Life gets in the way sometimes

Brief Apology

I just wanted to say a quick Hi and to apologise for not having had the chance to read anyone's Blogs. Obviously missed them all the week we were away. Then spent a week catching up on work and on the site itself, so no chance to read Blogs. Then of course a week ago events rather overtook us - and everything, but everything went out of the window. So next week I will have to spend time catching up on work . . .sigh . . and events are still ongoing.

Please bear with me - I will be reading Blogs again and will be writing my own.

I haven't even had a chance to Blog about my meeting with Crystal . . . who arrived in the middle of our turned upside down lives.

Crystal Jigsaw . . . if you haven't already met her is absolutely lovely. Utterly charming, warm, vivacious, caring and someone you can be proud to call a friend. Her husband although slightly quieter (mind you no chance to get a word in I suspect) was equally charming. Both have a wicked sense of humour . . thank goodness . . .I didn't shock them with my TWO fart machines . . . good grief and people actually think I am wise . .Shocked

The meal we had was carefully chosen not to cause the hazards endured during eating my club sandwich when I met Blossom. In the main we were successful, although the jaw breaking stuffing was a little crunchy. Plus the smoke alarm announcing lunch was a ready a tad deafening - otherwise it all went well.

It also turned out that the people who live next door to Wizzard are related to CJ's other half . . .now how spooky is that.

The only criticism I have our gorgeous Crystal (and she is gorgeous . . .pulls face) is that she is taller than me Ptooooeeeyyy - then again most people are . . . ankle biter me.

Jewels of Scotland

Top Picture Ben Lawers - the view from my garden - how lucky am I.
Second picture - frost in our sheep field . . .



Frosty, misty start this morning . . . .and now we have clear blue skys and warm sun.

Scotland gets a very bad press when it comes to the weather - apparently it rains here all the time

There is a saying - if you can see Ben Lawers then it is GOING to rain, but if you can't see Ben lawers then it IS raining.

We do get some extremes of weather up here - but good as well as spectacular.

HS is a WINNER . . . . .

Last night went with HS to Loxleys the printers - in Glasgow. They were hosting a roadshow of the PPQB (Professional Photographers Qualification Board) on behalf of the BIPP (British Institute of Professional Photographers of which HS is a member and has also recently become the Chairman of the Scottish Division) and also on behalf the MPA (Master of Professional Photographers) . . . Gawd are you all still with me . . . .

ANYWAY . . . the purpose of the get together was a presentation and workshop plus one to one advice from the judges, based on each photographer's collection of images on how to choose the right images to go from Licentiateship to the next level which is Associate ship within the BIPP and MPA. HS has the first level . . .he failed his Associateship Board in April of this year . . .he had good images at this board, but did not show enough uniform style . . .

Berludy good evening - met loads of photographers, good presentation - got to see plenty of Associate work - I came away inspired and I'm not even a member . . .yet! And food there was food . . . not the exploding club sandwich kind either . . . there were sandwiches sans cocktails sticks, but I avoided those . . although I managed to get grease all over my fingers from various nibbles . . .and drank too much coffee and nearly stabbed nine people with an over expressive wooden skewer - from which I'd proudly managed to eat chicken Satay without decorating the walls. And I only spilled my coffee a little bit and the MD of Loxleys forgave me.

AND the presenter, at the end, smiled and warmly shook my hand and forgave me for heckling him . . wasn't that nice . . .

BUT . . . AND THIS IS THE IMPORTANT BIT . . .

There was a prize of a camera for the best picture that the judges saw whilst looking at the potential candidates photographs for the Associate Board next April. AND YES . . HS WON . . . .I cried . . .much to everyone's delight and my acute embarrassment! What was worse I couldn't stop . . . .

I AM SO PROUD OF HS . . . he deserved the prize. One judge said 'excellent image - all I can say is that I wish I had taken it' . . WOW. So HS now has his work cut out as he has to come up with 19 more pictures that also have the WOW factor to pass his Associate Board in April 2008. He already has several other pictures in the running (approved by the judges last night) and planned shoots for producing more in the same style.

Below is the picture that won. Please note I meet all the models and scare the living daylights out of each one of them before letting HS and said model go out to do the shoot . . .snigger . . .