At the bend in the River

Another photo from yesterdays outing. This is one of my favorite places, I love to park up my car here and sit reading or just watching the world go by. In this shot I think the trees look like the Ents in Lord of the Rings.

PS: The gas board are coming for another attack on the Woodpecker on Friday - a full system flush!!!

Click on photo for a larger view.

Sunny Sunday Drive

I didn't get much chance for relaxing yesterday, still rushing around too much!!!

But today was wonderful. I had a nice lazy morning, with lots of chance to read my book followed by a sunny afternoon drive. Really it was just an excuse to have coffee cake for lunch at a nearby National Trust property (Mmm! Tasty). With camera in hand I managed to take a few photos including one for my 52 week self portrait challenge.

So now off for that lovely relaxing bath I promised myself and maybe just a small glass of sherry before dinner ;-)

Click on photos for a larger view.

PhotoHunt - High

The very high spires of The Church of St Nicholas in Prague as taken from an even higher viewpoint; The Old Town Hall Tower which features the famous astronomical clock.

There has been a church standing at this site since the 12th century and at one time was part of a Benedictine Monastery. The present church was completed in 1735 and closed and stripped bare in 1781 when Emperor Joseph II closed all monasteries that were not partaking in socially useful activities . During world war I the church was used by the troops of Prague's garrison. It was the Colonel in charge at the time that undertook the task of organising restoration of the church. This saved some artist from serving on the front. After the war the church was given to the Czechoslovak Hussite Church and is currently used for concerts during the summer months.

The Old Town Hall Tower was added to a private house owned by Volflin of Kamen in 1364, it is 69.5m high. The Old Town Hall itself was established in1338 when King John of Luxemburg agreed to set up a town council. Over the years the hall increased as more of the houses were knocked together. The building had to be carefully restored after the severe damage caused by the Nazi's in the 1945 Prague uprising.

The Old Town Hall Tower features the famous astronomical clock which is a crowd puller when it chimes on the hour.

The internal tour of the Town Hall Tower and Hall is very interesting and well worth spending some time to do.

Click on photos for a larger view.

For more of this weeks PhotoHunt pictures check out tnchick

Time to Relax

A day off and I seem to have been rushing round all day, the only chance I got to sit and relax was at lunch time and even that was working! Well Trade Union if that counts ;-) So now I am hoping for a relaxing weekend. But first I am off out visiting...

Leisure

What is this life if, full of care,
We have not time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where Squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and star.

W. H. Davies

For SkyWatch Friday.

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What Every Woman Should Carry

This poem was followed by poem called 'Handbag' it just made me wonder what everyone carried around with them ;-)

My mother gave me the prayer to Saint Theresa.
I added a used tube ticket, kleenex,
several Polo mints (furry), a tampon, pesetas,
a florin. Not wishing to be presumptuous,
not trusting you either, a pack of 3.
I have a pen. There is space for my guardian
angel, she has to fold her wings. Passport.
A key. Anguish, at what I said/didn't say
when once you needed/didn't need me. Anadin.
A credit card. His face the last time,
my impatience, my useless youth.
That empty sack, my heart. A box of matches.

Maura Dooley

I always have to have a big bag and that is where I carry my daily stuff. My brother is quite rude he calls me the bag lady!!!

So this is my list...

Mobile phone
Credit Cards
Cash
House keys
Car keys
Pass for me and my car at work
Glasses (just in case) and contact lens case and fluid
Handkerchiefs/tissues
Pens
Paper
Hairbrush
Diary
Nurofen
Mirror
National Trust Card
Moo Cards
Oh yes and driving license (when it isn't in that ever so safe place where I can't find it)

So wherever Pockets, Bags, whatever etc!!! What do you always carry around with you?

Why Would the French...

...want to spoil one of their National Icons?

Look at this mad idea that James has alerted me to regarding the Eiffel Tower!

Is it to cut the queues or make more money?

I have never been to the top level, I am told that the first level is the best view and the only point in going to the top is to say you have done it (not going to bother don't like heights)! & all that extra structure on the top looks a little unsafe to me...

