Fire up the Quattro!

Ashes to Ashes the follow up series to the BBC hit Life on Mars made it's debut last night.

When I tuned in I had high hopes and I have to say it didn't disappoint in any way. Gone was Sam Tyler played by John Sim, gone was Manchester and also gone was 1970's nostalgia. In their place was Keeley Hawes as DI Alex Drake, London and scary 1980's music and fashions.

In the midst of it all as ever was the thoroughly non-politically correct DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister). In this incarnation of the time- travel tale, the focus it seems has finally shifted to the real star, the snarling DCI Hunt.

Reviews in the press have been mostly favourable and this has also been matched by overnight figures suggesting some 7 million watched. Not bad for a Thursday night. Here's hoping the next 7 episodes maintain or exceed the high standard set last night and also by the series that spawned it.

Let's not forget to mention the perhaps sinister Bowie Clown, plus Zippy and Bungle from Rainbow- now that was a happy memory from childhood.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/ashestoashes/

No- Pottery Tuesday

It's normally on a Tuesday night or some point on a Wednesday that I write something (hopefully interesting) about my ceramics work. I attend class Tuesday nights so often rush home with a new 'masterpiece' to tell the world about.

Things have been a little quiet of late in that respect. Not because I haven't been productive, oh I have been churning out pots of all shapes and sizes for sure. It's just that our new technician is rather keen on getting some new glaze samples produced and out on display. As a result, students work is kind of on hold, firing wise.

Hopefully normal service will be resumed very soon and I'll have lots to bore everyone with. In the meantime, please feel free to look at some of my work on Webshots. There's a link right down at the bottom...

Groundhog Day!

So what was I just saying about Spring being round the next corner? It was -2 degrees Celsius (about 28 F) when I stepped outside at 7.45 this morning, with thick ice on my car as well. Brrrr!

What exactly was I doing out on a Saturday at that hour? Well apart from being my contact day with Little Lad, we do swim lessons at 8.30 each week. At his level it's a small group of around 6 kids, with a parent in the water with their young 'un, plus the tutor. We both love it and it's a great time for us to have fun, while he learns some vital skills. He's been doing this since he was about 6 months believe it or not, so confidence in the water is high. These days he can jump in from the side and swim unassisted to me in the centre of the pool, without arm bands and then swim on to the other side. He then turns, kicks off, swims back to me in the centre and on to the other side. Considering he only turned four the other weekend, that's pretty good. Can you tell I'm proud of his ability in the water? I have no doubt if ever he fell in, he'd know what to do to get to safety.

Afterwards it's breakfast and then playtime. We do some drawing or painting and then go out for a walk, often with the intention of feeding the ducks, swans and geese.

Of late he's chosen to invite my parents along as well, which is really nice for all of us. There's a small lake near us that is very well populated with foul. You know the usual mix of Mute Swans, Canada Geese and Mallards but also this pair. About 10-15 years ago a pair of Egyptian Geese where introduced to one of the local lakes. Breeding pairs can now be found at several lakes in this area. This pair seem a little confused though. You see to their left the brown and white spec? Think it's a little early for babies and (sadly) I'm not surprised there's only one. They often seem to produce between 4 and 6, I guess the others didn't make it. Either way Little Lad loved seeing them and throwing some bread. Good fun had by all, I think.

I've just read that Punxsutawney Phil (http://www.groundhog.org) has proclaimed another 6 weeks of Winter. Thinking back to first thing this morning, it sure feels like that might be the case. Anyway Happy Groundhog Day everyone!

Pinch, Punch, First of the Month

Where exactly has January gone? It seems like only a short time ago we were singing Auld Lang Syne. Not actually into the whole singing bit but you get the idea.

So now it's February and already we're thinking about the approach of Spring time and Easter. Mind you the shops have been stacked with chocolate eggs since New Year, if not before Christmas.

Is it just me or do the weeks and months pass quicker as I get older? As a kid, next week was ages off, an eternity. When a teen, next week was when home work had to be done by and could be put off for a few more days. Now I blink and it's another week closer to the end of the year!

Hello!

This is my first post here on Blogger and I'm not quite sure where to begin, how to introduce myself...

