Shakin' that Ass!

Well, January came quick and I now find myself in the middle of the biggest training schedule my life has ever seen!

I have downloaded a marathon-walking-for-beginners training schedule and faithfully begun my programme.

On Tuesdays I do 3 miles, then 2 miles on a Wednesday, then 3 miles again on Thursday. On Friday I need to do just 30 minutes cross-training or similar and then Saturday is a big walk - increasing in distance and getting longer every couple of weeks.

The longer walks are done at regular pace whilst the shorter distances are walked at a quicker pace - like power walking! (Thankfully there are rest-days too otherwise I would be done for!).

At the weekend I dutifully sat down and wrote on my dates, starting with week 1 of the programme and the date I started it... and continued until the date of my event drew nearer ... and to my horror I realised that my event was only 19 weeks away - making my 24 week training plan somewhat ambitious!!

I have therefore had to amend my schedule, step-up the training and skip a few weeks (well, 5 weeks actually!).

So here I am - week 8 in my schedule and doing pretty well I think, although I am annoyed at the Wii fit machine - this new-fangled piece of kit was very impressive when I started out but this over-egoed creation is now insisting that despite doing more exercise I have ever done in my life I am gaining weight rapidly and aging faster than Benjamin Button in reverse!

I reassure myself by the firm knowledge that muscle weighs more than fat and what do machines know anyway??

As for my cycle training - well this has to fit in around my walking - yes I know - it will get harder to fit it all in, I need that time-spinning thing that Hermione had in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban...

Well the biggest part of my training for Amsterdam is to get my bottom in the saddle for as many hours as possible! The exercise bike is useful as this means that I can get some practise in an evening, leaving daylight hours for walking!

Yesterday, Sunday, the family took a cycle ride to Skipwith Common - not too far but with kids along it was far enough believe me! The pace was somewhat slower than I prefer and poor Emily was in some discomfort - in fact at one point on the way back I had to ride in front of her as following made me laugh so much that I almost fell off my bike!!

Her poor bottom was so uncomfortable that she had a little rhythm going all of her own ... rise, wiggle, down and pedal... rise, wiggle, down and pedal...

Talk about shakin' that ass!

Anyway, more training this week so let's see how I get on...anyone fancy a walk? :-)

He's Behind You!

It's a long time since I've been to the panto but when Mum and Dad were both ill and offered me their tickets I couldn't refuse!

I took Emily along to see Berwick Kalers annual performance at York Theatre Royal - it was his 30th year starring in the production which he also writes!

This year the story was Dick Turpin and it was fantastic!

It had so much in it and was jam-packed full of quips and anecdotes, references to local places and of course hilarious ad-libbing which made even the hardened cast (the baddie has been the baddie for the last 21 years!!) chortle a little too much at times! It was brilliant!

We had the Dr. Who theme music complete with Tardis, 'Bucks Fizz' singing 'Making Your Mind Up', Britains Got Talent as Yorks Got Talent, Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne, fantastic Irish Dancing, Scooch - Flying the Flag, water tanks with people falling in, water flights, slapstick with a huge ball of dough, a pipe which blew air with such force that the actors faces were distorted like something from a Wallace and Gromit sketch!

There was the Rocky Horror song 'Timewarp' dance, fire-eating, ballet, flying on wires, blacked out stage with cast in fluorescent costumes doing the Ghostbuster song, quick change scene where Berwick Kaler had two characters who had to be on stage at the same time - incredibly quick!!

There was also real video footage of Dick Turpin in costume in London outside Buckingham Palace, riding Black Bess up The Mall and along the Embankment. Not to mention them both (Dick and Black Bess) getting on a train from Kings Cross to York Station - have you ever seen a pantomime horse refusing to get on a train and having to be pushed - what a sight!

All of this and all with the usual wagon wheel throwing, references to previous productions, booing and hissing the baddie - he did play a superb baddie! Whistling at the guy playing Dick - well he did look flipping fantastic in those leotard/tighty things!

Wow! What a night!

It was such fun and it really does make me want to go again - next year! Tickets go on sale in March ... watch this space :-)

Haircut 100

I had a right panic today!

I rang the hairdresser to make an appointment and was told that Lauren hadn't showed up yesterday and nobody knew why - she also had not showed up again today!

