Toms' days off last week culminated in a trip to Bolton on the Wednesday. We went for a wander round the shops and grabbed lunch at what used to be BL1. Mine was very much KFC on a plate. When we got to HMV, I realised that 'Paul' had been released on DVD. That was a must buy. I also found an album for The Neon Trees and bought it on the basis of their track 'Animal' which is really catchy. I have to say that, of what I have heard so far (which isn't much) I am going to hope that it's a grower...
On Thursday, Andy wanted us at the flat to help him move a new sofa in. We set off early enough but by the time we got there it had already arrived.The broken sofa still needed removing. Andy had shopping to do, so when we dropped Adele at the bus stop, it was another trip to the supermarket for the three of us. Of course, I managed to lose them. It's a large warehouse with no phone signal. Fun. When we returned, they shifted the sofa and we locked Tom outside in the rain, he did say he wanted to test out his North Face jacket!
Rachel arrived soon after we let him back in. We had incorporated a baking list in the shopping and, together, had ingredients for brownies and cupcakes. The lads made the brownies and we made the cupcakes. There was only a shallow baking tray for the brownies, so they actually ended up tasting like chocolate biscuits, not bad! The cupcakes were baked in some reusable cases but they didn't rise brilliantly, still, they tasted fine. Everyone still managed a meal at The Cock Hotel, which was followed by a haphazard game of darts from the girls and pool from the boys.
Amazingly, despite the downpour on Wednesday, Thursday was quite nice. Alex and I did the Advertisers on foot with two trolleys and it only took us two hours!
I started my work experience today! Up at 6:45am, my bag was already packed and I was ready to leave at 7.15. I had a lift with a friend of mums' from the church. The roads were surprisingly clear and we were soon at Worsley roundabout. On the way we were talking about what kinds of things I would like to do in my career and I voiced my interest in PR work. Joanne works at the hospital and she was quick to fill me in on the PR department there, who are currently promoting a new radiotherapy unit which opens soon.
I never really considered PR outside of the media or large conglomerates, but it seems as though it could be more of a requirement than people realise. The journey ended and I was soon crossing the motorway bridge for the train station at Eccles. At the ticket office I had to swallow my tongue when, of course, I paid peak fare at £6.70 for a return. I look at it as an investment in my own future because the more willing and flexible you are, the further it will get you.
Alec let me in and I was immediately a cause for excitement for Zoe the Jack Russell. She was very hyper and remained that way for most of the day - jumping on and off my lap repeatedly. I was given a health and safety talk and shown the printers, guillotine and binding machine. I will never use the binder because there are four or five different possible hazards including burns and (as a demonstrator in China found out when his tie got trapped) decapitation.
I have my own coat for the 'dirty work' and will require earplugs too when the binder is in motion. The dirtiest I got today was when Zoe decided to paw my t-shirt, I can live with that! I was given a manuscript and read it through twice over. It was a submission which had been sent previously but deemed too long, so I saw the heavily edited version. I really enjoyed it and would like to research the subject matter a bit more. When I had finished, Alec asked me whether I thought it was publishable. I was surprised that my opinion counted so soon but was pleased to agree that it was.
I don't use Apple Mac computers so it took a little bit of getting used to but another manuscript, in PDF format, was opened for me to see. I had to proofread the document and then transfer it into iWorks to typeset. Because there are so many thousands of fonts, we were unable to match up the one used and had to find one which fittest the closest for page numbers.
I was taught the meaning of recto and verso pages (i.e. odd and even numbers) and had a diagram of how to set out a galley proof. The numbers were printed on alternating pages so that they would read through correctly when bound.This seemed quite clear and I started work setting the margins in centimeters. I thought it worked relatively well and, when I checked the page numbers against the original PDF, it was correct. This was right up until the center page spread where it went awry. I think it will be my job tomorrow to fix that. The author sent us a cover page so all that was left to do, once we had fixed the title page etc, was pick the card for the chapbook. Alec showed me a green sheet and paired it with a brown inlay, I didn't particularly like the match so he changed it to green and black.
