Not looking bad for 90

Yesterday me, Patrick, Daniel, Dad and Monika trekked to Ipswich to celebrate Aunty Nancy's 90th birthday. She was, as always, in fine fettle and as you can see, still looking good for 9 decades. She said she had had a wonderful birthday and was quite overwhelmed by how kind everyone had been (she received 46 birthday cards in all!). In the photo AN is enjoying a strawberry ice-cream (a woman after my own heart) and she was very proud to not only eat the world's biggest portion of plaice, but then to eat ALL of her huge portion of ice-cream. She said as she ate it "I will eat all this ice-cream even if I pop". And she did! (Finish it, not pop!)

Photo Hunt - Dirty

I didn't think I would post this week, and am doing so very late, but mainly cos I don't have a very good picture (did anyone else find this theme hard?) but also because I have been in the library all week working on my thesis and then in Ipswich today celebrating my Aunt's 90th birthday (see below)

So here are my not-great-contributions this week:














"Dirty Weather" at Pack Holiday 2007



















"Dirty Boat", Emsworth

Nostalgia

It was my Aunt Nancy's 90th birthday this week (on Tuesday, in fact). 90 years seems impossibly old for this very active and bright woman, but I am assured that she has been rocking and rolling for 9 decades now...

Anyway, Dad has organised one of those digital picture frames for her. I'm not really sure what that means, but he asked me to find some photos she might like. I had already found loads of old photos from when mum and I tidied her room a few weeks ago, so that was quite easy. I particularly like the one below, which was taken on my first birthday:












Back row (L-R): Grandpa Groome (Dad's dad), Aunty Nancy, Uncle Harry
Front row (L-R): Grandma Groome (Dad's mum), Dad (check out the socks), Mum, me and Grandma Vera, mum's stepmum (my Australian Grandma)

Whenever I look at photos like these I am always really grateful that my parents took to recording every moment of my life from birth (pretty much). When I am old and grey (and perhaps 90 years old), I hope I still have these photos to remember things by.

ok ok ok... I said I wouldn't post, but then I found out that I had been linked/mentioned/used (in a good way) on Nourishing Obscurity... A mentioned blogger is a happy blogger.

PS: the photo at the top of my page, and at the top of the post on NO, is by my dad whom I probably should have credited before now...

Please leave a message after the tone....

Clare is not available to blog right now, but will be back, after 14th September (but probably before) when dissertation hell is finished....

Due to lack of time, and rising stress levels, I seem to have neglected this blog. I am very sorry, as I still really enjoy reading everyone else’s. I may not be able to participate in the Photo Hunt this week as I am seriously stressed about work (dissertation due in oh not long enough days) and also can’t think of a suitable picture.

Instead I will leave this picture with you, for all the women who read this (again, sorry for 3 blokes who read this blog), which I received through email a few months ago. It made me chuckle, and I printed it out – it’s now on my wall. (You may have to click on it to read it better...)

Also, here is a picture of little Kieran George Hames, who was born on 29^th August at 10:33, weighing 9lbs. Kieran is the son of my friend Zanna (whose purple nails you can see in the picture!), who I went to school with.

For all you women...

Q: How many women going through the MENOPAUSE (or PMS) does it take to change a light bulb?

A: One! ONLY ONE!!!! And do you know WHY? Because no one else in this house knows HOW to change a light bulb! They don't even know that the bulb is BURNED OUT!! They would sit in the dark for THREE DAYS before they figured it out (as long as the TV and beer fridge still worked). And, once they figured it out, they wouldn't be able to find the stupid light bulbs despite the fact that they've been in the SAME CABINET for the past 17 YEARS!But if they did, by some miracle of God, actually find them, 4 DAYS LATER, the chair they dragged to stand on to change the STUPID light bulb would STILL BE IN THE SAME SPOT!!!!! AND UNDERNEATH IT WOULD BE THE WRAPPER THE "F&*%$£G" LIGHT BULBS CAME IN!!! BECAUSE NO ONE EVER CARRIES OUT THE RUBBISH!!!! IT'S A WONDER WE HAVEN'T ALL SUFFOCATED FROM THE PILES OF CRAP THAT ARE A FOOT DEEP THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE HOUSE!! IT WOULD TAKE AN ARMY TO CLEAN THIS PLACE! AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON WHO CHANGES THE TOILET ROLL !! . . .

Photo Hunt - Happy

PhotoHunt

My beautiful friend Emmie has a very characteristic laugh. I am lucky enough to have caught it on camera twice, once in Hungary when we were on a GOLD (Guiding Overseas Linked with Development) Project (one of the happiest times of my life) and once at her wedding, in July 2007 (one of the happiest days of her life). I thought both fitted the theme perfectly.














Emmie in Hungary 2003
















Emmie at her wedding, July 2007

Old photos

I have been feeling bored and nostalgic recently. I was looking through some old photos from uni and from when I went to Hungary and I came across this photo of Phil on his graduation day. I think its a lovely one of him, and I'm quite pleased with it from a photographic point of view as well.

I think the girl to his left (right as you look at it) is thinking evil thoughts though...

Photo Hunt - Two

PhotoHunt

Here is my offering for the Photo Hunt this week:

Two peas in a pod! (Except I'll let you in on a secret...they are both me!)

Furiousness

I sent an email to my dissertation supervisor and my head of department today concerning some problems I have had with the project. The contents of the email was personal and (I considered it to be) confidential.

My supervisor emailed me back with a very supportive email but he has copied two other people in on his reply, leaving my original email at the bottom. If I had wanted them to know, I would have sent it to them...

I am furious that my confidentiality has been breached. I just assumed he wouldn't forward it on to anyone. ARGH>