Now this may not seem like much of a problem but I only found Lauren in the summer and I have been used to her regularly cutting my hair AND doing a great job too! I hadn't been happy with a hairdresser for a long time - over a year - and after so many bad cuts and changes of salon Lauren has become a very important part of my routine!

So, I came off the phone with no appointment (Lauren or nobody - I had decided!).

Later today I was in Goole with the kids and had a sneaky glance in the salon window as I drove past ... and there she was!

Well, after parking up I marched along to see if she could fit me in - phew, luckily she had time to do both me and Emily :-)

I didn't tell her how panic stricken I was at the thought that we may have lost contact - I really should have her mobile number but the salons new owner may have something to say about that!!

Poor Lauren explained the reason for her absence yesterday and lateness today ... she had been beaten up on New Years Eve!!!!! She had a black eye, cuts and bruises behind her ear, bruises on her arms, back and stomache! Her boyfriends ex-girlfriend had taken on a fit of jealousy!!

Not only that but poor Lauren had to drive herself home (the attack had occurred mid-way through the evening and she had not had anything to drink as she had to drive home later)...

BUT ... the story doesn't end there!

Poor Lauren was involved in a car accident on the way home! Not too badly hurt but very shaken on top of the evenings prior events!

Poor kid!

... and there was me worried about the loss of a decent hairdresser!!

Adrenaline Junkie...

Hi Folks! Hope you had a good Christmas?
Did Santa bring you something special??

Well he brought me a fabulous gift from my hubbie John... a triple whammy adrenaline day out!

Starting with a 250ft zip wire which will have me travelling at 30mph ... followed by an abseil down a 150ft drop ... and finished off with a parachute jump from 150ft!

I can't wait!

It is all indoors so no jumping out of aeroplanes or anything but still enough to give me a real adrenaline rush and cross off three things from my 'to do' list :-)

The zip wire will be fab - I think I'll have a harness too - just in case my hands slip off whilst travelling at 30mph!

The abseil will be a challenge - I chickened out of a much smaller one when I was younger and have regretted it ever since and so I am really looking forward to pushing myself into doing it...

The parachute jump is indoors and so doesn't have the dangers associated with jumping from a plane ... but 150ft is still very high and still a big rush :-)

It'll all be happening at the Magna Centre in Rotherham - date to be booked by me and so I shall keep you posted when I get a booking!

I am hoping that it's OK to bring spectators - I'll have the kids and John watching with cameras and camcorders!

Should be Fab!
I can't wait :-)

Leg or Breast?

Christmas is about the only time you can ask this question without a funny look or a clout over the head with someones handbag ...

... so, vote now in my seasonal quiz - do you prefer Leg or Breast?

There might be another saucy photo in it for you ;-)

Sons ... and Daughters!

As I write this I am wrestling with my conscience - dare I admit that I have a problem with my son?

I have been reassured that most lads go through this 'phase' (thanks buddy - you know who you are!) and so I know that I must persist but sometimes it's just so hard...

As a parent you want to give your child every opportunity but sometimes you know that they just don't deserve it - so what do you do?

Well today I denied my son the chance to go on a skating trip - skateboarding is his passion and he loves it - he has improved immensely since the summer when he started and he would have loved to go today but...

He has just been such a selfish, stubborn lad this last few weeks and I have had enough of giving and not receiving!

He gets his meals cooked without even having to wash pots afterwards, his clothes are washed and pressed and he can't be bothered to put them away, I asked him to wash the car but he refused, even saying that no amount of money would make him say yes! I asked him to sweep the leaves in the back garden but again he refused! He also gets regular lifts to skating trips... need I go on?

There is a new movie on at the cinema which we would all like to see and we agreed to go this afternoon - except that his refusal to help at home made me feel that he should not go. So we have all missed out!

My daughter has cottoned on to the 'just do it - you get less hassle' way of thinking and she is great - she even does stuff without being asked!!

Why don't boys work the same way??

So, when the skating invitation came I refused it and said he couldn't go!

I did feel bad - I hate depriving them of such oportunities - but he really has to start pulling his weight! Keeping a family home running is alot of work and it is not fair that he should have such high expectations without putting something back!

