My Month in Numbers - September 2013

Welcome, welcome - - so very nice to have you drop by. I haven't been around much this month, and for that I do apologise - the change in the seasons has upset my hard won equilibrium somewhat and the turn of the year here, as we head to the darker and shorter days has been unexpectedly hard for me.  Summer has played fast and loose with us I fear, fickle lover that she is , and abandoned us overnight. The golden days have given way to misty mornings, grey, cold, damp - heavy, gloomy skies and rain bringing with them thoughts I know are fruitless, the "why didn't I - - - " kind yet I can't make them go away - - - -

However enough  - this sudden change has me longing to hunker down in front of a cosy fire with a good book - Any recommendations anyone? I am trying to get back into reading at home,(I have only read whilst on holiday of late years) - but now - a quick round up of these September days

Julie - of Notes on Paper - invites us to record memories of our month - in numbers - so for a full explanation hop over to her blog here - she will not only have numbers of her own to share but also others around the globe who also record a month in numbers.

Straight into this month's Communal Count -

I was 4 when I started at All Saints Mission School - - which was a small Infant school, attached to the Mission church - I think I was there 3 or 4 years before moving on the the separate Junior School - -  when it was demolished I wept, and at that time I was a mum of 3! - the site it was on is now a small housing estate complex - so my number relating to this can't be completely accurate - but it is the best I can come up with for this aspect of the Communal Count - and depending on which port we have to dock - I now live 147 or 165 miles away from my primary school.

And 1 pint of milk costs me 60p - - but I forgot to keep track of our consumption!! Doh as Homer Simpson would say!

1 - online class - Shimelle's Learn Something New --- which I have participated in from the beginning - though this last couple of years my lessons have been very hard won and so are for my eyes only - - but I will post a photo of this years album in a separate post.

2 unexpected dinner guests - twice (does that count as a number too??). As you may know The Artisan loves his outdoor sporting activities - especially his climbing - and on the Monday of the week following our return from holiday went off for his usual hour of exercise before the daylight disappeared - - to meet up with 2 Austrian climbers - here, on our little island. I am sure you can imagine his pleasure in having someone to "show round" - - - - - so he invited them back for dinner! Actually they are two charming (and handsome - who doesn't like a bit of eye candy? )young men,  Dominic and Kimi - and it was lovely to have them visit with us.

1 book - with 3 novels within - read - whilst on holiday of course - and the said book was mentioned here. It was fun to read it whilst in Sicily - the setting for these books - as I am sure some of you may already know, which of course leads nicely into - -

7 days in Sicily - mainly in the beautiful Taormina - which remains charming in spite of it being a tourist "Honey Trap". From the bus station there we were able to visit other smaller villages high in the mountainous region around Mount Etna, all equally charming - though so very small that one to two hours was plenty long enough to enjoy the stunning views and quaint little streets. I truly have spent a week "Exploring with My Camera" - - I tried hard to remember (and learn) all I had read in the manual - and have been pleased with some of my shots. I also tried to practice using my phone to take photos - and again feel I have made a little progress with framing my shots better. I did invest in an App - as recommended by Kat Sloma and feel it was a good buy, and having been using the tips she offers and found them really helpful. Here a couple of holiday snaps which are likely to make it into my album

 And finally - we saw 6 geese in the middle of the road in Purt Ny Hinshey! I am not sure why they were sitting where they were - but I couldn't resist taking their photo as they looked so funny!

Thanks so much for stopping by - don't forget to hop over to Julie's blog for more number crunchers - she will make you most welcome and perhaps you might like to join in yourself?

"til later,

Bannaghtyn, J x