Sunday Summary | If we took a holiday // Took some time to celebrate ...

Dear FOQ

Happy Sunday to you all! Hope you're enjoying the delightfully undecided weather. Sun! Rain! Wind! Sun! Plague of locusts! Rain! Wind!

Weather-dude, just pick a system and go with it for longer than an hour, please?

Anyhoo.

---

This fortnight, I have mostly been ...

Reading 📕

{That's one low-res cover pic ... | O Caledonia | Elspeth Barker}

Watching 📺

Feel free to stick the word 'binge' ahead of that lil' subtitle:

How I Met Your Mother (aka HIMYM) 

It's a Ted Mosby Thing.

With a side order of Barney.

The whole Ted–Robin thing is nauseating, and Marshall can be a super-drip but I will always, always enjoy watching Alyson "Willow from Buffy" Hannigan in anything.

And yes, of course this series has long since finished. (And the viewing public already know How Ted Met the Mother of his Children and who she is.)

Do I look bothered? I'm in it for the journey.

---

I will soon have two episodes of The Handmaid's Tale to catch up on; given that the budget for lighting seems to have been squandered on keeping Joseph Fiennes' hair extra-slick I have struggled to maintain interest, which is disappointing. But if I can't see what's going on in a scene what even is the point of it?!

Writing ✍

{Berger & Wyse | via here}

{Novelling on the go.}

Listening 👂🎵

to a skilfully crafted writing playlist on Spotify:



Yes, it's mostly Max Richter but with a little Yann Tiersen, Ludovico Einaudi, Michael Nyman, Joby Talbot and classical/choral composer Will Todd thrown in, for inspiration.

Holi-staying Holidaying 😎

Just under a fortnight ago Ma QB and I drove down to Dungeness:

for a couple of days of rest and relaxation in a gorgeous Airbnb cabin very close to the lighthouses (and extremely close to the Pilot Inn, always good).

{Ma working the boardwalk like a catwalk 💓}

{Found my writing spot!}

After a snifter of gin-from-a-tin:

we ate at the Pilot on the first evening, and my word their portions are honkin' big.

{Salad for four ... for one.}

{Fish piiiiiiiiiiiie ...}

On Tuesday morning I took myself off for a geeky little walk to the old Lighthouse, passing on the way Derek Jarman's Prospect Cottage:

the 'new' Lighthouse:

and very possibly the home of my favourite homeware designers Mini Moderns (Mini Modems for those of us who struggle with our ligatures).

I then walked the 169 (?) steps up to the very top of the Old Lighthouse.

{Green lens}

{Red lens}

{The Roundhouse}

{The lens in the very top of the Lighthouse, complete with compass}

{The Climb}

Suffice to say it was a tad breezy up there but, oh hello, the views!

{There's Something About QB ...}

{Watching the RHDR train come in ...}

Time now to insert a truly random video of trains, a panorama, and more trains:

{Who doesn't love a scenic Power Station shot?}

This, by the way, was our cabin!

I wandered back to the cabin with camera in hand to take some arty shingle/bleak pebbly desert shots:

plus a cheeky gif:

After lunch we did what all must do when in the 'Ness, and took the RHDR train, this time as far as Dymchurch.

where we did the What Comes Naturally and had the obligatory paddle:

and I had a '99 Flake because, seaside:

{Photo by Ma}

We weren't in Dymchurch for long; a train delay on our way there (! what is this, the Southern network!?) meant we had a short amount of time before the train back but we made it and in time to see two trains come in at the same time 🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓:

{Photo by Ma}

Back in Dungeness we had a light supper in the Britannia pub before heading back to the cabin, chillaxing (Ma), writing (moi) and attempting to simu-watch the previous weekend's Handmaid's Tale on our respective tablets (both of us, somehow).

We know how to rock a holiday, Ma and I.

Film photographs will be added as soon as I've, er, finished the film. Which may still have some residual photographs on it from last year's holidays. Aah, the magic and mystery of analogue.

Partying 🎉🍹

... with my workmates at the annual work summer bash.

So much fun was had, in fact, that very few photos exist.

Which in all fairness is probably for the best.

In my giddy dance-floor-bound state, though, I managed to capture this ever so precious moment:

And this shot also exists as proof that I woz there:

{With thanks to Inger << See? There's your mention! 💓}

The party was held at our bosses' home, in the garden, though with a dance floor in the living room. And it was legend-wait for it-dary.

