16 May 2005
Cycling along the river
Went for cycle and picnic along the river on Sunday to make the most of the great weather. Salmon and prawn sandwiches from the picnic bag - followed by a large "chocolate special" from a nearby pub (see photo)really hit the spot. There are some lovely open fields and little villages along the river just outside Cambridge. We really enjoyed our exploring.
15 May 2005
Happy 1st Birthday, Blog!!
Well, we've been officially blogging now for a year. When I put up the first experimental blog on May 14 2004, we never guessed it would become such a fun part of our lives. We enjoy going back and seeing what we were up to in months gone by - and it will become more fun as time goes on and memories fade: like a great big digital scrap book except it doesn't get fish moths or take up cupboard space. I know the family has enjoyed it too - it's a wondeful way of keeping in contact. I've also enjoyed having a reason to take and post photos - it's been a fun new creative outlet. We're looking forward to our second year of blogging.
Gratitude (2004 - 2005)
Cambridge life
- Our flat in Cambridge that I hunted
- Love Film service
- Botanical Gardens next door
- Rollerblading
- Tennis with colleague and at gym
Life Trove
- Starting my blog in 2004
- Used the blogger platform
- My wonderful Ixus i camera
Volvo
- Duxford so close to Cambridge
- The amazing people at Volvo
- Matts - a wonderful boss
- Caroline
- The cafeteria especially the roast
Australia organising
- Ally's encouragement to move to Australia
- Ally organised our paperwork for Australia
Update
It's been a quiet couple of weeks.
Ally spent a couple of nights in London - she went to Lee-Anne's birthday party and a all-girls transvestite show with her work mates. Apparently it was very risque and lots of fun. Her job is still going ok, not too much stress.
I spent a day in Gothenberg on Tuesday, flew in early in the morning and back late at night. I got to spend a fun evening with my colleagues from North America who I email and speak to daily but hardly ever see.
We've started watching some of the nature documentaries that we've been collecting. David Attenborough's Life of Mammals is pure genius.
I've reached 208 of the top 250 movies. Over the last few weeks, I've seen Twelve Monkeys, Dog Day Afternoon, Rio Bravo, Bringing up Baby and The Straight Story. All of them pretty good, if I was to recommend any one it would have to be The Straight Story: slow and moving story of an old man who travels accross a state on a lawn mover, with a trailor, to visit his sick brother.
We also went to see Kingdom of Heaven at the Cinema so Ally got to oggle Orlando Bloom, her favourite eye candy at the moment.
We're doing a Triathlon next week as part of our life list. Neither of us has done much intensive training so it's going to be a little tough. I had to run for the train the other day and got totally out of breath! Hopefully my rollerblading and tennis will at least make some difference.
Talking of exercise, I've also got into the positive habit of going for a half hour walk every day at work after lunch through the picturesque village of Duxford with some colleagues - which I really enjoy. Makes all the difference to a day hunched over the computer.
Caroline and her other half are also visiting for the weekend, and we're hoping to go punting with them on Friday night. Will be great to spend time with them. I'm really going to miss seeing Caroline when we leave. She's a good friend.
I need to take a few days leave so am playing with the idea of getting a cheap flight to Poland and visiting the famous Polish forests a couple of hours from Warsaw. It's a very good spot for birding. If I go, it will probably some time in June. I want to make the most of being here in Europe. We're also looking forward to our trip to Canada.
Ally spent a couple of nights in London - she went to Lee-Anne's birthday party and a all-girls transvestite show with her work mates. Apparently it was very risque and lots of fun. Her job is still going ok, not too much stress.
I spent a day in Gothenberg on Tuesday, flew in early in the morning and back late at night. I got to spend a fun evening with my colleagues from North America who I email and speak to daily but hardly ever see.
We've started watching some of the nature documentaries that we've been collecting. David Attenborough's Life of Mammals is pure genius.
I've reached 208 of the top 250 movies. Over the last few weeks, I've seen Twelve Monkeys, Dog Day Afternoon, Rio Bravo, Bringing up Baby and The Straight Story. All of them pretty good, if I was to recommend any one it would have to be The Straight Story: slow and moving story of an old man who travels accross a state on a lawn mover, with a trailor, to visit his sick brother.
We also went to see Kingdom of Heaven at the Cinema so Ally got to oggle Orlando Bloom, her favourite eye candy at the moment.
We're doing a Triathlon next week as part of our life list. Neither of us has done much intensive training so it's going to be a little tough. I had to run for the train the other day and got totally out of breath! Hopefully my rollerblading and tennis will at least make some difference.