Soon after I was back at the station and in Eccles there was a collision on the motorway. We had to wind our way through Monton to get home. Tomorrow I'm heading back to see what I'll learn next!
Monday, 20 June 2011
Monday, 13 June 2011
Better things to do tonight...
So, my parents are away leaving myself and my brother in the house. They call it cat-sitting. Any time I try to 'sit' the cat anywhere in my immediate surroundings, she wanders off. My brother isn't the conversationalist I'd hope for. So it's just me really.
I got paid on Friday. That was the longest month of my life, or so it felt. I really have spent a lot of time in the confines of the supermarket. A wage well earned and to be enjoyed I hope! I checked my bank on the way to a 9-5 and remained pretty happy for the rest of the day. Afterwards I met Tom and waited for Alex to arrive with shopping bags, he wasn't best pleased about dragging them through Walkden. I had made a list the night before to keep it as painless as possible, but every passing minute was too long for the boys. I had to remind them that I had already spent 8 hours there to try and silence the subject. Typically they spent more time weighing up offers on alcohol more than anything else.
It seemed that transporting the food home was literally more painful than the shopping itself. Tom insisted that he had the heaviest bags, yet when we offered to re-jig them he refused. They say women are confusing... We had to haul the bags past the car on the drive, oh the irony. I am hoping that we won't have to make any more trips to Tesco. By this time it was half six and a chippy tea was called for. Alex left in the evening and we settled to watch a film which Tom had been promising to watch for ages. I should have guessed that he'd get tired and we'd have to stop it not even half way through! It really felt like a Saturday night to me for some strange reason, so to wake up on Saturday morning to another shift was a bit boggling!
A few days previous on the Tuesday, I had met Sally and Dan in the Trafford Centre to discuss some script ideas. We have a few things to look at together and then Tom met us upstairs in Starbucks. Sally left us as we went for food. Dan had a brainwave that Adele was off that day and he hadn't yet visited the new flat. We all got on the bus to Walkden together and called in. I made a point whilst there that I was going to have a free house over the weekend and that I wouldn't mind some company.
Saturday didn't feel like a Saturday. It was really strange. The friend I normally spend my breaks with was absent so I just crossed my fingers that people would be in the canteen who I could speak to. During my last break Rachel, who had previously told me she had plans for that night, text me to tell me she was now free! She made my day, we met in work to get some bits for the evening and had a drama with a self service till.
Back at home, Dan and Jess were first to arrive and the rest followed suit. After a chat, we used it as a bit of an opportunity to screen some work. I had the DVD of Sally's short film (I edited the script and parts were filmed in Andy's old flat), I also had some of Dan's work too. Following that, as I had my laptop connected to the TV, it turned to an evening of YouTube! Even so, it was 100% better than spending the night on my own as Alex had decided to go out!
Tomorrow and Wednesday are Toms' days off, I have them clear of work too so we'll just see where we end up!
I got paid on Friday. That was the longest month of my life, or so it felt. I really have spent a lot of time in the confines of the supermarket. A wage well earned and to be enjoyed I hope! I checked my bank on the way to a 9-5 and remained pretty happy for the rest of the day. Afterwards I met Tom and waited for Alex to arrive with shopping bags, he wasn't best pleased about dragging them through Walkden. I had made a list the night before to keep it as painless as possible, but every passing minute was too long for the boys. I had to remind them that I had already spent 8 hours there to try and silence the subject. Typically they spent more time weighing up offers on alcohol more than anything else.
It seemed that transporting the food home was literally more painful than the shopping itself. Tom insisted that he had the heaviest bags, yet when we offered to re-jig them he refused. They say women are confusing... We had to haul the bags past the car on the drive, oh the irony. I am hoping that we won't have to make any more trips to Tesco. By this time it was half six and a chippy tea was called for. Alex left in the evening and we settled to watch a film which Tom had been promising to watch for ages. I should have guessed that he'd get tired and we'd have to stop it not even half way through! It really felt like a Saturday night to me for some strange reason, so to wake up on Saturday morning to another shift was a bit boggling!
