Like most people I adore animals and they have always been a part of my life, so when I made the decision to move up to Cumbria i knew that pretty soon we’d have to get a cat or something. So Initially I went around the Local animal shelter in the hopes of finding someone to join in our little house hold, and we found Charlie…

just make sure Charlie approaches you from the lucky side.

Charlie is a wonderful cat, the most loving creature that I have ever seen but living up here on the hill and having a job that allowed me at home just seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up, so we talked it over and went to have a look at a litter of puppies (on the farm in the middle of nowhere). So when we get home from America Tom and I will be going to pick up a beautiful little Collimatian.

Covered in all 11 pups being heavily chewed on while trying to focus on a conversation!! ( a little blury but it was rather dark)

She has the spots of a dalmatian and those of a collie. After spending and hour playing with them all they finally crashed out

I don't think that she will always be this cute but for now this picture is most definitely going to be stuck on my desktop for the next few weeks.

I’ll try not to post picture upon picture of the puppy, if i can actually manage to take any of her that don’t just involve a blur, but for the moment I’ll just indulge a few more times…

Posted: March 4th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 2

As I’m sure many of you now know i recently got engaged to my wonderful boyfriend Thomas, but i haven’t put up many photos of him, so for those of you who have been asking to see some more photos of him here you go…

taken white we were out at Whitehaven working on Thomas's boat just before we got engaged

a short trip out along the east coast to holy island

so there you go a few photos of my fiancee and myself, I’ll try and post up a few bits of arranging this wedding (which will be taking place this year in August).

Posted: February 27th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 1

I realise that this isn’t exactly a week later, like i said that i would post again but better late than never.

taken from the top of the hill in front of our house, which i climbed up to sledge down, also means that you can see our house at the bottom (looks rather like a bungalow tucked in the left hand corner) and Tindale at the top of the other hill opposite

admittedly it really wasn’t the best hill to try and sledge down, it lacked all the usual va va voom of a good sledging hill, you know the one that makes you grip the sledge hard and you close your eyes. anyway next photo…

looking down from Tindale hill with most of our house hidden behind the conifers.

when the first load of snow fell this is how this trapped car on the top terrace looked...

this is what the second load of snow looked like, I'm rather glad that this wasn't my car but what a sight to see, just makes me giggle like a child in excitement.

the drifts from top terrace down to the rest of the Tindale and the civilised world

One night when i was traveling home i stopped and looked and realised just how light it was. it was just beautiful. Took me a while to get my setting on the camera right as this next photo shows you...

but i did discover that you can make day look like night!! ha ha a magician at last

Posted: February 26th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
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OK so i’m not posting as often as perhaps i should be, but i’m hoping that you might be inclined to forgive me when you see the picture that i have of the snow that we had up here on the hill.

I woke up last Monday to open the curtains and find my self blinded by the wonderful whiteness that is snow, before it had even been predicted we had at least and inch or so, so i rush out of bed and watched these huge cotton like flakes drift down towards the ground. As i piled Thomas’s stuff into the car to drive him off to Maryport (wonderful man decided that of all the weeks in the year that this was the week to do a sailing course!) i prayed that the snow would still be waiting for me when i got back up the hill, im sure that many of you like myself haven’t been sledging properly for years! My prayer for more snow was firmly answered as the further west we drove the more snow fell, even at the marina.

a little bit more than an icing sugar dust fell...

so when i returned though the county and the snow continued to fall, i tried to turn around in my usual place to park my car on the drive, bad, bad, bad decision. The gritters hadn’t quite made it up to our section of the road to melt the newly fallen snow so all were driving rather carefully and avoiding hills, but not me. I turned around here…

nice and icy full of snow looks relatively innocent till you look down the hill which take you up towards Tindale

So when little ol’ me tried in her front wheel drive car to turn around in this i began to slide down this…

ever so slightly scary, when you try to go forward and actually end up moving sideways and downwards.

Luckily a neighbour saw me and came to my rescue, and helped me get my car up the slope and back to my house. Soon as all that had been sorted i dashed inside pulled on as many layers as i could i.e. 1 pair of tights, 1 vest top, 1 set of thermal clothing, long sleeved top, walking trousers, normal socks, walking socks, thin jumper, thick rolled neck jumper, sailing jacket, gloves, hat, scarf, wellies. and i dashed back out and up the hill to join in sledging with my Tindale neighbours.

there were about 10 of us (adults and children) out on the top terrace hill

When we had finally tired ourselves out and tears had taken over the smallest of children i headed over to dale and kates for some warm hot chocolate and a peek round their house.

Aiden, Dale and Kate (some of my Tindale neighbours with their sledges)

after i had finished up i headed back down the hill to my house and tucked up with charlie the cat awaiting the next anticipated day of snow…

Posted: February 11th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
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Well after a short break I’m back, but I’m now living up in the north of the country where life is a whole lot better, oh and i now have a job! Not quite what i expected to end up doing but i don’t think that any of us ever really do. 

