Challenge Update - December

My 2013 challenges are:-

1) Watch one old film each month.

2) List five items on Ebay each month.

3) Have a date night with Mick each month.

I've been really looking forward to my film for December. I'd decided months ago that the film I'd choose to watch would be It's A Wonderful Life. This has got to be one of my favourite Christmas films ever. Mick, Eleanor and I sat down to watch this film together, Mick having only seen bits of it previously and Eleanor never having seen it before. I was surprised that Eleanor watched it all the way through as she's not a fan of black and white films, but she really enjoyed it. It's an inspiring story of how one person can touch the lives of so many other people, a real feel good tale for Christmas.

The last of my Ebay items have been listed and will be finishing within the next couple of days, I'm looking forward to seeing how much money I've made from items which would have just been discarded. I'm glad that this challenge is coming to an end as it's quite time consuming photographing, listing and posting items, though I'm sure it will have all been worth it when I count up what I've made.

We went for a meal in our local pub again this month for our date night, not very imaginative but it gives us a chance to spend some time together alone and to talk without being disturbed. Besides, we enjoy it there and the food is good.

I hope everyone's had a lovely Christmas. We had my mum and dad over for the day, and Mick's auntie and uncle dropped by in the morning to exchange presents. It was a wonderful day.

Yesterday, we decided to take Archie to the local RSPB reserve for his walk to blow away the cobwebs. I got a new lens for my camera for Christmas so it gave me a chance to try it out. We started off on one of the viewing platforms where the ducks and swans congregate, it can get quite frantic when food is thrown in to the water as a feeding frenzy takes place.

I think the swans look so serene.

This little fellow came to see what we were up to.

We walked by the visitors centre, which was closed for the holidays, to see which birds were visiting the feeders. This blue tit and great tit were having their fill.

There were lots of robins around too. This one was quite happy to sit in the tree having his photo taken.

I'm quite pleased with my photos as most were taken on a manual setting.

We didn't stay too long. It was a lovely sunny day but it was very cold in the shade.

I have to include a photo of Archie. Here he is resting after the exertions of Christmas day.

I hope you're all enjoying the festivities. Mick isn't back at work until next Thursday so they're ongoing here.