Before the Blog was born...

~Big Ben ~

~St. James's park and me. (in the background is Buckingham Palace!)~

~The view of Westminister from the top of the London Eye~

~A Routemaser bus that we hapened to pass on the motorway~

Here you are then Kim and everyone else, some British pictures from before I started my blog.

I look through my old photographs occasionally and have often wanted to post one or two. I have tried to stay away from 'old picture posting' however as I didnt think people would be too interested. Last autumn I spent a whole day walking around the lanes and fields near where I live, taking pictures for a Video that I entitled 'Autumn'. This was my first ever video so it is absolutely awful and at the end I did a kind of credits parody that just doesn't work but I keep it on You Tube because the pictures are actually quite nice. If you want, you can have a peek but please dont watch untill the very end. Turn off when you get to the end credits. *thinks: I really must re-do the video*

so there you are. For today this is all I shall do. Hopefully a picture of the tardis for you all tomorrow! http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AgxFcrE2e60&feature=channel_page

Elbow fights and village idiots.

Darn.

What a couple of days. As you can see Mum, the sister and I did get out for a bit of excercise but among all the excitement of visiting my Grandmother, we all kind of forgot to do anything! So many things happened on wednesday!

• Grandmother found mice in her understairs cupboard,
• I found a TARDIS in one of her plate cupboards, and a musical cup in another cupboard! (what delights can be found in cupboards! I shall have to make a mental note to look in them more regularly!)
• Mum and the Sister played a hilarious game of Scrabble in which the first word to be placed on the board by my sister was 'fart', which then became 'farty' later on (this kind of set the tone).
• We were fed to within an inch of our lives,
• And I got to read around half of my Time Bandit book! (an afternoon well spent I think!)

The best thing about the last couple of days however was how much quality time I got to spend with my sister. The fact that she lives in Scotland now makes 'sister time' an extreme rarity so when I get her to myself I make the most of it. We laughed lots and even had an elbow fight at the dinner table! (I dont think Grandmother was best pleased)

so that was my weekend! Sorry Kim, no pictures of inner London for you! the part of london in which my Grandmother lives is very rural so anyone who does where a huge big fluffy hats is generally called 'the village idiot'. I did seriously think of putting a very good picture of Big Ben on this post for you from when I went in December but I thought that since it was about a month ago, you might think you were being cheated a little bit. Next time I promise to get some nice London Pictures for you!

Jeg skal reise!

I am once again making a trip to London tomorrow! Since 'the sister' is home for a couple of weeks, we thought we would take the opportunity and go and visit my maternal Grandmother who lives there there. It will be nice to visit somewhere different on my walks for a day or two. Somewhere for my camera to find new views and my boots, new places to tread. I shall also welcome the time for rest and an oppotunity to re-read my Time Bandit book. Having been born in the early 30s, My grandmother is not the best when it comes to technology. she does not have the internet or a DVD player and only just got a CD player a year ago! This means therefore that I shall have no access to the Northwestern Forums which I frequent so much or many of the blogs that I follow in this network. Maybe the point of going away for a few days however is that by depriving yourself of the things that you rely on so frequently, you appreciate them more when you have the opportunity to use them. Just a thought. (though I doubt this thought will comfort me when i crave a trawl through the forums!) Have a fun couple of days people!!!

Jigsaw Madness.

Why is it that whenever Someone starts a Jigsaw puzzle (out of sheer boredom mostly) The rest of the surrounding inhabitants want to participate! The parents started a 1000 piece puzzle yesterday and once my sister and I decided we wanted to take part, and discovered that it was too hard, we had "Jigsaw madness" and had to start a second one! Now our two main Dining tables have jigsaws all over them and we have no-where to eat! Such is the pull of Jigsaw Puzzles. The truly odd part is that i dont even like Puzzles! I just cannot leave one un-finished.

The picture for today is of the gloomy dawn that greeted me this morning. The crows were just waking up and starting to fly off and there was fog on the ground which is a sight I just love. The whole world seems to have gone into hibernation today. No wind, rain, sunshine (or any weather to speak of at all) and all of the birds are still nestled on top of the trees. It is the kind of day that makes you stay indoors with a cup of cocoa. (or a jigsaw puzzle) right! back to work.......

Burns' Night (the noo!)

Excellent sunset last night, and I am now beginning to realise what a handy resource my Mobile Phone is! It might be a little unpredictable and you have to hold it very still and not breath for about 20 seconds while you take the photo, but usually, the charming little thing takes quite good pictures! One must just treat it kindly.

