18/02/2011 by Aileen.

H e he, this reminds me of when I go out in the morning. I usually pop back straight away, for the car keys, my water, a jacket. Anything. It’s as if I don’t really want to go out. Well, I wanted to say what a great day I had on Wednesday. Up in a secret location where we saw a goshawk. Also, good views of red kites and buzzards. The goshawk photo is rubbish unfortunately, but I like the red kite one.

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18/02/2011 by Aileen.

We’re off to join a monastery. No, seriously, we’re both off today for an 8 day silent retreat in St Beuno’s, North Wales.

http://www.beunos.com/

Not sure if I’ve said this before, but Martin’s business is going really well, and he gave all the family a pressie. He offered us a short break at the Swinton, N. Yoikshire, but John suggested that for the same money we could do this retreat. St. Beuno’s was featured on tv recently in a short series called something like The Great Silence.We did a short retreat a few years ago, and we did a Myers-Briggs workshop there last year, so we know the place well. Lovely hilly countryside. I’m bringing boots, binoculars, camera. What I’m not sure about is whether to bring my laptop. Lie. I’m bringing it. I need to update the church and the camera club website during the week, so will have to. But whether I will use it for other things is up for question. Hey, I could use my iPhone for most stuff, but strictly speaking I shouldbe completely cut off from the world. And I’m not bringing my OU stuff as it’s not a time for catching up on commitments according to the blurb. I can cope with the silence (I think) but I do like to read what’s going on in the world. Even the news, although I don’t comment on it in this Blog.

So how will I get on? Tell you on Sunday  27th, when I probably won’t stop talking. Oh , I’ve just thought. I could probably keep a diary of the week. But it would be too personal to publish, so bugger off.

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14/02/2011 by Aileen.

Well, I got up latish again - gone 8am - it’s since giving up my night time tea(s) - I can sleep now. Started reading the OU forums and someone posted about their boyfriend’s blog. He started the blog in the autumn, and he was well then. He came across as a likeable humorous bloke. He’s a student at Sheffield Uni. But in January he was diagnosed with leukemia, and he is using his blog to write about his illness. I can’t think what to say that doesn’t sound mawkish and sentimental, but if you want to follow it yourself, here is the address.

http://thedeadlyrhythm5.blogspot.com/

Then I heard the post, and went to get it, saying to John that there wasn’t much there. But over to the side was a large white envelope. John had put a Valentine card there last night when I was in bed. And I was just joking at Creative Writing on Friday, that I knew for a fact I wouldn’t get one. Anyway, in a flash I wentinto my study and rooted out a romantic Christmas card I had bought for John a few years ago, but which I had forgotten I had every time Christmas came around. I crossed out every mention of Christmas and wrote in St Valentine’s Dayinstead. What was serendipitous was that the roller ball I pick up wrote almost identically to the thin black font of the card, so it looks as if it was meant to be written that way! I’ve put it on his desk for when he gets up.

Anyway, I really do need to get on today. I had decided to clean the windows of most rooms as they haven’t been done since before Christmas, and there are little finger prints all over. Especially the French windows into the garden. Our next door neighbour is coming in to feed the cats when we’re away at the end of the week, and she is so houseproud. I shouldn’t care what she thinks, but I do. Well, I’m getting better. She picks up leaves from her front garden every day - I’ved even seen her trimming the hedge with a scissors. When she sees me she says something like ‘we never stop do we?’ I used to agree, but now I say, nah, I’m a lazy so and so. But I do need to clean those windows. Also, my library books are due back in Hull next week when we’re away, and I’ve renewed them so many times online I really think I need to go in and renew them physically. (They’re books on html, css and photoshop etc. Books I’d never buy as they’re expensive and go out of date quickly, but I do need to keep renewing them as they’re bloody big buggers.) Why I might go in, is because John has the dentist yet again, so I could keep him company. Then I need to fine tune my TMA on kids’ literature. What do I mean, fine tune, I need to hack it to pieces and rebuild it. Then there’s Camera Club tonight. We’re having a practical session,  photographing food. It doesn’t really grab me. Food is for eating!

Hmmm. Quite a lot of ‘thens’ for an aspiring writer.  I’d better get a move on then.

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12/02/2011 by Aileen.

What I like is I’ve just closed the garden gates and I’m in for the day. And it’s only 11.50. I got up late-ish, surfed a bit (of course) then did local shopping - paper, mince, chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, spring onions, celery, flowers, bread, ice cream, posted letter, paid in John’s counselling money.Forgot the Branston pickle and the Actimel.  I’m sure you wanted to know all that!

