Day 333 & Day 334~366

Yesterday morning I got up at 6am, packed my bags and went off to Newcastle railway station where I met my friend (and boss) Brenda to go to a product launch in Manchester.  It was due to start with lunch at 12 midday and to get there on time we were catching the 9.43am to York, changing trains and on to Manchester Piccadilly for 11.45am with a 10 minute walk to the venue.  Brenda arrived at the station with 1 minute to spare, and we ran on to the train and off we went.  There was a delay at one point, when we slowed down and stopped, which apparently was down to someone falling ill on a train at Northallerton and having to be taken off it in an ambulance, but 5 minutes later we were off again.  I didn’t realise Brenda was then panicking that we would miss our connecting train at York, but we got there with 7 minutes to spare.  Once we got off the train Brenda charged over to the platform where our train was and chivvied me up, ‘come on come on before they shut the door on us’ she yells, and on we rushed, into a nice empty carriage with tables, and we sat down. ‘What are you panicking about?’ says I, and she told me that on her last trip on a train to London, she got to her changeover train and the guard shut the door just as she got there and wouldn’t let her on. “Can’t have the train being late” he said, “it’s not late” she said “there’s still 2 minutes to go”, “well we are allowed to shut the doors 2 minutes before it’s due to leave” he replied “everybody knows that!”  And he would not let her on, so she had to wait for the next train to London, and pay £126 for a ticket, for a journey she’d already paid for.  So that was the reason for the panic.  The train set off and we got comfortable, and the Captain (? driver/pilot, not sure what they’re called) came over the tannoy, “Good morning, this is the 236 to Newcastle, calling at Darlington, and Durham! We were on the wrong train going back the way we came!  It took 45 minutes to get to Darlington, where we got off and went to the travel office to ask what to do. The lady told us we’d have to get on the next train and tell the ticket collector what had happened, and he would then either let us off or we’d have to buy new tickets.  When’s the next train we asked, well it’s been cancelled, she said so you’ll have to get on the direct train to Manchester which is with another company and leaves in an hour. So we went and had coffee, and hung around the station until that train came, and then got on that. Now Brenda was certain we’d have to buy new tickets, but when the collector came around I did the googley sorrowful eyes at him, explained what had happened and he let us stay on without buying a new ticket.  Of course the barriers in and out of the platform areas are automated and work by wafting your ticket at a sensor, and of course ours wouldn’t work, so we ended up having to explain the thing all over again to get out.  Eventually we got to where we were supposed to be, 2 hours late, and stopping off along the walk from the station for Brenda to buy a new top for the evening dinner, as she’d forgotten to pack hers!  We had a fab time at the product launch, the company doing it paid for us to stay in a very nice hotel (£235 a night!!!) and took us all out to dinner, and all drinks were paid for the whole night.  As there were about 30 of us, it must have run into a few 1000 quid, so I hope they all sell lots of the product.  I don’t do sales anymore, but have to know about it all as I do fittings and service work for Brenda so it’s still useful for me to go along. I don’t think we stopped laughing about our journey for hours on and off!  On the way back we had a direct train to Newcastle, and got to the platform 10 minutes before it was due, but then it got delayed by 34 minutes due to problems somewhere with the signals, so had to sit in the freezing cold waiting for what seemed like ages.  I missed my car a lot!

I used the iPhone a few times along the way,

Newcastle Station, which is quite a beauty

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I did take the ball with me, but not too many opportunities to use it, I did one at Darlington station which I wish was a bit better than it turned out, but it’s all I got, so this is Day 334

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iPhone shot of the station, another lovely station, that’s Brenda on the left walking ahead

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I took a shot of Huddersfield Station as we went through, as this is where I grew up

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This was my hotel room

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and the mini bar and coffee making machine I couldn’t figure out how to work it, it’s one of those George Clooney nespresso things, half a bottle of champagne, £17.50 ~ needless to say I didn’t avail myself of it!

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After the product launch, which was at the top of the hotel, we went onto an outside terrace, and I took a shot looking down through the glass safety barrier

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and the sunset over Manchester was spectacular, so it had to be done

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and my final shot was my ball shot today, on the way to the station we stopped for a coffee and I took a shot of the Chetham Music College

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but I like the sunset shots best 🙂

Now home again, and back to work in the morning! Adventure over for now 🙂 .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 322~366

Have been to work today, and the weather got steadily worse as the day went on, so thought I’d be having to do my shot indoors again this evening.  However, I was running early for an appointment, so stopped off at McDonalds for a drive through coffee, and whilst sitting in my car in the car park I had a visitor. As always my camera (and ball) bag ~ hmm think that sounds rude reading aloud in my head, never mind, you all know what I mean~were in the passenger seat, so I whipped them out and took a shot of him.