Anyway...

... tonight he came to me and said that he had thought about what I had said earlier and was sorry - he hugged me! I melted and then thanked him for his apology (quietly wondering how long it would last!).

10 minutes later he asked if we could all go to the cinema now?

Where's that wall...I may as well bang my head!!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

Today is officially the start of Christmas in our house :-)

I love putting up Christmas decorations and my favourite is my Christmas Tree! It's a beauty and its branches are all fitted singly into it's trunk so that I can leave out the few lower branches at the back and push it closer to the window.


The baubles are all sorts of shapes and sizes and colours. Some are handmade from when the children were small!

I try to buy at least a couple of new decorations each year and usually look for them whilst on holiday - you'd be surprised what you can find in Scotland in August - I have a beautiful pair of miniature bagpipes which came from Cawdor Castle.

I also have a Guardsman from the Tower of London and two wooden, jointed millenium teddy bears! The list is endless and each year my daughter tells me that we have no more room - but each year we find space for just a few more...

I love Christmas!

Happy Christmas Everyone x

Request for more photos ...

I have received an anonymous request for 'more photos' following the 'OMG They've Arrived!' post in November.

The problem is that I do like to know who is asking ...

...should I insist on a name...?
...or perhaps a clue...?

Or should I just be a complete flirt and put up another photo anyway :-)

Flirty at Forty...

Woah - what happened??

I just joined Facebook and suddenly I've lost three days out of my life!!

I've been exchanging photos, had a snowball fight, been given e-hugs and now I'm finding myself involved in wall-to-wall flirting sessions ... it's all good fun, I'm loving it (can I still say that or do MacDonalds have carte blanche?) :-)

But seriously - (sorry folks, just for a moment - promise!)

Flirting has to be a dying art hasn't it? I've been with John since I was 17 and so didn't get as much 'activity' on the singles scene as some may have had - am I at a disadvantage??

Facebook here I come - any excuse :-)

MySpace? My Face? Oh ... Facebook!!

Well everyone keeps going on about it and so I thought I had better see what all the fuss is about!

MySpace or Facebook? Well I have decided on Facebook because it seems to be the one which comes up the most!

I have done the important bits - now all I have to do is learn how to use it!!!!

If you find me there and know me then do invite me to be your friend - I have sent out some invites already but I do like a big party don't you :-)

Silly & Soft!

It was sooo cold last night!
We did have the heating on but I just couldn't get warm!

I was sitting at the computer stiffly typing in my search requests when John came up behind me and draped my shoulders with a hot duvet cover, straight from the tumble dryer!

It was gorgeous!

I just pulled it tightly round me and absorbed all the warmth and softness and it was just the best feeling!!

I haven't done that in years and heaven knows I have told off the kids before today for doing the very same thing but never again!

Try it yourself!
It's fab!

OMG They've Arrived!!

Oh My God!
My 'Naked Photo Album' has arrived!
It was delivered by courier this morning!

Aaaahhh! I can't believe it!!

It feels so good looking through the album - I can't believe it's me!

Leigh you did a great job!
The photos are stunning!
I am sooo pleased!
Thank you so much xx

...and now I just want to run around and show everyone!!! Arrrggghhh!

I feel like a kid with the best toy in the world!

Hey Karen - you said you wanted a look - ring me - we got a date to make :-)

Fantastic Sex!!

Ah-Ha! I thought that would get your attention!

Abba Night was fab, Abb-Fab in fact :-)

Since I got even votes on the wear it or not question I decided to 'wear it'. I felt fantastic! My Gorgeous 4 inch heel, white Go-Go boots were amazing and made me feel like a million dollars!

Friends were dressed up too and their outfits were superb - Lisa looked brilliant as Agneatha with a sequined, long, burgundy kaftan and her long blond wig! Lian looked great as Annifrid and really suited her wild dark hair! Russ came as Bjorn but unfortunately his moustache just wouldn't stay in place and so after trying it in different places - eyebrows worked pretty well I thought! - he finally gave in and it laid abandoned for most of the evening!

Everyone looked really good and had put careful thought into what to wear but Gary, however, deserves a special mention!

He was dressed as an Abba girl with tight trousers, a crop top and a long black wig! He had make-up too but the bright red nails were the finishing touch!

