Singing Ringing Tree.

Well, William and I didn't go to Clitheroe today after all, we decided to save that little excursion for better weather.  Instead we took a half hour or so drive toward Burnley and up onto the moorland at Crown Point to take a look at this incredible creation.

This musical sculpture was designed to be a landmark for East Lancashire in the 21st century.  "Constructed from pipes of galvanised steel stacked in layers, this Panopticon takes the form of a tree bending to the winds and harnesses the energy of those winds to produce a low, tuneful song".  I pinched this little bit of info from visitlancashire.com website. 

Let me tell you it was cold up there today.  You can see from the photo how high up on the moors we were.  The temperature was just 1.0 celsius.  The wind was whipping fiercely around our ears, it was freezing!  We took in the amazing views and then headed back to the car.

There are picnic tables and benches dotted around and in summer I'm sure this is a great place to come and visit.  Even today, cold as it was, there was a steady stream of visitors. Actually I'm looking forward to going back again when the skies are clear and maybe even the sun is shining.

Kathleen.

Not a Lot Happening.

There doesn't seem to be a lot happening around here at the moment.  Just everyday life in the depth of winter.

Today for instance I had to do the weekly shop.  I had made up my mind to go to the supermarket via Hebden Bridge when Victoria rang to say that they were also going to  Hebden and did I want to meet them there.  So I did.  We all had a hot drink in The Square, the boys and Gary had a hot pie each too.  It's a shame Victoria is hiding behind that lamppost.

 

The object of the outing for Victoria and her family was mainly to go to the park and get some of that winter sunshine.  George half jumped and half fell off a swing.  He didn't land very well and needed a hug.  It was very cold and both boy's fingers were slowly turning white.  Unfortunately they both seem to have a touch of Reynaud's Disease, a circulation problem, and today's weather was affecting them.

 

The fall seemed to end the fun and it was time to go home sooner than planned. 

They look cold don't they?  I think this little family would like to live in warmer climes.

I stayed in Hebden for a mooch through the charity shops, a  visit to a coffee shop and a read of the daily newspaper then onto the supermarket. 

Tomorrow I'm hoping the weather will be like it was today.  I think I'm the odd one out in this family, I love the cold weather.  Anyway William and I are planning on taking a walk in the Edisford Bridge area of Clitheroe and I'm looking forward to it.

Kathleen.

This old photograph...

... was taken many many moons ago, probably around 1958, when I was about 5 or 6 years old.

It was taken on a family holiday in Ireland. The photos shows my two sisters on the left, me standing in the middle and our Irish cousin, Marie on the right.  We are posing outside my aunt's house, where we used to stay, ready to go to church on what looks like a beautiful sunny Sunday morning.

Memories of these holidays are nothing but happy.  We always had the best of times every time we went to visit our Irish relatives.  So why I am scowling like that I have no idea.  Which brings me to the point of this photo today.

I have recently commented to my daughter that my little grandson, Nicholas, pulls exactly the same face when he's disgruntled.  What do you think Victoria, am I right?

Kathleen.

The Salt Cellar...

... is a Christian Church restaurant in the centre of Oldham and is where Caroline, my lovely daughter, took me for lunch today.

 

The restaurant is housed in the former County Court building on the left at the top end of this little cobbled side street in the town centre.  Although Oldham isn't a million miles away from my home it's a place I rarely ever go.  So I was pleasantly surprised by the quaintness of Church Lane.  I think in a bygone time this must have been a prestigious address at which to reside.

We had a lovely lunch, the food is good, followed by a look around the King of Kings Bookshop.  Charlie enjoyed that bit.  No photographs of inside the restaurant.  I wanted to take some but it was lunchtime and very busy so didn't.

At the top end of the street is Oldham Parish Church.  I tried three doors to get inside for a peak around but they were all locked.  I'll have to go back sometime soon though and try again.  I've looked at pictures on Google and it's beautiful inside.

