By Slanted Light

Having gone to bed with the chaos of packing (and all the chaos of having bought a wardrobe and brought it home from Ikea by myself, ready to put together in Somerset), I woke up to the magic of this view out the window... And it was magic, because it made me think ooooh! instead of right-better-get-on-with-packing. *g* Also, it made me think how glad I was that I'd brought a few more boxes in from the shed last night - and not waited until today for the Ikea trip. We'd been forecast snow and/or rain, and I was sure I'd end up disappointed and it would just rain, but... wheeeee!

Today is staying cosy inside packing. With probable forays further into this...



I'm also glad I nipped outside before the family were up, because Mrs has just gone off to work and now there are tyre marks - though it's still coming down, so maybe not for long.

Just - yeay! Does everyone else have snow? Am I just the only person who's still like a six year old about it? *g* I don't care, more fun for me that way - but I hope you're having fun too!

I ran! Even after a run-less week, I managed the first of the week seven runs - 25 minutes without stopping. I know it doesn't sound like much to you runners out there, but... it is. *g*

The skies and the air and the atmosphere - such a warm day, back in the 20sC, and a bright pink sun and that feeling that something was about to happen... We were on the end of the storm, of course, and it was very very windy, but the wind was blowing across things that made the world look rather beautiful. If only horrid things hadn't been happening to people caught in the storm itself...

Okay, despite this morning there have to have been moments of happiness, and there were. How about glancing down the driveway as I went across to work, and seeing a huge moon hanging in pale pink over the horizon. Even though it was early, the parents (who were leaving early for work) had woken the girls, and although R was slumping in bed, A was up and smiling, and I took her out to see it. Mooon, she said, impressed with the world. So it's happy that someone is. And of course there are still tractors in the world. *g* Can you see how big it looked? *g*

And then there was sunset, when I was going home...

And best of all, it's the weekend. Nowhere distant to be this weekend, just a coffee date on Saturday, and a need for more Sleepy body lotion from Lush. Trying not to spend money, but... we need to moisurise, right? *g*

I've been starting this since last weekend, but I'm determined to post it now, because blimey and yes! Okay, it's going to be interesting times, but I've got some of my faith back in the UK electorate, who did not overwhelmingly vote for a party that has been secretive, that has been aggressive (and secretive) about Brexit, and fairly openly out for the profit of the few rather than using our taxes to look after our people and our country. Keep thinking like that people - keep realising and seeing what is really going on...

Anyway. *g* Back to my week-long attempted post...

My flist could almost be described as buzzing over the last week (or at least present *g*) - hurrah for everyone who's posted lately! You've inspired me to finally get back to my keyboard and post something too, so thank you! Mind you, I've been trying to write this ever since last Sunday night, so I'm still slow, but... getting there. So - have some pics first. I had to go back to Somerset last weekend (woe is me!) to collect the last of my plants from my friend,

I visited here, of course.

This is where I stayed:

( More pics )
There's also been lots going on besides work - two new book clubs (and a sci-fi/fantasy/horror writers group tonight), more about all that in another post, I guess (nb. I re-started this post this morning, and now it's lunchtime! I'm taking a few minutes while the girls nap/rest...) The more exciting thing is that tomorrow (yes, tomorrow!) I go off on holiday to Ireland - wheee! Well, I drive over to Fishguard in Wales first (more than five hours), stay at a YHA, then ferry to Rosslare tomorrow, an hour to my B&B by the southern coast, and then as follows:
(uh-oh - incoming four year old!)
- Duncannon to Killarney (cos one of my favourite places in Aus. is Killarney Beach), via the Blarney Stone, I hope
- Killarney to Doolin (Dingle Peninsula, Ring of Kerry etc.)
- Doolin to Bushmills (5-6 hour drive, eep! Not sure what's in between except the Burren, but places to stop - and Bushmills is by the Giant's Causeway!)
- Bushmills via the Dark Hedges, Carrick-a-rede bridge etc., to Co. Meath, where I'm going to stay in a wee castle - whee!
- To Dublin via the Boyne Valley, to stay in YHA for a night, and hopefully get to the National Library to answer a geneaology question
- Ferry to Holyhead, in Anglesey (I've never been, I figured why not!) and drive to YHA in Snowdonia
- Home!

It's been such last-minute organising (oh, and car passed its MOT again last weekend before I drove down to Somerset and back the next day - yeay!), and there's been so much else going on, that I'm only now starting to feel properly excited. I still have a panic about exams this year, which effectively kick off while I'm away, and for which my computer this year is not working (aaargh and ack!) - I've tried the helpdesk twice: the first time they hung up on me mid-process when it hit 6pm and the second time the bloke said he wasn't allowed to help me with IE11 issues. Which - I only need to download it for the exams, I don't actually want to use it, and no it's not as simple as knowing how to download it, the bloody thing gets hung when trying to download, every time! (Yes, I have googled, and am in the process of trying all the fixes that are suggested... *headdesk*)

Oh, and I've pretty much decided to go with a Huawei P10 mobile - expensive, which is unlike me, but if it works as well as it's reputed, then hopefully I'll be able to post etc. from my mobile when I get a chance, rather than waiting until I'm too tired in the evening. Speaking of which - four year old is getting stroppy, so back to it!

PS - I've been enjoying the glimpses of lads in my flist, even when I've not commented. I'm missing them...

It feels like forever since I was properly on lj (ie, wittering away... *g*) but today is a gorgeously blue-skyed Sunday when I should be outside doing useful things, and I am feeling lazy enough to look forward to spending it inside doing random things. *g* Well, there may be a garden centre visit later, and there will probably be finally-planting-the-plants-I-bought... *g*

I've been re-importing my DW back-up journal (which will need doing again after this post of course!), but so is everyone else because it's taking forever this time (and I had to remember my password first, too - *headdesk*) I've had emails about people "subscribing" and "adding" me to their DWs, and I shall add back as soon as it's finished doing its thing. I'm still undecided about whether I'll actually use it - and even its use as an archive if my lj actually vanishes is dubious, because my posts generally involve images and those would vanish with lj. But of course I don't want to lose people... Do feel free to add me over there if you have a DW and want to keep in touch, and we'll see how it goes if the time comes I suppose.

So - where were we otherwise?

I'd bought a new sound system (well... *g*), and ( was looking forward to my new telephone... )

More dramatic skies.

Visit to a garden centre which led to the discovery of a local archaeological site and museum... Shades of The Secrets Beneath! Sadly they've finished digging the villa itself (they've been working on the site for nearly forty years!), but they're excavating the stable block, and I'm actually thinking of taking myself up there over the Easter weekend to help out. It's been ages since I've done any digging, and there's the actual possibility of finding stuff here, which would be nice for a change!

( Spring has continued to be sprung... )