Zombie photos!

These are the professional photos that were taken on the Peterborough Zombie walk on 1st November 2014.
I posted them at the time, but I was using FB to host my photos and didn't realise that the links break every time it moves on a month and archives posts.
bah!
I will get round to re-uploading the images and fixing any broken photo links, but for now, I'm just going to respost these as I was super proud of mine, Traff and Andy's Zombie efforts.
:D

I think this will have to become a yearly tradition!

Things I have been given at work

This week I received some historic event announcement posters for all the particle discoveries waayyy back until 1998, I used them to decorate my work space.
:D

I don't really like the pink walls so the more of them we can cover up the better!

I was also invited to attend a Creationist Science lecture. I was very tempted to go- I'm always curious about what other people think and I'd like to hear the reasoning for some of their more unusual ideas.
Unfortunately I'll have just landed from sicily so I doubt I'll be able to go.
Still, it's always nice to be invited to attend something.

Home made glass etching paste

Karl and I persuaded Helen to whip us up some home made glass etching paste using a recipe we found on the internet.
We found some glasses in the cupboard at work and tried out paste out on them- The recipe said to leave the paste on for 3 days for best results.
We left it on for a week and got no results!
Dammit!

Back to the drawing board for this one but it did look quite promising all yellow and stinky.

We found the pro stuff on amazon so we'll have to bite the bullet and pay £10

Snail shaped pancakes!

This was an experiment into gluten free pancakes- Gluten free pancake mix is waaayyy thicker than normal mix so it makes interestingly fluffy american styles pancakes!
:D
Not always snail shaped.

The Lion king in London

On Sunday Ray, Mum and I went to see the Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre- Ray and I got the tickets for our Mum as a Birthday present.

The show was amazing- I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't that! I loved it! all the disney songs too.
:D

After the show we went for cocktails at Bar 21

And then nachos and more cocktails in maxwells.

Prior to going to the theatre, we hand planned to go for lunch together in Covent garden. Ray and Mum drove into london together, whilst I got the train on my own. I got the train very early as I didn't want to be late.
As it was I was in covent garden at 10:30, ready to meet them both at 12. I had a mooch about, looked in the shops, watched some of the street performers and then went to take the reservation at 12.

They had a bit of a nightmare and their tills were down- Ray and mum were running late due to traffic anyway so I made a new reservation for 12:30 at a different restaurant.
Had another mooch about, and then returned to take our table. I sat there, reading my book getting more and more anxious until 1pm, when they rang to say they still hand't even parked at Paddington. I ended up eating dinner on my own and getting chatted up by the waiter!

RAL

I am very lucky, because my work allows me the opportunity to visit lots of interesting places- On Friday I visited RAL in Oxfordshire- it was a bit of a throwback Friday! Always nice to visit somewhere you already know your way around!
It was especially lovely because I saw lots of people I knew, I saw Debbie and Ian and Eddy- and was recognised by some of my Mums old colleagues- although I'm ashamed to say I didn't know who they all were!

The day was action packed- It started with a lecture on the standard model- and the issues with it, then lectures about the work being done at CERN.

The was followed with a computing workshop- looking at the data collected by the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and looking for evidence of particles produced in the collisions.
It all looks very time consuming, and I can certainly see why they cannot every be certain.
It was really interesting, Bit I did feel a bit sorry for the post doctoral students working there doing research- I think it would be infuriating!

We had lunch in the visitor centre- roasted vegetables and rice! Very healthy. I followed it up with 2 slices of cake- All that learning was hungry work!

In the afternoon we got to go and see the ISIS particle accelerator (Unfortunate name but brilliant work!) and had a tour of the buildings.
That would be a very cool job!

Snow & Visitors

On monday evening I got a few interesting and very welcome surprises.
:D
Welcome surprise number 1 was that when I got home Jay was in my parking space, and welcome surprise number 2 was that when I looked out of the window at 10pm the whole street looked like a snowy christmas card.
very festive for february.

