This is the 'sexy' outfit I have to wear when filming in the PM (Post Mortem) room at work. On occasion I do digital filming of either surgical procedures or, in this case, the dissection of a pony. It is freezing working in there when it's winter, hence the scarf around my neck. Though, it's preferable to have the huge doors open letting cold air in, as it also lets the post-mortem room odours out (a little bit at least!)

Sometimes I just don't know where the days slip away to! Monday last week I tried swing dancing at the 100 Club which was a load of laughs and fun. I'd like to go every week so I can learn to dance it properly, but at the moment time is at a premium, and I can't really handle being out 4 nights every single week. Lightweight, I know! Speaking of lights, this is the firbe optic light Mum got me for Christmas which I just love! Very retro-chic :)

Nieces and Nephews...here is my little darling Lauren, almost 2 years old (next week!) dressed up like a queen! Oh those blonde curls...I wish I could cuddle her!

Happy 4th birthday to Arthur, seen here in the middle of a 'tickle monster' tackle wih Stu on Sunday morning.

Tried a bit of black and white photography with the boys. Arthur looks like the chirpy cheeky chappy that he is! I chatted to him while he had a bath on Saturday night, and he pretended to water a sunflower plant, that we then watched grow all the way up to the sun!

Thomas in a thoughtful pose...

Just spent 2 days in bed sleeping with a nasty headache dizzy virus thing that crept up behind me and knocked me sideways. Feeling a bit brighter today, but the thought of my warm doona is still incredibly tempting!

Scusi, questa è la via giusta per San Marco? Sorry, just practicing my Italian for when we spend four nights in VENICE AT EASTER! I am unbelievably, ridiculously, ludicrously excited, I’ve wanted to go to Venice for as long as I can remember. I’ve bought a guide book and am already making plans. We’re staying out of the main tourist area in a small family run hotel, close enough to the big sites, but far enough away to avoid the crowds. I can’t wait! Ciao!

I went swimming last week in the campus pool when it was 5 degrees outside. There is a mad dash over 15 metres through the open air between the changing rooms and pool door, key in hand, breath misting, legs goose-bumping all the way down, towel wrapped tightly in a futile attempt to keep the cold at bay. This time, some bright spark had decided to tie their two dogs up to the railing by the pool door, and the large one decided he was going to bark and block my way. After a few seconds of mad hop skip hop on the freezing ground I’d had enough and said a loud and deep ‘NO’, before sticking my hand to his nose as a peace offering. I was granted permission to pass and hastily fumbled with the cold padlock and let myself in. Mist swirled above the water as I dipped my toes in, then down to my knees, then waist, shoulders and finally all the way splish splash! It wasn’t bathtub warm but after a few laps it was heaven in a fog. I half expected a ghost ship to emerge from the swirling mists at the deep end, or perhaps the return of the swamp thing! Or maybe that was just my reflection??

She shoots...she scores !!

I got my first assignment of the year back...an' I got me an 'A'! Stats report on the 'Generation Effect' on memory of word lists. I hated every second of writing it, yawn-worthy topic that didn't engage me whatsoever, I thought I'd done enough to pass and that's it, and figured because we'd gone up a year the marking would become harder. So when I eventually got around to collecting it (I was away when they were returned) I was expecting something in the pass range. It was only just an A, but I'm still claiming it as an A! Just when I start to wonder if I can fit everything in and still do well, I get a little goodie basket from the universe saying yeah you can :)

I saw a Wildlife Animal park van being driven into the college on Friday, and wondered about what was inside. I later found out that several cheetah cubs had been brought in with leg problems that needed attention. One of the guys from the office was allowed to photograph them in conjunction with the TV series, apparently they will feature in a few weeks' time. Cute huh??

Cheetah checkup!

My weekend thus far, after a pot of coffee and a looming assignment deadline...

Random blah blah blah
Currently reading: Love's Executioner and other tales of Psychotherapy - absolutely fascinating - almost missed my train stop I was so engrossed in it - and a load of journal articles and textbooks;
Currently Listening to: Madeleine Peyroux - STUNNING, and Gwen Stefani's Love Angel Music Baby - Whatchya waiting for??? Very danceable and catchy, B-A-N-A-N-A-S!
Currently eating: Dorset muesli for breakfast, dinner leftovers for lunch, Stu's scrumptious food for dinner (tonight, salmon with cous cous, tomorrow, veg with ham boiled in coke (yes coca cola), smeared with mustard and honey and then oven baked for that BBQ-delicious flavour! Monday's through Friday at the moment I 'detox' - no booze, men or fast cars. The weekends, however, were made for living! Well, for doing university assignments and course-work at least. Party on!

Edinburgh pics now up on my website - click here, and unfortunately I appear to have lost the CD with all my Perth photos on it so have to postpone shots from there :( I have one more place to check then I'm putting Plan B into action. Once I work out what it is.

I don't think I've mentioned in a while how much I hate statistics. I'm currently writing up a report on gender, sex roles (as in masculinity and femininity), empathy and systemizing. Basically the data is supporting previous research in that females empathize more then males, and males systemize more than females. Females aren't necessarily feminine, and males aren't necessarily feminine. There's a theory that 'male brains' are affected by exposure to testosterone in the womb, and that women can have 'male' brains, i.e. brains that systemize more than empathise. There's also new research into autism looking at the genetic influence of parents and grandparents. It's controversial, but fascinating. There is never a sole reason for the way someone is born and develops, but there can be contributing factors.

This is the website we've been working on like crazy at work to accompany the new BBC1 TV series filmed at the college! It's called Super Vets, and last week they showed the UK's first successful open heart surgery on a Maine Coon cat, a giraffe getting a pedicure with a chain saw and a race horse. Next week, we look at the Maine Coon again (did he make it??), a reindeer and a dog with a flesh eating bug! Check the site out now!!

New Years Eve 2005/6 from Princes Street, fireworks over Edinburgh Castle.

I'm like to tell you I'm stone cold sober in this photo with Lyn (who very kindly let us stay with her) on New Year's Eve in Edinburgh, but I'm smoking a cigar (in my new velvet jacket) in a bar at about 3am after watching the fireworks and let's just say I wasn't feeling the cold! (Remind me to never show my giant hands in photos ever again or stand next to beautiful people!!)

I was there! And boy was it fabulous. There was laughter, whisky, fun, food, kilts, dancing, cigars, kisses, and a drunken dance to Auld Lang Syne under the fireworks at midnight. Awesome New Years. Which I remembered with my hangover well into New Year's Day!

P.S. Scottish men really don't wear anything under their kilts - I checked! (and it was not pretty!)

Getting ready to go out on New Year's Eve...

Hello family! Sheesh, can't believe I haven't yet put up my Perth holiday pics and commentary from last Nov/Dec as yet...it's coming, promise! My favourite thing about this photo is that I'm short!