A few days previous on the Tuesday, I had met Sally and Dan in the Trafford Centre to discuss some script ideas. We have a few things to look at together and then Tom met us upstairs in Starbucks. Sally left us as we went for food. Dan had a brainwave that Adele was off that day and he hadn't yet visited the new flat. We all got on the bus to Walkden together and called in. I made a point whilst there that I was going to have a free house over the weekend and that I wouldn't mind some company.
Saturday didn't feel like a Saturday. It was really strange. The friend I normally spend my breaks with was absent so I just crossed my fingers that people would be in the canteen who I could speak to. During my last break Rachel, who had previously told me she had plans for that night, text me to tell me she was now free! She made my day, we met in work to get some bits for the evening and had a drama with a self service till.
Back at home, Dan and Jess were first to arrive and the rest followed suit. After a chat, we used it as a bit of an opportunity to screen some work. I had the DVD of Sally's short film (I edited the script and parts were filmed in Andy's old flat), I also had some of Dan's work too. Following that, as I had my laptop connected to the TV, it turned to an evening of YouTube! Even so, it was 100% better than spending the night on my own as Alex had decided to go out!
Tomorrow and Wednesday are Toms' days off, I have them clear of work too so we'll just see where we end up!
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
Oh my...
I went from multiple posting in the same day to nothing for two weeks or more. If anybody actually reads my blog I'm sorry. That also depends on whether or not you are really that bothered.
I do this for fun. I have had some good times recently but they have been interspersed with a lot of hours at work. I am saving money whilst working as much as I can up until placement. In between these hours I have mostly been seeing Tom. Many people have been concentrating on finishing the last bits of their degrees and we are slowly regaining momentum towards the summer.
Last week, I went to see the Manchester United Youth Team with Dad and Alex. It was the second leg of the final against Sheffield United and they started the match on a 2-2 draw. It felt strange not really knowing who I was watching but I still got into the game. It looks as though Keane and Morrison are players to keep eyes peeled for in the near future of Manchester United. Both players scored two goals apiece. Sheffield managed to pull one back but we finished the game with a 6-3 victory.
On Wednesday last week I took a trip with Jessica and Dan to Chester Zoo. My uni friends had planned the 'Zooniverse' trip but we arrived separately from Liverpool and Manchester. When first investigating travel routes, the train seemed to be quite expensive for just a one way ticket, thank National Express for £3.80 each way! Leather seats did us fine and we only arrived ten minutes later than everyone else.
Hayley handed me a bracelet on our first meeting for quite some time, I was touched =]. We wandered between elephants and baby meerkats, from Jaguars to bats. I really enjoyed the bat cave, it was chilling when one flew by inches from my ear. Hayley was in her element because she loves bats. Once your eyes got used to the darkness it was amazing how you could see them hanging almost within reach.
Butterflies fluttered in the daylight. We were careful not to tread on them and Chris took some brilliant pictures (available on Facebook) of them and many of the other creatures we encountered. I almost aided an escapee butterfly which clung to my jean leg. An American lady was quick to notice, stopped me from leaving and Abi was forced to encourage it away from me. She seemed to enjoy naming the variations as her dissertation equipped her with impressive knowledge.
Not to feel left out, Paul befriended an exotic bird of the feathered variety. He named 'her' Sandrine. 'She' was responsive to his movement and receptive of our speech as she mimicked us in her own language. When we moved round her cage to see her inmates, she followed. By the time we revisited her on the way out, we felt quite attached to her and even sad?
Returning to Manchester, Dan, Jess and I decided to go for tea at Frankie and Benny's. I ordered what I thought was going to be pasta but Jess informed me that it was actually a folded pizza... So long that it entailed chicken, I wasn't too fussed!
