"You see, Wendy, when the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies." James M. Barrie Peter Pan.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Fran is off for a week to see how they surf in Scheveningen, Holland


Today
's
Scheveningen Pier Sea Temperature is: 17.1 °C (63 °F)

Today
's
"Fran's Beach" Sea Temperature is: 28.6 °C (83 °F)

Fran won't be going for a dip!

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Wednesday, July 28, 2010

It's that time of year on Fran's beach!

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Annual turtle tracking event – the Tour de Turtles – kicks off this weekend (click here for article)

The Tour involves several sea turtles which are tracked via satellite as they swim to a marathon migration of 2,620 km (1,628 miles) first. Each turtle has its own sponsor and its own issue to highlight, whether it’s commercial longline fishing or oil spills.

Fran's back yard is on a Dune right on the Atlantic Ocean.

Below is a slide show she put together showing what happens over and over, year after year... if all goes well.

Sadly, yesterday Fran found a dead baby turtle. It wasn't on the beach, it was on her driveway on the other side of the house near the road!

Some bird must have dropped it.

On occasion, we also have fish falling from the sky!!


Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Fran's daughters are heading east!

Istanbul was Constantinople

Now it's Istanbul not Constantinople

Been a long time gone

Old Constantinople's still has Turkish delight

On a moonlight night

Evr'y gal in Constantinople

Is a Miss-stanbul, not Constantinople

So if you've date in Constantinople

She'll be waiting in Istanbul

Even old New York was once New Amsterdam

Why they changed it, I can't say

(People just liked it better that way)

Take me back to Constantinople

No, you can't go back to Constantinople

Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople

Why did Constantinople get the works?

That's nobody's business but the Turks'


<> Istanbul!!



<> Istanbul!!


Even old New York was once New Amsterdam

Why they changed it, I can't say

(People just liked it better that way)

Take me back to Constantinople

No, you can't go back to Constantinople

Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople

Why did Constantinople get the works?

That's nobody's business but the Turks'

'stanbul!!

Cheerios - Who knew!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

'Benidorm Bastards'

is an edgy hidden camera show in which 7 elderly people are the protagonists.
They go into the streets with only one mission: pulling pranks on the youth.


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I must go down to the sea again,

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to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star

to steer her by,

And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,

And a grey mist on the sea's face and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the sea again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Fran's last word on the World Cup 2010 - Vuvuzela

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Ladies, pick up your crochet hooks!

Video below of Il Lusso Essenziale - in Rome

showing several art projects for Roman Arts Festival, “Il Lusso Essenziale.” The event purposes an inspirational concept to participants: “The rediscovery of the extraordinary nature of everyday life.”[crochet starts at .58 seconds]

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Magda Sayeg, founder of the original knit graffiti crew Knitta Please, works to redefine a craft that has been relegated to the stuffy attic of people’s brains and dismissed by a limited vision for knitting’s purpose, its function, its practitioners. Sayeg’s work repositions this granny pastime in public spaces, streets formerly dominated by a hard, masculine public art culture. The fuzzy tags invoke entirely different connotations, antagonizing expectations and initiating dialogue about community-driven art and intersections between art and craft.

When Knitta Please first began tagging in 2005, yarnbombing was the collective’s response to the mass-produced. By inserting handmade art in a landscape of concrete and steel, they were cheekily adding warmth to our urban fixtures. Knit graffiti reengages us with our environment: the parking meters, buses, bike racks, lamp posts, car antennas, columns, statues, exposed plumbing, all of the furniture in our urban world that goes unnoticed every day. And of course, Knitta makes the streets prettier along the way.

Knitta Please is now based in Austin, Texas.

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,p.,p.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Everyone loves a newborn!

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A newly-born calf mooches grass from its mother at Deepor Beel wildlife sanctuary, on the outskirts of Gauhati, India

Friday, July 9, 2010

Clueless Secretary Prompts Hilarious Office Email Thread

No, seriously. Just read this in its entirety, from the top. Because if you haven't yet seen this brilliant exchange from David Thorne, you need to. Right now.

Story goes :

Shannon (the secretary) has lost her cat and has asked David (the graphic designer) to help with a lost poster. This is their email correspondence...
Read from top to bottom….

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.15am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Poster

Hi
I opened the screen door yesterday and my cat got out and has been missing since then so I was wondering if you are not to busy you could make a poster for me. It has to be A4 and I will photocopy it and put it around my suburb this afternoon.
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This is the only photo of her I have she answers to the name Missy and is black and white and about 8 months old. missing on Harper street and my phone number.
Thanks Shan.


From:David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.26am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
That is shocking news.
Although I have two clients expecting completed work this afternoon, I will, of course, drop everything and do whatever it takes to facilitate the speedy return of Missy.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.37am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Poster

yeah ok thanks. I know you dont like cats but I am really worried about mine. I have to leave at 1pm today.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.17am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
I never said I don't like cats. Attached poster as requested.
Regards, David.
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From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.24am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah thats not what I was looking for at all. it looks like a movie and how come the photo of Missy is so small?

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.28am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
It's a design thing. The cat is lost in the negative space.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.33am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Thats just stupid. Can you do it properly please? I am extremely emotional over this and was up all night in tears. you seem to think it is funny. Can you make the photo bigger please and fix the text and do it in colour please. Thanks.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.46am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
Having worked with designers for a few years now, I would have assumed you understood, despite our vague suggestions otherwise, we do not welcome constructive criticism. I don't come downstairs and tell you how to send text messages, log onto Facebook and look out of the window. I have amended and attached the poster as per your instructions.
Regards, David.

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From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.59am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

This is worse than the other one. can you make it so it shows the whole photo of Missy and delete the stupid text that says missing missy off it? I just want it to say Lost.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.14am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

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From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.21am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah can you do the poster or not? I just want a photo and the word lost and the telephone number and when and where she was lost and her name. Not like a movie poster or anything stupid. I have to leave early today. If it was your cat I would help you. Thanks.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.32am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Awww

Dear Shannon,
I don't have a cat. I once agreed to look after a friend's cat for a week but after he dropped it off at my apartment and explained the concept of kitty litter. I have attached the amended version of your poster as per your detailed instructions.
Regards, David.

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From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.47am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Awww

Thats not my cat. where did you get that picture from? That cat is orange. I gave you a photo of my cat.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.58am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Awww

I know, but that one is cute. As Missy has quite possibly met any one of several violent ends, it is possible you might get a better cat out of this. If anybody calls and says "I haven't seen your orange cat but I did find a black and white one with its hind legs run over by a car, do you want it?" you can politely decline and save yourself a costly veterinarian bill.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.07pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Please just use the photo I gave you.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.22pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

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From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.34pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

I didnt say there was a reward. I dont have $2000 dollars. What did you even put that there for? Apart from that it is perfect can you please remove the reward bit. Thanks Shan.


From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.42pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

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From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.51pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Can you just please take the reward bit off altogether? I have to leave in ten minutes and I still have to make photocopies of it.


From: David Thorne

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.56pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww


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From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 1.03pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Fine. That will have to do.





Monday, July 5, 2010

Wow.......

The Red Arrows display team perform above the Festival of Speed at Goodwood, near Chichester, West Sussex.

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