Peter Symonds College

Big day for Lewis today as he had an interview with his preferred sixth form college Peter Symonds in Winchester. Smartly dressed in black and white including my ZARA black tie, he was the picture of cool calm self confidence!

The picture on the wall in reception caught my eye, and it looks like the sailing creds have paid off as he's been offered a place (subject to satisfactory grades) and I can tell you he's well made up! During the course of the interview he managed to discuss Ben Ainsley and David Carr, both of whom attended there as well as Iain Percy.

Malaguena

Greg is currently learning to play a section of this piece called Malaguena. As I write he's standing  behind me running through it, and it sounds most beautiful. Greg is going to be taking part in another music competition soon in New Milton, and is putting lots of effort into his work. He's also been accompanying Miranda singing her Taylor Swift song Blank Space

Work that boat

#teamtiger #livingmylifeontheline

Teddies Tea Party

Miranda had an insect day today so we got the boring stuff over first and then managed to fit in the fun bits. Maths was the dreaded times tables, Literacy was writing about the Red Lady of Pavilland who we all know was really a man, Art was doing pictures of a Wooly Mammoth.... and then lunch was a Teddies Tea Party! Then we went skating down to the Marina as Mipp was itching to do this all morning, although the rain made it less attractive to me.

The joys of Skype

Found this photo on my desktop of a recent conversation with my parents and Chris who was visiting them at the time. The call was skypebombed by Joanna as I recall, and sometime later Chris shared a photo of the event with me!!

Barry's Smallholding

Today's blog posting is by Miranda...

I like going down to see the animals at Barry's small holding.

I think my favourite animal is Domino because he always follows me if I have a tasty morsel in my pocket! There are lots of animals and I'm going to introduce some of them to you.

Domino: is the fun-loving dirty donkey, he loves me dearly and always rubs me!  Eeeooorr!
 
Samba: is my favourite chicken (since I'm not that keen on chickens that is a good place to be!)
She always comes to sit on my shoulder ! She's so interesting!

Pankake: is the chicken I named. I and some of the girls made up names for them, ...oh by the way, that is how to spell her name!

Maggie: loves to chase my dad's welly's haha :) Magie used to have a brother, Mikey but sadly he died  :(

Nuzzle and scratch: are alpacas and are always nervousness. But scratch is more nervy than nuzzle, He also runs like a camel! ;)

Daisy, Poppy and Alice (ginger): They are all girls, but they are goats. Ginger loves to play butting, but then I suppose they all do! It's lovely watching them play!

Neville (the devil):"cackle" Neville is a horrid one.Every time I go past him he tries to peck me!
(I personally think he is horrid)

  

written by miss Miranda Brown 5th January 2015;)

 Accomplished by mr Jonathan brown!                             

LTSC Perisher series 2015 race 1 start

Lewis on the start line for racing earlier in the day at Lymington Town SC in Pete Barton's RSAero against 38 other boats. The eagle eyed would have noticed he crossed the wrong side of the start line, which cost him his eighth place. #liveandlearn #rulesisrules

Acting the loon

If you got awarded a degree for behaving in a luntic and yet entertaining manner, Miranda would be a contender for the youngest graduate. She achieves this with consumate skill, and often has us in stitches. Isn't the sand lovely and clean at Bournemouth?

Wintergardens

One of a number of installations featuring xmas lights as a theme in the Bournemouth Wintergardens. A very imaginative interactive display, which I assume the local council arranged. Well done Bournemouth.

Levant

We've had our fair share of Middle Eastern food this Christmas; Comptoir Libanais, Caroline's Mezes, and last night whilst we were in Bournemouth we found a cracking restaurant called Levant. I've always liked Bournemouth for it's mixture of second hand shops, record shops, and eclectic restaurants. We have visited the Thai restaurant several times, and back in the day I used to love the Salad Centre. Now we may have a new fave, although we found several on our walk back to the car that yielded promise.

Shards

Just a few photos of the kids playing together, running around like mad things... does it need to get any more complicated? One of my failings is having the need to get one frame that tells the story, and we all know that life isn't that neat.

Football at Lepe

The blog at work again here in comparing 2014 with 2006. Nothing much has changed apart from Gregory and the appearance of Health and Safety signage on the cliff face, which is still a cliff face... These trees have been part of the landscape for a long time, I have seen black and white images of wartime Lepe and they are there at a similar size then, with cars parked next to them, but as the sea erodes the headland it makes you wonder how much longer they will survive?

Mainly for my Mother

Happy New Year

Pigbush

Been for a nice walk today, ensemble - everything frosty and cold, but so beautiful. I love living in the New Forest

Dom

Just back from putting the animals to bed for the day; feet up and Rum Punch o'clock I think..

Brussel Sprouts

Present from Joanna which we all liked, even Lewis!

Basingstoke reunion

It's been a while since we all visited Basingstoke together, but this is us with the Evans' at Farleigh Church on our walk from their house in Cliddesden after a very nice lunch.

Spuntino

Miranda's first visit to a trendy London bar....!

