Well what a year that was! But it wasn't very long was it?! Where DID it go? I think the highlights for me were: ** Moving house ** ** Visiting Australia ** ** My son qualifying as an airline pilot ** ** Taking aerial photos with Richard at the controls of the plane ** ** Losing my job ** ** Meeting so many Pbasers from around the world ** ** Making so many new friends through Pbase ** ** Making one very special friend ** ** Acquiring my Canon 30D ** ** Finding out that you should do what makes you happy and that we have just one short life ** ** Discovering the most amazing second cousin ** ** Too many silly SP's! ** ** Quality Moments Spent With My Family ** But best told in pictures (Chronological Order):

I really enjoyed getting away from the Christmas routine yesterday and meeting up in London with Ray , Nicky and Gail!

More pictures: #here#

Went very briefly to Bath last night with the family who also wanted to escape the TV and food/drink!

I took my new tripod (faulty and unusable grrrr!) and Gorillapod .

Although, I fear it is not strong enough to use as a mini-tripod with the heavy 'L' lenses,

it is great fun to wrap around a post or bench rail and take a long exposure shot that would have been impossible to hand hold.

And this is one such example!

I've probably taken one decent picture all week due to work commitments, and the atrocious weather, and today has been grey and damp most of the day.

So I didn't bother going for an afternoon walk with the family much to my regret. The sun came out for 20 minutes ahead of a cold front.

My son, Richard took this and several other excellent shots with his Fuji F20 Point & Shoot.

Moral: however few pictures you can take, there's an opportunity around the corner, and it's better to be in the right place at the right time with a modest P&S

than at home with your fancy SLR gear still in the bag! Oh, and never plan your photographic day according to Weather forecasts!

I hope this is correct!! Apologies if not!!

It just doesn't seem right posting the T.I.T.C. challenge shot on a Wednesday.

Still it's nice to be naughty at Christmas! - thanks Bev and Lee!

Wishing all Pbasers a great Christmas!!!

Thanks for clicking this far. I know the thumbnail isn't very inspiring!

But patterns in nature always fascinate me!

Bev

Nicky

Ian

and Neil

Thanks to everyone for a great weekend! A small but select group and really good company!

I felt a bit scruffy (but safe) wearing a factory Hi-Vis jacket when out on my bike,

so I invested in a bit of high-tech waterproof kit that covers my bottom too!

Boy, was I pleased I had it on today. In the failing afternoon light,

I set off down the (traffic-free) cycle trail, had a puncture, replaced the inner tube, then rode back in the dark and pouring rain.

And I'm supposed to be a 'fair-weather' cyclist!

But the High-Tech/ Hi-Vis jacket kept me warm, dry and safe! I took this picture before it got covered in mud! Great fun today, though!!!

Have a good weekend, everyone!! Just over three weeks to Christmas!! ROTFL! ;0)

From my Marlborough gallery.

The locals pronounce the town name as "Morlbra"!!

Also uploaded today:

I went with my son, Richard, to the Royal Air Force museum at Cosford, today which is, of course, when we remember the dead of WWI, WW2 and subsequent conflicts; and those who survived injured.

This guy was an ordinary RAF Sargeant who kindly let me take a picture of his medals while he stood in the new 'Cold War' display hangar.

Just found some RAW files not processed! Always a nice bonus on a grey day!

This could only happen in Oxford!

I was really pleased I had a camera at the ready on my passenger seat.

Someone once told me to never leave home without a camera, and always have it at the ready!!

This sign always amuses me when I ride past it - it's so apologetic, so English!

Needless to say, I never have seen the dog itself!!

Only joking my Pbase buddies! Took the rare opportunity of wearing a suit and tie to snap this one!

Have a good weekend wherever you are on the planet - I will mostly be asleep!