(no subject)

Last day of freedom, and I'm using it wisely.  I've had some book-related matters to deal with, and these have taken up most of the morning.  I've still not tackled the business of my tax return  - long-term followers of this blog will remember the angst which last year's efforts involved.  This year's had its problems already - I tried accessing the hmrc gateway, got logged into my account, but then it wouldn't let me progress to the self-assessment form.  Aargh!  [Tears hair out in despair]  Why's it easier to buy bath bombs from Lush or books from Amazon than it is to download a bloomin' form from Her Majesty's Inland Revenue???  They give you not one but TWO UID's which don't change from year to year, so what is the problem with accessing the site?  [Hits head repeatedly off the back of the sofa to try and make herself feel better]

I'm horse-riding this afternoon, so that should help me unwind.  Though the prospect of repeating the angst I endured at work over the last six months has got me on tenterhooks already.  Yes, I know that's a bad sign - I've endured a sleepless night last night, and I haven't even started back yet.  What makes me really sad is that this time last year, I was raring to get back to my desk and catch up with things.

I shall console myself with one last batch of photos featuring Grasmere in the snow.  It's not quite a case of 'calm blue oceans' - more like 'calm grey lakes':-

I took this one, from the high part of Loughrigg Terrace on the descent into Grasmere:-

And look!  There's greenery!  I think that's the first bit of cololurful vegetation I've spotted in these photos.

This one comes courtesy of J, who complains that I never give him any opportunity to use the camera these days:-

 

It's no wonder I hog the camera, because whenever he takes over the lens, he shows me up! 

Not to be outdone, I opted for this picture opportunity, featuring the same field:-

 

I'd better go now.  A very large box packed with goodies has just arrived from Lush, and the living room smells glorious (Ice Hotel is the dominant perfume.  Yum...)  

I've been a bit disappointed with Lush this year.  Last year, their post-Christmas sales were extremely generous, and I spent generously as a result.  They usually end up with a glut of gift boxes, and the previous practice has been to give away a free gift box when a shopper spends over x amount of money.  This year they've been rather parsimonious, offering half-price boxes instead.  This is great when the box originally cost over twenty-five quid or more, but when it's only a tenner, it's not so tempting.  And their Retro range seems to be diminishing markedly all the time.  End result?  II've saved money, and poor old Lush has lost some additional revenue. 

I suppose it's a win-win situation.  I can spend the money on books and plants instead!

(no subject)

Last day of freedom, and I'm using it wisely.  I've had some book-related matters to deal with, and these have taken up most of the morning.  I've still not tackled the business of my tax return  - long-term followers of this blog will remember the angst which last year's efforts involved.  This year's had its problems already - I tried accessing the hmrc gateway, got logged into my account, but then it wouldn't let me progress to the self-assessment form.  Aargh!  [Tears hair out in despair]  Why's it easier to buy bath bombs from Lush or books from Amazon than it is to download a bloomin' form from Her Majesty's Inland Revenue???  They give you not one but TWO UID's which don't change from year to year, so what is the problem with accessing the site?  [Hits head repeatedly off the back of the sofa to try and make herself feel better]

I'm horse-riding this afternoon, so that should help me unwind.  Though the prospect of repeating the angst I endured at work over the last six months has got me on tenterhooks already.  Yes, I know that's a bad sign - I've endured a sleepless night last night, and I haven't even started back yet.  What makes me really sad is that this time last year, I was raring to get back to my desk and catch up with things.

I shall console myself with one last batch of photos featuring Grasmere in the snow.  It's not quite a case of 'calm blue oceans' - more like 'calm grey lakes':-

I took this one, from the high part of Loughrigg Terrace on the descent into Grasmere:-

And look!  There's greenery!  I think that's the first bit of cololurful vegetation I've spotted in these photos.

This one comes courtesy of J, who complains that I never give him any opportunity to use the camera these days:-

 

It's no wonder I hog the camera, because whenever he takes over the lens, he shows me up! 

Not to be outdone, I opted for this picture opportunity, featuring the same field:-

 

I'd better go now.  A very large box packed with goodies has just arrived from Lush, and the living room smells glorious (Ice Hotel is the dominant perfume.  Yum...)  

