Where we live!!

I just thought I should give you all a little more info on where we live and how lovely it is. Here are a few pictures of the beautiful Church where we got married. It's also where we ring the bells in this fabulous tower, and where we sing in the choir.

It's famous for it's vast and amazing 15th century East window which has a picture of a large red sqirrel in it's upper left hand side, which was the symbol of the Lovell family. Hans Holbein painted a portrait thought to be Anne Lovell called 'Lady with a squirrel and a starling' (a pun on East Harling). A lot of these photo's came from the excellent Norfolk Churches website

MMMMmmmmm Boats

What do you know? There was an International boat show on at the same time. Someone was very impressed.


Here are some shots at Park Guell. But the light was fading and there were too many people. Did Gaudi ever realise how MANY people would flock to see his work?

Monkee came along for the ride too. Here he is outside La Pedrera where I gave my presentation.
He met some nice aussie mates on the way over to Spain. There are more pictures of him with them on his blog

La Sagrada Familia

Enough to make you weep.
And we did as we suddenly came upon the famous sculpture that is all about The Sacred Family. With every detail different.
And silently singing.
Baskets of fruit lifted up for the Angels.
A forest of praise.





Eveyone who goes there must have a shot of the spiral staircase, as it winds away into infinity. Makes your feet tingle as you try not to be drawn to the hole. You start wondering would your whole body fall through or maybe just your legs?
Dylan Brady the famous Australian architect, told us that the work at La Sagrada, is being done by a man from Geelong!!!! Bloody hell Stone the Crows, they're everywhere the Aussies.

And more snaps

These are just to prove I was there

Stuff for Amy

Hello Chickadee here are some photo's for you to see of our travels xxx. Fancy a spotty frock then?

All over now

Well I'm back at home in little old Norfolk and Spain seems a long way away.
I did in fact meet the Queen!!! She was amazing. I thought she must have been around 50 but on the internet I discovered she's 67. Here's my pic of her portrait in the area where we had cocktails after the opening of the European Microfinance Networks "Microfinance for financial and social inclusion". The other photo is her at the table opening the proceedings.
It was an incredible event all round. Reminding me that the world is indeed very small. It made me wish I'd studied more French at High school, or Italian or Spanish or German or something. Most people spoke at least 2 languages. Some as many as 5.
The chandeliers in the palace were a knockout.























Here are my new best friends from Morocco, Khadoughz & Amina. A woman from Norway in National costume too.













The Sagrada Familia. Seen so many times and still nothing like what it is in the flesh.
Too tired to do more now will come back tomorrow night.

Viva Espana

Not too bad a week at work, on account of my buddies, Kim & Anne, who kept me laughing.
Only a few days until I fly off to Spain to attend a conference on microcredit!!!! Scintilating I know.
I received an email from them asking for my passport details or ID for security purposes because Her Majesty the Queen was going to be attending the opening cocktail party at the Palace. Oh my God, what to wear?
But it's not actually this Queen, it's this Queen, Queen Sofia of Spain.
I have Exotic Cushions on ebay at the moment, let's see if they sell. To have a look go to ebay and put "velvet cushion" into the search. They look like this

Last Holi-day

Last day of my holiday away from nasty work.
Got up really early worrying about a presentation I have to give in Barcelona in 2 weeks time. For the EMN .
"What are the main barriers facing women who may want to borrow money".
I dreamt the answer was Childcare, even though I haven't got children I know that if I did, my Cushions would rarely get made.


Speaking of cushions, I've been accepted into the Blackthorpe barn Christmas craft fair in December here's
a pic of the barn.

The organiser said he remembered my cushions from last time. This time could I bring some really EXOTIC ones????
So I've been working on my REALLY EXOTIC range.
Work in progress. Is this Exotic enough?

A couple of nights ago, we went to a 'Meet eat & sing' evening at Eye Church in Suffolk. Presented by David Dunnet, the Organist at Norwich Cathedral.

"The great flint-encrusted tower of St Peter and St Paul rises above a stunningly crafted interior. Here inside, we will find the nearest thing Suffolk has to a fulfilment of the ecclesiological aspirations of our great-grandparents' generation." from their website

There's an amazing Rood screen in the Church. Which is painted with gorgeous colours & gold leaf. You can't see it that well here but the serpents under the figures feet are like amazing opalescent mermaids.

After the singing was over our friend Jeremy took us into the back of the Church to have a look at the robes worn by the minister. WOWEE KAZOWEE, have you ever seen a gold fiddle backed Chasuble?
Here's one worn by Pope John Paul II in prayer before mass. The one at Eye however is completely Gold all over. Must have cost a small fortune.

Similar to this one from an incredible blog devoted to the Fiddle back Chasuble. What an amazing world we live in.