O, lord won't you buy me a camera that's suitable for WINTER

O no, I've been doing facebook blogging again! It's scary...I just go on facebook and automatically want to start blogging. One of the reasons I slowed down blogging is the photo-upload went difficult. But it was just explorer on windows vista, and I use firefox now. Only thing is it doesn't edit right in firefox- the words don't match up with the pictures. O well.
Anyway, on the subject of computers, while we're on the subject (ha!) I have just acquired some opensource stuff, well, really the info and the disk to make it easier to install Ubuntu, which I'm going to use on Fergus's computer instead of Windows. I have already got Firefox, Open office and Gimp on my laptop (equivalent of internet explorer, ms office including Word for windows, which I have been missing, and Photoshop, which I have also been missing, as the laptop didnt come with anything so useful as that- why didn't I buy a Mac???.) I went to an event in Manchester yesterday, which was supposed to be about a new arts project that my friend Clare is involved in, called ArcSpace. It was a bit shambolic, to say the least, but there was a free lunch and talks and workshops on all sorts of enabling computer-related stuff, so I went away with something.
I have been taking loads of photos, as usual, and putting them on facebook, probably to draw attention to myself ;-) ha! no it's because I do get friendly comments and stuff and it makes it more fun to share them. Haven't been using my pro-Flickr account for some reason. Anyway, I think I have pushed my little snapshot 6mpx limited zoom Sony to it's absolute limit I think and it's about time the universe provided me with something more appropriate. So there you go, I've said it now. I've been talking to lots of friends about their cameras, ranging from pro photographers with massive SLR's to people with cameras slightly better than mine. I wish I could try one out as it's really impossible to tell, really.

Anyway, I took these on a bike ride today along the frozen canal. It was pretty cold, but I got some fresh air and excercise. I went to Dawn's and then, with her, a bit further that Tom's boat, where we stopped for coffee. Only thing was: It was nearly dark by the time I got back to Dawn's, but I stopped for a cuppa and a go on her mandolin anyway. Then we tried to fix a light on my bike in the darkness!!! That was a bit comical. Then it only went and fell off halfway there. I found the pieces of light and reassembled them, using the light from my mobile phone. But I couldn't find all of the attatchment pieces. O well. It was pretty scary cycling home between the river and canal in the dark, so I took a shortcut after the Stub. It was really cold after dark, too.

Got back and the kids were already here. I spent a bit of time doing all the forms homework for school, etc. Still need to order the school photo's. Also the uniforms are still on the creel. I hope they're dry. How come I always leave it till Sunday to do them? Seems like it's Joy's turn to have the cold then...I am getting another, after about a week of being better. I don't think there's been a single day in 3 months when we have all been well. O well, maybe we'll get used to the physical strain of school routines. Only 3 weeks till christmas holidays anyway...

Ice cream Sunday

Well I think I managed to do a half-decent job on the boys' hair today, in readiness for the school photographs, having missed the barbers yesterday morning because I was just too tired to go out. It was just getting a bit out of hand: I must have cut about 8" off Fergus's at the back! and it's still not short, is it? He was complaining about it when he went swimming. Freddie had already had a fringe-job my step-mum, but he wanted to join in the fun, so I lopped off the remaining baby curls (don't weep) from the back and now hopefully it wont get so horribly tangled.

So here they are, enjoying a fabulous home-made strawberry ice-cream round at Meg and Si's, where we had tea, and watched Monsters Inc and Happy Feet! Well its our 2-weekly treat and we don't have a TV here, as you know. Meg's turning into a proper domestic goddess (with a full-time job of course!). Wonder where she gets that from, then ;-)

So, anyway, hello again, I'm back after two weeks. Feels like longer, actually, maybe loads has hapenned? Things have been a bit tough for me personally for the last couple of months, but maybe the bad cold has blown away the cobwebs. And now I'm getting some energy back- it really knocked me sideways that virus- I'm finally getting round to getting my life together, starting with the house.

Yeah- it's finally looking like something, the attic- I have had a few short bursts at it and now have a man helping me, which is making it so much quicker, and possible! Will show you soon, I promise.

I've been going out quite a bit, and sociallising...making up for all that time I spent up there on the hill with the kids, I suppose. And school actually brings me quite a lot of social time as well - coffees in the morning, etc. Also been spending far too much time on the internet, including the dreaded facebook! I finally reallised I had to come back to my blog when I was just overdoing it on facebook and almost treating it like a blog. Don't think you can see if your not a "friend" but there are photo's (thats just some). Must get back into putting stuff on Flickr again.