Once the sun had set , there was a fantastic pinky glow in the sky and The last rays made the evening quite magical. Venus was bright tonight -or what I am thinking was Venus at any rate- and I got to watch it all the way home from the Grandparents house.

Tonight, family and friends are partying Scottish style! Tonight is Burns' night! (Robert Burns was a scottish poet who wrote hugely depressing poems and this year marks the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns' birth) Every year on Burns' night, we have Haggis, Potatoes, Leek, Swede (among other things) and Whiskey.

Beware the Scottish Whiskey. I only ever drink Whiskey on Burns' Night because it gives me an incredible headache! I am all for celebrating however. In fear of how my head shall feel later on therefore, I say: "why mess with tradition!".

So tonight shall be fun I think. If we can keep the book of Burns poetry out of Mum's hand, that is!

Yes we like celebrating Robert Burns night. but that doesn't mean we need to hear from him!!!

Finally "America's Deadliest Season" aired in Britain on Thursday. Dad and I watched it (me with much excitement) and thought it was fantastic! It was the fist time it has been shown in Britain (though don't quote me on that). The only problem, was that ITV did not publicise it at all! So by the time any of us heard about it, two episodes had already shown! (and I have it on good authority that those were the two episodes with lots of footage of the Northwestern)

Dad was multitasking as usual. He was both watching "Deadliest Season" with me and reading an aircraft magazine! Halfway through the episode he showes me an article about the 'Midway' an Amerian aircraft carrier that has just been turned into a floating museum. His comment went something like this: "Look at this Fizz! think of how many crab pots you could fit on the back of that ship!" we both burst into laughter at the thought of a ship with about 4 and a half ACRES of deck space stacked high with crab pots. Dad's next comment was "the good thing is, there are catapults at the stern of the ship so you can just chuck the pots off the back of the boat!"

Now that would be a GREAT way of fishing on the Bering sea.

I made some new fishing rigs today for when Dad and I finally get to do our next fishing trip. I am getting quite good at them now I think and hardly injured myself on the hooks at all! though the table got a few holes in the varnish. *puts on innocent face. "I didn't do it! Daddy did!"*

Betrayal

I decided to have fun today with my photograph. I have of course edited the colours a little. (Though I did once see the sky this colour so I guess its not that hard to believe.) I just had to take a picture of the one patch of clear sky we got as the sun went down. seeing as there are more banks of cloud rolling in, I firmly predict more rain tonight. The flooding shall continue I fear!

Now as I peer through the gathering gloom, I can see the seagulls and crows going off to roost for the night. It is a fantastic sight if one is up early enough when they all wake up. Before sunrise they depart to their daily haunts and sometimes a cloud of crows can be so dark, it seems quite ominous. especially with that racket they make.

So... Betrayal.

Today I registered at the Phil Harris Forums. Nothing much wrong with that as I happen to like Captain Phil. I was hit however, with the most peculiar feeling! I felt like I was betraying the Northwestern forums that I adore so much! The NW forum is the benchmark for all future forums now, and in my mind, nothing will ever beat them.

please don't all egg me for moonlighting at another forum!

Coffeeeeeeee!

As this year progresses, I am beginning to realise how addictive coffee is.

Without a morning cup of STRONG black coffee, I am pretty much useless. My eyes refuse to open more than half way, I have no balance and I am moody.

Poor Monty this morning had a walk with an "un-caffinated" Fizz and he had a hard time of it I think. (I am much better now, Coffee was brewed! )

Here is my warning then: Do not rely on caffene! I have no choice now as I am hooked. Save yourselves however people!

A gorgeous freezing morning today! (from what I saw of it through the haze of "no coffee syndrome), as soon as Monty and I got to North Field, I realised I had forgotten both my Mobile Phone and my camera! I could not therefore take any pictures of the winter scene that Met my eyes. The air was clear and crisp, there was frost on everything and some people were having a bonfire in their field. They looked as if they were having alot of fun. (funny thing to do at 8:00 on a wednesday morning really but there you are. they were doing it. )

The Ice was deceptive this morning. Just when you thought you were safe from slipping over, you found another patch! Monty was even having trouble staying on his feet (me being a daring "try everything once" kind of person even tried skating on the ice! not a good idea for future referance lol! -maybe "daring" should be changed to "stupid")

So here, is that present for Kim that I mentioned. I suddenly remembered that I took this picture for you and you never got to see it! so, for the lover of dragons, is a photo of the dragon statue that lives down the road from me.

