HISC Open Training Weekend

First boat to arrive for the race training session at Hayling Island Sailing Club. Wind forecast at 30 kn and snow on the fields all around; it's going to be a blast! Wowser...

The old Yamaha sounding sweeter than ever...

Greg's first music competition, and he's smiling! We have another one at Durlston Court School in New Milton in a few weeks time, and we'll see what the competition is like there...

Really must give a plug to my favourite Jazz blog Burning Ambulance - great articles and reviews, with music to listen to as well.

Peaches

Clearly not a winter shot, but only just processed this image which I thought deserved an airing. Puts me in mood of languishing in shorts by the beach - you can tell what Lewis is doing can't you.

When we were Young

I came across this absolute gem taken in the garden at my parents house, and this is before they had the extension built. My brother Chris hiding in a dustbin, and an old blanket were the sort of props we had as toys in those days. I have just walked past an Argos lorry delivering a load of old crap to a neighbour, on the way back from collecting Miranda from school - don't tell me they will have more fun than we did!

Chris though, not looking that happy here!!

Sk8r Gurl

Not sure if you have tried running backwards whilst trying to take a photo, not recomended for sure! But in truth Popsie's co-ordination is still "progressing", and having had a few close shaves, or full frontal collisions to be more accurate, thought I would try a different technique.

It brings back all the memories of teaching the kids to ride a bike, and being desperate to get a photo of the moment at the same time! One minute they are desparate for you to be there to cling onto, the next they are gone in the opposite direction and no longer want to be your friend.... Sound familiar?

PHOX - Shake it off (Taylor Swift cover)

Posting this for Greg and Miranda for inspiration; it's a beautifully simple cover of Taylor Swift's Shake it off...

Great vocals, and I love the brass section Mip.

Woolly

Produced during Miranda's inset day recently, Woolly was inspired by thoughts about the bones found at Paviland Cave.

LTSC River start

Not a particularly great picture of the boys but it shows the vibe as they headed off down the river on today's episode of the Perisher series. They were out on the water form 10Am until 3pm today and boy was it cold. Greg gave me a pained look and offered his hand; it was like a little block of ice. So I did my duty and warmed them gently, and his face lifted!

Photo courtesy of LPB;other pics on Flickr

Shatterford

This is a place that I have stopped at many times over the years, and especially since moving to the area 15 years ago. I love it in the winter especially as the colours glow orangey brown shades, and the cotton grass carries traces of red. The cattle trawl free range and all around bird life is to be found; Curlew, Snipe, Lapwing, Wood Warblers, Larks, Crossbill and Nightjar.

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