Vacation time

It's that time of the year all ready I guess and I'm thinking back to Summer 2004 which in a way is a along time ago but is still quite vivid with me so this is what it was back then:

 
There's just something about Summer vacationing for me and after last years OCR course I'm thinking about changing work as one thing I found was I didn't feel I was part of the organization, indeed looking back on what I said to one the external course people back then  it's as if I'm very isolated and feel vulnerable.

 
One thing I want to find is where I went, cos it seems to me that I've lost something of who I am and what matters the most to me in the last ten years since I've been working for my current organization.

 
As I've always like the seaside I might just find some clues as it was always a happy place for in the past, you know, my childhood. Can it be that long ago since I saw it? 

 
It sounds silly but I have this pent up feeling inside of me that wants to play with the sand, I don't know why but I just do.

 
One girl I saw seemed so carefree the last time I was on vacation running about with her t shirt and skirt or was it one of these new Skort thingies that look like this.

They're by Gilberts I believe and girls in school I gather wear these rather than the traditional pleated Netball skirts and they have a built in undershort. It's all different from our day but time doesn't stay still does it?

On being away

Today I'm not actually at home so I have written this entry up in advance as I have been busy from the middle of last week getting ready to go away for what is in effect my summer holiday, one that features my friends too.
I know that compared to a good number of others my many disabilities aside, I am actually privileged to be able to my life more as it best suits me and to have been able working with people to arrive at something that works respecting my very child-like nature, interests and vulnerabilities.
I am treated and looked after as the little girl within I am, helped to do as much as I can for myself and to contribute as her within my abilities in my relationship with others.
For me this period away might as well of been the vacation I always wanted as that child and why it is I love and only wish more were able to enjoy one like it.
Until next week, hugs Jo. x

Day out to the Seaside

I went out on Saturday with Grumpy to the seaside departing from our Estate on one of two coaches organized by locals where we travelled though our town to join the motorway network passing near Stanlow before joining the main A55 in North Wales, a semi-independent Country within the UK parking up at the coach park.
I left grumpy to his own devices after getting off going some people I knew helping me cross the road to get into  the middle of town as there wasn't  a crossing and I'm poor with road sense.

 You may not of noticed it but in the gardens, there is this amazing clock set in the ground that looks rather striking from this angle. In the background on the far left is the Cenotaph and along the front there was a flower display marking  the start of World War One.
I agreed to met grumpy at 12:15 to make our way to a restaurant for lunch as being a Saturday it sure gets busy so you'd better get your skates on.
We went to Tribelles which had been recently taken over and revamped where the service was excellent from being met to getting your food in good time.
I had a 9oz Cod with chips (anglicized fat fries) and peas to whom the batter completely covered the fish itself so you had a whole lotta fish which is just purrfect for a Catgirl like me and tea which was very well cooked with the fish being moist but not mushy.

 There were a number of events taking place out of doors, one being a display and collection for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute, a charitable organization that rescues folk at risk on the water and that was one of their lifeboats.
Also the Lions had a vintage motorcycle exhibit with many plushies and flags on the bikes one even had Crazy Frog with his googles!
I spent part of the afternoon watching the Punch and Judy show with the children, shouting and screaming along jumping up and down for good measure cos I love letting my more little side out while not reading my Beano Summer Special comic with my childhood heroes up to their usual tricks and playing on the beach.

Llandududno is one of a number of seaside resorts that has managed to retain its long jetties into the sea -a pier- and along of which are many shops and amusements one of which this not that you'll me in or consuming their products.

Jetties have their uses apart from launching boats on, fishing being one and here's a family group doing just that.

The coastline with the Haufre Gardens toward the top left with assorted Alice in Wonderland related things to be found.
Making our way back to the coach, I had a Mint Chocolate chip icecream locally made as in many parts of the UK there is an aggressive Seagull problem meaning sitting out on the seafront  with food you'll be attacked and possibly injured by said birds.

The Queen of all resorts

As explained on last weeks entry that was published here's this weeks entry. 
I was going out for the day with over 100 people from our part of deepest Cheshire on two touring bus coaches. Fortunately for me Mommy came too which was nice as we both rather like this particular seaside resort which we got to using the M6 motorway very near us, changing at Lymm for the M56 Cheshire/Merseyside section passing Runcorn where we finally joined the double lane  each direction A55 through North Wales.

Having arrived in Llandudno coach park, we walked into town for a drink before meeting with friends for midday meal. I had plaice, garden peas and chips which is my want being a catgirl and they were really tasty, I can assure you. Neigh purrfect.  Llandudno is very flat, something that those of us with physical disabilities do appreciate as it's much less tiring as was being easier if you use walking aids or a wheelchair.
Mommy and I went around clothes shops, in drug stores looking at cosmetics and a gift shop where I got a Bunny in a lovely pink frilly dress.Eat ya heart out, Fudge!