I've been a bit disappointed with Lush this year.  Last year, their post-Christmas sales were extremely generous, and I spent generously as a result.  They usually end up with a glut of gift boxes, and the previous practice has been to give away a free gift box when a shopper spends over x amount of money.  This year they've been rather parsimonious, offering half-price boxes instead.  This is great when the box originally cost over twenty-five quid or more, but when it's only a tenner, it's not so tempting.  And their Retro range seems to be diminishing markedly all the time.  End result?  II've saved money, and poor old Lush has lost some additional revenue. 

I suppose it's a win-win situation.  I can spend the money on books and plants instead!

(no subject)

Diva had an Interesting Episode this afternoon. 

I decided to work without stirrups again - yes I'm still trying to get that elusive perfect leg position - so I ditched them at the very beginning of the lesson.  Now, Diva starts every lesson with five minutes' worth of storming around the school at a very brisk walk.  It seems to be her way of chilling out before she starts work, so I'm quite happy to let her do what she likes as long as she settles down later.

I seized the opportunity to cross my stirrups.  Unfortunately, Diva's very sensitive to people sliding around on her back at the best of times.  Add to that a very loud CLANG!!  as metal hit metal, and WHOOSH!!!  She was away.

There's several courses of action in such circumstances.  You can a) sit there screaming 'We're going to die!!!' ( in which case, you probably will), b) freeze in the hope the horse will get tired and bored before you do (a natural recipe for meeting terra firma) or c) hold your nerve and think your way through the problem.

I opted for the latter.  There's a very delicate balance to be maintained.  You cannot bump around like a sack of potatoes on the horse's back, because in its traumatised herbivore state it will naturally assume you're a lion and try and get rid of you.  Nor can you pretend you don't actually exist -  the knack is, I think, to try and keep perfectly in balance and give sufficient weight to remind your idiotic equine friend that she's supposed to be listening to her rider.  The same goes for the reins.  If you keep hauling, the horse will haul back, because it hurts.  Likewise, if you throw the reins away, she'll trip over her big hairy feet and end up on her nose.  So it's a good idea to keep reminding her gently with the rein, somewhere along the lines of 'Earth to Diva, Earth to Diva, Come in, please...'

It worked.  And I didn't fall off.  Perhaps because I determined NOT to fall off.  Not because it would've hurt, but rather because I didn't want to look like a complete eegit!

And after that, she was fine...

(no subject)

Diva had an Interesting Episode this afternoon. 

I decided to work without stirrups again - yes I'm still trying to get that elusive perfect leg position - so I ditched them at the very beginning of the lesson.  Now, Diva starts every lesson with five minutes' worth of storming around the school at a very brisk walk.  It seems to be her way of chilling out before she starts work, so I'm quite happy to let her do what she likes as long as she settles down later.

I seized the opportunity to cross my stirrups.  Unfortunately, Diva's very sensitive to people sliding around on her back at the best of times.  Add to that a very loud CLANG!!  as metal hit metal, and WHOOSH!!!  She was away.

There's several courses of action in such circumstances.  You can a) sit there screaming 'We're going to die!!!' ( in which case, you probably will), b) freeze in the hope the horse will get tired and bored before you do (a natural recipe for meeting terra firma) or c) hold your nerve and think your way through the problem.

I opted for the latter.  There's a very delicate balance to be maintained.  You cannot bump around like a sack of potatoes on the horse's back, because in its traumatised herbivore state it will naturally assume you're a lion and try and get rid of you.  Nor can you pretend you don't actually exist -  the knack is, I think, to try and keep perfectly in balance and give sufficient weight to remind your idiotic equine friend that she's supposed to be listening to her rider.  The same goes for the reins.  If you keep hauling, the horse will haul back, because it hurts.  Likewise, if you throw the reins away, she'll trip over her big hairy feet and end up on her nose.  So it's a good idea to keep reminding her gently with the rein, somewhere along the lines of 'Earth to Diva, Earth to Diva, Come in, please...'

It worked.  And I didn't fall off.  Perhaps because I determined NOT to fall off.  Not because it would've hurt, but rather because I didn't want to look like a complete eegit!

And after that, she was fine...