Anyway, OMG its gone midnight so I must go to bed already. See you soon. Thanks for the chat ;-)

Here's something to listen to... enjoy:-

testcard transmission: normal sevice will be resumed shortly

Last time I went to Boots they were doing three for two in the vitamin suppliment range so I bought three tubes of high dose vitamin C. Still more expensive than LIDL, but hey, it was nearer. Yes, I can pop into Boots any time: its about five minute's walk from my house. Hebden didn't used to do chainstores, but now we have the newsagents on the corner, oh I forget what they're called, and of course Ladbrookes, that landmark of respectable gambling, right slap bang in the town centre. And there are two Boots! I don't really rate it compared to the old chemist, but then, we have no choice now: Boots or Boots.
Anyway, the vitamin C: its a good job I bought all that because i'm on about 4g a day, due the the virus which has been reprogramming my thought processes and making me incredibly tired and lethargic. I just want to stay in bed. Freddie wanted to stay at home today and I knew the feeling, bless him, but I've been there before, wth me in bed trying to sleep and him sitting outside my bedroom door talking and shuffling and not playing quietly for five minutes, because I am ill in bed. I just told him he would be better off with those nice ladies looking after him: at least they talk! I think I know why I've been ill so long: it's because I haven't had any time off for years and years and now I have my body's gone into meltdown. I think what I need is rest and to do things that feed me.
What I have been doing is sitting in bed with my laptop, doing hours of mindless social networking. Ok, some of it's not mindless, it can be, in fact, meaningful communication. And I have needed some social contact otherwise I think I would have gone bonkers. Ok it's only a week, but it seems like longer. I was ill a few weeks ago, and seemed to be nearly over it, then blam!
Ok, I think i've moaned enough now. I don't think I've really got the brain to write anything intersting today. I'll let you know if I do.

barging down and up

Yesterday I took the boys on a short trip along the canal with Dawn & Ro. There were issues with the engine when we first arrived, with a bag of lunch goodies from Oasis. But boat-fixer man was on hand, and we finally got going with not really enough daylight left to go there and back again.


I started off filling the first lock while Dawn set out with the boat. The boys were keen to help at this point. I ended up doing most of the locks, and there are many...

There was a short bit of cruising whilst the autumn views were to be enjoyed.


We fed the ducks and geese.

Meanwhile it had become necessary to make some green jelly on board, which didn't quite survive some of the dodgem-boating, and never quite set as I think someone had eaten some of the jelly cubes...not my boys, of course- they won't eat anything that they know is not totally veggie! (not my doing!).
And of course, since we had only got there, and not back, by dark, I had to leg it back along the towpath to fetch my car. But all was well and good and we all had a jolly time. It was the first bit of fresh air and excercsie I had had for days, having been in bed most of the week with this damn virus, that I still haven't shaken off and is making me quite tired and weak. Still aching from doing the locks- how feeble is that? I can't wait to be better so I can get on with it.

halloween

Ok- I've finally got round to blogging this...I've been busy, ok? actually it was such a wild weekend that it took me a week in bed to recover!!! I succombed to the nasty lurgy again, only worse this time, due to excesssively late nights...but it was worth it! You just gotta do it sometimes, and it was halloween, after all...

Friday we carved pumpkins and the boys dressed up as monsters for the kids halloween party.

Fergus had a great time playing pool with the other litle skeletons and monsters.

It was actually at the same place as the grown-up's party later on, so it was all decked out really super! I was ready for bed by seven, but somehow managed to muster the energy to go home and transform myself...



Ahem...this was later on: bride of Frankenstein goes to the dance...


This is one I took earlier of the dress. I danced till nearly dawn, but got home safely just before the first rays of sunlight....

a birthday

So last week we had Joy's Birthday...


Here's Joy being 11 and making pancakes for breakfast. (it was half term)

Here's an ipod shuffle... yes, thankyou, daddy, that's what I was going to get, never mind, there's always some new jodphurs...


Meg and Si came round for spontaneous birthday tea of pumpkin korma and chocolate cake.

Freddie provides some entertainment on the ukelele.






Here's something he made earlier...





...O dear uploading and downloading at the same time...can it work? dont see why not...still waiting...been doing far too much of this tinternet malarky this week...ill in bed with cold...come on pictures...