Play Festival 2012

Sunshine and I (and a lot of our friends) go out to the Welsh contryside every summer to a little festival known as Play Festival, and this year, despite the rain, we went again . Not a lot of photos as we were too busy just hanging out ... but the one sunny and dry day, we and the Domakkes walked up to the top of the hill overlooking the site (the site is the slightly dense and colourful bit at the bottom of the first picture). We're back now after 5 days of camping and hanging out and dancing and signing and shows and enjoying ourselves ... here's to Play 2013!

London with Allen

We've been in London this week as Sunshine had his students exhibiting at New Designers. I like to tag along as it gives me an excuse to see the show and also catch up with London friends.
This time we stayed with our friend Allen who has been  stationed in London the last month working on his dissertation on the ethnomusicography of tabla makers ... and yes, he plays too. 

Sunshine didn't have to spend all his time with the students so when he had a bit of time off we walked round London visiting an art exhibition in the Barbican Centre, strolled round the Southbank and ending up with a lovely pub dinner  near where I used to live 8 years ago. All the bits of London that I love ...

Kew with Americans ...

We hadn't really planned on going anywhere over the Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend but then we had a message from our friend Mark saying that he had a half day layover in Heathrow on his way from the States to East Asia. He was thinking of coming and visiting us but it just didn't make sense with the timings... so instead Sunshine and I drove across to Heathrow; picked him up; and then drove over to Kew Gardens for they day - finishing with dinner and dropping him back at Heathrow (and us driving back to Bristol). Our other American friend Allen who is also in London this month came out to meet us too... 


I love Kew; I could spend DAYS there just sitting and drawing plants. We all got really excited by this Australian plant called the Wollemi Pine which looked like a Christmas tree with its own baubles! We also spotted a beautiful green woodpecker and Sunshine managed to get a few decent shots of it pecking at a tree. Even the slight drizzle didn't put a damper on things (we'd just run into a green house every time it rained!).... mmmm must go again ...

Mark and Nic's wedding

This last weekend Sunshine and I travelled over to Cambridge for the wedding of one of my closest friends, my man-of-honour, the person who actually introduced me to Sunshine... Mark, and his lovely lady Nic ...

It was a lovely, happy wedding and Sunshine was the official-unofficial wedding photographer. The venue was fantastic; the weather held up; the food was lush; and we got to sleep in a gypsy caravan that night! 

Congrats Bitterjug and Niddynoo, and of course baby Grace, for coming together as a happy family :)

Clare and Will's Wedding

Spent the weekend in the beautiful surroundings of the northern coast of Northern Ireland for the wedding of the lovely Firepoise and her musician man. And while it was raining in the rest of UK, in Northern Ireland it was sunny and clear and the happy couple had a stunning wedding-come-handfasting ceremony in front of a waterfall. 

Thank you for having us Clare and Will ... Big love to you both :)

Dorset day 2

Today we were not so lucky with the weather, so we drove down to Studland and took the chain ferry to visit some friends in Poole. We sat in their living room; staring out at the fantastic view; drinking copius amounts of tea; and just catching up on life ...


The rain had died down a bit by the time we headed back to pick up Loz. I managed a few springy pictures - look, a robin collecting for its nest; and spring blossoms - before we packed up and headed home, stopping on the way to visit the symbol of fertility that is the Cerne Abbas Giant...


Back home now ... and that was definitly too short a trip. SO going back to Dorset soon ... it was beautiful! Thank you Loz and Marky (and Sunshine) for a smashing weekend ...

Dorset day 1

Weekend away in Dorset with our friend Loz ... we drove up last night to her boyfriend's (who lives in Dorset) and ended up in the most fantastic 'local' pub full of entertaining locals and great music - and its own museum! This morning we headed off to buy some fish for dinner ...

At Lulworth Cove ...

From Lulworth Cove we took the coastal path to Durdle Door ...

After which we walked all the way back and then stopped off for lunch in a pub overlooking Corfe Castle.
From there we headed off for another walk ...

Finding massive ammonites, on the way to some abandoned limestone quarries ...

