ghosts goulies and eBooks

Its been awhile since I wrote in my blog to be honest I haven’t done much to speak of for a while.

I had no sooner got back to work after the collage holidays when my car totally died. I was just setting off to work and the car wouldn't start rang the AA and because they were busy an independent garage came out to me only to confirm my fears, Rover was no more, it was an extinct Rover. The guy who came was really good though he asked what I did for a living as it was obvious I was doing a night shift. When I told him I was a Waking night, he sais his wife ran care homes and realised how hard it would be to cover my shift at such late notice. So he offered to take me to work. This meant going miles out of his way, there are still some decent people around.

 

bye bye  little car.

Not done much photography either as as I have been busing into work not been taking big camera only phone and a pocket one. Mainly took picas of the ginger monster.

 

seems to have a thing about boxes

Cat and Mouse !!

I did take some photos of work mates the idea was to change in to zombies and things to cut out and use for decorations at Halloween around the house. Only got a few finished though.

Some needed more work than others though heehee.

So photo wise not been too exciting although a couple of weeks ago I did get one of my images in the local paper half a page too so was chuffed at that.  The image was one of waterfall in town that I had posted in an earlier blog.

Last week at last I got transport again if only on loan until a suitable car turns up, its so nice to be able to drive to work get there on time and not two hours early and get home half hour after finishing work and not an hour and a half after. I really don't know how people manage public transport all the time 6 weeks or so nearly did my head in.

I have no excuses now I must get back to some photography and some Photoshop stuff which with any luck will be another blog soon.

I recently bought a Kindle  eBook reader. This is probably the best gadget I have bought all year. This was to replace reading on my phone. For the past few years 4 or 5 years I have been reading allot of eBooks as my collection of real books had become  totally out of hand having filled every available space at home and various books. At first I used a PDA which I loved but then over the last couple of years used various smart phones which were ok but not as good as PDA mainly as the screen was smaller but saved room as only needed to carry one gadget. Now though I find reading on my phone a strain at times so the Kindle with its larger screen seemed to be the answer.

After using this for 2 or 3 weeks I’m still very impressed. I already have a large collection of eBooks and found it easy to convert and put this eBooks on the Kindle. Books for the Kindle on Amazon are now reasonably priced, at one time eBooks could turn out more expensive that “proper” books. Details of the books purchased are kept on Amazon and so they can be redownloaded if needed. These books can be read on kindle reads on other devises to so I can pick up my phone and read if i like and then when i go back to my kindle it will use the wi fi and pick up the book where I left of on the phone.The screen itself is really clear and has the look of a real book. As it isn’t back lit like most other devices which means it reads more like a book and can be read even in bright sunlight. The downside to this is unlike my phone its not so easy to read in bed . I solved this by buying a case which has a built in light. The only other con is that the display is black and white so makes reading the sorts of magazines I like hard. So I’ll still read “real” photo magazines and Art Books.

Hundreds of books in the one place,portable and a long battery life. I’m totally sold and use every day.

What I did on my holidays…….. 6

After our damp trip to the seaside I thought perhaps the next day I would chance another walk around York hoping the weather would be a bit kinder.

through town to Museum Gardens. Think the stone trough thingys  are Roman coffins but I may be making that up.

Stopping next at the Art Gallery for a coffee.

I saw there was supposed to be an exhibition in the University build next door so went for a shuffty  but couldn't find it but did find some nice brick work.

Its a cracking old building.

The next bit of my walk around took me on the walls and round to Peasholme Green a few views from the Roman wall.

The Mucky Duck at Peasholme Green

Then I ended up back in town not far from Museum Gardens again. Where I saw an old friend lol. I never seems to see many Buskers but there are apparently a lot. This guy is the only one I ever see if I have my camera.

What I did on my Holidays ………………….. 5

MY other daughter Lois recently passed her driving test and as thursday is her day off we decided to go for a drive out. Was a bit late in the day but we decided to go to Scarborough and stop on the way for lunch. Almost as soon as we got out of York we hit traffic.

We stopped no the way at a pub I think it was called the “Four Alls” and had an excellent dinner good food good price as well 2 meals for £10. Off we went again into the traffic.

 

As usual we left bluer sky behind and headed into the clouds eventually arriving in Scarborough in the rain'.

We went and parked up by the sea life centre and went and bought an ice cream and sheltered from rain under the eves of a building.The rain eased to a drizzle so we had a walk around.

Lois thinking “What are we doing here?”

As Lois came down the steps I asked if she would kick the plastic bag that was on the ground out of shot so I could take a photo. What neither of us realised was it had dog poo in it so being a obedient daughter she kicked the bag into the side  only to cover here foot with poo.

Not even a very interesting shot but I was thinking more of using in a composite at some time. So hopefully one day it will have been worth the mess.

Took a couple more photos then we headed home again.