The last time we attempted to take part in the Fab Cafe quiz, there weren't enough participants and it never materialised. This week it immediately felt more lively. The word game could be described as a version of 'Say What You See'. e.g. 'Blu e' was blue movie. I didn't get it. The first round was historically themed so it rendered me pretty useless really, the second was more science/science fiction so that didn't do much for me either. By the time it came to the music round it was nearly 10pm. I was working at 9am the next morning and knew that the ridiculous roadworks on Chapel St would still cause me grief. Though I was missing my music round, I managed to jump on a bus at Piccadilly which, even at that time of night, still took twice as long as usual and dropped me home at 11pm! I was knackered!
On Bank Holiday Monday I worked a 7am-1pm. It felt good to have gotten a decent shift in but I still had the majority of my day remaining. When we were wandering through the store, Tom found out that his parents were coming down part way through their camping holiday. We settled that we would go out with them the following day.
Mum had told me in the preceding days that Ellis Brigham was having a sale. Tom had assured me (because he's the outdoor expert and i'm certainly not) that a sale there would be well worth visiting! We set out on the bus and arrived at the shop for ten to four. From the outside, the shutters were down and it looked pretty deserted. Tom tried the only door we could find and it opened under his grasp. We were alerted upon entering that we only had ten minutes before closing time! Luckily the rails were organised into genders and sizes. Tom found a (medium) North Face waterproof. It was perfect and discovered in perfect time. The RRP was £90 and I got it for £45, bargain!
Yesterday our route was decided. Tom had not seen his Nan in Darwen for some time and she was our first port of call. We also visited Oswaldtwistle Mills and Queen Street Mill in Burnley. Oswaldtwistle was a mixed bag of everything from a sweet to a book shop. A bit of a mooch and I enjoy browsing such places. In one of Mum's magazines, I had seen a kit where you can build your own 3D model of an owl. As a fan of the species I was keen to get one and discovered them in the Mill for £4.99 - something for a rainy day at Tom's =P.
Queen Street Mill is the last working textile mill (for display purposes only). We saw the engineer generate the steam required to drive the powered looms. It travels through shafting along the ceiling of every room and powers hundreds of machines.
When we got back to Cadishead, I helped Tom to pitch his parents tent which needed to dry out. We also had a little kick-about on the drive but I don't think I'm up to scratch to start playing in the park just yet!
I potentially have the weekend off but I have no idea exactly how it will pan out, if it is worth writing about, it shall be done. I hope so!
I do this for fun. I have had some good times recently but they have been interspersed with a lot of hours at work. I am saving money whilst working as much as I can up until placement. In between these hours I have mostly been seeing Tom. Many people have been concentrating on finishing the last bits of their degrees and we are slowly regaining momentum towards the summer.
Last week, I went to see the Manchester United Youth Team with Dad and Alex. It was the second leg of the final against Sheffield United and they started the match on a 2-2 draw. It felt strange not really knowing who I was watching but I still got into the game. It looks as though Keane and Morrison are players to keep eyes peeled for in the near future of Manchester United. Both players scored two goals apiece. Sheffield managed to pull one back but we finished the game with a 6-3 victory.
On Wednesday last week I took a trip with Jessica and Dan to Chester Zoo. My uni friends had planned the 'Zooniverse' trip but we arrived separately from Liverpool and Manchester. When first investigating travel routes, the train seemed to be quite expensive for just a one way ticket, thank National Express for £3.80 each way! Leather seats did us fine and we only arrived ten minutes later than everyone else.
Hayley handed me a bracelet on our first meeting for quite some time, I was touched =]. We wandered between elephants and baby meerkats, from Jaguars to bats. I really enjoyed the bat cave, it was chilling when one flew by inches from my ear. Hayley was in her element because she loves bats. Once your eyes got used to the darkness it was amazing how you could see them hanging almost within reach.
Butterflies fluttered in the daylight. We were careful not to tread on them and Chris took some brilliant pictures (available on Facebook) of them and many of the other creatures we encountered. I almost aided an escapee butterfly which clung to my jean leg. An American lady was quick to notice, stopped me from leaving and Abi was forced to encourage it away from me. She seemed to enjoy naming the variations as her dissertation equipped her with impressive knowledge.