Then when Phil was cooking tea later I took some quick Iphone snaps of the cat being bonkers .She’s not allowed on there!

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Cat ‘n’ chips

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and my visitor in a ball

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it’s been a wildlife photography kinda day 😀

 

Day 319~366

I took the ball to  ST.Mary’s Lighthouse this afternoon after work, and had a play. The tide was all the way in so couldn’t get onto the beach at all, but that wasn’t a problem. First though a couple of shots taken with the I-phone, got a new app called Filmborn, and this was taken with the kodak portra 400 setting.

ST.Mary's Lighthouse
ST.Mary’s Lighthouse

 

I also did a pano for fun and because the sky was quite spectacular

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Panorama at St.Mary’s Lighthouse. Iphone6

and then my regular crystal ball shot(s) with the old Fuji,

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I liked this next one best

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Hoping to get a superman shot tonight but there’s a lot of cloud about!

 

One year

A year ago yesterday I downloaded an app onto my phone called Close-Up  . It prompts you to take a dreaded selfie everyday at the same time, then after a period of time it generates a video of all the shots. Because of all the travelling I did with my job I thought it would be fun to do one in all the different places I go to.  I sometimes forgot, and rarely did them at the same time of day, the photography is rushed and not always the best (mostly not the best!!)  but it was fun, and since I am no longer travelling it’s cool to have a reminder of where I got to and also some of stuff at home. And the cats, especially Storm before she died.

I hate selfies, especially on phones, so this is definitely tongue-in-cheek time 🙂

 

Day 205~366 & The adventures of Skye

With the advent of warmer weather, Skye has taken to going further afield in the neighbourhood.  As she has been an indoor cat for 6 years until we got her, we are now behaving like over-protective parents.  Unlike other cats who seem to keep a low profile and keep away from people when they are on the prowl, Skye has taken to wandering down the communal path that runs along the bottom of our garden, and stops to meow at everyone she comes across and makes friends. She’ll do it 3 or 4 times an evening, and Phil is out there after a while seeing where she’s got to. He’s made a hole in the fence that runs alongside the path as she won’t jump over it, 🙄 although she’s perfectly capable, so she can come through that way, and we’ve asked our neighbour if we can cut one in the fence between our houses as that seems to be the end of her journey, and she stops there and shouts til one of us notices and goes to get her.  We are not worried that anyone will steal her so much, more that dog walkers or nasty boys might give her a kick or a dog will frighten her.  I wanted my tea in peace this evening so kept her in and shut the catflap, but she got cross and started punching it so I had to let her out again. People think we’re mad of course, but she isn’t street-cat-smart yet. I suppose she’ll learn and we’ll get used to it. Fingers now crossed for rain every evening because she doesn’t like to go out then!

Daytime snoozing
Daytime snoozing
New favourite place
New favourite place

and whilst I was out chasing her, the sun was just going down and letting out it’s last burst of gold, and I caught the shadow of my ivy that climbs the doorway and front of the house.

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Day 168~366

I had to go into South Shields today to pay some cheques in to the bank, got the Fuji all ready, and then left it behind on the sofa! I didn’t realise until I got to Shields so wasn’t going all the way back for it, so I made do with the Hipstamatic app on the I-phone.  Won’t do the that again in a hurry!  Firstly though…

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It’s 16th June and rainy, grey and NOT summery.  So my trip with Sophie tomorrow to see the puffins again on Farne Island has been cancelled due to high winds. 😦  Sad face. Pouty lips.

SO here are a few window reflections from South Shields, I’m in there somewhere 🙂

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I wanted to get the lion outside the library in that one.

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That lady was wanting to look at something in the window, doesn’t look happy with me haha. Sorry old lady.

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This is the shot of the day, though I think I like the holiday one best, wonder why!

Day 156~366

We had some sunshine today, which was good as it was sofa day! Phil turfed out the old one,

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what are you doing with my sofa?

and then the new one arrived

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This is not a suitable alternative..

 

and we put it together and put throws and cushions on it..

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so all is well in Skye’s world 🙂

This afternoon I spent 1/2 hour reading a book in the sunshine, and got my reflection shot for today.

