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Monday 31st January Shee - a month already! Doesn't seem possible that this is the last day of the first month of 2005. I'm sure that as you get older, time seems to go faster!!!!! Saturday I went to the last of the 3 short story workshops and finally had my story appraised by the rest of the group. I always get nervous about reading out my work and being the last didn't help. But the group was great, very helpful and being fewer of us this time (9 instead of 12) it was easier to relate to the others around the tables. Also I'd met 2 of them on the train journey back from my dad's funeral and we'd had a wonderful chat for about two hours so I felt like I was amongst friends. We did various exercises on Saturday, including writing an opening paragraph and trying out passages in different tenses and voices. All of which were extremely useful. A shame that it was the last of the workshops. Everyone wanted another one, so the organisers are going to look at providing us with one later, although it may be the summer before one can be arranged. I hope they manage to fit us in as it really was enjoyable and educational at the same time. Afterward I was shattered. Met my partner and had coffee and cake in a favourite cafe in town then did some shopping before finally I got home and collapsed into my favourite reclining chair from which I hardly moved all evening! Yesterday I didn't do much. Played a new game that I bought for only £4 on Saturday - Space Colony - quite fun but yet another diversion from my writing and art. Still I needed to relax and so did my partner - he's got a streaming cold and is currently on his way to Ireland with a group of work colleagues. Armed with Max Strength cold-fighting medicine, I'm sure he'll be fine but it won't be the most pleasant of outings for him. Luckily it's only for one night and he should be back home late tomorrow evening. As for me, I have another postcard to finish for the card swap. Plus I want to continue work on the ATC that I started on Friday. And I need to go online in Star Wars Galaxies so as to ensure my character doesn't lose her house (maintenance has to be paid on a regular basis) as well as to make some more goods to sell on the bazaar... just hope that I don't get drawn back into the Space Colony - it was proving very addictive yesterday afternoon... ;) Posted 9.50am GMT
Thursday 27th January George I went down this morning for breakfast only to discover that one of our honey gouramis, George, was dead. My partner (who is the official owner and keeper of the tropical fish tank and its occupants) had already left for work, so it was up to me to net the dead fish and dispose of it, wrapped in paper towels, in the bin. Always seems that the job falls to me... George was one of 2 male gouramis. His friend, Gilbert, is currently skulking behind the plants. Possibly grieving - who knows how much fish actually feel for their fellows. No doubt, though, Gilbert will miss George as they used to endlessly chase each other around the tank, and occasionally even appear to rub against each other in what we took to be an affectionate manner. We named them Gilbert and George because they were territorial - Gilbert claimed the left side of the tank, George the right (so L for left had to appear in Gilbert's name, R for right in George). Of course, in all other ways they were too alike for us to tell apart but as it's Gilbert in the left of the tank who's sulking, then it has to be George who has died! He had been acting oddly for three or four days after being spooked by something that sent him on a mad whizz around the tank - several whizzes in fact - before he calmed down. We never worked out what spooked him. Now we'll have to decide whether or not to replace him...  A
not very good pic that I took of Gilbert and George a few days after
xmas with my new camera whilst trying out the macro feature...
Posted 10.50am GMT
Wednesday 26th JanuaryMy first ATC's After
weeks of putting off the inevitable, I made my first ATC's (Artist
Trading Cards) this morning. 2.5"x3.5", these little works of art are
meant solely for trading or swapping between artists. They're not
perfect but they are a start and I admit I had a great deal of fun with
them. I can see that I'll soon become addicted - as everyone warned me
I would - one reason why I hadn't actually made any until this morning!
All are on white card...
Posted 2.25pm GMT
Wednesday 26th January
Month anniversary ...since the tsunami. There's an interesting page on the BBC that gives up to date information on the progress of the aid effort as well as stories and news from the various regions. Worth a look - one of the most intriguing tells of reports of ghost-sightings in Thailand. Posted 2pm GMT
Monday 24th January
Postcards After joining a handmade postcard swap on one of my writing groups (Writerspark)
I eventually got around to making my very first postcards at the
weekend. It was great fun and whilst they're not great works of art,
they've whetted my appetite for ATC's (Artist Trading Cards). I've got
card, inks, paints and various other materials lined up on the table
downstairs but haven't yet actually made any. Perhaps later today -
although I've been feeling extremely tired since Saturday - I suspect
it's mainly due to the events of the last 3 weeks, but think the cold
weather isn't helping either.