 

What I did on my Holidays ……….. 4

Part of the reason I was staying at my Daughter’s in York was to look after the house. Kat had asked me to put the wheelie bin out at side of the road as they only come once a fortnight. Easy you may think. But as I went home on the Thursday night I forgot and by the time I got back on Friday morn it was too late. So the first chance I got I decided to take the rubbish to the tip. So I took the bags from the wheelie bin and shoved them in the boot of my car. A bit whiffy and the smell hung around for days.Any way the only dump I knew the way too was in Thorp Arch so that's where I headed.

The job been Jobbed I set of back and realising I had time to spared stopped in the near by Village of Walton to look at the church somewhere I had passed hundreds of times. It didn't seem to be open but I had a wander around outside.

Then I stopped again at Bilton to see church too. I just took some photos unfortunately didn't find out anything about the place.

 

As I had been to the Castle Museum recently and saw the displays of civil war stuff and read little bits I thought i might do a couple of mile detour to the Battle of Marston moor monument another place I pass often. The battleground is all farm land now and it seems strange to think of the hundreds that died that day 2nd July 1644 and to know people who we were told about at school fought here. Oliver Cromwell routed Prince Rupert and the royalists annihilated the defeated royalist infantry. I always sided with the Royalists don’t know why guess they always looked more romantic and Cromwell the hard killjoy. A few pics I took of the “battle field”.

 

What I did on my Holidays …………… 3

As I was to be bunny sitting here for a couple of weeks I made my mind up to visit places I hadn't be to before or not been to for along time. So on Monday I decided to go to the Castle Museum I honestly don't remember the last time I was there. I got the Bus into town then as it was getting near dinnertime I decided to look for somewhere to eat. Every where seemed very expensive but as I walked a bit out of the centre I found a cafe which seemed ok. Only seemed though, when I went up to the counter I was ignored by a young woman cleaning it. Another customer came in she went straight to serve them still ignoring me. Eventually I got served and made my second mistake of the morning. I ordered roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. Why a mistake ? When it arrive its was sliced dried up beef swimming in gravy with a minuet Yorkshire pud and a few new potatoes no other veg. While I struggled through my meal two young boys came in, the waitress tried to tell them to leave as they were alone just as their mother arrived. They all sat down and ordered. Then the Women got her phone out and carried out a loud conversation it was like something from the Jeremy Kyle show. She had he husband arrested for attacking her. Then an older woman came in with ,I think her son, and they started talking loudly about his marriage and how he should have divorced her earlier. What exciting lives people lead. I decided I like boring

Anyway enough of that onward to the castle museum . I didn’t take any pics in there but here's a couple I took on the way.

I spent a few hours in the museum starting in the area where the “street” is. This was what stuck in my mind from when I was there years ago. The room settings we very interesting too and didn't take much imagination to imagine using the rooms. Was a bit worrying though when the Vax they had in one part was the same model as one I still use. Then coming to the 50’s room it didn't look that much different to the back room with my then boyfriend when i first left home. Made me feel old LOL.

Was about to feel even older as I went across to the other side of Museum that hadn't been open last time I was there. The military bit was fairly interesting and dealt in the main with the civil war, which isn't that surprising as a lot of it happened in these parts. There there was a toy part. Brought back lots of memories toys and games I either had or my friends had, a magic robot that answered quiz questions, spriograph the original Denys Fisher ones. Paper dressing up dolls Lego and Mecca no. Away from the magic of the toys and out in the sunshine to what had been the exercise yard of the prison. That was marked out with things like hopscotch and other old street games. There was a way to get out of city walls from there.

Looking back from the passage to the other side of the wall. This leads to the river and an old

mill there.

After a sit down looking at river for a while I went back in and looked out the 60’s exhibition. Yet again full of stuff from my youth sounds as well this time coming from an old juke box. Cindy Doll in a case with the same clothes I had for mine. Screens with old footage on them.Lots to look at an old scooter too. At the far end of the room holding the exhibits there are some big doors with a big sign warning the door is alarmed. There I was minding me own business looking at a “watch with mother” clip and the alarm went off. There’s always one LOL. A guy had decided that alarm wasn't meant for him and pushed it any way. No real harm done apart from me wishing I had put brown trousers on because I nearly jumped out of my skin. Then it was time to go into the dungeon cells. A fastinating insight into prison life. Projected actors telling the stories of the inmates of the cells.

All in all an enjoyable day out.

What I did on my Holidays …………… 2

Had a few Jobs to do in town bank and mundane stuff like that. So on Friday morning I caught a bus into the city centre did the bits and bobs I needed to do and then took a walk around the town. Found a nice little cafe and had some lunch. Then just had a stroll around.

  

Lots of bikes every where.

 

Characters from the past window shopping?

Costa del Jorvik

wildlife

City wall a nice church and modern day bustle

That's where my walk finished I think its Gillygate entrance to the city with a glimpse of the minster  taken just outside the Art gallery which happened to be my next port of call. Not before time either as it started to rain. I have past that Art gallery lots of times in the past and have never gone in so spent the rest of the afternoon in there. An interesting exhibition about China and some cracking pictures in there.