Fantastic Day

Once in a while a day comes along that makes you forget all your troubles and think 'yes, this is what life is all about'.

Today we went down to Pompey to take up the magazine prize I recently won. We got down to Gun Wharf Quay at about 9.30 and were pleasantly surprised that we parked really easily in the multi-storey. Then we wandered out to the Quay and had a coffee in one of the numerous cafes that overlook the waterfront, harbour and Spinnaker Tower and enjoyed the view - the weather was fantastic. At 10 o'clock we went up the Spinnaker Tower - there are three viewing levels at the top (170 metres up) and a glass floor you can walk across if you are brave (Peter is pictured contemplating it and the next picture shows the drop!). We both did 'the walk of terror' and the views (on a clear day like we had) are absolutely wonderful - I highly recommend it.

After the tower we grabbed a roll from Subway and sat on one of the many seating areas overlooking the water; there we stayed for a few hours eating our lunch, people watching and watching the ferries and other shipping coming in and out. Peter was thrilled when a huge grey battle ship came in.

After lunch we headed off for the second part of my prize - a trip to the Kings Theatre Southsea to see Chicago. We parked on the street and risked the 2 hour only parking restriction (luckily we didn't get a ticket) and got two seats with no one in front with lots of leg room. The show was fantastic - Jimmy Osmond and Emma Burton (ex. East Enders) were the 'stars' and they were great but so were the rest of the cast and the dancers. We emerged, blinking into the bright sunlight, at about 4.45 and headed home.

We rounded off the day, after a bit of urgent garden watering, with watching Britain's Got Talent and the people I wanted to win - the dance troop 'Diversity'-won! They were out of this world. Julian Smith, the sax player, came third which should hopefully mean he will be picked up to follow his dream career because he certainly deserves to be. Susan Boyle, the favourite to win, came second which I am pleased about - she is very talented but I fear she wouldn't have been able to cope with the fame and pressure - she actually looked relieved when she didn't win!

Apodemus Sylvaticus

Peter walked down to the Eastleigh Works Open Day today to see the steam engines etc so after a bit of housework I had a day in the garden relaxing and sun bathing. I've just started reading my first Harlen Coben book 'Deal Breaker' and I'm really enjoying it - good job as I bought a job lot of books by this author and have about another 9 to read!

Having seen our local wood mouse yesterday I did a bit of googling to see what he eats. Well he eats spiders, snails, nuts and dandelions and other plants BUT he also loves pea and fruit crops! Oh dear, something tells me he won't be so popular with us if he starts ransacking our cherished home grown produce!

The forecast for tomorrow is sadly not good, I had planned to serve a meal out in the garden when Peter's sister visits but it looks like rain and lightening is forecast for about 4 O'clock - lets hope the forecasters have got it wrong!

Mice and Moths

A day spent outside in the garden today; we spotted our friendly woodmouse and also the above moth which is apparently a cannibar moth which feeds off ragwort. He had obviously strayed a little ways as I can't think of a field of ragwort near here.

Phew - Got through the week

What a week! As it has been for the last few weeks my job has dominated my thoughts big time. As my bosses job has been made redundant, my job has been made obsolete - there have been lots of ups and downs, an offer made and declined, but it seems that I will now be working 4 days a week for three different bosses with other things thrown in. I have mixed feelings (at the end of the day I want my old job but that's not there anymore) but I've got to make the best of it in these economic times.

I took a day off during the week and spent it with a friend at her place, eating lunch in the garden and meeting her little grandson from school. It was a tonic during a tumultuous week and just what I needed.

Another lovely thing happened this week to lift my spirits - I won a competition prize and we are shortly going to see the musical Chicago and a trip up the Spinnaker Tower!



Last night we spent a couple of hours tidying the garden - it's amazing what you can get done in a few hours and it looks lovely again.

This morning we have 'Mr Tesco' coming with our fortnightly shop and I plan a days pottering in the garden and have vowed not to think about work for 3 wholw days.

Brief Catch Up

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since my last blog. Here's what has been happening:-

Good Things
Went to a 'Pop Goes the 80's Concert' with some friends. Tribute acts for Michael Jackson, Wham, Adam Ant - pure nostalgia.
Spent a day at Popham Airfield with our stall - didn't make much money but managed to get a bit of a tan:-)
Mum and dad spent a day with us and helped us with the garden.

Bad Things
My boss has been made redundant (my fate, as yet, unknown)
Tan fading fast - where is all this rain coming from?