Be happy in whatever you do today guys!

Forgotten Farm

Monty and I strolled down to the tumbledown barn this morning! This is not a place we visit very often as the weather has to be perfect. the slightest breath of wind makes the structure groan in the most threatening way. The picture above is of one of the best preserved of the buildings. It used to be a pigsty (but to be honest, it could have been anything. there is too much Ivy now to tell what it was). The funny thing is however, it still looks quite cosy in a funny sort of way and I am sure that some creature or another will have made it "home". The weather in Ipswich has been stormy for the last few days. Cold aswell! I was in danger of "making ice" this morning. At the duck pond, every time a car went through the puddle that is ALWAYS there, the spray stuck to everything and froze! seeing a coating of ice on a chainlink fence made me think of the Bering Sea and how bad the ice is reported to be up there. our ice is nothing compared to that! This morning Monty and I came across the tell-tale signs of the gales that we have been experiencing. A combination of dead hedges and high winds is not a good thing (though i think Monty definately enjoyed the novelty of a new bush that needed good investigation)

Next, we took a peek at the stables field that has about 5 horses in it.

The horses actually wanted to say hello to me today!

(well. one of them did.)

So that was my day! I wonder what fun things you guys did!

Tomorrow there is a present for Kim Braun! untill then, have wonderfull evenings, all of you!

Busy days calming down... hopefully.

This weekend went in a blur. a flurry. nay, a WHIRLWIND of excitement.

I awoke on Saturday with my friend Aimée telling me her flat had had a fire but saying her birthday party was still going ahead and asking would I still come! So at 6 last on saturday night, various people and partygoers invaded her boyfriends parent's house for the evening (his parents wisely vacated the premesis).

The party was fantastic. (even when the chocolate fountain decided it didnt like us and proceeded to spit chocolate at us!- we all ended up on the floor cowering for dear life from chocolate! not something one would usually do!).

Though I did take my camera, There is only one solitary picture from that evening. (most of the evening was spent too tipsy to take pictures). I think you might like this picture however...

a big BIG bowl of melted chocolate! (which... ehem... then got fired at us by the Evilness of the chocolate fountain.)

The rest of the evening was spent playing Hilarious party games such as Outburst and I havent laughed so much in years I dont think!

One of the most exciting events of the weekend though was the American Football AFC and NFC championships. I was supporting the Ravens, and as usuall with all teams that I support, they lost. (I am seriously thinking that i am bad Juju for sports teams!)

By the time the games finished last night, it was about 4 in the morning! This means therefore, that I got about 3 and a half hours of downtime in... 44 hours. Not alot. I should be more tired, but for some reason I am still bouncing! (this means it might catch up with me tomorrow)

This is how I stayed awake then during my fun night watching fotball:

Smarties and a few cups of the strongest coffee known to man!

(and i have just noticed the Deadliest Catch DVDs in the top, left hand Corner! Edgar Hansen on the front cover looking at me. I cant tell you how much I wanted to watch some DC last night!)

My sister from Scotland comes home for a bit on friday! bringing lots of friends from Uni. we shall have a housefull so it may be fun!

Busy Days aplenty

Busy day today, in about 2 hours i am going out to celebrate Aimée's birthday (again), this time it is an actual party so i have bought a nice bottle of Vodka to take along with me. (what is the betting that we shall be swamped with vodka? i was going to take Tequila but the co-op seems not to sell it.)

I shall be taking my camera with me so hopefully tomorrow will be some pictures of some shiny happy people having a very happy time!

As if a party wasn't enough to keep me going today, I also waded through as many posts on the NW forums as i could (there are so many!) and i am also attempting to find DC clips for an Edgar Hansen video.

wish me luck!!!

My fingers Froze!

I thought I would start my blog today with one of my favourite pictures of the year so far. Mum and I went for a walk today at Felixtowe and I am so glad I took my camera!

This little boat was coming back from fishing but it was taking the dangerous route of the Shipping lanes to and from The Port of Felixtowe. To give you an idea of how small this plucky little boat was, when she passed a buoy in the shipping channel, the buoy was as tall as the wheelhouse!