In the evening Marky took us POND DIPPING! We fund a newt, some lesser and greater boatmen, and a whole bunch of other insect nymphs and larvae (sorry no photos - was too dark). Then we had our fish (grey mullet, yum yum ....) and sat round reading books and watching films ... aaaahhhhh ... just the kind of holiday we needed....

Yurt living...

Well I'll be ... it appears I have forgotten about blogging for a while ... weeeeeeeelll, not really forgotten - just been too busy. And none of what I've been busy with seemed worth blogging about - illustration work, dance teaching etc. Yesterday seemed to be the first day in weeks that I felt like I had time to just go away and enjoy the day ... and so we did!

We loaded up our trusty steed Bramble, and went on a 45 miles tandem ride into the countryside to visit our friends Amy and Guy who live in a yurt that they have built themselves on the egde of a gorgeous little forrest. The only downside was that to get there we had to do a lot of cycling UPHILL. Sunshine had his gps phone tracking thing on (so we could track our route) and it told us that we had climed 900 meters! All worth it though to end up where we did - such a gentle way of life ... sitting in the yurt eating cheese sandwiches, watching bluetits, great tits, coaltits, long-tailed tits, nuthathces, and even a greater spotted woodpecker through the window. We then went for a walk into the forrest and bumped into a startled deer (no photos as he ran off before I could get a the camera out ... you get a llama instead). Lovely afternoon and then fortunately a mostly downhill ride home.

Sunshine and I were so tired when we got home that we could barely do anything last night. Still feeling it today ... but what a great way to start the spring ...

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012!

For the last few years (I think since we moved to Bristol) we've been making lists around the Christmas/New Year time. A list of nice things that we did/happened/achievements; and one as a list of plan for the following year. We also go through the Plans list from the previous year (see above) to see and tick off what we have accomplished.

As we came to the end of the year and I started reflecting on all that had happened I was dreading writing up our "Nice things" list. I couldn't get beyond the fact that this year has been the year of loss; of death; of loosing my innocence in a major way. I've gained so many gray hairs that I've actually started dyeing them ...

In the last 15 months we have lost 5 people very close to us, and if you include all those lost within our immediate and close circle of friends and family, it comes up to a total of 13 ... The universe has taken from us the old; the young, the unborn; the sick and the healthy. I have probably cried more this year than when I was a baby. I've not really written about these things on this blog, partly for privacy; but also partly because I just don't know how to...

But then we came to write out what good things HAD happened to us this year - and the biggest and most important thing was the House. Doing up the house has been our therapy. The house has been the thing that has grounded us and kept us sane. The house is what Sunshine and I have been working on together - our first proper collaboration. It has brought us much closer and made us realise what a good team we are. We owe a lot to this house. To our Home.

Anyways, we had a very very productive Christmas doing DIY and a fantastic New Year with friends and lots and LOTS of dancing. Things can only get better in 2012 ...

Sunshine and I raise a glass (of home-made mulled wine?) to all our friends and family and wish you all a Happy Healthy Joyful Peaceful and Fantastic 2012!

xxxM

Hoola Flappers...

I don't talk about it often on this blog but I do teach quite a lot of swing dancing here in Bristol. Down the right hand sidebar there should be a list of stuff I'm teaching/have taught this semester with Swing Dance Bristol. Occasionally though, I get asked to do something different ...

Recently our Hoola Hooping friend Dr Emma (another one to have left the sciences to pursue their passion), asked me to teach at the South West Hoop conference or "SWHoop" that she organises. As I knew there would be not enough men to balance the numbers, I thought I'd teach some solo charleston instead ... also, its such a fun and happy dance that I knew it would go down well with the hoopers - and I wasn't wrong!

I taught a routine last Sunday at SWHoop 1 which you can see here (its a 12 minute review video of the weekend - but the link should take you straight to my class ... if not, I start at about 10mins20secs). SWHoop 2 today Sunshine came with the stills camera and got the only pictures I've ever had of me teaching - which, considering I've been teaching dance for about 10 years, is quite the achievement!

Congratulations The Domakkes!

