Happy New Year

High swing!, originally uploaded by Rougefern.

Happy New Year everyone! May your 2009 be this fabulous.

Roasted

Well look, I mean I can't help it if I'm not one of the beautiful people. I know I'm not much of a looker but really, Roast waiters, do you have to ignore me?

Aside from the service Roast is pretty fine. Locally sourced ingredients, and if you like meat by jingo you are in for fun. My steak was seared to perfection, and apple crumble blew my post Christmas no carb rule out of the water.

Best about Roast is the setting. Borough Market, up aloft, between two railway lines barreling out of London Bridge station, all glass and airey and St Paul's hazing into the distance.

-- Post From My iPhone

Woolworths 2.0

I know it's not going under, but more and more Facebook reminds me of Woolies. It's packed with people, it's really plastic, and it's always pushing stuff on you that you don't want or need.

Twilight Zone

Here we are then. Mid way between introvert Christmas Day when the western world retires inward to hearth and family and New Year's Eve which explodes us extrovert into the next chapter.

Lots of people say that New Year's Eve is Christmas but with people you actually want to be with. I'm not sure that's right - I've spent way too many NYEs crushed, parched, cold, wet and desperate for the pretend coals of of my lovely pretend fire.

But this bit here. Right now. This bit is nice. People look a bit dazed I think. London is a delight, half empty, but everything still tentatively open. You can go skating and have enough room to attempt that pirhouette. I had no problem getting a reservation at a very nice restaurant for lunch today. I like it.

This time also opens up a bit of space for thinking. I'm ploughing through my work, but also redesigning my to-do lists. Things like this little delight will help. Also reading Stephen Fry's blog and tweets (he's an avid tweeter) which is really inspirational. I love his passion for technology and his forensic knowledge. It's surprising and rather wonderful - I completely agree with his wishlist for the iphone. His posts are fabulously huge - not everyone can pull that off I think, but of course he can.

Feels like there are lots of opportunities at this time. But they need netting, like rare butterflies, catching and pinning down. All very well to feel it, but we also need to act on it too.

End of the year...

I like this time. I'm anticipating those few days between Christmas and New Year when thoughts and plans start to emerge. Makes me contemplative which is a rare and good thing.

I've been thinking about my favourite poems. This one here is Sea Fever by John Masefield. Everyone knows it. Spike Milligan wrote a great pastiche of it. But I love it. When I read it to the kids I can barely finish without a tear in the eye. It's the rhythm, the alliteration, the fact that its technically spot on. And the long trick's almost over for the year too...

Sea Fever, John Masefield

I must go down to the seas again to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sails shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face and a grey dawn breaking

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume and the seagull crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife:
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow rover,
And a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

Christmas

Whatever happens, I am always excited about Christmas.

The fact that Ma Outlaw is in town.

The fact that I have the interactive DVD version of Goldenballs in my bag.

The fact that we have already eaten an entire tin of Roses.

Nothing can diminish the sense of expectation I have coursing through me. It is hardwired into me to be in a state of feverish expectation only topped by my children, who are, it has to be said getting a couple of genius presents this year. I drew the line at the ukeleles though. Maybe next year.

Have a great holiday.

Christmas tree tragedy

Hmmm. Well. It's certainly festive.

-- Post From My iPhone

Christmas Camerons

Oh bum. They've made quite a nice Christmas card I think. I'm not a big fan of using the family, but it's quite interesting to see what they've done here. Clearly some bloody good photographer's been whirring away with the DSLR, making them laugh, relaxing them all.

And then in the cuts it just didn't look right. Too staged, too stilted. But aha, what about that one - kids yelling and David distracted, mind on something more important than just a photo, Sam holding the fort with the other two children. That's the one. It has something, it says more about the family than a straight portrait.

Very good. Especially when you compare it to Gordon's. Oh dear.

Wired

Finally got hold of the first series of The Wire. I am now devouring it like Galactus and the universe. Oh it's good. It is so good.


-- Post From My iPhone

Reflections & inversions

Just like the cloud splashing shot I like this one. Left the shutter open and this is what I got.

Reflections suggest the existence of parallel universes.
Sometimes a comforting thought, alive with possibilities.
These dark reversions show a dead land, empty
Quiet and pulling light from this place.


-- Post From My iPhone

Doppelgangers

Now, you'll know that I was blessed from a very early age with absolutely zero head hair. Yes yes I know. A real blessing. An inbuilt rain hat etc. Oi Kojak. Yup. Loving it. As George Costanza once said to a date of Elaine's who thought he might be losing his thatch: "LIVE damn you. Live as you have never lived before"

Anyhow. I've come to terms with it now and no longer sit at home in a wig drinking cheap gin.

The other day I happened to cross the path of David Yelland, former Sun editor, committed baldy and glasses wearer. We both paused. There was a beat. I swear to god we both thought: shit, that's me! Wait!

It was a weird moment.

-- Post From My iPhone

Still centre in the middle of whirling chaos

Still centre in the middle of whirling chaos, originally uploaded by Rougefern.

We were frozen out there in the middle of Syon Park, nearing the end of the Enchanted Woodland walk. Loads of trees and plants, beautifully and spookily lit up, dry ice floating around the place and a bit of the old Edward Scissorhands music coming up at us from out of the flowerbeds.

The children adore being out at night. The dark is a really novel experience for them, and they are now at the ages where magic, fairies, pixies and gnomes have a real impact on their lives. This walk is a great warm up act to the first window of the advent calendar, and early thoughts about letters to Father Christmas.

This pic I like because it shows the Nip calm in the midst of whirling energy. And that's how I see her.

Cove at Borth y Gest

Quick bit of poetry from the summer that wasn't right and wasn't right, and then improved when I let go of it a bit. Sitting in this lovely, tiny cove in Wales in August when it should have been sweltering, but was actually simultaneously hot, cold and windy.


Hot winds jut against slant slate crops,
Against the sea's surge inward, into the cove,
A swarm of sand scours people from the beach,
And sun umbrellas tumble cowering to hide.

Kites shred into the sky against ragged clouds,
As the sun beats an early rhythm out against sea and slate.