But then I got home, closed the gates, tidied up a bit, and now, guess what,I’m playing with a new external hard drive (things backing up atm) I was a bit concerned that I only had only one (big) external drive, andI transfer my photos there every so often. So I only have one copy of my photos. (Well, they might be on the backup section, which is on the same big drive. ANyway, I bought a gigantic contraption yesterday, and it’s more than a drive, it has quite a lot of facilities already set up on it. It’s called Hitachi LifeStudio. It’s backing up my laptop atm, (Oops! Said that!) so I’m posting on here rather than just sit twiddling my thumbs.

But I will make some meringues soon, and later on start doing something with the mince. John usually wants Cottage Pie and I prefer Spag Bol so we might end up with curry lol. Weather’s getting warmer, so I should clear up some leaves, but it’s quite damp underfoot. Think I’ll leave that.

John’s cellulitis seems to have cleared up, but his foot looked a bit red yesterday, and he’s just finished his anitbiotics, so he’s staying in bed for the moment. He will get up later and prop his legs up on a chair, cushioned with a pillow. Bye.

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10/02/2011 by Aileen.

No, nothing’s happening, but I like Thursdays. Nothing to do. I’ve done my housework at the beginning of the week, Camera Club, Birding and Creative Writing are on other days, this Tuesday past was WI, so today is FREE. Going to potter this morning, then get stuck in to my TMA this afternoon. John is going to try to keep Thursdays free  now the good weather might be (!) coming, so we can go out somewhere.

John’s had cellulitis - he went to bed last Thursday and noticed his leg all red, shiny abnd puffy. The next morning on the phone the doctor mentioned hospitalisation, but John wouldn’t hear of it. He’s had cellulitis before, at the time he did his tandem parachute jump. But it did stop him going to Alexander’s first birthday  party, which was a shame.

We had a great time there, although Alexander was really under the weather and listless. Met up with my brothers and their wives, a nephew and niece, lots of Fiona’s relatives plus friends of both Martin and Fiona. I only stayed overnight as John was unwell. Actually, he felt fine in himself, but you know what I mean. Coming home on Sunday morning I parked to ring John and a tyre really hit the kerb. A few miles on, just before the M40, I got a flat. Rang the RAC, and then rang Martin who came out in a flash and changed the tyre, so I cancelled said RAC. I did change a tyre by myself, once in my life. It was just approaching the gyratory system in North London. Couldn’t have been a busier place.But this was 1967, and I was young and healthy. On Sunday I opened the boot to get out the spare, and then said to myself, ‘Nah!’

I didn’t take many photos at the birthday party as I was chatting too much, and Alexander wasn’t at his best. Here are a few.

I have more photos to upload, birds and flowers, but I’m just procrastinating, and need to get dressed. See y’all.

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05/02/2011 by Aileen.

While I’m waiting here are three recent photos. The longtailed tit was nesting. This was a couple of weeks ago in East Park, Hull.

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05/02/2011 by Aileen.

Down to Oxford today for Alexander’s first birthdy party. It’s going to be a big celebration with both sides of the family and some friends. We were going to go yesterday, staight after my Creative Writing and John’s midday client - stay in a Premier Inn for a night as Martin was in Cardiff for the rugby and Fiona and I wouldn’t be able to get John up the slope into the house. (Steps out of the question, and grass too steep in the dark) Anyway, John was feeling really sick on Wednesday, and on Thursday evening he noticed his lower leg was red and swollen. He self-diagnosed cellulitis. He had it before at the time he did his parachute jump. ANyway, first thing on Friday we rang the (stand-in) doctor, who asked if John shouldn’t be in hospital. He assured her no, and she prescribed anit-biotics over the phone. However, John has to keep his leg up, so we didn’t go to Oxford. I’m going today, and will just stay overnight. It’s 7.30 now. I just need to do some local shopping, then pack a few things, mainly laptop, two cameras with about 5 lenses between them, my Kindle with all its books, and maybe a change of underwear Oh, and Alexander’s pressies.

Better go now. Conscious that I haven’t written for a while again. I think it’s cos I have some photos, and I need to get them on to the laptop. Mostly fungus and snowdrops. Birds not much in evidence with the cold and wind lately. I thought I might make an effort and enter Am Photographer’s Photographer of the Year this year. The first theme is ‘Shooting Trees’ so I’ve been brainstorming the idea. Just things like shape, colour, texture, momement, sillhouettes, zooming in, bark, fallen trees etc. at the moment. I need to think of an original idea. And then of course take a fantabulous photo. The secret of a good photo is the light. Light’s been rubbish lately. That’s my excuse anyway.

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