2006!

January!

Looking at my pictures, like so many of you I have a wonderful collection of memories from the year. I have reorganised my photographs but each one still shows the date it was actually taken.
There are so many to choose from I have tried to have a selection from the various things which make up our everyday life.....
so the new bike, January 2006.
Very important to us, as you know only too well the fact we use the bike as much as possible. When we go out on the bike we always have adventures, which I try to share through the photographs I take. We have fun and it is an important part of our marriage, we always try to keep Sunday free, so we spend the day together.
In this photograph you can see Jon visibly trying to smile for the camera, even though it was a very cold day. We had just got the bike and were determined to go out for a maiden ride.
This photograph was taken at Scarborough.
Shortly afterwards a seagull dropped a message on my helmet! LOL!





February..
The highlight of the month for me was our lovely meal out to celebrate Valentine's Day!
We don't really go out a great deal as being so remote, taxi fares are expensive and in any case I do enjoy cooking. However Valentine's Night and our Wedding Anniversary are always the exception.

The photograph above was chosen because it is a really good one of Jon and I, it shows the good relationship we have and how happy we are. Jon doesn't like having his photograph taken but in this one he is relaxed and it is a good one for that very reason.
This photograph was taken in 2005, on the ferry home from our holiday in France.





March had to be Stephanie's Wedding!
I have known Steph since 1999, when I taught her son.
She is a great woman, full of fun and always laughing, we got on very well.
Everybody was really shocked when her husband left.

I bumped into Steph last year and she was so happy! She had met a chap she had gone to school with and after a while together he had asked her to marry him! Dave absolutely idolised Steph and it was so lovely to see them together.
Whilst we were on holiday in France, 2005 Steph phoned me and asked me if I would design the wedding Stationery.
I chose "Love in the Mist"
Steph and Dave were blessed in our village church.
Because it was during lent there was no flowers in the church. Steph asked me to buy some for the day. I decorated the church by making satin bow arrangements for the end of the pews.
The organ was broken so Steph asked me to play my guitar....I haven't played it for a while so I had to practise. We sang "All things bright and beautiful!
I also found a wedding dress for Steph as she wanted a casual black evening style.....it was from Monsoon. When she went to collect it there was an error with the price tag and she got it for under £50! It should have been nerarer £200! Denise, the allround wedding planner LOL!









I mentioned direction earlier.
One service I offer is a Living Memorial, which can be in many art forms.
I received a commission a few years ago from a lady who wanted to celebrate the life of her late husband. I painted a watercolour of his favourite spot on the Moors. I also incorporated various features which symbolised aspects of his life.
It is a part of my business which I want to market in 2007.
In April I was approached by the Arbury Trust asking if I could do some calligraphy on a piece of wood. It is for a natural burial ground. Strict regulations are in place for the materials used. The wood has to be fully degradeable with no varnish or synthetic varnishes.
I approached one of our farmer neighbours who has a woodland.
He provided me with a piece of beautiful oak which he prepared for us.
I designed the text and we used Jon's machine to inscribe the wood.
This is the sample we sent off.





May...
Well it had to be our holiday to Ireland.
We had such a good time.
If you check out the Bike Adventures link you can read all about it there.
The photograph above was taken from the ferry!





June, what a month!
My 50th birthday, Jon's birthday and our 18th wedding anniversary.
For a surprise I bought some air tickets and we flew to Heathrow and spent the weekend in London.
Again if you check the link you will be able to read about it.
The photograph above was taken from the aerplane as we headed off to London.





July, Harry passed away.
We gave him a bike send off.
The ribbons on the mirrors are black and white, the colours of Newcastle United, Harry's favourite team!







August.....our House Martins.
We witnessed the nest building last year, so we were thrilled when they returned.
Again check the link Our House Martins to read about it all.




September!
My very first home grown tomatoes!
I have never grown them before and was absolutely thrilled.
A great achievement.

Jon and I spent some time on the digging out of the plot but we didn't plant anything.
We made some progress but do need to sort this one out next year.
I got a greenhouse for my birthday and is is going to be built when the stable is replaced with a more substantial building. Once the greenhouse is up it will stir my enthusiasm for growing my own again.
I do find I need to plan it all so very carefully, round my business and homelife.






October, I took Wilma to the beach, on my own.
Wilma was rescued as you well know.
Jon has to take her out on the lead because she is so strong.
However, on the beach she is a different dog.
Very well behaved!
Check out Walkies! link!






November, nights drawing in but we still try to get out on the motorbike.
This photograph was taken on the Moors.....it sums it all up!






And finally, December, when it was time for Max to go to bed.
As I have looked back over my photographs it is great to witness the fantastic life Max had with us. When you look at the photographs you will see that it was only in the latter months that he started looking old...he had 14 full and active years and he brought us much joy! Yes, he ate a couple of car doors etc but all in his role of protecting me!
We do have Elsie now, as fate brought her to our door only a day or so after Max left us.
The past two weeks have seen her settle in, although she does tend to stir Wilma up and there have been a couple of scraps, but this is to be expected.
Elsie gets on very well with Bess and loves her walks, but as she han't been spayed yet, and is in season I can not take her to the places I want to, but in March she is having her operation and then i will be able to show her the lovely places we will be exploring together!

It will be interesting to see how she is towards me, she is a bitch and they do tend to respond to Jon....in that sense Max will never be replaced as he was my boy!


So, that was our 2006!
I wonder what 2007 has in store?
Whatever, I will be sharing it here, with my blogger friends.

Many of my friends, clients, and family read this blog and between 100 - 200 people view it each day.
I thank you for taking the time and if any of you are ever having a rough time, I do hope it brings a little sunshine into your day.

I wish you all the very best for 2007, may your wishes come true and your dreams become relaity! and here's hoping the sun shines on all your tomorrows until the deserts freeze and the camels come skating home!

D