Skye, end of the football season and PMQs

We're getting ready for our trip '...over the sea to Skye' as the boat song goes.  The tourist information says that the best way to approach Skye is by the ferry from Mallaig to Armadale on the southern edge, but the way most people go these days is via the bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh - we haven't decided yet which way to go.  Neither of us are good sailors so unless the sun is shining and the sea a millpond - there's a line in the boat song that says 'Loud the winds howl, loud the waves roar' - its probably going to be the bridge. 

Talking of weather, one of my favourite internet connections is to the BBC weather website which gives you local hour by hour predictions for weather for the next five days.  I love it.  I've used it this morning already because I've got the grass to cut and a football match to go to so its helped me decide when to get the mower out.  The football match is AFC Rushden and Diamonds vs Wellingborough Town, a real local derby because we share a ground between us down at London Road in Wellingborough, so you can't get more 'local' than that.  Its the last home game this year and we'll be there to thank AFC R&D for a great season and congratulate them for coming close to the top of the division in their first year.

Another bit of the BBC website I like is the 'week in pictures' and the 'your pictures' page, use the link to have a look.  When I last looked it was showing some great photos of South Africa.

Talking of pictures ........... I've entered 3 photos into the Alfred East Open 14 - one of which appears here.  
Here's hoping that at least one of the judges likes one of the pictures and lets me in.









Looking back at the news this week it was great to hear that some of the female MPs don't bother going to Prime Minister's Questions in the commons because its a waste of time.  They've got better things to do than sitting watching a bunch of idiots shout, ball and show off at each other whilst saying nothing of any substance (my words, not theirs).  At one point in the news coverage of the issue John Bercow was seen on one recent occasion, reminding members of the house that there was a group of children in the gallery.  I presume they'd come to see how our wonderful democracy functions - I wonder what they thought of it all.

So here's hoping that the weather in the Hebrides is kind to us - yes I've looked at it on the BBC weather website and I'm not saying what it says - and we come back with tales of the Bonnie Prince and Flora MacDonald and some good pictures of one of Britain's most dramatic landscapes. 

P.S. For those interested there is another short fiction story of mine on Amazon Kindle, its called 'Letter to Barbara'............ a story of family life mixed with murder!

exhibitions, pub quizzes and Anja Niedringhaus

I entered 3 photos into the Alfred East Art Gallery Open Exhibition last year and was lucky enough to have one chosen to be part of the show.  Open 14 is upon us, so its now time to decide which ones to enter this year.   There is also a local village art show that I want to do in May and then in October along with two other photographers there is the month long exhibition at the Alfred East Gallery to plan for.  I've put aside this afternoon to look through my pictures and see what I've got already, and then look at any new ones I might want to try out.  The problem is always one of balancing time and finance; getting photos mounted and framed is costly in both effort and money, and all has to be done well in advance - the knack is then to sell something at a price that returns at least what it cost you to produce, let alone make a bit of profit.  Tricky, but fun.

Talking of enjoyable things ..... last evening was spent with old friends at a pub quiz at The Three Cranes, Cransley.  We answered 100 questions and managed to come 6th out of 13 teams.  We all have different talents when it comes to knowledge so putting heads together nearly always comes up with some sort of answer - with lots of laughter on the way.  Thanks girls for a good night out.

Looking back at the news this week it was sad to hear of the death of Anja Niedringhaus, the German photographer who was shot by an Afghan policeman.  She is quoted by the Guardian newspaper when describing conflict as saying 'two sides fighting for territory, for power, for ideologies. And in the middle is the population who is suffering'.  How true that is.  She'd experienced many conflicts and had become famous for taking photos which helped people realise what was going on at some of the world's 'darkest' moments.  So its sad to think that as someone who through her photography tried to give under-privileged people a voice, she was murdered.  Or maybe it was because of what she was doing that that man decided to take her life.  Who knows.

On a happier note, the sun is shining, birds are singing and weeds are growing so I really must out there and do some gardening!!