In The Pink

Merry Christmas to You and Yours!

This is my all time favourite Christmas song, first heard at a school disco my sister took me to many, many moons ago! It was a close call between this and Fairytale of New York which I also realy like, but this just pipped it. I would have liked it to be the other way round, you know a partial celt bloodline and all, but I guess I am just a rock chick at heart! Merry Christmas Everyone!

I went to the City of Winchester, former capital of England, for work today and made a trip to the Cathedral during lunch. It is an awesome city and it was my first visit there. Needless to say I took lots of photos. Here's the first of them. This is the central area for the congregation. There was a carol service there at 6.30pm and I bet they raised the roof. The choir pews were so ornate. I sang in church choirs when I was a kid, and loved it, singing with other people is a great experience, especially with the harmonies of a full choir, from baritone to soprano. The robes weren't so great but they kept you warm! As a foot note I was really impressed with the service I received at Winchester City Council, the purpose of my visit. They were extremely helpful.

I seem to be having trouble with my blog header. I am not sure what everyone else is seeing but since my first TT post (no associated blame) the header has been shifting about and I can't fix it! Anyone else come across that? Speaking of headers check out this header over at Damozel 's blog, it's mesmerising!

Greetings. It's been a frosty winter wonderland here today hence my inspiration. This weeks TT is 13 things I like about winter! 1. It’s the season that heralds snow; the most fun of the winter weather, good for sledging, snow ball fights, making snow men and animals, and playing snow angels. 2. It’s the season of cold air of the purist clarity that fills my lungs and by its crisp neutrality permits springs first scent to be detected. 3. The season where weather creates a world cleansed and virginal in its iced façade. 4. The skin on my face tingles beneath winter’s crisp caress, making my cheeks glow. 5. Wrapping up to venture out into the cold in gloves, scarves, hats, boots and a winter coat, snug in wool. 6. I like the frost framing winter fruits; complimented by the crystal background. 7. Tree branches are revealed in their skeletal glory, naked of their leaves. 8. There’s a glimpse of the birds returned from their summer hiding, e.g. blackbird and thrush, frantic in their lon...

This poem was co-written with Sunpat for a Christmas challenge made by his parents a few years ago. It is traditional to have a new game each year and they have varied from: draw a picture that denotes a Christmas carol, make a hat for the day that symbolises your profession, murder in the dark......which pretty much gets played every year, and write your own Christmas poem. There are generally lots of kids there, and plenty of adults who like being kids for the day! Sunpat and I wrote this one together, in the car on the way down actually, and I am proud of it. We wrote it from the point of view of our dogs, who were an integral part of every family get together, and we thought it should be posted at this festive time of year, in remembrance and tribute. I hope you enjoy it. 'Come Fill Our Bowls' Greetings from old County Durham we are so very glad to be here, seeing all of your friendly faces smiling and so full of cheer. It's been along time since we've seen you but ...

I have not done a bird update for some time however, I am happy to say our garden remains a hive of activity with the usual suspects. The Thrush and Blackbirds have returned as tends to happen at this time of year, one of the Goldfinches has returned and with him the Bullfinch, and the Robin has well and truly stamped his species mark on our house! No other Robins allowed. This weekend has seen an increase in activity as the birds prepare to mate off. Mr. Blackbird is chasing Mrs. Blackbird from fence to tree and she's having none of it and the Sparrows appear to be practising for next years Red Bull Air Race. The Starlings, as usual, bathe constantly and squabble. I am ever grateful for their presence.

This weeks Porcupine Tree offering. I have had this one on my head jukebox a lot this week.

Got a bit of a Bing thing going on.

One of my favourite classic musical screen moments. If you have 3 minutes 41 seconds to spare then please watch. It's good stuff!

I just found this fabulous blog care of Lone Chatelaine , called Scotland . It is a collection of images from the country. I had to share it as Scotland is where I would always be if given the choice. There is no part of the country that is not beautiful. I mean even those 'burgers to be' look good this morning and I am a vegetarian! Anyway have a look, the pictures are truly awesome.

Last night was our works Christmas do, well the team do, we still have an office lunch next week. I bought candles for my boss, which went down really well I am happy to say, and I got this! I am still not entirely sure what it's all about but it's funny, in a really silly 'I cannot explain this at all' way! The other surprise of the evening was getting these! Our boss gave a flower arrangement to our administrative staff for all of her hard work and great organisational skills through the year, she is a very unique lady and brings us together as a team; and then announced that there was a second group gift to the member of staff who has done the most miles this year....which is me! It is pants I have to drive a lot for my job as I work for an environmental consultancy but it's just how it is, I look after a lot of trees and they are all miles away. I thought it was very nice and very funny of them! I have exceeded the maximum amount for the top mileage rate for thi...

I have decided, after much deliberation, to join the Thursday Thirteeners! I am a little nervous as I don’t like committing to things unless I can complete them. I had a regular post called the weekly six which involved a weekly posting about 6 items of my choice that I wished to share or rant about and I have struggled to maintain that. To do it properly with all links and pictures takes a day and like most bloggers, I regretfully do not have a day every week to spare for this pursuit. I am hoping that the TT posts will enable me to post about items of importance to me while maintaining the original concept. So here goes! For my first Thursday Thirteen I would like to share my love of camping and what it means to me!(Was that the sound of several bloggers hitting next blog?) I love being outside and would camp all year round if given the chance. With suitable under bed mats and a fire to sit round in the evening the UK is a perfect place to camp no mater what the season; in fact, if ...

I received this beautiful Christmas card from my Mum & Dad today. This photograph really does not do it justice but it's the best shot I could get of it. The very best view is reserved for us from the comfort of our couch! Many of our family members make their own cards for Christmas and it is so lovely to receive them. (Until we speak and I can tell you in person, thank you!) While attempting to photograph the card in its best light I had a play around with my camera and made this! I know it's a bit glarey but I like it! Our Christmas decorations went up at work today which instantly inspired Christmas songs to commence continuous play in my head. The one I usually get stuck on is Let it Snow - Dean Martin but I did have a brief spell of David Essex - Only a Winters Tale !! The song that was playing on my head jukebox when I woke up this morning was Dreamer - Supertramp , which has since returned. A final note; my thanks to the lady with the two boxer dogs that I bumped in...

I’m caught in the headlights again The 5am roadsters make this their domain I turn off the byway, the world goes insane I’m caught in the headlights again I’m blind in the glare of their haste Aggressive, invading my allotted space They throw down the gauntlet, endorsing the chase I’m blind in the glare of their haste I’m tempted to retaliate To punish their rude and superior state To inform of peril, atonement create I’m tempted to retaliate I’m caught in the headlights again Caught in the slipstream; where madmen reign I turn off the highway, leave them to inflame I’m out of the headlights again