A Merry Christmas To All Our Friends and Family...in fact EVERYBODY!!

Skywatch Friday

Today's is one from a while ago, in a place that (for me) was part of 'joining the dot's'  as Suzie put it-  just about to enter Queen Charlottes Sound, New Zealand...oh to be there now :)

Look at other skies here....

Yule Tide Friday In...

Fill in the lyrics...with the correct ones or ones of your own :-) 1

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1Said the night wind to the little lamb, pass the mint sauce old boy...

2. The first Noel, the angel did say, oh, something happening today?
3. Parties, Over the hills and everywhere.
4. It came upon the midnight clear, watch out for the black ice my dear.
5. On Christmas morn, when the kids are UP so bright (and OH SO EARLY), Let your heart be light.
6. And the thing that will make them ring is the carol  that you sing-not with my voice it won't....
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to end of term, tomorrow my plans include shopping and footie and Sunday, I want to finish the ****** Christmas shopping!

Nearly there...

One more day to go,

One more day of sorrow,

One more day in this old place,

And we'll be off the morrow...

Remember singing that as lad at school - feels that way at the moment!! There are a lot of excited little bunnies at our place with an attention span of about 5 seconds right now.

It's Christmas dinner today, so we're going to make hats for that, then calendars to take home...and, well probably watch a DVD.

What are our plans for the hols?

• It's Mother's 81st on Monday, so we're treating her to a trip to London , The Royal Albert Hall. Santa's Little Cracker, then a meal.
• Tuesday Debs and Camlin are coming up to stay, so it's another trip into London for me (Suzie, poor devil, has to work).
• Christmas Eve, we're off to Mother's again for the festive period - Daughter, Grand-Daughter and me via the tube, Suzie via work!!

as for New Year - http://lendal.blogspot.com/2008/10/been-planning.html

and we've go to take this fella...

My World...

As my world tends to be focused on football (soccer for you colonials), here's a few pics from that area of my life...

These were taken at The Vic prior to our 2-1 win against Norwich...

No, your're not seeing double..there are TWO sets of goals, use second for warming up the goalies...

This pic (and far better than mine!!) is by DAN the photo man at Hertford Town...it was a soggy afternoon this Saturday..and we won 3-0

Not Quite Friday SkyWatch...

(Click for other peoples' sky)

Here's my offering for this week

Again it's the school where I work - just as we were finishing for the day...

(sorry AGAIN about quality - only have a phone camera with me)

My World...

This a glimpse of the oldest building in Hertford- the 12th century St Leonards Church.

(not a brilliant image...)

Go here to see other people's world...

The Friday mixture...sky and fill-in...

Friday Fill-in 99...

1. The last band I saw live was Sir Elton John.

2. What I look forward to most on Easter Weekend is camping at Weymouth - means spring is here

3. My Christmas/holiday shopping is yet to begin!


4. Thoughts of woe fill my head.

5. I wish I could wear clothes that always look good on me, instead of looking like a sack!!

6. Bagpipes are fine at Edinburgh castle.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to an evening by myself (Suzie's going out with a pal), tomorrow my plans include domestics, hair cut and football and Sunday, I want to chill!

West Bay, Dorset, an early spring evening....mmmnnnn!

It's Friday....

Friday Fill-In 98!!

1. Please feel free to smile!!

2. When I hold snow, I can't help sniffing it occasionally.

3. My favorite thing to cook is venison - with a dark cherry sauce.

4. (No surprise...) Football (soccer) is something I can't get enough of.

5. That's the thing I love most about Watford Football Club - the uncertainty.

6. Sunday mornings always makes me think to myself, what the heck?

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to chillin', tomorrow my plans include the launderette (washing machine has died), then over to Holmer Green with Hertford Town and Sunday, I want to get a new washer!

Skywatch Friday 18

This is a chilly mid morning, mid November view over Weymouth Harbour (Dorset).

An Orb's weekend away...

Suzie was asked to take 'Orb' away with us this weekend...

Click to see his/her full adventure!!

Friday Skywatch

Skywatch 17

Over the school today...

Friday time again...doesn't life fly past when you're having fun!!

Friday Fill in

1. My blueprint for success includes huh - success, what success?

2. Cadbury's Roses was the last candy I ate. (Thanks Siobhan)

3. The best facial moisturizer I've ever used is - one for you girls here...any suggestions?

4. A book by a cool beach can be good therapy.

5. I'd like to tell you about Whitby...but go there and find out yourself - and try the chips from the Riverside Fryer!!. http://www.whitby.co.uk/

6. I kinda find this hard to answer - need a second opinion, but possibly the ability to be optimistic is my strongest characteristic.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to washing and ironing (so there goes the optimistic side of me...), tomorrow my plans include going to see this young lady



and Sunday, I want to have lunch with the kids!

