Chocolate With Extras...Day 23 - Theme 48 - Chocolate

We found this chocolate in Amsterdam (surprise surprise!..lol!). My teenage sons were very keen to buy some...and took great pleasure in bringing it home and sharing it with their mates..very cool, apparently! It actually didn't contain any potent ingredients..and, tbh it wasn't very tasty..give me a bar of Thorntons 70% any day!

Sitting Comfortably...Not!! - Day 22 - Theme 42 - Chairs & Benches

Alex insited he wanted to visit the Amsterdam Torture Museum, and had detailed discussions with me over each item. His conclusion was that religion caused most of the crimes, with their resulting over-the-top punishments..it was either agree with the current religious fashion, or suffer the consequences! This chair was certainly designed to cause maximum pain..though I am sure that I have seen similar things nowadays advertised as "relaxation devices" made to stimulate endorphins..go figure!

Day 21 - Theme 161 - Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny

Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny..well in comparison to the big boat we were on! The pilot boat followed us as we left Amsterdam...the water was choppy to start with, and in the wake of the big boat, the little one was going up and down at an alarming rate! My lads thought it would be an awesome job to work on it, though!

Sea View - Day 20, Theme 7 - Aqua

We took a weekend trip to Amsterdam..2 nights on the boat, and 1 day in the city. Although our day in Amsterdam wasn't brilliant (it rained, and the city was a mass of building works!) we loved being on the boat..and would definitely do it again! This picture is of paul and kieran..as you can see from pauls hair, it was rather windy....

Nothing says Relaxation...Day 19...Theme 239 - Relaxation

Got so many cat photos, so tried to get a lot of them on one page. Most of my cats seem to sleep in very odd positions..I think they are secretly doing cat yoga! If we humans could relax with the total oblivion of a cat, we would have a lot less stress in our lives!

Oil Rigs - Day 18 - Theme 88 - Every Day Sights

Paul and I often walk by the docks on the way to town, and on the way back home we saw this oil rig was in for repair at one of the local ship yards. This is such an everyday sight, I have never thought to photograph them before. They are so huge, and quite majestic to look at especially when they are lit up at night. I turned the photo sepia, as I love to imagine the docks as they were 100 years ago. It is rather sad, as so many of the shipyards closed under Thatchers government in the 70's/80's...what once a bustling line of dockyards is now very quiet.

Mmmm..Breakfast! - Day 17 - Theme 30 - Breakfast

My husbands face was a picture, as he watched me photograph my breakfast...I am sure he thought I had finally lost it! (perhaps I should have taken a picture of him instead..lol!). This is one of my favourite breakfasts if we have plenty of fruit...otherwise it is a typical Scottish bowl of porridge...tasty, but not half as photogenic!

Say Cheese...Please? - Day 16 - Theme 44 - Cheese

We had a meal out as a family at a local pub. As well as the food being great, we all like it because you can sit on squashy leather sofas to have your meal. My boys sat opposite Paul and I, and being me I thought "photo opportunity!" But despite several minutes of pleasing, they refused to pose, and just mucked about..so I took what I could get..and being in scrapping mode, had a bit play with it in photoshop. TBH, I rather like it..it shows the real them!

Only A Part of Me - Day 15 - Theme - 277 Something about you

I have been scrapbooking quite a bit lately, so my photos have ended up as pages! My youngest son, Alex, looked so smart in his new jumper, so I made him pose for a picture (it made a change, as he usually lounges about in his boxers most of the time!)
Here is the end result.

Fast Food - Day 14 - Theme 99

At my local park there is a Victorian boating lake, and in the middle is a little sheltered island, home to a group of swans, and various types of duck. Paul and I often take a walk with left over bread or seeds, to feed them. We started doing this when our boys were little, the boys grew out of it, but we never did! The minute you appear at the side of the lakes, the swans are gliding over, and if you aren't quick enough with the food, they are out of the lake and surrounding you, and they will eat from your hand, or straight from the bag. And if you don't pay attention to the bread in your hand,a seagull will swoop down and steal it!

