Month: December 2013

A Blogiversary!

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 7 Comments

I have been blogging for three years! How do I know? Well the lovely people at WordPress told me…

So I had a look at my first blog post; it's not very exciting:

“These are my attempts to begin AND continue with a blog”

What followed were three years of 'stuff': 2011 was project365; 2012 was a year of monthly projects; and although 2013 has been a bit quieter on the blogging front I've managed to keep it going.

So the past three years in numbers:

  • 668 posts
  • 736 comments
  • 20,612 views

I've enjoyed blogging over the past few years. I'm still not entirely sure why I blog; I just quite like doing it. I realise I'm not the most amazing of writers, and I know that my posts do not contain super reflective musings that change the way I live, or that my ramblings have any impact on anybody else.

I'm just amazed people have actually taken the time to read and comment on my 'general wonderings' and I'm looking forward to the next three years. Cheers!

 

I wasn’t the only one….

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 2 Comments

….lots and lots of people today had decided to go shopping. Initially the plan was to treat myself to a couple of CDs in HMV's amazing sale, although the sale was not 'amazing', unless you wanted to buy DVDs. They had millions* of DVD box sets on offer. I didn't really think people bought DVDs anymore, what with Netflix and various other similar 'ways' to watch stuff, but apparently, judging by the trillions** of shoppers crammed into the store, they do.

So with sales on in all shops I decided to have a wander round and pick up a few 'bargains'. There wasn't many bargains. Unless, of course, you dress ridiculously or are the size of a bus, which to be fair, is the majority of people living in Peterborough***.

I did managed to treat myself to a few bits….

  • A new CD: 'Bad Blood' by Bastille. This has been on my list of albums to have a listen to for a while. In fact, after bumping into a former student who advised me to go for the 'All This Bad Blood' – a reissue of their debut album – and commenting that it is 'awesome', I took his advice.
  • A book to read: Ghost Story by Peter Straub. Again, this has been on my reading list for a while. Rumour has it that it is a 'classic' and very scary. I've had a few people recommend it, it was first published in 1979 so it has taken me a good 30 years to finally get round to it. Apparently there was also a film made of it?
  • A new running top. With Janathon fast approaching and the weather probably going to get colder in the new year****, I thought a new long-sleeve running top was overdue.

Recently I have read lots of blog posts that have been reflecting on the past year as well as putting in place targets and goals for 2014. This has got me thinking….expect another blog post soon….

In other news…..

* exaggeration

** exaggeration

*** not an exaggeration

**** I am not a weather forecaster

 

Babies, Birthdays and Felt…

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 1 Comment

Yesterday I braved the approaching storm and set off down south to wish my little nephew, Stanley, a happy 1st birthday….

I wasn't the only person driving down south; there were bloody millions of other people. So you probably won't be surprised to hear that the journey took a tad longer than normal. On arrival I had just missed the cutting of the cake, but stepped through the door in time to toast the birthday boy.

After devouring a couple of slices of my sister's slightly floury beautiful cake it was time for pass the parcel….

Stanley has an older sister, named Grace, who today had no trouble testing all HIS new toys. In fact over the course of the day she had become very attached to his new Tigger, to the point where it needed to be hidden to avoid any bedtime antics. Here she is engrossed with his new toolset….

By late afternoon is was time for the highlight of the day: the opening of the advent calendar. This may not sound much, until that is you see the advent calendar. My sister had created a felt masterpiece: individual numbered felt pockets; felt Christmas tree with buttons; and hidden felt 'things' (including a felt baby Jesus) to hang on said felt Christmas tree. Stanley fished out and hung up the day's felt mini-stocking wonderment, to ooos and aahs from an overly excited audience. Nice job sis!

Stonley?

With Santa's Christmas storm fast approaching I wished everybody Merry Christmas and began the surprising quick and uneventful journey back home. On entering the house I came across another baby! James, my grandson, was staying the night. Here he is looking rather spaced out and modelling a dodgy looking head of hair….