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.