"Good 'ere innit?"

...to steal the title on a postcard from Essex!

Yes, Sarah and I have just got back from a weekend away in this delightful land visiting Pat (ecologist who used to work for the Trust), and I think it can safely be said that we all had a thoroughly spiffing time (wot wot - bit of an in joke... never mind).

Saturday saw us on a boat trip around Walton on the Naze, with brilliant close up views of both common and grey seals - very cute, and alas, very photogenic (many photos were taken). We also saw a hobby eating a beetle, and some little terns, as well as numerous little brown jobbies (waders of some description - turnstones and oystercatchers mostly). The afternoon was then spent at Clacton-on-Sea, taking in the 'delights' of the pier, including crazy golf, dodgems and candy floss!

On Sunday, Beth and her boyfriend Colin came and met us for a whole day fossil hunting - very productive in that I not only found numerous shark teeth, gastropods and bivalves, but a late neolithic/early bronze age scraper, and a (badly worn) Megalodon tooth (20m long shark!) - they only find 10 of the latter a year, and no one has ever found one on this fossil trip before! I am to be featured on their website, and in their newsletter, and it was quite amusing, because he phoned back to the 'base' (i.e. the carpark) to tell his colleagues, and news soon spread, with me being accosted at several points to display the 'amazing' find (I'm sensing a bit of 'Emperor's new clothes' syndrome here...).

But now back to work, with nothing of any particular consequence to look forward to this week. The joy is palpable.

I am surprised I can still talk

So much has happened in the intervening period!

So last week I spent time trying to find a car - and succeeded! Bright red Peugeot 206, which I'm quite pleased with actually. So that's one thing sorted. Of course, my claim has still not been resolved, and they've done nothing about my complaint, so I shall have to go higher up now - i.e. the Ombudsman. It's never easy is it?

Apart from that, work has been going rather slowly, much to the annoyance of colleagues etc.

Oh, but the Bypass has been called in for a Public Inquiry, which means months and months of that damned application. Should be great fun, I expect.

Saturday was Tim (my friend Sarah's housemate)'s 30th, which was an excellent excuse for a party at St Cuthbert's again! The Singstar DVD arrived just in time, so once again it was several hours of karaoke for me, followed by dancing to some really cool music played on Tim's friend's decks. We eventually got to bed at 4am. I am still knackered. But it was good because Hannah (their ex-housemate) had driven all the way back from North Wales for it, and even Bill and Tony turned up, though Bill politely declined the Karaoke. You will see that Tony did not. Oh dear.

So it will soon be the weekend, as I have meetings the next three days (involving one in the field - gasp!) and then Sarah and I are off to Essex to visit Pat (who used to work at the Trust), which I'm really looking forward to - badger watching and fossil hunting are among the interesting things lined up for us!

And so the drama drags on....

It has been confirmed: my car is a write-off. Slightly annoying.

Luckily, I can use my brother's car for the next week at least, so I have a bit more time before I am completely stuck and either have to work at home/resort to public transport (to Devizes? A joke).

So apart from that this week saw my brother's birthday on Monday (the best ever Chinese meal EVER), Larmer Tree on Wednesday, and a work 'do' last night. Oh, and Harry potter on Thursday.

Larmer Tree was brilliant, as ever - Jools is a genius. Unfortunately, he was supported by a FOLK band - I HATE folk music. The thing is, they were really good singers and musicians, they just sang about stupid things. Like the foot and mouth crisis. Yes......

Last night was interesting, it being the first social event my boss has attended - the standard of conversation dipped precariously low, with him trading rude comments with Purgle. I think even Purgle was surprised! It was a good night though, which is the main thing.

Right, this weekend is officially Mission: Findacar. Grrrr

A week to end all weeks - read on....

OMG - I am just so ANNOYED with this week - have I got any planning work done? Answer - extremely little.

The reasons for this are:

two conferences to attend (one in Bristol, the other in Swindon where I was doing a workshop for 80 people in total - see later)

The Monday morning 'incident'

This is the main reason for my frustration.

I was almost at the office on Monday morning, in the queue for the roundabout in Devizes, when some CRETINOUS girl drives into the back of me. Quite violently. And shunts me into the car in front (though I had my brakes on so no visible damage to this car).

