Day 8/2

This is hanging on our wall...

Day 7/2

 Finally ... the flat is clean (ish) and the washing up done!

Day 6/2

This was taken at the petrol station on our way back from visiting Warren's family; we've been given a buggy, a car seat and some clothes which is brilliant. Having a baby now seems very real in a whole new way!

Day 5/2

Hmm... Not the most healthy of days, but thankful for rest.

Day 4/2

I'm coldy with a sore throat and Warren is really tired, so naturally we've curled up with yummy chocolate oranges to watch Guardians of the Galaxy ... Must be the post-Christmas dip!

Day 3/2

Driving back from Warren's mum this very dark and very rainy Boxing Day.

Day 2/2

We went for a walk this morning, my favourite part of this Christmas Day, and I found a beautiful branch...

Day 1/2

Last Christmas Eve, Warren and I got back in touch, met at Grupo and now here we are, a family. A little visit to Grupo seemed right and proper, to celebrate, to acknowledge, to reminisce. 

the day before 365 begins again

It feels like a long time since Day 365 and quite a lot has happened ... Warren and I got engaged, then married, discovered that a little one is on the way, bringing the now commenced maternity leave. A couple of months ago, I was thinking about having lost my way with photography and lost confidence too; also, wondering what to prioritise between now and baby's arrival in March. These two thoughts culminated in a light bulb moment of - do 365 again! I have been so, so looking forward to it, having realised how much I enjoyed it, how much I've missed it.

So, back again! It'll be a bit different this time around. Last time, I didn't use identifiable photos nor did I use certain names. This time, it's invitation-only so that only people I trust can see photos of us and know names. I envisage posting every day until March and continuing thereafter, but as life is about to change beyond recognition we'll see what happens!

(PS - This was taken at the end of Hanukkah ... Happy Hanukkah!)

September

Here are some moments from my September...

Spending time with the scrumptious Z; playing with bubbles ...

 and making Lego cars.

W and I went walking, celebrating Rosh HaShana; eating apple dipped in honey as a symbol of the sweetness of God's blessing on the year to come.

We topped off the month by marking 3 months of marriage by sharing a fruity breakfast, exploring a Museum of Astronomy and eating lunch at a little place Helen showed me last year.

my new lens!

My new lens arrived today ... yay!

honeymoon in Cyprus

Well, we're back! We really enjoyed our lovely wedding, had a couple of days to recuperate before heading off to northern Cyprus for a week; it was gorgeous, just stunning.

 We spent a lot of time eating by the coast, here enjoying fish straight from the sea. Well, Warren did; I was slightly more in denial!

I took a little walk one afternoon around our hotel resort and found one of the cats mid-afternoon nap, then snapped a van as it zoomed past me on my way back.

This I loved: we caught the bus into Gilne, then - where is the timetable? - drawing-pinned to a tree, of course! 

 We visited Nicosia (or Lefkosa) the capital and discovered this iconic street with shuttered windows and scarved old women on chairs outside their doors. It was magical.

 .... of course, there was also a statue of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

I'll be honest, I'm still getting used to Warren's wedding ring...

Not a great photo, but I like it! Our feet caked in hot sand after we came out of the sea.

We went on a cruise one evening, out of Girne sailing into the sunset. Obviously this was taken before the sun went down, but not before I broke my lens - see bottom left ... Oops! 

Mezze, mezze, mezze by the sea ... Yum! And yum for halloumi, I say!

Visiting a 1000 year old abbey in Belapais, set high up in the mountains ... a pillar, some chairs and the English sockets that Warren kept noticing!

Although Cyprus is hot and dry there are delightful shocks of colour, often red or pink, but sometimes sunflowers (one of my three favourite flowers).

Not a great photo, but the sunrise taken through the bus window at 6am on our way to the airport. 

our wedding day

The other reason for my recent blog absence is that Warren and I are getting married. Today! So, here I am in the calm before the busy-ness of the day, taking a moment to pause and photograph the symbol of it all.

wood walks and camping

Sorry I've been away for so long - again! I moved at the beginning of June, still have boxes stacked up and - phew! - the internet is now sorted ... hurrah! But, just before I moved, it was time for F's birthday present; she wanted to go camping and wood-walking, so off we went...

The campsite was a stone's throw away from a sculpture trail through the woods...

The newly 9 year old F running into the distance!

 F's right, you never know when you'll need a Swiss Army Knife. She came prepared!

We laid a blanket for breakfast time and noticed some bees buzzing around behind us...

Then we went for another walk, during which F pulled out a contact lens case which I had apparently given to her last year. As we walked she started collecting flowers to keep in the case and I remembered all over again how much I love her! Happy birthday, F!

some moments from May

I was given some gorgeous flowers which I photographed on the deck while looking after A....

 ... who wanted me to photograph her Crocs!

 Flowers from a lovely Sunday afternoon at Tyntesfield...

 We had a day trip on a narrow boat, here's Warren and the (nearly!) 9 year old F at the tiller...

 ... ropes on the roof ...

 ... and Z!

 And a day at the seaside, celebrating Z's birthday...