What I should explain at this point is that Gary was responsible for doing the disco - now, imagine wearing that costume whilst keeping the music going AND maintaining a chatty banter with the audience AND at the same time, trying to control a statically charged black nylon wig which was clinging wildly to his face ... well now you know why I think he should get a medal!

... and on top of that he was dancing - giving it rock all I'd say!

The disco was fab - everyone having a good time and dancing the night away! Lisa was in there - go girl! She had a go at the karaoke too - but then again we all would if we had her voice :-)

I danced loads! I don't get to dance very often and the last time I did was May 2007!! I had a whale of a time! I do dance pretty much the same to every song though - except the Macarena - but everyone knows that don't they?!

It was great - I loved it!

Unfortunately babysitting curfew kicked in and we had to go about 11.30pm. The disco was still going strong and so was the party! We went back to Lisa's and after a quick cuppa we finally made our way home...

I loved my outfit - I had a few nice comments too which was a real boost :-) When I went to the loo I was quizzed about my 'fabulous' boots - Did I buy or hire them? Where from? How much? Aren't they amazing!

Well - yes they are - not only do they have the power to make the wearer feel fantastic but they have an incredible effect on those around too - John loved them so much that once we got home he wouldn't let me take them off for ages ... ;-)

I soooo need a reason to wear them again :-)

Abb-Fab (or not?)

Well - I suppose every girl has a time in her life when she gets invited to an Abba party - and so my time has come!

The trouble is that they had such awful taste in clothes in the 70's and I'm not exactly cut to show off clingy lycra flares!!

And so I have scoured the charity shops and found this little number - so what do you think?

You may ADMIRE the Fabulous Go-Go Boots which are brand new and all mine - I love them - and they are surprisingly comfy!! You may OVERLOOK the really bad hair (been trying different things with gel, hairspray etc but it didn't work - as you can tell!)

As usual I have opened myself up to your opinion and need you to vote on whether to wear the black cardi - or not?

Comments will be moderated and so anything about tree trunk legs will not make it to the blog - sorry folks but I have to draw the line somewhere!

Deadline is Saturday night so ... ready ... steady... VOTE!

Silly Buggar!

I have recently told another friend about my blog - I'm ashamed to say that not everyone knows about it yet! I've been asking myself what is stopping me from telling everyone - and the answer came to light as I was emailing my friend ... everything just came pouring out!

I thought I'd share the contents of my email......

Hiya :-)

So glad you're still speaking to me! I never know how people will react when they find out what I've done! I must say though that the people who know have all been brilliant - really pleased for me (and some have even been jealous!).

I'm a really insecure soul at heart and I am still scared that there are people who will refuse to speak to me after finding out what I did!

I didn't tell anyone that I was going for the shoot - not until afterwards - and even then it was the 'face to face' bit that was hardest - hence the blog - somehow it seems much easier to say things in the blog than in person!

Once I'd had the photos done I felt absolutely amazing! I got alot of male attention at the service station we stopped at on the way home so perhaps I was giving out 'vibes' - John thought this was quite amusing but I felt like I had a huge Neon sign saying 'I JUST DID A NAKED PHOTO SHOOT' - I did enjoy the attention though!!

Once I got back to 'real life' I still felt fab and I wanted to tell everyone about my naked photo shoot but I was never one to shout for the limelight!! I found the blog the easiest way to tell people!

It's really strange because I am really proud of the photos and it is by far the bravest thing I have EVER done - remember John is - or was - the only man to have ever seen me naked!

There are a few people who I think know about my blog but who haven't mentioned anything about it - I'm afraid to talk about it with them in case they DO know and think me rude ... or alternatively in case they DON'T know in which case I'm afraid that they will disown me!!

I haven't even dared to tell Mum or Dad!!!!!

Am I a silly buggar or what?

Anyway, I should be getting the photos back soon in an album and so if you would like to see them (in an artistic way of course!) then I would be really proud to show you :-)

With Love,
Diane :-)

And so to my PoshPinkArmy... if you know me and you read my blog then you will find out when my photos arrive. If YOU would like to see the album then I would be most proud to show it to you :-)

Crisis of Confidence!!