The excuse: "I was late for work, looked up and saw your car": Rubbish. I now have a cracked rear bumper panel, dented boot, cracked rear number plate and dented bonnet. And for those of you with Swiftcover, I would strongly suggest you switch to someone else. It states on the website that someone will contact me within 4 working hours. Being at a conference all day in Swindon, and running two workshops, I did try and check my phone regularly - no messages. Then, driving back, they call me. When I get home, they have closed for the day. Humph. Finally, through communication via email, and a phone call this morning, my car is now going to be picked up sometime, and I have just collected the hire car.

And, at last, I have managed to report the incident to the police. The reasons for this are: I experienced a tiny amount of neck pain (I did see the Doctor, so no worries), which is reportable, and the CRETINOUS girl said she was driving someone else's car and "might not be insured" - all I need. But my insurers looked her up on the online database and got her details from there - though she flatly refused to give me any details about the car owner or the insurance company. So, I phoned up the police - go and make a statement - Salisbury Police station closes at 4pm. Devizes police station - after my conferences when there was no chance whatsoever to report it - closed on Fridays. So I have only just managed it. Phew.

So, besides from that palaver, yes, my workshops did go very well on Wednesday at the conference we organised about the NERC Biodiversity Duty (for those who don't know - look it up!). There was some moaning that there was not enough time for them to create their sustainable development in the time available, though most people seemed to have lots of fun, which is the main thing - my special thanks to Rachel from NE for letting me nick her idea!

Final point of GREAT interest - found out I'm a semi-finalist in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year (see Facebook and/or Flickr for more info) - though the winners have already been decided, I am well chuffed that at my first attempt with a proper camera I have got this far - who knows how far next year???!!!! Whoohoo!

So a spark of happiness in an otherwise stressful week!

"That's what comes of going away for three weeks"

Those were the words of my boss when I got back to work to a massive pile of applications! So, this week has been very quick and jam-packed with work (though I did go out and about in Swindon today, of which I have to thank said boss).

It was worth it though, as Italy was brilliant. We started off in Florence (2 hours queuing for the Uffizi art gallery - quite nice though nothing spectacular; beautiful buildings) then to Abruzzo National Park for lots of walking (lots of wildflowers including lizard orchids, and beautiful mountain views. We then spent four days in Rome (when Stephanie flew in - all went well thankfully), seeing all the sites, before we set off for Sorrento in the Bay of Naples. There we visited Capri (totally beautiful) and saw the relatives (really nice to meet them - we got on really well - excellent English Claudia!). We then went back around the bay to Herculaneum and Pompeii, which were just so amazing and complete - you really could imagine moving in! We went back via the mediaeval town of Castell'Arquato for a lovely meal amidst thousands of swifts before going back over the Alps via the Mont Blanc Tunnel and Chamonix.

Too many pics to sort through now, still trying to identify what we saw spp wise, but here are a few of my favourites!

Dependent on whatever order Blogger decides to show them, pics are of: various views from Capri, semi-wild wolf in Abruzzo, Abruzzo views + butterflies, Pompeii and Herculaneum; Spanish Steps, Circus Maximus and Pantheon in Rome; Ponte Vecchio views in Florence and Villa D'Este fountain in Tivoli, just outside Rome

My art online!

Yes, I have finally published my website showcasing all my best pieces. I am so excited about it - I think it looks really good - go to www.charlottearose.co.uk and post your comments!

On a separate note, the trip down to Exeter (whilst being shorter than envisaged) was ok - the actual meetings were rather boring and frustrating, as we were desperately trying to get the environment into the regional plan for the next 20 years, but were up against a lot of developers. But the evening was most pleasant, where I met up with Lil and Tom - we mustn't let it be two years since we meet up again!

TV highlight of the YEAR

Yes, Eurovision - how funny was it this time?!!!!!

Favourite moments:

The guy swallowing the lightsaber
The loo-roll tree
Richard O Brien going mad with a cat on his shoulder
Russian Girls Aloud singing about funny bunnies
The Swedish Shawaddywaddy lookalikes

And of course - the Ukraine! This was so good, we voted for it twice, not that it made much difference (Baltic/Balkan block voting) - I simply CANNOT believe that the 'homely looking girl' (Terry's words, not mine!) won with THAT song!Completely bizarre - still, at least the peace deal in Ireland, and the WW2 heroics got us points from Ireland and Malta.

Oh yes - that diddly-eye music from Ireland was truly appalling - archipelagic icicles - what the hell?!

And this was the first year we have watched with digital - subtitles and the texts from people around the country, thinking exactly the same as we were, really added something extra to the whole experience - it is always such a 'must-see' event!

