Prints for the Lounge

House decoration is very nearly done. So much so that rather than thinking about tearing down wallpaper and filling holes or making things out of wood and other things, we're now thinking about putting up pictures.

So I made some art for the lounge, we have a green theme going on, so some trees were in order.

This one is from closer to home - the Bluebell Woods:


And this one is from a bit further afield - the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia.

Up Red Creek in the Dolly Sods Wilderness, to be precise.

Did these in photoshop based on some of my photos, just ran them through the 'by numbers' filter a few times until they looked cool.

You can see the rest of our decoration efforts on Flickr...

Books Etc...

I have a weakness. Tis well known by anyone that has seen my collection (and the two sets of removal men who have recently had to shift the whole lot across the channel.)

I like books.

Specifically, buying and owning books and keeping them on shelves in series order. Wheel of Time, 1-11, Farseer / LiveShip / Tawny Man Trilogies and so on.

Imagine my reaction then, when cycling down a lane this afternoon to stumble across this:

Picked up Children of Hurin for a very reasonable 50p (and also something by David Gemmell, as I only had a pound note* on me).

So I shall likely be in trouble, after all, my books are all currently in boxes as I have nowhere to put them, and I'm just adding to the problem. Oh well.

* Another good thing about Guernsey - pound notes, none of that heavy coinage round here thank you!

Unemployed!

Momentous day today. I'm not at work. I am in fact at home. And currently, I have no definite plans to return to work*.

There's an entirely rational explanation for this of course, Mrs Spacmonster and I are moving to Guernsey (my ancestral home and all that) and me being me, I don't have a job to go to. So, whilst the missus is busy working away already, earning a crust to support me in my joblessness, I'm still in London, packing up the flat.

Course, getting all of our gear into movable order, is pretty much the hardest day's work I've had in a while, in fact probably since the last time we moved house, and I haven't even had to move the giant piece of slate yet.

Still - I had time to do this, and I've nearly finished The Force Unleashed so it's not all bad...

* I am looking for a job. Honest.

Marrakech Express

Being an extremely dutiful husband, and it being a year to the day that we actually got married (blimey time flies and all that) I thought it only fitting to whisk the little lady of somewhere suitably glamourous. We plumped for Marrakech for a couple of reasons, one - never been there before, and two - we wanted a 'not beach holiday'.

The place is completely mad, people, mopeds and donkeys everywhere and you run the risk of getting run over about every 10 seconds.

It's a great place to get lost in, we managed it about twice every day, but because the Medina is relatively small, it's hard to stay lost for long. Plus, there are always little kids around ready to relieve you of ice-cream money in return for taking you back to where you thought you were.

We discovered that Ray is good at haggling*, and the guys in the souk will let you walk for about 20 metres before chasing you down to accept the last price you offered, no matter how low it is.

One of the funniest things I heard was a stallholder offering me 'T-shirts - very cheap - ASDA price...' showing that advertising definitely works. He didn't turn around and pat his back pocket though, which is good, because otherwise I would have laughed.

Anyway - We took a lot of pictures:




spacmonster's Marrakech photoset

Would recommend a visit to anyone that doesn't mind a bit of craziness. Particularly because you can escape it all by lounging in a Riad, or, spending a few hours at the Bains de Marrakech (thanks for the tip off TW) being alternately buffed, pummelled, steamed and doused with cold water out of a bucket by brusque Moroccan women.

The Belly Dancers were good fun as well. Just a shame I didn't have any small notes with me at the time...

* I'm not, because I generally don't like buying things, so would have given up most times and left with nothing...

Wail!

Wail!
Originally uploaded by spacmonster

Deader than a dead thing what is very dead. In warranty though. Hopefully Microsoft's wonderful customer service will see me right.*

Ah well, at least I still have my gamecube - Wind Waker anyone?

* What? - they might be monitoring the interweb for references to RROD...

Babies

Sage sticking his tongue out
Originally uploaded by spacmonster

Babies, Babies everywhere, and not a one to eat. So hungry. But seriously, they are everywhere at the moment, especially in Southampton where we spent the weekend. This is Sage, Laura and Dave's eldest (he's 5 weeks old...).

Still didn't make me feel as old as trying to play pub golf with a bunch of students. I'm fairly sure Mike is glad that I don't have any pictures of that to show Mother...

