Nikki-ann : Journal

23rd June 2007

Saturday - 11.45am : I have absolutely no plans for this weekend (for a change), so I'm guessing it will be a weekend of DVDs, photos, genealogy and/or a little web work. The weather isn't looking too good, so it doesn't look like I'll be venturing out anywhere.

I was down at Silverstone for 3 days this week to watch the Big F1 Test. I can't afford the ticket price (and all the other costs such as accommodation) for the British Grand Prix, so I thought that going to watch the testing would be the next best thing. The weather held out and I was great to see the cars going around the track. I thought the DTM cars were noisy the other weekend, but the F1 cars top that. I wished I'd taken ear plugs with me!

I've booked another weekend away in July. This time to the Welsh capital Cardiff. James Marsters will be back in the UK (we weren't expecting him back so soon!) and will be doing a gig at The Point in Cardiff Bay. His real reason for being back in the UK so soon after his May visit? He's going to be in an episode of Torchwood (which is filmed in Cardiff)! I haven't a clue what kind of character he'll be playing, but I'm guessing he'll be a bad guy of some kind.

Bon Jovi's Lost Highway arrived last week and I love it. It's not as rocky as their previous albums, but it shows their maturity. I enjoyed every song on the album the very first time I played it. It's definitely an album I'd recommend anyone to add to their collection.

Another music recommendation... I'd Wait For Life, the 3rd single from Take That's Beautiful World album, was released last Monday and is due to hit the top of the UK Top 40 chart tomorrow. It's a beautiful song. Go buy it!

Thanks to Foster Dogs, Andrea, Sarah, Susan Helene Gottfried, Old Old Lady Of The Hills, Janice, Apple, Miriam, Karen, Dawn, Bob-kat and Dee for commenting.

16th June 2007

Saturday - 11.45am: Tomorrow is Father's Day and the latest subject for the Carnival of Genealogy is "Fathers", so I'm sure you can guess what today's entry is about! Today I thought I'd introduce you to the male side of my family tree.

My Dad
Dressed up, aged about 10. It'll be his 70th this time around and he's still going strong. He doesn't let age get in the way of anything. He had Bowel Cancer in 2001 and he didn't let that get in the way of life either. He still rides motorbikes, organises bus trips and all sorts of things. He's more active than I am!
Last year's tribute to Dad.

Granddad Charlie
Dad's Dad just after World War 1. Granddad Charlie died aged 86 of stomach cancer. I was only 2. He was a soldier with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers during World War 1 and was in the Home Guard during World War 2. He worked hard throughout this life. I only wish I could have known him.
More about Granddad Charlie.

Granddad Reg
Mum's Dad. Taken on his 80th birthday a couple of years ago. Granddad is still very active. He keeps his own garden looking beautiful and grows all sorts of vegetables. He has a fine collection of matchstick models (made by himself) and has even shown others how to make them. He never seems to age!

Great Grandfather Alfred
Dad's maternal Grandfather. Alfred was born in the late 1840s and died a year before Dad was born. He had 4 brothers, married twice (his first wife died) and had 11 children (the youngest being my Nan). He worked hard as an agricultural labourer. I've been told Alfred had a reason for his beard. He once had a tooth infection which spread to his jaw and it resulted in him having part of his jaw removed. To hide this he grew a beard!

Thanks to Cyberevolution, Rashbre, Andrea, Nick, Miss M, Sarah, Daystar and Cassie for comments and birthday wishes.

12th June 2007

Tuesday - 8.45pm : I'm a bit of a geek. I quite like watching NASA's shuttle launches, so my Friday evening was spent sat at this computer watching STS-117 Atlantis prepare for take-off. I would have watched the launch itself, but I got my GMT and BST mixed up! The shuttle was due to launch at 11.38pm GMT (or sometime around there) and I'd completely forgotten that our timezone is currently BST. So when the supposed shuttle launch time came and went and the comentator kept saying everything was on schedule, I finally worked out why! So I didn't see the shuttle launch live, because I couldn't stay awake for another hour and I knew I had to be up early in the morning. Hours after the launch I woke up to see the news reporting it. Slightly anoying, but there you go!

Dad & I went down to Brands Hatch in Kent at the weekend to watch the DTM and Superside. Sunday morning we found the most ideal parking spot within metres of where we were going to watch the racing from.

The first thing we did was head over to the pitlane as I'd bought us a couple of pitlane walk tickets. The DTM cars were all sat in their garages with a few of them being worked on ready for the morning's practice. Drivers Adam Carroll and Susie Stoddart were kind enough to stand autographing fans' programmes and have their photos taken. Mika Hakkinen has certainly brought a wealth of fans to DTM as you could barely see his garage for the mass of fans stood waiting (and Mika hadn't even turned up at the pits at that point!). Funnily enough, the only autograph Dad collected was Susie Stoddart's - the only female in DTM (and oh how I'd love her job!). On the way out of the pitlane I moved out of the way of a scooter only to realise it was none other than Mika Hakkinen! I wish I'd waited at his garage now.

