Day 184 - In the words of Madonna.....

HOLIDAY!!! All paid for. September can't come quick enough!

Day 183 - Sunset over Ystrad

Driving back from collecting the hubby we spotted a stunning sunset in the sky. So he promptly took a picture of it for me. Cheating I know but it couldn't be helped.

Day 182 - Another one bites the dust

A free sample of St Tropez gradual tan was demolished by the dog when the postman dared to put it through our letter box. God help anyone who sticks their finger through!

Day 181 - Spirals

Another bored moment in work. Another Instagram picture.

Day 180 - Dreamcatcher

I've always loved these and bought this in Dublin many moons ago. Whether it actually works or not is up for debate but it's hung in my bedroom ever since it was purchased.

Day 179 - Hot chocolate

There's nothing nicer before bed than a steaming cup of Hot Chocolate. Don't tell the hubby I used his mug though!

Day 178 - New shoes

A nice new pair of comfy Timberlands. Another Instagram upload. If you fancy checking out some of my other Instagram shots you'll find me as cathj77 :)

Day 177 - Abstract Green

Make of it what you will...

Day 176 - Breakfast

A yummy breakfast a la Gordon Ramsay. Scrambled eggs with chives and salmon on toast!

Day 175 - Tru:Blood

I'm simply loving True Blood Season 5 at the moment!

Day 174 - The rest of the family have arrived...

After buying Gonzo and Animal the weekend my nephew and sister were over I decided to get the rest of the Muppet family. And they arrived in work today :)

Day 173 - Wet flowers

Another bunch of flowers for Instagram... Do you think I've got an Instagram addiction problem?

Day 172 - Sleeping friends

Who says you have to be lonely when the hubbys away during the week. These three guys keep me company at night. You never really grow up.

Day 171 - Studio Session

Today was the studio session of my course at Ffotogallery and we had fun. However, I don't know if I'll ever get into studio photography.

Day 170 - Injury

A self inflicted injury getting out of the shower! I actually drew blood!

Day 169 - Not my work

This picture of my youngest sister was not taken by me but I just had to put it up. It was actually taken by my nephew and I think it's a lovely shot.

Day 168 - Final Project Fun

As the TT was a complete washout in terms of final project pictures, I brought my nephew and sister over for the weekend to act as models for my project. Another crappy day meant my previous plans for them went out the window. However, all was not lost after we got some wellies and umbrellas and went around the park in search of puddles. 500 shots later = project done!

Day 167 - Daisies

Beautiful bunch of daisies outside work! Yet again, posted on Instagram.

Day 166 - Filters

I'm really enjoying Instagram and the features it has. Hence taking pictures of filters in work!

Day 165 - Panorama

Work panorama taken on my phone.

Day 164 - Work pic

Bored in work so started taking some random pictures on my phone! Anything to make the time go a bit quicker..

Day 163 - Instagram first pic

My first Instagram picture. No idea why it won't rotate properly!

Day 162 - New floor

Last month it was a new bathroom, this month it is a new kitchen floor. It's the little things in life lol!

Day 161 - Final Day

And so comes an end to TT 2012! What a mixed week, glorious sunshine to stormy rain and heaps of mud. But boy has it been fun. The ferry is already booked for next year!

Day 160 - Grandstand Day

As part of his Christmas presents I bought VIP grandstand tickets for the Senior Race day. However, due to poor weather across the island, the racing was postponed until Saturday. We decided to go to the VIP tent anyway and boy were we glad we did. Most of the top riders were there (seeing as they couldn't race) and my hubby got to meet all of them and get their autographs. Here we have Cameron Donald, another really nice bloke. The jacket now has all of my hubby's favourite riders autographs, even one from Mr Grumpy himself, Guy Martin, who has unfortunately gone down in our estimation!

Day 159 - Ramsey

Another terrible day in terms of the weather and typical on a non-race day when I want to be out taking pictures for my final project. However, we did stop and take our cameras out in Ramsey to catch the waves crashing against the wall. Nice black and white opportunity!

Day 158 - Ballaugh Bridge Part 2

We decided to spend the day at Ballaugh Bridge with our cameras and were well rewarded during the final race of the day. Unfortunately Gary Johnson had to retire right at the bridge but pulled over on the other side of the course. That didn't stop a guy we met that day getting into the river and crossing under the bridge to hand him a beer while he was sat down watching everyone else go by! The marshalls weren't too happy but Gary promptly drank his beer. Once the race had finished he kindly came over for some autographs and pictures with the gang of us! Nice bloke and good racer. We've just about forgiven him for taking out Conor Cummins at the NW200 in May!

Day 157 - Port Erin

As today was both crappy weather and a non-race day we got out and about in the car with our friends. We stopped by Port Erin and stumbled upon St Catherines Well. I just had to take a picture!

