My dance teacher doesn't rate me

My dance teacher makes sure my dear Eve is not frightened in The Cave.

I used to look forward to my classes; thirty secs of teaching every two months or so. I could take that, it didn't over-burden me and my little old leggies. Only that thirty seconds seems to have plummeted somewhat. Perhaps it's because Ms Smit, for that is her name, disapproves of my 'moves'. I'm not smooth enough, elegant enough or doing the right steps. Apart from that she is very pleased with my dancing, I think.

Ms Smit explains how rock is made.

To be completely honest, Ms Smit doesn't rate me at all and that hurts. I am a sensitive soul under this ragged exterior you know. Maybe I should start learning photography instead !

On that note; I was wondering which direction - if any - this little bloggertte should go. Do you want to read and see what I eat? What I hear? What I think? Or shall I go on as 'normal' - whatever that is!

BTW; I note folks at the Butty Bus has been looking here. Pay them a a visit when you are passing by.

Summer is coming !

You can tell when summer is on its way when the wet weather gear comes out again after being put away for a week or so.
The rain lashed down yesterday, the wind blew hard too but surprise surprise, the ferry went to the mainland and back - not I'd have wanted to be on it though.

 Eve and Mr Posse enjoy the windy walk!

Down to the beach.

Mr Posse was still here so, we chatted the morning away, did some 'stuff' and then ventured out when the rain eased a bit. Twas lovely - the walk down cemetery road to a beach hereabouts. Breezy but really lovely.

Had a text message from some pals who are on their way up here from the southern isles " marooned on Barra; force 10 gales and no ferries". Ah well, at least they are getting the full island experience!

Saturday was a little better - as it is today. Warmish too. Eve and Mr Posse took to their bikes then and we met Mr Windy in The Woodlands cafe after a lovely coffee with Mr & Mrs Toots! How lovely was that?

 Before the ride,or was it after?

 Mr Windy casts a critical eye into my Olympus XA2

Hopefully the weather will have settled to our usual [whatever that is] by the time Ms ook arrives!

Stornoway sunshine

See, the sun can shine [for a short time ]

All gale-y

 Slumbering

Wondering

All cosied up he was, that nice Mr Possee. 

I'd ventured downstairs eventually as the gale raged outside and peeped into the Summer Parlour where he was still slumbering. And why not since the day is horrible outside. He did get up and as I write he's tinkering with bikes - just for a change. Eve sits reading the paper in front of t'fire, Pushkin is sleeping off his morning stroll round the kitchen in front of the Rayburn while I eye the Giro and their lovely weather!

Lith walk

I managed a few moments in the darkroom yesterday and this was one of the test prints. I love it. Mrs Toots to be walks into the registrars office with her handsome son Jamie.

Taken with an OM1n with Orwo n4 film developed in lc29. Printed on old Orwo bn11 paper with Rollei Creative Lith developer.

Do you like it?

Nothing

No, nothing!
You see, I have been in the darkroom Lith printing of all things. Before that I was out with Mrs Toots doing important things. Obviusly I have had no time to look at any images today - apart from those in the darkroom - and they are not dry yet. And I have a couple of miscreants to see tonight. Eh?

Apart from that I have nothing. Apart from that.


 Oh, and this. From that walk. Obviously.

Unsuspecting cove walks into obscurity

I took a stroll

 I saw this man

The urbane delights of Stornoway drew me today. I needed a change in scenery away from sheeps and grass but didn't have the time to get off-island. The sun was shining and the people only had four layers of clothing on. I took the Kodak Retinette 1a for company loaded with some really slow Fine Grained Positive film. Why not?

 People, doing things, but not many things.

I strolled this way and that. Took refreshment in the lantern and snapped a few images. This is some of they.

The old boat had moved - a bit.

 Boats were being painted all over the harbour.

See, new paint and what have you.

yep, it was time to go home!

Oh dear, somehow it wasn't meant to be

It might be raining.....

Of course I meant it this way! How dare you suggest otherwise. Ok the rain wasn't meant to be there - or the scratches but I love those now. All wabi sabi and what have you.

At least I finished the film and got it developed!

Yes, yes, Mr & Mrs Toots are happy !

Toots Wilson

Anne Wilson

Yes, they are happy - as well they should be!

The Wedding of Mr & Mrs Toots

Yes, it went well. The snow started in the morning then the sun came out. Anne and Toots were married, the band played as they left the registrars office and we went off to a lovely hotel meal for the most intimate and lovely wedding I have ever been too.

The couple are lovely - of course they are. Anne looked wonderful, Mr Toots was terrifically elegant in his kilted outfit, everyone smiled, cried and were happy. We all talked, we admired Sophie the flower girl and then we all went home satisfied the day was great.

The lovely Mr & Mrs Toots Wilson

Mr & Mrs Toots have now gone off to an exotic island for a well-deserved honeymoon. We wish them all the luck and love in the world.

