Turn on the dark

December «prev 2009»

Just before we leave 2008 three of us braved the freezing coastal air in Morecambe Bay. Given our post midday arrival time first requirement was food and we went to a favourite little place, The Grove. Fish and chips all round and then back to the beach. David quickly lost his shoe in the mud and caked his exposed sock in a thick coat of the brown stuff. No crabs this time just a fun wander on England's pleasant coast. Morecambe itself was busy and getting there is never helped by the madness that is Lancaster's one-way system. The Bay was covered in a mist that hid anything more than fifty yards out and sea was eerily still. Roll on 2009!

We just never get snow here! We have had the frosts and the wind but no snow. And this winter we have had many a frosty morning and night.

November «prev next»

David gets a level 3 certificate for swimming! The weather now is truly autumnal and by month end we have a real frost. It rained a lot over the bonfire period. I got some reasonable photos of spider webs covered in frost.

A significant milestone has been reached - David read his first whole book - Green Eggs and Ham. The classics always have there important place in our history! And was is more classic than the works of the late great Dr Seuss.

Reading a whole book

October «prev next»

The month has ended with the very unexpected passing of my mother. It brought a dark shadow over the following weeks. She was well liked locally and across the many branches of our family. We all miss her dearly. God bless you mum.

This month brings a bull to the field behind us; he is big and black. I think he has been there a few weeks but unfortunately none of us can remember when the cows came back.

It always gets me the way the evenings draw in so quickly. It seems one day we have long summer evenings and the next it is dark when you look up from your evening meal. The early morning mist is picturesque as it lies low on the grass. The oak tree litters the road with fallen leaves and twigs. Many would say autumn is really here now.

My cycling into work has been blighted by piles of fallen leaves and in places, also twigs and parts of branches from the local trees. I have checked my lights ready for the dark journeys ahead. Thankfully, many car drivers actually give cyclists a wider berth than usual in these more dangerous evenings.

September«prev next»

A month that heralds the 's' word, school. And sunshine annoyingly. Special for this year only my dearly beloved organised a spy party for the little one. We had the works, coded messages, assault course, target practice and secret location. All suitable for young kids of course so water pistols, red string for laser rays, sausage rolls, cake and ending at the bowling alley, fantastic! Well done mum.

A surprise saturday call gets me up to Morecambe to see some live football. It was not the best football but a nice trip to a pleasant little league two ground nevertheless.

The Cake

August«prev next»

To Bonnie Scotland again. We visited many of the places we visited last time and a few new ones too. I shall only mention the weather in saying it was more autumn than summer but we have great fun and relaxation anyway.

The rain actually improved our main day at Legoland - it meant the queues were a doddle and we were going to get wet anyway. Our first ride was the Viking river splash. We stayed until about 5-6pm after getting there minutes before it opened. We ate in lunch in the castle and grabbed sandwiches and a hot drink from the cafe near the big shop as we left. Second day we stayed until lunch and then headed back home up the motorway. It was fun and while as a kid I always wanted to go to the one in Denmark not so now.

Legoland Windsor Montage

Back from the south we have rain to make us welcome home again. The cows don't seem to mind so why should we? The wind however is less welcome.

July«prev next»

The awesome heat of the English summer hit us hard as temperatures rocketed up to 22°C. We went to the seaside and roamed Morecambe's sandy beaches (really) from mid morning for several hours, plus we got in some eating, drinking and shopping. Elizabeth found some little crabs in amongst the rock pools. Claire and I chucked a frisbee about, badly but there was little injury and some amusement.

Crab in sand hollow on Morecambe beach

June«prev next»

A hint of summer, the field behind us has ever longer grass but no cows yet. When I moved a slab I uncovered a whole host of reptiles keeping cool and damp out of the sun.

I walked into work along the canal side one week. You see another side of Preston in the fantastic things people have done with their gardens. One has a pub scenario. One has many decking areas over the different heights of the garden space. I saw some lovely ducklings nestling next to the tow path and a gaggle of signets with their mother in the middle of the water. Who needs Springwatch - well, it is good, isn't it?

The Back Garden - so full of life!

May«prev next»

And we get the summer! Yes three days of temperatures in the mid twenties and then the clouds come in. David has somewhat been in the wars recently as he gets a black eye when running into the fence at school - accidentally. Then he further hurts the same eye and finally (hopefully) he falls from a small height and sprains his wrist. Oh and added a bump, yes, near that eye again.

The starlings have been putting on some interesting displays as they court and feed around our garden. We have also seen robins, black birds, finches and inevitably magpies. We even had some hot weather but it ended with rain.

The compost heap finally seems to be converting old kitchen stuff and paper into something like real compost. Haven't tried it on the garden though, well not yet.

April«prev next»

This month I spent mostly in the dark as I recovered from an operation on right eye. Unexpectedly I was banned from work for four weeks. I did get to watch teh builders start our extension. I wasn't alone as one day I snapped a duck standing on the fence having a gander.

So what did everyone else get up to? Well, the four of us managed a few days in the woods at Oasis in the Lakes. We did some Archery, eating, walking, eating, swimming, reading, wood craft, shopping and cycling. All great fun and a nice break if expensive.

March«prev next»

We have not seen the local squirrel for a while, maybe it is because I put some whole peanuts out on the bird table, but he's back! (I took the photo through a window, it was cold and I wanted to be sure I got it in time.) E also saw a green finch and magpies come, as they always do.

The wind has battered our older and more broken fence panels into submission. Otherwise we survive the storms intact. Easter falls outside the spring break and everyone is confused by the calendar except the kids. Still, the extra break is welcome to all, few days rest.

Visitors to our bird table

February«prev next»

Fashion affects even the young though through toys rather than clothes. Dinosaurs have still not lost their appeal for David but other creatures have their moments. Currently the Bionicles are king. (The website is good but then it is those people at Lego so not surprising.)

Claire took me shopping again this month; I act as the walking wallet. But only up to a point, my funds are very limited naturally - I am a public servant. I get to see what the youth of today call fashion. I must say the garish shelves in New Look were an eye blinder and to my mind reminiscent of the seventies craze for fluorescent colours.

We enjoyed wandering down the river bank to see some snow drops around Valentine's Day. Others were paying to see better specimens but we were out for the crisp, chilly fresh air and lack of people.

Riverside snowdrops

We have had the longest spell of frosty cold weather for a good few years. The temperature at night has dropped to minus figures for nearly a week but tomorrow some are forecasting rain and a warm up. I am hoping for more cold, clear days.

January«prev next»

And the wind returns to damage our bird table; apparently the UK is the windiest country in Europe. I must clean out our nest box soon.

This month brings David a wobbly tooth that falls out with a little help from his mother. David moans that "you never get to see the tooth fairy" - well he's not wrong is he!

We enjoyed a day out at Martin Mere, a Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust place in Lancashire. Always busy with birds at this time and a nice walk.

One of the Delights at Martin Mere

Bionicles - Toy of the Year

Surprise! yet another alien lifeform grabs his interest. From early this year his interest in these Lego creations has grown. It is difficult to say whether this interest has prompted the desire to learn about computers or that was coming anyway because of exposure at school but he regularly visits the Bionicle website. I will try and upload some of his own creations. Ben 10 still gets a look in but he's not king. Other Lego gets some play time too. It's fun to be a kid.

Bionicle on the stairs