mate Vicky came round for more wine and laughs in the evening.  Really good to see her again.

Today I have had to catch up with chores - HUGE ironing pile etc!! But in a minute I am off to Acoustic Night in Marlborough - always a pleasure and get to see T-Bone and friends perform in the Green Dragon.  It's a lovely pub, everyone is always very friendly, and I always enjoy going up.   It's going to be a great way to round off the week

Coxy and I

Sierra and Skeet at The Vic

60th Post Already???

I can't believe this is my 60th post since I started my little blog back in August - haha, I remember I stayed up til the sunrise getting it started and sorted out (T-Bone lol!)!  I must admit, it's been really nice to put some photos up - it's nice to have a showcase for pictures that you like, even if they are not that good, it's fun to post them somewhere!

I have really enjoyed reading T-Bones and Dancin's Blogs - keep posting!!!

And I have also recently discovered my 20 something nephew Pete's blog (he is now based in Mexico).  He probably thinks I'm far too old to have a blog and is hiddeously embarrassed to have his ancient auntie comment on his blog, but I just can't help myself!!

So I carry on with this meandering and rambling - one of these days I plan to write something interesting, but until then I will carry on with posting photos and mindless chatterings.

Happy blogging

Loadsalove
Claire xxx

Gerty Goat

T--Bone and Gerty ....... awww, Gerty just loves T-Bone doesn't she?

Sunset

Just loved the sunset last night - it was so beautiful.  Perfect end to a beautiful sunny day

Where Did That Year Go T-Bone!!



I can't believe it's a year ago today that I first met by darling T-Bone  I remember one of the first conversations we had was about Duke Special (as I like them) and he happened to mention he knew Chip the drummer .  He was convinced I would think it was a load of bull****, but I didn't think that, and offered to send T-Bone a CD of Duke Special music.  He said he'd like that, and gave me his address, on the understanding I didn't turn up and murder him in his bed !! So began our swapping of music, and a friendship which would take us places.

One year on, I just wanted to say thank you T-Bone, for an amazing year, happy and ecstatic times, mad daft times, lovely mellow times, loads of music and silliness and above all your amazing friendship which is at the root of it all.  I love your cheerfulness and positiveness, your enthusiasm for all sorts of great creative things such as photography, the countryside and music, I love your easy going and friendly nature, your caring and warm character and above all your daft side! Sometimes when life gets tough it can be hard to raise a smile, but I don't think you have ever failed to make me smile.  Love you always.

As a little momento from the last year,  I thought it might be nice to post a few pics from the last year (and I am sorry I have nicked some from your blog haha!!!!).

Thanks darling - here's to you!!!!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haha, where it all started I think - I DID NOT WRITE THIS!!!! lol



The troll pics -Troll  and Monkey Man doing their thang - T-Bone sent this to me (painted by the wonderful Phil) last autumn - sooo funny!!

February - Laurel and Florit!!! - How mean!!!

March - My birthday card (again crafted by Phil) from T-Bone, awww, how could it not win my heart!!

March - The chicken jokes and pics continued

 

April - Walking on the farm,  just before the heavens opened  - walked in the village pub giggling away and soaked to the skin much to the amusement of everyone else!

May - Itchen Navigation Canal walk and a hot, hot hot weekend!

June - Taking the children to the beach in Sussex - ending with bbq on the beach, wot fun!

June - T-Bone greets Heidi the goat, now Gerty the goat, and now owned by T-Bone! Or does Gerty own T-Bone, I think that's probably more like it!

July - Having fun  in the New Forest with our respective children, lovely afternoon mucking about and general silliness

July - Avebury, and camping trip in Wiltshire .  Yes I managed to get T-Bone to sleep under canvas yayy!

August - Dartmoor holiday - Bellever Forest, what a wonderful afternoon that was!

August - T-Bone keeping me sane and cheered when Soph was in Hospital







Bella at the vets tonight

My poor cat Bella has been looking a bit under the weather since late Thursday and quite quiet.  By Saturday she really seemed to be staggering around, and also seems to have lost weight (nearly a kg) and condition, although actually seemed much happier in herself.   The vet has said that she thinks Bella may have a slipped disc!  This is apparently quite rare in cats.  Bella has taken to launching herself from the cat scratching post in the kitchen onto the worktops in recent weeks, so it is entirely possible she has slipped whilst "flying".  Poor Bella.  She has had some anti-inflammatories and already seems much more with it, but it's early days and I need to take her back to the vets in a week and then we will decide on more long term treatment.

I took a couple of photos of her at the vets - the children wanted to come too, as they worship Bella and she was very happy to have their company too.  She was so good in the car and so placid and sweet at the vets.  She really is a very sweet cat and I really hope she isn't in any pain.