Talking of postcards, one of the people on the other writing group that I'm in (Purple_Ink) forwarded a URL to us for a site where people who are interested in swapping postcards, ATC's and/or wanting a snailmail pen friend sign up. So if you'd like to swap cards with someone, take a peek at Postcardx. You may also notice that my mood is blank - this is because Unky moved his server recently and has now exceeded his bandwidth. Hopefully normal service will be resumed soon... Posted 1.50pm GMT
Friday 21st January
Colours 2 Ok, I have made some more changes and have a fresh new title image - no doubt I will do some more alterations over the next week or two, so don't be surprised at any sudden new look!!! With rain and sleet outside and grey skies, with very cold temperatures forecast, I think that we need some warmth to cheer us all... :) Posted 3pm GMT
Friday 21st January
Colours As you can see, I've decided on a change of colour scheme - not sure if I'll keep this but wanted a warmer and brighter feel :) Need to change the title image too, but for now this will do... Posted 10.30am GMT
Friday 21st January
Drained I was completely drained by the time I returned to Sheffield after my dad's funeral. As these things go, it went well and I felt proud of my children and nephew and their partners. They were wonderful, and very supportive. A huge help. As was my partner, my sister and brother-in-law. Standing at the graveside was strangely surreal, and a new experience (I'd only attended cremations before) but fortunately the weather was kind, if cold, with blue skies, and the sun shone across the Dunstable Downs that partially surround the cemetery. Yesterday I rested and don't feel quite so tired this morning but still have very little energy - basically what I'd expected. So no surprises there. Now I'm hoping to gradually return to some sense of normality although life will never be the same as we have concerns as to how my mum will cope with being on her own. No doubt she'll eventually adjust but we all know that it's going to take time. Today, though, I confess that I'm going to concentrate on me and enjoy doing the things that I have done for years - cups of tea, books, art, surfing and playing on the pc, and gnerally just relaxing! Posted 9.40am GMT
Monday 17th January
Power of Nightmares There is another chance to see the documentary series "The Power of
Nightmares" which is being broadcast over three nights, Tuesday 18th to Thursday
20th January 2005 at 11.20pm on BBC Two.
If you didn't see the series first time around, then make sure you view it this time. For more details, see the BBC site. Posted 3pm GMT
Monday 17th January
Chesterfield Yesterday we went on what has become an annual fixture in our diary - a trip to the Chesterfield Model Railway exhibition. The journey only takes about 12 minutes by train from Sheffield (although it probably takes us 20 minutes to get to the station) but we rarely visit the town. A shame, as it's a pleasant town, has a great market and some nice pubs.
We
started our outing as normal with lunch in one of the pubs that has
become a favourite of ours before having a short wander around
Chesterfield taking photos, including some of the famous crooked spire.
Originally the spire was straight but soon twisted and has been a
landmark for decades, if not centuries.
Then onto the exhibition. I've always loved models - from dolls houses to miniature theatres, tiny gardens and farms to model railways - so I'm more than happy to accompany my partner. One of the best bits for me, however, is after we've checked out the various displays. My partner then browses the trade stalls looking for purchases whilst I retire to the "cafe" for tea and home-made cake.
It made a change - a bright interlude in what has so far been a dreary
new year. Tomorrow we travel down south for my dad's funeral on
Wednesday morning. The only good thing about that outing will be
meeting up with my children and their partners, my sister,
brother-in-law, nephew and partner plus numerous other relatives that I
only tend to see at weddings or funerals.
Posted 2.50pm GMT
Saturday 15th January
Titan pictures
Huygens landed on time yesterday and the first pictures of Titan are now on the European Space Agency
site. Seems incredible that we can see the surface so clearly with
blocks of ice (rather than rocks) strewn across it. At the moment the
pictures are only in black and white - can't wait to see the coloured
pictures of the orange atmosphere they keep telling us about.
Incredible that we have the technological ability to send sophisticated
equipment that far and get the cameras not just to work but to also
return photos over such distances.
Shame that we seem to lack the ability to prevent wars and make lives on earth safer. And seem incapable of working together to stop the process of global warming... Posted 8.45am GMT
Friday 14th January
Jeans and Huygens
Have
been into town to buy myself some black trousers for the funeral and
ended up with jeans. They won't please my mum - when I told her that I
planned to wear trousers for the funeral she grimaced and told me that
trousers were not appropriate. But as I'm going to have to stand in the
cold for half-hour then I need to be as warm as possible. The clinician
and nurse at the hospital agreed. So did my sister. I tried on several
pairs of trousers but in the end only the jeans felt comfortable. And
fitted. No doubt I'll cause a double faux pas by not just wearing
trousers but also jeans! Sure dad would understand though - he rarely
commented on what I wore and probably never cared.
