Random photo dump!

Erm, ok... But yay, I pre-ordered the upcoming Stephenie Meyer mini-novel!

The amazing mug Heidi brought me... I seriously really wanted one just like this and have never seen one when I've been charity shop shopping!

Heidi made this especially for me... I love him! His name is Growly.

Some of the other awesome gifts Heidi brought down for me! (Made my gifts to her of a matroyshka mug, like my biscuit jar, and cool tiger luggage tag from H&M look pitiful though! Tehe). Oh, and the handmade card on the left, she posted weeks ago but I only received, damaged may I add, on the Saturday she was here! (Luckily nothing inside was damaged!)

Cool graffiti I saw on a wall in Albany Road... I like meaningful graffiti like this, it really makes you think, or at least remember what you believe anyway.


Bambi looking very happy indeed... apologies for the grainy pics! I love this little boy so much, he has such a beautiful and good soul.

Weekend gone.

Last weekend was wonderful, and I feel very lucky to be able to say that. Heidi came to stay over Friday until Sunday, as Saturday was Vintage Pretty Fayre #3...

We got up a little earlier on Saturday as Heidi wanted to see the Albany Road charity shops (there's around 8 in that one road altogether!). First of all I insisted we watch the new and final Twilight: Eclipse trailer, as I knew it had been shown on Oprah (Oprah?! Why Oprah?!)... I'd already seen it a few times by 8am, but I wanted to see it with Heidi as we are both crazy about Twilight! I love the new trailer so much, and I am even more excited now about Eclipse's release... didn't think that would have been possible!

Anyway, after that we raced up there for only about a half hour shop (as well as putting up a few VP posters), but we did each find some lovely bits and pieces... and lots of Point Horror books! Though we only brought one each, it was super fun to 'check off' which books we had both read when we were younger (we had read all of them, I used to be obsessed with Point Horror!). I got The Cemetery, hehe.

11am, we set out for Buffalo Bar (Vintage Pretty's venue). I still find it a little stressful on the day itself, as not only do I have to set up the Dolly Dearest stall, but as organiser for the day I have to be on hand to help with all other things. But it turned out fine. It's always nice to be all set up and be able to relax!

Vintage Pretty was thankfully a lot busier than the last one, and I think giving out goodie bags to the first 10 people through the door was a good idea. Some of the other sellers put in some amazing free gifts, and I popped a mini notebook in each. There were also 'money off' vouchers in there, and quite a few people used the 10% off vouchers that I popped in there.



I was so pleased that the fayre was so much busier this time, and I think it definitely helped as the girl I was paying to flyer town was lovely and brilliant... she got rid of all the flyers, and there were LOTS! As a little thank you I also let her choose something she wanted off the Dolly Dearest table. It's always nice to meet such lovely people! As ever there were some brilliant sellers there! Here are some photos of the day, though my Blackberry camera quality is far from great!






The Tiger Bay Brawlers Roller Derby team were selling lush cakes (some vegan too!) to raise funds for skates for new starters. They looked so cool in their matching t-shirts!

Vintage Pretty is usually a nice time for me to catch up with my friends. I may not have lots but the ones I do have are amazing! Unfortunately Saffy couldn't make it, and it wasn't the same without her, but Heidi was there with me of course, and Lewis and Sam and her friend Lea popped in also (as well as popping back to the flat with us after the fayre). Sam and Lea looked almost like twins!






So by the end of the day I was feeling pretty pleased as I sold over £100 worth of stock (it was a quiet month for sales until then so I was so happy!). Heidi also sold a few of her awesome owls and robots... she's a talented little lady!

After Vintage Pretty we all headed back to ours for a bit, and then Sam and Lea headed off to do their separate thing! After Mikee had dropped off some PA equipment for a gig that night, we all went to Penarth beach ("we" being Mikee, his friend Leigh, Heidi and I!). It was dark by this time, but it actually tirned out better as we could let Bambi and Bela off their leads to run around on the beach, as it was deserted. It was amazing to watch them free from their leads and having a great time. I wish they would behave so we could always let them off the leads! Penarth is beautiful in the daytime, but it was just as lovely at night. I did get some pictures, but as you can see, it was very dark...