The park was also impressive- Although by the afternoon most of the snow had melted- but the pond was still frosty and the duck footprints were really cool!

The weather being not ideal for getting out of my flat alive, Jay and I watched loads of TV- I have now seen the 1st 2 series of Sherlock and started to watch Luther- both of which I like very much.

On Wednesday night we went to the pub with both Karls and Jenni- Excellent company and an excuse to eat chicken goujons and JD BBQ sauce.
Jenni was on the cocktails. I behaved myself.

The height of hiking fashions

Tats got a picture of me on top of the downs- I look super sophisticated, no?
Check out that view!
Maybe don't look so closely at my very cheerfully bright ensemble...

Hiking round the Dunstable downs

Tats is starting to prepare for her trip to Asia, where she's climbing mountains in Japan and South Korea. So, we're looking for marginally less flat places in the very flat east of England to walk about on.
We walked a 5 mile circular route on the downs- starting at the visitor centre, and following the Icknield way- which is part of the ancient route to stone henge- the downs also has it's fair share of barrows on the top of it for the important neolithic dead.

It was very windy- something to do with being on top of a hill I suspect- and muddy, after all the snow over the last 2 days.
We had an ace time, and I'm feeling very fit and healthy.

After our walk we had planned to have cake and tea in the national trust cafe- they do an excellent coffee and walnut cake- but it was busy so we headed back home and stopped off at the white horse for key lime pie.
:D
And to defrost.
sooooo cold! I'm grateful it didn't snow whilst we were out, we saw the gritters on the way home, so maybe we can expect some more white stuff this week...

Charity shop shopping & The airport

Today feels like it's lasted forever and it's only mid afternoon.
Traff went to visit his family in Spain today, And in order to make his 7am flight I have to give him a lift to the airport at 5am.
It's only an hour before I'd normally get up for work- and we went to bed at 9 so we'd had 8 hours- even so, It was a struggle.

On the way back from the airport it started snowing. I always feel like I'm in the opening credits for star wars when I'm driving in snow.
I was so engrossed in singing the theme tune I missed my exit and had to drive home via newport pagnal.

I got in just before 7, had a bath and went to get dressed- I swear I only sat on the bed for a second and than it was 10am.
Not so productive.

I went into town to get my holiday money (We're taking it in turns to go to europe, you see) and I had £20 in my bag from when one of my mates had paid me back- so I went charity shop shopping!
I've been after summery bits for when we go to America- we have 10 days at just over 20 degrees celsius-I'm not sure my wardrobe can accommodate that many sunny outfits!

I was lucky today- I got 2 topshops dresses:

I'm taking the checked one to sicily- the white one is for the beach in Florida :D
£11 for 2 brand new dresses is a bargain- and I have pennies left for more charity shop shopping later on.

I also saw this photo frame in Debenhams- it costs £19- I think this could be made better and cheaper, I'm trying to persuade Jen to help me to give it a go- because she has a glue gun! We can glue ANYTHING.

My new musical discovery for the week! this band are fab!

So, how are your resolutions going?

1.   Stop dieting: Just eat more fruit and veg and drink a ton of water.

I had 21 lbs to lose after christmas to get to my "hospital recommended healthy weight" (I know, I should have eaten less take away food and drunk less gin! but it was gooood). I have not been calorie counting, I've just been eating better and walking more- and now I have 17 lbs to go.  I'm happy with that!

2.   Learn to reshuffle your schedule so you have more time for creative projects, and make sure you finish those projects.

You may have seen from my blog that I've been crafty- I made myself a watch and I'd been doing more photography. I made myself a 1940s style snood and I learned to crochet stars too!

3.   Pick a European city to visit this year.

        Sicily in February to visit Josh! I'm really excited to see him and Katie as it's been ages and we're having a 

        'Costa del Treco' reunion. It'll be ace. If we can just work out how to get to Josh's from the airport...

