Vic's Blog

23/07/201127/04/2014

Home or Away ?

Every year the question crops up as to where to spend the summer holiday.

Whether to stay at home and enjoy the balmy summer evenings with a cool glass of something, or whether to join the traffic jams southwards and endure the daily battle for a vacant deckchair on some remote, overpopulated beach.

Well, perhaps those who have migrated south for the summer may just have got it right this year.

Having endured almost drought like conditions until the the summer holidays began we are now catching up on all that missing water and are getting a taste of the rainy season.

For those at work, like me, it’s not too bad. The office is at least warm and dry and there’s room to stretch my legs on the commuter train without assaulting the person opposite.

Sony-Ericsson W995 mobile phone. Developed with Gimp

18/07/201127/04/2014

Tropical thoughts

Not that it really bothered me, because I’m taking my summer holidays a bit later. But it would have been nice to have spent Sunday afternoon soaking up the sun, and perhaps feeling the refreshing effects of a cool beer flowing over my parched lips like a waterfall on some distant tropical island.

But alas,

it rained.

15/07/201127/04/2014

Cases galore

This evening was one of those ‘different’ Friday evenings. The gleeful sounds of “have a nice holiday” resounded throughout the office as various colleagues left the building in a particularly happy mood. The schools have broken up for the summer holidays today, and many will be squeezing their treasured belongings into cars, planes and trains and setting of for foreign parts.

Not me I’m afraid.

But I did enjoy an after work beer and, instead of my usual way home, decided to board the train at the main station, thus managing to inhale at least a little holiday atmosphere.

The photos were taken somewhat spontaneously with my mobile phone.

25/06/201129/04/2013

Holiday Spirit

The summer solstice has been and gone and I can now recline, and look forward to all those lazy days and balmy evenings once again.

Apart from a few minor details, the new kitchen is now finished, and the letter box is bulging with bills from all those who worked on it; thus, no holiday for us this year!

Not to worry though, one of my daughters brought me a couple of sticks of Scarborough rock back from a recent holiday there with her boyfriend – thanks again you two 🙂

Seaside Rock: one of those great British traditions which I assume to be yet another legacy of the Victorians (but don’t quote me on that). In my opinion, together with warm, sandy tomato sandwiches, rock epitomises the atmosphere and character of summer days at the seaside.

05/06/201129/04/2013

Pink Cadillac

Due to a 20^th birthday in the family (the last of four) we decided to rent a couple of Cadillacs from the early sixties. The screams of delight resounded throughout the village as it was clear the two large American cars parked across the road were indeed ours for the afternoon… and one of them was very pink!

Unfortunately the planned scenic drive through the countryside to the restaurant was cut short as the white Cadillac failed to start again after a photo stop. We therefore spent a couple of hours in what I believe the Americans call a ‘Parking Lot’ waiting for a replacement car to arrive.

Although we arrived at the restaurant almost two hours later than planned at least we were able to drive there in the pink car…. a very large, leisurely monster.

Panasonic DMC-LX2; f/8; 1/640; ISO 200; Developed with GIMP

Panasonic DMC-LX2; f/8; 1/500; ISO 200; Developed with GIMP

Panasonic DMC-LX2; f/2.8; 1/8; ISO 320; Developed with GIMP

02/06/201129/04/2013

Kitchen

Not being one to renew things just for fun, or because there’s a new model available, (there always is), I think it’s fair to say that our kitchen was well and truly past it’s best. Well past!

The fridge was old when we moved in, and the freezer compartment’s door has been held shut with a makeshift wooden wedge for the last 10 years.

Other electrical goods were approaching their ‘use by’ date too, fixtures and fittings were so tired you could almost hear them snoring and so, with much ado, we decided to have a new kitchen.

I never realised that there are so many variations on a theme. Decisions had to be taken on every conceivable thing. Not just the colour or the surface finish, oh no, even the cupboard handle design, colour, material etc. etc. had to be painstakingly agreed upon.

Electrical appliances in the kitchen are all basically the same, either they cool or they heat…. wrong of course: they cool in a very environmentally friendly fashion and are completely unable to heat without the help of displays and advanced programmes never even dreamt of when our old kitchen was nailed together.

With the help of a very large hammer and some helping hands (once again thanks to those concerned!) the old kitchen was removed on a Saturday.

Thanks to some very competent tilers, plumbers, electricians and painters and of course the kitchen men who installed everything a couple of days ago, the project is almost complete. I’m particularly looking forward to the first goodies to arrive on my plate 🙂

Towards the kitchen.. the way it was - Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed and enhanced with GIMP

In the kitchen.. an end in sight - Panasonic DMC-LX2; f/2,8; 1/30; ISO 100; Developed with GIMP

01/05/201129/04/2013

May 1st.

With the eyes of the world glued to the television for the last couple of days, and being quite overwhelmed by images of pomp and pageantry, I thought it quite unlikely that anyone would take the time to visit my humble blog.

But today, while our local media waits excitedly for the inevitable May 1^st skirmishes to begin (and last time I tuned in, they sounded quite disappointed that all was still quiet), we were busily celebrating Merlin’s birthday 🙂

As a special treat we decided to have a trip to a nearby alp.

Merlin enjoying a change of scenery - Panasonic DMC-LX2; f/5,6; 1/400; ISO 100; Developed with GIMP

24/04/201129/04/2013

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday, despite a few badly needed drops of rain this morning, yet another splendid day. A brisk walk to burn up the excess chocolate, a Barbecue and an hour on the computer before dozing off in front of the television. I think that sums the day up nicely.

17/04/201129/04/2013

Tripod

Much to the annoyance of the local farming community, the weather has once again been splendid. Pleasantly warm, very sunny and loads of typical Springtime scenes.

This morning saw family, dog and me strolling about the countryside, marvelling at the colours, sniffing eagerly at all things smelly and keeping an eye out for worthwhile pics (roughly in that order). I decided to publish six pictures today, not because they hold any particular merit, but simply because I felt like it. Once again I went out without my tripod which, upon reflection, was a mistake.

The baever dam once again. Panasonic DMC-LX2; f/8; 1/400; ISO 200; Developed with GIMP

Village Church. Panasonic DMC-LX2; f/7.1; 1/400; ISO 200; Developed with GIMP

Panasonic DMC-LX2; f/6.3; 1/400; ISO 200; Developed with GIMP

Panasonic DMC-LX2; f/5.6; 1/500; ISO 200; Developed with GIMP

Panasonic DMC-LX2; f/7.1; 1/400; ISO 200; Developed with GIMP

My favourite, from an original colour photo. Panasonic DMC-LX2; f/4; 1/125; ISO 200; Developed with GIMP

10/04/201129/04/2013

Didn’t think

It seems unthinkable that I should venture out this morning without a camera. Summer temperatures, blossom everywhere, yellow meadows, my eyes resting continually upon the perfect picture and the camera sat at home. Upon returning home I even considered getting my bike out and retracing my steps to capture all these indescribable scenes… but alas the smell of coffee got the better of me, and anyway, by the time I’d pumped up the tyres and oiled all the squeaky bits, night would surely have fallen.
To cut a long story short, next time I will perhaps think before setting out. Luckily I had my camera with me yesterday whilst strolling about the garden. I’ve no idea what the bush is called, but I thought it looked ‘seasonal’ somehow.