The Flooding Continues

The River Ouse is very high, but the city just gets on with it really. Nothing like as destructive as the situation in 2015 when a whole area that is normally not affected was badly flooded. This year it is the expected places only.

Lake Knavesmire

When the Ouse floods a lake forms on the Knavesmire in York. Here it is today looking serene.

Snow

I promise it won't all be dog pictures now; but here is the first snow of the winter (typically slushy stuff that will be gone by noon) which gave Layla some new experiences.

Le Weekend Deux

Rowan was busy catching up for lost time on taking pictures of Layla. Hard work this puppy thing.

Le Weekend

Full house this weekend. Rowan back for the weekend to meet the dog. Victor up to stay and go an Elmet walk. Air B&B guests upstairs. Kevin & Jackie dropping in this afternoon. And Preston won, so a great time.

Dubai 2

A shot of Dubai from the plane home from Rowan

Dubai

Rowan was on holiday last week with a friend in Dubai. I like this shot.

Flood

I am trying various versions of this shot, which I think may be a good one, once I get it right. It was taken in the flooded floodplains of York yesterday. You never know with a shot like this whether it is just me that likes it, or if there is enough art and narrative in it to make it a seller.

Layla

Layla has been with us one week. She was 7kg when she arrived, she is now 9kg and counting. She seems happy to be here and we are glad to have her.

Week One

An old beacon and a new one, atop the hill above Halifax.

This week I have been stuck with the puppy, so got a stream of friends to call in and see me and the dog (or the other way round). So thankyou, Pam, Andy, Patrick, Adrian, Sue, Eddy, Jackie, Emma, Dave, Josh Debbie and Francesca. It all helps. Thursday evening I got out with Rob and Liz to go to a Gin Tasting at the University - just what I needed.

Lister Walk 2

This is the Shibden Wall, a very steep cobbled climb that has been used in the Tour de Yorkshire, but was deemed too steep for the Tour de France in 2014. Walking up it was a bit of a struggle.

Lister Walk 1

On our last puppy-free day for a while I took Danielle on the Anne Lister walk in Halifax. Just a fascinating  walk, something interesting every step of the way. This Scout Hall, built in 1681 for a silk merchant. It is a calendar building (12 bays, 52 doors, 365 panes of glass) but is now a ruin. A touch of the Ozymandias about it now.

1998- Colorado

Rowan was 7 months old when she was having a look at this book on Fatherhood. It was a really good book for me to read as I took on primary care responsibility for the next 16 years.

22 Years On

Well 22 years on and I think it is fair to say that Rowan has changed more than me.

Amy / Layla arrives home

Our rescue puppy, Amy who we are going to call Layla (she is Egyptian) came home from Wensleydale with us on Saturday. It is a full on experience (just getting this blog post out has taken me 2 days) but a lovely on. She is settling in well.

Related

Rowan with her grandfather; not sure who is happiest here.

The Poet

We went to see Simon Armitage (from Huddersfield, the Poet Laureate) at the Theatre Royal in a charity performance with four actors who read out his poems with him. It was really great, he would be good at stand-up never mind poetry reading.

I have been sorting out some old pre-digital photo albums. This shot of Rowan and I comes from 1998 I think.

Parasite

We went to see a preview showing of Parasite, the Korean film that should win everything. It is a great film, unconditionally recommended. Here we are looking slightly deranged in the cinema.

Trans Pennine Express

Trans Pennine Express has a load of new trains on the various routes they operate through York. This type runs on the Newcastle - Manchester Airport route. A big upgrade.

Halifax 2

First daffodil day this year was 24th January, which is about average.

The urban landscape of Halifax is endlessly impressive; never flat, often built of stone.

Rover 4

The final day I took a train to Halifax and walked some of the Gentleman Jack footpath that takes you through the haunts of Anne Lister. The cobbles and steep steep slopes of Halifax and well worth the effort.

Looking back down to Halifax from atop the moors