Now I'm trying to follow the journey of Huygens as it speeds towards Titan. I find it very difficult to fully appreciate the huge technical achievement and the distances involved. At school I loathed science. But I'm fascinated by the planets and what Huygens may discover. In fact in the last few years I've come to appreciate science and how important it is. Although I still have no desire to study science per se I often watch science documentaries with my partner. And find them intriguing. Last I saw, Huygens has parted company from Cassini and sent a radio transmission to confirm that it's on its way to Titan. If you want to check on progress, take a look at the European Space Agency site. Posted 1pm GMT
Thursday 13th January
Bastardstones update I've just been reading the original blog of the guy that got sacked: see it here.
It appears that the Guardian article was wrong in stating that he was the first blogger in the UK to get sacked - he cites 2 more examples in his latest post. So it appears that blogging and free speech is under attack - I'm glad that, being retired through ill health, I don't have to worry about that side of blogging. I do, however, offer my support to any one who is having problems with work because of what they have said on private blogs. Free speech is fundamental to our way of life here in the UK. Whilst I would never condone those who misuse their freedom to denigrate or defame others (racist attacks being one example), I believe that we are all entitled to private lives away from work and that today's society is becoming too close to 'Big Brother' 1984-style for comfort. For those of you who do blog about work, there is an informative site on the BBC about what may or may not be acceptable: see the page here. Posted 12 noon, GMT
Thursday 13th January
Bastardstones My partner saw this
yesterday and has sworn never to buy books from them again. To see who
we mean, read the article about how one company in the UK has sacked a
blogger because he dared to (anonymously) criticise his boss. The first
firm in this country to do so (or so we believe - if you know
different, apologies).
Posted 11.30am GMT
Thursday 13th January
Returning to normal... Or
at least, trying to. I won't go into all that has happened since my
last post. Needless to say that it wasn't the best start to the year!
Not only has there been my dad's death, but also my cousin died last
Wednesday. Although I hadn't seen him for years I had kept in touch,
mostly via his sister and mine, and it was another shock that had to be
dealt with.
We've all had or still have colds, which hasn't helped. At the weekend my FM flared up, something I'd been expecting as it always does when I'm stressed or doing more than usual. Luckily I had an appointment for acupuncture at the hospital yesterday, and that has helped - not just the treatment but the kind and helpful words of the staff who are wonderful. My thanks go to them. I have, however, decided to resign from the Pain Users Patient group that had a meeting yesterday. For various reasons I feel that I can't cope with that just now and that it would be better for them if they can find someone else able to dedicate more time to the group than I can. Dad's funeral isn't until next Wednesday - because he died on the way to hospital the coroner had to be called in and that delayed the process of making arrangements. It's going to be a burial rather than a cremation, so another new experience for many of us in the family. I keep visualising groups of wet and cold mourners huddled around the grave as depicted in movies and tv dramas - so I'm hoping for a dry day. It seems strange to be doing normal things but life has to go on - and so does my blog! No apologies, therefore, for my attempts to return to normal service... and my thanks to all of you who have sent your sympathies and condolences - it was very much appreciated. Posted 11.15am GMT
To my dad My dad died about 6am this morning.
I was woken by a call from my brother-in-law at 6.40am and knew before I answered the phone what the news was. My sister and brother-in-law went straight over (a 2 hour drive for them), and I'll be going down tomorrow morning. He was rushed to hospital after having felt unwell since 5am and was probably dead on arrival, although it wasn't until reaching the hospital that my mother learned of his death. We don't think the funeral will be until next week as, being a sudden death, the coroner has had to be informed and with it being a bank holiday here tomorrow, it's unlikely that arrangements can be made for several days. The cause of death was recorded as a heart attack. He was 84. After the initial shock and grief-stricken reaction, I wrote for an hour in my offline journal. Writing has always helped me to work through my feelings so I suspect that there will be several more entries made in the next week or so. He was a lovely man and I'll miss him, even though his strong religious beliefs often got in the way between us. The last time I saw him was back in October for my mother's 80th birthday. It was a wonderful day and I hugged my dad before I left. So my last memories of being with him are happy ones and I'll no doubt treasure them for a long time to come...  To my dad, Leslie Ernest Doughty, 9th July 1920 - 2nd January 2005. With much love. Posted 11.10am GMT
Saturday January 1st 2005
HAPPY NEW YEAR FOLKS!
To all my family and friends, including all the new blogging friends that I've made this year, and to any guests:
have a great 2005, may your creative juices continue to flow and your year be a happy one. |
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