Day 156 - Ballaugh Bridge Part 1

Delayed racing meant we could get back from Creg-ny-baa to watch the last race at Ballaugh Bridge. Stunning evening it was too!

Day 155 - The Eagle has landed!

A fun week ahead!

Day 154 - Liverpool

A nice relaxing evening in Liverpool with friends. No better way to start a weeks holiday!

Day 153 - All set

The caranage that was our living room as we prepared for the Isle of Man TT race week!

Day 152 - A new toy!

My new lens arrived today and I'm excited. I'm certainly going to be trying it out next week on the Isle of Man!

Day 151 - White Rose

My rose tree in the garden is starting to bloom but I didn't think it produced white roses. I'm sure they were pale pink before this year!

Day 150 - Through the window

I quite like the silhouette of the ivy through the window in my classroom so tonight I took a picture of it!

Day 149 - OOopps

Truthfully I forgot to take a picture earlier on and only remembered when I came up to the office to turn on the pc. Ooopps! Boring pic for today I'm afraid.

Day 148 - One week to go

I am soooooo excited. Only one week until we land in the Isle of Man for race week of this years TT road races. And what a week we have planned. Monday at the new grandstand at Creg-ny-baa, the famous corner as the bikes come off the mountain road, with some friends, and Friday myself and the hubby have VIP grandstand and paddock passes for Senior TT race day!!! I'm seriously like a child waiting for Father Christmas to arrive. Just hope this week goes fast! I can smell the exhaust fumes already..........

Day 147 - Blast from the Past

Out on a hen night on Saturday and I came across this sign in O'Neills bar on St Mary Street, Cardiff. Anyone from Dublin will know this iconic set of cafes that are sadly gone. I used to enjoy breakfast in Bewleys on a Saturday in Dublin city centre as a treat while out shopping with Mum. Fond memories!

Day 146 - End of another week

Boring week in work epitomised by a boring photo. Apologies for the lack of effort!

Day 145 - Sunset

Driving home from my first ever studio photo shoot and as I came off the dual carriageway I noticed the start of a stunning sunset. I stopped but realised I was too low down on the ground so got to higher ground and found somewhere local to shoot from. Patience while the sun dipped in between the clouds and this is what I was rewarded with. You might not think it that good but I was pleased with the results, especially the wooden post circle I found for some foreground interest.

Day 144 - Jinny Joes

I've always know these unusual seeds as Jinny Joes (name for them in Dublin) and was checking yesterday with a colleague that I was right in thinking they were dandelion seeds. He replied yes and thought I was then going to ask if he'd blow some for me to take a shot. I hadn't thought of that but today we had some fun before lunch. Todays picture is the result of 7-8 stalks blown and about 100 shots taken. We were both pleased with it and I'm considering getting a print of it for him for helping me. Pleased at punch we both were with this shot!

Day 143 - Bag Lady

Now, I'm not normally a girl who likes bags, I'm more a shoe person. But after reading an article in a recent Glamour magazine about the founder of the Cambridge Satchel Company, I knew I just had to have one of these. However, after seeing the various sizes, shapes and colours available, I bought two! The first was kindly dropped in by a neighbour this evening and I'm over the moon. It's a smaller size in yellow and embossed with my initials. Cannot wait to try it out!!

Day 142 - Bluebells

I literally couldn't believe my eyes when I walked the madra around the park today. The banks around our football pitches were covered with bluebells. I never realised they grew there and was so glad I had decided to bring my camera with me!

Day 141 - Self Portrait (2)

Repeating one for my course. Unsure if my tutor will like this as she is quite harsh and critical. All I can do is try!

Day 140 - Cleaning

Catching up on cleaning after the week away. And these tiles in our hallway definitely needed a good scrub after the dust from the plaster/grouting!

Day 139 - Ill

After catching up on missed sleep due to being ill overnight, it was the couch and blanket for me today!

Day 138 - HPLC

Work is very quiet at the moment, which I don't like as I prefer to be kept busy. However, it has allowed me to do some method development and work for one of our consultants. Only down side is each run takes 40 minutes and I'm twiddling my thumbs in between.

Day 137 - Repeat Picture

I have taken this picture, in this composition, before for my final project for my second course. I'm planning to repeat some of them again as I rather enjoyed wandering around work looking for inspiration.

Day 136 - Spiderweb

After lunch, just going back into the lab, and my manager calls me from our fire escape and asks if I have my camera in with me. I did but was too late to catch a picture of a bee that got caught in this spider web. It managed to escape and fly off before I got back with my camera. Boo! Decisive moment gone......

Day 135 - Lord Sugar

I read Alan Sugars autobiography while on holiday and started reading his second as well. I had to text this page to the hubby today as the second half of the page relates to himself and the hard time he's having in work at the moment. If nothing else, it took his mind off it for all of ten seconds :)