Seasons - they're a changing

It fell to the ground slowly. A leave that still had a bit of colour. But it was looking decidedly tired. I think Autumn's on it's way. And you know what that means? Winter will be here soon too. And I wonder what will that bring?...

I think the seasons are changing. From Summer to Autumn, it's happening pretty quickly this year. The nights are getting darker earlier. The mornings are still a bit light except when it's raining and then I need to put the light on when the curtains are drawn. It's these little things that let us know that times they are a changing. Then there's mum's age old way of scientifically measuring the flow from one season to another. It's the Street-ligh timing method - "that was twenty past nine they lights went on the night Ange" she'll say, to which i'll reply "Was it?", then she'll say "Aye, the dark nights are fairly drawin in". And so it goes on.

Summer. Was it a good one? For me it was a mixed bag. I never did as much as I'd planned to. But plans are made and can also be broken. It just means you can make more plans that are perhaps better than the ones you had in the first place - cool! I did partake in a lot of good things though like my first ever trip to London which by the way was ace! I climbed Ben Lomond - twice! and one of them was at night. Which was also great! This has now become a good hill to do as it's not too far from home but is more of a test than Dumyat is at 430m high.

Photo credit: PTC

I also climbed Ben Starav which was a beast of a day but good all the same. We had a few different weather systems going on that day but ended with blue skies and sunshine and a good wee stop by a fine flowing river then magnificent views of Glencoe area on the journey home. I love that area. I like being a passenger in a car in that area. Can't get enough of those views that change with every cloud shadow. I also had the house to myself for a whole 2 weeks. Which on the face of it may sound good but there were a few days in there that I hadn't spoken to anyone for about 3 days so had to phone Linda for a wee chat! ha ha. Summers end will bring something from nature. I'm not sure about it yet but we'll see...

Autumn... what shall it bring? Well, work is really starting to heat up and the students are back on 15th September so it'll be busy busy busy. Quite stressful but good all the same. You should see some of their scared wee faces when they turn up for first year. Wee shame but we soon help them find their feet. There will be my 5th time seeing Coldplay (with Jay-Z no less). I cannot wait, they are one of my favourites. Excited? Aye! There's my ongoing training regime for my Spring 2010 plan. This will hopefully be a successful regime that will bring a decent amount fitness as well as a release of the pain in the knees. Fingers crossed.

Winter... oooh goodness knows what will happen then? But I'm looking forward to it. Cold winds blowing in your face as you walk along admiring the wonderful scenery that unfolds with every step and with every corner turned. Rain battering off your face and you not caring except you can't see cos your glasses are covered. Walking up a hill and the wind either hindering you or helping you along the way. Nature's helping hand in whatever form it takes. Winter usually goes from October to March and March is meant to be spring time but in recent years there's still been snow on the ground when it's my birthday. I doubt if it'll change next year. And my birthday falls on a Saturday next year - don't you just love it when that happens! Great stuff!

After Winter comes Spring but we won't jump away ahead of ourselves just yet. Let's get this 2009 show rolling to it's next destination first.

Ange xx

I was just guessing at number and figures...

... pulling the puzzles apart. Questions of science, science and progress did not speak as loud as my heart. ...I'm going back to the start.