Not to feel left out, Paul befriended an exotic bird of the feathered variety. He named 'her' Sandrine. 'She' was responsive to his movement and receptive of our speech as she mimicked us in her own language. When we moved round her cage to see her inmates, she followed. By the time we revisited her on the way out, we felt quite attached to her and even sad?
Returning to Manchester, Dan, Jess and I decided to go for tea at Frankie and Benny's. I ordered what I thought was going to be pasta but Jess informed me that it was actually a folded pizza... So long that it entailed chicken, I wasn't too fussed!
The last time we attempted to take part in the Fab Cafe quiz, there weren't enough participants and it never materialised. This week it immediately felt more lively. The word game could be described as a version of 'Say What You See'. e.g. 'Blu e' was blue movie. I didn't get it. The first round was historically themed so it rendered me pretty useless really, the second was more science/science fiction so that didn't do much for me either. By the time it came to the music round it was nearly 10pm. I was working at 9am the next morning and knew that the ridiculous roadworks on Chapel St would still cause me grief. Though I was missing my music round, I managed to jump on a bus at Piccadilly which, even at that time of night, still took twice as long as usual and dropped me home at 11pm! I was knackered!
On Bank Holiday Monday I worked a 7am-1pm. It felt good to have gotten a decent shift in but I still had the majority of my day remaining. When we were wandering through the store, Tom found out that his parents were coming down part way through their camping holiday. We settled that we would go out with them the following day.
Mum had told me in the preceding days that Ellis Brigham was having a sale. Tom had assured me (because he's the outdoor expert and i'm certainly not) that a sale there would be well worth visiting! We set out on the bus and arrived at the shop for ten to four. From the outside, the shutters were down and it looked pretty deserted. Tom tried the only door we could find and it opened under his grasp. We were alerted upon entering that we only had ten minutes before closing time! Luckily the rails were organised into genders and sizes. Tom found a (medium) North Face waterproof. It was perfect and discovered in perfect time. The RRP was £90 and I got it for £45, bargain!
Yesterday our route was decided. Tom had not seen his Nan in Darwen for some time and she was our first port of call. We also visited Oswaldtwistle Mills and Queen Street Mill in Burnley. Oswaldtwistle was a mixed bag of everything from a sweet to a book shop. A bit of a mooch and I enjoy browsing such places. In one of Mum's magazines, I had seen a kit where you can build your own 3D model of an owl. As a fan of the species I was keen to get one and discovered them in the Mill for £4.99 - something for a rainy day at Tom's =P.
Queen Street Mill is the last working textile mill (for display purposes only). We saw the engineer generate the steam required to drive the powered looms. It travels through shafting along the ceiling of every room and powers hundreds of machines.
When we got back to Cadishead, I helped Tom to pitch his parents tent which needed to dry out. We also had a little kick-about on the drive but I don't think I'm up to scratch to start playing in the park just yet!
I potentially have the weekend off but I have no idea exactly how it will pan out, if it is worth writing about, it shall be done. I hope so!
Wednesday, 4 May 2011
Look Where We Are
I've broken the rules concerning musically inspired blogs, kind of. I usually get started by listening to a song which incites either a mood or a topic for me to expand on. Today I started with Hoobastank - Inside of You but scanned down my iTunes playlist to find the topic of this blog under the same artist.
I chose this song because it represents where I am right now. Yesterday, I took a trip to uni with a bulging folder and two bags full of library books. It was the dreaded/long awaited final deadline day. I had my work sorted into plastic wallets for the last time. It was really strange filling out five lots of cover sheets and dropping them into the box. I cleared my £6.00 library fine because you can't graduate if you don't! Fifteen books down the chute and I'm free.
Monday was yet another bank holiday which meant a day with Tom. We met up in town and shopped for picnic stuff. I've been on trams a lot recently and this was no exception. Tom has been suggesting going to Heaton Park for a while and, though it was windy, it was a good day to go. We jumped on the Bury tram and the stop for the park is right outside the gates.
Tom wanted to eat our picnic on the grass but under the shade of a tree. Granted, this meant we were away from the elements but it was dark! We found a spot on the field which was pretty empty and tucked in. As we ate, the grass filled with families, kites and footballs.
