A few weeks back i was sent up to Hertfordshire to take some photos for a 50 Walks in Hertfordshire book. Luckily for me it happened to be that really nice week at the start of May when it was gorgeous wether the entire time.

I was there for 3 days in total. Much better than being stuck in the office, but carrying all my camera gear around became less fun by the third walk of the day.

If the photo list was specific then I just drove straight to the thing i needed to shoot. But as for the general ones, I had to do the whole walks.

I have put some of the photo’s up on my site and even edited them down for once. I have such a problem with deleting pictures and just having the best. I always have far too many.

I also never want to have to type “a field of oilseed rape“ ever again (aargh!!!)

So next week I will be shooting Hampshire, followed by Berkshire & Buckinghamshire (including one walk in Pangbourne, it practically starts from my front door)

Not exactly up to date this, but I took a while to get the pics off my camera.

Anyway, here is the scene that greeted me when i woke up on Sunday morning

Just when you Reading is just one big ugly shithole, you look out of your living room window and see this…

Just goes to show doesn’t it

I am very excited!!

I have just picked up my new car. It is a Fiat Grade Punto Stripe Special edition (Sadly not with the optional racing stripes along the bonnet). Metallic paint, Alloys, spoiler and integrated Bluetooth and usb connector for an MP3 player.

It was sad to see my old car go :’-( which I have had since april 2003
It has served me well. Only broke down a couple of times, but it was time for a change. It was either new car or spend more money on fixing the old one, and the list of jobs was growing….Basically I didn’t want to keep spending on it.

I must admit though, it did take me the best part of a year faffing over the decision to get a new car or not. But it’s done, it’s here and I am very happy with it

It was a very nervous drive back to work as this was my first brand new car and I kept thinking that I was going to crash it or something.

Can’t wait to play with it now…

I have been wanting to updte my website for quite some time and actully put some photos up there.

Well I have finally found a look and feel i like, and got some photos up there. I am still having a few problems with the 3rd party app that I am using to display the albums which may take some time to fix, but I am getting there.

I have updated the aikido side of it too, to include more albums (this years summerschool still to come at time of writing.

There is still lots I want to put up there, but hey, it’s a start!!!

I have been updating my website recently and I now have better links to the Aikido pictures.

 http://www.digital-monkey.org.uk/Aikido

I still have some more bits and pieces to go up. I also need to sort through the 50/80 course pictures (I think I took about 450) and they will then go up here as well.

I am still playing with the format of the site so any feedback will be appreciated

Sorry it has taken so long to get these up there but here are the photo’s from the dan grading!!!

Dan Grading

I need to set up a proper link to this page from my web site and do some redesign so this link may change soon, but I will let you know.

Cardiff blues beat Lenster tonight (Blues 27-11 Leinster)

Which means if the Ospreys beat bottom of the tabel Borders tomorrow we win the Mangers League.

Damn it though, I don’t have S4C to watch the match. Channel have Monarchy by David Starkey instead - is that any competition???

Well, it has been a while since i last posted on here. It has been a busy couple of months.

I got promoted at work, but as usual for that place they seem unable to do anything that makes me happy. instead they turn what should be a positive thing to something bordering on humiliation and making me want to quit and leave them up shit creek.

On a more positive note, Susan came back from her year in Australia mid feb. it has been wonderful to catch up again and we have been having a great time together. Including a week staying at my dads caravan near Tenby.

Things have been so busy, i have pretty much had to drop one session of Aikido and only do 3. Although, with the Easter break I haven’t had to worry too much about this for a while.

Anyway, as it has been so long between posts I feel this should be a long entry, but, as there is too much to say I now can’t be bothered to write it.

So here it is, short and sweet

Mike

This is a picture of the Scottish try line. I put this here because anyone who watched todays match will not have seen it.

I am not a happy little welshman tonight