Category: Family

Family related posts; generally only of interest to fellow members of the Brown Clan and relations by Marriage into this mad house.

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Trying to get Fit again

With our gradually improving health, I have been thinking that it was time to start running again.

New Year Resolutions are usually not held for long, but I have given myself a fairly easy target. I am going to go running three times a week, starting at just an easy mile or two, building to three miles over the next three months. Easy and not too strenuous. I do buy and use Extenze tablets from HBHM for maximum enhancement when required, but its high time I get fit and stop relying completely on tablets.

I told Caroline and this morning she pushed me to go running. I sometimes need a little encouragement. Caroline then surprised me by saying she was coming with me.

Well it was a nice warm 10C sunny morning, and we went out with good intentions.

A gentle 5 minute walk started us off, heading out of the village, then we started to run. Caroline has never been a runner so we took it very easy, a minute of slow running followed by a minute of brisk walking. We alternated like this and finished with a 5 minute walk, followed by lots of stretching and a shower.

Nice and easy and we both felt good afterwards. Caroline did decided from that run, that her shoes were not good enough for running so we jumped on the Motorcycle and took a ride into Lincoln to see if the local running store was open.

We could have gone to one of the big sports shops and picked up some running shoes in the sales for £10-£20 cheaper but our local running shop is very good and can recommend a good shoe based on your running style. Not only that, if your not happy they will taken them back. You can even have your run video’ed and analysed so they can get you shoes that really match your style.

I decided to get a new pair too, and a new bright yellow jacket so people will spot me at night.

We then heading out into the country side, going on a nice enjoyable motorcycle ride. Its been a while since we have enjoyed ourselves out on the bike.

Altogether a good day. Tomorrow is a normal work day for us so it will be back to the normal routine. Lets see how long we can keep up the good intentions.

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The Biker’s Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the pad,

There was nada happenin’, now that’s pretty bad.

The woodstove was hung up in that stocking routine,

In hopes that the Fat Boy would soon make the scene.

With our stomachs packed with tacos and beer,

My girl and I crashed on the couch for some cheer.

When out in the yard there arose such a racket,

I ran for the door and pulled on my jacket.

I saw a large bro’ on a ’56 Pan

Wearin’ black leathers, a cap, and boots (cool biker, man).

He hauled up the bars on that bikeful of sacks,

And that Pan hit the roof like it was running on tracks.

I couldn’t help gawking, the old guy had class.

But I had to go in — I was freezing my ass.

Down through the stovepipe he fell with a crash,

And out of the stove he came dragging his stash.

With a smile and some glee he passed out the loot,

A new jacket for her and some parts for my scoot.

He patted her fanny and shook my right hand,

Spun on his heel and up the stovepipe he ran.

From up on the roof came a great deal of thunder,

As that massive V-twin ripped the silence asunder.

With beard in the wind, he roared off in the night,

Shouting, “Have a cool Yule, and to all a good ride!”

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it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

Well that’s it. Work is officially over. Not only that but the last Wedding Album is done and on the way to the Happy Couple.

Nothing now to do but eat drink and be Merry.

Whatever religion you are (or not), if your on Holiday, have a great break.

Some Religious Festivals this Month.

5 December Ashura (Muslim)
This is a day of fasting for Sunni Muslims. The day that Nuh (Noah) left the Ark and the day that Musa (Moses) was saved from the Egyptians by Allah. Shi’ite Muslims mark the martyrdom of Hussein, a grandson of the prophet, on this day and see it as a great festival.

8 December Bodhi Day (Buddhist)
Some Buddhists (eg Pure Land followers) celebrate Gautama’s attainment of Enlightenment on this day under the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya, North India.

21 December Hanukkah begins (alternate spelling Chanukah) (Jewish)
Hanukka celebrates the miraculous victory over religious persecution in the Holy Land and also commemorates the re-dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of the burning oil.

22 December Yule (Pagan)
Yule is the time of the winter solstice, when the sun child is reborn, an image of the return of all new life born through the love of the Gods.

25 December
Christmas (Christian)
Celebrates the birth of Jesus, who Christians believe to be the son of God.

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Christmas Party Season

In the UK at least tonight will be the busiest night for party goers of the year so far.

Tonight it’s my teams Christmas Party, this is my third of the season so far.