Things to look forward to
Theatre trip with friends to see 'Nunsence'
Bank Holiday Weekend Ahead
Seeing Denise and family next Monday

Web Cams and Wonderful Books

Today has been a funny old day but I've enjoyed it. Peter has been out all day at Popham Airfield having fun with planes and I've been at home doing bits of housework, gardening and reading. Popham Airfield have a web cam so Peter texted me during the day and said "can you see me?" I logged on and could see his arm and his bag - I texted him back and told him to move more into shot - which he did. It was quite strange really him trying to wave to me without looking weird from his end and me waving back!!! He then sat on a bench a bit away from the camera and when he got up to move I thought he was going to leave his camera behind so I was shouting at the screen "don't forget your camera!" - A very strange experience indeed.

I have just finished the most wonderful book 'Notes from Walnut Tree Farm' by Roger Deakin. If you are interested in nature you will love it. Roger observed, and wrote about, things that the average person would either not even notice or just pass on by. He lived the latter part of his life in deepest Suffolk in a ramshackle house buried deep in the countryside - he seems to have always have his door open as all sorts of creatures sort of wandered in and out; hedgehogs, newts, birds, weasels. He sometimes slept outside as that's where he felt most comfortable. A wonderful, wonderful writer who sadly died in 2006 whilst in his early 60's (from a brain tumour). Above anything else he seemed to be saying 'stop, stand and marvel at what's around you and respect and preserve it' - a good life lesson. As I had an Amazon voucher for my birthday I have just ordered his other two books 'Wild Wood' and 'Waterlog' - I can't wait to read them.

I'm trying not to think too much about work but I know it's looming again and this week is going to be very difficult. I'm not very good with change (particularly enforced change that I have no say in) and I'm feeling really cornered. I shall try and get out for a walk at lunch time and take a leaf from Roger's book and go and commune with nature - everything looks better after a good walk and a think.

Gardening and Island Dreaming

We had a great day today. We spent the whole day in the garden pottering about - I mowed the grass (I equate it to hoovering a carpet - it's a pain to do but afterwards you think 'wow that looks better'), tidied up the area around our wildlife pond (I was going to skim the duck weed off the top but there are still loads of tadpoles in there so left it alone); planted the two hydrangeas I'd bought from Lidls into bigger pots; varnished our wooden duck ornament; did lots more weeding. Plus lots of sitting out in the sun and I have a very red section of skin where my t-shirt's v neckline stopped so if I wear a round neck now I'm gonna look a bit stupid - ho hum.

We ate all our meals in the garden and finally came inside at about 7pm and flopped in front of the box. As there was nothing on early evening we started to watch one of my birthday DVD's - series one of Lead Balloon - it's brilliant. Later we watched Martin Clune's new series on islands around Britain. I've always fancied living in a remote area so it was right up my street. Barra looked beautiful (see picture above) BUT the winter weather is terrible of course and even when it's sunny it's nearly always windy - hmmm, maybe I'm not ready to go there yet.

Speculate to Accumulate

Well, thank goodness for a three day break. Work continues to be hellish and it's constantly in my mind, whatever I'm doing, just lurking under the surface. By the end of next week I may, or may not, have a boss to report to which is the first stage of the culling. Anyway, it's a waiting game and entirely out of my hands so I've just got to try and get through it and get other irons in the fire should the worse happen.

I've always fancied being an Ebay entrepreneur or at least to sell a product online -my brother runs a women's clothing shop and as a sideline sells very successfully online (fun decorative products for camper vans mostly). Here's a plug for him http://www.flowers-up.com/. Anyway, I've purchased a very small lot of a children's' product that I hope will sell - I shall try via Ebay first and see if it takes off. I won't divulge the item yet as it's something that's been a craze in the States and I would like to be one of the first to test them out here.

I have also, rather recklessly perhaps, invested in a film today. Here's a link to the website that explains all about it - www.michaelsresignation.co.uk. I've only invested £25 quid but I figure if it does well I'm bound to make more than the measly bank interest rate at the moment and worse case scenario I've lost £25. Of course if the thing really takes off I'll have wished I put more in but they do say only ever gamble with what you can afford to lose so I've stuck to that.

Today Peter went our quite early with some mates so I've been some weeding in the garden, sorting out piles of paperwork that needed filing and then doing some 'sun absorbing' in the garden - there's something comforting and life enhancing about feeling the warmth of the sun on ones skins. I've only turned a little 'pink' which should hopefully turn into a nice tan :-).

The birds are very busy building nests and singing like mad. Today I have seen two gold finches, a long tailed tit, a baby robin who hasn't yet got his red breast, some bully boy starlings and a blackbird.