Mine.

Challenge, Day #6.

The newest addition to my assortment. It's not often shells this size are washed up nearly whole in Aberdeen; they usually get crushed. There's something really calming about a shoebox of smooth, cool shells, with all their minute details polished and flattened by the sand and sea - and I love the contrast in this one of the rough brown exterior and the creamy inner. The challenge theme today was quite a broad one, which made it quite difficult... And I didn't find M's suggestion of finding/photographing a mineshaft very helpful either. So I chose just one of my collection of shells.

I was wide awake by 8am this morning - far too early to pester M on a Sunday - so I snuck out to the shops for some flour and maple syrup, and made us Canadian-style pancakes. After breakfast, we decided to head to Redrock for some fishing - what a scramble down the cliff that is. Wet and muddy, with a sheer drop on one side: M leapt down like a mountain goat, I shuffled on my bum like an old lady. When we eventually set up our gear, there were no mackerel, coley or cod to be seen - disaster! I really wanted my challenge of 'mine' to be me holding up a fish! We had to give up as the wind began to cut through our layers, so we headed back to the car and ate our packed lunch overlooking the harbourmouth, with the hot air blasting.
We even got to watch two large pods of dolphins playing!

We headed over to the supermarket for the weekly shop (carnage - never again will I suggest Sainsbury's at 4pm on a Sunday) and M offered to make a lamb curry for tea. It turned out fantastically, and by the time he'd cooked it, I'd stripped the tree of baubles and the stair banisters of holly. We threw the tree out of the window (to be used as pine-scented kindling next week) and gathered up the rest of the decorations, then ate our tea with a glass of wine.

Since M had treated me to the cinema last night, I offered to take us both tonight - for The Hobbit this time. What a long film! I think they made a huge mistake in splitting it into three - the battle scenes were far too long and the plot was slow-moving. It could have been a brilliant, action-packed couple of hours and the story would have been completed in one film. I think I'll wait for the other two on DVD. At one point, I even fell asleep, which I think is a first for me at the cinema! Saying that, the CGI was immense, and the music and acting was super. I just think they were working a money-spinner, turning it into three films. We headed home quite late, straight to bed for us and work tomorrow.