And what a smashing do it was too ... we were having too much fun to actually take any photos so here are a couple by Sy (I'll upload a few more of our favourites when we get hold of them...)

Sunshine waiting to sign on the wedding certificate as an official witness...

Sunshine and I probably listening to some speeches ...yes, I made an effort to dress up this wedding ...

Setting up for the Dommakes ...

Spent today setting up our friends "The Dommakes" wedding - its going to be FAB :)

Before...

After!

Brecon Beacons

Day off DIY to have a day hill walking with friends in the Brecon Beacons - Black Mountains, Wales.

*Sorry for the image quality - its a rather large image and it obviously doesn't like being compressed by Blogger.

Sand Point with Jeanine

Windy day out with house guest Jeanine and Sunshine at Sand Point.

Bristol Vintage Velo

Sunshine and I have been wanting to go on the London Tweed Run ever since we heard about it. We even talked about organising something similar in Bristol ... fortunately someone else went and did it (Bristol Vintage Velo) and we signed up the moment we found out.

It gave us a deadline to get Bramble all cleaned up (she's had a new paint job) and ready - she even had a picnic basket on the back. It was also an excuse to find "rational attire". Bunny had to come too so I even made him a tweed waiscoat and cravat.

What a fabulous day we had cycling on Bramble from the Clifton Suspension Bridge; through Ashton Court and Tyntesfield Estate; and ending up at the Flax Bourton village hall for tea and cakes; entertaiment (from the oh so fabulous Hot Potato Syncopators) and games too! Met lots of bikes enthusiasts and made lots of new friends.

See more of our photos here and links to more pictures and videos of the great day here.

Wau flying...

I bought Sunshine this wau years ago and we'd never tried flying it ... till today that is. With help from our friend the kite historian, we flew her over the Bristol Downs. She flies like a dream. Nice to be out catching some wind ...

Reflecting on 2010

Gosh, has it really been 2 months since I posted last? I don't know how many of you are going to be reading this - you must all be bored of my absence by now and given up coming here. But I thought it would be good for me to explain my absence, and also do a bit of reflecting as we head into 2011...

I knew 2010 was going to be a tough year. It started off with us handing in all that we'd been up to in the first semester of my final year studying illustration. I'd worked really hard and was determined to concentrate wholly on my degree and nothing else this year. Unfortunately I wasn't really happy with the feedback I got from the tutors. I felt I hadn't quite achieved what I had wanted to and that made me quite sad. But I thought I still have another (my final) semester and I was going to pull myself up through it all.

I worked really hard that last semester - but it always felt a bit unsatisfactory. My coursemates were all jumping over personal hurdles, and I just felt stuck. I worked so hard I exhausted myself. Eventually, during Easter break, Sunshine took me away to Milan for a few days. We were one of the last planes out before all the airports were shut down due to the Icelandic volcano eruption. So although Milan was great, it took us three extra days to get back to the UK travelling over land and sea. Somehow I felt I never quite managed to catch up with work after that.

I wasn't particularly happy with my graduation grade; but I was too tired to care. We also had a really strong year so no matter how good you were, most people were ignored and the same handful of about 5 people kept getting all the interest from commisioners. Now don't get me worng - I'm not bitter ... those few people DID deserve to get all that interest. But having gone round lots of other shows I realised that most of our even mid-range students were more talented and creative than some of the best in the other colleges. Anyways, lots of other little things happened within college those last couple of months that left me quite disheartened by it all, and I didn't end my degree in a particularly happy place.

Summer I was determined to get my life back and reconnect with my Darling Sunshine who'd pretty much just seen the back of my head in front of a screen for the last year. It was a good summer. We didn't really go away anywhere, but bought a tandem and spent lots of time just cycling around and having quality time together. It was a wonderful few months.

As the new academic year 2010/2011 started in September/October; and Sunshine had to get back to his university lecturing job; I thought I'd take the time from then till the end of the year to re-do my portfolio and have a re-think about what actually I wanted to do with this illustration degree. I definitly wanted (and still do) want to become a freelance illustrator - but I needed to work out within what specialisms and whether I wanted to do stuff for myself (designer-maker) or commissions, or some combination of the two.

