Photo Friday: Unforgettable

I couldn't choose between these two pics, they are both unforgettable for very different reasons.

This is taken from the top of Kinder Downfall looking across to Kinder Reservoir. It's on the highest point of the Peak District (Kinder Scout). It's the highest climb we've completed in the UK so far and whilst I knew I had a shoulder injury, I didn't know I'd clambered over rocks to get here with a torn shoulder ligament. The view was worth the pain!


This picture doesn't look remarkable, it's not even a great picture but I get goosebumps every time I look at it. It was taken at the site of the WTC in February 2010. I think the building that you can see will be the museum on the site. It was a very eerie place, made more so by the many people going about their daily lives hardly giving a thought to where they are.

Home from the hospital

after my shoulder arthroscopy and posterior stabilisation - the torn rotator cuff ligament has been reattached to the bone at the back of my shoulder joint and now I have to rest and let my body mend. At least I now know that I had genuine reason for my pain over the last 12 years and hopefully this repair & a program of physio will mean I will have good motion & strength in my shoulder again.

There will be some pics to follow in the next few days...

Request for help for a charity that I support

Please vote for the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation to win $20,000 from Jimmie Johnson’s Samsung Helmet of Hope campaign. It matters to me. Please help end the #1 genetic KILLER of young children! This is a great cause. Gwendolyn's family are the most amazing people, not only have they given their daughter the best care they have devoted themselves to raising awareness of SMA and finding a cure. SMA is a devastating, terminal disease with no cure and no treatment. SMA causes the nervous system to slowly degenerate leading to loss of mobility, muscle control and eventually inability to swallow or breathe.

Vote for SMA

Revamped my blog for fall

hope you like the new colour scheme - as summer seems to be over here I thought I'd go for something more subdued and I love fall colours.

Photo Friday: Round

Walking down the spiral staircase in Leith Hill Tower 04.09.2010

Folly of the Week

This morning the sun was shining so on impulse we decided to conquer two more County Tops - Surrey (Leith Hill) & West Sussex (Black Down). We headed to Leith Hill (not far from Dorking) first as it has the most stunning folly built on the top. Leith Hill is the highest point in South East England and on a good day you can see St. Paul's Cathedral in London and The English Channel through the Shoreham Gap.

Our first glimpse of the Tower after a steep climb up the hillside from Windy Gap.

Leith Hill Tower in all it's glory. The gothic tower was built by Richard Hull in 1765 because he wanted to make Leith Hill over 1000ft tall. The hill is 965ft and the tower is 64ft high. On his death in 1772 he was interred under the tower, it is rumoured he was buried vertically, head down. The tower fell into disuse and was filled with concrete and rubble.

In 1864 a Mr Evelyn sought to reopen the tower but the concrete made it difficult, so the turreted side tower was added to give access to the top.

The Tower was fully restored by the National Trust in 1984.


As dogs aren't allowed in the Tower we took turns to keep Charlie company. Alan went first and took this picture of me from the top.


Two panoramas from the rooftop.




Looking North towards Box Hill (the hill with three stripes of chalk just left of centre) where the Bennet's had a picnic in Pride & Prejudice. Behind Box Hill and further in the distance the ghostly outline of Canary Wharf in London can be seen.


My turn! And a picture of Alan relaxing with Charlie.


About two-thirds of the way across (left to right) on the horizon is Black Down, where we were heading next.


Walking down the perilously steep spiral staircase. It's only lit by the camera flash in this picture and a couple of small and ineffective windows.


The gothic style window in one of the two rooms at the top of the tower used as exhibit rooms


The steep steps back to the car and on to our next destination


View from the top of Black Down


Some boys never grow up and will always climb trees!


Charlie took a dip and a drink in the only water he could find on the top of Black Down, I wonder if that's how it got it's name??? We were on our way back to the car and had water for him there but he saw the mud and slipped in.


Walking back down the hill, we found a less steep route back than the one we'd taken to the top


As we walked on, through a gap in the trees we caught a glimpse of the car. Serendipity, we managed to end up coming out of the hill at almost the same spot we had set off! It seems sometimes we do much better without a map!


On the road to Haslemere we found grass growing in the middle of the road.

Wolf! Wolf!

On Bank Holiday Monday we went to the Open Day at the UK Wolf Conservancy Trust. I didn't realise this place was so local until I saw the advert for the open day.

There are no wild wolves in the UK, the last one was killed in the 1700s in Scotland. There have been none in England since the 1400s though there have been campaigns to reintroduce them to the wild in more remote areas. The Trust serves to educate people about wolves and wolf behaviour and to support projects around the world that protect wolves.



One of the European Grey Wolves - they have two at the Trust - Lunca & Latea

This is Duma, their only remaining North American Wolf, her sister Dakota died this year so she is feeling a little lonely, however it's not possible to introduce another adult wolf to her enclosure. To make up for her lack of company she was moved to the enclosure next to Lunca & Latea so she can interact with them and she has been getting more attention from the staff and handlers including more enrichment walks.

There were some other animals brought in for the open day including this handsome Bearded Dragon. There were some snakes (a rat snake, a corn snake and a python), some tree frogs, toads, a tarantula and other creepy crawlies. These are all part of an educational experience that tours schools and other places.

A well hidden stick insect

One of the Canadian wolves, either Mosi or Mai. Both are girls, their alpha male Torak was hiding most of the afternoon.

Everybody had a go at archery (except me because of my shoulder)

There were also some raptors on show including this handsome Red Kite. As red kites fly over here quite often, there is a local pair that I see most weeks, I was thrilled to be able to get this close to one of these magnificent birds. From near extinction they are now doing really well with 600 breeding pairs in the Thames Valley, 1600 in the country.

The end to a fabulous weekend!

Tom, Enrolment Day and something he said...

Took Tom to enrol at Queen Mary's College today and he's now all set to start his 5 A/S Level courses on 9th September - Maths (Decision Making), Electronics, Physics, Computing & Economics.

We toured the library, the IT department, spoke to the Skills Centre about his needs. The college is going to do a fresh assessment of Tom that will apparently still be valid when he goes to University and will make sure he gets any help he needs with exams (extra time, a quiet room, a laptop or a scribe etc)

As we left the IT department which I thought was our last stop of the day, Tom decided he had to make sure everything was done so we headed back the way we came in to find someone for him to check with. We get back to the main reception that was set up for enrolment and he walks up to this lady and says:

"You look like someone important..."

Cue mum: snorts of laughter

Lady: "Well not really but I will try to help"

A classic moment in parenting an Asperger's teen. And I've learnt a new technique to get someone to pay attention and help you!