It's an unfortunate fact of life that people get lost,  injured  or even die of our coastlines so we have a non for profit organization - the Royal National Lifeboat Institution - who operate craft such as this to help rescue people.

Being on the coast many trips are run during the Holiday Season one of which takes you all around the Coast at Llandudno which having been on it, gives you a very different feel than you would on land.

Many of the towns buildings date to the Victorian era where this seaside resort came very much into it's own aided by good rail links from the Midlands where we are as well as North west England. This picture shows you the beach which is sandy with children playing on it and yes I played on it too!

 

This boat jetty is frequently used by people who wish to walk on out into the sea. In the background toward the right you'll see the "Little Orme" and the small town of Craig-y-Don well illuminated on this bright late August afternoon.

"Judy!' screamed all the children and me as Mr Punch pictured on the left of the puppet show goes to attack her baby as she lives it to get Mr Punch's dinner that comprised of Sausages. Mr Punch gets his just deserts later on in the performance for assaulting Judy and PC Plod. It's enough to say he won't repeat the offence again.
We all loved the performance of this traditional and decisively non politically correct seaside children's entertainment.

Did you know you can go down a Rabbit Hole here? This town is very proud of it's links to Lewis Carroll of Alice in Wonderland fame.

Here's an overview of the famed pier with childrens rides and amusements featuring a Hello Kitty car but unfortunately I couldn't fit into it as it was too small.
We returned in the early evening climbing up the Halkyn Mountains, passing Preston Brook before coming off the motorway to our lovely town of Sandbach.

Joanne takes a break

Well I did promise you a new entry a few days ago and being the kinda of "that girls so contentious" person I am, here it is.
Yesterday I went to the seaside on a coach not being a car driver.
Most of the people on the coach were groan ups who looked very groan up but me being a little said "Naw, I'm a little"  so went in my red school sweatshirt, grey shorts, the most cutest cat socks you could imagine with a pretty pink bow and regular unisex brogue style children's shoes. In addition I had my Hello Kitty childrens' flight and tote bag!!!
We set off travelling south through Jennifer's beloved Staffordshire Black Country (Btw it's more green than you'd think) that,being subject to long delays around Walsall and Bescot we had good views of. There were further delays on the M5 just south of Birmingham as far as Worcester North but the run through Bristol passing the bridge with good views across to South Wales was much easier.
When we arrived in Weston Super Mare, although I had been snacking on Barley sugars and chocolate finger biscuits - too bad they didn't have any animal shaped ones in - I was hungry so I called in at the Dragon Inn, a Weatherspoons public house that does food.
The food was nice , I had a Steak and Kidney pie and the manager was really funny!

Having eaten I felt like going on a bit of a walk around as I've never been here before and I'd have to say everywhere was super clean with litter pickers active during the day.

Some people don't realize the danger encouraging Seagulls with food can cause especially if you're a child having a picnic with your family.

The beach was cleaner than a good number in North Wales I could think of with finely grained sand.
There is one automatic response when I see a beach and it involves a bucket and spade so guesses for what happened next! Also the next response is something like getting a Pirates flag and waving it around while jumping up and down. Nobody I was with said anything!

Seaside towns often have amusement arcades, something the bigger side of me isn't too keen on but who couldn't resist the chance to win your very own Hello Kitty plushie? Well I sure couldn't.

The Pier was burnt down a few years ago but a great job was done of rebuilding it with associated facilities for that whole strolling along the pier experience. For an out of season weekday, it sure was busy.

Finally I had to be super careful not to get in the way of this the Great Western Land Train  that runs to the Harbour and back along the sidewalk. I think the Great Western was train company that operated in the South West of England before nationalization (and privatization in the 1990's).
The return back was much smoother stooping at Frankley services south Birmingham to freshen up

Away edition

Making hay when the sun shines isn't literally where I am right now as it's not that season although there's a working farm near us actually but is rather more a part of a way of life with my difficulties I subscribe to.
To me as difficult as things are, what matters is the experiences you have, the memories you make using the times you are better because they sustain you through the patches that are not so good.
You also learn to master your abilities and develop new skills which is why time away is so important for me beyond just company and no doubt I'll be having fun, doing different stuff today.

Vacation!

Having returned from my vacation, I thought I'd share some pictures of Conway harbour, North Wales, with you all taken on Olympus OM10 film SLR.

The weather forecast was grim - strong winds and heavy showers - but actually it was really sunny and only on the Wednesday was there a one hour shower mid afternoon.It was as well I had my waterproof jacket with me I guess.
This first picture was taken using the Zuiko 50mm lens with polarizer. 