After buying some DTM merchandise and walking around the other stalls, we headed back to the car to grab some folding chairs and snacks before grabbing a spot within sight of the car. We had a great view and could see a lot of the circuit from where we sat.

There was plenty of racing as well as stunts to keep us entertained. The DTM cars are so loud you can't hear the commentary over the speaker system, so Dad had his personal radio on for that extra bit of information. It was great to see the "Superside" (FIM World Sidecar Champtionship) at Brands Hatch as I'd not seen sidecar racing since I was in the Isle of Man for the TT Races a few years ago. Dad's friends used to race sidecars so I've always enjoyed watching them. There were a couple of crashes, one in particular looked quite nasty although both driver & passenger walked away.

All in all it was a great weekend, although the long journey back home afterwards (4.5 - 5 hours) was a bit tiring. The weather was fantastic; hot but with a nice breeze. Shame it's cloudy and forcast rain this week!

It's my birthday tomorrow. So a friend (Sarah) is getting a bottle of wine in and cooking me a meal. We'll probably watch a film too, not sure what yet though. I told Mum and I got the feeling she'd organised something, so I feel a bit guilty now! Still, Sarah & I usually do something for our birthdays as we've known each other forever. (Strangely enough, I've not subjected Sarah to my cooking yet and usually suggest a take-away!).

Thanks to Cassie, Apple, Miss M, Sarch, Karnov, Sarah, Shopper, Bob-kat and Nick for commenting.

7th June 2007

Thursday - 8.25pm : I've not really done much this week, apart from work. Last night I picked up Dad from the train station as he'd been in the Isle of Man for a week and a half, marshalling at the TT Races (Best wishes go out to New Zealander Shaun Harris who is in a critical condition after crashing during the Superstock TT race on Tuesday). I went over for the TT Races a few years ago and would love to go again sometime. Call me mad but I've always wanted to be a racing sidecar passenger!

Talking of motorsport... Dad & I are heading down south this weekend to see the DTM at Brands Hatch. My favourite ex-F1 driver Mika Hakkinen is racing for Mercedes and I can't wait to see him out on track (I just hope I don't jinx him!). Then a week and a half later I'll be going to see The Big F1 Test down at Silverstone.

Anyway, the only productive thing I've done this week (apart from work) is take photos. This time out in Mum's back garden (Yes, flowers again!).

I've been a little slack of late. I've not been writing my bit for the Carnival of Genealogy. I intend to make a submission this time though! The next edition is Fathers (Dads, step-dads, grandfathers, or Godfathers, or even someone you thought of as a father figure). I'm not sure what I'm going to write yet, but I may make a couple of submissions (if I'm allowed to!) as I wrote a post about Granddad Charlie not so long ago.

Thanks to Moogie, Andrea, Shopper, Bob-kat, Utenzi, Snip and Claire for comments.

3rd June 2007

Sunday - 3.15pm : I've had an email back from Family Tree Magazine regarding my Great Grandparents' rare marriage certificate (see my last entry for more info). They have asked me to send in a copy of the certificate (which I have done) for use in the magazine! So I'll be keeping my eye out for the next couple of issues to see if it's in there.

I was going to go to the Shropshire Family History Society Fair in Shrewsbury yesterday, but I've had a cold for the past week (my throat feels like razor wire) and I didn't want to be annoying everybody by coughing all through the talks, so I didn't go. I did go to Shrewsbury though (after I'd dragged myself out of bed). I wanted a hooded jumper from Animal, but they didn't have the colour I wanted so I'll probably order it online. However, I did find a couple of bargains in Woolworths. Everywhere seems be having a big sale on DVDs at the moment and Woolworths are no exception. I picked up Little Britain - Live for £5 and Maroon 5 - Live - Friday the 13th for £4. I decided not to venture into the CD section as I'll have a pile of new ones to listen to soon. Maroon 5's new album arrived last week, Bon Jovi's Lost Highway arrives next week and I know I'll be having a couple more CDs for my birthday in a week and a half, so I think that's enough to be getting on with.

I've been out for a walk or two in the past week and decided to take my camera & macro lens along with me.

I think that's all for now. I'll try to get an entry or two written during the week this time as I am away next weekend.

Thanks to Leslie, Andrea, Karen, Kenneth, Melly, Bob-kat, Craziequeen, Utenzi, Jolynn, Rashbre and Skye.