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Tuesday 31 December 2013

Day 365 - Mission Complete

So its New Years Eve, and this is it, the moment I complete my second 365 project. You would think with it being my second I would know what I was letting myself in for, but apparently not.

Whilst this project has not been as well received as my previous Lego based effort, I feel it has been better for me, not necessarily as a photographer, but as a person. I have been able to use the blog to express myself and even took some photo's along the year.

With it being New Years eve its time to reflect on the year that was 2013, and look ahead to 2014. Its been a strange old year, no stranger than any other to be fair, but still its been a strange one. Plenty of highlights and plenty of low lights, so lets pick out a few.

Lets start with a low light, this year as a family we lost a very close and dear friend, and whilst we hadn't been in touch as we really ought to have the grief was still very real. We were quite lucky in the fact that we were all together as a family when we found out and were able to comfort each other and share our memories. So before the clock turns midnight I would like to raise a glass (probably the only one I will raise this evening) to Wyn Treeby. The world lost a true shining light, but Heaven is a better place now that you and Jim are reunited at last.
That was very much the lowest point of the year. Everything else has been pretty trivial in comparison, so lets not dwell on things that in the grand scheme of things are inconsequential in comparison.

Highlights for me have been continuing to see my awesome (if troublesome) daughter grow, and learn and generally consistently be the bane of my life. Sometimes she is so like me that I find it very frustrating as I don't want her to make the same mistakes I have in life, but I guess the more I push her away from those, the more she will gravitate towards them.

I have rediscovered my love (and hatred) of the game of golf, joining a course for the first time ever, and whilst I have not reached the goals I set at the start of the summer I have had a lot of fun. Particularly 6 and a half hours to get around Slaley with Lee Oakley and Darren Storey, including at one point allowing a threesome of senior members to play, and a special highlight for me was playing at Turnberry with my father. Even though it was the baby of the 2 courses available the quality of the course and the views were simply breathtaking. It helped that I played well and scored reasonably well too.

I also got to take Christine and Erin to their first big football match, well I say big, it was Scottish Third Division, but it was at Hampden and it was Rangers.

Whilst it is quite materialistic, the installation of our new kitchen has been an exciting and nerve racking journey this year too. Now its in we couldn't be happier with it.

Erin has completed more gradings at Dance, taken part in a summer show, and MPA's main show, completed an NUFC football training course, moved up a stage in swimming, got her 50m badge, finished the year getting less than 10 spellings incorrect all year in tests and continues to astound us with her general ability to turn her hand to anything.

The biggest hurdle to completing this challenge has been the change of shifts at work, meaning that I work 12 hour days, so finding time to take an interesting picture (which I haven't always managed) has been a real pain. I hope that I haven't bored you all too much.

Its been a good year for Paul Lynch Photography, getting to see some of my good friends get married, and being able to capture their days for them in a way that they loved has been a real pleasure. I've had a good variety of brides and grooms, and have been lucky enough that all of them have been a pleasure to work with. I wish you all the very best for 2014.

So onto the final picture of the year.

As I have said, its very difficult to balance everything and to find time for everything and everyone, but there is nothing more important than family or friends......


Not even phone calls, or Simpsons tapped out updates.

So here s to 2014, make of it what you will, I'm sure it will be just as strange as 2013!


Thats it from me, I've done 2, I will never ever attempt a 365 again, so i hope you have enjoyed it.

Paul

Monday 30 December 2013

Day 364 I will not be defeated

So today has consisted of travelling to and from work, looking at a pc screen for 11 and a half hours and having some breakfast and lunch. Not a whole lot of opportunity to take pictures.

This is the best I was able to do, I'm always taken by how spooky this piece of road looks at night, don't worry this image was not taken while driving. I stopped after making sure there was nothing behind or in front of me. Safety first.



Very Blair witch projecty.

1 more day to go! 

Paul

Sunday 29 December 2013

Day 363 Driving home after Christmas

I really do enjoy the drive to and from my parents, well when it isn't dark, or snowing, or raining or windy!

Which it wasn't today. I know my blog has kind of fizzled out, but you try it and then criticize! 


Enjoy the last 2 days of the year!

Paul 

Saturday 28 December 2013

Day 362 Dog nam it

well it had to happen at some point and if it was going to happen of course it wS going to happen when I was 200 miles from home.

While packing the car on Tuesday my daughter had a little bit of a meltdown, the outcome of which was that in my rush I packed my camera bag without packing it. Upon arrival I made the choice to not use my camera until my paid job today, as I knew I hadn't packed my battery charger. What I didn't realise was that whilst I had my lenses, spare memory cards and my flash, I did not have my camera body!

