Mum's Lifeboat On A Shout!

 

So this is the Agnes AP Barr Lifeboat stationed at Invergordon that Mum's name is on. This image is from her first shout I believe. It was on the RNLI email anyway with an update on her progress so far. Mum's name is on the Starboard side, the second number 3. Along with a myriad of other names to be remembered just as much by their families.

Mum didn't have a particular affinity for the RNLI but she couldn't swim having been frightened at a swimming session when she ended up under the water. She was keen for me and my brother to learn to swim though and my Dad taught us, Mum watching from the safety of the spectators area. So the RNLI seemed like a good way to mark another year passing last year when they announced what I think was their first Launch a Memory fund raising event.

I've also done another for Margaret for the 2021 Launch a Memory Appeal, her name will be on the next Shannon boat going to Wells Lifeboat Station and this boat is to be named in memory of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. How cool is that? This entry marks losing Margaret to Dementia earlier this year and again seemed like a worthy cause to donate to, especially as the main donations in her memory raised over £500 for Dementia UK.

Pot Handle Holders!

So this afternoon I spent a little time crocheting around these two pairs of knitted squares that my Step-Mum had made and which my Dad found whilst having a tidy up. Unsure what to do with them I said I thought they would be good as padding to hold a hot pan handle, something I have a problem with as my saucepans are all stainless steel. Anyways, despite the fact that I didn't make the squares themselves, I couldn't knit if my life depended on it, I am chuffed with how they've turned out and that now they have a purpose! 

Hooks on the Wall

 

So today Dad came round to fix the washing machine pipes, indoors and outside, both of which have gradually rotted away over the years. He's replaced them with new pipes although getting the pieces to join together was a struggle and became a joint effort, especially through the wall. Me on the inside pushing the pipe forwards and him trying to join the pipe outside!

After fixing the pipes he's put a few hooks into the wall in the yard so I can hang up a few of my favourite bits 'n' bobs from the garden. Normally they hang up right up on the decking but as I spend little time up there I thought it would be good to have them closer to hand.

Dockyard Visit with Dad & Tedster!

 

Spent this week's Off Friday at the Yard with Dad & Tedster. Weather was a little up and down, started up and then clouded over at lunchtime, ended up with the sun re-appearing at home time - seems to be the latest weather trend lately!

Dad took his little Sony mirrorless and I took the M50 with the 40mm pancake prime fitted to my EF-M adapter. Realised that it is still a little too close for comfort most of the time, perhaps I should have gone with the 35mm or something wider. I have a 22mm EF-M lens which is very similar to my DSLR 24mm pancake which I love. Might have to try that one next time?

This piccie is Dad watching a couple of large and expensive looking motorboats heading along the river, possibly to Sheerness? I had a caught a couple of him unawares but asked him to pose for this one.

We had a good day wandering around the site, not too busy as usual and although we did book a time slot, now it appears to not be a requirement, more of a request if you want to avoid the queues. Mind you we already have tickets so don't really have to queue anyway.

Spent most of the day outside this time. Took our usual packed lunch and I managed to walk a couple of hot drinks back to our table. WHY are they so hot, what happened to the protective sleeves they used to have to stop your fingers from burning??? I took a couple along from home, they are too big really, but kinda helped to carry them back. Gonna have to find something more practical I think...

Twirling with Sunflowers

 

So having driven past Maze-Moon yesterday on the way to Riverside Country Park, Dad suggested we go back and check out the amazing sunflowers that were growing there today after I'd managed to get some gardening done and before it thought about raining...

They have some awesome rows of these wonderful flowers, a kind of PYO sunflowers with a maze field of maize to wander around. A small mobile café and ice-cream van complete the area.

So having had a quick play in LR with several images which to all intents and purposes look very similar I then went "twirling" again in Photoshop and came up with this...

Totally different from the original image I'm sure you'll agree. The slightest hint of colour remaining if you look closely enough. A really ethereal look from this rather bizarre and totally random technique.

The alternative to this was the use of my Topaz Simplify Filter, what used to be commonly known as Buzz Simplify. A really interesting simplification of an image with some colour options thrown in for good measure.

And here's one such example, albeit that this particular sunflower was a different variety to the mainstream yellow. In fact I didn't appreciate just how many different varieties there are and these may not have been all of them!

We did have the odd shower while we were there, hopped back in the car with a double flake Mr Whippy ice-cream to soften the blow!

Come October they will be doing a PYO pumpkins so have shared the location with Julia and James as that is something that's become a bit of a tradition with them.

Riverside Country Park

 

So this Off Friday, as well as being Julia and James's wedding anniversary saw me off for a mammogram having being reminded that my next check-up was due, the fourth, how did that happen! Probably because I got called up early as part of a trial scheme looking to include women under 50yrs old.

Post that appointment, Dad and me took some sandwiches along to Riverside Country Park before heading off along one of the paths with the cameras.

Am guessing this is more mud than sand (??) but with the tide slowly coming back in it made for some interesting shapes.

We had a good mooch and it was nice to be outdoors in the fresh air after being cooped up all week working.

A quick post-walk coffee from their café before setting home again.

Happy 5th Wedding Anniversary!

 

So today marks the 5th Wedding Anniversary of Julia and James 💕

And how much has changed in those 5 years...

From moving into their first home in November 2015 they are now happily ensconced in their forever home and they have gained a fabulous diva of a Furbaby in Annie, the ex-Guide Dog that they boarded.

They've had their ups and downs as every couple have but they face it together and deal with it together.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO MY FAVOURITE COUPLE!!!

Weald of Kent Steam Rally

 

Saturday saw me, Dad & Tedster head off to Woodchurch to a Steam Rally, the first outdoor event I've been to in well over a year!