1977 is the year of my birth, it is also the year Chris Martin was born; 5 is the number of years i have worked at the University of Stirling; 32 is the number of minutes when Gary Caldwell got sent off in the Scotland game; 4 is the number of my favourite track, Candy, on Paolo Nutini's album Sunny Side Up; 13 is the number of siblings my mum has; 12 is the number of planes I've been on on 4 different holidays - you do the maths!; 80,000 is the number in pounds i would need to buy a decent place of my own - got a loan?; 21 is the number of beads on my bracelet i bought at the monastery in Tengboche; 60 is the number of pounds I sold some kit for the other day and added it to my "new kit" fund; 3 or 4 is the size of my shoes - depends on the shoe of course; 1504 is the number of photos in my Flickr photostream and 877 is the number of views it's had; 61 is the number of people i follow on Twitter and of those, 2 is the number of people I actually know; 3 is the number of watches I have and 195 is the number of pounds i paid for my most expensive one; 2009 is the current year, the year that was meant to be marked in my life for an amazing thing and is now fast becoming the year that it will have been overshadowed; 4 is the number of body lotions i currently have sitting on a shelf; 2 is the number of legs i have and it's also the number of dodgy knees i have; 10 is the number of Munros I have scaled but in reality I have climbed Munros 13 times including 2 that i never reached the top - it all counts to me!; 1 is the number of times I have appeared in Trail magazine and 249 is the number of times I have picked it up to read and haven't quite got there yet; 2002 is the number of the year that I changed MY life forever but 2005 is the number of the year when it all started to go right; 1.25 is the weight of my sleeping bag - ooft, heavy but cosy; 06042009 is the date I camped outside for the first time in my life and I kinda loved it; 4300 is the altitude i reached on my trek but 5600 was what i wanted to get to; 437 is the number of read emails in my inbox - I'm a hoarder in all aspects of my life; 3 is the number of books on my bedside cabinet and 2 is the number I'm reading at the minute; 4000 is the number of pounds I raised for Marie Curie Cancer Care; 10 is the number of pairs of Bridgedale socks I have - I love them socks; 7 is the number of times Lance Armstrong has won the Tour De France; 1143 is the number of songs in my iTunes library and 6.34 is the number of Gb; 4 is the number of times I've seen Coldplay live and 16092009 is the date I will have seen them 5 times; 45 is the age of Brad Pitt - can you believe it!?; 40 is the number in kilos of the weight I used on the hamstring curl machine and wow can I feel - ouch!; 3 is the number of the month in which I was born and my birthday is on a Saturday in 2010 - yay!; 1756 is the approximate number of pounds I would like just now to buy some kit and 160 is the actual number I have in my fund - it's only just started mind; 398 is the number of calories in a Stoats Hazlenut and White Chocolate Porridge bar and 85 is the number of grams it weighs; 33 is the number of litres my Osprey Talon rucksack holds; 3 is the number of pink OS maps I own and their numbers are 41, 50 and 56 and I own 1 orange OS Explorer map in number 364; 05032009 was the last time I was out in Glasgow at night with 2 friends, we went to Ketchup then a mountain film festival and on return from Nepal I found out I had also been given a parking fine worth 60 pounds - there wasn't a ticket on the car! - honest!; 144816, 182333 & 171350 (combined) are something that cheers me up every day; 94 is the number of posts on this blog and number 100 will be a "special edition" but I will need cooperation?; 9 is the number of emails in my draft folder and 1 in there is still being composed; I have 1 pair of walking boots, 1 waterproof jacket, 4 merino base layers, 3 pairs of trousers of which 2 currently fit ok, 1 windtop, 8 dry bags in 6 different sizes, 1 kitbag and 1 cosy warm down jacket; 7.09 is currently the time on the cooker which is funny cos none of the other clocks in the house read this time; 2 is the number of times I listen to tracks 3, 4 & 5 on Paolo Nutini's new album on the drive to and from work; and finally 114 was the number of days it took me to sort out my kitbag since my return from Nepal.

What are your numbers?

Ange xx

It's a colourful life!

Why do you blog? It's a question I've asked a few folks recently and there are different answers from each. Mostly though the reply is because it's like a diary. A diary, a record, a log. Of events that are perhaps more signifcant to the writer than the reader. Or perhaps the reader quite enjoys the insights the writer gives them into their lives.

For me this blog started off as an account of the journey of the biggest and bestest thing I had done in my life up to that point. The EBC trek of course. With a few snippets of other events thrown in for good measure. I wanted it to be recorded and for it always to be there so that i or others can go and read it in their own time. On return from the trek it has turned into what I suppose you might call a diary - without the personal stuff of course!! I mean I could never let you into the deepest thoughts I have hidden away in some corner of my imagination that only ever come out to play occassionally, could I?...

