Perfect Timing!

Well, I set of for swimming with renewed vigour this morning, having found out that my legs were not uniquely built for never going in the water. No! Vodkaman gave me this link which explains that

'World class swimmers only get about 10-15% of their propulsion. Most amateur swimmers get next to no propulsion from their kick'.

You're really just kicking so that your legs don't drag and to keep your body up. Brilliant! Thanks so much Vodkaman - you're a gem!

I'm quite pleased the way I have lulled myself into 'going swimming' every morning. It is now the norm. There's no Will I/Won't I? Mind you, it hasn't been REALLY cold or wet yet.

As I came back, in the freezing cold, there was the postie, strolling along in his red short sleeved polo shirt, as usual. He does not feel the cold. I've been caught out many a time, when preparing to go out and wondering what to wear (tee shirt, cardie, thermal vest, fleece, jacket, coat, hat, scarf, or all of these) and look out and see tee shirt clad people walking around. NO! This is NEVER the case for normal people.

Anyway, the steamin' postie followed me up the stairs and when I shut my door, he rang the doorbell. A parcel for me! Two parcels for me!! What very good timing. Just as well I'd been lazy and not done another five minutes in the pool.

It was my new toy - a flashgun. Yes, I'd looked at it in Jessop's last week. No, I didn't buy it there. But even if I had, it wouldn't have saved them. I bought it on eBay. But, I hasten to say, I've bought all my lenses, filters, remotes and even the camera, at local shops.

I also bought a book about using flashguns, as I've never used them and always hated to use the in-camera one. So it's a whole new thing for me.

I set up a still life. This is directly inspired by the Peploe exhibition on Sunday - they had a few of his vases and the silver coffee pot on display. I had intended to do a few painterly effects, and I will do for fun, but I'll just use the SOOC (just tweaked the levels and added a wee white frame) one as my blip.

I did use the flash, although it really wasn't needed. Plenty of natural light from the window, but I added my little slave off to the left. On the right he caused very dark shadows on the white bowl.

You can see what I'll be doing all day now. Except for a coffee meeting with a friend this afternoon.

I MUST stop looking at the flash to make sure it fires!! I'm still seeing stars!