Spring... another word for winter

It's nowhere in sight... seriously... it really is nowhere in sight.

So, what do you do on a cold snowy day? You shovel the driveway. At least living in the UK, my efforts will not be in vain as you can be sure as sh!t that there won't be any snow ploughs coming by anytime soon to make a mockery of the hard time and effort you took to clean your driveway. Bittersweet really... Anyway, after shoveling the driveway, you take pictures of your optimistic husband waiting for summer in the backyard...

After that, you make bread...

 

I'll let you know how that turns out...

Week whatever... I'm on a roll!

So.. the idea behind Picture Maker is... anyone can take a picture, but I'm trying to MAKE a picture... I'm trying to be artsy fartsy.. lets see how far it takes me.

I'm proud of my kids... my son, he's a bugger. But damn, he's interesting, and a bit mystical. You never know what he's going to come out with next! Not your typical lad... more of a handsome prince. He's cool. He'll go far.

This photo is bitter-sweet... I love it, but it breaks my heart. My handsome prince gets his heart broken everytime Maggie has to go back home. It's my fault, but I can't change time. It is what it is, and we work with what we've got. It won't be long now til she's back home. And I crave for that day. She's one amazing cookie, my Maggie. She impresses me everyday. Not long now...

Tell me itinit true!

Work.

We've moved.

I have a new desk.

I'm being forced to be clean... tidy... clean desk policy. Oh crap. Not good. It's not in my DNA. Ask my mother. She'll tell you about the million pieces of paper bits she would hoover off my floor on a regular basis. However, I'm ready to embrace the change. I don't do change well, I like to live in the past. Most women do. It helps when we're arguing with our spouses/significant other's... 'You bastard! I remember when you... bla bla bla'... I think living in the past gives most women the upper hand. When we're losing an argument, bring up the past. It's normally a winner. But I digress... where was I? Yea.. change... new me, future, new chapter, new beginnings, new clean shiney desk. I'll give it a go. But if I have to be clean and tidy at work, something's going to give. Pehaps I'll stop cleaning my car. Shit.. wait, I did that years ago. Damn. I'll figure something out.

Anyway, new desk, new pictures. Felt a bit guilty this morning as I brought my picture of Ben in and displayed on my desk, but alas, I had printer issues this morning and couldn't get the image I wanted of Maggie. Stupid printer. Wasn't working right. So I kicked it. My mother taught me well. It worked. I also brought up the past. It weakened it's defences, and submitted. I rule.

Revisiting one of my favorite pictures from last year's visit.... and now to be proudly sitting in a place of honour on my desk.... admist the clutter (I won't last, I give it 6 weeks).

Whoa! Ever heard of consistancy?

Obviously, it's not a word that would appear to be part of my vocabulary. I fear my 52 week challenge has become something of a 'Something! Anything! Once in a while! For the love of God!'...

Live has been busy. Not an excuse however, but I'll use it because it works.

Week 12 of 52 (if spared earth shattering disasters and another Mayan Calander).

I give you..... wait for it....

Le Froot!

Ok, ok... not very inspirational, however given that it's now the 18th of March and we had snow yesterday, perhaps it gives a bit of hope that yes, Virginia, there is a Spring... a time when we eat Vodka Melons, Grapes and wine, and BBQ'ed pinapple (served with a can of lager or even better, a nice KD & Coke....

 

Ooooo ya beeeeaaaaauuuuuty!

So things are also getting pretty busy for me with portraits and parties. My first photobooth party on Saturday was a roaring success, and on the backend of it got some interest. Not sure if it will turn into anything, but hey, at least it's a start. So I'll leave this entry with one of my favorites of the great kids that took part.

Goulash Anyone?

Week 3 - Goulash.

The Goulash bug has hit me... First it was pork, this weekend was beef. Jury's still out on what works best. But so cool to make! I love adding the sour cream at the end and the fresh parsley. It transforms it from just a stew type meal to something with that extra 'je ne sais quois'... (Did I spell that right?). I won't mention though that what may look delish to one, may also look like what the dog brought up to another.

My mission this week is to perfect the homemade Rosti to go under it, rather than the store bought ones...

