New Year, New Hair

Have had a bit of a radical re-think about the old barnet after I had a minor accident with the clippers a couple of months ago. Having run the clipper over the front top of my head once and even twice, I marvelled at the amount of hair laying in the bath and then with abject horror realised too late that I had forgotten to put the comb on and had more or less shaved my hair right down to the quick :-( What could I do but finish the job and hope that the mickey taking at work didn't get too out of hand until it grew back again. Fortunately several of my male colleagues had on occasion made a similar mistake and so were fairly understanding and the rest either didn't notice or just chose not to comment. Within a week it was back to its normal, albeit short length but that one forgetful moment made me wonder if after 5+ years of shaving my hair it was time to go for something longer. Now that I have made that decision I've been trawling the net looking for some ideas and have gone from the thought of having normal short hair again to something far more challenging, along the lines of the image above.

My hair has, over the years, gone from being long enough to sit on as a child, to being approx. 3mm long and just about every length in between. Being dead straight and quite thin it doesn't hold a curl unless its blasted in by chemical means but its a New Year and hopefully a new hairdo! I appreciate that it's gonna take quite some time to achieve the above on the premise that hair normally only grows about 1/2" a month but I am very determined not to bottle it and reach for the scissors. In fact I've instructed my daughter to confiscate any pair she finds in my hands.

So wish me luck on this journey and here's hoping I like what I see in the mirror when I get there...

Winter 2010

This is a quick montage of a few of the photos taken over the last two days to record the snow thats fallen since the beginning of this week (4th Jan onwards).

Talk about typical weather, getting all snowed in just when its time to return to work. Mind we had snow just as I was packing up for Xmas and I was one of the few in our office area to drag myself in, the downside of living so close to the site is theres no excuse not to get in!

I've already fallen over once despite my best efforts to stay on two feet and making sure I walk with my trekking pole complete with metal spike. It was so sudden! One minute I was upright, the next sitting on my rear end in the snow, didn't even feel myself going until it was too late. Just goes to show how easy it is and how careful one has to be in this weather. Fortunately nothing was damaged but my pride, so today I was extra careful walking into work, taking it nice and slowly, small steps which is supposed to keep your centre of gravity where it should be.

I shall be glad to see the back of this weather - roll on summer thats all I can say. Mind its early in the year yet and usually February brings us more of the dreaded white stuff. The weight of it is destroying my plants, I've already had to chuck away several large pieces of a rather nice hebe where its been ripped off the main stem. At this rate I'll be lucky to still have any of the plant left come the spring!!!

Ibiza 2009

This is the two of us on holiday this year in Ibiza. We stayed in the resort of Es Cana and thoroughly enjoyed the break although it was a tad too humid at times.

It was our first proper foray abroad although Julia went to Italy some years ago with her Nan & Grandad by coach so it was the first time flying for her.

We would definitely go back but when it was a little cooler, July & August are the hottest months there and although we went in search of some sunshine, it really was OTT for most of the daytime.

Art in Action

This one of two installations Julia produced for her college's Art in Action exhibition held at Chatham's Historic Dockyard at the beginning of July.

This piece is called "A Message Within" and is based on the poem Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen.

Her other piece was entitled "The Last Flight" and consisted of planes made from drinks bottles and suspended from hoops. The planes were interspersed with poppies and crosses.

Julia put in so much effort into each piece and I am very proud of her work.

Julia's First Car

Having passed her driving test on Monday 1st June 2009, Julia is now the proud owner of a Rover Cityrover Select. Here she is sitting in the drivers seat before she drove us to the Texas Moon on Saturday evening. (Yes I know she hasn't yet removed the steering lock!)

She is so chuffed to finally have her own set of wheels which will give her the freedom to come and go as she pleases without having to rely on lifts or public transport.

She's already spent the weekend driving around town, taking me along to the Dockside Outlet for some retail therapy and using to car to transport home some heavy bits and pieces for her latest art project.