Should have been last weekend I think but rain stopped play and so it got re-advertised in the local paper which Dad avidly reads.

Thought initially it was an online booking type of thing but having looked at the website it said pay on the day, so we left my house at 9:30am and headed along for a rough 10am start. Weather was pretty glorious given how overcast it's been of late, so much so I burnt the back of my neck and my hair parting I think!

We had a good day wandering around snapping away at the myriad of vehicles, from Army exhibits to classic cars, tractors and of course steam engines in all sorts of shapes and sizes. I just love the smell of the steam, there is nothing quite like it :-)

Even the land owner had their own private collection on show from motorbikes to jeeps and two ex US-Navy aircraft, one a bi-plane no less.

All in all a good day out with plenty to see and nice to be doing something normal again.

Mooch to the Coney Banks

 

So on this somewhat cloudy Off Friday, Tedster & I took a mooch along to the Coney Banks for some fresh air and to get some decent steps up on the Health App seeing as how I'm slowly putting on weight now I'm working from home and not walking to and from the office each day.

We set out around 10am, just the moby handy for any snapping and actually the Banks were more quiet and peaceful than I'd envisaged given it's the school holidays. A few dog walkers and kids playing footie and in the playground but other than that a really nice walk around the perimeter.

Saw a couple of council guys repainting the football pitch lines, whilst they were taking a break in their van I'd been wondering how easy it is to keep the lines straight... Very easy it seems as the machine is automatic (robotic maybe) and the guy didn't look like he'd got a remote controller as such because he wasn't really watching it much. The second guy was watching it even less as he relaxed against the van bonnet staring at his phone. It begged the question of why it needed two of them to be there? And the fact that it was hardly a job that required much in the way of physical effort, neither of them even had to walk the machine around. Talk about easy money!

Anyway having stopped for a snack I left there and walked via Churchill Avenue along to my Dad's where I stopped for a coffee and a chat.

Looks like tomorrow we're going to try and make the Steam Rally at the Weald of Kent in Woodchurch, postponed from last weekend when it chucked it down it should make a good day out snapping. I love that sort of thing, steam engines, classic cars, right up my street and a nod to the steam fests I have missed over the last year and a bit due to Covid-19.

Batteries for the M50 are charging as I write this 📸😊

Updating the website...

 

So taken a few moments to update some aspects of the website, see link below. It got an overhaul some time ago when Google changed how personal websites were created/hosted. Rather than bin mine off I took the opportunity to spring clean it.

In many respects this blog provides more of a regular connection if you like, a place to post my latest thoughts rather than always share them with Facebook. Some things just attract too much in the way of crap comments! So I post here where chances are very few people see it ;-)

Anyway here's the link...

My Website

New Rope Doorstop!

 

Bought this wonderful rope doorstop from https://www.beautifulropedecor.co.uk/ made by a guy called The Ropeman. All are made "using the same incredibly complicated nautical rope knots that were taught to sailors in Britain’s historic Navy". 

I opted for the Lighthouse Tall Doorstop, as you can see my kitchen door opens outwards into the yard with obviously the step down meaning that the door hangs quite a way up from the ground, rendering most normal doorstops as being totally useless.

Having looked into reclaimed wooden stops, concrete and marble, these were the only ones tall enough in the first instance and suitable for outdoor use, although it's recommended to bring them indoors in the wet and over the winter.

I went for the Sisal rope as the Manilla was out of stock due to the pandemic, wasn't fussed either way, both are au naturel in their colouring, the Sisal being a bit lighter.

In the photo it's sitting on an old dinner mat but since then Dad's brought me a spare roof tile so it's perched on that now, mainly to help keep the bugs out and because the ground there can have a tendency to be a bit damp.

Granted that these aren't cheap but then nothing that is hand-made ever is, especially items made by a craftsman. I'm sure it will give many years of service.

When Something Catches My Eye...

 

It's funny isn't it, how when doing the most mundane of things, sometimes, something just catches your eye? There I was washing up at the kitchen sink and suddenly the orange of this plant caught my attention against the darkness of the rainy weather. 

Grabbed the M50 and ran off a couple of shots, both focused on the plant itself and then for balance, on the rain drops on the window.

And here they are, run through LR, to remind me that at times it's the simplest of things that bring us pleasure!

Weekend Chores

 

So this weekend sees me doing the garden in between the showers on Friday. Having watched my neighbours able to get their lawns mowed during the nice sunny weather that I've been forced to look at through the dining room window as I've worked my way through the week, the weekend comes, along with my Off Friday and... it's wall to wall showers ☔

Did manage to get both lawns done though, plus some tidying up, albeit at the price of getting up at 7am and being outside gardening at 8:15am 😴 Not my favourite of chores but needs must and I like it to look at least presentable.

My girl and James also managed to get their 2nd jabs done on Friday evening at a Grab-a-Jab place in Leybourne, big shout out to my work colleague Joanne for suggesting it. Three weeks from now and they'll be fully covered, with some of the horror stories doing the rounds of younger people being quite ill I was keen for them to get fully jabbed up as soon as possible.

So it's been a quiet weekend of jobs around the house and garden, not nice enough, for long enough, to get out anywhere to do much. Let's hope next weekend is better weather, surely we deserve some decent, warmer and sunnier weather for August?? I've come pretty close to flicking the heating back on it's been so chilly 🥶 And I get fed up with my Off Fridays being crap weather when I've sat and watched the sunshine all week whilst working 😡

Still, I did do some photography, things beginning with M for the next famalam challenge...

Took this one from a short video as I couldn't strike the match AND operate the camera at the same time and get anything even half decent on screen. A bit of smoke was about all I managed! Quite like this and processed in LR using the Grandma's Lemonade preset for the first time in a while 😊