Conway Harbour Aquarium. Taken with Zuiko 35mm lens

Taken with Tamron 90mm

You can take a cruise along the River Conway. Taken with Zuiko 135mm lens

Here are a few more pictures I took of Llandudno where I stayed

Some more vacation pictures - Llandudno sea front showing the War Memorial - done using a cheap digital camera.

Llandudno beach looking toward the Pier and Grand Hotel.
Whenever I go away I always  pack my swimsuit as I love either sitting around or playing on the beach making sand castles and the like armed with a bucket and spade. Being the child I am my school girl attire is always packed when I go away as well as such essentials as camera, sun cream and nivea cream in case I get burnt or cut myself.

I went on the Great Orme so here are a few pictures I took on film

 A restful scene with the hardy Sheep grazing

The original of this was over exposed but I corrected the exposure in Roxio Photosuite

Pictures taken with Olympus Zuiko 35, 50 and 135mm lenses on Olympus OM10 camera using Fuji Superia 200 colour print film.

More annuals

I've always loved having annuals for Christmas and Birthdays and was fortunate to have girls annuals rather than yukky boys ones

I also like horses so horse plus girlie fashion couldn't be better.

This was from 1973 which I remember well as being the year of Skylab, Britains joining the  Common Market and Princess Annes Wedding to captain Mark Phillips.

Choo choo's Pt.2

Another place we visited a few times in the 1970's was the Vale of the Rheidol which is a steam train line running from the Welsh university town of Aberystwyth to the Devils Bridge some 12 miles downline.
I'm sure the engine we went on was called Owen Glendwr who I think was something of a hero to the Welsh fighting English occupation of their Country.

 The countryside in that part of Wales is very mountainous and really beautiful.

Late vacation

For this week I've been away on vacation so here's a few images of Llandudno where I stayed.

Playing at making sandcastles using your bucket is so me.
While I was away, Mommy took me on the train to the top of the Great Orme.

This is Victoria Station where we joined the line waiting to get our tickets and get on board.

Here the train goes travelling for a part of the way  along track that has been embedded into the road surface. The tramcars are old with wooden panels and seats.

I visited a record store and bought myself some new lps and a few used cds for my collection.

I also got the classic Anime, Akira! cheaply on DVD having fond memories of seeing that on TV in the early 90's.It's a tour-de-force of action never letting up.

Seaside arts and crafts

One of my favourite activities as a child was collecting Seashells, you could either find them yourself  or buy ready made collections of which I had a number at the time.
They also when you hold them to your ear have the most calming sound.

Zanadu

One of favourite movies of all time is a modern day musical from 1980 called Zanadu that featured Olivia Newton-John with music by her, the Electric Light Orchestra and the Tubes.
It has a  good recreation of a 40's big band which something I grew up listening to on record.
Although panned by critics I loved it for the skating songs and feel good factor as it lodged in my head as part of the soundtrack of summer vacation in 1980 so here's an image from it:

Souvenir

I went away this week and by way of souvenir, here is a picture of where I stayed.

 As you can tell it was very sunny indeed with all the flower in full bloom in the guesthouse gardens which is something I enjoyed waking up and rushing downstairs to sit out in in the morning. I'd always pack some short sleeved  t shirts and pull on skirts to put over my swimsuit as well as hardier clothing for walking and something more formal foe evening dinner with fellow guests.

Holiday Report

I visited the Snowdonia national park, in Wales recently as I had been experiencing a lot of stress and it was having a serious effect on my mental wellbeing.
I was greeted by exceptional hot, sunny weather affording superb views of Mount Snowdon and the isolated moorlands surrounding it.
The lambs were all out in the fields young and old some having a chew of the grass, others sheltering in the shade of nearby hedges, walls and trees.
A few had the bright idea of exploring the human domain of the narrow roads and we needed to slow down to allow them to cross back into the fields.
I liked the solitude up there but I’m not sure the idea of being literally miles way from the nearest market town would really do for me which I guess is a reflection of my urban upbringing.
Betws–y-coed is a place I like to stop off at as here are good range of shops and spectacular waterfalls. There are a lot woodlands in the area and I took a lot photos – on my ageing Olympus OM10 of the trees, sometimes lying underneath the branches to get the viewpoint I wished to capture.
Llandudno: It remains a largely unspoilt Victorian seaside resort with excellent shopping facilities. The Theatre is really good and many amateur choral performances are hold during the summer season in local churches. On Tuesday there was a Brass Band concert taking place, appropriately enough, on the Bandstand along the promenade. The players were really good – I’m no great fan of Brass Bands but the musicianship couldn’t be faulted.
Bangor: I visit here a lot, being a University town with bookshops, a record store and some good Pubs that serve meals.
Things that didn’t go as they should: I days filming got wasted as a Fuji film become tight and tore whilst rewinding it out of the camera – we came close a to a two inch dent being added to the guest house waste paper bin!!!