On the lake people were battling rough water but they weren't getting very far. £8.00 for 45 mins wouldn't get me very far either... It was cheaper to jump on the park tram. It's an old fashioned open top which came from Blackpool. I had never seen the wires changed over before, it reminded me of trying to hook a duck on the fair.
Our next stop was the animal centre. We expected the rabbits, the chickens and the goats but not the alpaca which visited the toilet in front of adoring fans. I also didn't expect to find the scrawniest and scruffiest duck I've ever seen. His friend was actually pretty scary, it was a white duck but his eyes were simply blobs of white and that is not right. It looked as if it had Glaucoma or something and wasn't pleasant to look at. At that point I had seen enough.
Back in town I had a mini mission. On Sunday night I had been messing around with my brothers PS3 on the main television in the lounge. I had my latest copy of Kerrang! and sat searching bands on YouTube. With having no access to Kerrang TV I've been starved of music. Up until finishing my work on Friday, I hadn't bought an issue of the magazine for about seven or eight months either. My iTunes was drying up with stale music and I was getting bored with my playlist. The discovery of a new single from Simple Plan, music from Twin Atlantic and an EP from Francesqa meant that I had some CDs to buy in HMV. Later that night I also found a free download of Canterbury's album from their website so I have a decent amount of new songs to get into!
I plan to revert to my life of music and gigs which I had before starting uni and I missed it for three years. Speaking of music, Kerrang Magazine is out again today and I need to go and buy it in a bit!
Tonight we're all meeting at the Pint Pot for a celebration of Dan and Jess's engagement. I have a sneaky feeling that football will be involved too...
I chose this song because it represents where I am right now. Yesterday, I took a trip to uni with a bulging folder and two bags full of library books. It was the dreaded/long awaited final deadline day. I had my work sorted into plastic wallets for the last time. It was really strange filling out five lots of cover sheets and dropping them into the box. I cleared my £6.00 library fine because you can't graduate if you don't! Fifteen books down the chute and I'm free.
Monday was yet another bank holiday which meant a day with Tom. We met up in town and shopped for picnic stuff. I've been on trams a lot recently and this was no exception. Tom has been suggesting going to Heaton Park for a while and, though it was windy, it was a good day to go. We jumped on the Bury tram and the stop for the park is right outside the gates.
Tom wanted to eat our picnic on the grass but under the shade of a tree. Granted, this meant we were away from the elements but it was dark! We found a spot on the field which was pretty empty and tucked in. As we ate, the grass filled with families, kites and footballs.
On the lake people were battling rough water but they weren't getting very far. £8.00 for 45 mins wouldn't get me very far either... It was cheaper to jump on the park tram. It's an old fashioned open top which came from Blackpool. I had never seen the wires changed over before, it reminded me of trying to hook a duck on the fair.
Our next stop was the animal centre. We expected the rabbits, the chickens and the goats but not the alpaca which visited the toilet in front of adoring fans. I also didn't expect to find the scrawniest and scruffiest duck I've ever seen. His friend was actually pretty scary, it was a white duck but his eyes were simply blobs of white and that is not right. It looked as if it had Glaucoma or something and wasn't pleasant to look at. At that point I had seen enough.
Back in town I had a mini mission. On Sunday night I had been messing around with my brothers PS3 on the main television in the lounge. I had my latest copy of Kerrang! and sat searching bands on YouTube. With having no access to Kerrang TV I've been starved of music. Up until finishing my work on Friday, I hadn't bought an issue of the magazine for about seven or eight months either. My iTunes was drying up with stale music and I was getting bored with my playlist. The discovery of a new single from Simple Plan, music from Twin Atlantic and an EP from Francesqa meant that I had some CDs to buy in HMV. Later that night I also found a free download of Canterbury's album from their website so I have a decent amount of new songs to get into!
I plan to revert to my life of music and gigs which I had before starting uni and I missed it for three years. Speaking of music, Kerrang Magazine is out again today and I need to go and buy it in a bit!