You can't tell from this picture but the wind was about 25mph and the windchill must have gone into the minuses. Enough to make your eyes water! I love compasses. I love the fact that they will always point you in the right direction and they do not lie (unless you are using a magetic compass in a car! Compasses have a tendancy to lie under those circumstances). deadliest catch fan moment: I happened to notice that the NW pointer was pointing NW! (shock horror!) and actually was pointing in the direction of where Dutch Harbour would be from here! so to Sum up, Northwest was pointing to the F/V Northwestern! I just thought I would show you guys from America the hilarity of hazard signs in England. This person does not seem even the slightest bit concerned that he has just walked off the edge of the dock! The HS Discoverer was in port today! I cannot tell you how much I wanted a bucket of paint so I could change it to HS Discovery! some of the Port of Felixtowe "svitzer" tugboats. My favourite is the larger one on the left called "Svitzer Melton"

And here is one of the wierder sights of the day! Aparrently this boat is helping to build a new dock terminal, and the four posts standing upright on the boat are actually legs so that the boat can use its crane to lift heavy things without rocking too much! ---

This was such a cold walk that 3 hours after getting home, my fingers are only just beginning to unfreeze! I think I can now cradle a cup of coffee without giving myself chillblains. So! off to the kitchen for Coffee I go!

Skål!

(that is "cheers" in Norwegian!)

aaand for all the chocolate fans out there, "Candy-mania!" from our meal out last night. The super sickly pudding that got half eaten, then some was added to Craig's coke, then Budwiser was poured into the last little bit. (actually quite nice!), The funniest bit though, was when Craig found Space dust in his Coke!

Smoke on the... ground?

Today is a good day! I have accomplished lots. I have spent the morning studying Norwegian (I am now getting the hang of dependant, subordinate and main clauses), and taking care of certain small Guinea-pigs that live in my bedroom. I also had a go at helping to tidy the kitchen but failed miserably. there is only so much i know about re-hanging curtains.

I was grateful this morning on my walk for a frost. This meant the south field was less muddy than it has been most of this week. (for the past few days it has resembled the Glastonbury Festival, with mud about 4 inches deep!) I suspected there would be a good amount of mist this morning because whilst driving to the shops last night, we passed a small valley in a field which was filled with cloud! It really looked like someone was having fun with a smoke machine!

We are realising slowly that Ipswich is a town that has very localised weather. For example, Dad was telling me the other day of occasions in the past when he has gone to his car in the evening, to find one half of his car frozen and the other half not frozen! if that isnt localised i dont know what is.

Tonight I am going out with my friends for a meal to celebrate Aimée's birthday at our favourite haunt (brilliant restaurant with TVs on the walls showing fun stuff like NASCAR etc.) There is a brilliant desert at this particular restaurant. A very naughty bowl of ice cream and chocolates that is big enough to feed about 5! I think there is a good chance of a photo of that tomorrow :D

--- I leave you with an update of the Dalmation balloon. It would appear it has learned how to climb hedges! It was actually sitting on top of the Hedge looking very regal today! Dog balloons do the funniest things!

A Dalmation???

I saw the wierdest thing today on my morning walk! I was just strolling through "South Field" and suddenly, beside me, I saw a dog! I had to do a double take though, as this was an inflatible dog! A Dalmation balloon just stuck there in the hedge! I couldn't help myself. Instantly, my mobile phone was in my hand and a photo opportunity was not missed! Someone must have had a great time leaving that there for me to find. The Apaches were doing their training routines today so we were being buzzed all day by scary looking millitary helicopters. These are the scariest looking things in the world, with huge guns strapped onto them so watching them is always fun. They must be going off to Iraq or Afganistan I reckon, so hopefully most of them will make it back. Today was a day of change for me. After years of having long hair, down to my waist, hair almost able to sit upon, I figured I wanted a new look. So I telephoned a hairdressers shop in Ipswich and within an hour I was sitting in a swivel chair, sipping a cup of coffee whilst 'Abbie' snipped away. I love the new look and thought you might all enjoy seeing it. To quote U.S. president elect Barack Obama, "Yes, we can change. Yes, we can." Change is good. I love it! :D

Oh and I believe Happy Birthday greetings are in order for my wonderful friend Aimée and Edgar Hansen! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Men with bells on!