Weekend

Beautiful drive up to Marlborough Friday night - got onto the A34 just as the sun was going down.  The sky was so beautiful, I haven't seen such a lovely sunset whilst driving along for a little while now, and it really gladdened my heart!  The subsequent muting of all the colours of the landscape were quite magical and a joy to behold!  Then, a little further on, around Hungerford, I was so lucky to see a mass flight of geese, not once, but three times.  It really was spectactular!  As T-bone said, they were probably on their way to migrate somewhere.  I just love the colours and sights of our landscape - never fails to make a big impression on me and quite often moves me hugely (like the geese).

Great night Friday night - meal out in T-Bone's village pub with loads of others - lots of drinking and laughing involved and of course music. Finally fell into bed at 4 am; although had to share bed space with a dog and his bone lol!  Felt a little bit worse for wear yesterday, but after a good sleep I feel a little bit more human today.

Quiet day today - I am going to read and hopefully finish my book (just reading the musings of Mark Radcliffe which I started when Soph was in hospital) which if achieved, will be the first book I have finished for a long time I am ashamed to say .... I have started loads and then get  given or buy another, and unless I get in the habbit of reading every day, other things get in the way (like itunes and music lol!) and the small time I have available just goes .. think I need to make a conscious decision to get to bed at a decent time so I am more fresh for work and read before sleep ... then I would have achieved two things - be better at work and read more!

Sophie's video

Found Sophie's preschool video the other day and shared with T-bone.  Wot a laff!  Shows my nearly teenager as a 3 year old.  Here are some stills from the video - cute!!

Awwwwwww

Found this photo the other day of my two - Jon would have been about four and a half and Sophie a few weeks old - remember the occasion as if it was yesterday. They both had very dark brown hair when they were born, which was quickly replaced by blonde - why does that happen, weird?!!!  They are still very close and although have brother and sister spats, they do enjoy each other's company and Jon especially is very good whenever Sophie is ill.  He even told me he helped clean up after she was sick at the weekend - can't think of many brothers who would do that!!

Off to the Hospital tomorrow

Well this week has been the house (and street) of the sick! I have had a sore throat and barely able to speak (a blessing to most I am sure!), and all stuffed up, my daughter has been sneezing for England and had bad asthma, then was sick at the weekend (thankfully all over her father this time rather than me!!) and my son has been hacking away too.  My neighbour and friend Brian next door, who I keep an eye on, has also had a heavy cold and been very unsteady on his feet and on Monday after being alerted by his daughter, I went in to find him sat on the stairs looking very pale, and slurring in his speech and generally not well at all. I called an ambulance and he went off to hospital, returning this evening.  We were supposed to be going to the Jazz Club tonight to see Georgie Fame, and for the second time in 10 years, we had to cancel! I think he is ok about it though.  I am sure he is happy to be home and reunited with his beloved pussycat. 

It was really weird him not being around the last couple of days and it made me realise how much I don't like him not being here!  He's like another dad to me and has been so kind to me over the years.  I know he likes coming round for a cup of tea, for a change of scene maybe, and a chance to chat about what ever is on his mind, or just get a plaster applied for a cut finger (bless!).   It's great that we have resumed going to the jazz club, and I know he really enjoys that.  T-bone has sorted out his record deck so that now plays through his hifi and sounds so much better.  He loves his music too - in particular jazz - even though he still claims to hate Miles Davis and in particular "Kind of Blue" - blasphemy!!!

Tomorrow I am off to Southampton General with Soph for her post-asthma Respiratory Consultant's appointment.  It will be interesting to hear if they can offer me any further advice or give her any more treatment.  I could really do with having cat and dog allergy tests for her too.  Poor old Sophie, she has had such a rough ride all her life; I just want her to keep well.  Asthma is such a horrible thing.

So I do hope everything will be back to normal soon!

Networking - You've Been Tagged!

Just for a bit of fun (thanks Dancin Fool!) .... give this a go - learn something new about a fellow blogger.! Read and answer the following and paste on your page and then let me know you have answered it.

For those new to tag lists/ memes this is how it works. Below I have posted a list of ten questions for you to answer with instructions for taking part. I will visit your blog and leave you a comment inviting you to take part and including a link back to this post. If you would like to take part all you have to do is create a post copying over the instructions and questions, including your answers, and then pass it on in the same way to 5 new Bloggers, whether Bloggers you know or new ones you find. Then come back here and tell me your list is up so I can visit and read it!


So, this is the bit to copy if you are going to take part, copy all text within the speech marks:


"Instructions: Copy these instructions and the questions into a new post, post it with your answers, visit 5 new or known Bloggers and leave them a comment with a link to your relevant post inviting them to take part, and then return to the Blogger who invited you to take part and leave them a comment letting them know your post is up.