Anyway being up here means that when i have a bit of free time on my hands i can get out and do somethings that i have wanted to do for quite a while now. Like this Monday, Thomas (the wonderful man that i am in love with and staying with)  asked me if i would like to go out walking with his sister in the lakes. My answer was most obviously yes, and from the few pictures that i took you can see why i loved the walk so much!

See what we started off with, slight mist that just added an air of mystic to the place

As we made our way around Derwent waters we kept spotting these interesting things the were set in place to mark one hundred years of the National Trust

As we went around the lake things just kept getting better and better the mist burnt off and the full size of the lake became apparent and all we saw were mirror reflections

Then we decided to stop and feed the ducks and then to feed ourselves

we stopped for a cup of hot chocolate (for me) and a cup or two of coffee (for sheila) and we plodded on. Me keeping the odd eye out for view like this

and maybe one like this...

then we found this one and sheila suggested another photograph...

of MEEEEEEEE!!! oh don't i look so happy and enthusiastic. Proof that separating me form my camera doesn't alway result in a nice photo of me.

This is one of the only photos that Shelia let me take of her.

One of my last photos of the day perfect mill pond reflection being gently disturbed by the silent canoeists, utter tranquility!

and just before i go i would like to introduce to you a new member of this cumbrian community that i have joined. He’s all black with bright green eyes and sharp claws, yes everyone he’s our new…   

vampire cat.... currently going by the name Charlie!

Oh and for the other Tom cat in my life. Tom was invited on to BBC radio Cumbria to talk about his life in 10 questions. skip to about 1.17 into the show and there he’ll be…

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0020p0g/Kevin_Fernihough_28_01_2009/

so till next time all my love xx

Posted: January 28th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 1

I was sitting around the table to day at lunch with my family and a few friends, when someone commented on the fact that they only had a photo of their younger friend when she was a little girl and no recent ones. So the suggestion that I take a few of her came up so i thought I’d put a few of my favourites up just to keep me on my blogging toes…

Abi and i just sat on the sofa in the living room and chatted as i took a few photos.

discovering that some positions that are better for the photographer and not always good for the subjects sight (unless they fancy being blinded by sunlight, like this)

It took a little while for her to warm up, but she eventually got used to me just occasionally snapping away

de-sensertising her to my camera came pretty easily too, soon the familiar name of paparazzi was being thrown my way again! i guess something's just come a little to easily

The idea of her trying to make her most serious face had her in giggles the whole time which was kinda perfect for me as all i really wanted was smiles.

Turns out that this was her favourite shot, out of the few that i took. Probably because it just encapsulates what a fun person this friend is and how much she loves to laugh!

My photography skills aren't all that, but i do love taking photos that i love to look back on and the instant you see them you just break out in a smile. Oh the pure joy of being an amateur photographer!

 Till next time x

Posted: January 18th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
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Ok so its been a while since i last got off my ass and actually managed to post something, and for those who actually enjoy my blog i really do apolagise. But it’s now a new year and im trying to get back into the swing of it, there won’t be quite so many stunning pictures of mountains or horrendous drops off the edges of roads etc just back to good old UK me.

Before i start off the new year, heres a quick sum up of what i’ve been up to since i got back from Pakistan…

A trip down to Cornwall

Dad and Katy walking up Falmouth high street

Very very cold people!!

after going down to Cornwall, I helped set up an exhibition full of the work that the artisans that we met while in Pakistan. On the opening day Prince Charles turned up went around and spoke to the designers and the Interns such as Georgie and Myself (was really quite exciting!). But no pictures of him talking to me i’m afraid i didn’t think it was quite right to suddenly ask for a quick snap together! So anyway heres a few of the pictures i did take of the exhibition.

Helping the curator set everything up

Outside looking in on the exhibition (held at the Princes School of Traditional Arts)

My wonderful friends Nida (from the office in Pakistan) and Georgie looking stunning as ever!

Then i got a job locally in Watford at the delightful ‘Suits You’ (no photos of the job because frankly as useful an experience it was, it was damn boring!!) anyway in amongst all the hours of work there was one wonderful christmas party up in Cumbria and christmas at home with as much of the family as we could get our hands on.

My grandpa lighting up the christmas cake

A Houston feast!

Mum and I on the Fairground rides at Southbank!

