Goodbye to an old friend

Fourteen years ago, I bought my first car, a blue Fiesta named Sybil (after the Pythia, not the Fawlties!). She has been the best of friends, never letting me down. Her engine heart is still beating strongly, but her little body is gradually rusting away. Every time she was due an MOT, Son#1 welded yet another plate of sheet steel on her bottom, so that eventually she was as heavy and as safe as a tank, but important things were going wrong. For two years I've had to search for a suitable replacement, but it has been very hard to find something with as much character. Finally, the day has come when Sybil has gone to her new home, and I have a new set of wheels sitting on the drive.

Although I'm sad at losing Sybil, I shall still be seeing her nearly every day. There was no way I could possibly scrap her, and she's no longer safe to drive so I couldn't find her a new owner, but she has a useful end, going to the Motor Vehicle Department at the college for students to learn how to mend automatic engines.

Thanks for all the happy memories Sybil....

now welcome to ....... Pheonix

The Sands of Time

Every spare minute of the past few weeks have been taken up with my latest project, creating a movie of photos from China. This has been so successful I am considering using the format for all my holiday pictures, but the problem is that where I have always favoured portrait layout to fit better in the albums I use, landscape sits much better on the big screen. So now I am busy cropping and sorting through thousands of images, reading old journals to confirm names and places...... and then there's all the old SLR photos to scan.... in fact, it seems as if I am doing ANYTHING rather than get on and write the new unit for college! Time is running out, I have to get motivated SOON.

If you would like to see a few of the many photos of Yangshuo, please follow this link:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2002746&id=1364274011&l=b7c8e1770f

Silly Words

Talking to Neighbour Next Door, both feeling aggrieved with a certain person....

I said, 'Characteristics of their code of conduct are to criticise, correct and control.'

NND answered, 'yeah..... Constantly...'

which had us screaming with laughter to the extent we almost forgot why we were having the conversation in the first place!

Reality check

After such a great holiday, then grading successfully, then getting motivated to start work on my new teaching unit which is a HUGE learning curve, I was feeling pretty good but today I got a booklet in the post from our local council specially produced for ELDERLY RESIDENTS!!!!! This 'older person' was not amused! Talk about being brought down to earth with a bump.

Blue is Best!

I am a very happy person.... tonight I graded in Blue Belt Choi Li Fut (Five Animal) Kung Fu.

When I started martial arts training, my dream was to get a White Belt in Traditional Kung Fu and I never imagined that I would get to this stage.

It has been a difficult road, overcoming problems of health and age. Sifu has encouraged me every step of the way, making allowances for the first but not the second! I always said Blue would be my last belt but ignoring common sense and going with the flow, I have already started on the Leopard form for my Purple Belt, which I will have to take in front of one of the Founders of ZDL. I'm looking upon it as an experience, whether I actually ever grade or not.

Books and rainy days

Still in holiday mood, I can't find the motivation to tackle any work. It's too wet to garden, so reading has taken over my days. I've been raiding my bookshelves and my top ten books at the moment (no particular order) are:

• The Alexander Trilogy by Mary Renault
• Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu
• Windward Heights by Maryse Conde
• Eat... Love... Pray by Elizabeth Gilbert
• Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday
• The Colour by Rose Tremain
• My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk
• Ancient Evenings by Norman Mailer
• Burmese Days by George Orwell
• Felix in the Underworld by John Mortimer