30/11/2009 by Aileen.

I had to force myself to go to Viewfinders tonight, as we were going to Cottingham to snap the Christmas Lights, and it was cold and dark. Anyway, I was glad I went. My photos weren’t brilliant, as I was using Manual and had forgotten how to change the aperture to a smaller one. (Been using the Nikon for a while, and just gone back to the Canon) Anyway, here’s one of the photos.

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26/11/2009 by Aileen.

I’m so sorry, everyone. My hotmail seems to have been hijacked, and everyone I know is getting spam purporting to come from me. I’ve changed my password and updated my anti-spam and anti’virus stuff, so hopefully you won’t get any more.

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23/11/2009 by Aileen.

Did nearly everything planned on Saturday, and did loads today. Took photos of food at Viewfinders. Here are a couple.

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21/11/2009 by Aileen.

Right! Been to local shops and tidied the house. In for the rest of the day. Plans?

• Order printer inks

• Update church website

• Get back to studying/writing  - 67% for TMA ;-(

• Improve on Children’s Liturgy job description

• Put summer clothes away into guestroom

• Ironing

• Do some outstanding paperwork

• Enjoy

Lunch will be salad with some cold salmon left over from last night. Bought John his favourite Crab Roll at the butchers (Yes, butchers.) Sausage and mash for dinner tonight. Washed down with red wine for me, but John says he’s on a health kick until Christmas and won’t be drinking.(We’ll see how long that lasts!)  Yes, I know sausage and mash isn’t that healthy, but we both fancied it.

I might log in to Second Life during the day too. I haven’t quite finished a tutorial I’m making, and I need to write an illustrated article on Building, for the Open University’s Second Life magazine LOL (Living Open Life)

Oh well. Back to my second coffee of the day. Bye.

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20/11/2009 by Aileen.

… and all is well. Here at least. Poor Cumbria has really suffered with flooding, with one person dead and many people homeless. I’m just reading Terry Pratchett (Hogfather) and there’s a bit about ‘The Little Match Girl’ who dies in the traditional tale. Some one tells the pseudo Father Christmas that this is as it should be. Here’s the quote. (DEATH is Father Christmas)

‘I THOUGHT IT WAS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY,’ said Death.

‘Ah well, yes, you see, one of the things that makes folks even more jolly is knowing they’re people who ain’t,’ said Albert, in a matter-of -fact voice.

There is a terrible truth here. I feel so fortunate that the flooding hasn’t touched us, that we are both healthy, and have enough money for our needs and wants.  I feel so sorry for those caught in the floods. Don’t know where this is going. Expressing my Catholic guilt I suppose. Better leave it here.

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17/11/2009 by Aileen.

Martin rang the other day, and asked what I had been doing. I said I went for a walk with OU friends, and cycling with John. That’s all I could think of.

But that walk was 7 miles long, and we kept up a fair pace. Up around the wolds, which is my favourite type of habitat. Apart from, maybe, the sea. Or mountains. Or woodland. Anyway, I always feel so clean up on the wolds. It was really blustery too, so the cobwebs were really blown away. I saw a couple of red kites and a green woodpecker.

The cycle ride was with John on Sunday. 4 miles. We could have done more but it was along a new track and it looked rather muddy ahead.

At church I’ve started the First Holy Communion prep again. This year there are two really chatty and interested children. (like last year I suppose, but these a little younger.)

Still waiting for my Open Uni assignment to come back. For the last two years they’ve come back in about four days, and this is well over a week. I think the tutor is allowed a fortnight. I can’t get motivated again until I’ve got my mark.

Fiona is nearly 28 weeks pregnant and the little un is doing press-ups.

Here’s a picture of the Wolds above Market Weighton.

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12/11/2009 by Aileen.

Today’s been really sad, and it isn’t even 9am yet. Put my car in for a service, and passed what looked like a really bad accident; Police cars, fire engine and ambulance there. The car looked so much worse than ours, and so I presume the driver (and passengers?) had injuries at least as bad as ours in July. I really feel for the people involved.

Then I saw a dead kitten in the road further along. I was already crying, but the kitten made it worse.

Busyish day today. I need to prepare something to say at a First Communion parents’ meeting in Bradford. I’ve done this before, so I’ll just adapt what I’ve done previously. It’ll be lovely to see our former parish priest, Eamonn, again.

Then I need to get John into Hull for an emergency dental appointment at 2pm. He still doesn’t think he’s strong enough to get wheelchair in and out of the car on his own. partly because of his op. and partlybecause of our accident.

My own car should be ready by 4pm, so I should be in plenty of time for Bradford. It’s only just over an hour away.

Also, I have a new activity on Second Life. I am the Open University’s official Building Guru on our island. I thought it meant just helping nOUbies when they arrrived, but apparently I have to give tutorials - a minimum of one a month.  (Thanks, Kickaha, you never told me that)

So I am having fun putting together an online tutorial. It can go on Titiana’s blog, and maybe I can learn how to put it on Utube.

Tit’s blog is

http://titihaystack.wordpress.com/

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11/11/2009 by Aileen.

It was damp and misty when I got up, so went birding well prepared. The sun came out on the way, and it was so so glorious. Good to be alive. Thanks, God. Then we had brilliant views of the kingfisher.

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09/11/2009 by Aileen.

It’s so nice when things coincide. It’s cleaning day today, and I’m in a cleaning mood.Trouble is, there aren’t enough hours in the day. I also want to go out with my camera, need to buy some picture hooks, want to cycle with John, need to prepare a talk I’m giving on Thursday, should work on the websites I’m responsible for, want to get on with my first Terry Pratchett novel, oh, life is so good.

I was thinking this yesterday. The debt we owe to soldiers who gave their lives so we could live in freedom. This is so obvious that I’m shutting up, but I do give thanks for their sacrifices. What’s sad is that war still going on today. ‘When  will we ever learn.’

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