Sarsen pains

So Saturday night I was in Soton saying goodbye to Emma - it was like we had never been apart, and it is indeed very poor that we have only managed a handful of emails between us in a year. I hope she has lots of fun out in Oz with Chuck.

Gossip gathered from that night:

Ally was there - old housemate of Johnny and Lil - Johnny is now in the Navy!
Shane from PGL apparently tried to commit suicide on the beach - hmmm
Helen from PGL now engaged!

Then yesterday was the Sarsen Trail - the annual WWT sponsored walk/run, which was an ok day - I was cutting the electronic tags (for timing their run) off their sweaty shoes - euugh. All that bending down and standing up has actually resulted in me being in more pain than my parents, who walked the half marathon!

And now it's raining, which is most annoying - and I've put loads of pics up on Facebook, so go and have a look (esp PGL people).

An update on certain social engagements

I would just like to say, first of all, that Bombay Sapphire is evil - at least in large quantities!

Last Saturday I was down in Grateley for a works party saying hello to ex-boss Amanda - what followed was an energetic bout of Swingball, general bitching about new boss Bill, random photos of grapes and all capped off with Karaoke (numerous comments that you could hear us in Swindon...)! The aforementioned drink started off as a new bottle - little remained at the end of the evening/morning!

It was a great night, and I felt just about ok the next morning, but I guess the lack of breakfast (I had a train to catch, and proceedings were rather slow in the food department!) meant that I was feeling rather delicate later on! But, I was determined to go to Garston Woods to see the bluebells and ramsons with Hayley and Mum.

I will now say a quick aside about my camera - it had something stuck on the low pass filter inside which had to be cleaned, so I left the camera with them. For about a month. Was not best pleased at the constant delays (lack of swabs apparently), and the final straw came when, on Saturday, I went in to see if my camera had been done. They gave me a blank look then said that actually it had been done when I had come in last week - grr! They then tried to find my camera for ages, searching the entire store and eventually saying it may have been sent up to their office. I was starting to worry that they had lost my camera, or even given it out to someone else. So we were heading back, when I get a call saying they have found it in one staff member's car, where it was going down to Bournemouth!

Anyway, back to Garston Woods - slightly too late for bluebells, which was interesting, because we went there on 08/05 last year, and they were at their peak then - climate change for you... The ramsons were spectacular though.

The week passed without much to mention really, but I then get a call from Caroline - now back in the UK, did I fancy Prezzos? Of course! We went out last night for the world's longest gossip, and we have now proposed a Burgate School Reunion (possibly next year), which we are both excited about!

This weekend, well - its busy! Tonight I'm off to say goodbye to Emma from PGL, who's off to Oz for a year, then tomorrow I am working all day at the Sarsen Trail sponsored walk/marathon, in the rain - groan.

The realisation of dreams

Well maybe just one...

For finally I am selling some prints of my artwork in Devizes Fine Arts! I was so pleased with how they turned out - they looked so professional, and he's going to sell them for £25, which will all be mine!

I am also trying to get a website setup for my art too - it's always been one of my ambitions to become a well known (at least locally!) artist, though it would never be my whole career, I would miss the wildlife too much!

Other ambitions:

Visit the Amazon, the Galapagos, Great Barrier Reef (this will be realised this October hopefully!), see tigers in the wild, become well known for my conservation expertise!

Oh, and you'll all be pleased to hear that the latest painting is still looking good, which is usually a good sign (though it has been known for me to change my mind later on!).

Artists and depression

You know why most artists seem to have been a bit loopy/depressed? I think they were more productive - art really takes you away from it all!

For instance, I have been off work all week due to an eye infection, which meant I had to wear my HORRID glasses (which made me feel drunk, and I had decreased peripheral vision, which was most annoying). I was so clumsy and bored, I just wanted to get back to work - very frustrating.

I had been putting off painting, as I didn't think it would be feasible with my glasses, but I decided to take the plunge and paint an adder for the Martin Down NNR info board, and was quite pleased with the result.

And at the end of it all, I was feeling so much better too - once you get on a roll, and your arm gets on auto-pilot for the painting, your mind can drift away and think about meaningful things, such as ER and Desperate Housewives!! (OMG - both are SO GOOD at the moment!).

My treatment finished on Friday morning, so in the afternoon I was able to go for a proper walk (rather than the stumbling across the countryside reacting to every buzzing thing attacking me with great whoops and then realising there were other walkers just around the corner...) with my lenses in and then out in the evening to Fordingbridge to celebrate Hayley's 24th (a great night BTW).

