01/02/2012 by Aileen.

It’s about time I uploaded a few photos. First one is what I found in the garage the other day. The remains of the Christmas turkey. No maggots but rather green and fluffy.

Next three were taken when I went birding today. Didn’t get any special bird photos, but I took a couple disappearing into the distance, a bench and its shadow, and a close up of an icy puddle. I did intend to take ice photos for January, but didn’t get round to it, and today is the 1st February. Oh well.

I had the results of blood tests today. Kidneys ’spot on’, liver fine, and cholesterol 4 point something. Delighted, as it was six point something last time. I had to go as my blood pressure is a bit up, but I persuaded the doctor that I am going to the gym, and I can get it down on my own. He said I weigh 11st. 7oz (he didn’t take enough off for my heavy clothes!!!) and I need to lose a half a stone. I’m seeing him in three months time.

Down to Oxford on Friday for Alexander’s second birthday. We’re staying overnight. Home on Sunday for First Communion programme and Children’s Liturgy. Bye.

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30/01/2012 by Aileen.

Well, St Beuno’s was a lovely as ever. Peaceful and spiritual, although we learnt lots about the Enneagram. Fourth time at St. Beuno’s and we’ve done at least six workshops on the Enneagram. We hope Myles is going to do a follow-up. We bought an M & S curry from a service station on the way home, and were both sick as dogs through the night. It might have been the curry, but we were sitting next to a lady who had been ‘taken ill’ at St Beuno’s, so might have caught it off her.

Last week was spent in recovering! Then I went back to the gym. First time since before Christmas what with visitors, a bad cold and St. Beuno’s. I’ve made up for that as I went three times last week!

Today dawns dull and gloomy. However, I have lots to do. I had to get a few days’ extension on my OU essay, but submitted it yesterday. Lovely essay, but I don’t think I answered the question. Anyway, I’m free now, so today is my usual dash round the house with duster, vacuum and mop, then Viewfinders tonight. Tomorrow I have a ‘review’ at the gym. Wednesday, we are venturing as far as Scarborough for Birding, then I have an ECG in the afternoon. (Oh yes, my blood pressure is a bit up, and I’ve had ‘bloods’ taken, and need an ECG - hence my forays to the gym!) Thursday. I’m sure I’m doing something on Thursday. Must be. Same for Friday.

Oh, I forgot. I met my OU friends last week for a look round York Art Gallery, a quick walk in the rain round a bit of the Wall and a scrumptious lunch. When we left I went shopping, and I can hardly believe it, but I tried on three tops in Debenhams and bought them all. It’s not often things fit me and look nice on me, so I had to take advantage of the opportunity. I also bought a top in Per Una (M & S) I shall have to get rid of some of my old stuff.

Bye all. Have a good week.

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16/01/2012 by Aileen.

Yes, I know it must be annoying, but I’m full of the joys of spring as usual. Lovely time at church yesterday, when the First Communion preparation got under way. Four really lovely little children, although one had his birthday party, so will not start until next week. I’m really really looking forward to this year.

And I’ve decided to give myself a project for my photography each month. January = frost, so I ought to get started as we’re halfway through already. February = signs of spring I think. Or I might limit it to snowdrops?

This week John and I are away at St Beuno’s http://www.beunos.com/ on an Enneagram course.

Anyawhat? Here is one site that explains it http://www.enneagraminstitute.com/intro.asp

Lots of opportunities for photography in the beautiful welsh countryside. (Except, of course, we’ll be working!)

St. Beuno’s is the lovely sort of monastery where they filmed The Great Silence just over a year ago. We’ve been there several times for retreats and workshops. Last time it was for an eight day silent retreat. We weren’t very good at keeping the silence, but it was a wonderful experience. Looking forward to a great time as usual.

Well, that’s enough for now. Things to do, places to go. Byeeeee.

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14/01/2012 by Aileen.

I must keep my promises, so here are two photos of our grandchildren. Not the best of photos. It was impossible to get them all together, as if one wasn’t asleep the other was. And my middle range zoom lens is broken. And how come they don’t all smile at the same time? Never mind. Here they are.

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09/01/2012 by Aileen.

