There is no sign here of the snow that has fallen in much of the UK today so here's a photo of some snowdrops instead! Not in my garden, sadly, I just planted three clumps earlier this week and they've not had a chance to spread yet!!

It was so windy last night and with all the creaks and moans about my attic bedroom I didn't sleep very well. It's supposed to get chilly tonight so another hotwater bottle will be accompanying me to bed. It was very gusty down on the shore at West Kirby this lunchtime; I feel like my face was sandblasted by all the windbourne sand blowing off the shore.

I just finished reading "Plain Truth"by Jodi Picoult and enjoyed it, especially all the details about the Amish way of life.

Well, I'm off to get a load of laundry on, wash the dishes and tidy up then hopefully I can be sat down watching a DVD before 8 pm!

Old Boat, West Kirby

I noticed this boat on my lunchtime walk. I liked the colours and the textures against the sand. In the BG you can see Hilbre Island. I really needed my walk today after a very stressful morning. Sometimes I find it really hard to be a manager and follow procedures that mean causing distress to other people.

I came home to more distress; S is upset about friendship stuff at school. It breaks my heart to see her so upset and it's hard to know what to so. Now i'm off to wash dishes then treat myself to a cup of tea!

Marine Lake, West Kirby

I took this with my camera phone and thanks to T, have finally worked out how to transfer pics I take on the phone to my PC. I was kicking myself Saturday lunchtime as a big sailing race was taking place and I didn't have my camera with me! The colours of the sails were so beautiful against the grey water and skies. It has taught me a less to take a camera everywhere as the phone really couldn't do this scene justice!

The picture below is of me and two friends from the Corner
on our Big Cat Day. As usual I'm hiding behind the camera!! We had such a fun time. I'll certainly never forget it. Thanks to everyone who has commented on my cat pics. I'm sure there will be more to come so brace yourselves.....

Marine Lake, West Kirby

I like to walk around the Marine Lake in my lunch hour when the weather is good. These red things made me think of standard lamps; I don't know what they are for at all. I really enjoy my walks. A complete circuit of the lake and the walk to and from the library take me around 50 minutes. Sometimes I talk on the phone to a friend: at other times I listen to music, sometimes I just THINK.

Eggspressions

This was another comp entry for the TPC March competition. This was my best placed photo and I came joint sixth with it. I had so many ideas but in the end was rushed for time and as usual found it hard to put my ideas into practice.

I couldn't face Catblogging today; just feel too sad about Ollie still.
But then something happened that really made me smile!!

My blogger friend picperfic has very kindly nominated me for the award below!

I am absolutely thrilled. I think I met M by following a link from a comment she'd made on someone else's site and was at once captivated by her beautifully designed blog, her photos, her creativity and her energy. She is one of those multi-talented people who seem to be able to do lots of things really well and another thing I really like about her is she's a very loving and proud mum. I would absolutely love to meet her one day - fingers crossed we'll manage it soon! And she is knitting me a cardi aren't I lucky?? Thanks so much for brightening my day!!

So now it's up to me to nominate five people whose blogs I like and admire (not in any order!!):

Kaycee
Kathy is a long time penfriend of mine and fellow librarian. We share an interest in photographyas well as the written word. Kathy is not only very talented with her camera but she shares her thoughts on art and creativity in such an interesting way. I find myself thinking of her words a long time after I've read them. She doesn't just look, she SEES. She is kind and generous and fair.

Lori
Lori is a photographer and horse breeeder with vast amounts of courage and determination coupled with the soul of an artist. She sees so much beauty around her and luckily for us captures it with her camera. Lori loves and understands horses and takes amazing photos of them - I have to call in every day for my "horse fix" as do many others in the blogging community. Lori battles constantly with the ever-changing weather in her home state of Indiana but she's always positive, cheerful and a great support to others. Lori; I'd so love to meet you one day....

Memories Catcher
Who could resist a name like that? This blog, Crossing the Line, is full of beautiful photographs of Portugal along with lots of interesting historical, cultural and geographical information. It makes you want to pack your bags and get on a plane and I am always delighted to visit whenever it's updated. You've got to see it!

Mafia Wife
I have known M for for some time now; I think it was her blog that got me hooked on blogging really. M is a photographer, wife, mom, waitress and all round great gal and we're planning on meeting up in July when we visit Chicago. M is full of energy and enthusiasm; she thinks more clearly than most people I know and best of all, she can put her thoughts into words that make a lot of sense. If I need advice she's a person I'd trust. And she's FUNNY!!!

AB
Anna is a very talented photographer who has improved beyond belief since I've known her - going from complete beginner to a published photographer in only a couple of years. This Canadian girl married to an Englishman has a great sense of humour as well as an eye for a good photo; it's always a tonic to visit her blog and see what she's come up with.

It was so hard to chose only 5 - I visit lots of you daily and I REALLY enjoy every single visit. Some of you I've not known as long as others, some of you (like Talj) have already been nominated by picperfic and of course I can't nominate picperfic herself as she nominated me! I'd have happily nominated everyone of you!

Someone who I've not known for long but think is incredibly special is Ruth
Ruth, I'd nominate you like a shot but am not sure you have the time for it right now,your blog has made me think, learn and appreciate everything more than words can say.

So now it's up to YOU LOT!! Here are the rules from the originating site of the award:

Should you choose to participate, please make sure you pass this list of rules to the blogs you are tagging. I thought it would be appropriate to include them with the meme.

The participation rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn't fit your blog).

That was that! Please, remember to tag blogs with real merits, i.e. relative content, and above all - blogs that really get you thinking!

It's catblogging day again!
Inspired by Lori, I posted this pic of Ollie in the Christmas wrapping paper. Just like a child he was more interested in the wrappings than in the gifts themselves.

Yesterday was busy! we had a couple of new people to our weekly "Get into Reading" group and a really enjoyable session discussing short stories on the theme of childhood, from Sylvia Plath and Joyce Cary. I had a headache I couldn't shake, so went for a walk around West Kirby at lunch time.

In the evening the Coven met for drinks at our local. We had a lot of fun and a lot of wine!! We ended up talking about book groups and may try to start one in the village - there are other groups but there are enough of us to start our own. Any suggestions for books we might try? I have a lot of ideas from the groups I run at work but reccomendations are always welcome. I have often toyed with the idea of an online reading group. T and I have been reading "Northanger Abbey" together and are soon moving on to "Far from the madding crowd". It's fun to talk about what you're reading and get other peoples insight and opinions. What do you think?

What a difference a day makes....
From brilliant blue skies to grey, featureless ones, from a day off to a day at work, from Helsby to West Kirby!
I took these photos when dashing out for milk this afternoon. One is of the extierior of the Concourse, where my library is located. Believe it or not, this building was designed to "blend in with its surroundings" back in the 1970s. I am at a loss to know who thought grey breezeblock walls would blend in with ANYTHING! Recently a huge swath of black tarmac was laid across the courtyard. Apparently some of the paving tiles were loose..the answer was to dig 'em up and replace them with a horrible stretch of the blackstuff. It looks diabolical and we've had no end of people asking "Why on earth did they....?"


There are some more attractive buildings in this small seaside town.

This next photo is of the beauty salon where I get my toes done, which is part of the train station complex. The last snap is of the Barclays Bank building. West Kirby was not looking its best - I must take some more photos on a sunnier day!


My Thursday night pal the Wildcat is away teaching leaving me bereft and forced to spend the evening with P. Actually, it was ok...we watched ER with K. Now I'm off for an early night!