Up early

Getting back into our normal everyday routine means getting up a little earlier than we have been doing.  Not that we're stay-in-beds here in this household of larks, but today's 8.30am appointment did mean that lingering in the bathroom wasn't an option this morning.

There was a reward though, in the form of the most magnificent sunrise over the valley.  Not only that, but there were layers of mist to add interest too - thin wispy stuff close at hand and thicker, white dense clouds filling the further reaches over towards the southeast.

Though the sun rose into a bright blue cloudless sky later, the temperature never rose above freezing all day.  The three young men working at our local car wash still managed a smile and a joke in spite of the cold - I preferred to sit inside by the radiator and do the crossword!

365 - a photo every day

On January 1, 2008, a group of friends suggested taking a photo every day to upload it to our blogs.  I was a bit slow in starting, with the result that I had no photograph to upload that day - I cheated and uploaded a photograph from the previous January 1st instead.  But since then, I have taken a photograph each day and posted it to my 365 blog, over on Blogger.

Somehow, I have managed to keep it going, never missing a day even though I might have to wait a couple of days to upload one or two because of a dodgy internet connection.  My aim was to create a visual diary of the year, choosing images which represented what I'd been doing and what was going on.  Some are a little oblique and mean little to anyone but me.  Many record sad times and I prefer not to go there for now - that first month in particular was especially tough.  But I'm pleased I kept the record and looking through the images provokes many more happy memories than sad ones.

I've just spent the afternoon uploading the first four months of 2009, first to Flickr and then to the archive here on my Squarespace site, creating a Pictobrowser for each month.  During the next few days, I'll try to complete the archive for 2009 - click on the 365 link above to see the photographs.

Everyday life resumed

Friends having gone home yesterday, today's job was putting Christmas back into the box.

Out went the tree

and into the boxes went all the familiar features of Christmas.

Quite therapeutic in a funny kind of way.

Let "normal" life begin again.  We're ready.

Hello 2010

The candles burned, the guests sparkled.  It was a lovely evening spent with friends and before we knew it, the champagne glasses were filled and 2010 was with us.

The following morning some of us set out for a brisk walk in glorious sunshine.  Cheerful greetings of "Happy New Year!" were exchanged with other walkers and it was a good feeling to be able to get out into the fresh air after a (very) late night/early morning.

The sunshine was so warm, the brisk walk so invigorating, it came as quite a surprise to find an altogether different sight just around the corner

As we stood on the opposite side of the valley, looking over towards our place, we made another toast to the New Year with a drop of sloegin which I'd tucked into my pocket together with four shot glasses. 

Here's to 2010!