All kinds of daft stuff.............

Well, the UK weather surpassed itself this weekend.  We had beautiful sunny days with temperatures in the low 20's, thoroughly pleasant evenings worthy of sitting outside with the newspapers and a nice drink.  We had our chums round on Saturday evening and as they only live two doors away they don't have far to stagger home.  In any case, it was a great excuse to sweep and scrub the patio of all the muck and old snail shells that seem to accumulate in corners.  I hate doing that bit so I get Grumpy Trousers to wield the sweeping brush just in case there's any mouse or frog corpses, the discovery of which would send me hurtling up the garden, screeching like a banshee.  I'd be hiding behind the honeysuckle, a quivering wreck until the offending thing was removed.  I'm such a wimp!  Yet, I have no fear of live things; shifting spiders and daddy-long-legs are my speciality.  Weird woman!

So how did you spend your weekend?  Was it warm and sunny for you?  Did you get to the pub, or the park?  Did you go for a walk, sunbathe, or like me sit in the garden with a drink and something to read?  For that short time, all felt well with the world.  Comfy in my relaxing chair, I had no aches or pains, and Polly snoozed contentedly under the patio table in the shade.  

Only later when I tried to struggle out of the chair did my old friend 'Mrs Pain' come to visit.  You see, my foot has been a bugger during this last week.  Sometimes it settles down to a dull ache that I can live with, then at other times it keeps me awake in the night with it's nasty stabbing sensations.  I think this is all down to my hip being a bit more comfortable because I've felt able to do  more activities.  Logic would have it that can only be a good thing but my foot is suffering as a result.   Mrs Pain is clearly overseeing the proceedings, lying in wait for me to feel comfortable then swiftly reminding me that it isn't allowed.  I've called her some right old names these last few days - I'll leave your imagination to guess what. Anyway, enough of that, I'm sick of moaning!

Exciting Challenge!
On Friday this week, I have an exciting and challenging day.  I'm photographing my first wedding!  This is for a friend of my younger daughter, who for some reason has more faith in me than I have myself.  She asked me months ago to take her wedding pictures and it seemed an awfully good idea at the time.  Now of course I'm not so sure, but I'm not going to let her down.  I shall go and do my best; meet the challenges head on; wing-it if I have to, bluff it out where necessary and TRY and behave like a pro.  However, I'm not passing myself off as any kind of professional photographer.  I'm just there to capture a few formal shots inside and outside the church, in the car, cutting the cake etc.  The rest will be random pictures capturing the fun and laughter.  I desperately hope I don't panic and start faffing about during the formal bit.  If I'm under pressure I can soon lose sight of what settings and apertures I need to be using.   I'll be using my trusty tripod though which is an enormous help for keeping the camera steady and the images sharp.  For some wacky reason I seem to have more confidence when using the tripod, rather than hand held.  

Various friends have given me some great advice such as (if hand holding the camera) tucking my elbows in, supporting the lens underneath and pressing the shutter release on an outbreath. It all works as I've tried and tested it so many times, but with 120 wedding guests around me am I going to remember it?  

Here's how I SHOULD be doing it.....

Hopefully I'll look a bit smarter than this geezer.  I plan on swearing my best black trousers and black and white patterned silky blouse.  I'm a guest like everyone else but with all the to-ing and fro-ing and being on my feet for ages, I need to wear my trainers. They're black and hopefully no-one will notice.  

I'll be posting again before Friday; no doubt being quite candid about the butterflies in my tum!