Ah Longbarn! What a great week- new friends, happy memories, and the smell of wood smoke on my clothes!
I've just arrived back to newcastle now and my head is full of Longbarn moments.
Cooking on a fire, laughing with really cool leaders, managing part of a concert, and throwing myself into some great games (sadly the leaders lost at handball- again).
So many great times- making lush pancakes on a fire near the woods, hilarious one liners from the campers and joking about random things till my cheeks ached!
True a shower will be nice, and eating in a quiet place instead of with 50 kids will be a good rest for my ears but it is sad to have left Longbarn again.
Maybe I'll keep a wood-smoked shirt around just to remind me of it all...
Adios.
Saturday, 30 July 2011
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Mother's day
I'm going to start this short post about mother's day by talking about fathers.
Strange I know.
But it struck me that our greatest ally on this day to celebrate our mothers are our fathers!
A quick ring- what would she like? A text- is now a good time to call her? An email from him, reminding me about today! Or even an elaborate plot hatched to make sure she will be in the house when a son comes to visit unexpectedly. (Not me this time mum I'm afraid.)
So on this great day for mums let's say a thank you for dads too!
When I was small mother's day involved making breakfast in bed, doing a homemade card, and saying whenever she tried to do some work- oh no let me do that, it's MOTHER'S DAY!
Now I'm away in newcastle many miles from home so even if I wanted to do house work for her it would be a struggle!
Thank you to mums for loving, caring, ploughing (into our lives, not fields), supporting, mentoring and guiding us.
And thank you to my mum for all that and more!
Adios.
Strange I know.
But it struck me that our greatest ally on this day to celebrate our mothers are our fathers!
A quick ring- what would she like? A text- is now a good time to call her? An email from him, reminding me about today! Or even an elaborate plot hatched to make sure she will be in the house when a son comes to visit unexpectedly. (Not me this time mum I'm afraid.)
So on this great day for mums let's say a thank you for dads too!
When I was small mother's day involved making breakfast in bed, doing a homemade card, and saying whenever she tried to do some work- oh no let me do that, it's MOTHER'S DAY!
Now I'm away in newcastle many miles from home so even if I wanted to do house work for her it would be a struggle!
Thank you to mums for loving, caring, ploughing (into our lives, not fields), supporting, mentoring and guiding us.
And thank you to my mum for all that and more!
Adios.
Monday, 28 March 2011
Missing a spring? It must be Spring, sprung
As I sit here tired, slightly bloodied and with sand in my feet (from hockey) my thoughts turn to Spring.
Have you noticed the tiny buds on the ends of the branches on the trees? Little teardrops of potential which will burst into colourful brilliance in just a few days.
One tree I saw today had already bloomed. Pink flowers flowed over into the road, a sure sign that Spring is here.
The other thing that shows we're into the second season of the year is the lighter evenings. This was particularly noticeable tonight as we started hockey in the daylight. Lovely.
On another weather related note, have you ever looked straight up into the sky when its raining?
If the rain droplets are coming straight down it looks beautiful. In particular if you look up under a streetlight the light creates a beautiful effect. Something worth doing next time you think of it.
Health warning- your face does end up getting pretty wet however!
Well, I'm not far from home now on the metro but just have time to tell you that this is my 60th post- my diamond post!
So, until next time, the slightly less momentous 61st post, adios.
Have you noticed the tiny buds on the ends of the branches on the trees? Little teardrops of potential which will burst into colourful brilliance in just a few days.
One tree I saw today had already bloomed. Pink flowers flowed over into the road, a sure sign that Spring is here.
The other thing that shows we're into the second season of the year is the lighter evenings. This was particularly noticeable tonight as we started hockey in the daylight. Lovely.
On another weather related note, have you ever looked straight up into the sky when its raining?
If the rain droplets are coming straight down it looks beautiful. In particular if you look up under a streetlight the light creates a beautiful effect. Something worth doing next time you think of it.
Health warning- your face does end up getting pretty wet however!
Well, I'm not far from home now on the metro but just have time to tell you that this is my 60th post- my diamond post!
So, until next time, the slightly less momentous 61st post, adios.
Monday, 14 March 2011
Malta: truly Mediterranean. Pretty good for defecting Libyan fighter pilots too.
The title refers to an advert I saw on the train...
Ahh the south. Warm, sunny, comfortable. Or maybe that's just what being at home is like.
I have been there for only a short time this weekend after a family party in London, but it was lovely.
Yes it is a Monday, and i'm writing this 'live', so I am indeed on holiday. Which is as pleasant and relaxing as it sounds.
I've been thinking recently about all the goings-on in north africa and the middle east. Here I am, in comfort, writing on my blog and posting things on facebook, but some people in libya or iran or egypt are posting messages covertly about their situation, probably risking their lives in the process.
I've heard it said that the time we should really be concerned is if a revolution starts in saudi arabia. We "have to worry" because it would send oil prices through the roof and we'd pay loads more for petrol.
I'm sorry?
If such a revolution took place people, who are most likely heavily repressed, would be taking an extremely brave stand and saying they have had enough. They may be facing beatings, imprisonment, even death. But the concern here is about how much it costs to fill up our cars?!
Surely we've got something wrong there.
Adios.
