Wednesday 18th January 2012, 6.30pm (day 146)
Couldn’t decide whether to make some comments about the blandness of (most) hotels or just leave this shot alone. OK, OK, I’ll leave it alone.
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Category Archives: Daily Post
Travelling again: at Manchester Airport
Tuesday 17th January 2012, 8.25am (day 145)
Back from the Lakes yesterday afternoon – and off again today, to Bergen once more.
Yesterday I walked through Skiddaw Forest and talked to no one and had a really good time, felt at peace, part of a natural environment. Today I flew first to Copenhagen then to Bergen and talked to no one and felt isolated, cut off from the world, shuttled through the antiseptic and artificial world of the business traveller. I’m sat now in an anonymous hotel with anonymous food in my belly and while I’m looking forward to, tomorrow, getting on with the next instalment of my work here, today has just been dead time.
Latrigg, early morning
Monday 16th January 2012, 8.30am (day 144)
Fourth and final day in the Lake District, with glorious weather throughout – a stroke of great luck, seeing as we booked the weekend months ago, taking a gamble. Just proves that the British weather can do pretty much what it wants, at any time. Today I set off early, wanting to get one more walk in but still needing to be home at a reasonable hour. The sun came up as I made my way round the southern slopes of Blencathra and caught this view of the half moon over Derwentwater and the little hill of Latrigg: one I still have to bag for my project. 154 done now, 60 to go.
The mooning gnome
Sunday 15th January 2012, 11.35am (day 143)
Spotted on a front patio in the village of Threlkeld this morning. I love it when people have the same sense of humour as me. Joe also found this hilarious.
The saddle of Blencathra
Saturday 14th January 2012, 12.05pm (day 142)
Taken at about 2,800 feet up. (You want that in metres – work it out!) I was very proud of Joe for having got up his first really substantial mountain. I also note, on this shot, quite how tall he is getting.
Tree stump creature
Friday 13th January 2012, 12 noon (day 141)
First of four days spent in the Lake District, all blessed by far sunnier, drier and (except Monday) milder weather than anyone has a right to expect in the UK at this time of year. There is plenty of detail of the walking aspect of the weekend, and lots more photos, on my other blog.
Today’s shot was nabbed in the woods near Aira Force. I don’t know exactly what this tree stump looks like, but it looks like something. There’s a kind of tentacular thing going on here, with blood-soaked mandibles. Very Mirkwood.
Blackbird in tree
Thursday 12th January 2012, 1.45pm (day 140)
There have been a run of animal photos lately (and yes, the Norwegian Blue counts!). But I make no apologies for including another one, as it successfully encapsulates a glorious day. And more to come, according to the forecast. Which is good, because I’m going to the Lakes for the weekend – though probably without Internet access, so regular visitors might bear in mind that it is unlikely any more photos will be posted until Monday 16th. I will be back then… never fear.
Cat behind gate
Wednesday 11th January 2012, 8.55am (day 139)
Dogs are too needy, and I don’t do needy. Cats combine beauty with a couldn’t-give-a-toss attitude that I find much more admirable. This one might well have haughtily ignored me on a different day but today it was quite prepared to act as a model. Actually I think it just wanted me to open the gate and let it out, but I didn’t have the key, so took without giving back.
All on our way to work: Royal Exchange Arcade, Manchester
Tuesday 10th January 2012, 7.45am (day 138)
Same train in so I pass through the same parts of Manchester at the same time. Off I go to work one way, this guy goes a second way, the bird goes a third. I wonder if pigeons sometimes wake up in the morning with a headache, and just don’t feel very much into the day, but set off anyway through a sense of obligation.
The cleaners arrive at Selfridges, Manchester
Monday 9th January 2012, 7.40am (day 137)
After 12 consecutive days in Hebden Bridge or the immediate area, I made it into Manchester for the first time since graduation day (Dec 14th). Started early enough for it still to be dark even after my 50-minute train journey in. This shot is of what looks like the cleaning crew reporting for their own early start, at Selfridges department store on Cross Street.
Why do I like this shot of such a mundane moment? I like the stripes of light, I like the fact that the focus is as good as it could be (bearing in mind the low light levels) on the illuminated guy in the grey jacket, and I like that as soon as Joe saw it he said he thought the two lightsabers were cool.
