School dinners

Last week I went on a training course. It's a standing joke at work that we judge the quality of a course by the quality of the lunch provided. Lately though, with all the funding cuts, there have been no lunches, so how excited were we when we discovered that on this occasion we were going to get fed?! However, imagine our disappointment when on approaching the 'restaurant' we realised that we weren't getting a nice buffet lunch, but what smelled suspiciously like school dinners.... and to my horror I realised that the two options for our cooked lunch were cottage pie or cheese and brocolli quiche. I can't stand potatoes, haven't eaten them in any form since I was about two (I know, I'm very odd), and I remain traumatised by the mere sight of quiche or flan from when I was at primary school.
What were your school dinners like? I have vivid memories of being on last sitting for lunch (which meant you had no choice of what to eat, you had what was left) and being fed cold cheese flan that tasted of vomit (hence my ongoing hatred of quiche and flan), cold soggy chips (don't eat potatoes, so don't like chips) and cold mushy peas...vile. If you were lucky, there may have been a semi-edible dessert left which was most often served with a bizarrely coloured custard (why did they serve it green or pink?). I also remember a teacher sittting with us, pratically forcing us to eat what was on our plates and not letting us leave the table until we did. It was awful. Needless to say, once I went to high school, I took a packed lunch...soggy Ryvitas and cheese were so much more appetising.
I'm back for the second part of my training course this week. Should I brave the dinner options or just take my own sandwiches? You never know, we might get green custard.

Is Spring finally here?

All the signs would suggest so. The first daffodil has come into flower in the garden, buds on the trees are starting to break, frogspawn has appeared in the pond and the sun is shining. I had a lovely walk across the fields with Barney this afternoon (thankfully I did not have to extract a semi-disembowelled rabbit from his jaws today) and watched as five buzzards soared around overhead. I wish I had had my camera with me. Back in the garden the birds were singing and I caught this robin chirping away in the trees.

A couple more photos....

.... and a few more here.

These boots are made for walking

I've bought some new walking boots today. Why?....well, to go walking in of course. Firstly, it may be OK during the muddy winter months to be walking Barney in a pair of Smarties-patterned wellies, but I may start to look a little daft(er) in them once the weather starts to improve. Secondly, I'm going to be climbing Snowdon so possibly need something a little more substantial.

Last year I stupidly organised (and so had to take part in) a sponsored abseil to raise money for the charity for which I work. I was not keen on heights (or dangling from said heights on the end of a rope) before I abseiled; I'm no keener since, so this year's sponsored event had to involve keeping my feet firmly on the ground (please, no comments about someone having fallen from the Pyg track earlier this month). Bungee jumping and skydiving were completely out of the question......and the person who suggested swimming with sharks for next year's event can seriously think again!

There will be a team of around 30 of us taking part in the climb and I can't wait.... I love walking (though I'm not so keen on hills, which doesn't bode well!), I love North Wales and I love raising money for my charity. I'm also looking forward to being able to put to good use my recently purchased zoom lens. I hope the weather is good- I know from spending a great deal of my childhood holidaying in Snowdonia that invariably the mountains are shrouded in mist or fog. It will be a real shame if we reach the top and can't see anything! It will be fantastic to be back in Wales again though, it's way too long since I was last there- I have probably only been back half a dozen times since leaving Bangor University 15 years ago.

So, I now just need to get some hill/ mountain walking practice...I want to be the first to the top, not the last!

I hate Valentine's

What's the equivalent for Valentine's Day of saying 'Bah! Humbug' at Christmas? Whatever it is, I'm saying it. Not that I'm at all grumpy that another year has come round and the only Valentine's gifts that I have received are the ones I have bought for myself. Rant over. Hope you have all had a pleasant one!

Helping in the garden

Barney took advantage of the strong winds last weekend and collected up all the fallen branches in the garden. More here.

Birds

I took these pictures last week in the garden (a few more here). I've been waiting to catch a shot of the buzzard or the heron but they seem a little camera shy.

Robin
Blue tit
Long-tailed tit

Blasts from the past

Whilst eating my lunch today I popped the television on and flicked through the channels to see what was on. Channel Five was showing the 1985 Christmas Top of the Pops so I thought that, purely out of nostalgia, I would leave it on for a bit. What did I learn?

1. Pete Burns and Michael Jackson both clearly had way too much plastic surgery done in later years
2. I am older than I like to think I am as I remembered every song/artist that was played (in fact I probably watched the programme when it was originally aired)
3. 80s singers really could not mime...in fact half the time there was absolutely no evidence of a microphone either
4. 80s backing singers and dancers were ace...pure cheese
5. Feargal Sharkey should never have embarked on a solo career
6. I am probably a closet 80s pop fan

The backing singers/ dancers are so cheesy

Feargal in better days

Idiots

I took Barney out this afternoon, in the rain (not fair as, according to Voley, it was snowing only 10 miles away at his house). We were walking up the lane when this car drove past peeping its horn (very considerate when you have a dog on a lead), the two male occupants blowing kisses at me through the window. Now, I know I look highly attractive in my walking clothes and wellies, and I know it's Christmas, but is it really necessary? I suppose of course they could have been blowing kisses at Barney.

It's Christmas!

