Signposting

Do we have these signs in Germany, too?
It makes me smile every time: The NORTH and The SOUTH

It's moustache-month!

Aka Movember. Join in the fun and grow a moustache - if you can!

Movember is a worldwide initiative trying to raise awareness and funding for men's health issues, specifically prostate cancer and testicular cancer. I managed to talk mc into growing a moustache this year. So far the fundraising isn't going particularly well, but hopefully this will pick up. We also got support from some of my lovely colleagues at work. Let the facial hair begin to grow!

Please do visit the website and make a donation - every little helps.

And to demonstrate my commitment, I went shopping :-)

Seaside delights

Blackpool seaside

Donkey rides for the kids on the beach - and lovely clouds

The famous Blackpool Tower - inspired by the Parisian Eiffel Tower

Footprints in the sand

The match of the seasiders

Tangerines vs Seagulls on 27 October 2012 and my first trip to Blackpool. I spent most of the time sleeping in the car, while mc was having to put with stupid drivers blocking the outside lane. Despite the fact that half-term had just started, and being stuck in slow-moving traffic - all caused by horrible rubbernecking - we actually made it to the stadium in time for the game.

Temperatures had dropped considerably last Friday, so we were both wearing our ski jackets. Luckily, the sun was shining on our stand. Well, I say luckily and it was great not to be freezing cold, but it also meant that we couldn't see very well, as we were blinded by the sunshine...

The atmosphere in the away stand was brilliant! With a capacity of less than 18,000, Bloomfield Road looked much smaller than the Amex. It also had the great advantage of being much closer to the action. From our season ticket seats, I can usually just about read the players' numbers on their shirts, but hardly know any of their faces! It was really cool, to see them so close up.

It seemed that we had brought our most vocal fans and there was constant singing during the first half. And the cheers when we scored the first goal! Unfortunately, Blackpool got one back and the game ended in a draw. As per usual, we seemed to miss some good chances and in the end were probably lucky not to have conceded any further goals. Ah well, you can't win 'em all!

Lovely blue sky all day

It's Buckley!

Mackail-Smith doing what he does best: running like the wind

And the man himself: Gus Poyet

P!nk

I'm on telly!

Thanks to my pink ski jacket, you can spot me in the Football League Show showing last Saturday's game against Blackpool. And mc doing his victory dance after the first and only Brighton goal in the game.

Only available for two more days on the BBC iplayer (around minute 4:50).

Countdown to Christmas

We travelled up north last weekend to see Brighton play Blackpool and then stayed for a night at the Barton Grange Hotel. This family owned hotel also runs the nearby Garden Centre. Admittedly, I was a little dubious about why a Garden Centre would be mentioned as a tourist attraction. On Sunday it was pouring down with rain, so we thought we might as well check out the Garden Centre, as there wasn't much to do in the horrible weather.

And it was well worth it! The centre is massive and was all set up for Christmas already. I'm not usually one to get particular excited about Christmas (in nearly six years in London, I still haven't managed to go to the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park) - but this was just amazing! So much choice of so many nice things. And the decorations were stunning. My photos unfortunately don't do it justice.

So, if you are ever up north - do visit the Barton Grange Garden Centre!

Alice in Wonderland

Harry Potter

And Peter Pan

And just one of the many things that ended up in the shopping basket...