Order Confirmed

I've gone and done it; I've finally broken down and ordered a new camera. My present digital - the first one I've owned! - has just had it. First, it started to develop serious shutter lag. Then it had problems with the light. Now, I cannot even get the photos on my card, off of it. So, I've had enough.

Behold, the newbie. To arrive (hopefully) sometime next week. Readers, prepare yourself for an onslaught of photos!

Hadrian's Wall

On Sunday last week, we ventured out into the West Northumberland countryside, mainly tracking down Hadrian's Wall, which stretches from Newcastle right across to Carslie.

We had, again, stunning weather, and enjoyed seeing Chester's Roman Fort and Crawfields Roman Wall.

Day on Holy Island

Ole's folks came on Friday to stay for a week. On Saturday, we ventured north to spend the day on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. The island is only accessibly via a road that gets washed out during the tide, so you have to make sure to check the tide charts and time your journey accordingly.

The morning was beautiful, although incredibly windy. We visited the castle, priory and other bits of the quaint town, and then headed home mid-afternoon once the passage was safe (and the weather turned).

There's no one as Irish as...

We went to dinner last Friday at our new friend's place. Colin (who is a Lecturer with Ole) and Aoife (who is a Lecturer at Durham) are both Irish - Colin being from Northern Ireland and Aoife (pronounced eee-fee)being from the Republic. We had an excellent evening at their flat in Gateshead and were surprised to find how relatively little time it took us to walk home (around 45 minutes), given they're on the south side of the Tyne. Newcastle really is a little big city!

Anyway, during the evening of hilarity, we got on the topic of how the Irish, like the Scots, like to claim anyone - including our new President. Apparently, this one village in Ireland claims presidential links, and there's a band with a video to prove it! As I've now had this ridiculous song in my mind for the last few days, I thought I'd share the love:

New Boots

I've been looking for some brown boots for about two years now. I know I'm a bit picky, but honestly haven't found any that I really like. Until today.

From our neighbourhood Italian fashion shop, I give you The Boots:

Grocery Shopping - 2009 Style

I must preface this post by saying this one is not Husband approved. Ole thinks it's boring/pathetic/embarrassing to share such trivial matters. You may share his view.

We've started ordering all our groceries online at Tesco. Well, I actually order them through this amazing website that lets you compare what the product would cost at other major brand supermarkets. Tesco is the cheapest, and in this time of penny pinching, we're all about the cheap.

Anyway, it's great. Instead of us taking the Metro to Tesco, shopping, and lugging the stuff back home (about 1.5-2hr excursion), I can order online, from the comfort of my home, in my PJs, at the time of my choosing; pick the 2-hr window I want it to be delivered; and get the whole thing done in less than 30 minutes, for less money than it would cost us to do it ourselves (considering transportation). AND, as an added bonus, I don't have to put up with Mr. Grumpy Pants at the supermarket! That's worth the cost of delivery alone.

Our weekly shop arrived tonight. They deliver it to your house in crates (because we choose to be bag-free). Crates are then left until they make a new delivery.

Old crates waiting to be picked up


Westie inspecting new delivery

Saturday Sewing

I've been doing a bit of sewing these past few months. Not having a TV will drive you to a hobby! Yesterday I finished a tablecloth I had started the previous weekend. I had to re-do most of it because the stitch pattern I originally used messed up the border placement (I just added the red border to the main fabric). But I got there in the end and even managed proper corners!



Here are some other recent sewing projects:
Christmas Stockings



Table runner for Mom

Dr. Derek Says: "Stay away from shady middlemen"

Our good friend, Dr. Professor Derek Fincham, was recently interviewed by NPR in connection with some museum raids in California. Listen to the piece here.

Winter Watch 2009

In case you didn't hear, we've got snow.