Well I did say that this would be a record of my 'trials and tribulations' so you can't expect only the good stuff!!

Today we were invited to go swimming with friends. Two families in the pool, swimming, splashing, having fun ... all the usual stuff!

'Yes' I said 'that would be great!' ... and then I had this flippin' great wobbler over what would I look like in my cossie!!!!! How MAD is that?????

Now I know I did the photo shoot but somehow that wasn't as bad as I suddenly felt at being seen in public in my swimsuit!

Now it's pretty horny having this guy spray your naked, oiled body with cold water (to get the right effect for the camera of course!) but that is a million miles away from feeling self-conscious on a 'fat-day' at the local pool!

What a twit!

Anyway, I gave myself a pep talk, put on my best, most confident smile and got in the water as quick as I could :-)

I love swimming - and we had a great time - and now I can't help wondering what all the fuss was about!!

As Promised!

I am a woman of my word and so for those of you who said 'yes please' to another 'Mighty' photo - here you are! (As nobody said 'no' then I can hardley deny you can I?)

As for the choice of photo - well you have Gumbo to thank for that! I've heard he is a 'hip' man and so in thanks for his sponsorship for Amsterdam - here you go!

Boo Hoo! Wingwalking is a no-no!!

Wingwalking is something which has always had a huge appeal to me! It has been on TV so many times and I would love to try it!!

At one point in my life I even considered joining the Utterly Butterly wingwalking display team for a summer - but as usual I shied away ...

So, as this is obviously my 'now' time - I emailed the only wingwalking team in the country - Team Guinot!

They have replied to say that it is possible (yippee!) and that after training I would be expected to perform a 12 minute aerobatic display in front of friends and family!!

WOW! Thinks me! Let's do it!

So - I download the application form, compare height, weight, waist measurement(!!) to the required standards ... and read the T's and C's - where I find the price ... £550 ...

Oh - I knew it wouldn't be cheap but I'm all disappointed now!

I reckon I'll have to put wingwalking to the bottom of my list and treat myself to an extra lottery ticket instead!!

Triple Congratulations!!!

This is a special entry for three very good friends who have each had their very own success this week! Good News comes very rarely and this week I have had three doses of it!

The first is for LISA - a huge CONGRATULATIONS for landing the job which you so deserve! The students of York College don't know how lucky they are!

The second is for SHARON - who has had a really awful summer and who so needed a break! CONGRATULATIONS on landing the perfect job for you at this time!!

The third is for KAREN - who also turned 40 this year and really needed a boost! CONGRATULATIONS on your fab new job in fundraising! I knew you could do it :-)

To my three good friends - well done!
You are all fantastic!

Hip-Hip-Hurrah!
Hip-Hip-Hurrah!
Hip-Hip-Hurrah!

Fumbling Around in the Dark!

It's a long time since I last fumbled around in the dark I can tell you - I tend to know where I'm going these days ;-) but anyway - here we are on a Sunday night fumbling...

So how did I end up here? Well it could be a long story but I'll try to be concise cos I know you're all dying to get to the juicy bits!!!

Well, I got a text from Lisa first thing this morning (Sunday) saying ...'how do you fancy doing a geo cache this afternoon?'. Well I didn't know what one was and not being one to accept an invitation without having at least an inkling what I was letting myself in for I thought I'd better find out!

So, Geocaching is a series of 'treasure' boxes hidden around the country. The idea is that you follow directions and find the treasure box, taking something from it and leaving something of your own in its place! Completely free and great fun!

We first did one on Skipwith Common which was a good introduction as Gary, Lisa and the boys had done it before so we knew what to do and where to look. The second one we went for was near Elvington Airfield and was entitled 'Bombs Away' - it was a bit tricky but we found it in the end!

We decided to do one last geocache on the way home and picked another close to our last location. The trouble was that it wasn't as easy as it seemed! We spent ages looking and in the end we had to split into two cars and Lisa took Emily, Isaac and her youngest boy home and Gary and Aaron came with John & I in our car and we continued looking...

Time was getting on and it was 5.30pm by the time we parked up as close as we could get. We had picked up a Travel Bug from the last cache and needed to stash it safely...