1.  If you could have super powers what would they be and what would you do with them? (Please feel free to be selfish, you do not have to save the world!)

2.  Were you to find your self stranded on an island with a CD player...it could happen...what would your top 10 bloggers island discs be?

3.  If you were a smell what would it be?

4.  What bird would you most like to be?

5.  If you were a bird who's head would you poo on?

6.  Are there any foods that your body craves?

7.  What's your favourite time of year?

8.  What's your favourite time of day?

9.  If a rest is as good as a change which would you choose?

10.  If you could have a dinner party and invite any 10 people from the past or present who would they be? (Living or deceased.)

My answers:

1.  If you could have super powers what would they be and what would you do with them? (Please feel free to be selfish, you do not have to save the world!)
Understand people's minds/know whether someone was telling the truth or not for sure!

2. Were you to find your self stranded on an island with a CD player...it could happen...what would your top 10 bloggers island discs be?
 In no particular order - Nick Drake - Bryter Later;
                                        Pink Floyd - Dark Side of The Moon;
                                        Eric Clapton - Reptile;
                                        Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now;
                                        Duke Special - Songs From The Deep Forest;
                                        The Divine Comedy - Regeneration; 
                                        Corinne Bailey-Rae - Corinne Bailey Rae;
                                        Charlie Hayden & Pat Metheny - Under A Misourri Sky
                                        Cinematic Orchestra - Live at The Barbican
                                        Beth Rowley - Little Dreamer
                                        Boz Scaggs - Greatest Hits Live
                                        Beatles - White Album
                                        Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks
                                        Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
                                        Minal - On A Planet (well it goes without saying ........)

Ok that's 15!! Can't take anymore  away haha!!!! 

3.  If you were a smell what would it be?
Freshly cooked bread

4.  What bird would you most like to be?
Buzzard - flying high over Dartmoor

5.  If you were a bird who's head would you poo on?
Simon Cowell for popularising crap music

6.  Are there any foods that your body craves?
At the moment - ice cream for my sore throat.  On a more regular basis it would have to be marmite

7.  What's your favourite time of year?
Spring - especially after the clocks go forward and we have our first light evening, bliss!

8.  What's your favourite time of day?
Bedtime!!  Oh and just before the sun starts to go down and there are beautiful long shadows and the light is beautiful.  Just makes everything look so magical.

9.   If a rest is as good as a change which would you choose?
Rest

10.  If you could have a dinner party and invite any 10 people from the past or present who would they be? (Living or deceased.)
Eric Morecambe; Spike Milligan; Michael Palin, Jude Law - for eye candy :-); Rolf Harris; David Bellamy; Antonio Gaudi: Cezanne; Alexander Fleming (so I could thank him); and Delia Smith who could help out in the kitchen!  Don't want any boring politicians or people who would droan on and on - ok it seems to be mainly men, shame that, how did that happen lol!  If I am having a dinner party I want to be entertained and cheered up by some good comedians and a couple of interesting people thrown in too. I'm not too sure how well I would get on with Delia, she looks a bit fierce, but I am sure she would give the gravy a stir if I was busy!



I have tagged: http://twoknightsandmaidens.blogspot.com/, http://tbonetravis.blogspot.com/ and http://olliebitsandbobsblog.blogspot.com/


 However if you come across this post and want to take part please do! The more the merrier. Remember it is a bit of fun, you don't have to do it but its a great way to meet some new Bloggers! Enjoy!                                       
                                        
                                      

Farewell, adieu

I will be deleting my little blog; it's been fun and I have enjoyed the experience.

It's allowed me to express my creative side and be the person I am.

I think, perhaps, in retrospect, self expression isn't my forte or has done me any favours, so have decided to call it a day on Blogger
Claire

Sounding off!

I am very disappointed and quite angry right now, so am sounding off on my own little page, because no one else reads it .......

I am struggling big time today with the two little people that live here .. yes my two darling children.  How could I have produced such thoughtless and rude people I don't know, but I have had a gut full of rudeless, eye rolling and answering back today! I now feel very frustrated and wonder where I have gone wrong.  I have basic rules and responsibilities for them both, and if those are broken then I will say something, and if I have to keep repeating myself, then I start to get niggled.  I am quite patient, but there reaches a point when I feel like I am talking to myself .  Then it feels that everything is going to pot, I feel frustrated and annoyed, and Mum goes off on one! I guess I need to be more patient, but I am tired, fed up of repeating myself and feel that I am  not being listened to.  My children are usually very respectful and say sorry, but just recently I can see a shift to more teenage rebellion behaviour, and I don't like it!  It feels as though they are constantly pushing the boundaries and seeing what they can get away with, which is why I seem to be constantly on their backs.  I spoke to both of them individually this afternoon and just got rudeness back.  I am sure, knowing them, they will think about it and hopefully apologise later on this evening.  I hate having to be upset before they realise that they have behaved wrongly. We usually have a good relationship, but I feel this is being eroded by their rudeness and lack of respect.  I want to re-address the balance and get it right.  It's such a difficult job and it's also something I always have to do alone as I get very little back up.  It's exhausting, soul destroying and upsetting.   I think I need a large glass of wine and some tlc!