In front of the church stands the War Memorial. 

It is a work of art and does the fallen soldiers and town proud.

That blue sky in the picture above is misleading.  Today was very cold, frosty, foggy for the most part and will probably be the same tomorrow.  Never mind though with all that's going on weather-wise in the world today I'm not complaining!

Kathleen.

Nicholas

Victoria brought Nicholas round for a visit this morning.   By chance I had my camera resting on its tripod in the dining room.  Nicholas stood in front of it and smiled away while I clicked away.  Like Charlie yesterday, Nicholas thought it was fun today for some reason.  I wonder if I'll score a hat-trick and get George to do the same thing one day soon?

Kathleen.

Royal Yacht Britannia and a Bit of This and That.

Nothing out of the ordinary has been happening around here this week.  It would've been nice to go somewhere for a walk today except the weather has done nothing but rain. 

I did go round for a visit with Caroline and Charlie this afternoon.  Charlie was a little treasure and sat still for maybe three whole minutes while Caroline and I took pictures of him.  He thought it was fun today for some reason.

Back at home with Billy in charge of cooking our evening meal I played on the computer.  Taking a look back over old photos I came across these pictures of The Royal Yacht Britannia.

William, Caroline, Trev and I went to Edinburgh for a long weekend in October of 2007 and that's where Britannia has lived since 1997.  Britannia is a beautiful vessel and it was fun to visit.  It wasn't quite as posh as I thought it would be or as big for that matter. Still very impressive though and I'm glad we did the tour.  Here are the pictures.

 

Billy and I standing under the ship's bell.  It's dated 1953 so I presume that's when it came into service.

The honeymoon suite.  This is the only double bed on board.  Charles had it brought on board for him and Diana.

Where the crew slept.  Not quite as luxurious as the Royal quarters, eh?

 

The huge formal dining room and comfy looking sitting room.

And finally the toffee shop.  Sailors and Royals alike it would seem enjoy a bit of something sweet now and then. 

The tour of the ship included a lot more than you see here and was definitely the highlight of our weekend in Edinburgh and I believe I would do it again too.

For anybody interested here's the link to the official Britannia website.

Kathleen.

Insomnia

I don't think I'm a complete, fully developed insomniac. One of those people who don't sleep at all maybe one or two nights a week and instead they do housework, read, write or other time-passing things.  However there are times when I just can't sleep at night.  This is one of those times.

Last night for instance I was tired by 11.30pm.  I know that's late for some but for me it's about normal. I went to bed, fell asleep but woke up within the hour.  Then I lay there with my mind racing around. Around family matters, around things I'd done that day, things I'd done 40 years ago, things I need to do, things I want to do , things I should have done, things I shouldn't have done, things I said, more often things I shouldn't have said.   Nearly always they are negative, worrying thoughts that fly around in my tiny little brain.

So I get up after perhaps an hour of trying unsuccessfully to get back to sleep.  I am then back to my normal calm self.  I'll read, or watch the telly, or sometimes I'll make a note of what was on my mind if it's something that needs to be done.  Then after a couple of hours when I definitely can stay awake no longer I'll go back to bed and hope to sleep.  Of course the problem then is that I can't wake up in the morning when I should!

I've been like this for a long time, so I can't even blame it on my age.

I know on the scale of things if this is my only problem then really it's not a problem at all.  All the same though, does anybody else have this problem?

Talking about 40 years ago.  40 years ago John Lennon was my favourite Beatle.  I thought he was gorgeous.  I'm not so sure I was right about the gorgeous bit anymore.

Just for the record.  I took this picture last Friday when I went to the Trafford Centre with Caroline, Tee and Charlie.  It was in a shop window.  It was life-size and I thought it was really cool.  Oh dear, daughters, I've said cool again!  They love it when I say that don't you girls?

Kathleen.

It's cold outside..

