Waterlow Park - Autumn 2009

A lovely sunny afternoon on our way out to Richmond I was insistent that we make the most of the day and take a walk in Waterlow Park in Highgate, just a short walk from our flat. I wanted to capture a bit more of the beautiful Autumn leaves, and I hope I have.

My flat in Tufnell Park
Me near Highgate Cemetery in the sunshine
View into the Cemetery, one day well go in
Leaves in Highgate Cemetery Waterlow Park
A beautiful autumn tree in Waterlow Park
The pond in Waterlow Park
Waterlow Park pathway

Christmas Lights of London

So far this year I have been most disapointed with the Christmas lights, both Debenhams and John Lewis, oh and House of Fraser too actually, all have the same Christmas lights as last year. Not so sure about Selfridges I haven't been up that far yet, and I do try to avoid it...as its hard not to shop in there, so many lovely things...but i do have to buy some pressies so i might get there at some stage.

Then the street lights, well pretty boring I must say. The lights at the intersection are nice enough, as you can see below,

Oxford Street at 7am...not even all of them actually work though

But the ones on Regent Street are just giant light nets that are meant to be, I think stars. They don't flicker or do anything, its all one colour, white; frankly quite boring.

Oxford Street East one evening last week

Oxford Street again

Anyway you might like them, Adelaide certainly doesn't have them. Though that is merely because its light till 9pm what would be the point! Here its dark at 4pm, so its nice to have a bit of uplifting Christmassy lights to make it feel a bit well not dark.

So I am on the hunt to get some nice Christmas street lights. But for the sake of my last Christmas here, i will take pictures of all the department store frontages and put them up here, stay tunned.

Interesting sight in London

Not exciting just interesting. I always wondered where people who have the electric cars, ie the Pirus, actually charged them up. Well now I know, walking back from grabbing some lunch (yummy EAT cauliflower cheese...mmm)I took a back street and whaddaya know, a car is charging up right in front of me.



So next time I need to use my hairdryer while out and about in London at least I know where there is an outdoor power socket!

Autumn Internationals Rugby - Australia vs England

One fine and bright sunny English autumn day, errrrrrrrrrk, cue screeching record stop there "yo wha?....bright sunny....*astounded face inserted here*...England!!". Well duh we get them sometimes, though since that weekend its been nothing but drilling power shower rainy days since.

Anyway, where was I, ah yes, fine sunny day... Mark and I headed down to the infamous (for rugby supporters and that is about all) Orange Tree pub in Richmond to watch Australia trounce all over the English in the Autumn Internationals.

Winners are grinners

We were already heading off to Battersea Park south of London to see the Guy Fawkes fireworks, so we figured we'd make a day of it. Miss Miao was heading out to watch the game so we joined her and her friend, and well she's not a sore loser....MUCH....but before she threw a tantrum and stomped her feet we got some photos in.

Me and Teresa.

More Awesome Autumness

Children out and about for Guy Fawkes Day
The Caretaker House of St James's Park
Leaves....
More trees...
London Eye peeking over Whitehall
One of those nasty Canada Geese...though don't he look cute!

More beautiful leaves
Autumn walkway, I have this as a winter shot covered with snow too..

40 Years of Sesame Street

Enjoy!!

Lisa is....

Hi there, just to make sure you check the side bar for my daily updates on what i am doing NOW, sorry well today.... as its updated more often than I get to update the actual blog and with photos too!

see Lisa is....

What I really want to say...tube weirdness

I am constantly thinking of things to put up here but never remember when sat down in front of the computer, complete writers block. Its rediculous. I really need a note pad and pen when out, but even then I am sure I would write some thing stupid like "apple" about something completely un related to an apple and not have a clue what I meant. I digress.

The tube is always a fun topic for me, something weird seems to happen on a regular basis. Today was a nice thing, I offered a lady, very obviously (so not fat) pregnant a seat or rather to get a seat for her (as I was standing too) on a packed Victoria line train. So good. She seem pleased at the offer, but declined.

Some weird guy the other day tried to sit on Marks lap, the seats are very wide on the Victoria line (but NOT wide enough for two men) and consequently a guy moved a bag to make space, Mark sat down, as did another bloke, poor Mark was right squashed up and had no idea what to do. He could not stop laughing. The other guy was oblivous and I had to ask him to move as quite frankly if anyone is sitting on my husbands lap its got to be me.

