Thursday, May 30, 2013

Pink Puffle

Some larking around at lunchtime involving Miranda's obsession with Puffles. As punishment for Gregory, who continually fuels this interest I decided to make a portrait of him as a Puffle

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Eye see no reason why not!

It's quite diffiult sometimes capturing that frame just as I want it.

Greg was pushing as hard as he could muster, Miranda bouncing around inside the swing and hurling abuse at me. You have to be quick or they have moved on to the next thing, and I persevered with my composition, and luckily one of the ten frames was (almost) bang on.

Robin Hood


A little spontaneous composition from Miranda. She even decided that as I always bark on about using ruled paper when she writes, that she'd write the rules on the page too. Lots of funny irregular marks scrawled on!

Prioirity

It can't be bad when Lewis is getting on with the lawnmowing and I am left with the prospect of a wine bottle...

Taken at Gran and Grandans on the weekend after we had enjoyed a nice lunch in the sunshine.

What is the world coming to

It's more or less summer, so why should it be necessary to light the fire and warm my bones?

I am listening to Sf Jazz Collective playing from the Horace Silver season and it's getting a little warmer already...!

Monday, May 27, 2013

Wet

Had a very enjoyable long weekend at my parents house near Llansteffan Beach. The sun has been shining and we've been eating in the garden and walking on the beach, what more do you need from a Bank Holiday Weekend?

Above photograph is my brother Christian video recording Lola and Miranda splashing in the water at Scotts Bay

Peek a boo

Have been to visit our niece Rhianon today and her baby Kiera in Bath, so a few photos taken as we had lunch on the banks of the River Avon. The sun shone all day again and we were able to have a nice walk around town, with Lewis on hand to push the pushchair back up the steep hill home...!

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Tuneful

Greg playing his guitar just before breakfast time. And as I write this Lewis is serenading me with Steely Blue. And lovely it is to hear too.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Bedhead

This is what Greg calls her most mornings when she comes into the bathroom for a wash.

However I took the photo on the beach just down from our house, as we watched the boats on Sunday evening. We played in the cockle shells, collected beach glass and sunk in the muddy margins all in the name of having fun at the end of the weekend. It would have been just right to sail as it turns out, but sometimes it's nice just to chill out and let it all wash over you... (not literally of course)

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

The World is Yours

Been watching Greg doing Japanese drumming in school today, a whole lotta noise I can tell you. Very rhythmic to be fair, but the babies in the room certainly complained!! Miranda unfortunately has to wait another two years before she can have a go

Saturday, May 18, 2013

In Concert

Bike ride with Lewis interspersed by pub lunch...

Racing at Calshot was a combination of the latest Women on Water series and a normal race meeting - twenty six boats on the water, Lewis and Greg came second place, but we couldn't stop for the second race but we had to rush off due to the following engagement...

CJ is in the Topper sail number 6

Took the boys to a concert in the evening at The Point in Eastleigh by guitarist Vincent Lindsey-Clark which was hosted by the Southampton Classical Guitar Society. The program was a mixture of his own compositions, Manuel Ponce's Prelude, an adventurous arrangement of Warlock's Capriol Suite, and a superb rendition of Paco Pena's La Lola.

And who should be sitting next to us but Lewis' guitar teacher, and with any luck Gregory's too (next year)

Friday, May 17, 2013

Friday Club

As we approach the later half of May and the beginning of the sail training session for the youngsters, we also expect some warmer weather and a fair breeze. To be fair we have had a nice warm day, but standing on the shore at six felt a lot like winter at Calshot. Maybe that was because I was wearing my cycling kit, but the wind was cold.

Watching Lewis taking out three little ones in an RS Vision was a real treat, he loves his Junior instructor role. Not an easy task on his own and a fair responsibility, you are a credit to us Tiger.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

BBM

Miranda can get a lot of entertainment out of a bit of cardboard, and this one especially has seen some action.

She was 'taking photos' of me like a merry fool, and I was trying to get her into bed at story time. So I papped her back and we fell about laughing.

Storytime was another chapter from the Famous Five Book no 17 - all very entertaining.

Lovely walk along the shore at sundown to pick up Greg from Sea Scouts, bats flying, birds singing...

Today one of the juvenile Robins hopped up next to me in the garden and caught and ate a beetle in one gulp. Quite a sight!

