What I got for Christmas

So, in addition to my awesome new iPhone (I've downloaded about 35 free apps so far! Only paid for one), I also got my awesome professional grade GHD straighteners. Those were the two "big" gifts. Steve also got me a blanket that has sleeves on it, since I'm always cold! lol. And since I've been reading so much recently, Pete and Amanda got me a gift card to the book store and Steve got me a book by an author he knows I like: "The Sign" by Raymond Khoury. Oh, and Amazon have made the Kindle app for the iPhone free so after installing it, I bought another book from the Kindle store: "The Hunt" by Jennifer Sturman (it's a chick-lit series Ange introduced me to). The gift of iPhone just keeps on going, lol.

Steve's parents gave me a big bottle of Bailey's - since Jamaica when I tried the Rum Cream, I've been obsessed with cream liqueurs. Paul and Jodie also got me a smaller bottle of Bailey's Cream Caramel and a box of chocolates. Steve also got me a box of mint chocolates (my favorite).

I think that about sums it up. Steve did also get me some minor camera stuff I've been needing but nothing terribly exciting (a new lens hood and cleaner). And of course my mom sent me those cute little snow globes! The rest will have to wait until July when we will exchange gifts during our visit!

Oh, and this will disappoint Mom, but Steve forgot to get any Yorkshire Pudding for Christmas dinner! Can you believe it? I was disappointed when he told me but by the time I was digging into my food, I didn't even notice they were missing because everything else was so good.

Hope everyone had a good Christmas!

I got an iPhone

I got an iPhone for Christmas (don't cry James) and I'm currently using it to post! (even though I'm sitting right in front of my computer)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

It just keeps snowing

It's still been snowing here off and on. Although we haven't got 13+ inches of snow like you guys, Steve discovered an area at his mom's place that has been untouched since it started snowing and it measured 5 inches. Steve said "I can't remember the last time we had this much snow." LOL, sad isn't it? Apparently we have Russia to thank for the "blizzard".

The interesting part is that they haven't salted the residential or back roads, only the main roads. At some point between all this on-off snow, it started to melt... but then froze over! So many of the residential roads, plus all the sidewalks, have a layer of solid ice and then another inch or two of snow on top of it. It's VERY slippery!

Still Snowing!

Okay, it's kind of sad that it snows 3 times in 4 days and yet you can still see the grass through the snow. But that's a lot of snow for England!

Let It Snow

In the last three days, it has snowed twice! Only a light dusting but not bad, for England. I was so impressed, I took a picture:



On Thursday, we had our work Christmas party. No one in England seems to like having their picture taken so here are the few I got:


Tracy and Andrew


Amanda (alluding the camera behind the wine bottle) and Pete


ME!


Half of the Community Department

And then on Friday, we went out for Amanda's birthday, during which I forced her to not hide from the camera:





Don't worry, I had a shirt on underneath that sweater.

That about sums up all recent updates! If I don't post again before the 25th, Merry Christmas and I'll probably see some of you on webcam Christmas day!

Pantomime Pictures

As promised (read previous entry if you haven't already):


This was one of the bit parts the rugby players had - Phil (with the axe) really got into it but Adam hated it. Apparently he doesn't like public speaking/performances - which left me wondering why he became a rugby player!

This was the "dame", played by a man. Very Victorian, despite this being a play about Aladdin, lol. The show was kind of all over the place in that regard.

Below is a picture of the genie and dancers. There's more photos on my flickr photostream.

Robin's First Pantomime

I'll start with explaining a Pantomime because I didn't really know what it was - apparently it's a very English thing. It's a musical comedy stage production which is put on around Christmas time but the show itself is not necessarily about Christmas. It involves a lot of crowd participation - ie, the actors turning to the audience and asking "what should I do?" and the crowd shouting back. It apparently begin as opera but no longer is such. Steve says it's tradition in a Pantomime for the lead male/boy role to be played by a woman and for the pantomime "dame" to be played by a man. Of course these elements are not unfamiliar to me but I've never specifically been to a Pantomime. You can read more about it here.

So last night, the Salford City Reds Community Department and local Pendleton College held a Pantomime at the rugby's variety center. Several lines included jokes about Salford, Manchester and local areas, including the rugby team and the football (soccer) teams (Manchester City and Manchester United). Oh and two of our players were briefly in the show twice. Although it's geared towards kids, there were a lot of adult jokes in it too, in order to entertain the parents. This particularly Pantomime was based on "Aladdin". Surprisingly, it was really good! I even literally laughed out loud several times. And the photography experience was great. Although I was officially only there to get shot of the rugby players on stage for PR, I took the opportunity to shoot the whole show. The community department wants to give my photos to Pendleton College so I'm hoping it peaks their interest in using me for other events they have.

I'm still processing the photos but once I'm done and picked the best ones, I'll post them. So stay tuned!