I give you... Goulash! And my week 3 photo(s)...

Katherine made me do it!

Ug. I'm total crap at this. I have nothing interesting to say, but I think I can take a decent picture.  Soooooo... lets try a 52 week challenge... a late start, better than never I suppose.

So thanks to Katherine and her Weed Patch, I may just finally get my ass in gear this year.

Week 1.

Happy New Year.

I'm not sure how appropriate it is to have Santa being held up at gunpoint by a hoodlem, or having someone stabbed in the head with a pick axe. But I think the Mayan definitely deserves a place of honor as they really messed up that whole 'end of the world' thing.

Week 2.

Back to school.

One of the best things about the Christmas holidays this year was not having to fight with my 7 year old over homework. Bliss. But now school's back in.

There goes my liver detox. Where's the wine?

I promised...

... that I wouldn't reveal the source of my inspiration for this one. But there's a few people that know. Ah, the travels that this one has gone on, the stories it could tell.

Impromptu Shoot

Went round to Katacake's Kreations last night to photograph a couple of her cakes, ended up, to my pleasure, finally being able to take some pictures of her darling daughter Emma with their new puppy Max! I'm determined to break this ice with this little girl! Looks like I've made a start...

You raise me up!

Literally!

Oops. Life got in the way.

Life has gotten busy all of a sudden, and it's great! It started here:

She's here, she looks great, and I just can't get enough of her.

I'm not sure when she grew up, but she's turning into a beautiful young woman.

And she sure loves her little brother...



See you tomorrow!

Here we are, on the eve of Maggie's arrival. We've just had our 'See You Tomorrow' conversation. I love that. Seven weeks from today and I'll be sobbing my eyes out as it will be all over. But I'm not going to think about that until it happens. I've got her back for the summer and we're going to rock it!

I miss her so much...

One for every week she's here!

Mr. Weatherbee, he's no prince, he's no pal.

Been a beautiful day today despite having a soggy back garden. It was nice enough for the bees though, and the sunshine has brought out the nectar sucking buzzers in full force. After about 40 shots, this was the one that I liked best. Go figure, it was also the last one and only one that I kept.

Supposed to get a month's worth of rain over the next two days. I predict this will be the last one of these shots I get for awhile.

Great weather for snails.

It's Thursday morning. I'm about to leave for work. I've come downstairs and glanced out the kitchen window. Lo and behold, what do I see? A snail sliming across my deck. Typical. I bet he's not complaining about the weather. Glad to see someone's enjoying the summer.

I hate you.

It's the Fourth of July

Today is a good day. It being the Fourth of July is really only secondary to what today is all about. Today is the day where we're no longer in weeks, and the countdown can only be done in days, hours, minutes and seconds. Just thinking about my trip next week to Manchester Airport, waiting at the gate for her to arrive, sends butterflies in my stomach. There really is no other feeling. I don't know how I did what I did 10 years ago. But that's in the past, and I can't change that. But I can appreciate what I have now. And it's great. I hope I haven't let her down, I've tried to be there in other ways, less unconventional I suppose you could say. Sometimes I'm surprised at how we've made it through and how strong we are. Everyday I'm surprised at how she never gave up on me. Maggie's 15 years old now, going on 25, has been for the last few years. I've tried to protect her from what I did, tried to make it sound not as bad as it was. But it was bad. I've had to accept that I made some bad choices, and I've had to live with those and make the most of them. Regrets? We all have them. Would I go back and change things? I might do things differently, but I don't know how much I could have actually changed things. It was a bad place for me, 10 years ago. Today is a much brighter one. I have two wonderful kids and two great stepsons. I have a husband who, I'm sure, in his own quirky way, loves me, as much as I love him. I have a cute dog. I have a fantastic job doing what I've always wanted to do. I have a hobby. And I have my life. So, if I could go back and change things, would I still have all this now? Probably not. But I'll still always be full of regret over the pain I put her through. But she's a tough nut. She pulled herself up by the bootstraps and carried on. Her and I, we're the same breed. We're always ok. As long as we've got each other.

See you on Tuesday, Magpie.

