We went to feed the ducks after school. It was a lovely warm afternoon and I wanted to see if the board walk had been mended after the fire. I parked the car and started to get organised. The car park was open- which looked promising. Then I realised the path was non existent so I got Hugo in the sling. Then I realised that the path was still closed, just that somebody had the wire on the bollards so you could get through.
I decided that as I was on my own with both kids I would go to the other side of the pond and park there. It just isn’t as much fun as there aren’t reeds to walk through.
We got to the pond, fed the ducks and I got some nice close ups of Aoife and Hugo.
Aoife then decided she wanted to push Hugo in the stroller. She kept lifting the peep hole and saying “I’m just checking on my boy’. She had great fun running and pushing Hugo (thank goodness for straps) and he thought it was hilarious. I was trying to get pictures of them hurtling towards me whilst managing to get out of the way in time. Apologies for the blurry ones but they show how much fun Hugo was having. (I’d been playing about with my settings and left it on the wrong one- oops!)
Last but not least- we saw lots of beautiful sunflowers.
I have been getting some shadows on my pictures and it was driving me crazy.
I’d been trying to read my guide and couldn’t work out what was wrong.
So I asked Steffi to have a play around with my camera. She solved the problem.
Good news for me, not so good for the bank account.
My super dooper zoom lens is to big for the flash and it is the lens itself that is making the shadow.
So I’ve been playing about with the aperture setting to avoid flash use.
Guess what I want for Christmas/my birthday/ Hugo’s birthday/any other suitable occasion.
No offence to any man intended, but it is funny how differently men and women think.
I got a call this afternoon saying that we could start the work on our kitchen on Wednesday if I liked. The final prices had come through from the electrician and so I was able to review everything.
I sent the file across to Martin for his opinion. In my quick glance I had found a couple of errors and several questions that needed to asked.
I emailed the contractor and said we were keen but that I would have to review things once kids were in bed and call him tomorrow.
Martin sent me a reply instantly saying ‘go ahead’.
So on the one hand it would be really nice to get going. The weather is still nice enough that we can eat outside and have barbeques. We will be without our kitchen for the best part of a month so the sooner they start the better.
On the other hand if they start this week I will have a huge amount of work to do with no help from Martin. The cupboards are not going to empty themselves although I am sure Hugo would be willing to help.
I would also have a week and a half with no kitchen as well as no husband. I think I might go crazy… Although if we have to eat microwave dinners and eat out if would be cheaper if Marin was not here….
We haven’t chosen the new fridge or microwave yet. Nor have we decided on tiles. I guess they are minor issues as they get done at the end.
I would like to go through the design with a fine tooth comb and get Martin to double check it all. Not easy when he is the wrong side of the Atlantic, in a training course all day and busy doing normal work in the evenings.
So answers on a postcard please…..
I’m in Birmingham all week and I’ve been staying in a hotel just of New Street
The Burlington Hotel is the old Midland Hotel; it’s undergone significant renovation and is supposedly “a Jewel in Birmingham’s Crown”
The Macdonald Burlington Hotel has been Birmingham’s premier independent hotel, offering four star accommodation for well over 125 years.
The AA hotel ratings states:
Very good quality andcondition, with a superior standard of furniture, furnishings, flooring, fittings and decor.
The English Tourism Council guide has:
At a **** hotel you will find: (in addition to what is provided at ONE, TWO and THREE STAR)
- Accommodation offering superior comfort and quality; all
bedrooms with en-suite bath, fitted overhead shower and WC
My room is supposedly an “Executive Single” – it is tiny. The bed is shorter than me.
The power socket is falling off the wall; the bathroom has mould, broken tiles and gaps around the bath and shower.
Needless to say I’m checking out tomorrow morning.
(Joking)
I was in Birmingham on Sunday – and the tinsel and signs were going up for Christmas parties:
gonetoutah | utahfeminist | 
September 10, 2007 11:07 pm | 
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