Reflejos del Rio Segura

So here I am, still in on week 3 of the 52/2011.  This weeks subject was style, I went for street style, not exactly what I was hoping to get, but it's been so cold and foggy of late that the narrow streets of Orihuela haven't been over crowded or with nice light.  I love this view of the "shabbier" side of Orihuela.  If you carry on up river from this photograph, the buildings are a lot newer, as can be seen here




and here




I've also taken a photograph of this bridge at night





Which one do you prefer?

New Year, New Leaf

So, week 2 of 52 in 2011 completed. I actually made a "New" recipe yesterday, and as it ws a nice mixture of colours I had planned to use it as this weeks shot. It was half eaten and not at all photogenic before I remembered :-)

Luckily I had another couple of ideas up my sleeve, and decided that I would go with this one. 2010 was a bit of a lost photo mojo year for me, so in 2011 I would like to draw a line under that and turn over a new leaf, in my photography and a few other areas of my life too.

Week One of Fifty Two

 So, I've decided to do a 52 in 2011.  That's just one photo a week, which I think is just about manageable.  I am doing this with the help of Talk Photography who very helpfully suggest a theme every week.  

This weeks theme was accommodation and I knew immediately what I wanted to shoot.  There are so many ruined houses around here that, I knew it would feature one of them.  This house is about 200 meters from my house and was actually lived in up until probably only 40 years ago.

Inside there are the remains of an enormous fire place and behind this is a room where they used to crush olives for oil.  There are two enormous round stones and three huge great big terracotta "tinajas" which were used for storing the oil.  I might just have thought about the possible appropriation of said items, as they would look lovely adorning my garden.  However the room that they are in appears to be have built around them, and the only way of removing them would be with a bulldozer.  Which I think somebody might just notice.

So that's my contribution for this week and I am now eagerly awaiting next weeks subject

Masochism...

See that pink bit, that's the bit I'm talking about.  Gimp masks, whips and nipple clamps don't really do it for me at all I'm afraid.

I have a confession to make.  In my BK (Before Kids) youth I was a..

nailpainted,fashionconcious,hairstyled,highheelwearing,multibagowning,heavypartying,lowcarbing,makeupwearing,officeworking,housesharing,miniskirtwearing,heavydrinking
kind of girl.  

These days I am an animal owning Mum.  My beauty routine consits of a 10 minute shower and slap a bit of face cream on *blushes*.  Fashion, - well whatever is clean, ironed (ish) and to hand.  And these are my current footwear of choice

But just recently, I have acquired a beauty blog habit.  I am addicted to Pixiwoo tutorials on you tube and have been following a number of beauty blogs Cheeky Beauty, Super Beauty and my absolute favourite Modesty Brown.  I just love how Ms Brown even goes into the science of some of these products. 

It really inspires me to go out and spend some money.  I know that I bought a mascara in July (duty free), but I honestly can't remember the last time I bought anything else.  I wonder if I can get one of them to take me on as a project Hmmm!!

Irresponsible...

Well, that's me to a tee!  

I am not responsible enough to write my blog on a regular basis, I regularly have to have a panic hunt through fridge and freezer to find something that will 'do' for lunch or tea and due to my most recent bout of irresponsibility...

Aren't they just cute.

There are four of them, 3 girlies and a boy - the big brindled one is the boy.  They were born at about 09.00 on 10 November, and Girlie#2 and I saw them all being born *insert big cheesey grin* - there are of course birth photos, but I'll not be publishing them, unless of course demand dictates.   In the photo above they are about 9 days old and at exactly two weeks they opened their eyes.  

They have no names yet as they are not staying, but mummy's big boy might just answer to Tiger.

As you can see Girlie#1 has already started posing with them, this is actually a self portrait - with my camera!!!  Must put a stop to that or have a word with Santa.


Anyway, little LillieLoo has made a most excellent mother and there will be be no need to call the Social Services.  She is far more responsible than me!!!

Introducing...

Luna. 

We went to see Luna about a month ago, but the man that was selling her wanted silly money.  So it was not to be.  She will be three in March of next year.  She is very quiet and calm in the stable, you can touch her all over without any problem.  But...

She has been kept stabled for probably the last 15 months of her life.  I walked her home - about 3 km - very nicely.  She was a little surprised at the first few cars that passed us and had a bit of a wobbler at a plastic bag.  Dogs didn't faze her one bit, but when we crossed the motorway bridge, she was a little alarmed and had to positively leap over the narrow gully where the pieces of tarmac join!!!
 

On the whole I was very pleased with her performance.  As I'm not sure that she's left her stable to much before hand.  There is a possibility that she is in foal *rolls eyes* - for me under three is too young.  I think that we have quite probably saved her from being quite a brood mare, churning out one foal after another.  At least here she will be loose in the paddock and be able to exercise a bit.
 

She and Estrella have got on really well.  There was a bit of mutual wither nibbling and now they are just BFFs.  They have even been eating from the same manger, which surprised me as Estrella is a complete greedy guts and I didn't think that she would take too kindly to sharing.

So that's the newest member of my family - Luna as it had to go with Estrella and all the planet names seemed a little macho to me.

I also hope to get caught up with some of my missed summer posts this week although they will probably be a bit higgledy piggledy in their recounting!!!

The Rules

There has been a little bit of a heated debate regarding children's birthday parties on a forum that I use, it fair made me chuckle to be honest.  I have to say that due to the young ages of my girlies when we moved here, I never actually had to host a party in the UK.  

Also, as I am an old mummy and of the era when a good party was a house full of kids, long polyester/nylon party dresses, last seasons sandals spray painted silver and a few good games of pass the parcel and musical bumps, the parties that have to be organised today would completely fry my brains.  Really the most complicated it got was a request to take your piece of cake home - and I honestly can't ever remember any other mummies staying unless it was my mum's BF to giver her moral support and glasses of wine.  Goodie bags had not been invented and you may have been lucky enough to take a balloon on a string home or a "prize" that had been won.

So, here are the rules for holding a Spanish children's birthday party, from about ages 4 to 11

• All children in the class are to be invited - this is not negotiable Sundry other friends and cousins etc are also to be included.
• Do not expect an RSVP - ever
• Any siblings whose names were not on the invitation may or may not also turn up
• Parents may or may not stay - if they stay food and drink is to be provided after the children have eaten
• No entertainment (paid) is to be provided - nor party games organised
• Food must consist of olives, crisps, assorted nuts, filled rolls, pizza and litres of fizzy pop and water
• The duration of the party must not be any less than 2 hours
• A goodie bag is to be provided to each and every child - including those that have only turned up to collect their sibling/cousin/nextdoor neighbour etc
• The times - start and finish - that are written on the invitation are only a rough guide - allow half an hour either way for the start and up to two hours at the finish for collection or vacation of the premises
• Parties must be held at home - unless you are lucky enough to live in a large town or city - when you can get stung by a soft play centre - bearing in mind that all other rules are still to be followed

• Cake is generally a home made concoction of biscuits sandwiched together with chocolate mousse/goo or a bought sponge cake that has had a sugary syrup poured over it and is decorated with very sweet uncooked meringue 

  

• It is unneccessaryto have a contact number for any parent
• A piñata is optional but preferred

So, there you have it ladies - just think yourselves lucky