No Humbug

At the Science Museum Festive Physics Lecture, I was unable to persuade my children to enter into the spirit of things by volunteering to help. So for my efforts I was rewarded with centre stage! A christmas tree with fairy lights, and still smiling!

London

The gap in between Christmas and New Year usually presents us with the time to visit the museums and bright lights of London. This year's action packed day started with the Science Museum, but not before we'd had breakfast at Comptoir Libanais. Tasty flatbread with grilled haloumi and spices and nut pasties being the favourites.

I am always amazed by the fact that no matter how many times I visit the same space, it's always possible to discover new facts, seemingly for the first time! There was a great exhibition of photographs by Nick Hedges  about homelessness, proper documentary photographs. We spent the whole day at the Science Museum before heading across Hyde Park for a tour of the lights along Oxford Street, Regent Street and Covent Garden.

Late afternoon we paid a visit to Spuntino to give cousin Frank a surprise in Soho, which the kids thought was great fun. Popcorn and beer...

All followed by supper when we got back to South Kensington at Franco Manca, which was first class....

Gingerbread House

Just managed a Facetime call with Chris and the clan at Penyrallt so we've seen Gran and Grandan eating their supper!

Meanwhile this is what we ate last night after our cheese course. Made and served by yours truly.

Barbadillo at Lepe

It wouldn't be Christmas without a climb on top of the bollards at Lepe. This year I wasn't agile enough, or at least there wasn't enough space on top for me to get up in time before the shutter went off. So we had to improvise, and use Lewis instead as the camera activator!

Sherry drunk, mince pies eaten... merry christmas everyone...!

On the beach at Chale with me homies! The Isle of Wight pilgrimage 2014 in search of Julia Margaret Cameron, deserted beaches and life in general. The sun shone , the wind blew and the shutters clickered and whirred. Ropes were climbed, and the blood was felt coursing through veins, bring it on 2015!

Roping Alan down the cliff face! #lifebeginswhenyouare60

Lance you were wrong...

Reading this at the moment, a tale of a Welshman exploring a subject close to his heart; and touring a few factories where this specialist kit is made across the world. as a

All manner of interesting facts like the chain was invented for the bike, not any other purpose but the bike. It's still made by the original company in Manchester who invented it.... called Renold.

Anyone who knows me will probably recognise the colour of the object of his ultimate happiness - how similar a paint job to my Freddie Grubb Galibier that my Dad bought for me way back?

And Lance you f•kin idiot, yes you did get it wrong. It's all about the bike. Never forget it.

What sort of gift is suitable for a Mother to give her son?

The joke when one squeezes the packet, normally is do you think it's socks or a hat - no I can't feel a bobble so I must be safe!

Not just one bloody hat but two this year, so I am sharing one with Miranda!! And we are wearing it indoors so I definitely won't feel the benefit when I go out....

Christmas Review at Noadswood

Christmas Tomfoolery!

Military Precision

Found this picture on the wall, of Greg in Sea Scout mode on a recent trip to visit a warship!

Little Red

One of those coming off the water shots that caught my eye, almost wants a speech bubble and prize for thew wittiest response, although I suspect all I got was a look and a soggy hug.

Lewi had one of these looks this morning after telling me he'd made a bit of a lash up of his English Literature paper yesterday, tomorrow he has a Physics paper, and Thursday a Chemistry paper. Just keep doing your best Tiger...

Thinking of You

Just a few selected at random to remind me...

Did you get any good photos?

 It's the perenial question, and one to which there is no answer. What I think is a decent photo is often very different to what others look for in an image. Lewis for example wants to see perfect sail form or hydrodynamics visualised, his coach wanted pictures that shows what efficient sail form looked like when rigged well (obviously if I knew anything more than a flappy sail is not a happy sail, I'd be a  good sailor myself)

Me, I just like an arty juxtaposition... #thisiswhatwedo #teamtiger

Talk to me

I had a call from Gran earlier, which reminded me that I had a photo on my desktop waiting for an opportunity, so here it is.

Miranda in fact talking to Gran, whilst I capture the mood...

Just made myself some delicious pancakes and listened to the Stranglers playing Ugly, damn that puts me in a good mood.

Race Training at Weymouth the 29er Class Association

A few more action shots from the weekend at Weymouth.  
Start line...   

.....and off!

Weymouth

The boys are having a weekend training session at Weymouth WPNSA with some great coaches, and I was out with one of the coaches in the rib, so I could take some photos. A very productive session if you listen to the enthusiasm of the guys, even I learned quite a bit! Today they concentrated on different sailing modes to achieve tactical advantage. The coaches break the boats into smaller groups and then work on short race type sequences.

How cool is it to be learning from Kate Macgregor and Dave Evans both of whom will be representing UK at Rio in 2016? #olympicsquad

A lovely sunny day too to observe the chalk hills around Weymouth

Advice provided

Lewis has been telling me about his controlled assessment for Business Studies, preparing market research and consultancy for an IT services business. Tells me he's written a 6000 word essay to go with this which I am looking forward to seeing...

PB

Hey Popsie, look who I bumped into in London....!

Storm Clouds

Lewis working hard for his mocks next week, this is partly because he's going sailing this weekend at Weymouth, so has to cover his options early.