A travel bug is a token of varying description (they are all different) which carry a 'dog tag' with a registration number for you to track on the geocache website as to its travels. Many have come from foreign parts (geocache is a worldwide phenomenon) and many have already travelled around the world! The travel bug we left at Fulford came originally from Switzerland, the one we had found earlier in the day had started its journey in Ohio!

The bugs are registered on the website and you can track where they started and where they've stayed and where they are now, even who has handled them and helped them along their way :-)

Well, anyway, this walk was a bendy one and took us along unlit paths and towards Fulford Golf Course, what a route! It kept on getting darker and we found ourselves walking along an unlit footpath through a wooded area with pheasants or grouse or something flying overhead as we startled them from their roosting place!

We went over a field and passed by a huge electricity pylon... along the side of a field and onto the open golf course... we saw a shape of a man out on the course - he shouted something to us but we couldn't understand him so kept heads down, changed direction and kept walking...!

We carried on over fields and past bunkers, treading in puddles and squishing through mud until Gary's GPS device eventually had us within a few feet of the hidden cache...!

Well, all credit to Gary cos we would have given up ages ago - he was determined to find it! We read and re-read the clues and eventually decided that there was only one real location - Gary took his mobile phone in hand and used it's light to search the area!

It was pitch black and the only noise was from the nearby A64 - close enough to hear but completely useless if we had needed help!!!!!

Eventually he found it - I sha'n't say where cos it will take away the fun of anyone looking for it another time who happens across this blog as a clue!

Anyway, we filled in the log book (a record of who has visited the cache, when and what their thoughts were), left the travel bug along with a gift of our own and started back... the journey back was more straightforward (good job really - I was needing the loo and couldn't just nip behind a bush like the boys did!!).

...and so this is how I came to be fumbling around in the dark on Fulford Golf Course - with my main man and a buddy ... and his young son who was almost wishing he had never been brave enough to join us!

When was the last time you fumbled around in the dark?

Three Cheers for Wills and Harry!

What a fantastic journey Princes William and Harry will have on their latest adventure and what better way to raise awareness of Prince Harry's Charity 'Sentebale'.

If I could ride a motorbike I'd fancy having a go myself - did you see Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman on their 'Long Way Down' trip? What a superb way to travel!

Go Boys - your Mum would be so proud, I know your Dad will too :-)

They're ready!

Email from Leigh! My photos are ready for my final, final decision! (I know I already made my choices but this time I need to choose whether to have colour, black and white or sepia effect on the finished item!)

Decisions, decisions! (a sense of 'deja vu' here me thinks!)

The colour ones make me look quite tanned which is nice cos I never look that way usually but the black and white ones are really classy (am I allowed to say that about my own photos??). I quite like the sepia effect but that always make me think of old photographs and I'm trying to reverse the aging process here not the other way around!!!!!

I thought about putting up another photo here to illustrate the different styles but I'm hanging on because I've got a 'friend of a friend' thinking over whether to sponsor me or not and he's keen to see another piccie as 'encouragement' - If I do show another it should be as a reward - don't you think :-)

Anyway, I'm off now cos lots do do... busy, busy, busy!!

Looks like a few of you are keeping up with me and my antics - I'm always interested to know what you're thinking - don't be afraid to make a comment :-)

Sponsor Me?

Well folks! It's time for me to formally request your sponsorship!

PLEASE CLICK THE LINK TO THE RIGHT - just above the hit counter!

A JustGiving Page has been set up for the Amsterdam cycling trip and so I must humbly ask if you would donate something towards the total?

We are hoping to raise a total of £30,000 between 60 of us - that's about £500 each! If I get 500 people to sponsor me £1 then I should be OK :-)... or 50 people at a tenner each would be good too:-)

The link will let you donate now using plastic and you can even leave me a Good Luck message at the same time:)

But seriously ... every penny helps! Marie Curie received a donation of £37,000 from last years trip - it would be great if we could raise something close to that amount again!

Alternatively just email me and I can add you onto the paper sponsor form and I'll come and collect after the event in June next year!

a BIG THANKYOU to Matthew and Lisa who have got me off to a great start with £20.00 - Thanks folks x

Thankyou in advance - please be generous!

Mindblowing!!!!!

Have you ever re-discovered something which you had forgotten you had? and therefore taken pleasure all over again in finding it?

