Saturday, September 01, 2012
Friday, August 31, 2012
Top Treats
As this morning was fine, I decided to pay a return visit to Port Lympne Wild Animal Park to see if I could catch up with some of the creatures I missed two weeks ago. I was luckier than I ever could have imagined.
I managed to see both the Carpathian lynx and her cubs, though only one was visible enough to photograph. They were eating dead bunnies.
This is the mother:
The cub was making a meal of it:
There were four tigers visible today, three of them posing nicely together.
The barbary lions looked cosy together.
I've never seen a binturong before.
This lemur was not the bamboo one on the sign. I think it's a type of sifaka. Very beautful.
The rusty spotted cat was tiny.
The margay was gorgeous.
Then the very rare fossa put in an appearance. Like all the animals I saw at feeding time, he was voracious.
I managed to see both the Carpathian lynx and her cubs, though only one was visible enough to photograph. They were eating dead bunnies.
This is the mother:
The cub was making a meal of it:
There were four tigers visible today, three of them posing nicely together.
The barbary lions looked cosy together.
I've never seen a binturong before.
This lemur was not the bamboo one on the sign. I think it's a type of sifaka. Very beautful.
The rusty spotted cat was tiny.
The margay was gorgeous.
Then the very rare fossa put in an appearance. Like all the animals I saw at feeding time, he was voracious.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
An Anniversary and an Almost
I have a huge sense of guilt that I missed the anniversary of my beloved Henry, who died on 25th August 2009, snatched from me by the inadequacies of a supposedly specialist vet and a virulent respiratory infection.
He was special, naughty, sweet, entertaining, clever, affectionate, scornful, a proper little person, who talked to me a lot - as long as he felt like it.
Today is the second anniversary of my darling Shelley's death. He was 19-and-a-half, a wonderful age for a wonderful boy. He passed away in his sleep just before midnight on 30th August 2010.
You cannot imagine a more affectionate and sweet-natured cat, not to mention absolutely beautiful.
I will remember, love and miss them both for as long as I live.
He was special, naughty, sweet, entertaining, clever, affectionate, scornful, a proper little person, who talked to me a lot - as long as he felt like it.
Today is the second anniversary of my darling Shelley's death. He was 19-and-a-half, a wonderful age for a wonderful boy. He passed away in his sleep just before midnight on 30th August 2010.
You cannot imagine a more affectionate and sweet-natured cat, not to mention absolutely beautiful.
I will remember, love and miss them both for as long as I live.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Three in a row
Having just had two days of watching Vincent, today I topped up with our annual UK Vixens reunion in London. (OK, I know last year we had two, when Maui came to visit, but that was a lovely exception.)
You just can't have too much Vincent.
Ann, who doesn't blog any more, but will always be a treasured member of the Gang, is in charge of finding restaurants. Today we came out of Victoria Station and looked across the road. There was a perfectly decent restaurant just a short stumble away, and we ensconced ourselves for a couple of hours eating pizza and delicious desserts, and talking Vincent. Good find.
Ann had to go fairly early, so we walked past Buckinham Palace and through Green Park to get her to a convenient tube station, then Eliza, Diane and I carried on to look at the Bomber Command monument I blogged about at its unveiling in June. Then we retraced our steps and found a coffee shop where we all had - Ta-Da! - tea.
Diane thought I might photoshop her picture. Even if I could, I don't see why I'd need to:
I just had to get a picture of Eliza's handcuff necklace. I wonder why she wears that?
They insisted I have my picture taken. If I could have photoshopped anything, it would have been my boobs out of this shot:
For some reason Diane and Eliza wanted to know all about Chained. They even insisted I tell them about the "twist". Diane was quite to keen to know if Vincent's character dies, and if so how.
We also reminisced about those who have come and gone from the Vixen and V-blogging world. We, of course, are here to stay.
Missing Vixens, where are you? Let us know.
You just can't have too much Vincent.