Luckily for me the for me the group I was due to be working for are a very understanding group of people, and u have kept the gig for future despite not being able to make today.

So again today's picture is an iPhone one and this time it's of my dad's dog Reaba.

She is a dopey thing! 


Back home tomorrow, fingers crossed for better weather than today and yesterday.

Paul

Friday 27 December 2013

Day 361 Walking In Ayr

Which despite the sales was pretty similar to a ghost town. The weather has been far from Christmassy today and I am sooooo tired which is not a good combination. But Erin and Christine managed to get themselves some bargains so I suppose it is all good. 


Back to a nice cold ice rink tomorrow! 

Paul

Thursday 26 December 2013

Day 360 The worst Football game ever

That's what I witnessed today.

It's always a pleasure to watch my team but today they were absolutely terrible. Unable to string passes together, unable to pose any sort of real threat to the opposition goal, and unable to continue their winning run.


Still like a senile old uncle that frequently craps his pants, you can't help but still love them.

Paul

Day 359 Merry Christmas

Lovely day spent with the family, opening presents, building things, eating too much, drinking too much and generally having fun. 


Hope you had a merry christmas too

Paul

Tuesday 24 December 2013

Day 358 Twas the night before christmas

And the house was still, well of course it was it was made if bricks and mortar, if it wasn't we would have problems, especially in these winds.

Arrived safely at my parents and everything is set ready for the morning.


It's at times like this you really wish you were a kid again.... Or a grandparent apparently!

Merry christmas to you all

Paul

Monday 23 December 2013

Day 357 Rudolph


Bit of a crazy day today making sure everything is sorted for the fat lad in red coming, but managed to snap this when going to the post office to pay £1.09 to pick up a christmas card! 


Happy days indeed

Paul

Sunday 22 December 2013

Day 356 Oh Christmas Tree

Last day at work before christmas and look what Chris Knott came as!


Happy Christmas to all those wonderful people and not so wonderful people I have met through work.

Paul 

Saturday 21 December 2013

Day 355 - F.A.B.

Only 10 days to go after today, and I have to say it can't come soon enough.

That said this evening I got a chance to practice one area of photography I would love to do more, taking pictures of live bands.

Its always easier when bands give you good access and have reasonable lighting, its a massive bonus when they play some decent music too.

So this evening I headed over to Sunderland to check out F.A.B. a 4 piece who play songs from the 60's onwards. Its easy to see that the 60's is their real inspiration but they entertained a crowd of Christmas revellers with a good mix from the last 5 decades, including some great sing along party songs.

Anyway todays picture of the day is one of 2 of the lead singers who shared the limelight of the evening (and caught the eye of one of the revellers)


More images from the set can be found at http://paullynch.smugmug.com/Music/FAB-Quay-Exchange

Thanks

Paul

Friday 20 December 2013

Day Three Five Fore

Last round of golf of the year today, it was a bright breezy day with some showers, so a bit of everything really.

Pretty much like my round, it was a real mixed bag, but finished off well. 
After finally getting past a troublesome three ball I finished par, par, par birdie. Parring two of my most troublesome holes on the course in the process. Shot of the round was this 6 iron from 167 yards on the 18th to set up my only birdie  of the day.


I sank the putt which was a relief as I had missed a very similar putt on the 16th.

To give an idea of the conditions I snapped this...


So until the new year the clubs are away, it's been a fun 8 months

Paul

Day 353 Happy Birthday Wife

What can I say I know the way to my wife's heart.


Happy Birthday to my best friend, my inspiration, my wife. Love you babes. 

Paul 

Day 352 Memories

There have been a lot of celebrity deaths recently and a lot of life celebrations. It's often easy to forget amongst all the hubbub of daily life that these people who make the news are people's mothers / fathers / husbands / wives / children/ loved ones. We don't know them personally yet we show our reapects. 

This year has been one of loss for my family too, we lost a beloved family friend which I mentioned a while ago, and whilst we celebrate her life we can take solace in the fact that she is reunited with her husband, in his own right an absolutely outstanding human being who filled his life with adventures and happiness. 

I now have something that I can treasure to celebrate knowing that they are reunited again, and remember the times I shared with them and my own family growing up. 


Together forever may they both rest in piece.

Paul

Tuesday 17 December 2013

Monday 16 December 2013

Day 350 Poor Fella

Still 9 days to christmas and already the fat guy in red has been hung out to dry.....