The picture you see above, is the product of two days of searching. I knew i had it somewhere! It is a scan of a picture that was taken in 2000, on one of the funnest mornings that can be had in the year! Picture the scene. It is the first day of May. You get woken up by your alarm at 4:30 a.m., stumble bleary eyed from your bed and head for the nearest source of coffee. by 5:00 o'clock you are in the car heading for the coast. As the sky in the East gets slowly lighter, a growing sense of excitement finds you. In half an hour, you are on a beach gazing at a bright spot on the horizon that is beginning to turn a wonderful pink/red colour. The band in the carpark at the top of the cliff starts up and you climb the steps from the beach to join in the fun. This is what i shall be doing on May day this year. We travel to Felixtowe and watch the sun rise over the sea and then have lots of fun dancing with the Folk band and Morris Men! (if you have never come across Morris Men you have missed out on real treat. Grown men dancing about waving handkerchiefs, with bells strapped to their legs and waving sticks! I love Morris men they are a traditional form of English dancing but I have geat trouble not breaking into giggles!). After watching the sun rise at 5:35, dancing and chatting to a man dressed as "the green man" (the green man was a Celtic god of spring who dissappears and returns year after year), everyone bundles into their cars and goes off to have a full english breakfast at the many cafe's that dot the Felixtowe coastline (I am sure May day is how these cafe's stay in business. within a few minutes of people leaving the cliff tops, all the cafe's are packed to standing room only!). This year I promise to take my camera and take lots of pictures for you guys. Especially of the Morris Men and the Green Man! --- whilst I was searching for the picture of May Day sunrise 2000, I stumbled across a picture that I had forgotten about! It was taken a couple of years ago from my bedroom window. I thought I would put it in my post today as it was kinda appropriate (being a sunrise-ish sort of post today).

IFQ Weathermen

I had a funny conversation with my Father today! I was telling him about the "how's the weather for you?" thread on the F/V Northwestern forums. He seemed mildly intregued at the thought of a whole thread dedicated to the weather! (because the English love to talk about the weather of course!)

At the end of my description of flooding in Seattle and cold, windy Norway, He came up with a briliant one liner.

Dad: "So somewhere in the world is there a weather forum discussing crab fishing?"

I had to laugh at this because he conjured up such a picture in my mind. Weather forecasters sitting in their offices discussing IFQs, Fishing Vessels, and Dutch Harbour! (it probably happens aswell!)

Sticking with the weather for a bit:

winter is still here! pack ice still exists on the duck pond and icicles are plentiful! celebrations all around!

This feels like the last of winter for some reason. I hope I am wrong. Winter should last all year in my view.

I think I may have jinxed the weather by buying a new warm hoodie and a scarf. stupid me! We shall get up to the dizzying heights of 6'C this week which means no more ice.

the Ducks down the road may be grateful for the warmer weather however, they have been plagued by "pack ice" on the village pond for about two weeks now! finally they can get back to the water.

Here then are the last few ice pictures for the moment. Me in my new hoodie and balaclava/scarf and a fantastic cobweb that was just dying to be photographed.

There was a beautiful sunrise here today, so at eight in the morning i was taking my dog Monty out for a walk accompanied by one very eager camera.

Sunrise is my favourite time of the day and no matter what the weather, beautiful photographs are always available wherever one looks.

This then, is my attempt at some artistic sunrise pictures. Enjoy.

A new year has to start with the sea.

Two thousand and nine. Lots of things have changed over the past few years. I have grown up, I have developed my own sense of who I am and what I love, but I am very pleased to say that the experiences that shape you when you are little, play a great part in shaping you as you grow up also.

Ever since I was little, I went fishing with my Dad on beaches around the county of suffolk where I live. For me, the word "fishing" brings to mind memories of freezing cold weather, wind, rain (sometimes hail), sitting on a bucket beside my Dad, clutching onto a flask of tea as if my life depended on it and usually returning with no fish at all. That was proper fishing.

I took great pride in teasing my little sisters about how they went "sissy fishing" in the summer with Dad on freshwater lakes and how I alone braved the elements at the shoreline. Little sisters however will always tease back as I have discovered. They now boast back about how they are unafraid of the maggots with which one fishes in freshwater whilst I run terrified from them.

I love the sea. This will not change for me. Ever. It has the power to comfort and yet amaze and horrify at the same time.

The chance came today to go to my favourite beach for a New years day walk and so I took my camera and took a few photos.

Dunwich is slowly dissappearing. About a yard vanishes into the sea every year and now so many of the paths that I walked on as a kid are gone. Dunwich will always be there in my memories however, no matter how depleted it may be in real life.