Monday, November 30th, 2009
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6:39 pm - So Fuchsia as you try to sleep you dream of friends you've never known
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Two pretty fuchsia pictures to brighten a cold day:
Blowing around in the wind, finally I got it to sit still enough for a photo. Click to enlarge and see the raindrops (variety La Campanella):
This flower is actually just 3mm across and 10mm long, it's my favourite fuchsia (variety Hemsleyana):
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Thursday, November 26th, 2009
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3:24 pm - Give her effervescence, she needs a little sparkle
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I've decided to do the "100 things in 100 days" meme. Technically 100 days takes me up to 5 March, but I'm expecting to lapse for birthdays / Xmas / illness here and there, so I'll be happy if I get these all done by the end of March.
Some are things I would do anyway (but need some oomph to actually get on with them) and others are extras which I think might be fun.
So here's the list: ( clicky )
Today I have selected "Send a surprise gift to a friend". I bought myself a little something lately and at the same time it reminded me of someone. So I bought two.
One of my LJ friends has a little something in the post. Is it you? What will it be?
I like sending gifts. It's a lot more fun than the stress of receiving them.
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Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
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10:21 pm - Grubby little runners bring her news of me second hand
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Anyone know anything about Honduras, or ever visited?
My Sri Lankan sponsor child has reached age 18, so I have been given a new one - a very cute 8 year old girl in Honduras.
I manage to communicate with my sponsored boy in Mali with basic French remembered from school, but I know nothing about Honduras (beyond what Wikipedia tells me) and I don't know any Spanish at all. Of course Plan UK will translate, but it's nice to at least be able to picture the person you're writing to.
I'd love to learn more, its an area of the world that I barely knew existed, until now. If you can key me in, please do.
If you don't yet sponsor a child, but could afford £12 per month, do give it a go. It's lovely to get their letters and photos through the post, a snapshot of another world.
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Saturday, November 21st, 2009
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6:22 pm - I'll cry if I want to...
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Long shot, but...
It's my birthday on Friday December 4.
I would really like to go to St Pancras Champagne bar (either afternoon, or after work, or both).
It's a lovely bar, heated seats in the centre of the newly renovated station, next to Eurostar trains.
The downside is that champagne costs from £8 glass or £46 bottle (tho of course they do soft drinks too).
So, if anyone's up for it, let me know (comments are screened) and if I get enough interest I will organise something.
If I'm in town for this, I'll probably go on to Pizza Express for dinner (to which you are welcome, and for which I can produce lots of money-off vouchers and BOGOFs to make it more affordable) but I won't go for a meal if I'm not in town for fizz first!
Hopefully someone will be up for joining me?
If not, well, I'm going to have lunch at Le Gavroche and then see Gary Numan at the O2 on the 3rd. Would just be nice to do something fun on the day itself, especially as ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) techiebloke is off work that day with me.
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Saturday, November 7th, 2009
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12:40 pm - The paper holds their folded faces to the floor
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Monday, November 2nd, 2009
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4:14 pm - Dw i am droi y gofod rhyngom*
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I am thinking particularly of cmcmck when I say this: my photos of Welsh bridges are now online... although I still have sets of photos which have been waiting months to go up, but for some reason people want to see bridges. They are mostly just snaps depending on where I could stop, but I like them.
A study of Welsh bridges.
* Yes, I know Cerys Matthews should have said "bont" and not "droi", but I'm going by her translation and sticking to what she wrote.
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Saturday, October 31st, 2009
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5:17 pm - ...the best little dog that ever was born.
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For dog owners / lovers - a really good site I have found about dog behaviour and instincts, and how to be a good "alpha" owner: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/articles/linksbehavior.htm
I have emailed the website owner and had an interesting discussion about Cray - it seems I'm doing it right, and it's interesting and rewarding to see that my instincts were good. Seems I can "speak dog" quite well.
Just tested Cray by taking his dinner away after one mouthful, he was great and just looked at me waiting until I put his bowl back down. Perfect.
The website articles have some repetition if you read them all, but they are very useful and interesting. One thing they almost insist upon is the "pack walk" where you lead and the dog MUST follow. As a result I have started to get Cray to "walk with me" (my word for heel) on the way to the common as well as the way back. It's a bit tricky for us because he is always on a lead, and I don't want to always be leading him or he won't get to enjoy the walk, so he gets a good sniff around the common, although I tell him which paths we are going to take that day.
Another thing I've found amusing, now I consider it, is pack order. I've always seen it as me first, Mike second, and Cray third (in relation to the dog, at least; obviously in marriage Mike is my equal and my love!) Cray used to sneak onto the sofa when we were out, but as soon as I entered and sat down he would get off. It seemed he couldn't bear the strain of being in my seat - even though we'd never told him not to. Very sweet in a way! Now, we have a blanket in the middle seat and we invite him to join us on the sofa after dinner. All is well.
Cray is pretty deferent to me and respectful of me, although his excitement can get the better of him (a "lie down" before a treat can mean he hits the floor for just a split second and then gets up expectantly). However, he pays no attention to my cleaner whatsoever. She hugs him and fusses him but doesn't command him at all, and then this week he wouldn't leave the bedroom when she'd finished cleaning and ordered him out - I had to go and order him out myself. If she behaved differently then he might respect her, but hey, she adores him and he sees her behaviour as submissive. Tee hee. Not a problem as long as he never challenges her. She even asked me for a printout of this photo this week, for her wall at home.
Anyway, you might find the site interesting. I'm going to add it to the www.gorge.org/greyhound links page at the next update.
I also plan to video Cray doing different tasks / commands, since I happen to have hold of a friend's video camera at the moment. I know people love to see that kind of thing, and it will be a lovely record of what he can do. Greyhounds are supposed to be stupid? Well they will never be guide dogs, but they aren't dim at all.