Talking of exercise, I've also got into the positive habit of going for a half hour walk every day at work after lunch through the picturesque village of Duxford with some colleagues - which I really enjoy. Makes all the difference to a day hunched over the computer.
Caroline and her other half are also visiting for the weekend, and we're hoping to go punting with them on Friday night. Will be great to spend time with them. I'm really going to miss seeing Caroline when we leave. She's a good friend.
I need to take a few days leave so am playing with the idea of getting a cheap flight to Poland and visiting the famous Polish forests a couple of hours from Warsaw. It's a very good spot for birding. If I go, it will probably some time in June. I want to make the most of being here in Europe. We're also looking forward to our trip to Canada.
9 May 2005
Mother's Day in Cape Town
Spoke to Mum and Mike today on the phone - and Matthew joined in on the phone call. Wow, what a chatty thing he is - I was amazed at his vocabularly. Both he and Sam have turned into such gorgeous kids, I'll have to ask Jo what her secret ingredient is when I'm there in December.
3 May 2005
Kerry's visit to Cape Town
I love the intimacy between Mike and Matthew in the top photo - it's always clear they have something very special.
Imperial War Museum (Duxford)
David came up to Cambridge and we explored the Imperial War Museum. A great place with lots to see. Dave, who is a plane nut, was absolutely in his element.
There's something rather beautiful about fighter planes, despite the destruction they cause. They're so sleek and predatory, like steel falcons.
I liked the reflections of the clouds in the glass window - and the way the plane inside (hung to the ceiling) looked like it was soaring in its memories of days done by.
We were very excited to explore the inside of this concorde. Such a pity they don't fly anymore - almost the end of an era.
D Day Landing exhibition
There's something rather beautiful about fighter planes, despite the destruction they cause. They're so sleek and predatory, like steel falcons.
I liked the reflections of the clouds in the glass window - and the way the plane inside (hung to the ceiling) looked like it was soaring in its memories of days done by.
We were very excited to explore the inside of this concorde. Such a pity they don't fly anymore - almost the end of an era.
D Day Landing exhibition
2 May 2005
A sudden revival (Ally)
Very excited that our plant out on the balcony has just revived after a whole winter of dormancy. In fact, to be honest, I had fears it might be dead. But no. It's suddenly sprouted little leaves and shows every sign of becoming the beautiful, leafy speciment it was. I'm delighted because I love our plants.
Kings College - bird framed in flight
I was experimenting with silhouettes again - and was lucky to snap the dove flying as just the right minute. I'm rather chuffed with this!!
You can see the dove again in the top shot. I love the majestic spires of King's College. You're right mum, I'm going to miss Cambridge. I'll have to make the most of it during the next 7 months.
You can see the dove again in the top shot. I love the majestic spires of King's College. You're right mum, I'm going to miss Cambridge. I'll have to make the most of it during the next 7 months.
1 May 2005
Footprints
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| Kruger 2012 |
Footprints
Through the loving ways that people connect;
laughter between friends, a couple holding hands,
the generosity of a stranger, the smile of a child.
Through the gift of knowing I am enough, no matter what.
Through my highest thoughts, my truest words, my kindest deeds.
Through the wonders of sunsets and mountains, ocean waves, dolphins and daffodils.
Through the uplifting beauty of music, art and poetry.
Through the infiniteness of time and space and the intricacies of atoms and less.
Through the mighty power of silence and the peace that stillness brings.
Through these things,
I see the footprints of a benevolent Mystery unfolding
and I look out into the vast night sky
and I smile at the stars and the moon
content in the knowledge
that the universe smiles back.
Written: 2004
Written: 2004
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| Uyuni Salt Pans, Bolivia, 2006 |
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| Northern Beaches, Sydney, 2008 |
Special connections (Cambridge years: 2004 - 2005)
Friends and family
- Amanda and Johnathon
- Wilga and Norman
Volvo
- Mats
- Caroline
- Andreas
- Andrew
- Dorothy
- Richard
- Sharon
- Brian
- Charlie
- Jay
- Mark Vicner
- Martin Soderlund
- Greg Peacock
- Carl Lilleroth
- Hubert Musconi
- Chris & Donal
Expressing appreciation
- Gramps eulogy
- Letters to Mike
- E-mail to everyone at Volvo
- Letter to Caroline
- E-mail to everyone at Volvo
Ally
- Ally HR plan
- Ally's delight when I showed her Brooklands Court
- Punting picnic along the River Camb
- Our mutual love of our orchid
Marketing gone too far
"Mmmmm. Try this!" said Ally, passing it to me as I drove us home in the car the other day. "Thanks" said I taking a greedy gulp. "No! No! I meant smell it!" said Ally. "Too late," said I, with bath bubbles foaming from my mouth. Not a pleasant experience. I'm thinking of suing Boots for deceptive packaging.