Whilst standing in the garden late last night, admiring the starlit sky, I made up my mind to read a little more of one of my favourite books. The book is entitled 'Skywatching - the Ultimate Guide to the Universe' by David Levy (co-discoverer of the Shoemaker-Levy Comet).

In this book is a post-it note of something I once read and which struck me as being so incredible that I had to make a note of it!

I thought I'd share it with you!

"Given the size of the galaxy there is a high chance that alien life forms are out there, so why have they never bothered to contact us? (That's the 'where is everybody?' question - known as the 'Fermi Paradox').

A Danish physicist has now come up with an answer... 'give them time'

Using a computer simulation of the Milky Way he has calculated that 8 alien probes, travelling at 1/10 the speed of light (30,000 km/second) and each being capable of launching up to 8 sub-probes, would take 10 BILLION YEARS to explore just 0.4% of the galaxy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just think about that for a minute.....
8 probes with a total of 64 sub-probes...each travelling at 30,000 km/second...would take 10 billion years just to explore 0.4% of the galaxy!!!!

I don't know about you but that blows my mind!

It is something I read ages ago in a copy of 'The Week' magazine (Issue 598 27-01-2007) and which I found quite staggering!

...and yes I have done the calculation - to explore all of the galaxy (not just 0.4% of it) would take 250 BILLION YEARS!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!M I N D B L O W I N G !!!!!!!

See what I mean??

And so now you get an idea as to how tiny the earth is, in the scheme of things!
Do you still wonder if there is life out there...?

Anyway - just thought I'd share that with you :-)

Windsurfing Video - Animoto Magic!

I finally got around to working the animoto magic on the photos from my windsurfing day at Rother Valley!

Oh Mr Darcy!

Isn't is fab to catch up with friends you don't get to see very often?

This weekend we stayed over in Chesterfield with very good friends who we just don't get to see! We arrived quite late but that didn't stop us from chatting well into the night - polishing off a gorgeous bottle of merlot along the way!

We had a good nights sleep followed by a superb breakfast - nice one Matthew :-)

Lisa had planned a very special day for us - at Chatsworth House & Gardens! Now some people don't enjoy that kind of thing but Chatsworth is in a stunning setting and even the kids have a great time! There is so much space and it is so beautifully kept - everyone was happy!

This visit was even more special because they have a sculpture exhibition in the grounds. There are some fabulous and fun pieces!

The weather was great - blue sky and sunshine (thank heavens the weatherman got it wrong!!) and we saw everything in true splendour! I was out there with my camera and often had to run to catch them up - I can't help it - I just love taking photos!

One of my favourites was called 'The American Love' by Robert Indiana. It faced the sunlight and was brilliant white (Dulux would be very proud!). It was attracting alot of attention from every angle and could be seen from many places in the grounds.

I basically spent the whole day just taking photo after photo and had a fantastic time! The exhibition is only on until 2nd November so if you fancy having a run over then best get a wiggle on :-)

Oh Mr Darcy - where does he come in then? Well of course 'Pride and Prejudice' was filmed mainly at Chatsworth and there is a scene in the film when Elizabeth Bennett arrives at Mr Darcy's home and finds a room full of marble sculptures - and amongst them is a bust of the man himself (played by Matthew Macfadyen). Well I must say that he looks very dashing in the movie and it was quite a moment stood before his image ;-)

Anyway - another fab day in the life of a new 40 year old!

Hey - guess what?

I showed my naked photos to my friends and they thought they were fab! I feel really brave but I am not ashamed of them and feel really proud that they came out so well - it has done so much for my confidence I can tell you :-) - final decision coming up - I'll let you know what I decide!

Kinky or What?

Remember the naked photo shoot I had last week - wow - can't believe it was just last week! It feels like it should have been a part of my life forever! I have felt so good since doing it and John has no complaints either ;-)

But I have a dilemma...

I have decided to get a large print of one of the shots (the one which made me do the shoot in the first place!) and a couple more framed for the bedroom but I would also like to get a few photos from the shoot to keep in an album!