.. and damp and grey but I'd still rather go out somewhere than stay holed up inside, wouldn't you?

Caroline, Charlie and I drove over to Towneley Park this affy. 

We made for the garden centre for lunch and a look around.  Somebody at that place seriously misjudged how much Christmas stock they should carry.  There was absolutely tons of stuff left.  All half price too.  It obviously still wasn't cheap enough though judging from what was still left on the shelves.  We enjoyed mooching through it all.  Caroline wasn't tempted to part with any pennies and I bought just three big baubles at 10p each. Very pretty ones they are too.

Caroline, in the cafe, humouring me with a mum's-got-the-camera-out-again smile.  I have to say she's a chip off the old block though and her camera was sitting beside her on the chair, ready for action.

 

After lunch we took Charlie over to the play area. 

Towneley Park is a pleasure to go to in any weather and today was no exception.  The wardens were out in force sprucing the place up  You can see how the sand had just been renewed and raked over in the picture above.  Even though it was cold and damp we had a really nice, quiet and peaceful, pleasant time. 

Simple Pleasures are Life's Treasures.

Kathleen.

A Sweet Treat

I popped round to my daughter's house yesterday afternoon.  She and Charlie had been baking.

Caroline had made these little buns covered with peanut butter icing.  They were deee-lish!   The icing was to die for deee-lish!

I know I'm very lucky to have both my daughters living so close.  My good friends and neighbours, J & L, have just travelled all the way to New Zealand to visit their daughter and her family.  So my very special simple pleasure this week is simply sharing homemade cakes and a coffee with my daughter and grandson.

Linking once again to Dayle's blog to join her weekly Simple Pleasures party.

Kathleen.

 

Who doesn't like a bargain?

Not many of us, I'll be bound.  I know I love a bargain. 

 

With that in mind I paid a visit at the weekend to the Oxfam charity shop in Hebden Bridge and bought Christmas cards for next year.  I expected them to be something like half price but they were marked down by 70%.  Now, that's a bargain!

And in another charity shop in Todmorden I found this book for £1.  Ms Niffenegger (you couldn't make up a name like that could you?) wrote The Time Traveller's Wife and I loved that book.  So, if it's anywhere near as good as that was I'm in for a treat.  My daughter, Caroline, took it home with her and read it, overnight I might add!  I just cannot read that fast, I don't know how she does it.  She enjoyed it, which is good.

Talking about reading, here's Charlie and granddad  enjoying a book together on New Year's Eve afternoon.  This little fellow is definitely a little bookworm.

Changing the subject William and I watched the Meryl Streep DVD,  "Julie & Julia",  a couple of nights ago.  It was pure entertainment and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  William quite liked it too.   Just thought I'd throw that in.

TTFN,

Kathleen.

I Heart Faces

 

The fun photography blog I Heart Faces first challenge of 2011 is "best face photo of 2010".  It was difficult to choose just one but I have chosen to play along with this pic of my husband.  It reminds me of our holidays and I just really like the faded colours in it.

Kathleen.

One Word for 2011

Well, in my case two words - and it's okay to have two.

I've been reading on different blogs recently how people are coming up with just one word to represent what they want and hope for life to be in the new year.  I'm no good with resolutions, they usually fly out of the window by the second week in January!  So I thought I'd give it some thought, a lot of thought actually,  and find my One Word (or two).

Patience is my first word.  I've looked up the definition of it on the WWW, it's amazing how many definitions there are, and I'm sure Patience is my first word.

It's something I seem to be running out of more than I ever used to. I'm quite a calm kind of person really but every so often the calmness deserts me!  Perhaps it's an age thing?  Whatever it is, in 2011 I'm going to keep remembering my word and put it into practice and maybe it will rub off on those around me too.

Focus is my other word.  I need to focus on one thing at a time and see it through.  I'm going to give it a try anyway.

Have you got your Word (or two) for 2011 yet?

Happy New Year!

Kathleen.