Tonight we're all meeting at the Pint Pot for a celebration of Dan and Jess's engagement. I have a sneaky feeling that football will be involved too...
Sunday, 1 May 2011
Enter Sandman
I have been away for the last week, keep reading down. Here are my exploits...
Tuesday 26/04/11
We visited the much publicised Sand Exhibition today. This came after mooching around the town itself. I found an Animal shop and, because they are so rare at home, I had to buy a t-shirt! It is my favourite shade of blue!
My parents keep trying to get me to remember the town, this is bearing in mind that I haven't visited since I was six... However, I do remember image of a white horse which is on the hill near Osmington. I don't remember the pub which sits down below and just off the main road.
The sand exhibition is still quite small with apparent plans for expansion. However, I really enjoyed examining the sculptures of castles, pirates, ships and dinosaurs. They were all as tall as double decker buses and, all together, consisted of 75 tonnes of sand! It amazed me how intricate the detail was and how the damsel in the boat (below) or the waterfall (which ran from the very top of the castle sculpture to the bottom) didn't collapse.
That night we did a quiz in the bar. It was interactive with video clips and video mashups. I think only one team got a higher score than us on our side of the room. We were glad because the winners on each side had to do a deciding round on stage... The last time we let Dad on the stage was in Devon and he had to sing 'Teenager in Love'... oh dear.
Tuesday 26/04/11
We visited the much publicised Sand Exhibition today. This came after mooching around the town itself. I found an Animal shop and, because they are so rare at home, I had to buy a t-shirt! It is my favourite shade of blue!
My parents keep trying to get me to remember the town, this is bearing in mind that I haven't visited since I was six... However, I do remember image of a white horse which is on the hill near Osmington. I don't remember the pub which sits down below and just off the main road.
 |
| The Smugglers Inn |
Or the sign on their car park below...
 |
| ''lesser cars will be clamped" !!! |
 |
| Mum and Me in the Sand Exhibition |
Monday 25/04/11
We spent five hours in the car today. I was reluctant to get out of bed when Dad came into my room at 6.30am. Despite this, my iPod kept me company whilst I had my eyes out for Volkswagen camper vans. We spotted six or seven but no splitties!
On the campsite, I'm not impressed with how the caravans are crowded together like some kind of military field. I hoped we wouldn't stay on site very often.
That night we did a quiz in the bar. It was interactive with video clips and video mashups. I think only one team got a higher score than us on our side of the room. We were glad because the winners on each side had to do a deciding round on stage... The last time we let Dad on the stage was in Devon and he had to sing 'Teenager in Love'... oh dear.
We planned on going back to the 'The Smugglers Inn' for tea. It was a little pricey but I enjoyed my scampi, especially because it came with an ample amount of tartar sauce!
And, because they never get any recognition (apparently) Dad took this:
Weymouth
Wednesday
We continued the walking theme of our holiday over the next few days. On Wednesday we took a trip to Durdle Door. It is a formation of rock on the picturesque coastline which has the resemblance of a doorway eroded through.
We parked up on the roadside and walked through a campsite with some very noisy feathered inhabitants. The trip down to the coast was only slightly precarious with a thin footpath and loose stones causing us to slip and slide. It was worth the effort for some brilliant views and photo opportunities.
A shingle beach awaited us at the bottom and we watched a King Charles spaniel frolicking in the clear sea. Mum also caught sight of a swimmer, in a wet-suit and with bare feet, climbing the 'door'. He got half way up before coming unstuck and jumping off. Another fellow in a canoe wanted to sail through the opening, but the current denied him.
A crunch behind us signaled someone, who had gotten all the way down to the last few steps, falling. On our ascent back to the car, we opted for the path which wasn't full of stones, but it was steep! A lady carried a tiny baby ahead of us, I was surprised that she didn't manage to slip. Further along, another lady was heading the opposite way whilst clutching a toddler. They also fell. Both were okay but the child cried with shock. I knew that the views ahead would console the lady, but I wasn't convinced that the child would be bothered...