Then there was the bloke yesterday, casually dressed, spread eagled legs everywhere posture treating a "sardine special "packed Northern line train like his living room, cruching away on crisps. Next thing I know he is covering his face up with his scarf looking around frantically like he is going to catch the plague off someone, one guy standing looks at me as if to say, "what the..." (aka Rove), I just shrug, with a head tilt "weird blokes" direction and roll my eyes. Its not just me, see, we all notice the weirdos!

And the winner is....me

Well finally I am allowed to reveal what I have known for a month, and that is that I was a winner in my employers - the Ministry of Justice - Annual National Photography competition. I didn't know exactly which photograph I had entered had won nor did I know what it had won.

However tonight was the night and all was revealed. A couple of friends, my colleagues Amy and Rachael, joined me in the foyer at the Ministry of Justice's head quarters for the awards ceremony. Fortunately for us that is also our building, so no travelling and no red carpet, no flash gowns and no paparazzi....I should be so lucky.

My Prizes

Firstly we milled around gobbled up some canapes, washed down with a glass of white wine, perfect after a hard days work, then before long what we had all been waiting for the winners were to be announced.

There were twelve overall categories, all to allow the winners to be published in a calendar for the 2010/11 year (orders will be taken....) and depending on the size of the entries per category there was a runner up and merit prizes. Out of an organisation with 95,000 employees (the MOJ is one of the largest government departments) there were 150 entries and the maxium number of entries per person was 3 photos. The photos were all judged by a team of professional photographers too.

Me with my prizes with photos behind me

Then slowly they, they being went through the catergries, the first category I had entered was "Concept of Beauty" and nothing... Shame as that really was a stunning photo from Cornwall. Later the category "Height of Summer" came up which was the next catergory I entered and I was quite shocked to find I was runner up, but glad too this was such a beautiful photo to me taken in the gardens at Buckingham Palace.

Runner Up - Buckingham Palace Garden

So listening away thinking thats that then, the final category comes up, "Winterwonderlands". There is no merit prize here, so the runner up is announced...not me...then Carolyn Downs calls my name. Oh my goodness. I had won. My night photograph of the London Winter Wonderland had won. I was a bit shocked but really happy, as I love taking my photographs and now they are officially recognised as being good.

Winner - Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

It wasn't all over, that same photo also came third in the peoples choice catergory too, which was announced a bit later.

So what's does that mean, well my photo is now included in the Ministry of Justice's 2010/11 calendar for December.....so who wants one, all proceeds will go to the Society for Pancreatic Cancer, but if you do want one its on me (friends and family only)!

That Arsenal Game...and the one Mark was at

Mark loves Arsenal, more than me? Well probably not, but it's something of little boy excitement that I see from him when Arsenal play. Arsenal for those in Australia and not in the know (or in the care for that matter), is THE team, yes THE ONLY football (soccer) team in the world that count.

Mark had it paused on screen, how to save, simple I took a photo of the telly! Am a Genius!

As an Everton supporter (go Tim Cahill) I don't see it that way. However, its the best London team, and on the weekend it was THE game. I kept saying your going to the pub to watch Arsenal play and Mark was like "I have to its THE game", and I was like, "ah ok its another...yet another Arsenal game" and he was like "no no really its THE game", so I was "ok well why is it THE GAME". This went on for a bit till I realised it was the London derby, the main game of the season between Tottenham and Arsenal, the main two London teams. Sigh. So well he watched the game. What woman can get between a man and his sport, I tell you...not many.

Zooming in .... Mark to section centre with red top white down the side...

Anyway, my point here is, his excitement was furthered by the fact that on Wednesday night he and his mate Michael had tickets to actually go see, in person, real life here people, Arsenal play at Emirates Stadium. Oh the joy. They both came back giggling like 8 year old boys and showing off their goodies purchased in the Arsenal shop...hummm.

Then it was the excitement that they sat right behind the goals and might be on television. Ok. So I watch the highlights with them hoping to see, alas nothing. Then Mark points out that his brother Scott was instructed that the game must be taped, kept in bubble wrap till the end of time, just in case a dot of him could be seen.

Close up, but a bit hazy...

Anyway, so end of story bed time. Nope... Next night walk in the door from work barely breathing in the warm musky air of our flat before Mark is running up to me..." come see, come see". Me, expecting him to point out the fireworks (it Guy Fawkes here) outside that we can view from our windows, was confronted with a paused television screen and a very excited Mark pointing out him and Michael sitting at the football game, whilst one of the players was taking a penalty shot. Ah bless... see photos attached for posterity.