Air Traffic Control

Thought I'd managed to weave my way through Ryan UnFayre Air's website without notching up any unwanted sneaky fares and AFTER they got my credit card number they hiked the total by thirty euros in "Airplane fees". What the blank are airplane fees? And this is after an hour of form filling then being told "We've timed out" or "Session Locked" I loathe this company but at this time of year it's virtually the only option to land at Liverpool. However it will make a nice change to have company on this trip. I usually get the "We couldn't help noticing you're travelling alone. Do you mind moving so my husband and I can sit together?"

Ding Ding

Yes, I drew this last year but the nasturciums are just beginning to come out and there's a crane driver in every one!
Tickets booked to Britain, sinking feeling in stomach but Paco is coming with us as he has never been to England.
I have quite an urge to continue up to Scotland to old tramping grounds but this is just a short trip.
Hello to the viewer in Stirling. I used to live just down the road.

New Birds

There's all sorts of squeaking , cheeping and fluttering going on in the hedge next door. One marigold out and a couple of violets and of course, a small, defiant row of beetroot which never grew into beetroot last year and now look like miniature, fossilized trees.
I have actually managed to achieve nothing in the last few days except spread vast quantities of CDs, cameras, spectacles and clothes around the place.

Sounds of Spring

The sun is out. The bulldozers are cleaning up the beaches, the bar owners are placing chairs outside and I'm off to Britain in a couple of weeks. That guarantees Virgin trains will not be running.
Here's a link to outside today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZxJjOTomQs

It's Underneath You

And so the Spring Symphony begins. Number 23 on electric hedge clippers. Number 25 on pressure spray. Number 31 on chain saw. Number 15 mending motorbike engine. Number 16 wailing dogs. Numbers are not exact but you get the idea.
Number 23 arrives from France and immediately starts to shape the leaves on his olive tree into the shapes of silver-green pom poms. I feel quite sorry for it.
Here's a link to a short animation which is beautifully done.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4UVh_rxups&feature=related