Ann, who doesn't blog any more, but will always be a treasured member of the Gang, is in charge of finding restaurants. Today we came out of Victoria Station and looked across the road. There was a perfectly decent restaurant just a short stumble away, and we ensconced ourselves for a couple of hours eating pizza and delicious desserts, and talking Vincent. Good find.
Ann had to go fairly early, so we walked past Buckinham Palace and through Green Park to get her to a convenient tube station, then Eliza, Diane and I carried on to look at the Bomber Command monument I blogged about at its unveiling in June. Then we retraced our steps and found a coffee shop where we all had - Ta-Da! - tea.
Diane thought I might photoshop her picture. Even if I could, I don't see why I'd need to:
I just had to get a picture of Eliza's handcuff necklace. I wonder why she wears that?
They insisted I have my picture taken. If I could have photoshopped anything, it would have been my boobs out of this shot:
For some reason Diane and Eliza wanted to know all about Chained. They even insisted I tell them about the "twist". Diane was quite to keen to know if Vincent's character dies, and if so how.
We also reminisced about those who have come and gone from the Vixen and V-blogging world. We, of course, are here to stay.
Missing Vixens, where are you? Let us know.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Film Review - Sinister
Well, yesterday was the first part of my Vincent D'Onofrio long weekend Frightfest film fun.
The evening started with the introduction by one of the festival's organisers, Paul McEvoy, of one of the film's writers, C. Robert Cargill, whose first visit to the UK this was. He was to answer questions at the end, but it was by then gone 11pm, and it was time to get to the station for the last trains home.
The film was pretty scary - though it would have been less so without the impressive sound system, which was used to great effect to help every sudden loud noise make you jump out of your seat. At the start, you can't help thinking that Ethan Hawke's character Ellison Oswald is bonkers to take his family to a house where another family had been killed and a daughter gone missing, when he has a daughter himself and a disturbed son. Then, when strange things start to happen, you can't understand why he doesn't get the hell out, financial problems or not. When things finally get so serious that he moves them out in the middle of the night, you're sure they will not be allowed to go. But they get back to their own home, where Ellison eventually takes a call that turns everything on its head, and leads to the final shocking denouement.
The acting was very good, especially Michael Hall D'Addario as the disturbed son. Vincent's role as Professor Jonas, to whom Ellison turns for advice on the symbology from the crime scenes, is small, and takes place only in a window on a computer scree - not much chance to shine, though of course, being Vincent he makes his cameo count. He sounded as if he was suffering from a bit of a cold.
All in all, worth seeing, especially in a big cinema with a good sound system, but enjoyable enough to give you a good fright on your TV at home.
The evening started with the introduction by one of the festival's organisers, Paul McEvoy, of one of the film's writers, C. Robert Cargill, whose first visit to the UK this was. He was to answer questions at the end, but it was by then gone 11pm, and it was time to get to the station for the last trains home.
The film was pretty scary - though it would have been less so without the impressive sound system, which was used to great effect to help every sudden loud noise make you jump out of your seat. At the start, you can't help thinking that Ethan Hawke's character Ellison Oswald is bonkers to take his family to a house where another family had been killed and a daughter gone missing, when he has a daughter himself and a disturbed son. Then, when strange things start to happen, you can't understand why he doesn't get the hell out, financial problems or not. When things finally get so serious that he moves them out in the middle of the night, you're sure they will not be allowed to go. But they get back to their own home, where Ellison eventually takes a call that turns everything on its head, and leads to the final shocking denouement.
The acting was very good, especially Michael Hall D'Addario as the disturbed son. Vincent's role as Professor Jonas, to whom Ellison turns for advice on the symbology from the crime scenes, is small, and takes place only in a window on a computer scree - not much chance to shine, though of course, being Vincent he makes his cameo count. He sounded as if he was suffering from a bit of a cold.
All in all, worth seeing, especially in a big cinema with a good sound system, but enjoyable enough to give you a good fright on your TV at home.