Poor chap

Paul

Sunday 15 December 2013

Day 349 Tom, Tom and Tom - The 3 wise monkeys....

Today I had the pleasure of shooting 2 awesome kids, Charlotte and Tom.

It was nice to shoot with 2 children who enjoyed getting their pictures taken and who were chatty and  just enjoyed being kids.

As part of the shoot the kids donned their onesies, and as Toms onesie is a monkey suit, and he has the perfect cheeky little face for a 3 wise monkeys shot.

He was more than happy to pose so I quickly fired off 3 shots and this is the result.



Thanks to Charlotte and Tom and their parents for a top morning.

Looking forward to my photo day in January now, fingers crossed for more awesome fun kids!!!


Paul

Saturday 14 December 2013

Day 348 The Last Dance

Well the last dance class, of this year anyway. We got to pop along and watch what the kids have been learning since the show in November. It's all about having a bit of fun and working towards exams from now till mid February.

This is Erin and her dance teacher Jane. 


Erin hangs on every word Jane says, I must ask her her secret some time!

Have a good weekend folks

Paul 

Friday 13 December 2013

Day 347 22


My friends tonight from a well deserved soak in the bath.

Paul

Thursday 12 December 2013

Day 346 Starting to feel a lot like Christmas

The crafts have begun, I'm counting the days down at work and trying to desperately think if I have forgotten anything!


The fat man will be here soon enough

Paul

Wednesday 11 December 2013

Day 345 Winning!

The other day I got a random text from Lee at work. Now for those that don't know Lee he is a bit of a jack the lad, he likes a bit of banter and a bit of a joke, so when he told me I had won a prize at work I wasn't sure if I should believe him. But I stuck with it as you never quite know. 

I checked my work email and there was nothing there, so I checked the work social site and sure enough I had win a prize. I couldn't remember what the prize was, only that I had been a bit cheeky with my entry.

So anyway long story short, here is me with my new TV for the bedroom!


Bosh!

Paul

Tuesday 10 December 2013

Day 344 Tuesday afternoon at movies

Kind of... Blyth loves nothing more than cheap stuff and a new pubs so the buzz of a weatherspoons opening has just been too much for some people. I had 20 minutes spare so popped in to see what the fuss was all about. 

To be honest they have done a cracking job of turning the old theatre / cinema into a pub. It looks very nice and clean and well strange as it sounds for Bkyth, classy.

Fingers crossed it stays that way for a while.



Paul

Day 343 Blast from the Past

Apologies I thought I had posted this last night but apparently I forgot. 

Yesterday I went to play golf, at a place I haven't played for at least 8 years, and I was blown away by the change in the way the course looked. Not because the layout has changed or because they have made massive changes to the course, no simply because the course has matured so much, mainly with the size of the trees now lining the fairways.



Let's not dwell on how I played (it was a bit pants) but focus on something else.

Darren has an electric golf trolley, that he can set to go off up to 30m away from him. He has been slowly but surely getting more confident with this feature until the 16th at Burgham yesterday, when this happened....


By far the highlight of my day!

Paul

Sunday 8 December 2013

Day 342 Adventures

8 days into advent and I'm still having fun with my lego Star Wars advent calendar.

Here is my swag so far.


May the force be with you! 

Paul

Day 341 Up and Over

Say hello to my new log wedge.

She is called Wyn, those that know me well will know why, needless to say golf is something I enjoy very much, and I wanted to have something to remember a dear friend by. She didn't play golf not was she particularly fond of it but she did do a lot of thinking, and pondering, and was alway able to offer just the right advice if you should ask for it. 

I do a lot of my best thinking on the golf course, and as I've said I enjoy the tranquility and the reflection time it gives me, so I thought it would be great to be able to remember this great person in those moments when I am out on the course.

Say hello to my new golf club


She is a 60 degree lob wedge designed to help me out of a bit of trouble and set me back on a nice smooth path.

Fingers crossed

Paul

Friday 6 December 2013

Day 340 Everybody's gone Surfing

Today has been very topsy turvy, Its had some great bits and some very much not so great bits, but thats what life is like. You have to learn to make the most of what it throws at you and hope that you'll get a bit of luck along the way.

This guy in todays photo, took the opportunity of getting some great surf in, despite the warnings to the contrary. The sea was rough but not too bad, and they seemed to be all out in pairs to keep an eye on each other.

Anyway, onto the picture.....



I took quite a few photo's today, but this was my personal favourite, to see more check out my personal Facebook page.