A lovely day in the increasingly cold autumn...

Went here for a spot of fishing....

   

 

All wrapped up...

Didn't catch a thing...they all saw me coming !!!!

It's Friday...

Number 96

1. My favorite food seasoning is something spicy.
2. The quietness of the moring by a river is music to my ears.
3. Lucky is toast butterside up.
4. Fairness is something I take very seriously.
5. Many people find it hard to take personal informed decisions - follow the masses !!.
6. Ingredients for our Tuscan Chicken lunch was the last thing I bought at the store.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a curry after a days fishing, tomorrow my plans include watching Hertford Town play 61FC and Sunday, I want to relax!

Strange colour outside...

So, where's all this global warming then?  

Here we were expecting good old England to be as balmy as the Med in a few years - you know, brown slopes and olive groves - long warm autumns....RIGHT!!!

but..according to the The Telegraph, it's good for us...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3281540/Why-snow-in-October-is-reason-to-rejoice.html

funnies...

Not one to post pics from other blogs, but...I like this one:-

Been planning...

As mother has already ordered the chicken and mixed the cake, we're in Chesham for Christmas then...

BUT, we are legging it for New Year and abondoning Neicey and co this year, we've booked 3 nights here

It's the Best Western in Brugges...looking forward to it!!

Daily Pic..

Well it can't be called daily as I haven't posted one since .....  :-)

Again, I've delved into my 'archive' to find one, in fact 5...Five  generations...

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In no particular order :-

Grandma, Mother, daughter, grand-daughter, great grand-daughter!!

It's just gone Friday....

So here's my Friday Fill In...

1. Right now, I'm feeling relaxed but a little bit thoughtful, sat watching the Air New Zealand Cup Final from Wellington - just memories that's all. 

2. I am where  I want to be.

3. How does one juggle?

4. Getting on a bit (and SUzie!!) keeps me on track.

5. Please don't assume you know me.

6. Happy people without agendas fills me with joy.

7. And as for the weekend, today I'm looking forward to a gentle afternoon of football watching at Hertford Town,  my plans also include a wander around the town and Sunday, I want to to go fishing here!

LIfe, football and all of that.

So, how have my chosen teams been getting on in my absence from these boards?  Those who have followed these ramblings (HELLO DEBS!!) will possibly know I follow these teams through either a lifetime of struggle, having lived there or some other tenuous link ...

Watford FC.  We're doing ok...19th in The 

Championship BUT the football is much more fun than last years dross. A club I've supported from 

childhood.

(Recall supporting Leeds Utd for some reason (probably the Yorkshire link and the fact that my 

cousin Christine's other half followed them)). 

We moved from Eaglescliff when I was a 5 something and I grew up in Chesham, a few miles from the ground. My best mates brother was  fan and led me down the demon path when WFC were a spot in the lower leagues.  Find their history here.

Moved here just over three years ago to be with Suzie :) Decided 

to watch the local non-league team when I could and have gradually become more involved!! Going to watch them today over at Watford (Oxhey Jets) with our new manger - Ossie Ardilles' son

Then there's this lot -  The Mooloo's !!!  Otherwise known as Waikato Rugby Club in Hamilton New Zealand. 

Now, when we were planning  trip last year I look

ed up which club was closest to Tauranga, and it was The Steamers. BUT when I was unpacking at Jack and Denice's paradise, they noticed my Watford scarf and suggested that I had come pre-pared!! Just look at the colours and you'll see why... So now I'm  fully committed Mooloo supporter ( they lost their last game of the season last week to Hawks Bay in the Air New Zealand Cup).  

By proxy, I'm also a follower of this lot as well - the regional kiwi team that plays in the Super 14 cup... Go Chiefs!!

That just leaves Yorkshire Cricket Club, England in all sports, Andy Murray and school!!

64 Days..not that Suzie's counting...

Seem to have lost the habit of posting regularly - too much other 'stuff' going on, mainly the usual football message board surfing and general browsing.  Haven't even been reading or fishing lately so not much to catch up with either.!!  

A quick recap of our life recently then....

Went here and lost (that's not true - I didn't even get the chance to feel the fish on the line I cocked it up so much) my biggest ever fish...

Went to Hertford last weekend and watched this game with Stephen R, then a chilled evening watching England in the pub and a curry afterwards.

Thursday Suzie took me to Castle Hall to watch 'Kiss Me Kate' by our local amdram HD & OS - good fun.

SO, now I'm back, let's get posting.....

Well, now we ARE Mr & Mrs Fazey-Wood, what happened...