Anyway here goes... I guess I'm refugee from Yahoo 360 where I've maintained an irregular blog for a while. I'm no longer updating that page but if you're interested in what I've said and done over there, take a look at http://360.yahoo.com/ceramix_boy it might give a clearer idea of what inspires my blogging, what is important to me.

I also have a page on webshots you may wish to look at. This is where I share images of my current obsession for Ceramics http://community.webshots.com/user/ceramix_boy all comments good or otherwise are welcome.

Apart from that I have a wide, varried range of interests, like to think I have a good sense of humouor and am easy to get along with. My son- Little Lad- means the world to me. He's just turned four and at times seems so grown up. More on him in the coming weeks and months.

So what else? My mum has Secondary Breast Cancer in her Liver and Spine. She's been living with this for over a year now. Mum was very ill last year having picked up a so-called Hospital Superbug and we nearly lost her. That thankfully is behind us (we hope) and mum has this week restarted treatment for her spine. The liver appears to be mostly back to normal. Yea!

So that's my first post. Hope you choose to look in again on me sometime and see what I've been up to.

So Long and Thanks for all the Fish...

** Blog entries from 12 June 06 up to and including this one have been lovingly reproduced from the original on Yahoo 360 **

... as Douglas Adams once said.

I've been thinking about this (and talking about it) for some time, so it may not come as a surprise when I say this will be my last Blog here on Yahoo 360.

Time to move on.

TTFN xx

Good News for Mum

Mum visited her consultant yesterday afternoon.

He started apparently by saying how well she was looking. The results of the scan indicate that despite not receiving treatment for many months now, the cancer in her liver is reduced and a physical exam suggests it is nearly back to normal. As a result no further chemo treament is thought necessary at this point.

Her spine however has deteriorated so they intend to restart the bone strengthening program on a monthly basis. The consultant thinks the pain in her arm is due trapped nerves, so this may improve with the treatment to her spine.

As ever her situation will be reviewed regularly.

Hospital Visit

Belated Happy New Year to everyone!

Mum will be visiting her consultant tomorrow to review test results and MRI scans. They'll then discuss her treatment plan for the coming months.

Season's Greetings

Merry Christmas everyone and best wishes for 2008!

(There I've done it LOL)

21 Dec 07 Muffinhead says: and back at ya, have a gooden xx

Pain

Mum had to go see her GP on Tuesday. She's had an ache or pain in her arm for a while now. He thinks there's a possibility it could be a mini stroke or perhaps indicates that cancer cells have broken free and moved to her arm. Arrrrgh!

He's writing to her Consultant and she's due to see him in the New Year anyway, so finger's crossed it's not serious.



20 Dec 07 Muffinhead says: *hugs* mummy *hugs* xxx

Happy Holidays? I Don't Think So!

Am I the only one concerned we are now being encouraged to celebrate and wish each other "Happy Holidays" and not Happy Christmas? It's as if we're now embarrassed by our own vaguely Christian celebrations and traditions. Why is that? Is Christmas not about all the best things of human-kind? A message of hope and peace?

That or we fear upsetting people of other faiths (or no faith for that matter). While in turn they have freedom to openly practice their festivals without fear of upsetting the "Christian" majority. So it can't be that can it? We live in a free and fair society. Or so I am told by the politicians.

So when the times comes, I will be wishing everyone a Happy Christmas. No doubt I'll be dragged off by the PC Brigade and given a stern talking to.



17 Dec 07 Annon says: you're nicked shirty mcgerty lol

Not Trusting Those Yahoo Stats!

According to Yahoo, I've had 29 views on my page for the week 3 Dec- 9 Dec.

For the month of Dec so far I've apparently had 142 views. That's 113 views for 1 Dec- 3 Dec. Yeah right!


5 Dec 07 Muffinhead says: does happen hun when friend of friends read their comments to u ive had over a thousand since mon tis just nosey peeple in multiply tis best it reveils just who has been ur page when and whch bit too xx

12 Dec 07 Dawney says: well if u keep deleting things what do u expect?

13 Dec 07 Dawney says: seems all my comments are being deleted as well