Miranda

I took this photo on the weekend, and what a difference a few days makes. Miranda has come down with Chicken Pox, and her face doesn't quite look as sweet today. She's just woken up and been sick and is feeling very sorry for herself. The whole of her back is very spotty, so I imagine we'll have a bumpy night tonight.

For the curious; natural daylight and Nikkor 105mm lens at f2,5 lens

Hot Wheels

"Bicycle .. bicycle ..bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle ...bicycle

I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

You say black I say white
You say bark I say bite
You say shark I say hey man
Jaws was never my scene
And I don't like Star Wars..."

Miranda and I had cross words a few times at lunchtime last week as she wasn't very playful at lunchtime - today however it was a different story and she was mad keen to go outside and ride her bike. Only problem was the rain falling steadily! So we had to play duplo train track instead.

By some coincidence Greg has been reading Star Wars this week, although its a cyber comic version, which doesn't resemble the version I had in mind. He,s enjoying though.

The house has been very quiet without Lewis; does that mean we are missing him, or that we yearn the silence?

Calshot bound...

Greg did this sketch for me yesterday, so it has to go up straight away as a reminder that it'll soon be time to get back in the water...

Tonight for the first time Lewis is not here with us, as he's gone for a few days on a school trip to Osmington Bay. He's been so excited about the prospect over the past week, getting himself prepared...!

Bumble and the Bees

From time to time I deliberately try to corner one of the kids with the intention of taking their photograph. The boys were drawing quietly and I grabbed my moment, and flicking through the 38 frames there's not a single one that fails to hit the spot - not an eye closed, not a grimace, not a gash composition. The first was Miranda's idea, to revisit the plastic pants shot, although we soon discovered that CJ had got rid of them all. So we had to resort to Bumble pants instead. The second shot is Miranda looking through the bedroom window at the Magnolia blossom which came out yesterday

Earning his stripes

We seem to have had a slight run of Gregory pics this week, but my favourite two images both featured his face. He was really pleased with this KNEX tank as the turret flies around as it moves forward, geared off the axle. It didn't quite work to begin with but Lewis offered to try to fix it, and Greg was all smiles when the job was done!

Teamwork...

The Kicker

Greg came home from school in his football kit looking like a drowned rat. We've had a pretty stormy afternoon with thunderclaps and lighting for dramatic effect. This is one of two similar images that I showed Lewis, who I was expecting to comment on Greg's thundering approach. But he was more interested in how far apart his legs were, and whether it looked like he was going to save it!

I'm listening to Julian Joseph - Universal Traveller

Pow Wow

The kids love playing at being Red Indians, and one day we'll manage to get them dressed up in costume as well! I usually leave them playing while I get on with taking photos of the woods etc. Miranda normally lights a bonfire and makes a cup  of tea, whilst Greg gets on with the building work!

Out of synch

Yesterday's photo really but I was too tired to be bothered to download the pictures at the end of the day! I quite like the slightly unusual composition as Greg skips along the beach, along with t he huge empty beach. Who said the South East was overcrowded?

Royal Flush

Greg loves it when he's having grown up treats and Lewis isn't involved. This is us playing pontoon on Saturday afternoon when the weather was grim outdoors.

The kids have had an inset day today so we've been down to Pagham to watch the birds on the Haven. It was quite amazing to be on the huge beach, just us and no one else all  the way down to Bognor Regis!

Stopped off in Bosham on the way back, which was very atmospheric with the tide up.

I'm listening  to Andre Canniere Accelerated Decrepitude on LastFM

Big Air

Lewis and I went out for a bike ride this morning, and when we got back we found Greg and Miranda stunting over a a rather dodgy ramp... Needless to say Lewis wanted to show them how to do it properly!

It's been a nice day today, warm and sunny - quite a contrast to yesterday.

Had a walk at Rans Wood this afternoon, and saw our first newts of the year. The pools were swarming with life, but three exuberant kids made them keep their heads well down. I didn't realise that they hibernate and can live up to 27 years of age!

New release!

We've been having some fun today designing a cover for Lewis' first CD. He's still working on the material, and I think it'll be quite a while before we get it recorded, but hopefully this will spur him on towards the end result!

Half baked

Lewis came running into my workroom this evening to tell me that he'd made us all supper. A spicy baked pasta from the Jamie Oliver cookbook, and very tasty it was too.

I was looking at the Jamie set-up this afternoon, he now employs over 200 staff, and that excludes the restaurant staff.... It's quite amazing what big business food retailing and eating is.

Self Portrait

Out and about on Monday night taking photos in the dark, and I managed to squeeze in a self portrait. I've just been looking at some very creative selfies in the Polaroid book from Taschen, and this will have to do as my effort for now.

A slightly more creative one here

The Night Garden

On the weekend we played Igglepiggle in the Night Garden, and this was Miranda as she pretended to read the instructions. It was important that she put her gloves on first, and then it all became clear to me as she read out her recollection of the rules!

I'm listening to Me'shell Ndegeocello - Boyfriend   boy did I love this in the way back!

Nikon by Greg

Been out taking photos this evening with Steve and Chris in Winchester, followed by a beer and a trawl through the print box. Just like old times!

There's a great interview with Paul Motian on wNYC.org co-inciding with the realease of his new album on ECM "Lost in a Dream"

Nice try...