Spent the past few weeks filling up various personal diaries and seem to have run out of words to describe the build up, the wedding and the honeymoon!!

So, let's just simply say that the wedding was great - nice and gentle, grown up even!!

I can't vouch for the Hen Night though...

Went to Rhodes - lovely hotel, some yummy Tavernas AND Manuel....

Well, we're now Mr and Mrs....

Thanks everybody - more to come later.

Our Wedding...

Well, it's nearly here!!!

That is all....

Excited little bunny...

That's me!!

The poor old Fiat rather disconcertingly died on Tuesday on the way home from work - disconcertingly because it happened right in front of Luton Hitchin Road cemetary!! Loss of power then clonging noises and rattles and stopping stuff - engine gone for a burton.

SO, we've been out and gone and got ourselves a cracker in replacement...

It's a Ford Focus, 1.8 TDCi Sport, Hatchback .

Friday fill-in

Friday Fill-In

Questions courtesy of One Knutty Knitter;

1. Idle hands are probably throwing a rubber at someone in my classroom right now!!.

2. I love to be woken up in the shower.

3. My favorite time of the day is when it's all gone right and I can relax with a glass of something nice.

4. The last tea I drank was about 3 minutes ago and was bulk standard Typhoo - milk, no sugar and medium strength.

5. I like to enjoy the warmth in the Summer.

6. My mother always said wash behind your ears young man.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to some gentle fishing for a couple of hours, tomorrow my plans include setting up our wedding list at John Lewis, then watching the start of Euro 2008 and Sunday, I want to finish my class summer reports!

Daily Pic

When we were scanning photo's for mother's 80th birthday we came across this one - it's my mother holding her dad's hand with my nan pushing my Uncle David in the push chair along the front at Brighton pre-war. (Her dad died of TB when she was not much older and the person I called grandad was her step father).

Friday Fill - In.

Questions courtesy of MindFul Mimi who had some thought- provoking ones this week; thank you, Mimi!

1. For me mind dumingly boring 'real life' TV soap drama is the opposite of creativity.

2. Depends on the genre, but
The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom was the last excellent book I read.

3. I like fill-ins because they make me think a bit about who I am.....

4. In nature I like looking at the changes through the seasons.

5. After you lot voted for Bush a second time, nothing would surprise me.... should win the US elections.

6. The last time I laughed with all my belly was listening to Stephen Fry.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to cooking a feast, tomorrow my plans include as little as possible and Sunday, I want to enjoy some good weather, go to the gym and find loads of bargains at a car boot sale!

A good weekend...(except for the rain...)...

Whilst the rest of Dorset cowered inside away from the rain on Saturday - we at West Bay were treated to a few lovely hours of refreshing heat...but it did catch up with us on Sunday night with a vengeance!!!

I went fishing...didn't catch anything, but the view was magnificent - 185 Million years of rock formation in front of me...

Think all had a good time, I know these did!!!

And I feel the need to embarrass these two!!!

Off for some R & R

It's been a long half term at school and we're (kids and us) bushed... So we're off camping in West Bay in Dorset for some well earned rest, (if that's the right word), with the kids and grandchildren!! Should be fun.

I'm hoping for :-

• fun...


• chill out time with a book and a glass of wine or two...


• to catch a fish from West Bay harbour...

Friday Fill - In.

1. On my laziest day I like to lay and look at the sky moving around over my head!
2. Rushing around moving 'things' makes me feel like I'm being productive.
3. I love little quick moving birds, like the Wren and big pizzas!!
4. This summer I want to enjoy the peace of our courtyard (oh - and get married...)
5. James Boswell made me start my blog.
6. Red radishes and orange walls.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to camping with the family in Dorset, tomorrow my plans include not getting wet when we put the tents up and Sunday, I want to read!

Daily Pic

Spent the weekend at mother's (hence no Friday stuff - no Internet)...went fishing seriously for the first time in what must be 10 years. A bit of a pilgrimage really, went to Tring on the Grand Union Canal. Earliest memories of fishing here are with dad. We used to tie the rods to our bikes and peddle the 10 or so miles there. Flask of tea and cheese sandwiches (because you could use the bread or the cheese as bait!!). Remember breaking the ice at times. A different era - there were still working canal barges around then.

Anyway - I think I found the only part of the canal that was in total shade, so when the sun came out, I was still shivering in the wind,but I caught a beautiful roach with gorgeous red fins. For warmth I moved to a place called Buckland along the Aylesbury Arm of the canal.

Warmer, but a tad noisier than I remembered it as they've built a great big by pass through the quiet fields - *****'s.

Anyway - I caught my personal best Perch in this beautiful spot...

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