So far my best view of Paris is from "The Arc de Triomphe" (tho I do have one other to try ;-) )

Don't you think that these views are far better than the proposed structure!

Click on photos for a larger view.

Just Relax

My motto for the weekend! Though I did beat the guys at the boardgames again... I wasn't popular :-0

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Happy Easter ;-)

Green & Black's Maya Gold is a blend of bittersweet dark chocolate, refreshing orange, warm cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. The recipe was inspired by Kukuh - a cocoa drink enjoyed for over 2000 years by the Maya Indians in Belize. In 1994, Maya Gold became the first UK product to be awarded the Fairtrade Mark.

Mmm! lucky me, my favorite ;-)

Some Updates

Today wintery showers were forecasted and I promised to try and get a photograph of them for Nunyaa . I did try but the snowflakes and hail kept just stopping as I clicked my shutter. There was a nasty blizzard when I was out driving but as soon as I arrived back home with a photograph in mind... it stops!!! (What are the chances of me getting up early to see if there has been an overnight fall :-/ ;-) )

This is the best of my wintery artistic photographs... as you can see, NO SNOW can be seen!

Welshcakes is interested in an update on my Woodpecker. The chemicals stopped the fizzing and popping in the boiler, but it seems the Woodpecker is still in residence!!!

My vacuum cleaner has been fighting me for a long time after being used for inappropriate cleaning. Sucking up of plaster, dust and decorating debris! Liz recently posted of hoover heaven, well not quite heaven for mine (the garage for emergency inappropriate use!!!). I decided enough was enough and managed to snap up a bargain on a new vac ;-)

Oh!!! And my internet connection has almost died yet again!!! So frustrating!!!

PhotoHunt - Metal

The Bodley gates at Powis Castle. These formal iron gates were commissioned by Violet, Lady Powis in 1912 as part of her revival of the garden. They are set at the entrance to the Fountain garden. Powis is one of my favourite gardens to visit.

Powis Castle started life as the medieval fortress of the Welsh princes of Powys. Later it was sold to an English nobleman, Sir Edward Herbert. The castle was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1952 by the 4th Earl of Powis along with an endowment. The present Earl of Powis still retains an apartment within the castle.

On the pillars to the side of the gate sit two Wyverns. In the mouth of one of them is a severed hand. I am not sure what the significance of this is but there is an interesting explanation here (although the explanation refers to the wrong hand, the one in the picture is a left hand). I need to root out my books on heraldry.

For a larger view click on the photos.

For more of this weeks PhotoHunt pictures check out tnchick.

Beauty Before the Storm

I just couldn't resist taking taking this picture of my Oak Tree for SkyWatch Friday.

Shortly after I took this a storm blew up and hailstones were flying sideways, unfortunately it was just a little too dark to get a photograph of it! I closed the curtains and shut it out ;-)

PS: is anyone else having trouble with their internet connection today? Mine is slower than dial up!!! I wonder if someone has been cutting the cables again...

Click on photo for a larger view.

I Have Been Tagged...

...by Sally.

What was I doing 10 years ago...

I was working in the same place I do now, but not doing the same job. I was also trying to sell my flat so I could move into a house.

Five things on my to-do list today...

Renew my car tax
The weeks washing
Make an Anniversary card
Visit my family
Get an early night

Snacks I enjoy...

Mayan Gold chocolate
Thorntons Continental chocolates
Low fat crisps.

Things I would do if I was a billionaire...

Firstly I would give up my job, then travel to all the must see places around the world. After that I would sit back and take stock of things and find something worthwhile to do with my time or the money!!

Three of my bad habits...

Do I really have that many? ;-)
Spend far to long on the computer
Stay up too late
Sleep in too late

Five places I have lived...

(In no particular order)
1 bedroom flat
2 bedroom semi
3 bedroom semi
3 bedroom house
4 bedroom house

Five jobs I have had...

Amending publications
Inventory management
Purchasing and supply
Human Resources
Trade Union Representative

Five people who I would like to tag...

I am not going to make a list, but if anyone fancies taking up the challenge feel free.