I just don’t know where to start, as it’s so long since I wrote. I’ve told you about winning my compact, going to have two photos in the East Riding WI Calendar next year, and starting a new OU course. Think I’m up to end of November, when my birdwatching group went to Donna Nook to see the seals. It’s my third time there, and once again the day was fabulous. Lots of photos of seals, but much the same as previous ones, so may not get round to posting any here. (Might do on Flickr, which I haven’t used for ages) Unfortunately, the weekend affter we saw the seals a bad storm devastated the seal colony, and many pups and mums were separated, causing great distress to the animals.  http://lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/nr/reserve.php?mapref=15

Can’t remember the beginning of December. I don’t do any Christmas preparations until the second half of the month, and John bought nearly all the pressies online this year. Oh, I’ve had two assignments back from the OU. 85% and 88%. Will talk about the course in more detail another time.

Christmas itself was quiet. The two of us with a couple of fillet steaks. Then on Boxing Day Martin, Fiona, Alexander and Olivia arrived, followed on the Tuesday by Ali, Eric, Liam and Kieran. We had such a lovely time. Good chats, food, drink, fun with the kids. Olivia is so pretty. She’s five months now (more come to think of it - time is rolling on) My photos are still in the camera(s) so will upload them when I have a minute. Everyone had gone by New Year’s Eve, so we had a quiet time again, and then I started tidying up the bomb site. Then, damnation, I caught my first cold since we moved to Yorkshire in 2003. So, so, so annoyed. I really enjoyed boasting that I hadn’t had a cold for so long. Anyway, it hit my badly, so just played on Second Life for a few days, or read. (Sally Vickers, Dancing Backwards, at the moment. Didn’t make Mass yesterday, but forced myself to get up this morning, as the New Year starts today for me.

Plans, plans plans. (Not resolutions) Still a bit groggy, but determined to put in a lot today. Usual Monday rush round the house with duster, vacuum and mop, ring two friends, write copy for Look leaflets, meditate, hour’s walk, Viewfinders tonight. Must get back to studying too, but probably tomorrow, when I whall also return to the gymn. (Not well enough today)

Well, there you are, fair reader.Whistle stop tour of my life for the past month. As I say, new year begins today, so goodbye. Places to go, things to do.

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02/01/2012 by Aileen.

Still here

For another year.

I’ll tell you more

When I’ve cleaned the floor.

(Nothing changes!!!)

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23/11/2011 by Aileen.

Yesterday turned out lovely in the end. I had the dreaded church cleaning, so as usual I decided to go to the 10am Mass and do the cleaning straight afterwards. My watch said 9.30, and the house was tidy, ten minutes to spare, so I decided to varnish my nails. Only my watch had stopped and it was 9.55. So I hurtled out of the house. I was held up for ages at Howden as they were resurfacing part of the roundabout, but got the end of Mass. I had forgotten my polish and duster, so went to the church supplies, but the polish was finished. That was great by me, as it’s the polishing that takes the longest, and John and I were going to have lunch in Beverley and browse around Lakeland. We did. Both had and enormous chicken and bacon salad in Perc-u-later (think that was the spelling)and, of course, a coffee, even though I’ve discovered red bush tea and am cutting down on coffee.

I got a battery for my watch, and new gloves and scarf for birding. John got a navy leather jacket and 8 books from Oxfam. Then, between us we got oven cleaner, telescopic broom, dustpan and brush, computer screen cloth, and cover for the rotary clothes line. We then went to Steamer Trading Ltd (seems like a rival to Lakeland) and bought a carving set with a guard for the fork. We’ve been looking everywhere for this since the old carving fork snapped in half. (From the dishwasher, not tough meat, I think)

We tried unsuccessfully to get Ali a sushi set for Christmas. We were recommended to try Boots, but decided to research on t’Internet before buying.

I intended to drive John to a place on the Wolds where red kites come to roost late each afternoon, but it was getting late, and quite misty, so we went home to a refreshing cup of tea. I intended to make a curry with the chicken remains, but got sucked in to Second Life, so agreed to have chicken and chips instead.

We watched Murder in Paradise, which I really enjoy. Not much I like on TV these days. Up for ages then, on SL, doing online sudoku and jigsaw, and bed after midnight.

No photos, but I should have some today and tomorrow. Going with birding group to see owls this afternoon, and to Donna Nook tomorrow to see the seals. I’m going to squeeze the gym in now, as I told myself I’d go twice a week. Bye all. Have fun.

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10/11/2011 by Aileen.

Here is a summary of latest things I’ve done, omitting routine stuff.

