Filling in the Gaps

There have been a number of different things I've been meaning to blog about, and they've built up and up until I can't possibly write about them all. Also, this isn't really meant to be a diary blog, and if it was it would all make very dull reading, so instead of writing I shall make up for it with a run down of the last...however long it's been... in pictures.

Highlights are as follows...

A day out in Bournemouth...

...dining out with an exceptionally fine gentleman,


and spotting this little fella...

Then...after a few other things of which I have no photographs at present...


...Entertaining the (uhem...) in-laws to be and showing off the new-ish flat...


Southampton Concert Orchestra Summer concert, which was a Russian extravaganza, of which Kieran managed to take no photos of me actually playing. The programme included Spartacus, Polovtsian Dances, Dance of the Tumblers and the 1812 Overture, which was the finale accompanied by fireworks and cannon fire.

Elina and me... the rebel first violinists, we sit right at the back and giggle... (plus bored-looking harpist)...

Me and Elina hanging out with the guys...


A family "do"... Aunty Gills 50th B'day. Sadly I have no photo's of said Aunty available. Here is the motley crew, the White sisters with their plus ones. :oD


And finally...

A trip to Winchester...

Ate some delicious smoked haddock at a fish restaurant, which even did Veggie food Kieran approved of...


Marvelled at what can only be described as a big chunk of metal. It has little flashing lights, and if you send it a text it will change colour... yes, that's what I said, send it a text... and no we didn't. Pish and tish. I expect it's more exciting at night.


Creeping around in the vicinity of Winchester Cathedral,

Which is where, dear ones, our adventure must end... for now at least...

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How do you turn a duck into a Soul singer?...

Put it in the microwave until it's Bill Withers...



Sorry...



Some amazing things pass as jokes when you work with this many men.



Groan



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The Soggiest Office in All the Land...

...Is suite 1, Woodside House in Eastleigh...

Over the Weekend it rained so much that the already vulnerable ceiling caved in in one of the corners. It is mildly amusing, and worryingly dangerous. I sit about 10 metres away from where the hole in the ceiling is. The central section of the building has already had it's mains electricity disconnected because the wiring is dodgey, and therefore the main store cupboard, full of painters brushes, paint ladders and other equipment, has to be entered with torch in hand.

Today the weather is, frankly, rubbish again and it is now easy to work out how the ceiling tiles came to be so sodden and collapse in. It is basiacally raining indoors, not all that far away from me, and as already mentioned, the wiring in this place is not too hot. Now, the piece de resistance, the water it raining THROUGH the wiring. Oh joy... There are four buckets currently doing a feeble job of collecting some of the water, but the carpet is soaking most of it up... I'm not going anywhere near it.

Everywhere else in the building is totally dry, but I wonder how much worse it has to get before someone sorts it out...

If I never post again, it's because in clicking the 'publish post' button I have been electricuted!

I'm living life on dangerous territory (for writing this post in aforementioned office as well as simply just being here!)

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We Have Moved!

I want to put up pictures, but cant yet, as the internet at the new flat will not be working for another week or so. Yes, Kieran and I have moved flats... It's marvelous...

Kieran has been cleaning the Bathroom while I've been tackling the Kitchen. When one is cleaning a flat as small as the one we've just left, there are some logistical issues to overcome. The one and only ground-level kitchen cupboard does not really open wide enough to clean it without being a contortionist... I ended up twisting my shoulders in an excrutiating way, and practically getting into the cupboard (only my bottom didn't fit!) armed with a packet of antibacterial wipes and a jay cloth... Yes, my behaviour while cleaning can be rather eccentric but the job gets done...

Last night I went in by myself and finished the Kitchen and Bathroom... Kieran's done an awesome job on the bathroom, so all I needed to do was make the taps shiny and re-hang the shower curtain (which I de-moulded successfully - geez, my life is exciting!)

All we need to do now is change a lightbulb and re-hang the ends of the curtains (and pelmet...yuch...I hate pelmets...useless fabric abominations!) and put the Dyson round for the last time...

Anyway, we're doing a good job I think. I can't wait to have just one flat to think about... And the new flat is about 5 times the size of the old one... Marvelous!

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The Cake Conundrum

Today I felt like baking a cake but I don't have any weighing scales, so I guessed. And I think I did pretty well...

However, the cake did something no other cake in the history of cakes has done...
I've made cakes that sunk in the middle before, because of over eagerness to take them out of the oven. But this one did the oposite... Can anyone tell me why?!...

Anyway, not to be put off from enjoying the cake decorating fun, I decided to make it into a jazzy looking 'Hat Cake'... Oh and I just can't resist...

...If this cake doen't taste good I'll eat my hat! (cake)... Which means I'll eat it anyway I guess!

And just so you know it tasted good, here is the reaction of an esteamed critic of all things chocolate and cake related... doesn't he look thrilled... He actually used the word cakelicious...

I'm still wondering what made it such a strange shape, and it is incredibly heavy too, on the stomach I mean, not to carry! Any suggestions, please comment...

More anon dear cakeless ones, more anon...

Norwich Adventures

Last weekend I went to see my lovely sister in Norwich, where she is studying at Art College. I had never been to Norwich before so I took plenty of photos. So here, as I have not posted pictures in rather a long time, are some images of last weekend...

Laura by the river on way to lunch... Norwich FC were playing at home that day so there were lots of people wearing the canary yellow strip in the pub.

I've forgotten what this place was called, but its was basically a ruined tower by the river. I don't have any theries about the scars in the wall... There wasn't much infomation about it that I could see.
This disgruntled looking fellow was just one of the many details on the ceiling of the cloisters at Norwich Cathedral.

The Choir stalls and organ. Photographs are easy to compose when the architecture is as stunning as this.

The posh seats... they don't look any more comfortable than your average joe's pew

The sun shining through the windows made these pillars look all the more interesting.


As our parents weren't too far away, we met up for the afternoon. Here they are outside the Art College. Then we went home for a barbecue, as Laura's housemate is a chef it was a little more delicious than your averaged charred offerings. However, I didn't take any pictures then, sadly.

This is the breakfast Laura made me on Sunday morning... I'm not used to such treatment! Please note Ernest and Gordon, the plants in the background. :o)

All in all it was a marvelous weekend. I'm very proud of my little sister.

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I Really Need to Write a Proper Post Soon...

...but my faith in human (and pig) randomness has been restored... oh and it also amused me because it looks like pigs fly afterall...

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A Profitable Use Of My Time

I keep reading BBC news magazine in quiet moments... and today there was a familiar name in the mix.

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