My boss put me in a very difficult situation today at work (although I didn't rise to it) which is making me feel very uneasy and it is unsettling the team.

And I seem to have wiped all the music off my computer .......

Not a happy bunny today.

Roll on the weekend I say.

Now where's that bottle of wine ........................

Bring Me Sunshine

Brings back memories of watching tv with my dad as a youngster .. can't beat Morecambe and Wise!

NoCo Rhythmic Rhapsody

In a previous job at Hampshire Dance, part of my role was looking after our two youth dance companies - NoCo (above) and Hampshire Youth Dance Company. This video shows NoCo performing Rhythmic Rhapsody at Youth Dance England in London. NoCo are a bunch of young people from 13-21 who auditioned each year for a much sought after place in one of these companies... I absolutely loved going to the auditions, looking after them and sometimes accompanying them to performances. Happy times

Aeroplane - Nick Harper (Love is Music) - for Dancin Fool :-) xxx

I can see you!!!! For you Dancin Fool and Mr Dancin Fool of course - see you soon xxx

Back to work feeling

Well it's back to work for me this week and I can't say it is filling me with excitement!  So far it has not been too bad as yesterday our new team leader started and wanted to talk to us (about everything under the sun apart from work really), and in the afternoon wanted a  team outing to Hilliers Arboretum in Hampshire. All very nice, but I was over two hours late home.  Today we had a whole service training day, again out of the office in another part of Hampshire - a good 60 or 70 mile round trip.   Which meant making special arrangements for my children to get to school and back.  Normal day tomorrow and Thursday then another team day on Friday all day.

Not sure if it is just going back to work but all my enthusiasm for so many things has just waned. It is difficult to get back into the swing of things, worrying about my daughter, not wanting to be separated from her and work is the last thing on my mind!  Just want to hibernate and shut the world out at the moment and wake up in the spring.

Worrying Times

I'm writing this blog sat in Southampton General Hospital where Sophie is currently an inpatient after a severe asthma attack. Soph has had asthma since she was 18 months old, but this was definitely the worst. Soph went blue and unconscious and it was just so frightening. Luckily though, Sophie doesn't remember anything about it, not until she came round and her bedroom was full of paramedics. She thought they were lovely! Good news - Sooh is on the mend and will go home as soon as her oxygen levels are good enough. Worrying Times indeed!

Tomb of my great great great great (can't remember how many greats) .... grandfather

I was taking a look at Flickr a little while ago and was fascinated to see a couple of photos by an American photographer of the tomb of one of my distant ancestors Sir William Gee.... my great great great great great great  (forget how many greats, but you get the picture) grandfather.   He was Bishop of York and died in 1611 and the tomb lies in York Minster .  It shows Sir William Gee with his two wives (bigamist lol!), and  his six children kneeling.  My Dad took me to see the tomb years ago so I could remember it when I saw it on Flickr.  I corresponded with the photographer on Flickr and she said that I made her day!

On reading up about him I discovered that Camilla Duchess of Cornwall also comes from the same line, so I guess we are related .. dunno if that is a good or bad thing!

York Minster Tomb Effigy of my ancestor from the 17th century Sir William Gee

Disneyland Paris 2007

Disneyland Paris - August 2007
A surprise holiday for Jon and Sophie - they really had no idea they were going until we got to Waterloo and went downstairs to the Eurostar terminal and Sophie saw various destination options! A magical moment and lovely to take charge and take them abroad for the first time, albeit just for the weekend.  I think we will remember it always.

We voted for our favourite rides and they would have to be the Buzz Lightyear ride and the Pirates of the Carribean boat ride.  Although I quite liked It's A Small World which is for titchy tinies haha! Sophie also enjoyed the Escape To Witch Mountain ride, but Jon and I were too scared to go on it so she went alone (twice) but didn't seem to mind.  Sophie, always the daredevil even at 9. 

Someday, hopefully, we will return and enjoy some more .... it was very busy when we visited (August bank holiday) and very warm.  Perhaps a winter break one year ...

Lake Disney

Soph and Jon waiting to go up to London for their surprise Holiday

Stunt show at Disney Film Studios

Jon and Soph waiting to watch the Parade

                                                                              Sophie