On The Move..Day 13 - Theme - 2 Action Shot

Kieran is obsessed with bikes at the moment..I cant move in the hall for them, and there are oily fingerprints everywhere.
He is always keen to impress me with his latest trick or stunt, and this time I was lucky enough to be in exactly the right spot, with the right lighting to get these photos...just right for the "action" theme!

Dont Remember Washing That..Day 12..Theme

Got home really tired, and figured I better get started on the ironing before I sat down, else I might not get back up again! Worked my way through a seemingly never ending heap, and an hour later turned round to see what was left...and this is what I saw! I certainly didn't remember washing them, and they didn't look like they needed ironing either...they looked so peaceful, I just left them. (this should have been posted Wednesday, but my laptop would not co-operate!)

Sunset - Day 11 - Free Theme

This was taken on my friends farm, for a change..not a cat in sight..lol! As there is no street lighting for some distance around the farm, you really get the full impact of a sunset. Made a stencil in photoshop to cut out the photo. It took a lot longer than I had planned to get everything lined up to my satisfaction, but I am pleased with the end results.

L is for Laptop - Day 10 - Theme 313 - The Letter L

Got really behind on loading my daily pics...just caught up on the weekend ones, then thought.."what about today?" Was stuck, then looked down and figured I may as well take a photo of what I could see right now..and this is it!
What you are looking at is my lap...complete with laptop, as I surf and do my blog. Rather than having my laptop comfortably on my lap, however, it is balance precariously on my kneecaps...If were to lift my hands, it would fall off!
The reason, as you can see, is that my cats do not view a laptop as an impediment to sitting my my knee..at times I have up to three sharing the space..with one wedged down the side of the armchair..tbh..I wouldnt have it any other way!

Triple Twilight - Day 9 - Theme 330 - Three

Paul and I like to have a hour or so's walk on a Sunday..usually to walk off our Sunday lunch. We normally take the same route, and are so busy talking we don't really pay attention to the view! Since I started this challenge, though, I have been keeping my eyes open for photo worthy subjects. These trees silhouetted against the twilight looked so pretty, I had to photograph them...though as I dont have a tripod I had to use a not very photographic rubbish bin to keep my camera steady!
Cropped out the bin, and had a play with it in photoshop...and ended up with this....

Something about you - Day 8 - Theme 277

Cookie, my one fluffy cat,(and a bit of a dizzy "blonde" has something of an obsession with Pepsi, my smallest girlie cat. This obsession usually involves him lurking on a chair, hidden under the table cloth, and jumping on her as she ambles past. As Pepsi does not indulge in the "fun fights" popular among the other cats, Cookies behaviour is treated with a loud yowl, and a hard slap..followed by Pepsi wedged behind the TV.
Today I caught him trying a new tactic to get close to his lady love..sneaking up her while she is sleeping, and gently sniffing her. Pepsi remained in a relaxed mood, and Cookie went unslapped, so I think you could call it a result!

Compact - Day 8 - Theme 57

Fed up with only having a quarter of the wardrobe space..(he was lucky to have that much!) My hubby cleared out our tiny junk cupboard, and made it into a walk in (well walk two steps in :-)) wardrobe. Oddments of wood and some metal poles gave me shelves and clothes rails, and I added lots of baskets, and even a mirror...so I can do my makeup in the morning with hogging the bathroom! I put in a stereo so I can listen to music to wake me up in the mornings...it may be compact..but I love it!

Day 7 - Beneath - Theme 18

This is my chair..where I sit to go on my laptop and drink coffee. The lamp is a popular cat attractor, as it gets quite warm.
The routine is something like this..cat climbs on, gets warm, falls asleep...and very slowly the cushion comes forward, until cat fall off onto the chair, looking indignant!
Sometime several cats get on, which speeds up the process. If I happen to be on the chair at the time, they dont fall off, but lean against me..until I am hunched over my laptop, and starting to get back ache.
(btw..if I am doing too many cat pics, let me know...its just that they are my fav subject!)