It’s also the day when the local Police start their Drink Driving campaign.

This morning was the start as they stopped drivers heading out of Lincoln to Breathalyser them.

Remember look after yourselves and arrange transport, don’t forget you may still be over the limit in the morning.

 

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Fine Food – Veg, Meat and Do it Yourself

The Brown Family is a very food centric bunch.  Its the one area where taste and ethics leads over price.

We love our food, but our meals were a little too meat centric.  While we grow our own herbs, and would like to grow our own veg, its something we have not got round to yet.

Good quality vegetables are not expensive, and in order to make us eat more, we have recently started to get a veg box from a local farmer.  A good selection of organic vegetables including some strange ones that we had never heard of, now has us reaching for the cook books to find new exciting ways to prepare them.

This now means at least once a week we have a meat free day, and we really look forward to it.

We try to buy ethically raised meat and eggs, and while it costs more, it can mean you eat fine meat less often but appreciate it more.

People today are very disconnected from there food.  People don’t want to know that chicken or steak there tucking into was once a real living animal.  All they want is food that is quick and cheap.  If people want to eat meat they should realise what is involved.

Preparing you own, meat or fish is one way of connecting with your food more.  How many people are willing to prepare and gut a fish, or bird?

Well with this being game season, there were lots of Pheasants going free, so this last week we have had a brace of Pheasants hanging in the garage.  Preparing and gutting a fish is pretty easy and something I have no problem with, but this would be the first time I had prepared a Pheasant.

Caroline was on plucking duties, which was harder then you might think.  Only once she had finished did mum Brown suggest we should have briefly soaked the bird to make the plucking easier and less messy.

Gutting was my job.  First job was to remove the feet, wing tips and head.  Then removing the neck.  Here you discover how greedy your bird has been, in this case the crop was stuffed full with corn, which all had to be cleaned out.  Then the hard part which is the bit people have trouble with.  Cutting out and clearing the body cavity. This just takes care and a willingness to get your hands in there to separate the guts from the main part of the carcass.

Once the body cavity is clear, your Pheasant now looks like it could have come from a Supermarket.

Then it was a knob of butter, fresh carrots, turnips, in the pot on the hob, then after a few minutes in with the pair of Pheasants, and a glass of water, or wine if you have it.  Then own with the lid and in the oven.  Cook for about 40 minutes, then remove the lid for another 20 minutes, and you have a lovely tasty pot roast.

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Family News – Parents update

Just a quick note to update the family.

Richard’s Mum is on another Holiday.  A Turkey and Tinsal affair, much fun and amusement.

Caroline’s Father is out of hospital and back home after his knee operation.

After week, of Landscape Photography, its been great this week to be on the bike again.  Apart from a bit of fog in the mornings, its been great to have a ride every morning and night.

I have also managed a studio shoot this week.  I have only managed to give them a quick look so far, as I have some wedding photographs to finish up and the shots from last week to process.

Its very busy but at least the wedding season is now over so no more weddings to photograph.

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A cracking day out

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Did you get the Wallace & Gromit quote, now I will admit this is a very tenuous link but we are about to go out to the local village pub and we are are both looking forward to a fine cheese board.

Now what has that to do with photography. Well nothing really, but I am in a silly mood, and it has been a cracking day out.

The early part of the morning was spent photographing Blythburgh Church, in the glorious autumn sunshine. I hope to have captured a number of rather nice medium format images. There were one or two shots that would have been ideal for either a large format technical camera with full movements, or a Nikon D3x with the tilt & shift wide angle. Unfortunately I only had my medium format Hasselblad and Nikon 1 to hand.

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The afternoon saw us visiting Wickham Market, they have a nice tea-shop, but far more importantly they have a quilt shop, where Caroline was able to indulge in some fabric buying.

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To finish the day, we headed back to Southwold where we photographed the Pier as the sun quickly set. It was quite challenging, the meter readings were changing by about a stop a minute, and shooting medium format, with filters and a handheld spot meter is not the fastest form of photography. Under the rapidly changing conditions I only had time for one shot before the best of the light disappeared.

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Orford Castle

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Today saw us exploring the east coast of Suffolk.
We found ourselves at Orford Castle, from the top there are some delightful views to the south. The weather was a little overcast but I still thought it worthwhile to take a few black and white shots of the castle.

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