(Mikee popped Bambi and Bela on top of the car while he gave them a dry with the blanket... running around on the beach is a messy business!)

The rest of the evening was spent popping to tesco to buy food, and then we headed back to ours to watch The Shining and just chill out. It was so lovely to just sit down and relax, it was an insanely busy day! It was awesome though!

Sunday morning, Heidi and I went into town to do some shopping! Shopping is not something I do often, besides the weekly food shopping! I just don't have much spare cash I guess... but I decided to treat myself with the £100+ I had made on Saturday as I never expect to make money at fayres... that way if I do I haven't got plans for the money. And on the occasions I do desperately need to make money and I think of what I need it for, I tend not to sell much... Strangeness!

Anyway, I spent ALL of the money! I felt kind of guilty but I desperately needed new clothes and shoes, and it had also been a while since I had brought any new films. This is what I got... (sorry, not interesting enough to take photos of!)

H&M - Black mini shorts,black cropped 'sweatpants'/jogging bottoms (Heidi arrived on Friday in a grey hoodie and black sweats... she looked so awesomely comfy, but also still alternatively cute, so I had to try something similar!), grey oversized slouchy sweatshirt, black strapless top, black lace-up pumps, and a black Hello Kitty make-up bag (it was only £1, couldn't resist!)

Primark - Black (can you see a pattern?!) hoodie, black slouchy long style hoody, black leather look big slouchy shoulder bag

HMV - Inglorious Basterds DVD

Cexx - Hard Candy, Inside, Constantine DVD's

Paperchase - Cute giftwrap (which I intend to frame and use as giant wall pictures... only £1.25 each, bargain home decoration!), retro animal greetings cards on sale, 50p each (Sam had brought some so Heidi and I were keen to see what we could find!), a cute sushi pen for Heidi, and some lovely postcards

Phew! After having looked at that list, I think it shows my thriftiness, as I brought a hell of a lot for £100! The clothing is all pretty basic, so I can mix and match more easily. I also brought some toiletries that we needed, and some picture frames from the wonderful world of Poundland (I love that shop!)

But! The most treasured purchase of the day was my Illamasqua white face powder! I had been after a really good white powder/foundation, and everyone kept saying Mac. But then Illamasqua was mentioned to me (by one of my friends on Facebook who works on the Illamasqua counter in Cardiff!). So I popped into Debenhams (where Mac and Illamasqua are) and went to have a look at Mac first. An awesomely groomed salesman actually them directed me to Illamasqua, as he said I would find the white I was after as they do stage make-up, and Mac's white was a lot subtler.

So I toddled over to Illamasqua... I have never shopped at make-up counters before, I'm more the Superdrug (which is now BUAV approved now, yaaaay!) or eBay make-up kinda gal. Anyway, to cut a long story short... I was served by a wonderful lady called Vicky, who not only found the powder I was after (which I love I must say! £21 well spent, especially as normally I would never dream of spending that much on one make-up item!) but also 'defined' my eyebrows for me! She asked if she could just do a little something and beckoned me into the chair. I have also never had make-up applied in a shop before, so I was all shy and giggly! But basically as she did the make-up she told me that as I have big hair and eye make-up I should define my eyebrows more... which I totally agreed with. But I'm too lazy to have done anything about it until now! She didn't do a huge amount, but I was excited at the result...


Well, hello eyebrows! :D

Anyway, I came out feeling really special and Vicky was such a lovely woman, I was so glad I had gone in. She told me to go back in and let them do my make-up... we shall see! It was super fun though, and I think I will have to give it a try myself. Amazing how little details can make such a difference. And to meet such a lovely, kind person on a random shop visit, well that's gotta be special.

The make-up shopping actually came after I had said goodbye to Heidi. Heidi's train back to Coventry was at 1.45pm so just before she had to go we had Wok to Walk. This time I had the Veggie dish with Shiitake mushrooms, tofu and Shanghai sauce. So delicious!

