August 1st 08 - Guitar

I've come home to Mum and Dad's for the weekend. It's my brothers birthday tomorrow and it was my Mum's last weekend so this weekend we're all getting together to have a joint birthday celebration meal. It's nice to see the family again and have a get together and a bit of fun.

This is a guitar in the now music room of their house. Dad has a couple of guitars, one acoustic and one electric, and Chris has an acoustic one too. They're all stored in the music room, which was once my bedroom - oh how things change!

July 31st 08 - Rain, rain go away

It won't stop raining, it feels like the floods of 2007 are on their way back to haunt us. The rain just keeps coming and coming. This is a photo of the shed roof out in the back yard and the water butt that the drainpipe falls into is constantly overflowing, despite me emptying it just a couple of weeks ago.

Let's hope that summer makes an appearance again soon, as even though rain is good for the garden, I think we have had enough by now!

July 30th 08 - too tired!

I've had a very busy, but very enjoyable week so it's time for an early night. Goodnight all

July 29th 08 - Lack of inspiration

This was another day where inspiration for a photo had all but failed me. Then I went into the bathroom to draw the blind and saw the way the light had fallen on the houses over the road and how that looked through the funny glass in the bathroom window.

Well, I thought it made for a different photo. Maybe the inspiration fairies are in there after all :)

July 28th 08 - Anything but monkey brains!!

I cooked chilli for dinner tonight as I had Ruby staying for a few days. I'd asked her last time we met up if there is anything she doesn't like to eat in case I ever cook for her and her reply was, "well I was once served monkey brains and they didn't taste too good, so anything else will be fine" - how can you compete with that?

So at least my chilli should be OK...fingers crossed!

July 27th 08 - PALA visit to Chatsworth House

At the end of the PALA 2008 conference they had arranged a visit for the delegates to Chatsworth House. As I don't live far away Ruby had managed to blag me a ticket to come along. We couldn't have picked a better day for it as it was stunning, really hot and with a wall to wall blue sky.

After a walk round the inside of the house (something I've not done for years) we ventured off into the gardens. As I was the only one out of the group who had been to Chatsworth before I was appointed the unofficial guide, so I made sure we saw all of the main areas and water features in the time allowed. The place was packed, with children playing in the cascades and couples laid out on the grass taking in the sun.

It really is one of my favourite stately homes to visit, they seem to really cater for the visitor by giving them almost free reign in the gardens and even allowing photos to be taken inside the house, a real treat these days.

After our walk round the grounds we headed to the main courtyard area and to one of the cafes for lunch, which was delicious, if a little pricey. Then it was back on the coach to head back to Sheffield.

Ruby then followed me back to my place where she's to stay for a few days before heading back to Edinburgh

July 26th 08 - Shiny shoes

Tonight I'm off to a formal dinner at Firth Hall in Sheffield. I've been invited by Ruby which is nice. We've not known each other for too long so it's great that she wanted me to come along. The dinner is for the Poetics and Linguistics Association (PALA) 2008 conference. Now I know I'm going to be way out of my depth as far as conversation is concerned but maybe my shiny shoes will make up for my lack of linguistical (is that even a word) knowledge :)

Actually, I'm really looking forward to it, I met up with Ruby and a few of the other people at the PALA 2008 earlier in the week and they are a great bunch, and any time to spend with Ruby has to be a good thing. Bring it on!