Drinks All Round...Day 6 ~ Theme 78 - Drink

Each morning I get up and stagger bleary eyed to the kitchen to boil the kettle for the first drink of the day..a large cup of tea.
While the kettle is boiling, the cats are also waking and stretching..considerably less bleary eyed (and with much neater hair), but equally keen for their morning drink. I pour large saucer of cat milk for them then pour my tea.
The kitchen is silent, but for my deep sigh of relief, and some muffled purring...today I took my camera to record the "event"..only managed 4 cats....and for the benefit of everyone here, ommited myself!

Best of British! Day 5 - Free Theme No.1

Today, for the first time in what feels like ages, the sun peeped through the clouds in chilly South Sheilds.
And in the park next to the beach, this intrepid sun seeker set up his chair to catch some rays. Though how many he actually caught through his waterproof jacket and blankets, remains to be seen!
This scene just seemed so British to me...you can find similarly attired sunbathers on Shields beach, and probably on beaches all over the UK!
Thankfully he was engrossed in his book, and I used my zoom, so he never realised he was being "captured"!

Peeping...? Day 4 - Theme 317 - The Letter P (Part 2!)

Now feel guilty now that I posted a pic I hadn't actually taken today...:-(.....so here is one I did!

Whisky is a real "bag" lady..and will climb into any bag or case you happen to lay down (sometimes even BEFORE you lay it down) I had only just taken the last item out of the case, before she got in to investigate. I took lots of pics before getting these, as she was more interested in sniffing in the corners than posing for me. When the other cats got interested, she pretended she wasn't really there!

Something Beginning With P...? Day 4 - Theme 317 - The Letter P

This is me..dressed to go to a Halloween party! The theme was to go as something beginning with "P", and there were lots of policemen, postmen, priests, etc. I decided to go as a punk...old denim mini, ripped tights, spiky boots. I even customised an ancient t-shirt..ripping it, and re-fastening it with safey pins.
I messed up my hair (didn't take much effort!) and added purple lipstick and nail polish..I really felt "punky"!
Made my grand entrance feeling rather pleased with myself, only to hear the cries of "Oh look..it's Jo! She's come as a Prostitute!!" I was ribbed mercilessly all night..must admit it WAS rather funny..:-)
Anyhow, when I got home my hubby took this pic (I think he rather liked the outfit..lol!) and I photoshopped it to add the fangs..If I wasn't a punk..I would rather be a vamp!
This is the pic of me Paul carries in his wallet, to show if anyone asks about his wife!
(PS..rather ironically..the plaster on my arm was because I had given blood earlier in the day)

Day 3 - Theme 142 - Heavy

I live minutes from the local docks, and just around the corner from my home, there is a house with an unusual garden ornament. In the middle of an ordinary street, with nothing more exotic than a hanging basket or two for decoration, is a ships anchor, complete, and sunk slightly into the ground.
Paul and I often walk past, and every time we muse on how it ended up here. How do you buy a ships anchor...and how on earth do you get it home?!
It has been there for years, I dont think even the current owners of the house know anything of its history!

Day 2 - Theme 351 - Warm

It was extra cold, so I got out my little halogen heater, to warm my cold toes. This heater seems to act as a cat "magnet", and within 10 minutes I had the full 6 pack! They will settle down to sleep, then after 10 mins or so the one furthest away from the fire with get up and clamber over the others, to flop at the front...this continues, so every cat gets an even toasting. I did try to get them all to look at the camera..but Pepsi, the rebel of the bunch, refused to co-operate!
The glow of the fire, combined with lots of ginger fur give this pic a warm and cosy look. :-)

Day 1 - Theme 54 - Cold

At midnight, New Years Eve we opened the front door to see the fireworks that were going off nearby. My lads, who were getting ready for bed both ran out, Alex shirtless, and kieran barefoot and in his boxers and dressing gown!

They started a snowball fight..and it was either drag them in or take photos...so I ran for my camera! Alex started posing, and even made a snow angel...it made me cold just too watch him!

The background picture is of the trees across the road to my house, blended into a background paper..

Happy New Year Everyone!