Fuel crisis and Petrol strikes!

Well this subject i pretty much think everybody in the UK is talking about and is effecting us all and that is the recent announcement of the "possible" fuel strikes by the tanker drivers that may or may not happen and if it does it might be after Easter!

For me there are far to many if's buts and maybe's but the way the general public have reacted is pretty silly! Even after being told that there might not even be anything to worry about people still block roads queuing for hours at garages to fill up there tanks at inflated prices just in case!!!

This has had a massive knock on effect, Taxi drivers not being able to fill up their tanks and work, people being late for work due to unnecessary amounts of people buying fuel, Roads being blocked as people queue out of the forecourts and onto the main roads and all because the tanker drivers "might" go on strike, and even if they do the government has still said that they will get the army involved to deliver much needed fuel supplies so again there is nothing to worry about.

Even if there is a strike in 7 days the fuel that people are panic buying now will run out by this time next week so this will happen all over again.

That's it rant over from me for this evening, but I'm angry because i was late for work because I had to stop for petrol because my fuel light had been on for a day at best! I drive over 250 miles a week for work and won't be panic buying! I will fill up as normal and wait for all the fuss to blow over, if we have fuel we have it, if we don't we don't it's out of my hands. Panicking is the last thing i will be doing.

That's my fuel light on and my tank empty and why i am filling up my car like i do every fortnight! Lets just hope this has all blown over in two weeks time when i have to fill up again!

Spring Heatwave

Well this isn't proving to be a one off day anomaly and we have now been blessed with several days of not only sunny weather but also hot weather too. and the best thing about it is that it is only march! So far i have already been in the sea and felt lovely and warm, have had a series of BBQ's outside drinking around a camp fire into the evening and enjoyed several beautiful sunsets in the evening. Fingers crossed this lovely weather continues throughout summer and we don't get a wet summer like the last two or three years.

 Everyone is so much happier when the sun is shining and the sky is blue. I only wish that i could have worked on my tan during this lovely weather however sitting in an office all day means that my lillie white legs are still a weak shade of Milk bottle white.

Here's to a fantastic summer with lots of opportunities for some fantastic photographs.

Happy Spring Equinox

Well it's official we are no longer in Winter WOO HOOO, Today is spring equinox and officially marks the nights getting lighter the days longer and the weather getting warmer. No more winter thoughts for another 6 months and officially my favorite time of the year. I can't wait for the summer BBQ's the surfing down on the beach after work, and enjoying the best time to be living in Cornwall.

Happy spring everyone.

Atlantic Fm

Yesterday we heard the sad news of Atlantic FM being sold to radio giant Heart radio, which in my honest opinion is a sad day for Cornwall.

When i first moved to Cornwall nearly six years ago Atlantic Fm was in it's infancy, I remember listening to broadcasts on repeat playlists played over and over saying that the new radio station was coming soon and since that day i have been a fan of the station. It's not like the other stations and has a much looser friendlier approach to radio and is a fun station to listen to. Being on the road so much with work i listen to the radio in my car a lot and getting fed up of other stations where they play the same songs over and over i always found myself tuned into Atlantic and generally feel quite sad with it's demise.

When i travel up and down the country and listen to a variety of stations i always feel a sense of homeliness when i cross that border and can pick up a nice local station, sadly now with the frequency turning to Heart it will be the same songs and same rubbish played out country wide, and as for the local news being brought to us from Exeter makes it even more upsetting for those that used to work and broadcast from St Agnes.

Hopefully a new station will be born in it's absence for local people by local people broadcasting from Cornwall soon.

Good bye Atlantic FM, from a very sad fan.

Cutest guinea pig pictures

With no plans for the weekend other than the usual household duties I went out and got my guinea pigs their daily dose of grass and whilst laughing at them stuffing their faces i wondered if they would let me get close enough to use my fish eye lens to create some interesting pictures of my piggies.

The results were that they couldn't care less about the camera pointing in their faces whilst stuffing themselves with as much grass as possible.

I can't stop smiling at how cute my two boys are, such cute little noses.

Happy Mothers Day

Happy mothers day to all the mummy's out there, and what a wonderful spring like day to celebrate, the suns shining and the sky is blue so i think a perfect day for a lovely walk on the beach.

Today is the day when my partners family pulls together to make a special Sunday lunch and i am on hand to create a desert, and with this sunshine i'm thinking a zesty lemon based desert.

Happy mothers day to my wonderful mum Mary, who i can not see today but i want to let her know i'm thinking of you and missing you loads. See you in a few weeks Mummy.

Love Mandi xxx

Fish Eye Photography

Today i've been out playing with a fish eye lens to create some interesting images of my cars.  My Beetle was fully restored and re built back in 2010 however with my recent broken jaw he has been a little unloved.

