A Little About Me
I was born, in Edinburgh on the 28th of March 1959.I've been living here all the time I can remember.
I lived, briefly, in The Kingdom of Fife in a place called Lundin Links.
Should the photographs not be enough, in the first of the links below there's a written description.
There's some photographs of me here - in and out, of a kilt.
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I don't "suffer fools gladly" but I'm not always so serious..
..there was a time, I might have been described as a "party animal"!
I bought a dog for my Mum but he was too much for her.
Which suited me fine and he goes everywhere with me.
I called him Alfie - as in
[wait for it..]
"Alfie Romeo" - the make of car I most want.
Sadly, I inherited him a little early.
These days (when I'm not taking photographs, writing, or listening to music) I'm walking.
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I am qualified in Photography, Graphic Design, Communications and Audio/Visual Technology.
Hopefully, my images here will testify that I paid attention?
Currently, I'm work in Comet (an electrical store) but occasionally I'm a freelance photographer
and there's a postcard company using me for my quirky eye for details!
I shoot landscapes of this beautiful country and I photograph family groups or individuals.
Additionally, since I like to photograph people, some have contacted me for such images - whether it be wedding photographers, magazine companies or individuals wanting a family portrait.
As I love food, I also photograph it (look at the Flickr link).
Nowadays I use digital cameras.
Its funny - and amusing to the select friends I have - that not that long ago, I said that I'd never go digital!
On another of my websites, the images have been shot with a Mamiya RZ 67 Pro II medium format camera, mostly. I had the 'standard' 110mm lens for it
I also had a 55mm lens - giving me about 24mm (on 35mm format).
Shame I had to move up to Lee filters for it, though!
Some earlier shots were taken with a Minolta AF-Z 'compact' camera.
Now I seldom use anything but my Minolta Dynax 7D, Minolta A200 or Minolta X50
I like Minolta - shame they sold out to Sony, though!
That said, the Alpha 100 is a nice bit of kit. As are the 350 and 700.
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We've recently moved into a detached house with a garage.
My little dog is lost in the enormous garden.
I enjoy almost any kind of music and my collection is growing through the generosity of my cyberpals.
Another collection is HRC guitar pins and they - and other 'memorabelia' - is on display in an old typecase, in what is now my office at home.
I keep in shape walking through the beautiful countryside we have here.
I also enjoy cooking.
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I first ventured abroad in 1979 with my parents, to Switzerland (via France).
Here is a shot of my Dad with me, on a paddle steamer on Lake Geneva
discussing the engineering that abounds in the land of the cuckoo clock.
And, when I can afford it, I enjoy visiting foreign places as much as 'hearing' about them, in chatsites.
I was staying with one of my cyberpals in America in 1996, and the photographs I took when I stayed with Rita, in New York,
help keep the memories of One Thousand Islands Bay; Lake Placid; and Niagara (both sides), alive.
Examples of the time with her are in 'More Pictures'.
In 1998 Lorna and I had a Caribbean cruise on a superliner, during a split in Florida.
We met another cyberpal, Gail - and her husband, Lowell.
The cruise, took us to Grand Cayman and Mexico, as well as to New Orleans.
It started and ended in Tampa, but the land-base was Kissimmee.
I have visited Austria; Canada; Crete; Switzerland; Italy; Morocco; Gibraltar; Tenerife in The Canary Islands; the former Yugoslavia; France: and Southern Ireland.
In addition to enjoying Wales and even England, I have visited various bits of Scotland.
Again, examples of some of the places I've visited can be seen in the different photo pages.
I've made friends throughout the world with Chatsites. Additionally, MSN has made the world smaller.
My Folks
My Dad came into this world in February 1923, in Edinburgh.Mum was two years' younger than him and she was born in Lerwick, up in Shetland.
I found him to be a great guy. Thankfully - I think - I even remembered to tell Dad this.
He was supportive of my interests (more than Mum, to be honest) and low spots; helpful; and interesting with some of his stories.
His time at sea - during the War, when his efforts were rewarded - in the Merchant Navy
offered some topics, or his earlier days in South Georgia.
From his time down there, he brought back Emperors and helped establish the world's biggest penguin house
in Edinburgh Zoo.
In the 70s, I found something in a Readers Digest magazine.
And I've always had it by a photo of my Dad, in my wallet.
I find this story is very poignant - despite being written from the viewpoint of a daughter.
Back then, it moved me. With the years moving on from when my Dad left us, it still 'gets' me:
I Remember Papa
Erma Bombeck
When I was a kid, a father was like the light in a refrigerator.
Every house had one, but nobody knew what either of them did once the door was shut.
My dad left the house every morning and always seemed glad to see everyone at night.
He opened the jar of pickles when nobody else could.
He was the only one in the house who wasn't afraid to go to the basement by himself.
He cut himself shaving, but no one kissed it or got excited about it.
It was understood whenever it rained, he got the car and brought it around to the door.
When anyone was sick, he got the prescription filled.
He set mousetraps, cut back the roses to the thorns, wouldn't clip you when you came to the front door.
When I got a bike, he ran alongside me for at least a thousand miles until I got the hang of it.
I was afraid of everyone else's father, but not my own.
Once I made him tea. It was only sugar water, but he sat on a small chair and said it was delicious.
Whenever I played house, the mother doll had a lot to do.
I never knew what to do with the daddy doll, so I had him say, "I'm going off to work now," and threw him under the bed.
When I was nine years old, my father didn't get up one morning and go to work.
He went to the hospital and died the next day.
I went to my room and felt under my bed for the daddy doll. When I found him, I dusted him off and put him on my bed.
He never did anything - I didn't know his leaving would hurt so much.
I still don't know why.
My Dad died in August 1985, on the 24th.
The heart attacks he had, left a hole in my heart when he slipped away.
*sigh*
When my Mum had a heart attack a number of years' ago, you can imagine my feelings.
But she was a strong lady.
I tried to get her to put her stories on paper, as I suggested to Dad - he didn't think this important. Mum felt the same.
I wonder why Parents imagine they always know best?
My Mum had a by-pass several years' ago but double pneumonia and kidney failure continued to trouble.
On December 13, 2004 my Mum was re-united with Dad.
She died of heart failure, suddenly at home.
I got to hospital to say goodbye - but she never regained consciousness,
even after three hours of the paramedics hard work.
I kissed her, anyway. As I did with Dad.
*sob*
Later on, I found this in newspaper clippings..
Death
Canon Scott Holland
Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I, and you are you: whatever we were to each other, that we are still.
Wear no forced air of solimnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.
I am but waiting round the corner.
All is well.
If there's anything you think I can help with, email me.
Or leave a message in my guestbook.
On MSN, I am 'neacal'. If you're an idiot, don't use it.
If you are an idiot and you do, I'll report you.
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