How has your Christmas been? Mine's been good. Lots of good food, lovely presents, snow on the ground and the company of family and friends. What more could a girl ask for? Maybe Johnny Depp turning up on my doorstep on Christmas morning, but I guess that isn't likely to happen.
Christmas Day was a relaxing one, just spent at home with my parents. We took Barney for a long walk in the snow and frost and there was hardly a soul around...just the occasional dad with children wobbling about on their shiny new bicycles! I remember those Christmases...new bike, first pair of rollerskates, first computer (Commodore 64, now that shows my age!). My favourite presents though were always the little gifts stuffed into my stocking. It seems that these days children aren't happy unless they have a mound of the latest technological gadgets. I remember last year asking a child what they had had for Christmas- the reply, "erm, a mobile phone, a Nintendo DS and a laptop, that's all". What happened to the days of getting excited by wind-up toys, puzzles and board games. Or perhaps I was just a strange child.
Boxing Day was spent in the excellent company of my best buddy, with the exchanging of more presents and the consumption of more good food. I am now the proud owner of a book-on-a-page framed print of Wuthering Heights. Fab.
All in all a great weekend.

My book-on-a-page print of Wuthering Heights. Thanks Voley!

A bit more snow and frost

These photos were taken at work. We haven't had anywhere near as much snow here as some parts of the country but the frost has been quite spectacular, though my amateur photogtraphic skills do not really do it justice. You can see more photos here.

Snowing heavily

Very frosty trees

Cobwebs

A little bit of frost

...well quite a bit actually. How are you enjoying the winter weather. I'm not much for it being -12C on a night out and having to slide across icy carparks in 3-inch stiletto heels, but I love the snow and the frost. I've been out around the garden taking some photos, some of which are below. The rest of the photos are here.

Icy, misty pool

Frost on twig

Frosty trees

Happiness is....

....a whole ten days off work. Bliss. I feel a bit of a skive considering we are so close to Christmas when I get another ten days off but I need the time to get my Christmas shopping done. Not that that is going entirely to plan. Despite a trip to Manchester and another to Chester, I have so far failed to find half the things I was looking to buy. I think I will have to revert to plan B if this afternoon's shopping trip is equally unsuccessful... the internet.
Failed shopping trips aside, my week off has been most pleasant, it's been good to relax. Voley came to stay at the weekend which was great- I'm hoping he returned home without any Barney inflicted injuries after being bulldozed by six stone of rather excitable puppy! We went to see Harry Potter on Saturday which didn't disappoint. It was dark and atmospheric but with moments of humour and I can't wait for the final part next year, it should be excellent. Could have done without the group of giggling teenage girls who went into raptures when Harry Potter stripped to his boxers though!
Sunday lunch was at my brother's pub and then we had a drive round the country lanes of Staffordshire before a short stroll around Bateswood Nature reserve.

Ducks in the gloom

Muscovy duck

I've been able to do a bit more walking whilst I've been off work. It's been a little nippy walking across the fields with Barney, the wind yesterday afternoon was like needles on my cheeks, but I love it. There's nothing better than being able to go out and not meet a single person..appeals to the hermit within!

It's been a long time

Well, this blogging lark isn't going so well, it's nearly 3 months since I last posted anything...must try harder. In my defence, I have been busy and don't seem to find the time to spend in front of the old computer screen...and my internet connection has been playing up. OK, enough of the excuses, I'm just rubbish. I shall make an effort to start writing again, but for the meantime I shall leave you with a couple of photos from bonfire night.

The bonfire was a little warm

Do you like my wellies?!

Simples!

I've been for a drive out to Snugburys this afternoon to see their straw meerkat sculpture. Of course, I had to sample an ice-cream whilst there....honeycomb, yum.

They also had some rather cute Kune Kune piglets.....delicious with apple sauce.

Nothing's safe

It would appear that the local Homewatch scheme isn't really working, there was a large sign between the two posts!

A few more Barney photos

Three months old and growing rapidly!

Barney loves collecting sticks

In a bit of a tangle

Preparing for take-off!

"Where have all those pansies gone?"

"They have to be here somewhere"

A spot of pond dipping

Hiding

The post with no name

How has your weekend been. Mine's been fairly relaxing, apart from having to do the housework and chase Barney round the garden a few hundred times (and fish him out of the pond a couple of times too).

I had my friends over on Saturday. It all started so civilised, I had even baked cakes for the occasion...then Barney decided to make an entrance. Within the space of 30 seconds he had caused absolute chaos, weeing on my friend's foot (fortunately he saw the funny side!) and then tipping over a vase of lilies that were on my hearth- it took me quite a while to remove the orange pollen stains from my pale coloured carpet. Fortunately, Barney redeemed himself the next day, after his disgraceful(!) behaviour, by being impecably well-behaved on his first walk. I'm sure it won't last!

Today, I've been for a walk and nearly got stampeded by a flock of sheep. I decided against walking through the field of cows.

Just before their friends decided to stampede

Safely on the other side of the fence

I have a busy week at work ahead. Last week I took a group of 30 disabled children and young people to Camelot Theme Park, trained a group of volunteers, learned how to change a colostomy and urostomy bag (not my own I hasten to add), and got asked out by a lecherous coach-driver...let's see if this week can be any more bizarre.

Holiday's over

It's been back to the grindstone for me today and after sitting at my desk for five minutes with around a foot of post and messages to sift through before I could even think about getting any other work done, I almost wished I had not had any time off. So, my day has not been quite as chilled and relaxed as the last few, the last two of which were spent in the very pleasant company of Voley. Yesterday we spent a leisurely afternoon ambling around Biddulph Grange Garden, another one of those places very close to home that I have never visited but ought to have done, followed by the consumption of unhealthily large slices (=wedges) of cake for afternoon tea. Here are a few photos taken (mostly by Voley with my camera) of the Garden. One of these days I will get round to uploading photos to flickr, but for now just a few will have to do.