Lewis' turn for the action shot tonight! He deserved to save this one, but the combination of me standing there telling him I needed a big save, and Greg barrelling another shot at him was too much pressure. It was a great dive, and the mud took ages to scrub off in the bath.

"Where's the ball?" as Greg kept taunting him "....it's in the back of the net!"

Today we've been on Calshot beach lapping up the sun, as CJ's been away visiting her Dad who's recovering from a hip replacement. A nice bike ride which Miranda wanted to do all by herself, but I'm pleased we managed to talk her out of!

G........O........A..........L!

The boys have spent all afternoon playing football, so Miranda and I had a chance to potter around and play on the swings and slides, as well as cheer from the sidelines! Both of them are taking it very seriously, and Greg's striker mode is met by Lewis' desire to be the best goalie, so game on...

End of the Week

Rather wet at 4.30pm but as I needed to pick my laptop up from the repairshop I couldn't resist a blow on the beach at Lepe. Some herbert was taking a cheesy landscape photograph, camera on tripod, hands in pockets. The light was fantastic, and he dismissed my "don't miss the best light of the day" remark with a "don't you know that the light is always better at sunset" smug riposte.

Sure enough the awesome light disappeared, and as the murky sunset developed we headed for home...

Book club

Lewis has been to Book Club at the Library today where he posted his Book Review online, and was given a copy of Mountain Bike magazine to reward his labours by the staff. Tonight he was talking to me about the last few books he'd read, about how sad the storyline had been, but how they were not sad books... It's funny how you don't expect your kids to understand what going on, but it's all going in.

Little Puppeteers

Tonight after tea Greg and Miranda put on a finger puppet display for us, which was very amusing. It was vaguely based on 101 Dalmations played by a dog, a bear, and a rabbit in a Punch and Judy style; somehow it almost worked! They have been practicing for a few nights, and we've challenged them to do some more research and try again...

Tonight Lewis read Paul Gallico's 'The Small Miracle' about a small boy, his donkey and St Francis of Assisi. I was wondering what he'd make of it, and was pleased to see his immediate reaction at the end was "Aaargh they've left it on a cliffhanger!"

Tomorrow he's planning reading Margaret Atwood's The Labrador Adventure.

Drawing inspiration

Chatting with Lewis at breakfast time, he was  excited that his teacher was going to read the 'horsey novel' he's been writing. It's been coming along as he fits it into his day at every available moment.

He's just finished reading a book about a small Pakistani boy abducted and smuggled away to ride camels in the desert for rich Arabs, and is going to write a review for the Library in Hythe...

Giving it some

Lewis naturally gets bashful when he knows he's being observed, so I have to get creative if I want to capture him in full flow! He's really into his music, and when he wants can produce some great tunes. It's interesting that almost every tune now he sings along, whereas six months ago he didn't really want to do it at all.

Must do some more sound recording even if it's just 'for the sake of the record', unfortunately it's just another intrusion serving mainly to put Lewi off his stride. I'm going to have to get a wireless mic and do it 'James Bond style'

Tunes of the moment are '50 ways to leave your lover', 'Lay down Sally', Dido's 'White Flag' and a Lady Gaga tune I can't think of the name of... I'm going to get him onto Paul Weller next I think!

Salty

Although we've had clear blue skies today it's been fairly cold out in the wind. We packed a picnic and walked along the old salt lagoons between Keyhaven and Lymington, and had an amazing view to accompany our sandwiches on the sandy beach spanning Calshot, Yarmouth, Keyhaven Castle and the Needles. Historically, Lymington was a center of the salt drying industry, where salt water was admitted to shallow lagoons and dried out. These abandoned lagoons (called saltings) have now become major sea bird reserves, and we had good sightings of Curlew, Dunlin, Shelduck, Little Egret, Plovers, Lapwing, Widgeon, Tufted Ducks, Teal, Merganser, Brent and Canada Geese.

Would you like a bike ride Daddy?

It was lovely and sunny at lunchtime so I took Miranda for a bike ride down into the village. We stopped on the promenade for a while, and played hide and seek. It was a bit nippy but it's so nice when the Spring starts to emerge and the prospect of wanting to do things like this returns...

Medium

Not big, not small, just medium.

I'm listening to Moondog's Lament no1 - Bird's Lament (the original, not the resampled and remixed Mr Scruff version)

Story Time

When I got in from London tonight Caroline was just heading out the door, and our neighbour Audrey was settling in to read the kids their bedtime story. She was led a merry dance by Miranda, but enjoying it, so I just chuckled to myself from a distance....

On top form

Lewis has made a fantastic effort with his homework over the last two nights. It's a written piece setting out a debate of whether homework is a good thing or a bad thing!

He even got up early this morning and by tonight he had a piece he was proud of. It was quite amusingly written and although it had hallmarks of parental influence peppered throughout we were not directly involved....

Very satisfying.

Assembly

Kids have an incredible resourcefulness when it suits them. Caroline found Miranda quietly playing in the study, and insisted I took a photo. She has assembled two toy box lids, a big car (mini) as a mouse, smaller cars as buttons, an ironing board as the table, her baby's high chair as a seat, and some photos to denote the screen.

Yes you guessed it's a laptop, and all by herself...