Paul

Thursday 5 December 2013

Day 339 - Storm Surge

I was rudely awoken this morning as I imagine most of you were by rain battering against my window (hopefully it battering against my window didn't wake you though). And then endured the wind and piercing rain whilst taking Erin to school.

After seeing reports that we would experience raging waves I popped down to the beach, and was very disappointed in the tiny waves that were having the tops whipped off them by the gusting wind. Undaunted I snapped off a couple of frames and thought, ach that will do.

Fast forward 7 hours and I read on my twitter timeline that the River Blyth has overflowed at the quay, and I am heading past it so pop by and fire off these pics. This is the highest I have ever seen the River Blyth in my 30 odd years here.



And I again headed back to the beach to see if any of it existed, I'm not sure if you can tell by this image just how high the tide is but if you know Blyth at all, this was by the bandstand and the waves were reaching (not quite crashing against) the sea wall, there was no beach!



Stay safe everyone.

Paul

Wednesday 4 December 2013

Day 338 Tree Festival

Christine told me about this Christmas Tree Festival on Monday so I decided to pop down and check it out this evening while the girls were both off dancing.

The idea is that local business have all decorated tree's, I'm not sure what happens with them at the end of the week, I do know they are voting for what is people's favourite tree. The tree's are supposed to represent the businesses. so there is a garage who have decorated the tree with toy cars, a travel agent who has decorated their tree with luggage tags, and the usual decorated trees from the local brownies groups.

Its quite nice when you walk in but I can't help but feel it should have had more of a point to it. Maybe with the tree's going to hospitals, or old folks homes at the end of the week, (although they possibly have amazing tree's anyway)

Anyway, here is a little group of pictures from the whole shebang.


Today has served as a reminder of how great people never get forgotten even once they are gone, and I have been left feeling truly humbled, but in a very nice way.

Paul

Tuesday 3 December 2013

Day 337 Winter Sun


This was my view as I popped to greggs for my bacon sandwich this morning.

Stunning! 

Paul

Monday 2 December 2013

Day 336 Counting the Days

I'm not going to lie, and you probably already know this but this blog and this project have been a real struggle. I don't feel I have grown as a photographer, nor do I feel that it has really been worthwhile.

Hopefully I will look back on it with greater fondness in the future than I look at it now.

Needless to say I will never ever attempt this project again, this is my second, and will definitely be my last. 



29 to go now!

Paul

Sunday 1 December 2013

Day 335 The Final Countdown

1st December can mean only 2 things, time to prepare for christmas and possibly more importantly I only have 31 (including today) more pictures to take.

Despite my knee feeling like it may explode at any moment I managed to get the decorations out the loft and get the place tarted up for christmas.


Happy holidays and all that jazz

Paul

Saturday 30 November 2013

Day 334 Parenting

Wow is parenting difficult, and scary too, all you can really do is try your best to do the best by your child or children if you are mad enough to have more than one.

Its amazing how quickly they grow up and even more so how quickly they appear to grow up.

My daughter is off to a birthday party today and is dressed up to the max.


I find it difficult to believe it is 7 and a half years since we didn't have a kid, and even harder sometimes to realise that she is still only 7 and a half.

I really hope she has fun and all I can do is protect her the best I can and be here to pick up the pieces when she needs me too.

Paul

Friday 29 November 2013

Day 333 Time captured

My wife had a jewellery party last night with the wonderful Sarah Harperly who runs Under The Lemon tree (check her out on Facebook) and purchased herself this pretty awesome necklace timepiece


As for me I'm pretty much grounded this weekend as I seem to have twisted my knee making me pretty much immobile. Excellent!

Paul

Thursday 28 November 2013

Day 332 Lego and Meat

A bit of an unexpected day today, a gift from a friend and then a meal with another friend.

Before Monday I hadn't seen Ali Cree in nearly 2 months and now I've seen him twice in 4 days, and if I saw him again tomorrow we would still talk effortlessly for hours.

My gift was from the very kind Mr Knott who bought me my third lego ferrari, only 3 to go now (the yellow one, the white one and the truck if you are interested, but let me know as I'll be getting them soon)

So here are 2 pictures that sum up my day. 




Paul


Wednesday 27 November 2013

Day 331 Out

Today I had a random twitter conversation with an American business, they have a really good idea and I was asking if they shipped to Britain which unfortunately they don't. They then asked when I would next be in the US of A which got me thinking about my holiday in the states back in 2003, and one of the things we enjoyed the most that surprised us both was a baseball game. It wasn't necessarily the sport itself but due to the diversification in San Francisco the ball park was a literal melting pot of ethnicity and cultures, all coming together with one common cause. It's something that's often underrated, the feeling of belonging to something bigger, being a part of something, feeling a part of a team.

