Mid- morning feasts for owls.

I thought owls hunted in the early evening? So, I am wondering if Harry Potter's owl was en route to somewhere this morning, via the lanes to Cheswardine! It was lovely to see the owl - a tawny, fly out into the field just as I drove past a tree, but slightly confusing as far as the hours of the day are concerned. So, come on you experts - do they suffer insomnia as we do, or was this one just rebelling and having a day flight/feast - as we might as midnight feast?

Bollywood in Shrewsbury

It is an age since I have been to the cinema, so last night three of us went to the new small cinema in Shrewsbury. It is in the upstairs of the Market Hall, part of which has been turned into a cafe and the other half is the cinema, seating about 100 people. It was fantastic - we bought a glass of wine each and watched Bride and Prejudice while sipping some good quality wine, reclining in very comfortable seats with lots of leg room. Mr Darcy was almost as good as Colin Firth so every woman in the room went home with that little smirk on their faces!
We called in for a take-away on the way home, ate it at Liz's (not me, the other one) house and ended up in their local pub. It was a very enjoyable evening. Think we will go again - in fact we might even make a cinema club up to watch something monthly!

Bollywood in Shrewsbury

It is an age since I have been to the cinema, so last night three of us went to the new small cinema in Shrewsbury. It is in the upstairs of the Market Hall, part of which has been turned into a cafe and the other half is the cinema, seating about 100 people. It was fantastic - we bought a glass of wine each and watched Bride and Prejudice while sipping some good quality wine, reclining in very comfortable seats with lots of leg room. Mr Darcy was almost as good as Colin Firth so every woman in the room went home with that little smirk on their faces!
We called in for a take-away on the way home, ate it at Liz's (not me, the other one) house and ended up in their local pub. It was a very enjoyable evening. Think we will go again - in fact we might even make a cinema club up to watch something monthly!

Toy day.

Did I tell you we (Some of my class) won a competition which was really all about playing with robots? Well, today I drove a round 250 miles trip to spend 2 minutes for two of my pupils to demonstrate their prowess. Mad? Yes, definitely, but I have the bug now, I shall go to bed a happy bunny with pictures of robots for next year's competition. I have the idea already forming in my mind. I thnk it will be ethnic and fun. However, I want to develope the idea from a simple robot - a tank like creature into one that has moving limbs. Yes, I know, dream on girl.
However, allow me to tell you a secret, I saw Elvis today and he still looks good!

This is it!

The proposal for my dissertation has been accepted, so now I have to put my nose down to the grindstone and work on this dissertation for a year. Aaaargh - can I do this? It means serious reading, note taking, being organised about the notes etc etc. I am quite excited about the research part, it will certainly boot me into more interesting work, so I shall give it a go.
It is the last free day before school starts again tomorrow, I must get my act together on that on that too. Peruvian mountains ar ethe theme this half term, now I wonder what I can do with those!!

Breakfast with swans

I have just returned from spending a night each with my son and daughter. Breakfas at each home could not have been more different. A house on the small estate where my son lives was having its drains pumped out (I must remember to tell them that). At my daughter's home I sat down with a view over the lake and lawn. Two swans had settled onto the lawn and were grazing, I didn't know that swans ate grass, but I do now! They were joined by a few coots, who I think were just starting their mating ritual. One would approach another with an arched back, rather like that of a cross cat, then down went the head, as if was about to hover the grass, and he charged at the other bird. The first few were then joined slowly by others who imitated the ritual, in between grazing the grass - at least I presume they were, might be quite wrong about that!
However, what a lovely scene to unfold as one eats breakfast.

What a lovely morning!

The sun is shining, the tree skeletons are looking wonderful and this afternoon I am off to do a trawl of my two children. Nottingham first today, then Worcester tomorrow. In between I am going to see if I can have an Indian head massage therapy. I feel it is time to be kind to my poor head, it gets so much verbal abuse from me. Every time I forget something, when I look around at the untidy state of my home, those times of blank nothingness - do I need to say more? I am going for a treat!! I will let you know what happens!

Where do you think best?

I don't know if this is unusual, but I always have my best thought when lying in a hot steamy bath. On Friday night, I redesigned the bathroom and am very happy with the result. The only trouble is - I am getting rid of the bath because it is such a tiny room. Is this sensible?!

Life with robots

Life has been taken up with robots this week. I booked a visit from a man who would bring all sorts of robot 'engines' for us to work with, we had to make the bodies t og on top, then program the machines with him. The fianls of this was to be avisit to Cosford and to take part in some kind of jamboree.
Hmmm, well that turned out to be a competiton - and we won! So? Well, now we drive down to Bristol to take part in the National finals.... we have only been doing this for two weeks, why on earth am I contemplating this? Anyway, the drive is on to find some really ghostly music, then in two days, for the boys to write their program, perfect it and travel 125 miles before 9.30 in the morning.
I will let you know what happens late in Feb.
As for the real life? Wow, it is half term, eleven o'clock and I am taking life easy, no rush to dress, the kitchen is going to be cleaned, then I am out to lunch. After that I am contemplating a visit to Moet in Eccleshall - spring is in the air and I would like some clothes that are colourful, it is time for one of my usual anti-black phases in life.