There are a few clandestine stories in posts here somewhere. Some may have read them and thought "what?!" with a confused look, others may have read them, nodded and said "ah yes!".

So here's what i'll write about today...
Dad started his new job today with a local company Recyke-a-bike. It's a community run project where they fix and repair/recycle old bikes. I say old bikes but he's assured me there a good few Trek bikes in stock just now, waiting for a new home!! Get in! This is his second job since being made redundant after 35 service!! Luckily he can turn his hand to pretty much anything. A timed-served mechanic to trade he worked as a maintenance engineer in the local tile factory for 35 years then they decided they needed someone 'more experienced in electrics' to do both jobs. He graciously accepted their word and has not looked back to be honest. He's one of those people who just can't bear to sit and do nothing and all credit to him for that. He's been biding his time with a part-time delivery drivers job for Brammer engineering and he quite enjoyed that. It got him out of the house for half the day at least and now he's got this full-time job. I am quite proud actually. There are people half his age living around about us and there's a warrant out for their working jaickets!! Lazy so and so's... Anyway I'm searching the web for a decent bike and he's going to keep an eye for me at anything that comes in. There are apparently thousands of bikes in their main storage shop and his job will be to fix them up/repair them and get them ready for selling again. So in a few weeks, if anyone wants their bike serviced, he's the man!

I've been to the gym a few times over the week and tonight's session was pretty good. I tried a different running program and it was fun and felt great. Knees still got sore but i've been stretching it all out regularly and i hope that gets better soon. Tips anyone??

Work is.... well work. Same old problem of being too quiet without all the fab students so motivation and focus just now is not quite 100%. Tasks and work is still being done but with a little less enthusiasm. It will be rememdied soon though as I'll be off on hols and 2 weeks time. Bliss!!! Cannot wait. That's all the motivation i need really to get the job done.

Oh, oh, another thing I can't wait for... Bruce 'the Boss' Springsteen at Hampden Park next Tuesday night!!! Don't know what to expect really but i did eventually watch his Glastonbury performance and man he gives it his all for nearly 3 hours! Apparently the set list changes when they go on stage at each gig so i'm hoping a few of my favs will be played next week. I have a spare ticket if anyone fancies it?? Let me know. :o)

Got a new camera the other day and it's really great. I'm loving the pictures it's giving me already (below) and can't wait to get out into the hills with it. I've even managed a pretty good panorama shot of Stiring with it. It's well cool!!



Ok that's all the non personal stuff sorted, now for the personal things...
Aye right, you didn't honestly think i'd write that down here did you??...

Ange xx

Musical update: (cool tunes I quite like indeed)
Stornoway - Zorbing
Fleet foxes - White Winter Hymnal
Bruce Springsteen - Jacobs Ladder
Paolo Nutini - Candy (love, love, love this still)
Ray Lamontagne - Burn
Blur - Tender
Kings of Leon - Use Somebody
Coldplay - Life in Technicolour ii
The Jam - Town called malice
Arcade Fire - Keep the cars running
The Killers - All these things I've done

A wee cheeky midnight post

'Tis the season of the festival...

Glastonbury is on the telly just now but I'm not liking Neil Young. Sorry any fans of his out there. I remember sitting watching Glastonbury in 2007 and being mesmerised by Arcade Fire. It was a great performance they gave. The music just seemed to build up to a great crescendo and there were about 15 musicians on the stage such is the size of he band. Here it is incase you don't know who Arcade Fire are. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq6M4PWKvq4

Bruce Springsteen headlines the pyramid stage tomorrow night and I'm undecided whether to watch it or not. You see I'm going to see him at Hampden in a few weeks and don't want to know the set list in case it's the same... dilemma!

I've not been to many concerts in my time but have to say that Coldplay are still one of the best bands I've seen live. They are also one of my favourites so does that make me biased? Saw them three times now and the best had to be November 2005 Palau St Jordi, Barcelona. It. Was. Amazing!!! Went to SECC in December to see them and they were ace too but perhaps I don't like that huge hall. Or maybe our seats weren't that great... something was just missing.

