Showing posts with label countryside. Show all posts
Showing posts with label countryside. Show all posts

Wednesday, 11 June 2008

updates

I think I need to pick a day of the week to write posts... and stick to it. That way I won't go weeks without posting anything at all. I like to think that's it's because I'm oh-so-busy all the time, and I am, but not so much that I can't take a little time to update you all. I will stop apologising for it though, as I've been told that I say "I'm sorry" too much.

SO, that being said, I think that posting day will from now on be Sunday evenings, my time, which is Greenwich Mean Time (since I live a few miles away).

I've had one of the best weeks in London since I arrived. The weekend was fabulous, with a Korean dinner night with nine friends (seven of which are Kiwis). We went to Myungga, a little Korean restaurant in Soho. The food wasn't as good as the first time I went a few months ago, but it's some of the best Korean I've had since I was there. We had a bit of everything kimchi-jeon, bulgogi, bibimbap, all the sides (including five kinds of kimchi), dwen-jeong jigae (sp?), deok bokki, ummm... what else? soju and beer, and more food too, but the names are escaping me. I'm really tired.

After dinner we went out for drinks in Soho and headed home at the early hour of 12:30. I had to be up at 6:30 to drive to Feckenham (of Christmas with the Cotton's fame), which is south of Birmingham and about a two hour drive.

It was my 'surrogate' mother's birthday a couple of weeks ago, so L and I drove up spend the day. It was lovely to be in the country on a nice sunny day. We went to the market and picked up some fresh veggies and other supplies. Then we headed to a small artists market where there was a glass blowers studio that reminded me of C and L and my other surrogate family in Canada. There was a beautiful garden out back with some gorgeous flowers and a really old rusted tractor-like contraption - I got some great photos... as you can see.










After the market we headed home, walked the dog and had a tasty barbecue in the garden. Then we had to head back to London... We arrived pretty late so didn't do anything. Sunday was devoted to cleaning, laundry, gym etc... it was one of the first really nice days here in a few weeks, so I spent an hour outside working on my pallid skin, but I think I'll have to wait until I go to Greece in August to get some real colour.

Probably the best bit of the last week has been going "out" on the job at work. I've gone out to film and interview for the last three days in a row! I interviewed Jerry Hall on Monday, then a cabinet minister on Tuesday, and today I got to go to the National Portrait Gallery and shoot the BP National Portrait Awards. It was fantastic... now if only I could be doing it all day everyday.... That should be enough said about that. I don't want to Dooce myself.

Now that we're up to date, expect regular posts on Sundays... maybe more if I'm feeling the urge.

Sunday, 30 December 2007

Christmas in the country

I spent Christmas with my surrogate family this year, it's not the first I've had with them and it likely won't be the last. They live in a small village (population 300) called Feckenham in Worcestershire (yes, the place the sauce comes from!).


It's a really lovely little place with a great community of people that all know each other. On Christmas eve "the kids" spent the afternoon at the pub getting sauced. Then we went to the village square to sing carold around the tree and drink mulled wine. There was quite a turn out for that sort of thing, but Feckenham is just that kind of place.

Singing in the square!

Prezzies under the tree!

Christmas morning we all woke up to see what Santa brought us. He was generous and kind to everyone. There were SO many presents. The dog, Tess, got overexcited in all the wrapping paper covering the floor and was a little sick for all the excitement.

Tess and her antlers in the paper.

At lunch time we all headed over to the local pub "The Rose and Crown" for a free pint or glass of whatever you wanted. It's a tradition every year - the owner of the pub just wants to give everyone a little thank you for their patronage. We had a HUGE turkey dinner with all the trimmings and promptly all fell asleep on the couch watching telly. It was a great day!

On boxing day half the village came out for the 33rd Annual Boxing Day Walk, where everyone gets their boots on and treks through farmers' fields' and along paths through the countryside. It was really beautiful and good little trek that took about two and a half hours.

Start of the walk.

A real country shot.

More in the country.

I had a great Christmas, family bickering included. I hope you all did too!

On the news front, I am in the process of getting a room in a house... I'm very excited and should (if all goes well) be moving in next Saturday. More to come in the new year... in the meantime, party like it's 1999!!!