Day 238: Urban Car Park

Off to Manchesterford for the weekend so I'll leave you all with a suitably urban scene in the meantime.

Have a good weekend all.

Catch you later.

Day 237: A sign

Show me a sign, any sign will do...

Day 236: Me

I didn't take this one but I am holding the angle poise lamp (does that count?).

Day 235: Blurb book

Everest Base Camp 2009 by Jo Spiller | Make Your Own Book

Day 234: Giant

There is something very wrong with this picture. But can you spot it. I'll buy you an ice-cream if you can.

Day 233: Crazy couple

No idea the names of this crazy couple but I think they'd be marvellous characters in a David Lynch film.

Day 232: China Montage

I'm branching out. Testing some photoshop skills.

This is slide of my Dad, changing a camera film at Chairman Mao's birthplace, apparently with a long line of curious onlookers behind him. Probably taken circa 1970.

I wanted to create an image by juxtaposing this picture with some Chinese art work, so took a photo of the inside box of a China tea set I own and blended the two together.

I'm open to suggestions on how it could be improved but I quite like it.

This is going to a project this week as I have loads more images I want to use.

Day 231: Weird warping

But I like it.

Day 230: Found photos

Tiananmen Square circa 1970.

I'm having a slummy weekend (which I'm blaming on the flu bug), scanning old slides that haven't been viewed in literally years. I have the fire full on and a hearty supply of chocolate, cardamon and chilli cake to hand. I even have one eye on the X factor boot camp - though I hate to admit it.
So what more does a girl need.

Red. Wine.

Day 229: Monk

I'm afraid I've been too full of a cold, flu, throat infection, blah, blah to take any pictures but I have been busy, frantically trying to edit a load of existing pics ready for my first ever After Dinner Speech in November. I know this makes me sound terribly organised but I'm going to be away for nearly three weeks of the intervening period in Malawi so don't actually have very much time to prepare.

So I'm editing loads of pics, putting together a Blurb book, putting together presentation slides, desperately trying to think of good jokes to keep the old dears awake and engaged. I'm thinking blast them with Heavy Metal every fifth slide might do the trick... hmm.

So here's an old one but a freshly edited one and in the fluid, rule-making of my blog, freshly edited pics count as new pics.

Ok, it's tenuous, but, well, what are you gonna do? Fire me?

Day 228: Horse and Caaat

Day 227: Elephant on yer head

That's the way to grab a kid's attention. Stick a quilted elephant on your head. Juniper, the elephant, was kindly lent to us by the lovely owner of Ganapati in Peckham, THE BEST RESTAURANT in the UK (in my humble opinion), in order to entertain a slightly over-tired toddler. It worked.

Day 226: London Open Door

Not only did we get to wander round City Hall and check out the spectator seats in the London Assembly, we also got to wander round a couple of really fabulous private homes. One especially was very inspiring. A very clever use of small spaces to create a strong sense of space and tranquility - complete with mirrors to create faux skylights, a compressed air-powered one person lift that made me think of Augustus Gloop going up the chocolate chute, and lots of amazing art.

It seemed intrusive enough to be traipsing through a stranger's home, photographing it too would have been a step too far. So you'll have to make do with this pic in city hall.

Day 225: Welcome to the world

Day 224: Fairy wings

Off to London town today to visit this little one and meet her new baby sister.

Back on Tuesday with many more pics like this no doubt.

Have a good weekend, all.

Day 223: Daisy...

Daisy, what will your answer be

I'm half crazy....

Day 222: McEwan Hall

I got to have a sneak peek at the elegant McEwan Hall this evening, without Graduation ceremonies or Fringe events, just the very large, impressive empty hall. Here is a picture of one of the rather stunning murals that adorn the walls. And it's a lot bigger than it looks in this pic.

Day 221: Puppets

It may sound weird but I just discovered my flash this evening.

I've never really known what to do with it in the past - in fact I still don't - but this picture was taken in a pitch black room, firing the flash from an extension lead off to the left. I wanted it to look like an interrogation picture but next time I think I'm going to need slightly more 'animate' models to get the effect I was looking for.

Any volunteers? It would help if you look pretty haggard, like you haven't slept for a week, have a green tiled bathroom and a wooden chair with a wonky leg.

Day 220: Neon Eskimos

Day 219: Ram

Day 218: Horse shoe

I have been set the challenge of taking an artistic photograph of this half horse shoe. Here's a horse shoe smile to start with.

Day 217: Water

Mint flavoured.

Day 216: Gerberas

These were the lovely flowers that cheered me up earlier this week.

Day 215: Nasi goreng with lime and sugar-coated chicken

I love cooking with ingredients I've never used before and today it was Shrimp paste. Once you get over the honking aroma it's pretty marvelous. The chicken was marinaded overnight in lime, garlic, palm sugar and fish sauce. I've never made nasi goreng before and although it was a bit of a faff to prepare - crisping the shallots, frying and rolling the omlettes, cooking the rice and leaving to go cold, making up the nasi goreng spice mix - it's quite a good one to serve for guests because the final cooking is about 6 minutes (including cooking the chicken).

And it was totally delicious. Think I could live on this every day. If I could employ a cook to all the prep.

Whilst buying the shrimp paste I also bought an ingredient I'd never even heard of before - 'togarashi seasoning' (a mix of chilli, orange peel, black and white sesame seeds, szechuan pepper, ginger and seaweed). Can't wait to use this, but have no idea how. All suggestions welcome.

Day 214: Prawns - Nyonya style

I've been very bad at blogging this week. I could blame a conference but that only accounts for a couple of days, the rest, I can only say is down to general lethargy. But it's the weekend and I spent this one doing my most favourite thing in the whole world.

Cooking.

And eating.

And drinking (as an integral part of eating).

Starting on Saturday, with shopping, chopping, marinading and prepping. Finishing on Sunday with glorious feasting - a bonanza of colour and flavour.

This weekend was a splendid Malaysian feast (thanks to the Sainsbury's magazine!).

Nyonya-style prawns with a ginger and garlic dipping sauce for starters.

Day 213: Andrew

Day 212: Neon fingers

Day 211: Wilkommen

One too many amarettos, the show tunes are queued, the hat goes on and the fabulous Jo does a magnificent turn to Cabaret.

Day 210: Dinner

Every dinner should be this good. Allotment BBQ this evening with courgettes freshly cut from the plant and sliced, broad beans freshly picked and shelled, onions straight from the ground, thyme straight from the herb garden, garlic straight from Sainsbury's. Chicken slightly chargrilled. Red wine in polystyrene cups.

Well it can't all be perfect, can it.

Day 209: Boo