1. Went to see Anonymous (ruddish)
2. Re-joined gym (go girl)
3.  Won an Olymus SZ-10 (yay)
4. 2 and a half hour walk with OU friends (puff)
5. Submitted first TMA for new OU course (phew)

Oh, I can’t leave it at that. I’ll have to chat on. I was prepared to hate Anonymous (it says the Lord of somewhere or other wrote Shakespeare anonymously) but John actually fell asleep during it, and I was totally confused by the frequent time shifts. All the men looked the same to me too, with long wavy hair. We saw the Three Musketeers recently with the grandchildren, and that was really good fun. No confusion. To be honest my history is ruddish. I need to revise a lot this year, as the Reading and Studying Literature course I’m doing puts writings in context. We’ve ‘done’ Othello and The Duchess of Malfi already, TMA on Duchess due today, submitted a couple of days ago, and now we’re on to Oroonoko. It’s all the long 18th century at the moment, and I don’t know about those times. Don’t even like the fashions lol.

Gym has been on the cards for ages. I haven’t been for three years. John was in Stoke Mandeville for a few months then. The following year we had our car accident, and I was so stiff for weeks and weeks. No excuse since then. Kept meaning to go back, but never thought I had the time. Anyway, I went to the doctors yonks ago about my breathlessness, and after several hospital tests that all came back positive (by that I mean negative) she said go for brisk walks three times a week and then go back to her. Well, I didn’t go back, as I wasn’t always doing the walking regularly, but lately I have been. And as I got up to 11 and a half stone recently I thought I really must do something about it beside half hearted cutting back on calories. I went swimming at Nuffield’s last week, did 20 lengths no problem, went on Monday for a health check which wasn’t too bad, except that my blood pressure was 171/90, and went on Tuesday for a personal programme. Did another twenty lengths on both days this week. Gave it a miss yesterday as I had a long walk along the Humber with my birding friends, but am going to start the programme today, after my 11.45 dentist appt. (I’ve lost a filling.)

Winning the camera was a surprise. At the WI we were asked to submit photos for the East Riding Wild Life calendar. I’m not usually organised enough to enter competitions, but the committee knew I like photography and kept reminding me, so I felt obliged. I put in a butterfly and a robin, and it was the robin that won. It’s a bit of a joke among photographers that robin photos appeal to the general public. (I didn’t win the prize voted for by the technical people, but by WI members). And in birding circles peole who ooh and aah at robins and cute little garden birds are called robin strokers!) Anyway, here are the two photos I submitted. I actually think the butterfly is the better.

The camera I won is a compact. Olypus SZ-10. It’s easy to carry around, and has some really fun settings, like making a line drawing photo. This should be good for people portraits. They can then be handcoloured or photoshopped. The camera can also produce effects like popart, punk and sparkle. Here is a watercolour effect of a rose bush from our garden, and a line drawing effect of a hydrangea.

Oh well, everyday life calls. Shower, clean teeth, dentist, gym. John’s doing lunch.

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28/10/2011 by Aileen.

I’ve discovered Adobe Illustrator. I bought it as a package deal along with Dreamweaver etc. when I got my student’s card, but although I began doing tutorials every so often I gave up. But I get a regular email with Adobe news on it, and it has projects every time. Well, it had a step-by-step tutorial on making a spider and web for Halloween (the saints would turn in their grave) and I stuck to it. I turned it into a .png file so I could upload it on to Second Life, and here it is. Not perfect but a start. Oops. This blog doesn’t support transparencies, so I’ve had to turn it into a .jpg so it will show up on here. The spaces between the web strands are actually transparent, and this means you can see through them on Second Life. I’ve covered the front of my house with an enormous web.

Bye. I didn’t do much yesterday except play on the computer, so action stations today.

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24/10/2011 by Aileen.

Here we are again. Monday. You know what’s coming. Plans, plans and more plans. There are so many lovely things to do. I can’t do them all. Not in a day or a week. This is where Simon Covey comes in. (He wrote 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) He starts by saying you have to have your important long term goals in mind. Your value system will decide this. For example, I might want to be the most beautiful woman in the world, so I would keep this long term goal in mind and everything I decide to do would work towards this goal. It sort of implies a mission statement. (Don’t think Covey advocated this, but I might be wrong - it’s a long time since I read it). The mission statement idea, as well as being everyhere in the business and academic world, is from Ira Progoff’s book on Intensive Journalling. I combine lots of things I come across. And these two books I’ve really taken on board.

So what I’m saying is I need to look back at my basic values, and decide what to do today. I’m running out of time, actually. I got up late, faffed around on t’internet, and it’s now 09.50 and I’m not even showered. So First Things First (another book by Covey)I’m going to shower.

Bye.

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