Robots...

Aah, cardboard.

Bit of tape.

Some scissors.


Robots are cool for many reasons, mainly because one day they will take over the earth and I want it recorded that I think they're cool - hopefully liberating me from a lifetime of servitude down a battery mine or something.

Band of Brothers?

So I went to play soldiers at the weekend, and it taught me a few things.



Firstly - riding a bike and going to the gym are nothing compared to being a soldier, even a fake one. Eight hours of running through fields and woods and hiding and crouching and running is hard. My legs still hurt and it was three days ago.

Secondly - I'm pretty good at shooting people. What I'm not good at is not getting shot. Which effectively cancels out how good I am at shooting people.

Thirdly - I quite enjoy taking these things seriously and trying to learn about military tactics (even if, as part of the glorious in defeat red team, our tactics disintegrate steadily as we get picked off one by one by Andy the Sniper) which was good because the guns were crazy effective so you actually had to pay attention to cover fire and position and range and all sorts or you got deaded.

All in all - something I'd do again, especially as the guys promised tanks, claymores, satellites, UAV's, handguns, shotguns and Hummers for the next time we go.

Geeky boy overload...

www.warfighters.eu - for all your war simulation type needs.

We Got Married...

So this is going to be quite a long post...



As you can see - it was in a church and everything - and it was the best day!

After the church we had a big party in a castle - and even fired a cannon...



And we had a dance...



So that pretty much topped everything off - you can see many photos over on my flickr pages:






spacmonster's Our Wedding photoset



So - that was the wedding, but we weren't finished having fun, not by a long shot.

We went off on honeymoon to Africa, and had more amazing times chasing lions and fishes and sleeping in treehouses and eating crabs...

We started in Garonga...




spacmonster's Garonga photoset



Where we saw some frankly mahoosive lions!



At Garonga we went for a walk and hung out with Warthogs, met the marvellous CJ and Mosa, ate fabulous food and soaked up the amazing views from our balcony. Still, we had to leave, but fear not - we were off to the beach!




spacmonster's Medjumbe photoset



The beach was fab - and Ray spent most of her time being fabulous...



Or scared of the water...



I spent my time trying to grow a beard...



In all - everything was great. Maybe we should do it again sometime!

Grass

Grass
Originally uploaded by spacmonster.

New camera - new fun things to try, this is 'super macro' meaning you can take pictures of things that are really, really close...

Its a bit like Honey I Shrunk the Kids, only good, obviously, and without Rick Moranis.

Hen Do

While Chris was subject to despicable stag type shenanigans, I was far more lady like with my hens in Bath.

I also chased a hairy biker down the street for a hen do hug!

Stag Do

Stag Do!

I went to Bristol and drove mud buggies and watched really tiresomely boring football match (thank you Steve McClaren), and tried to make balloon animals...



And that is all...

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Schnee!

Snowing - again! I thought it was March, y'know like spring, but apparently no, its winter, and white stuff is falling from the sky.

Ominously Ricky tells me I need swimming trunks for my stag do this weekend. And old trainers.

In the snow.

Hrmmm.

Link

Link
Originally uploaded by Dunechaser.

No Hood - but still very cool...

Open Casket

Open Casket
Originally uploaded by spacmonster.

My ipod has passed away, it is deceased, ceased to be etc etc, (insert parrot joke here).

I am a sad bunny today.

Not only that, but I have to listen to the gym's music tonight.

Woe is me.

Snow!

Snowy
Originally uploaded by spacmonster.

I like snow, I think it still has the novelty factor on account of growing up somewhere where it hardly ever snowed properly.

No sledging today though, go to go to work...

Chaz? Dave? Andy...

Chaz? Dave? Andy...
Originally uploaded by spacmonster.

Compo's funeral was a very tearful occasion for Andy G...

Someone is very happy with their cheese and girls calendar!

Someone is very happy with their cheese and girls calendar!
Originally uploaded by Laura Chilton 83.

The best Christmas.

Ever.

Get Your Own!

Personally, my favourite is Miss Camembert. Roll on April.

Weekend in the Country

Six get over excited...

Bike Riding!



Setting Fire to Stuff!



Launching Rockets!



Ah, what fun we had...

We also played with sparklers!

Boobs!

My two boobs of brothers
Originally uploaded by Laura Chilton 83.

Mwhahaha...