Just by virtue of being very relaxed, and also, I have the best workmates with the best moves.

And a nifty sideline in dubious green cocktails.

That is all.

Dining with this Doll 💝🍕

(in spite of my startling ineptitude at putting things in on the right date in my diary).

Funny story.

For the record, the blanked out words are: "Drat it" and "Oh bother".

We do not swear on WhatsApp. We are Ladies. We do Lady Things.

Anyway. I was able to hot-foot (hot-rail?) it back to Tunbridge Wells (after having been sitting on the train home to Dead'ill at the time of the missive), hunt down the Bestie:

{Found her!}

and head out for pre-dinner drinks at The Guinea (formerly the Guinea Butt and I can't help thinking the previous name let it down somewhat; it's very swish now, local people).

{Even the toilets are posh.}

{ I told you we were Ladies.}

Cue (more) selfies:

We then ate in Prezzo (home of the garlic bread pizza with caramelised onions aka the Come to Mama, Lover starter of choice) and I, being the Wednesday Wino that I am, invested in the Prezzo Royale (Prosecco and Chambord, always a winning combo).

And there were more selfies. Natch.

Not to mention much, much excitable discussion pertaining to our future plans, and my 40 by 40 (the list is populating quite happily now thank you, with much assistance and input from Natalie, Cousin Jo and My Personal and Epic Cheerleader Jos).

This was all followed by an impromptu photoshoot in an underground car park because we're:

So awesome(sauce) that we now co-ordinate cheeky eyebrow raises. Yep.

BFF.

{Erm, OK, then.}

Good, good times.

Celebrating 🎉🍹🎈

with family (Sis, Ma and Pa, cousins, aunties, uncles) for Cousin Abby's and her husband Pat's 40ths and their 15th Anniversaries; hereafter referred to by me as Lloydstock (or, Abigail's Party).

The theme was 'Come and Party Like It's 1995' so, always keen to be fully adherent to a theme, I channelled my inner Angela Chase:

and was sufficiently geeky and teen-angst-awkward for the duration of the evening.

Just kidding (sort of).

The party was held on a small, private farm belonging to my cousin's friend; and it was a fantastic, chilled evening in spite of the very un-July (sucky! damp! chilly!) weather (but in the spirit of a music festival a lot of us wellied up for the night).

{Sis 'n' me}

{Pa QB's reaction to his first flying saucer sherbet sweet ...}

I definitely joined in the dancing. And the glow-stick waving/wearing.

And the marshmallow toasting. And the imbibing of the potent vodka jellies (over the course of about two hours, but still)!

{Birthday girl on the dance floor!}

{Spesh. Photo by Sis}

(Not the flame-throwing, mind: left that to the pros.)

And the camping.

(Whilst remembering why it is I don't camp. Rain noises. Damp smells.

The fact I'm a huge diva.

And I can't put up or dismantle a tent to save my life.)

{Behold! Sister ably putting up the tent while I faffed
about taking photographs of her putting up the tent.
(Aunty Jane helped too.)}

Still. There was a bacon and egg roll and much coffee in the morning.

An excellent night all round; and I'm glad I had a go on the cargo net before it collapsed!

{Hair of the dog required.}

Pinterest Pins of the Fortnight 📌

I've still not entirely forgiven Pinterest for behaving like a tool but hey.

Fortnightly Web Finds 🕸🔎

Serious(ish) 😐

• Turn off notifications and break free | Oliver Burkeman for Guardian Weekend

• This stop-motion Lego animation is excellent. And by that I mean, egg-cellent ... |

BrickBrosProductions | on YouTube | via Overheard in Waitrose

• These photographs sum up the British Summer Holiday experience | on Guardian | via Cath J

Silly 🤡

• 16 Photoshop Fails | on the Daily Quicky

{via here}

• I love these videos so much I'm featuring two this fortnight: Google Translate Sings ...

1) Despacito

2) My Heart Will Go On

{'Tranlsate' though? Ouch.}

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Right, that is all from me!

The jury is out as to whether I shall manage a missive in two weeks (12th August) as I am spending the weekend in the marvellous company of Cousin Jo; besides which, bloggers do need a break to Do the Things about Which they can Blog at an undisclosed Later Date.

But in the meantime, stay groovy.

qb xx