 

With the sun shining it gave me a chance to give him a lovely clean and spruce up ready for his MOT next week, Fingers crossed he flies through and i can start enjoying my Beetle in the Cornish sunshine. 

And with the warmer weather just around the corner it will soon be camping season again and time to get the old bus out and explore the wonderful Cornish coastline.

 

Newquay Surfing photography, Towan beach

Yesterday i spent several hours down on the beach at Towan in Newquay photographing some local lads out surfing as well as taking some general photos whilst out and about in the Newquay harbour area. It wasn't cold and did feel quit nice even on such a grey misty foggy day, and there were lots of people out enjoying newquay yesterday both in and out the water, although i wish i had waited for today as it's even warmer and even sunny today,  Lets hope the clean waves and lovely weather lasts.

        

To see all the photo's from yesterdays session please visit my Facebook or Magic seaweed profile to see them all.

I had to stop at Watergate on the way home for this photograph, considering the whole day had been grey and very foggy, it was a nice surprise seeing a glimpse of sun breaking through the clouds on the way home.

Giant Pandas at Edinburgh Zoo

I have just spent quit a while with the webcam running on the panda enclosure at Edinburgh zoo hoping to catch a glimpse of their new arrivals. I keep checking back to see if there is anything in the cage and nothing. 

I am going to Scotland for the first time in a few months and the highlight and main reason for the trip is to visit the zoo and see these two beautiful animals.

Then just as I'm about to leave the house and go for a walk on the beach a panda comes plodding in the cage and sits down and starts munching away on a pile of bamboo, I'm mesmerized by it's beauty, and find it incredible cute when it's legs lift up in the air and rolls back whilst eating. Incredible animals and now very excited for my trip up north.

 Edinburgh zoo panda cam

Just a few screen shots of the panda eating! so excited now.

American Breakfast - Pancakes and maple syrup

When my partner woke me up this morning saying that he wanted pancakes and maple syrup for breakfast i thought it very strange as normally a coffee and cigarette is all he ever has. I agreed that i would pop to the shop and get some pancakes, he told me he wanted home made ones with scrambled egg and bacon!

He's not after much first thing in the morning! After some searching for a true American style pancake recipe on the internet and a visit to the local shop later we made a joint effort to make a wonderful brunch.

I'm definitely not going to make a habit of this as i have now eaten so much i can't move, but very very tasty indeed and definitely a treat for special weekends only.

Britains top 10 beaches -Where is your favourite beach in the Uk, and why is it your favourite?

With trip advisor releasing their top 10 British Beaches this week it really got me thinking where is my all time favourite beach.

The Trip Advisor's top ten where as follows

1 – Bournemouth, Dorset 

2 – St Brelade, Jersey 

3 – Woolacombe, Devon 

4 – St Ives, Cornwall 

5 – Tenby, Pembrokeshire 

6 – Newquay, Cornwall 

7 – Bude, Cornwall 

8 – Weymouth, Dorset 

9 – Swanage, Dorset 

10 – Padstow, Cornwall 

It's really great seeing lots from Cornwall and Devon appearing in the top ten, however i feel beaches that would definitely feature in my top ten would be, Watergate Bay - because this is my local break and is where i spent a lot of time with friends and watching the sun go down and following it by a beer in the Pheonix. Perranporth, I surfed a lot here when i first moved to Cornwall and one of the most memorable sessions was when i got to surf with Dolphins. Daymer Bay holds a Christmas day family tradition with a walk on the beach to burn off all the mince pies so is another firm favourite. I really can't leave this one out of my favourite beaches and that is to agree with the trip advisor number 3 and that's Woolacombe Bay, as a beach i've grown up near with plenty of summer holiday visits when a child this beach will always feel special to me. 

Where is your favourite beach in the UK, and why is it your favourite?

St Pirans Day

Appy St Pirans day me booties. Well today is the day that Cornwall celebrates being Cornish, and a tradition that started with the miners celebrating their mining heritage. With lots of street processions scheduled in for today, i'm sure there will be many a Cornish folk in the morning with a hangover from too many Tributes or Rattlers!

time for me tea, shall i ave ee pasty Er no?

Coffee and Walnut cake

Well i haven't tasted it yet.... well maybe i have tasted the coffee butter icing and that is delicious, but here is my first attempt at baking a coffee and walnut sponge cake.

 Here's all my ingredients in preparation for today's baking

 Fingers crossed this is what the recipe says my cake should look like.

 Perhaps a little darker than the picture but i'm sure will taste good.

 It might be a bit wonky and not quite as perfect as the picture in the recipe book but I'm pleased with my first ever coffee and walnut cake. Now time for a cup of tea and the Sunday evening taste test.

Coffee and walnut cake complete. I wonder what to make next week :@)