Then at the beginning of October we got the awful news about the death of our very good friend (and wedding photographer) Burning Dan. Within a day I also received some upsetting news about a family crisis too (which is still unresolved). I spend days crying as one thing would remind me of the other and it just spiralled. I tried to distract myself with illustrating - but was having real self-confidance issues and just couldn't bring myself to produce anything decent.

So there I am trying to keep it together, when we find out that I'm expecting! (bravo to you those that have read this far and managed to get the news!). We had been trying, but with all the rubbish news, it still took us a bit by surprise ... The hormonal imbalances meant that I lost all creativity and was just feeling tired all the time. Then at about 8 weeks the symptoms really hit and December was pretty much a washout with me having all-day sickness; Sunshine catching the flu; me catching it off him... etc etc. No cards or greetings for anyone.

We had the dating scan just before Christmas and got to see Little Wind for the first time. He/she seems to be doing well (despite momma being so ill). Started telling family over Christmas and friends just after that. Happy news all round.

Sunshine and I spend New Year's Eve at a dear friend's who looked after us very well and we vowed that 2011 was going to be a much better year than 2010. And with that thought we went to bed. On New Year's morning, just as we were getting up and having breakfast, I got a phone call from my Dad. "Happy New Year dad!".. "Mithi, are you alright?", "Yeeessss ....?", "You sure you're alright? I have some bad news ..." Oh dear! For a second there I thought it was to do with that unresolved family crisis from October ... but it turned out to be that one of my dear cousins, only 27, had died tragically in an accident the night before. I put the phone down and cried on Sunshine for a while. Is this how 2011 was going to start?

So, I have't been really 'here' physically or mentally. I've been meaning to blog since Christmas ... but its been one thing after another ... I haven't given up on PlanetMithi, but it will still be a bit quiet here for a while. I'm getting much better but the pregnancy symptoms seem to attack quite randomly at times so I'm not quite there yet. I'd love to start crafting for the baby and showing you all what I'm doing here - but I've been mostly just curled up in bed fighting fatigue and nausea and sadness. Writing this post has been my achievement for the day.

Thank you for reading this far - may you all have a Fabulous and crisis-free 2011!

Love
Mithi

Reposted from Planetmithi

The front garden ... part one

And I don't actually know if ever there will be a part two - but we had to start somewhere!

Before:

We live in a rental property so haven't really paid much attention to the front garden. Its also not a place to "hang out" in (that's what the back "yarden" is for!). In the last three years its slightly taken on a life of its own. So we thought its time we had a bit of a re-structuring. And for that, in comes, Miss Leela S, fellow dancer and friend, and horticulturist :) ... its amazing what you find out about your dance friends when you actually bother to ask what they do when they're not dancing ...

Anyways, yesterday Leela came round with her tools, and I joined in (mostly assisting rather than doing much ...). A whole day of cutting, chopping, digging, pulling and clearing.

During:

And ....... the-morning-After:

So this is it this morning - its bizzare - feels like we've gained an extra room! The big lump is a gorgeous purple clematis. We've also left some of the roses, and moved one bush. Have left a pink fushia although that might need moving. Apart from clearing out those bags full of shruberry and dealing with clearing the 'bathtub' (on the right), its like a blank slate ... part two will hopefully be the filling of that slate ... (when we get round to it!)

Juggling friends

Second weekend of the convention ... my favourite year yet :)

Happy birthday lovely laydeez...

Miss Delia's super yummy birthday cake.

Hanging out with my illustration coursemates and Sunshine's friends, I'm usually the one of the oldest, being in my mid-30s - not that anyone realises this. But in the span of last week and next week, 3 of my girl-friends have turned/ are turning 40, 40 and 48 - not that you'd notice they were older than me either. What do they have in common (and I think is their secret) ? Swing dancing! I've been dancing now for well over 12 years ... and I sure hope I can keep my youthfulness - like these ladies - in my 40s ...

Happy Birthday Miss K-Star; Miss Delia-Dee and Miss Suzanne-McG!