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Day 4~365

I thought I’d have a bit of a hard time with the 366 on the days I’m working, especially for the stills. Sunrise isn’t til 8.30am and I leave for work at 9.15, the weather is atrocious every day, dark and gloomy, windy and torrential, and I am always home after dark. I might have to do some night time still life’s to get more time. Or be better prepared the night before, which isn’t easy in my freezing cold conservatory-cum-studio! Anyways, I had a go at a breakfast shot. I only had time for a couple of composition tries, and I think this was the best one. I always check the comp on my iPhone first and also to take one on that for Instagram, and I think it came out better, which is not what I want to think!!

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the iPhone version

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The Fraggle report

Not the best of weeks, so am late with my post, Sunday came and went and I couldn’t find the words really. regular readers will know my little cat Storm was diagnosed with renal adenoma back in September and not given long to live. But she carried on unaware of her future and we loved her lots and even hoped they’d got it wrong, she seemed so OK. But  last week she started going downhill, and though we tried convincing ourselves she was just having a  bad couple of days, by Thursday night we knew the time had come. Unfortunately I had promised to visit my son and grandson this weekend, and couldn’t let them down. So I went off down south to see them, and Phil had to take Storm to the vets on his own.  Really that’s all I need say, anyone that has had a beloved pet will have gone through the rest.

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It was good to see Ben and spend the day with him. He looked too skinny so I took him out for lunch and dinner 🙂

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and then we went to pick up Lewis from school and took him to Toys R Us so he could choose christmas presents. That didn’t turn out too easy as the store is so huge, but he loved trying out the cars.

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On Saturday I went to visit my friend Helen, and the weather was really bad so we stayed in, apart from food shopping, and then has a yummy dinner.

I got home Sunday and have had a couple of days off. Had to take Phil to hospital today for laser eye surgery for his glaucoma, which was over and done with really quickly, and he’s OK, though he says everything looks a bit darker.

Not much photography done then on the whole, I had a strange sky to drive home to,

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and I put up the Christmas tree last weekend and forgot to take a picture of it so here it is 🙂

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and am trying to take pictures of the birds in my front garden, but failing to get anything decent, so here’s a not so great one of Mr.Robin. Must improve on that!

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So that’s my week and a bit, off to work tomorrow then more days off, fingers xt to do something with my camera!

laters gaters

😉 ❤

 

The Sunday Fraggle report ~ bits & bobs

Another week gone by, 25 days left till Christmas and a bit of time off, but still work to do and photo’s to take.  This week I’ve managed a few so here we go.  Firstly I got in the car Monday morning and spotted a spider web on my wing mirror, had a go at a quick snap with the iPhone and din’t expect to really get it, but it turned out surprisingly well.

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On Wednesday although it was cold, there was a sunny day, and as I was travelling a fair way up and down the North East, I set my camera up on my phone so that I could drive and just hit the ‘click’ button when I saw something I liked, so here is a little travelogue of my work day in pictures 🙂

Setting off on the A1 under a zigzag sky
Setting off down the A1 under a zigzag sky
arriving at my destination, the house on the right.
arriving at my destination, the house on the right.
On the way back to the main roads
On the way back to the main roads
arty statue thing in Darlington
arty statue thing in Darlington
on the way back to the A1
on the way back to the A1 Yorkshire hills in the distance
Blue monsters on the A1
Blue monsters on the A1
arriving at clients flat in Hebburn
arriving at clients flat in Hebburn
going through Ashington to visit another client
going through Ashington to visit another client
Journey home down the A19
Journey home down the A19
Through the Tyne Tunnel
Through the Tyne Tunnel
arriving at the shop near where I live to invest in some wine!
arriving at the shop near where I live to invest in some wine!

On Thursday I took a picture of Skye, waiting for Phil to come home from work.

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and made a pie 🙂

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Friday I took advantage of the Black Friday sales and purchased some new processing programmes, can’t help it, I’m an addict 🙂  Phil meanwhile was trying to do his modelling…

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but Skye had other ideas 🙂

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that face!

On Saturday Phil was working, and I had my friend Sophie over for the day to do some indoor photography. Mostly we took pics of my cats 🙂

Sophie & Skye
Sophie & Skye
Storm
Storm 

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we also messed about with laser lights, crystal balls, prisms and a kaleidoscope..

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and took macro’s of flowers I bought.

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broken neck
processed with colorfx
processed with colorfx
processed with radlab and aurora
processed with radlab and aurora.

Am very happy with my purchases!  Anyway today being Sunday, I’m getting ready for work, but also cooking Sunday lunch, so, off to peel the potatoes,

laters gaters

🙂 ❤

 

 

 

 

The Sunday Fraggle report ~ bits & bobs edition.

Well it’s slim pickings at the moment with my photography.  I’ve been working extra hours, and it gets dark here at 4.30pm so once I get home from work, sorted home work out, and had dinner, it’s being difficult to feel inspired or motivated. On top of that the weather is pants. But hey- ho I did get a couple to be going on with.