Ahh the south. Warm, sunny, comfortable. Or maybe that's just what being at home is like.
I have been there for only a short time this weekend after a family party in London, but it was lovely.
Yes it is a Monday, and i'm writing this 'live', so I am indeed on holiday. Which is as pleasant and relaxing as it sounds.
I've been thinking recently about all the goings-on in north africa and the middle east. Here I am, in comfort, writing on my blog and posting things on facebook, but some people in libya or iran or egypt are posting messages covertly about their situation, probably risking their lives in the process.
I've heard it said that the time we should really be concerned is if a revolution starts in saudi arabia. We "have to worry" because it would send oil prices through the roof and we'd pay loads more for petrol.
I'm sorry?
If such a revolution took place people, who are most likely heavily repressed, would be taking an extremely brave stand and saying they have had enough. They may be facing beatings, imprisonment, even death. But the concern here is about how much it costs to fill up our cars?!
Surely we've got something wrong there.
Adios.
Monday, 14 February 2011
It's Monday, so it's hockey.
4-3 to us. I'm clocking up the wins! That's two (or three, the press association doesn't keep a record of Monday night newcastle matches) wins on the spin.
England will soon be calling. :-)
England will soon be calling. :-)
Monday, 7 February 2011
My Monday night adventure
It's a bitter night here temperature wise. I'm waiting to go to hockey.
Birmingham was so good. (See previous post) It was great to see Jono in his 'natural habitat' - at least his natural habitat for half the year.
On the metro train now. Yesterday I was on a metro that would more accurately be described as a sauna on wheels. The heat was intense!
I'm going to be late for hockey which may mean I miss the 'run round the pitch jumping up and down' section.
This is followed by the 'dynamic stretching' section and then drills and then THE GAME. :-)
THE GAME is generally my favourite bit. If you've ever played a game - of any type- with me you'll know I'm very competitive.
And so in THE GAME I put all of my effort in to haring up and down the pitch doing my best to tackle/pass/shoot/block.
----
It's now two hours later.
THE GAME's result? 3-2 to us. :-) With me on the score sheet!
I did miss the run around and stretches but did plenty of drills followed by THE you-know-what. Started off in defence and made a couple of goal line blocks.
Later I switched and went into midfield, collected a cracking pass and whipped the ball into the goal!! :-)
Very pleased.
Off home now to iron some shirts...
Adios
Birmingham was so good. (See previous post) It was great to see Jono in his 'natural habitat' - at least his natural habitat for half the year.
On the metro train now. Yesterday I was on a metro that would more accurately be described as a sauna on wheels. The heat was intense!
I'm going to be late for hockey which may mean I miss the 'run round the pitch jumping up and down' section.
This is followed by the 'dynamic stretching' section and then drills and then THE GAME. :-)
THE GAME is generally my favourite bit. If you've ever played a game - of any type- with me you'll know I'm very competitive.
And so in THE GAME I put all of my effort in to haring up and down the pitch doing my best to tackle/pass/shoot/block.
----
It's now two hours later.
THE GAME's result? 3-2 to us. :-) With me on the score sheet!
I did miss the run around and stretches but did plenty of drills followed by THE you-know-what. Started off in defence and made a couple of goal line blocks.
Later I switched and went into midfield, collected a cracking pass and whipped the ball into the goal!! :-)
Very pleased.
Off home now to iron some shirts...
Adios
Sunday, 6 February 2011
Brum brum brum
Don't get the title of my post? Ah, it's all to do with where I have been for the weekend... England's second city, home to Aston Villa, a large university and, currently at least, home to my brother!
Yes he's there at uni and has hosted me in his great flat for the last 48 hours or so.
It was nice being back in the uni life- relaxing, friends everywhere who can pop in at a moment's notice, or even no notice at all, and brain-bending conversations possible at any point.
And then I remembered the other side of university life- that small matter of the course- when we walked along the corridor of my brother's law department.
Jono (for that is my brother's name) was showing me around his department and the law library.
Just outside is the largest free standing clock tower in Europe! What about big ben I hear you cry?! Ah but big ben is attatched the houses of parliament. The tower in Birmingham stands all on its own - built to remember... oh I'm not going to tell you everything about it, you'll just have to go!
Well it is now late and I am back in the cold north (ha i used to think Brum was pretty north!) and i want to eat something and head to bed.
So thanks Jono for a lush stay in Birmingham- see you there again soon... :-)
Adios
Yes he's there at uni and has hosted me in his great flat for the last 48 hours or so.
It was nice being back in the uni life- relaxing, friends everywhere who can pop in at a moment's notice, or even no notice at all, and brain-bending conversations possible at any point.
And then I remembered the other side of university life- that small matter of the course- when we walked along the corridor of my brother's law department.
Jono (for that is my brother's name) was showing me around his department and the law library.
Just outside is the largest free standing clock tower in Europe! What about big ben I hear you cry?! Ah but big ben is attatched the houses of parliament. The tower in Birmingham stands all on its own - built to remember... oh I'm not going to tell you everything about it, you'll just have to go!
Well it is now late and I am back in the cold north (ha i used to think Brum was pretty north!) and i want to eat something and head to bed.
So thanks Jono for a lush stay in Birmingham- see you there again soon... :-)
Adios
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