And I have just finished another painting, this time of a sub-tropical/temperate rainforest scene from NZ - took longer than expected (usually completed in a few hours - this one stretched over a couple of days), but looks good at the moment.

Though all artists out there will know that what really counts is looking at it the next day...

The Shepherd without a flock

A nice day off Thursday, in preparation for Hannah's leaving party down in Devizes that evening. I went as a shepherd (traditional/biblical!) and those who attended my Monty Python party may realise that it was exactly the same costume!

I had attempted to get Beth to come as a sheep, and expected more to be there, but when we arrived I was the only one dressed up (apart from Tom = miner!)! Needless to say, with my beard, I did feel a bit silly. But all was not lost as soon the hosts appeared - daffodils and more miners!

We had a great night, and my PGL buddies will be unsurprised to hear that the presence of SingStar on the Playstation meant I had a very sore throat the next morning!

Yes, I spent almost the entire night (and early hours) singing with new karaoke buddy Sarah - together we were an unstoppable force (I'm surprised no one complained of perforated ear drums - we were quite loud...).

A most excellent evening, where much alcohol was consumed, finishing at about 5 in the morning - groan!

Away, back, and away again!

I SO needed that holiday!

A week in Normandy was great - we visited the marshes, the Normandy landing beaches and monuments, the Bayeux Tapestry, the Normandie-Maine Regional Park and Mont St Michel. We had snow a couple of days after I got sunburnt (= mad).

Wildlife-wise, saw lots of raptors (tonnes of kestrels and buzzards, but in the marshes also loads of marsh harriers, and a suspected hen harrier), great egrets and herons and numerous storks. the best encounter was watching the epic battle of stork versus snake - the stork won (yum yum).

This week back has been so hectic. I say 'has been' because it has now finished! Monday was basically sorting out all the mess that occurred in my absence. Yesterday was a sort of team-building event at our latest reserve LowerMoor Farm, which has resulted in 'lopper's shoulder' (i.e. too-much lopping!). And today I actually got some work done! The reason we have tomorrow off is thanks to the Trust believing we should have a couple more days off a year (the other one is around Xmas).

I'm going to a party tomorrow night too, a couple of people are leaving from work - it is Welsh themed - time to dust off my Monty Python 'Woman attending the stoning' costume, and remember to bring the beard...

(oh and Lil- am way jealous of the recent house-purchase- will you be in there when I come in May I wonder? And river boat for wedding = tres cool)

That Bypass

My work life seems to revolve around Westbury Bypass at the minute, but enough talk about work..

Anna - why thank you, it is indeed a picture taken by me. It wasn't that red really - the long exposure has enhanced the colour. But it was such a clear night.

Anyway, I've had a busy couple of weekends in terms of social engagements - last Friday I was out with Hayley (plus James' new girlfriend, who was really nice), then the Saturday I was out with Jo et al - good luck, and hope you get the BBC job Jo!

Then last night I was at a St Patrick's Day party in Verwood, being held by NE ex-line manager Tony - the usual crowd were there (eventually), and a great night was had by all, though it was so sad at the end because I had to say goodbye to Alex, who is off to Alaska in a couple of weeks - sob! I'm going to miss you loads meine Picklige Freunde!

And Sat Nav is not all it's cracked up to be - trying it out last night (purchased by parents for use on holiday) it tried to direct me down a no entry street, and then proceeded to take me down the most pot-holed road ever. Still, I did indeed 'arrive at my destination'.

Oh, and being the Eurovision fan that I am, I got the show last night recorded - and was so glad that Scooch won. It is complete and utter twaddle, any lyrics in there at all? But I do feel it has the necessary campness and rubbishness to give us a fighting chance. Of course, that is without the politics of the voting - who have we ofended this year??!!

Moon pic

Nice one James

Yes, well, not impressed really....

But before that...

so the wedding preparations are continuing with my half-sister, she's now thinking of getting married in the Whitsunday Islands = extra costs - help!

Back to the incident...

Got a call from Hayley saying James wanted to know if we could come out on Saturday (the one just gone) - she said she could and that she would find out about me. Eventually she texted James back saying yes I could come - this was Saturday morning. She then got a text which really put her back up - basically saying that he hadn't made any plans as he was waiting for her text about me. He never got back to us. And I got ready and everything just in case - our nights out are usually last minute things anyway, so I thought I was being prepared - apparently too prepared. I did text him with no response that evening, so I gave up and went outside to watch the moon - was so cool wasn't it?! An excellent chance to use the tripod and lense - see pics!

