I Started With What I Thought Was Going To Be A Simple Job,

load a couple of programs, 

and print off 2 prints for the second print competition, I had already bought a new small laptop, as space was at a premium in luggage for my upcoming trip, and my normal laptop was way to big to fit in my camera backpack, all I had to do was load Photo Affinity 2 and then download the NIK Collection which needs a already installed program to work, it all sounded so easy, I downloaded the Photo Affinity, but instead of version 2 that I was used to, I had downloaded version 3, I tried working with that, everything was so unfamiliar I eventually gave up and uninstalled version 3 and eventually managed to miss the default and load version 2, it took an age! me and computers or anything electrical is not a good mix, eventually all was well, so next down load the NIK Collection, which was remarkably easy, 

what should happen next is that it automatically attaches itself to Photo Affinity 2, well, it did not! Affinity could not find the download, the annoying thing was I could see it on my computer in the Namibian folder, even worse I kept getting the message, 'restart your computer', which I naturally assumed meant that the NIK Collection had been attached, but it had not, 

I kept trying and trying, just going round in circles, and then there it was,

where it should be in the plugins section, 

a click and there they all were, by now it was late,  

so time for my evening read and milk, no sherry this evening as I am driving, 

so 'Cheers!', with a glass of milk, then off to the club,

tonight it was a interclub competition between us and South London, for the Retina Cup, it would be disingenuous to say who won, but we kept the cup, again, off to pick up Diana at 10.00 but she was with the other staff asked to stay on, so home for me and feet up for a spiced rum and a Have I Got More News For You, Diana caught a Uber to get home, it was then feet up for a coffee and a chat, as we watched the last part of a Bangers & Cash, at the midnight hour we were both then off to bed.

I Dropped Diana Off At Work,

another 05.00AM start,

then I spent the day playing with a few photographs, as there are a number of competitions at the club when I will not be here, above "!'ve Lost My Mummy".

and this study of three waterlilies I titled, "Blooming in Harmony" these will both be entered in the November print competition, in the afternoon I watched a couple of films, firstly, 

 Airplane! what a fun packed film, all of the characters were so good, but for me the part played by Stephen Stucker, that of so over the top Johnny Henshaw-Jacobs who plays the part of an air traffic controller was the film stealer,

and here he is, from the film, after that a black & white, 

Mutiny on the Bounty, it was, the 1935 version, (there is also a colourised version of this film available), after which it was time for my evening meal, later in the evening Diana called, she had gone straight from work to Kai's and then to London, a friend of Kai's was having a birthday party, but first a meal in a dim sum restaurant in Chinatown, next buy some flowers before heading to the party, she had just called to say she was ready to be picked up at Kai's so I was off, below a few photographs of the girls afternoon/evening out, 

arriving in London, 

and Chinatown,

in to the restaurant, 

Oh! the agony of choice! As Diana starts her meal, 

along with Kai, 

smile for the camera, 

a short walk to the flower shop,

and what a choice, 

they look nice, 

decision made, 

and the girls were away, 

to the party, 

'Cheers', from Kai and Diana,

and below, 

here they all are, 

no prizes for guessing who's 50th. it was!

a final 'Cheers!', from Kai before the girls made their way back from Edgware, after picking up Diana from Kai's we arrived home, by now it was late, so just one Bangers & Cash before Diana was off to bed, she had been up since just after 04.00 AM this morning, for myself one more Bangers & Cash before I too was off to bed.

Foxes And Crows,

here again this morning, 

one was more than a bit thirsty than the others, 

having a long drink, 

I then looked for a couple of photographs to enter into the next PDI (Projected Digital Image), competition for the club, I chose these two, above 'Neon Dreams: A Night In Chinatown, Pattaya.' and,

'Dulcimer Player, Piazza Navona in Rome', will the judge like them? it is in the lap of the Gods! as it happens I decided to play with AI and asked it to name them for me, an instruction which it totally ignored, 

and sent me this composite picture, which I have to admit looks pretty good, but still no name, I think I will leave this AI malarky to the professionals, after Diana called,

I made my way into a grey, cloudy day and meet Diana on the bus, 

alighting at Bromley, past The Partridge, 

and Primark, 

Diana popped into the bank, 

and then shopping, no haberdashery today as it is Monday, 

or stalls in the High Street, 

for myself into LIDL, as we were in Bromley I picked up a couple of bottles each of spiced rum and sherry,

 then into the Greyhound to wait for Diana,

and here she is, with her new short haircut,

and nice it looks too,

as by now it was getting late we decided to eat here, chicken bits for Diana,

scampi and chips for myself, 'Cheers!', including a drink each the bill came to £20.40,

on to the bus for the trip home, then a walk through the park, on the way I got mugged by the crows, 

they recognise me, so a few peanuts to keep them happy, arriving home for a change we watched a couple of Simpson's before a Midsomer Murder, after which Diana was off to bed, a early start today and a 05.00AM start tomorrow, for myself a Bangers & Cash before I too was off to bed.

Another Day,

with a few guests first thing, 

one was waiting curled up on the lawn, 

then a second one appeared, 

the first taking a drink, 

then a rest, 

after which they noticed me, 

so a few peanuts to chew on, 

something startled the one with the bent tail,

I have not mentioned the crows, who were no fools, almost every time I throw peanuts to the foxes, 

they land on our window sill for their nuts, sometimes even if there are no foxes as I am typing the blog there will be a tap on the window as one waits for some nuts, clever birds!

it was then time for my read and sherry,

 

for our starter today huge New Zealand mussels with garlic and toasted bread,

a quick 'Cheers!',

on to our main course, roast chicken with lashings of gravy for Diana,

sans gravy for myself, another 'Cheers!', from me,

and for dessert, apples strudel with ice cream,

delicious, next feet up for our Sunday afternoon/evening films, firstly, 

 The Incredible Shrinking Man, made in 1957 I did not think Diana would like it as it was filmed in black and white, but she was fascinated by it, Scott Carey finds that he has begun to shrink, first just a few inches, so that his clothes no longer fit, then a little more, soon he is only three feet tall, and a national curiosity, at six inches tall he can only live in a doll's house, it all sounds a bit lame, but a movie head and shoulders above the rest when it was released, keeping to a black & white theme, 

Treasure of the Sierra Madre, from the blurb:

'Fred C. Dobbs and Bob Curtin, both down on their luck in Tampico, Mexico in 1925, meet up with a grizzled prospector named Howard and decide to join with him in search of gold in the wilds of central Mexico. Through enormous difficulties, they eventually succeed in finding gold, but bandits, the elements, and most especially greed threaten to turn their success into disaster'

a enjoyable look at the power of greed and compassion, if you have not yet seen the movie and you like black & white movies give this one a try, Humphrey Bogart gives a stella performance as he spirals into madness, after a snack in the evening, 

Titanic, I had watched this once before, but Diana had not, and I have to say it was remarkably good, a different story line to the latest version of the tragedy, from the blurb:

"Unhappily married and uncomfortable with life among the British upper crust, Julia Sturges takes her two children and boards the RMS Titanic for America. Her husband, Richard, also arranges passage on the doomed luxury liner in order to allow him to have custody of their two children, Annette and Norman. Meanwhile, Annette begins a romance with a young American college student and tennis player, Gifford Rogers. Unfortunately, their family problems soon seem minor when the Titanic strikes an iceberg".

after which Diana was off to bed a 04.00AM start for her tomorrow, for myself a Have I Got A Bit More News For You before I too was off to bed.