How are you today?

[Angie]

Wow. Stunning pictures, Alex!

[alx5962]

Wow. Stunning pictures, Alex!

thank you

[vero]

If you lived in Iceland, the novelty would soon wear off and you'd be bored agian and want a change.
Its like people who live by the sea.....i always think how lucky they are but people who do, who i've talked to say they don't take any notice of it after a while.

rob,

sorry to disappoint you, but we've been to iceland at least twice a year for the last 15 years, and i haven't been bored for one hour yet.
the scenery, the weather, ... it's just different every time.

and alex, on those icelanders, they might seem somewhat closed, but that's just because they are. they would prefer no foreigners at all if they could, and continue to live on their secluded island. however, once they get to know you, they really open up, and have a great sense of humour

anyway, do visit if you have the chance, it's gorgeous ... and they need our money

v

[paul-pgss]

Those Icelanders will get our money soon enough once they join the European Union.
But it's indeed a country high on my wishlists of countries I have to visit before I die (luckily I'm not planning on dying soon).

The coming weeks I'll be spending in plain and boring Norway. Seriously, Norway is a beautiful country to, for those of you who haven't visited Norway yet. I love the nature there. It's really diverse and the people living there seem to have respect for keeping the nature untouched. I've been there four times now and many visits will follow, that's for sure.

Anyway, I'll be quiet for the next couple of weeks.

[RobB]

Paul, hope you have a great time in Norway.

[paul-pgss]

Well Rob, I did.

[RobB]

Glad you enjoyed your hols Paul and have arrived home safely.....any chance of seeing a few pics?

[blue]

Afternoon all, I is back after another internet-less sojourn, make the most of me for the next month!

Not a great deal to report, life chugs along much as always, though I am feeling miles better these days after rather a dark time over the first few months of this year. Not long now till my grandson arrives and I'm getting quite excited about it, looking forward to pushing a pram again for the first time in over a quarter of a century! I'll be taking two weeks off work when he's born to go and help my daughter out with the house and cooking/shopping etc, so she can concentrate on the bubba. My boss has dubbed this my graternity leave.

On the nature front, I was privileged to witness a sight yesterday that made me laugh out loud - there's an apparently homeless tomcat in the neighbourhood recently, who sneaks in through the living room window at night to munch on any left over food in my cats' bowls. I glimpsed him out front yesterday so put a bowl of cat biscuits out for him, which he proceeded to munch hungrily once I'd retreated back indoors. After a few minutes, two magpies flew down and stood bold as brass a few steps away from him, not in the least bit bothered at being in such proximity to a cat. He glanced at them and carried on munching. After he'd finished and begun to move away, these magpies only hopped over and started eating the biscuits right out the bowl!

I couldn't stop laughing at the cheek of it.

[RobB]

Pram? That dates you.....i think they stopped manufacturing them years ago didn't they?

Ah, magpies are quite an aggressive bird......i know when they come into my garden other birds will fly and hide. They must have been pretty confident to stand their ground with the cat though, although i think the cat was probably wise not to try and chase them off either.

[sound world]

I still say 'Morning,Sir, how's your wife?' when I see a lone magpie.
Otherwise I'll die.

[RobB]

I still say 'Morning,Sir, how's your wife?' when I see a lone magpie.

But what if the lone magpie is a female?

[blue]

Pram? That dates you.....i think they stopped manufacturing them years ago didn't they?

That would explain why I haven't seen a real pram about for years then! I had one for Kate, a big old Silvercross one that I bought second hand for £40. They don't make 'em like that anymore.

Kate has bought one of these modern buggies they all have now, that look to me like car seats on three wheels. How a baby can be comfortable in something like that I don't know. It cost over £800 as well.

Ah, magpies are quite an aggressive bird......i know when they come into my garden other birds will fly and hide. They must have been pretty confident to stand their ground with the cat though, although i think the cat was probably wise not to try and chase them off either.

They certainly had no fear at all of Mr. Tom, and he's a pretty aggressive beast. I think he must be half-feral by now, I can't get near him at all. I think he likes me though, the other morning I opened the front door to put the rubbish out in the wheelie bin and there was a GIGANTIC dead rat on the doorstep. My cats were all in that night, so I'm guessing it was a gesture of appreciation from Mr. Tom. He certainly knows how to impress!

[blue]

I still say 'Morning,Sir, how's your wife?' when I see a lone magpie.
Otherwise I'll die.

It's amazing how that superstition persists even in our cynical modern era.

I always say 'Morning Mr. Magpie', just in case.

[blue]

Ugh, I'm starting to really, really hate working on Sundays. I've been doing it for two and half years now and I'm getting bored out of my brain, it's so quiet in the shop. Today I spent my time dismantling, cleaning and rearranging our display tables, to keep myself from walking out into the mall and screaming 'I'M SO BOOOOORRREEDD' at the top of my lungs.

Time for a new job, maybe? Not much around at the minute, but I think I need to find something else pronto.

[RobB]

Sometimes my shop gets a bit quiet too but luckily we're closed on Sundays so its never quite that quiet.
Still, at least you only have to do six hours.......presumably?

To keep busy i'm forever picking up clothes off the floor, placing the hangers the right way around,tidying up the bric-a-brac shelf, squaring up the cds and dvds, and pushing all the books back level on their shelves.......and if i'm really desperate, put them back in descending size order.

Best bit though is the ladies underwear section....i'm usually tidying that up even when its already neat and tidy. [angel]