But the following morning I received a text from James replying that he would have liked to have done something but that Hayley didn't get back to him in time. But the thing is he already knew Hayley was coming, he was just waiting for me - it would appear that going out with Hayley is not as good as with me - some friend he is!

Friday night etc

A great night on Friday saying goodbye to Pat - lovely meal at the Elm Tree which went on until 10pm, whereupon I went home, with the others going onto The Lamb (cough cough splutter - i.e. v smoky and yuck).

This week has gone really quickly, with big important responses taking up most of my time. Not that they are particularly exciting but anyway.

Yesterday I went to an entirely pointless and irrelevant seminar workshop thing on the AONB and roads - nothing really to do with planning roads, more to do with making them more in keeping with the AONB. Sort of interesting in parts but nothing to do with me at all - nice food though.

But the big news is that on Sunday my half-sister Eleanor (nurse in Oz) has announced her engagement (finally) to Kiwi Tom, which will most likely occur in November. This means more expense, but of course we're all really looking forward to it. The safari planning is still continuing, but now we have to plan another trip - that's four trips on the go at once (Easter break to Normandy Marshes, Italy summer break, Oz and the safari) - you know, we do love travelling!

More illness

I think it is like Fresher's Flu - the WWT have built up a selection of antibodies which they are resistant to, so I am having all their illnesses! On to my second one now, bet you all wanted to know that...

Anyway, went out last Saturday for a lovely meal in Salisbury with ex-Natural England colleagues- was an absolutely brilliant night spent in Kluedo.

The following morning, with an illness accelerated by alcohol (honest), I had to brave the car journey down to visit relatives in Dorset - with Dad driving (think rally-style) - was not particularly pleasant.

The pub meal we then had was ok, though I found an ash seed in my salad, which was again, not particularly pleasant, and not much of an apology either. Won't be going there again...

And then to this week, where Pat from Chalkhill Consultants (part of the Trust) would be leaving on Friday. Thursday was a leaving lunch, and then last night was his leaving meal at a Chinese restaurant in Devizes - a really lovely evening with everyone, I really feel I'm fitting in well, making friends etc. It's a shame my job is a bit boring at the moment, but we'll see when my new boss arrives (finally) on the 19th of March (3 months after the last one left).

Oh, and major congrats to Lil - getting married this Sept - so so SO jealous! See you in May m'dear!

Counselling

Quite frankly I have had enough of it - why is it whenever we go out in Salisbury some incident means that I become some sort of relationship counsellor. This, as my friends will know, is rather odd.....

Yes, Jo came home for the weekend, and we decided to go out in Salisbury. Well one member of the party had just split up with her boyfriend ("I love him" - of course), and kept wanting hugs from the boyfriend of another member of the party, which caused a certain amount of friction. This possessiveness (she will admit that she is) + alcohol (copious amounts) = me running around after the latter person trying to get her to get in a taxi and go home.

We left the club at 12.30.....in the taxi at 1.20......

what fun

Anyway, apart from that it was nice to see the old crowd again. I haven't really been up to anything much, and am still faintly ill, though not nearly as bad as a couple of weeks ago.

I'm sure you all wanted to know that.

Bleugghh

I'm ill- yuck.

Anyway, my life keeps plodding onwards. Nothing much has happened really.

Oh, I suppose I should update you on the birthday celebrations - well, basically, quite a few people turned up (which was very good - thanks workmates past and present!), and once they had found Kluedo (random bar) they decided to stay put, despite the unisex toilets (one incident springs to mind - Tom was quite chuffed though!). So I left them to it and, with Steph and Hayley, partied until the early hours of Sunday at The Chapel. Twas quite a good night.

Since then I haven't really done much at all. This week was hardly notable apart from a couple of meetings featuring nutters and arguments, and my illness. I've got a really really REALLY bad cold - never had one like it. There were a few times I thought about not coming into work. But I made it - however, I was scheduled to go out into Soton tonight, now not going to happen.

Oh, and lots of spare time is currently being devoted to researching safaris, for the Rose Family shall be touring the plains of Africa next summer 2008 (possibly with Hayley too- extra cool!).

Just thought I'd keep you posted on any developments in my exciting life...