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...