When I get a roll of film back and get something like this I think YES. Then I try to scan another roll and all I get a grainey images... Bummer!
Anyway this was part of my adventure with Ektopia to the wilds of Essex.

Look what my lovely man got for me. He remembered our anniversary :D I didn't :o( I think I've redeemed myself though ;o)

She knows she gets more sunshine by sitting up on the wall :)

Just got home and sorted out the best of the 123 photos I took with my digi camera. Have a look at the rest of them on our Flickr account.

We had a lovely weekend, loads of walks with our little dog and we actually got to spend time with my parents. We haven't been able to do that for years because of the tearooms. It's great that they have now retired and can spend quality time doing what they want to not rushing back to check on the staff etc. About time too. They both looked so happy and well. They both beat us to the top of the dam! Have a look at the photo "Pink face pink Donna". Donna thought her heart was going to explode climbing the hill!

We even got Mum and Dad over the road (across the new bridge and hike for about a mile) to the pub on Saturday evening, there was an 18th birthday party going on and the pub was heaving with kids from all over the local area. My Mum isn't very good with modern technology and was amazed that Donna's phone had a torch on it! We needed it on the way back. One thing that did amaze me was the ammount of stars that you can see, you forget when you live in a big town with far too much light polution. At work at night we can only see floodlights.

Sunday we drove to Newtown for an afternoon of trad jazz. I counted around 40 people in the room and thought 38 of them were having a good time. When we got out Dad told us he was rather dissapointed with it and Mum agreed... So 36 of them were having a good time. It was a damned good excuse for people watching. Shame most of the photos came out a bit blurry.

Sunday morning I got out of bed just after dawn to take Dita for a walk and hopefully get some good day break type photos. We had a good walk. When we returned from the jazz afternoon we did the same walk and a bit more. The poor little doggie was knackered. We still made her come to the pub with us. Mum and Dad did offer to look after her, I think they were just a little bit taken with her. I've already asked if they want me to put them down for one or two of her pups!

This morning it was just a case of breakfast and pack the car. When it was time for Dita to go in her cage she ran back into the garden and tried to hide behind my Dad. Poor little girl doesn't like Welsh roads, she was fine once we got onto the motorway.

All in all I really enjoyed the weekend away. When we got into Ipswich I rang Mum to tell her we were home safely and they offered to have Dita while we're on holiday. They're close to sending that deposit for a pup!

Taken after our swim at Waterworld Southport. How could I take photos of children that hadn't used their hair straighteners?

and her spade. One day she'll help me down t'lotty

... well it was more like 2 hours really.

1. Went to Weight Watchers (I'd lost ½ pound)
2. Went home and walked the dog
3. Picked up 12 bags of poo (with approx 3-4 poos per bag)
4. Made and ate a cheese and marmite toasted sandwich
5. Watched a bit of Wife Swap
6. Phoned my husband
7. Put a load of washing on
8. Came back to work on my scooter.

I've been pretty slack at blogging lately. The weekend before last we had a fantastic time at the Brighton Tattoo Convention.


We arrived mid-afternoon on the Friday and met up with Phil and Lisa for a meal. It was great to see them even if I did make the most-tactless-statement-of-the-year-thus-far. Ah well. I guess I'm known as a loud-mouthed twat, so I wouldn't want to disappoint!! I forgot to congratulate Phil on his gingerbread proposal I think (but then the amount of alcohol I ended up consuming that evening makes the whole weekend rather hazy). So after our meal, Andy decided we should walk up to Phil's shop (the other Phil, of Magnum Opus Tattoo/London Ink fame) with a couple of beers en route. It was a long walk. Up hill. (I thought it was Wales and Yorkshire that had hills. Stupid hills.)


So when we got to Magnum Opus Tattoo, we were thirsty. We found a beer and began mingling. It was lovely to meet some of the Skin Deep forumers, some for the first time, others for the second. The shop is huge and very cool. I couldn't resist asking Dan Gold if he was "the man off the telly". He was in good spirits and didn't twat me for being a twat (this post is fast becoming a portal for using the word twat as many times as possible). We headed for a look around and found the Gavin Watson exhibition. He'd popped out but was coming back and after a while we had a chat with the man himself. After a couple of beers in the shop, everyone headed up to The Windmill. It was here we became acquainted with "Chunk" who I later labelled the tattoo convention slut. He was whoring himself about all over the place (I think its also known as "Networking"). He and his girlfriend Amy were a laff and we shared some time with them. We also spent some time having a laugh with Dan Gold and he ended up with a complex after Andy suggesting that to smell of split beer was better than stinking of piss. He was so out of it that it was like watching a car crash. I came away thinking - this guy is cool, he's a great tattooist, artist, he's been on the telly and was portrayed as cool, but he was still trying that little bit too hard, laughing a little bit too loud - exactly as I imagine I'd still behave even if I'd become famous in my field. I found him very likeable. I think we ended up having more beers back at the hotel after that, but I'm not sure (I suffered a bit of memory loss of that night). I had a hangover the next day.

Andy tossed and turned all night awaiting the arrival of Ben. He joined us for Saturday. We had a great day at the tattoo convention and got to know a few people better. Combat Kitten and AppleHoneyPip are very lovely and made us feel very welcome, so did Mrs Chaos and her lovely man Simon too. We spent some time watching various artists tattooing (plus lots of time sitting socialising). I think I decided that I would like Jo Harrison to tattoo my other arm. Although there was another tattooist there that caught my eye - James Robertson at Inka Tattoos. He tattooed a hummingbird on a girl at the show. Judging by the 500+ views we've had of the pic plus all the people that have added it as a favourite, he's going to be a busy chap. He has done this in a really delicate way and I think I'd like some work by him at some point.

The tattoo convention was held at the Racecourse in Brighton. I'm pretty sure Woody the organiser would have told them how much beer would be consumed ... they ran out!!! So early evening we headed off for some more beer and food and went back to Bella Italia where we'd spent the previous evening with Phil and Lisa (they take Clubcard Deals vouchers you know). We had another lovely meal and then went via a couple more bars back to the hotel, where many of the artists and punters of the show were all heading. We had an enjoyable few beers with some of the forumers and had a chat with Jin, the artist who tattooed Ben Lad's leg.

Sunday was more of the same, with a post tattoo show gig at the Barfly. Vince Ray and the Boneshakers were sooooooooooo cool and I decided that I will encourage Dylan to learn the double bass - it just has to be the coolest instrument to play and Strangy the coolest double bass player. I was shattered by the end of the gig and wanted to get back to bed - but Andy just made me keep on drinking!!

Anyhow - it was a fantastic weekend.