The question is - which ones? Do I choose discreet? Flirty? Raunchy?
The chains ones are definitely my favourites - am I kinky or what?
Not my usual thing but hey - I'm 40 now :-)

I need to choose my final selection quite soon so as to not get caught up in the sudden influx of customers to Leighs studio after reading my blog ;-)

Hey Leigh (I know you read this!) - do I get commission ;-)

Oh well - better get back to choosing ...

Gigging It!

So, I got a text from Gary asking 'wanna come to our gig on Tuesday?'
Sure, why not sez me :-)

My diary is so full this week it's mad! (But I'm loving it!!)


Gary and Lisa sing in a band (the 'band with no name' although they hope to resolve that issue shortly!). The band plays for free at various venues to raise money for Jesses Fund, a York based charity which helps disabled children through music.

Lisa has a gorgeous voice and is accompanied by hubbie Gary on guitar and Simon on keyboard. Favourite songs include 'Ironic' by Alana Morrisett and 'In Your Care' by Tasmin Archer.

So, luckily I had a night free tonight (!) and was able to pop along to the Hole in the Wall pub in York where they were playing ... the bucket was passed around and so we hope they did well for Jesses Fund :-)

Tomorrow night is Skate Wednesday and so I had kept the evening free so as to be able to ferry No.1 son to and from his skateboarding. Now this week Skate Wednesday has been moved to Skate Thursday - good job Thursdays plans can accommodate this - otherwise No.1 son would be very upset!

Thursday is my Open House event for Phoenix cards - The new Christmnas range is out now and so I am having a 'look-see' evening for everyone to come and have a look and a cuppa and a natter .. what a good excuse I thought! Get out for a bit - leave the kids with hubbie! Fab!

Friday night is the Royal Signals Annual Dinner at the Worsley Barracks in York. This is usually a great night - a chance to catch up with good friends whom we haven't seen for ages and of course a totally fab excuse to dress up too!)

On Saturday evening we are driving over to friends for a sleepover and even though John doesn't drink we still manage to get through plenty of bottles of wine - how's that then ;-)

Sunday will probably involve a walk and a pub lunch and then back home to get ready for Monday ...

Wow! I never had a week like this when I was 39, or 38, or even 37...

I like being 40 :-)

Appropriate Lyrics!

The song is 'Roll On Rollercoaster' by Kid Rock

'Roll on, roll on rollercoaster,
We're one day older and one step closer,
Roll on there's mountains to climb,
Roll on we're on borrowed time...'

Too true - Snowdens on my list - what about you :-)

Jersey Boys!

You'll be pleased to hear that this birthday treat was undertaken fully clothed!

One of the wishes on my 'To Do' list was a London Theatre weekend and so John had arranged, without my knowledge, tickets for Jersey Boys and a hotel and even overnights for the kids at his Mums! (Well done babe! Thanks Mam!)

I had seen an interview on GMTV briefly when the production first opened and immediately decided that it would be fab to see it!

The Jersey Boys tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and I have to say that the music was fabulous! We were all clapping and singing along and one lady bopped her way through most of the production regardless of anyone sitting around her (this wasn't me I might add!)

The show was at the Prince Edward theatre in Old Compton Street in the heart of Soho. I've never been to Soho before ... so thought I'd better have a look around!

Well you can't go somewhere like that and not explore can you??

It was fab!

It was so busy - people everywhere and everyone dressed in their own way! So many colours and styles and hats and scarves and bags and shoes on girls and guys! It was great!

I'm keen not to offend anyone but being from 'the sticks' it took a few moments to get used to being surrounded by so many openly gay guys! So many good looking blokes in one place - unbelieveable!! I've never known John to hold my hand quite so tightly!

At one point I was aiming to squeeze through a gap between some mopeds and had to hang back behind a couple of guys who paused to share a moment - then a minute later I looked sideways to check the traffic before crossing the road and caught myself blushing at a couple kissing beside me!

Shame on me - live and let live has always been my motto!

China Town wasn't far and one of the nearby streets was strung with lanterns - it looked great! The shops were full of fresh produce and we found an amazing cake shop too! The restaurants smelled fantastic - even though we had already eaten by this point (Pizza Hut - don't ask!).

Anyway, what with the shows and the shops (!) and China Town and of course the guys, what a weekend! I wish we could do it more often!

I wonder what else I can add to my list ...