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Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
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4:13 pm - just a stamp between her and the truth
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I am very excited about Royal Mail's next set of stamps (after the Christmas ones, which I hate).
They are ten different classic album covers, each first class, and as well as buying by the sheet or half sheet you can also buy each stamp in a set of 5.
I can't wait to send letters with LONDON CALLING on them, or perhaps Parklife since it features Walthamstow greyhounds (though not one that looks like Cray).
More info here.
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Monday, October 26th, 2009
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9:57 pm - Home, where my love lies waiting silently for me
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Feels odd to be back home. I can't believe how tidy I left my desk! A week's worth of post has sorted that out now though. I should have posted myself a card so I could see whether the postcards beat me back or not.
I remembered to get Mike to take the kitchen bin out before we left. I forgot to throw the ciabatta out of the bread bin, or humus from the fridge. Oops.
And those paw prints in my room that I thought were just damp? They seem to be fixed in the carpet. Still, they are perfect and cute, so I don't really mind.
Tomorrow we fetch dog, have a visit from a different John Lewis kitchen planner... oh, and do lots of laundry.
I had better get an early night. It's been a very long day.
PS - If you haven't seen xkcd today, you should do. The website, not the cartoon itself. It's genius.
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Friday, October 23rd, 2009
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10:58 pm - She drew her wheelchair to the edge of the shore
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Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
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11:33 pm - Peace, perfect peace...
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As seen from the Great Orme today:
I feel like it should be on the walls of a therapist, perhaps with a calming quote underneath it - or in a church hall with some sort of bible reference under it.
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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Monday, October 19th, 2009
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5:38 pm - This is our lives on holiday
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Went to St Fagan's today - the Museum of Welsh Life. Lots of buildings and farm animals. Also blacksmith, I'm quite pleased with this picture (click to enlarge):
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Friday, October 16th, 2009
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2:24 pm - Trace that highway down to your doorway
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I went to see a-ha for my 13th birthday (actually, the day after).
I'm going again for my 35th birthday - it will be their final ever gig, in Oslo next year.
Squeeee!
I feel a bit mad for having bought tickets - knowing that I don't fly well, nor do I like water or enjoy ferries, so we will probably have to drive around Europe to get there. Google reckons it's a 21 hour drive.
So... I've got a year to plan the holiday! I am very excited about it. I've wondered about visiting Norway since I was 13, funnily enough.
I am surprised that I actually rang up and bought the tickets. But if you want to do something, and you can, you should - right?
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Thursday, October 15th, 2009
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5:21 pm - I save coupons from packets of tea
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I'm thinking of using shopping lists in an art show. Not quite sure what or how yet.
But if you are shopping and find an old list in your trolley, could you save it for me?
You can send them to me at 1 Davies Lane, London E11 3DR.
[e2a: If possible, please let me know where they came from i.e. which store and which region of the UK, in case it turns out to be relevant and/or useful later on!]
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Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
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7:38 pm - Vote for Isla!
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Monday, October 12th, 2009
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6:02 pm - I'll tell you when I'm coming home as soon as I know
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I am compiling my postcard list for when I am away in Wales next week.
If you'd like a postcard, please say! Everyone welcome (although if I get deluged I'll limit it to LJ friends).
I'll screen the comments, so please leave your address for me, even if you think I have it.
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(comment on this)
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Saturday, October 10th, 2009
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12:03 pm - let's turn up the heat 'til we fry
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If like me you enjoy photography, especially of industrial structures and buildings, then you should look at Christopher Lund's photos of Toppstöðin, an old power station near Reyjkavik, Iceland.
According to the BBC it has been taken over by a group of entrepreneurs who are calling it a "greenhouse for good ideas and design".
Wonderful slideshow, anyway.
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Sunday, September 27th, 2009
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9:17 pm - Help Imogen get her feet back on the ground
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One week in, and Imogen's communication aid appeal is going well. The current total stands at £1133.
Imogen needs £7000, so if you were thinking of donating - maybe you were waiting for payday? - please help now!
For those of you who haven't made the connection, Imogen is new_kinda_freak.
There have been some great ideas, for example bugshaw used Alphabet Spaghetti as a communication tool; tannie will donate £1 from every print she sells (check out her shop); and my neighbour is collecting her spare change.
Everything helps so if you can donate, no matter how much, please do.
You can also help by emailing your contacts to let them know, because word of mouth is everything at the moment in this campaign. We will take it to the press next week, but please keep spreading the word!
If you haven't already, please watch this video and see it is so important:
Who can fail to be won over by Imogen's charm?
Seriously - you know me, and I don't make these kind of appeals very often. This one matters - you have the chance to make a huge difference to Imogen's life - and it's urgent.
Please donate now:
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Monday, September 21st, 2009
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10:58 am - Isn’t there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
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In case anyone is thinking of advertising in Private Eye's "Eye Need" column - don't bother.
I wondered if it would be any use in fundraising for Imogen's communication aid appeal (please have a look if you haven't already).
I emailed several people who placed an ad in Eye Need earlier this year, and found that none of them got any money from it - except one woman who got a fiver. As the minimum charge for an ad is £25, it's a waste of money.
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Thursday, September 17th, 2009
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5:52 pm - Communication aid appeal - can you help?
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As well as my usual website work, I've been involved in another project recently.
My best friend Imogen has a progressive illness and recently lost the ability to speak.
The NHS can't help - their initial response was a laminated alphabet card!
Imogen is fundraising for a communication aid that she urgently needs.
More information, and a short video, at www.imogenmay.com.
If you can help at all, please do - you know I don't make this kind of request very often but this one's important.
(And if you subsequently receive an email about this appeal, I apologise for the duplication.)
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