Spring has Sprung...

...or has it?

Google tells me it is officially the first day of spring today, so why is it rainy with snow promised over the next couple of day?

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Conference Arrangements!

It's that time of year when we make preparations for attending the PCS conferences in Brighton. The guys are doing it to me again with the transport arrangements!!! We are supposed to go by train which can be a bit of a nightmare on a Sunday, but if you get a bit creative you can sort out a route without too many changes.

I got the phone call this morning... How do you feel about going by car, the train journey has 4 changes and is too complicated! The basic arrangements were that the guys would go together and I could go with some colleagues from another department.

My reply... I don't mind how we get there but 'I' won't be driving so you will have to sort out the transport arrangements with my colleagues in advance!

The people making these arrangements either can't or won't drive and just assume that there are spaces in other peoples cars.

Plan A is back on now, some people didn't go for the idea ;-)

PS: The journey is possible with only one or two changes which even avoid the complicated change in London!

Enjoy xx

Enya - Only Time...

The weather forecast is snow this weekend. I know I love the snow, but it is Easter which means it is supposed to be spring!!!

Quadruple

When I went for my recent test drive I was asked for my driving license for insurance purposes. I always have it with me just in case... but it wasn't there!!! I must have put it somewhere safe and we all know how long it takes to find things if we have done that. I have searched all the safe places I can think of and still drawn a blank.

I will need it for when I get my new car (mid April) so I have had to apply for a replacement. I tried on line where they are supposed to retrieve your passport photo and use that. The online process was tedious and took me ages. When I got to the end of the questions it took my money and told me I needed to post identity documents preferably my passport plus a photo!!!!

Why aren't you allowed to smile for these photos anymore? This really doesn't look like me :-/

My First Flight!

My Dad came out of hospital today :-) :-)

This photograph shows us just after landing from my very first flight on an aeroplane and I can't even remember it!!! Apparently this is a good thing as the flight was really scary and noisy!

I just love my Dad's expression :-) :-)

How Irish are You?

This year the Catholic Church have moved St Patrick's Day. Normally it is celebrated on the 17th March but this year that clashes with the second day of holy week. According to Church rules the feast day of St Patrick is not as important as the Monday before Easter and it had to move. So this year St Patrick's day was celebrated on the 15th March.

You're 30% Irish

You're probably less Irish than you think you are... But you're still more Irish than most.

How Irish Are You?

An Unusual Incident!

I seem to be having a week of incidents...

On my return journey from dropping my Dad off at hospital I forgot that one of the junctions had changed into a roundabout and merrily took the wrong turning. I realised immediately but the SatNav had already recalculated. So rather than turn around I decided to go with the new route. This turned out to be the narrowest country lanes you could imagine with hardly any houses and no signposts!!!

Did I say it was night time and I had to dodge the gales and rain??

All of a sudden the road changed from a winding country lane to a straight bit of road and a train was hurtling towards me on the other side of the road!!! EEEK!!! When I recovered from the shock I realised there was actually a fence between me and the train. Then the SatNav asked me to do a right turn across the path of the train... Thankfully although steep and narrow it was actually a bridge over the train track.

The moral of the story is: when travelling on the only main road do not do a diversion – turn back! But then again hindsight is a wonderful thing ;-)

When I asked my brother if he wanted to relive the adventure with me he declined. I can’t imagine why ;-)

PS: The second part of my delivery turned up and was left with neighbours. I had to ring up and remind the gas man he was supposed to be bringing chemicals for my system, but now that is all done and I have to wait and see if it cures the Woodpecker!!!

Seven Good Things in Life

Liz tagged me with this a few days ago. Life has been a bit of a hassle this week so I have only just been able to get my thoughts round it.

This challenge reminds me of the book '100 Reasons to be Glad by Isabel Losada'

I have been thinking about ideas for my 100 for some time... 100 is a bit of a challenge, and so is seven!