Snow Patrol are another favourite and I was lucky enough to go to an intimate gig in Edinburgh last year for their album launch. Gary Lightbody's voice just melts my heart! aaaahhhh....

Anyway I digress, the festival music season is here. I love music. I love nice songs. I'll listen to anything once, just to see what it's like. Music i suppose has always been in my life from early on. Dad being a drummer in a band in his youth - no he wasn't a Beatle ha ha. New Year was always spent at my granda's house where there'd be more than a few sing-songs with tunes of old and to this day they are still sung at our house at New Year. Old classics. Music can bridge the age gap, it unites. Why is that?...

Oops, this was meant to be a wee cheeky midnight post and it's way past the hour of 00:00.
Must dash, up early tomorrow, Ben Starav...

Ange xx

One word... Coldplay...

Hey all

I nearly forgot to write about what a great weekend I had! - (including the prize bingo of course).

Went to Glasgow on Saturday night with my sister to see Coldplay - one of my favourite-est bands in the whole wide world ... ever!! FACT. It was a fantastic gig but I couldn't help thinking I should have been in the section at front of the stage with the passes......hhhmmm I wonder how you get in there?

They played a great mix of new and old songs including one of my old favourites, Green Eyes from the Rush of Blood to the Head album. The warm up band were ok, Eugene Frances Jr and the Juniors. A couple of songs were quite catchy. Then on came a guy with what looked like a laptop and a giant screen displaying these subliminal cartoon type characters that just kept getting repeated for nearly 40 minutes!! All very bizarre. It was a like a poor man's Moby without the stand-out recognisable tunes.

Coldplay didn't actually appear until about 9.15pm but it was well worth the wait. The new album is really good and I dare anyone to listen to Strawberry Swing whenthe sun is aout to rise or to set and not feel a flutter of hope in our heart. That is such a cheesy line. Oh well i just think it's a good feel-good song. They played a few dancey versions of Talk and God Put a Smile On your Face - pretty good, maybe they should release them? then they done a little acoustic set away on the far corner of the venue - Green Eyes and another little ditty song that Will sung. Then it was back on stage for Lovers in Japan, Death and All his Friends and a few others. Brilliant. That was my third time at a Coldplay gig but yet my favourite one was at the Palau St Jordi in Barcelona, November 2005. That was ace. Great gig, great city, great view just brilliant. They were on fire that night.

I've seen a few live bands in recent months and they rank amongst the top. Loved the Snow Patrol gig the other week in Edinburgh as I was so close and it was a really intimate venue. Going to see them live again in February at the SECC so I'm looking forward to that too. Gary Loghtbody's goofy style and banter set the heart all of a flutter...... aaahhhh.....

Whilst at the SECC there was a scrolling screen thing that was showing who were playing and what was sold out. There's still some tickets left for Daniel O'Donnell by the way! ha ha. The Killers is sold out which is a real shame as I think they would be an amazing live act. Kings of Leon were playing on Sunday night and of course that was sold out. I quite like them too. The X Factor Live tickets are on sale - I might give that one a miss....

This all got me thinking, what is my favourite song in the whole world? Who are my favourite band? What would the line-up be at my make-believe music festival? If you can answer these questions let me know, I'm curious. Oh also, give me some recommendations for songs for my trekking play list...... what would they be..... something inspirational, something cheesy, something easy listening, rocking out?????? questions, questions. Ok I've an idea, you each have to name me 3 songs to include on my Official Trekking Playlist-volume 1.

To finish i'll leave you with some nice lyrics from 2 fab songs....

I was just guessing at numbers and figures,

Pulling your puzzles apart.

Questions of science, science and progress,

Do not speak as loud as my heart.

THE SCIENTIST - COLDPLAY

What have I done it's too late for that?

What have I become? Truth is nothing yet.

A simple mistake starts the hardest time.

I promise i'll do anything you ask...this time.

CHOCOLATE - SNOW PATROL

Bye for now, take care

Ange xx