What can I say I quickly go off on one when I start thinking!

Anyway this is a collectible which we purchased while we were there to remind us of our time at the game.


Paul

Tuesday 26 November 2013

Day 330 Fluffy Clouds

This was one of those days where an opportunity just presented itself first thing this morning 


Another awesome sunrise in the North East

Paul

Monday 25 November 2013

Day 329 Pizza with friends

Today was a good day, I got paid, I had pizza, I had a photographic enquiry and I met up with a dear friend.

In other news, christmas shopping is very very nearly finished!


Golfing tomorrow too! Yay

Paul

Sunday 24 November 2013

Day 328 Fast Cars

One pastime I haven't shared with you is my enjoyment of motor sports. Today for those that don't know was the last F1 race of the season, the last race Mark Webers career and the last race of the V8 era with a plethora of changes to come in next seasons championship.

I've always found aggressive drivers the most entertaining, some of my favourites including Kimi Raikonnen, JP Montoya and even Vettel, who is the current master of squeezing every last drop of performance at the car and going for the win at all costs. The master in my opinion has to be Ayrton Senna, a master taken too early, a great possibly even a legend not allowed to fulfil his potential to really push the records of the sport. 

That said I don't have a toy car of Senna, and I was pretty desperate for a photo so this JP Montoya replica will need to do! 


Paul

Saturday 23 November 2013

Day 327 Bonne Anniversaire


I have no idea if I have spelt that correctly, for once I'm not really bothered.

11 years ago today I donned a kilt, had a massive breakfast, drank some southern comfort, married the woman I loved (and still do for that matter), had an amazing meal with close family and friends, drank champagne and anything else I could get my hands on and sang some very bad karaoke! 

This evening I celebrate after being at work all day, with a bottle of my favourite wine (Beringer sparkling White Zinfandel ) some steak and sparkling company.

Here's to another 12 months with my soulmate!


Paul

Friday 22 November 2013

Day 326 Keeping Dry

After what seems like an age but in fact had only been a little over a fortnight I was back on the golf course today. If I'm honest I was a little nervous over the weather after what has been an interesting week weather wise.
That said we couldn't have asked for better, we arrived to a cloudy cold course but after paying the clouds broke and we were welcomed by bright sunshine which stayed with us for the round. 

Matfen really is a great place to play, even more so on a bright winters day, with the brown, orange, red and yellow leaves framing the fairways.

Anyway here is today's image



A thoroughly enjoyable day, even if the golf wasn't that fantastic! 

Paul 

Thursday 21 November 2013

Day 325 Twit Twooo

Another busy day today finishing off the christmas shopping, well apart from some of the little stuff for the little one.
A productive meeting after lunch which should hopefully secure me some work in 2014. That said late June and July are already shaping up to be quite busy with no weekends off already! 
My meeting today was in the very stylish Lola Jeans in tynemouth. It's the second time I've popped in and I love the feel of the place. I would imagine it feels a bit different once it's full of puss heads, but for a quiet afternoon pint or even a coffee it's a nice place.

Since last time I was in they have added these lovely tea light holders which are very kitsch.


Fingers crossed this business proposal comes through, exciting times ahead maybe? Or at least a few days a year anyway! :) 

Paul

Wednesday 20 November 2013

Day 324 Weather

I'm guessing I'm not the only one who gets sick of the constant weather updates on Facebook and Twitter. I have windows I can see what the weather is! Grrrrr

That said today we've had about every weather possible. Rain, snow, sunshine, wind, calm and cloudy. We did however get a double freaking rainbow!


Paul

Tuesday 19 November 2013

Day 323 Nothing good happens after 2am

That's a quote from a TV show called how I met your mother, which happened to be the TV show we were watching when Christine went into labour with Erin. 

I need to remember this advice and then I don't make stupid decisions like I did at 4am this morning.

My current fitness regime is a weekly round of golf and maybe a little bit of time on the exercise bike. So what persuaded me that it would be a good idea to go for a jog this morning I do not know. The thought process was, ooh thinking about looking for a holiday, want to look good in my bikini (not really), so why not start trying to get fit. 


Many icy puddles later and this is what my trainers looked like. Never mind what I look like hobbling around and coughing and wheezing all day long.

Needless to say it's not something that will be repeated soon. 

Paul