Then came new year, which i spent with my little sister, her boyfriend James and my gem of a boyfriend Thomas. We had intended to go into london to see the fireworks but when we got there we all decided that it was a little too cold to spend 3 hours waiting to see the fireworks, and so hopped into a couple of bars and ended up in Claridges for the stroke of midnight! wonderful evening was had by all i think…

A bit of a hooray Henry moment for katy and her boy friend James

Champagne celebration

 ..and now i am lucky enough to be moving up to the wilds of the north (Cumbria), to be with the man that i love, to carry on finding things that i love to do (and yes that means taking more photos) and getting a job that i can’t wait to start everyday!

i really couldn't be happier!

till next time,  xxx

Posted: January 13th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

After a long chat, Georgie and i have decided to come home earlier than we had originally planned to. There are a number of factors in our decision, such as the current security levels, our work and how long we really feel comfortable staying out here for. We have still to talk or our boss, sort out tickets and such like, but for now it feels like the right decision. So i hope you’re all going be ready to look through a whole lot of photos and hear some more stories from Pakistan because I’m coming home soon!

Posted: October 13th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 2

So we’re back in Islamabad. Back to the normal routine of getting up, going to work and going back to the guest house. There’s just a few small tweaks to this daily routine, a few people in the office are leaving and so this means lots of good byes and at the end of the week the odd party or two, one of which we’re supposed to be learning a dance routine for.  Over the past week i have had two dance lessons and one more tonight before we performed it at the party, been out for dinner to Nirvana, been to another leaving do for a lovely girl in the office called Nida, and then Seher and Phils leaving do on the Friday. 

The party was held at Phils house, which was decked out in fairy lights and the front lawn was covered in carpets and floor cushions, all of which can apparently be hired out here!? Shame the idea wouldn’t quite work back home. damp grass and nice rugs….

comfy floor

We arrived rather early having heard rumours that there might be an extra dance lesson before the party, and i had really wanted to go over a few of the moves. I’d attempted to learn 3 songs in just 2 days and some of the middle bits were still a bit fuzzy. So we waited till others turned up

after the third attempt to take this photo we realised that flash needed to be on!

But things took a while to get started and slowly people appeared and began to dance Phil and a new friend of our Otto were some of the first to the floor

Dance, dance, dance

strutting their moves

i was extremely nervous about the rehearsed dances and really didn’t feel ready for it, but its was great and i didn’t make myself look like too much of a fool. Georgie had only managed to make it to one of the rehearsals and so left me too it!

you can just about see me with the white scarf at the back...

they seemed to have an infinite amount of rehearsed moves, completely livened up the dance floor!

soon after we had done a few of the rehearsed dances the band started up

matching guitars!

 and we all partied away till the wee hours of the morning enjoying the last of Sehers company before she left.

i'm really going to miss having Seher around we became really good friends out here.

one of the best bits wear wearing a pair of jeans!!

so a big thank you to Phil and Seher for inviting us to their party…

we had a great time.

The next day i woke up quite late and Georgie and i went an picked up a few bits from Jinnah super and then i was invited out by one of the British High Commission girls to go to the swimming pool. The perfect end to a wonderful week.

We have also decided to head home earlier that we originally planned. A number of reasons have led us to this decision, more of which I’m sure i will go into at a later date.

Posted: October 12th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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Well it is for me anyway.

Now I’m going to do my best not to confuse you and explain things (sorry if it gets a little confusing). After my last post which i actually wrote a week ago we had decided to go back to Islamabad for Eid, but when we got back to Gilgit we were put up in the Serena hotel, about as posh as your going to get in Pakistan. It was sort of reassurance from our bosses that they were looking after us. So when we had sat around for the weekend and taken calls from lots of people at the office the offer to stay in the hotel till Eid was over was put to us. I mean we weren’t exactly looking forward to going back there, almost everyone we knew in the city was leaving to go be with their families. (turns out not a lot of people actually live here, they just work here). so we jumped at the offer and have since spent the whole week doing a whole lot of nothing, and i mean nothing. 

absolutely everything apart from the hotel closes over Eid, our entire office, the local shops, drivers, everything. And since we have been recommended not to take taxis, yet another safety risk. we have been rather isolated.

i seem to have read almost my entire book collection, put up all my posts that i got behind with, looked up loads of things online, experimented with illustrator again, and taken a few more photos (i mean there’s only so many you can take of your room mate and the lovely mountain view, no matter how lovely they are). Georgie has filled up another sketchbook, explored the hotel and its grounds, got to know all the staff rather well and picked up a rather nice tan!

Oh and things between Georgie and i are a whole lot better turns out she just needed me to talk more, and i’m just trying not to take some things the wrong way.my conversation skills are certinally being stretched again, they definitely needed it. Seems sharing a small room and being confined to the hotel can be good for people, though i think it’ll be nice to have our own space back in Islamabad again.

So tomorrow when you guys all wake up, hopefully i’ll be back safe and sound in sunny Islamabad, in a guest house where the food is at least mildly edible. Boy am i going to be saying my prayers tonight. Love to one and all, x

Posted: October 4th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 1