29 April 2005
Roast beef, Volvo style
This full plate of food, including two yorkshire pudings (yum!), roast beef and veggies costs the princely sum of £2:50. Not bad!! Every thursday is roast day, needless to say my favourite meal of the week.
28 April 2005
27 April 2005
An Insect's View - Portraits of a Hidden World
An Insect's View - Portraits of a Hidden World
Stunningly beautiful photos of insects here. And some lovely prose too in the introduction. Inspiring. I'd love to capture beauty like this...
Stunningly beautiful photos of insects here. And some lovely prose too in the introduction. Inspiring. I'd love to capture beauty like this...
25 April 2005
Culture galore
Wow, what a great art exhibition. It's all the rage in London at the moment, booked up for months in advance. The story of Whistler (American )and Turner (British), their love affair with painting London landscapes and how they inspired Monet (French) in his impressionist style. We met up with Rosemarie and Nick and spent an exciting two and half hours exploring the paintings.
There were lots of interesting landscapes of London in the 1800's - what an awful place it was with its appalling polution and thick smog. Ironically however, it was the smog that brought Monet back to London over and over - he loved the ephemeral quality it gave the light and the moods it cast over the city. Oh well, i suppose there is a silver lining in everything.
I particularly liked Monet's paintings. My favourite paintings of his were this one and this one - both of the Parliament Buildings. There was also an amazing painting from Turner of the Parlimant Buildings burning down in 1834.
It was a wonderful exhibition and Ally was particularly in her element. In her words: "It was an explosion of light and a heady experimentation of colour, combining all my most beloved subjects - namely sunsets and travel." As you can see, she's becoming quite a poet.
There were lots of interesting landscapes of London in the 1800's - what an awful place it was with its appalling polution and thick smog. Ironically however, it was the smog that brought Monet back to London over and over - he loved the ephemeral quality it gave the light and the moods it cast over the city. Oh well, i suppose there is a silver lining in everything.
I particularly liked Monet's paintings. My favourite paintings of his were this one and this one - both of the Parliament Buildings. There was also an amazing painting from Turner of the Parlimant Buildings burning down in 1834.
It was a wonderful exhibition and Ally was particularly in her element. In her words: "It was an explosion of light and a heady experimentation of colour, combining all my most beloved subjects - namely sunsets and travel." As you can see, she's becoming quite a poet.
Mamma Mia!
This musical has been on our life lists for over a year. And it didn't disappoint. The star of the show, apart from the fabulous music of course, must surely be the script writer. Very clever how she wove such a fun and entertaining story line around the songs. By the end of the show, we were on our feet, joining in the encores with unabashedly loud voices. That's Abba for you - absolutely irresistable. In my experience, only the coolest movies and shows get to use Abba as a sound track. Priscilla and the Desert. Muriel's Wedding. Now Mamma Mia. Colleen and Steve enjoyed the show as much as we did.
Picadilly Circus at dusk
It was great to meet up with Colleen and Steve again in London. They're both doing well - just returned from two weeks in Egypt which they loved.
Picadilly Circus at dusk
It was great to meet up with Colleen and Steve again in London. They're both doing well - just returned from two weeks in Egypt which they loved.
A stroll through Bishops Park
To get to Colleen's flat from the station, we had to walk through Bishop's Park. A lovely stroll along the Thames through green foliage. Quiet and tranquil with the soft chirps of the birds to accompany us. Or so it would have been without Ally's wheeled suit case. It has the loudest wheels we've ever heard. Scraping and thundering along the pavement. Couldn't even hold a conversation over the clamor. Everyone looked up from their picnics to find out what the racket was all about. Needless to say, we've decided to give the bag away and get something a little more streamlined.
22 April 2005
Summer evening
Our first true summer evening in Cambridge - warm and sunny and gorgeous. I went for a rollerblade by the river to celebrate
I took photos of these punts last summer - and did so again tonight. Very photogenic they are. As you can see, all the punts are named after words that come with the word "three", a clever play on the word Trinity. The river is very peaceful here - I sat and watched the sun go down as people lazily punted past. This is true Cambridge.
I took photos of these punts last summer - and did so again tonight. Very photogenic they are. As you can see, all the punts are named after words that come with the word "three", a clever play on the word Trinity. The river is very peaceful here - I sat and watched the sun go down as people lazily punted past. This is true Cambridge.