4.   Give more compliments.

I need to be better at this. I also need to be better at accepting compliments. I'm making a point of saying something complimentary to at least one of my colleagues every day. The up shot of that seems to be that they give me more compliments! We're making a positive working environment.

5.   Meet up with friends more often- Try not to go more than 6 months without seeing someone you care about.

January has been a good month for friends- I saw most of the Cardiff people- I only missed out on seeing Beca as she was still in NZ. I need a trip to Oxfordshire soon I think, and to Bristol.
I know it's not strictly meeting up, but I've made a point to message people more often and to reconnect with friends I hadn't spoken to in a long time- I'm making a start!

6.   Clear out all the clutter in your home

I've de-cluttered the house to the tune of 2 bags- De cluttering was a major theme in 2014, and needs to remain a major theme if we're planning to move! I'm not paying for a removals lorry for thinsg we don't even know we bloody well have or don't use/need!

7.   Try a food you’ve never eaten before.

Delicious polish cheese! :D

8.   Frame treasured photos, letters and keepsakes.

I have finally framed the photos from the family photo shoot, my AS photography dark room images and Hayley's xmas card she made for us last year- So that's a good start but still plenty of things to keep safe!

9.   Treat your parents to dinner.

I have arranged to do this for my Mum's Birthday on the 8th February after we go and see the Lion king. I feel like a proper grown up.

10.       Walk to places more often.

I've walked to work 4/5 days a week this month (Mondays I stay late and drive to brownies, so I can't walk)- I've also had my epic walks from Bromham and to Wilstead and a few other photography walks this month. I'm making a point of going out and walking more, even if it is dark and cold!

11.       Learn to use Excel properly.

 I have not started this yet... It's probably my most urgent resolution and the one I'm the very least keen on. urgh. Excel. I did learn how to make it do my calculations for me, And I've learned how to hide the columns and export my data so that I can edit it so I'm making slow progress here!
I have been offered training at work so fingers crossed this will be met soon.

12.       Invest in matching underwear.

         I haven't done this yet...

We had Snow!

Star struck

Today at work I met Ashanti Akabusi, and she was really really lovely!
:D

That is all.

1940s style snood

I had a crochet day with Tats today- She picked out a pattern for us to attempt- the instructions for this are in the crochet section on here,as it's something I've been wanting to make for ages but the pattern is a bit confusing.
I've wanted to learn to increase and decrease my stitch numbers because I'd like to make a jumper (I know, such a cliche) and this was the perfect project to practice on (because it should be symmetrical, so if you're getting it wrong it'll be obvious very quickly).

Basicly, you're making a dinner plate sized doily. you can use any pattern as long as it ends up more-or less circular and the holes aren't massive otherwise all your hair will escape and make you look less chic. we used double knit and a 4mm hook- loads of patterns say to use thread but honestly, I think you'd just end up looking like a hedgehog unless you use a really tiny crochet hook.
It's fine if it goes wibbly, no-one will know once you're wearing it.
Mine is, as you can see, wibbly when flat.
Tats followed the instructions to the letter and threaded hers with yarn to make the hat-shape (- which she chained instead of plaiting because it was too much of a headache). I've used elastic for mine and it stays in place much better. no kirby grips for me!

frosty mornings!

Hair dye experiments

Traff fancied a change to his usual black/dark purple mohawk, and taking his inspiration for the world of wresting wanted a multi coloured mo.

Challenge one was the bleaching of the mohawk. if you're planning on doing any home bleaching, you'll need a plastic spoon. 

Who keeps plastic spoons?!

We also had to cover the rest of his head in a Vaseline like substance- we ended up using hemp flavour lipbalm. The smell of that with the ammonia from the bleach was really unpleasant!

This is him in his plastic bag hat waiting for it to develop- it was surprisingly speedy!

And with the bleach washed out:

Next, we added splodgy red and turquoise dye, hoping that where the red and blue met we'd get some purple too!

Messy, splodgy dye I can do no problem.Just don't ask me of you want neat and tidy!

The finished article: