Wednesday, September 17, 2008

31.8.08 at DK's House. Cowboy Day! Many photos

I have to tell you this, it will make K laugh. I decided to play some music while writing my blog and had a search through my CD collection. I picked Friday's Child by Will Young, Nothing But Number Ones of the 60s (my teenage years), Evita, which I love to sing along to. Then, there he was. Does anyone other than me ever admit to being a fan of Barry Manilow? LOL. If you ever mention him, people fall about laughing, but his concerts are always a total sell out! Well, one of his songs was a real 'our song' for K's Dad and me, 'Even Now'. Even now it makes me quite emotional so I just had to play it. So there you are. The confession.

Terry Wogan, the great Irish DJ, used to call him Mary Bandylegs on his unsurpassed early morning radio show in the 70s and 80s! Does anyone else remember? Enough of that stuff...

Well, I'm surprised I didn't have many photos of the Thai day, but I do have tons of the following day. As mentioned, we were celebrating Luisa's forthcoming birthday and my 60th on 6th September as I wouldn't be seeing K that day, being at Russ's wedding.

We had a fun day all round. Lu was given all sorts of presents and I was too. I took this photo of my line up of presents. The flowers were a huge surprise from my brother Graeme. I think he's feeling guilty! He sent 2 bunches, one for me and one for K. They were gorgeous.





































It was all a bit hectic during the day, so I decided to go for a little walk with my camera, of course! Here are some of my discoveries.

These pretty yellow antirrhinum type wild flowers caught my eye. They were beside a factory fence.

The factory in question, Robinsons, had a great fence which incorporated these wonderful black and white scenes. These are factories and back to back housing I think.













This one seems to celebrate the railway reaching from Chesterfield to London in 1939.










The final one I took is Florence Nightingale:

What a great surprise to find this artwork just down the road from K's house.








This is the local Community Centre building. I thought it looked rather like a large Nissan Hut!

K and Rach had told me about a short cut through a little wood, which I found. This photo is a bit of an illusion. Although it could have been lovely, the whole place was full of litter. I can't believe that nobody clears it up. I think I'd have a go at the council about it. Maybe if they put re-cycling bins about, people might use it? I hate litter with a passion. There was a pile of colourful bricks, Duplo, the larger version of Lego for younger children. I would have picked them up and taken them to a charity shop had I been local! What a waste and they're very expensive too.


























The walk, above and the litter! Many many cans of Fosters.














This lovely cat was so scared. I just managed to photograph it through a big wire fence before it ran off. I think it was probably wild.



Kirsty, queen of cake making surpassed herself with Lu's cake. Lu is a big meat eater and loves hamburgers, so:

Here is her brilliant cake.












She just had to take a bite!







What a great photo!

Now back to the Main Event! Luisa didn't know about this, but a strange and rather frightening bull appeared on the back lawn!

It was placed in its own arena and securely fixed. We had our own rodeo! How brilliant. I forgot to mention the weather though. As I came back from my walk it just started spitting with rain. It wasn't too long before the heavens opened and it rained for the rest of the afternoon! Almost all of us had a go, then we retired for a while for food, which was quite wonderful.









I think Jamie was a bit hungry!








Now, a selection of riders and cowboys and girls:




I told her to look 'tough'. Not sure it quite worked!






Aimee just looked so cool. She made a brilliant cowboy. We both had 'spud' guns, which was great fun and we had a few fights!

























Some of us had trouble mounting the poor bull! This is Luisa!

















But how great she looked when she'd finally got on board!

























Lina did well at first, until:



















Off she goes!




















Now, believe it or not, K had been really poorly all night and all day with the galloping trots. Not on the bull, but on the loo!! It turned out later that she had salmonella food poisoning! She wasn't going to risk the bull, but eventually felt 'safe' enough to have a go. She makes a great cowboy!















Don't stand too close to that bottom!!!






















Help!!! Away she goes...























Ride 'em Rachel

























Ride 'em Kirsty. I can see your bum!!












As you can see, the ride owner liked Kirsty!!
























Rachel's spectacular dismount!








As the day wore on, we all headed inside, a bit reluctant to go out again as it was teeming with rain. The owner said did we want any more goes before he packed away. We all thought 'why not' and then the fun really began. The rain increased our enjoyment if anything! The bull pit had become more like a swimming pool!




A very soggy K and Kirsty!
















Full of life, as always, Kirsty





















Don't cry Luisa!!












Kirsty clings on for dear life!



















She managed to get upright again!





















This is how she looked at the beginning!
















The competition to stay on longest was between Tony, here and his girlfriend Leona. Leona won!!















Leona, tired, wet but victorious!!








We had to have the 'official' photos of the family!

4 generations. Me, in red hat, (Gran and Great Gran), Kay, next to me (daughter), Lina, Kirsty and Tony in front of Kay, Katie in front of me with Corey, her son.







Other Moments:



2 crazy indians, Sue and Shulie






















Shulie rode the bull too




Sue loading up her arrows!






















Hugh and his girlfriend. She made one sexy saloon girl






















Gemma looked cute.











Luisa 'The Hat' Green. Or maybe 'The Soggy Hat'

6 comments:

DK said...

omgoodness WOW - what wonderful pictures! ~chuckles~ thank you so much mummy, you being there just made it all so much more special.

Miss you, love you oodles! xxx

BT said...

Ah, bless. Glad you like them. xxx

Rachel Green said...

How super!

What a lot of pictures you took!

Olga/Maddie said...

It looks like you all had a splendid time on this day. *big smile*

The photos are wonderful. And my very favourites are both the one of the kitty (if I had lived there, I would have tried to rescue him or her) and of you, DK, her children, and your great grandchild and her grandchild. *big big smile*

By the way, you are all are a very good looking family. *BG*

Thanks for sharing this all with us.

As well, happy anniversary to you and Jim. *GG*

Hope that you and yours are doing all right, that things are going okay, and that the rest of the day goes all right for you all.

God bless and take care. :).
Olga/Maddie

aims said...

Well Gina! What a fantastic birthday you all had! Your family is very special - it's obvious!

Thanks for all these wonderful pics. I had a great laugh going through them!

BT said...

Glad you enjoyed them aims. We did have fun, that's for sure. Rachel, I didn't put all the pictures on!! I must send them to you!
xx