We continued the walking theme of our holiday over the next few days. On Wednesday we took a trip to Durdle Door. It is a formation of rock on the picturesque coastline which has the resemblance of a doorway eroded through.
We parked up on the roadside and walked through a campsite with some very noisy feathered inhabitants. The trip down to the coast was only slightly precarious with a thin footpath and loose stones causing us to slip and slide. It was worth the effort for some brilliant views and photo opportunities.
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| Durdle Door |
A shingle beach awaited us at the bottom and we watched a King Charles spaniel frolicking in the clear sea. Mum also caught sight of a swimmer, in a wet-suit and with bare feet, climbing the 'door'. He got half way up before coming unstuck and jumping off. Another fellow in a canoe wanted to sail through the opening, but the current denied him.
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| Me and Mum |
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| Corfe Castle |
Corfe Castle was the next port of call. We parked up near a Volkswagen camper van but the owners returned before I could photograph it. On the way into the centre, we passed a graveyard where this inscription caught my eye.
To live in the hearts
of those we love
is not to die
of those we love
is not to die
I like that. I think that it's a positive thought coming from a dark place. Much appreciated.
The stone ruins of Corfe Castle inspired Kirren Island in The Famous Five by Enid Blyton. It was where the author took holidays and they have a 'Ginger Pop' shop inspired by the stories. I found all three Faraway Tree Stories in a collection and nostalgia spurred me...
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| Ginger Pop Shop! |
Thursday
Today we went to Portland Rock. It is an island just off Weymouth. First, we took a stroll to the prison gates, the building itself is embedded in the hillside. To the left, we had a brilliant view of the land. The walk progressed in a wide circle of footpaths through grasslands, viewing posts and back to the car.
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| Portland Rock UK |
Next, we stopped at Portland Bill where Dad and I trooped up numerous steps to the lantern room of the lighthouse. Again there were great views, though I could only see through a small gate. I wasn't tall enough to see through the windows! We also had a close up of the inner workings of the lantern itself.
Blackleach
I stated last week that I would probably enjoy a bit more exercise... Since then I have taken walks with mum and Tom around Blackleach Country Park. If we head onto the street where Dad works, and continue to the end of it, we are on the park. To the right of the path are fields, and you can hear the motorway traffic droning in the distance. We have made many trips to the park over the years on both cycle and by foot. We always walk down to the lake and sit on a bench, which is likened to chilling in a straight jacket. Needless to say, we always move on quick
When I was with Mum on Good Friday, there were lots of young families doing some kind of Easter treasure hunt. It culminated at a new stone wall viewing point where there was also a wooden bench carved with flowers and birds. I have no idea why my phone took the photo in black and white...
It was only Easter Sunday before I was back, this time with Tom in tow. We walked the same way through the streets to get to the park. We pass the playground I visited as a child and, Tom having a mental age of 5, leaped straight in! It has been reconstructed countless times with new tyre swings and climbing apparatus. It annoys me when I see empty bottles of Smirnoff near the equipment, some people have no respect!
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| Pylons... Typical! |
When I was with Mum on Good Friday, there were lots of young families doing some kind of Easter treasure hunt. It culminated at a new stone wall viewing point where there was also a wooden bench carved with flowers and birds. I have no idea why my phone took the photo in black and white...
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Through a new metal gate, we discovered a woodland assault course. The kids were loving it, so I only managed to try out the springy bridge and tightrope walk before heading out past the heritage hut and onto Bolton Road.
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| Tom |
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| Me... |
Tom and I spent more time on the assault course. Only dog walkers were present. I was challenged to complete the course without touching the ground. This meant Tom giving me piggy backs between the sections. We even noticed the den which somebody had constructed in the undergrowth, I didn't want to desecrate it or cause it to collapse, so we left it alone.
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| The Den |
That afternoon was a blast from the past, because we went to Darcy Lever where The Farmer's Arms had been closed for years. I last remember going for a meal on Grandad's 70th which was about 13 years ago. Alex and I loved the soft play area upstairs. Now it had a cafe with an ice cream parlour!
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