Let them eat strawberries

It's official. Summer 2012 is going to officially suck weather wise. If even there is the remote chance of there being any truth to what I read this morning, we're basically in for rain everyday for the next 60 days. Noah never had it so good. My blueberries, pretty much non existent. My grass is rotting. My flowers, covered in morning glory, which by the way seems to thrive in wet, damp, soggy, non-existent sun weather. But we still have the strawberry. Edible summer. Long live the strawberry.

Happy Canada Day .... whoop whoop

Every year down in London they have a Canada Day celebration for us Canadians. It usually involves back home food and beverages and some great music. So take my favorite place Covent Gardens and add in a good helping of fellow Canadians playing hockey and celebrating our country, and you've got yourself one great big kitchen party. Again, as much as I wanted to be there, I was not. One of these years... perhaps I should make myself a promise and say that next year will be the year. Beats the hell out of what I did this year, same as last year... nothing. But that's own fault. I accept that.

It's not been a great weekend, but nevertheless, in the true spirit of my nationality, Happy Canada Day. I miss you, Hot Vanilla Capachino and a plain blueberry bagel.

Oh... and I found a hair in my buns... Thank you Morrisons bakers. Just what I needed. Happy Canada Day encore.

Two-fer won!

Thanks to the almighty Virgin Media, I was without internet last night... from about 4pm onwards. Sadly, I live in a realm of where my life completely revolves around it. And if I can't get onto Facebook to 'update', then I turn into something evil, more so than my usual self. I can't be doing with paying (or rather Chris paying) for a service and then not receiving it. I think I'm probably over touchy about it, but I suppose it's a symptom of this day and I've bought into the system of getting everything I need online, including most if not all of last year's Christmas shopping list. Well, despite last night's trama, it's back on and I'm online yet once again.

Unfortunately, the little disturbance to my new routine resulted in no pictorial display. So, for the record, in the great words of Huey Lewis and the News.... This is it... It doesn't represent anything of the day other than the fact I learned a really quick and easy way to do storyboards in Photoshop... something I plan to use quite a bit I think...

Today we've had the mother of all storms. Being in the Portakabin at work, we were ready to rename it Noah's Ark. I'm surprised we didn't drive away. I've never seen rain like that in a long time. The last time was when I was living in Ontario, where it seemed to be the norm to have a flash rain storm, especially in the heat and humitidy of the summer. You'd almost pray for them when you were in the midst of a 30 degrees celcius, feels like 40 summer spell. Seasons are changing, they're becoming one. The end is neigh...

Wouldn't take much for the fish to 'walk' out of that!

Let them eat cake.

Cake...

Cake is a form of break or bread-like food. In its modern forms, it is typically a sweet baked dessert. In its oldest forms, cakes were normally fried breads or cheesecakes, and normally had a disk shape. Determining whether a given food should be classified as bread, cake, or pastry can be difficult. (as taken from Wikipedia).

I love cake. I love it even more when it's on someone else's plate. That way, any bites I steal don't have any sin attached to them. My favorite cakes have to be one of the following two taken from my childhood: Gingerbread Cake, warmed and covered with whipped cream. Wow. Or the Coconut Cake my mother used to make with the coconut frosting that always made the cake sag in the middle. I've never made these as an adult. Probably because I don't want to spoil my memory.

Kathryn makes really good cakes. Her kids will grow up remembering her cakes with fond memories. She's given them a great gift, and probably doesn't even know it.

Can't tell the time

All blog times prior to this are wrong.... I must have been thinking I lived somewhere in the Pacific. Doh. I'm back on London time now.

Flight of the Bumblebee

What's the first thing that goes through a bumblebee's mind when it hits your windshield? It's ass.

Ah, the humble bumble bee... I like these guys. I don't like the big fat ones, I like these guys. Far less intimidating and out to get a job done. They don't care if they get their furry little bodies dirty. Get that pollen and get out! Cool dudes. Thumbs up.

On the up side, this one took a couple of clicks to get. And they all went downhill after that. I do however quite like this one. It's lost a bit in the focus, but tres cool backend view. Nice bum.