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Pizza Face

She's been making pizza for her supper, said it was a self portrait!

And I have been listening to a great concert online - Tom Harrell and Colors of a Dream - Live at the Village Vanguard

  • Tom Harrell, trumpet/flugelhorn
  • Jaleel Shaw, alto saxophone
  • Wayne Escoffery, tenor saxophone
  • Esperanza Spalding, bass/vocals
  • Ugonna Okegwo, bass
  • Johnathan Blake, drums
There's some great music on this channel if you are a jazz fan. Tom is bringing his Quintet to Ronnie Scotts on 27th and 28th May.

Below is a piece by Hampshire based musician and teacher, who wrote the music Lewis is currently studying...



and this is the piece of music (although played by someone else)


Neighbours

We can no longer tell if there's four or five of them in there, but their feathers are growing nicely.

It was hard to detect much movement in there but I could see breathing going on so took a quick picture.

After 'developing' the picture I can see the curious eyes looking at me!

Blackbirds by the way...

Miranda is doing her own little study of snails at the moment, in an attempt to rival her cousin Christabel's Zoological expertise!! So Mipp, here's a link from Christabel for some knowledge about Snails for you

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Park Life

Picture of the kids playng in the park with Kate as I dont have an image of us sailing today. Windy and gusty is an understatement, and a very rough sea to contend with. I didn't think we would even finish as conditions were so hostile, and after capsizing before we even crossed the start line I was sure we were doomed.

We overcame and rumour has it we finished well, so it was all worth the effort. By the second race the stormy conditions had abated although it was still tough out there, just that we werent planing and surfing every wave!

Best sail of the year, since the last one....

Thursday, May 09, 2013

Hey you down there!

I found this photo on my desktop waiting to be be used, so as I've just been talking to my Dad on the phone seems the right time to post it! He's just had a new iMac arrive on the day 55 years exactly after his first baby (Juliet) arrived..!!

Now we need to get him up and running - not sure which takes the longer to get the hang of, a new computer or a baby.

This was taken on the beach at Llanstefan; I was scrambling on the rocks being arty, he was trying to get a photograph of me but I turned around and caught him in the act. So I papped him back!

Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Gladiators

Caught in mortal combat on the front lawn, this is what they were up to when we got back from sailing on Monday!

Their cardboard armour was hysterical, and rather saucy when viewed from behind (...wasn't it Miranda!)

Monday, May 06, 2013

bbq

The day started for lewi and me with sailing on a clear blue solent, and spectacular mist over the water. Not a soul to be seen at 8 o clock, so quiet you could hear the odd sound on the shore.

A few others joined us and it was really nice wasting time in the warm air. We had lunch outside at the bar in the Activity Centre.

Later I had a walk woth the kids in the forest, and it all just felt right. We saw a family of toads by a puddle, and a herd of 21 fallow deer skipping alongside us.

By six we got stuck into a fab Bbq which Caroline had knocked up, and Miranda entertained us with a theatrical piece involving Timmy the dog. Does life get any better?

Sunday, May 05, 2013

Walkin the dawg

Just found this lovely photo of Miranda, taken when we walked Rose (instead of Domino)

We had intended taking the old boy out but he has a foot infection and taking antibiotics and pain killers.

Mipp took no time deciding if Rose was an acceptinle alternative...

Flying high

Old friends Pete and Chris came to visit us today, and we had a nice lazy day, eating and drinking. We first met best part of twenty five years ago when we responded to their ad in the paper having recently moved to Basingstoke. We duly became founder members of a kite flying club, and have remained friends since.

Friday, May 03, 2013

New friends

It takes Miranda about three and a half seconds to make a new friend. She got a magnetic charm and reels them in effortlessly.

I was playing with her today and she left me to team up with this lovely little Polish girl who had her own teddy too. They did everything together, running around the park playng beautifully. You probably can't seethem but the teddies are in the swing basket together...

Seemed unfair to pull them apart but it was time to go!

Wednesday, May 01, 2013

She's got the hump

My desk dusted down at the end of the day and I headed out into the garden to play with the kids, and a strange sight met my eyes. Miranda does not usually surprise, but today she was dressed in a camels hump with shorts and naked torso, as she skate boarded along outside the house. She was wearing a crash helmet so I didn't complain, although she had one hell of a graze on her knee. I never established what the camel's hump was for