beyond excitement...!

Today has been a bit of a mad day and I feel I have lots to say and not much time to say it in!

This evening we have driven 120m miles across the country to Leicester for uni open day tomorrow for son 3 and I am currently sitting in bed in one of a well known chain of budget  trying to get all the online things done in an hour because the wifi isn't free! (Grrr!) This visiting universities lark is no cheap affair! Petrol, somewhere to stay, food... it had better be worth it!

On the plus side... I get to spend a day with youngest son and apart from the fact that he is permanently attached to his mobile phone, it means we get to have some quality time doing something a bit 'different' from the usual.

Anyway, on to 'things I've been doing'...

Kathy from Postcards from the P.P. has had the fun idea of a monthly photo scavenger hunt and is inviting people to post their pics on flickr. This month's list included:

• a big lorry/truck
• a big round clock face
• a bridge
• a musical instrument
• a newspaper headline
• a park bench
• a postbox
• eyes
• something heartshaped
• something red
• something with stripes
• your shoes

 Now I haven't had time to suss outr the whole flickr thing but quite liked the idea of the challenge so here is my rather feeble attempt at collecting the required photos...

This proved much more difficult than I thoought - and I suspect I might not join in next month because although I liked the idea, I've ended up giving myself a deadline to get it done! I had to remind myself today that it really doesn't matter if I complete it or not! And I really don't need any more deadlines!!! That said I did have fun looking out for things!

As you might have spotted - I do have some gaps! Didn't manage a bridge - I live near the Norfolk Broads so there is a lot of water and quite a few bridges but somehow never had the camera ready at an appropriate moment. Similarly, the lorry defeated me - we live in the middle of nowhere and the only lorries I see on a regular basis are sugar beet lorries or the dustmen! Of course, I do see lots of lorries day to day but same problem - never when I have camera in hand.

Otherwise - 'something with stripes' - I have an old fashioned roller towel on the back of the kitchen door (sooo useful!) which had a very bring beige towel originally, then I spotted these very cheap stripy hand towels in a discount store near us, so bought a couple and stitched them together and hey presto! A much jazzier replacement!

'musical instrument' - sons guitar (amongst his bedroom toot!)

My blue shoes - I don't own many heels but I do love these shoes!

Isolated park bench in a tiny village near us - oddly, I always think, with that lovely view behind and facing the road!

Clock in Norwich Arcade.

Cheating at 'something heart shaped' when I was baking!

Postbox in the same little village.

Cats eyes!

My red bag which my younger sister gave me and which keeps all my scarves in one place.

Headline - we rarely buy a newspaper these days and the only one I could lkay my hands on was last weekends local rag - not renowned for the most outstanding headlines but I though the Egyptians' succesful demonstartion of the power of collective action was worth noting. There are times when I think as a culture we are too passive and apathetic - we tend to complain but not stand together in order to make our concerns heard.

Photos a bit badly put together - I blame it on trying to rush with R at my elbow tutting that he needed to use the computer. One of these days (ha ha!) I will have my own computer that I won't have to queue for!

Anyway thanks to Kathy for the idea - will look out for next months list and see what I think...

My other main excitement today is this!!!!

I've been packing for my trip away! Day after tomorrow - can't wait!! Even did a bit of holiday shopping today - which for me means a bargain waterproof coat and a new Tshirt from Primark! But considering I have barely had time to think about going away at all today was the day I started to get that pre-trip buzz! This feels like the most exotic place I have ever been to! Look out for future photos! 

And then I spotted these in the front garden...

The little patch in the gravel is not really meant to be there! They are on one side of the drive - no idea how they got there but they are pretty aren't they?!

And the purple one is so pretty don't you think?

Don't think I'll get to post again til I get back from my holiday...so til next time... masalaama! (I'm practising arabic!!)

Sx

PS Thanks very much to those who have left comments - it is lovely to hear from you. I haven't entirely worked out how to reply so apologies if I don't get back to you promptly!