It's here, The Wedding Day

There will be no going back at 4pm today at Stornoway Registry Office when Mr & Mrs Toots-to-be do the decent thing and get married. We shall be there cameras at the ready, best frocks and all - despite the cold and windy weather that seems to have arrived!. Best of luck you two!

Since I may have overdone the Toots' images, here some from strolls on the island with krappy cameras !

Louder than a saxophone!

 Untidier than the office

 "Oh no, what have you done!"

Peace and tranquillity

The day before the wedding...

Is it Roy or is it Clint?

... and all is well. Clothes are all ready, cake finished, cameras primed. The weather. Mmmm, best not say that - yet! Remember, 4pm, Stornoway Registry Office. Be there! [if you can!]

I visited my pal Royston yesterday -or was it the day before - and he showed me this image from a book he'd acquired from the charity shop. The other image is of Royston in his younger days. Which is which? I can't remember :-) And I can't see very well since I shot this with the Recesky diy TLR in low light. I like it though do you?

Under two days now......

.. and the finishing touches are being made for the kake - for the Toots' wedding on Friday @ 4pm.

Eve, the kake artiste

It's only a day or two...

....till the Toots' wedding.

Friday at the registry office @ 4pm.

I'll be there :-) Will you?

Warmth

The dog 

Nice innit?

The dog and I thought so. That''s why we went for a slight strollation on the road to nowhere today - enjoying the fine weather. Twas really quite warmish so we stopped and looked at the sea for a bit before I took the dog to her home and came back to ours. There was rubbish over the road as the dustbin operatives seem to have decided to throw our bin around a bit before getting to the truck. Had a nice five minutes picking it all up :-( Such is life.

Walked past here too. Twice.

Lovely

Sheeps; homage to Jack Spencer

Yes, the sun is still shining here while the rest of the UK seems to be disappearing under floods and deluges. The doors are open, the windows too. Pushkin is out enjoying himself somewhere and I'm going out for a stroll in the [relative] warmth. Too nice to spend time in the darkroom so you'll have to make do with this till the clouds come over and I feel I want to shut myself up in a dark-room again.

A good marriage

Pinhole for WWPD

I am extremely lucky. I have a wonderful 'marriage' - civil partnership that is - to my dear Eve and we have been together for ten years so far. How pleased I was to see a sign in the local shop extolling people to stand up for marriage. I'm all for that - marriage for everyone who wants it, that is.

The village where I live has some wonderful, kind, generous and intelligent people living here and I think I may join them at this meeting to speak against this proposal to stop all enjoying the pleasures of marriage. I cannot imagine the villagers thinking anything else!

Image is taken with my pinhole camera for Worldwide Pinhole Day!
.

A pinhole for all that

In the morning it will be World Pinhole Day. Did you know that? Imagine, a whole day devoted to a little hole. Nice isn't it?

See? That's me.

I shall be out with the Fruit Pastille shuttered FrankaPin as it seems the weather looks like it might be rather good. Good for here anyway. Been out practising shooting the thing ready for the morning. Might use it at next Friday's wedding too :-)

Talking of which, here's Herself, The Mrs Toots to be in a recent portrait session - the only one I managed to get in despite constant pleading !! Notice the Tunnocks. Not many are there-  at this point of proceedings. Eh?

Pirating

Pirate Vic and Eve racing the tandem

Yes, I had a modicum of doubt last night after returning from work. My esteemed colleague Jonathan set me wondering if I had given young  Connor some wrong information. You see, when young Connor grows up, he tells me he want's to be a Pirate. Fair enough you might say. Fair enough although certain personages who reside in war-torn Somalia have rather given the profession a bad name. I suggested young Conor check out the exploits of of Capt'n Pugwash who, I seemed to remember was a good Pirate.

Now, I have the utmost faith in Jonathan's judgement. He's a fine workmate who keeps me on track as we trail around the island late at night. So, when he suggested that Capt'n Pugwash wasn't a Pirate it set me a wondering. This morning, I set about a little research and if you follow the link above and below you can see he was a Pirate - just not a very good one. Or perhaps a 'good' one in that he did little Pirating. Unlike Cut Throat Jake who was a real bad-un. I mean, check this out!

Pirate's on tandems

I shall return to life and snaps in the near future. In the meantime go and have a look at the first post from the Oiseval Gallery in Brue in the island here where you can see some fine snaps - including my own [blush ].

A bit of the 'other'

Eh?

No, I have no idea what that above is. Obviously I meant it to be like that - all texture and surprising tones that lift your heart after a night of sleeping badly. I think perhaps it was influenced by the snap below, taken with the Kodak Retinette 1a sometime past and just re-discovered. I have not idea why I like these, but I do. Maybe it's the lack of sleep!

Castle walk

Still bothering

The Crofter

Despite the fact that I was going to follow the Crofter for a year, three years on I am still wandering down the road and seeing what he's up to armed with a camera [or two]. Sometimes it's in his old croft house and sometimes it's out on the moor. Who knows? Go here and have a look from time to time.