So just a few of my ideas in no particular order:

1. Friends and family - Very important and special to me. I could just say friends because my family are my friends too ;-)

2. Snow - I love the snow, I love the silence it brings in the night and seeing it fresh with no footprints or marks in the morning. I like to wrap up warm and step out in it!

I miss the snow...

Cold frosty mornings are nearly as good.

3. Maya Gold Chocolate - mmm you just have to taste this ;-)

4. Gardens - They are so peaceful colourful and tranquil. They need some nicely positioned benches though :-)

5. Freedom - What else can I say about that?

6. Internet, mobile phones etc: - So nice to make contact and keep in touch with people ;-)

7. Gothic Cathedrals at night - mmm! Stained glass windows, candles, atmosphere....

I think most have you have done this already, but for anyone who hasn't give it a go ;-)

Library View

I think this makes me look like a mad woman... maybe I am ;-)

If you are feeling adventurous click on photo for a larger view!

An Unfortunate Start...

...to the day!!!

A few days ago Welshcakes had a fun thread asking what we kept by the side of the bed!

This was my list:

Bedside lamp
Several Books
Lipsalve
A couple of Tissues
My watch
A pint of water
My glasses (I wear contacts mostly)
Pad and pen in bedside cabinet
My handbag on the floor - it is my lifeline... I keep my mobile phone in there too (I can't do without it even though I don't us it much! I know my friends are close by).

Today the glass of water decided to escape all over the books... Luckily the watch was absent and my handbag managed to escape!!!

P.S. there is still a problem with my delivery (only half of it arrived!!!) but at least the long awaited photos turned up ;-)

Happy Women's Day

To all you Ladies out there you should all be taking some time to chill out today :-)

Click on photo for a larger view.

Background textures from deviant art by SpiritCoda and Sanami276.

Afternoon off...

I had to take the afternoon off for the gas board to check out the central heating problem!

They have managed to quieten the woodpecker just a little but he still hasn't gone away completely. The radiators have all been balanced but they have hot and cold spots and it sounds like there may be air in the system, which could in fact be gases caused by sludgy debris floating around the heating system...

So next step is inhibitor in the system for two weeks to loosen up the sludge, probably followed by a complete flush out of the system which takes ages. Then... see if the problem is solved!

They were really scratching their heads over it!!!

And to finish off the afternoon I couldn't resist some more photographs of my Oak Tree :-)

Click on photos for a larger view.

For more sky photos check out Sky Watch Friday.

Unexpected Visitor!

Well not quite... more of a forgotten visitor in that I forgot we had made the arrangement!!! Ooops!

I think that made it more fun, it certainly gave us something to laugh about, we even got to play a board game which is what we had arranged to do.

Good company, boardgames, fun, who could ask for more... :-)

Time Management

Or how to fit a quart into a pint pot!

Things to be done:

• Get the boiler fixed, it was replaced last week and now the pipes vibrate so much I think a woodpecker has taken up residence... I have had the engineers back once already which meant me rushing home from work. Some settings were tweaked, but when I got home later only half the radiators were working! So I put the settings back and I think the woodpeckers big brother came to stay too!
  

• Lots of work and TU things needs sorting and returning in the next couple of days, but I am held up by other people...
  

• I need to get started in preparing a slideshow, I have a feeling I will be asked for one about a week before it is needed. The only trouble is I have been waiting 8 weeks for the photos to be sent to me....
  

• Next week my Dad goes into hospital so lots of visiting and journeys etc :-/

• I am waiting for a delivery which was supposed to have come last week but will probably come next week when I can't be there to collect it!!!
  

Friendship...

... is the thread that binds hearts together.

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Mothers Day

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For Mum & Dad ;-)

I was asked if the car came with all these people!!! I hope not... they won't all fit in the house ;-)

But there is too much cake for me to eat on my own...

St David's Day

It seems one or two of these blooms opened up especially for St David's Day. So I photographed them to share with you :-)

I seem to have been especially busy today collating information for our local trade union page. The local paper has done us proud again in the last couple of days and I have still got lots of information from elsewhere to post too.

& as tomorrow it is Mothers day in the UK I have still got to finish a card off for that!

Click on photo for a larger view.