Last weekend we went to the Annual Free convention held in Tynemouth, about 20 mins up the road from us. It’s (obviously) a yearly event where die hard fans of the band Free meet up, have some drinks and see Free tribute bands, as well as special guests from back in the day. This year the tribute band was Freeway, who were really good, and prior to them we had a solo singer, Toby, who Free’s now departed bass player Andy Fraser, discovered and recorded with. Not my cup of tea songs wise, but he was a great guitarist.

Toby
Toby

after him we were treated to a couple of class musicians, the guitarist Chris Spedding and singer Mr.Snips (real name Steve Parsons) both of whom joined a band called The Sharks, formed by Andy Fraser after Free split up. They were great and told loads of stories from the olden days when they were hot stuff in the music business.

Mr.Snips & Chris Spedding
Mr.Snips & Chris Spedding

I had a little outing to Seaham to visit the 1st WW memorial there. Its a statue called 11-0-1 but nicknamed Tommy.

This imposing metal sculpture, entitled 1101, owing to the fact the armistice went into effect at 11am on November 11, 1918, stands 9ft 5ins tall and weighs 1.2 tonnes.

Built out of special corteen steel, it has been installed on Seaham seafront in Country Durham to mark the centenary of the start of the Great War and was supposed to remain in place for three months. But the townspeople of Seaham wanted to keep it, so they raised the £85,000 it cost to buy it to keep.

Created by local artist Ray Lonsdale, the sculpture is also intended to represent Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which many of the returning soldiers endured. Mr Lonsdale got his idea for the piece after hearing a story about a soldier from nearby Murton who won a war medal.

Tommy collage

there is a plaque on the rear

tommy plaque

I visited a client who lives by Woodhorn Church,  St Mary the Virgin.  It was built in the early eleventh century but most of the external features are from a restoration of 1842. The church was made redundant in 1973 and is now Woodhorn Church Museum.

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The lady who owned our cats before we got them got in touch with me on Facebook, and sent me some pictures of Storm & Skye when they were kittens

Skye & Storm
Skye & Storm

and I’ve taken some of them this week too 🙂

Batcat (Skye shadow)
Batcat (Skye shadow)
Bag puss 1
Bag puss 1 (Storm)
Bag puss 2 (Skye)
Bag puss 2 (Skye)

Skye has taken to sitting under my work station when I”m on the computer when Phil isn’t here to entertain her.

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but she much prefers to be with Phil 🙂

Saturday morning papers reading club.
Saturday morning papers reading club.

As always, I’m back to work tomorrow, a long day ahead. So time to get sorted and ready for action!

laters gaters

🙂 ❤

new post up on the fragglefilm blog BTW 🙂

The Howick Hall Gardens report ~ part 3

Part 1 and Part 2

I’m back from Holland, and of course have come home with more photo’s to get through, so am finishing off my report on Howick Gardens so I’m not too behind.

After finding the ginormous leaves, we walked along the riverside to have a look at the church in the grounds.

Sluice gates on the river,
Sluice gates on the river,
fruits of the Big Leaves
fruit of the Ginormous Leaves
Bridge to the church
Bridge to the church

The church is a victorian building, and houses the tomb of the Prime Minister, 2nd Earl Grey, but other than that the interior was a bit boring to be honest. Outside was more interesting,

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window
church door
church door
heads up
heads up

The small stone gargoyles on the exterior of the north wall were all carved by Maria, 3rd Countess Grey, who was a good amateur artist, but sadly she never got round to doing the south side.

Children didn’t always live too long in this era..

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Lilian, aged 2, & Sylvia, born and died on the same day.

Lots of leaves to be found with rain drops decorating them..

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and some really fine spidey webs..

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After Church we went back to the Hall for lunch in the Earl Grey Tea House, which was beautiful

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The Earl Grey Tea House

I had a rather lush duck & orange pate on toast …

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And then back outside to walk it off and take a few more shots before going home.

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eyeballing the competition

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another big leaf
another big leaf
lost feather
lost feather

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those were all taken with the Fuji XT1 using the 60mm macro lens (much maligned in the Fuji owners world!) and my 18-55mm zoom. But of course I always take the iPhone along and these next few are from the phone.

The Hall
The Hall
Sophie on a bridge
Sophie on a bridge
odd one out
odd one out
contemplation
contemplation
Topless
Topless

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pink hearts

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and that was the end of our day out.

Now to sort out my next lot of photo’s,

laters gaters

😉