It's always really sad to say goodbye to Heidi, we are truly so similar (though ultimately pretty different... if that makes sense?!) and I adore her. She is actually off on holiday with Trek America in a couple of weeks... it is super exciting but I will miss her (even just her not being online) and I will be worried for her! She means the world to me, as all my friends do.

Sunday afternoon I basically just slept and chilled out with the boys, as Mikee had to take his mom into hospital for an operation (she's had the op now, and doing ok). It was a lovely weekend, and I am so thankful for each and every second of it!

These are a few of my favourite things... (don't pretend the song didn't pop up in your head!)

So I came across this wonderful little idea from the lovely Danielle of Sometimes Sweet blog....

7 groups of things that I love/would recommend...

* Films



Twilight... I seriously cannot recommend this film enough. It has it all... romance, the supernatural, humour (it's actually very funny!)... and for me it just has an innocent magic about it... I could not recommend the books and the films more.



This is a film that Mikee and I always go back to... it is one of the most inspiring films I have ever seen... and the fact that it is a true story makes it even more so. I have only recently realised just how much I love Will Smith! I loved Fresh Prince and a lot of films he's been in since.



This is another one of my favourites... just an absolute joy to watch any time!And Verdell is absolutely amazing...

* TV Shows



Dexter has such a special place in my heart. When I heard about the TV series coming out, I decided to give the books a try, as I worked in the library at that time. The first book truly blew me away. I was truly horrified at the encounter with the priest at the beginning of the book. But then as I carried on reading I also realised just how amazingly funny they were!

Unfortunately after the first and second books, I have become a little disappointed. However, I absolutely adore the TV series so I am not too sad about this. Michael C Hall IS Dexter... and the whole of the cast play their roles so well! Season 4 was absolutely amazing... and the last episode was jawdropping... I really did not see that coming (the books have become more and more different as the seasons have progressed, so the 4th season storyline was totally new to me even though I have read all four books that have been published so far).

If you like blood and gore, but also humour and tender moments... Dexter is totally the one for you.



For those of you who are regular readers (as always, thank you!), you will know how much I love True Blood, and I also adore the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris. It took me a long time to get into, and the OTT sexuality of it really put me off at first... but now I see it is truly an integral part of True Blood, and plays sugh a huge part in the whole story. I cannot wait for Season 3.



Scrubs. You just cannot watch it without laughing and I adore Zach Braff, especially his films.

* 3 albums (a song off each one)



Florence and the Machine - Lungs



Death Cab for Cutie - Plans



Alexisonfire - Watch Out!

* Books.



I love Twilight. The films and the books. A lot. Anyone that has ever experienced heartbreak and loss will have felt as Bella does in New Moon. Out of all 4 Twilight books, this is my absolute favourite, because it recognised the part of me that is so scared of experiencing such heartbreak again.



I really enjoyed this book, and it really did change my perspective on the whole sex industry. I used to have a very dim view of it, but after reading this (which is a lot more lighthearted than other books of a similar vein) and other autobiographical books on prostitution, I really did change my view of it, and actually gained some rspect for the women that do it as a way of making ends meet. It's not to say I approve of prostitution but I do know it's not always as simple as it seems. And who I am to condemn? Their is also a tv series of Belle De Jour, but I wasn't overly keen on it, just nowhere near as good as the books in my opinion.



This isn't one of my favourite favourites but I did really enjoy it. It's a suspense novel based around a group of Urban Explorers. I love the whole idea of urban exploration, though I've yet to do any of my own yet, so I really enjoyed this! It's also very dark and eerie, which is usually a good factor in a book for me!

* Recommended blogs.

This is a toughie as I love all of your blogs! So I'm gonna try pick less personal blogs and find some that are more like blogazines... or something!


Illamasqua! My new favourite make-up brand! Expect more about Illamasqua in my weekend post later tonight!


Confessions of a Twicrack Addict I love this blog! It is informative (about Twilight and related topics) and also extremely funny!


The Dainty Squid. Ok, so this is more of a personal blog... but I love this girl! Kaylah is my thrifting goddess, and I always enjoy catching up on her blog entries. Super talented too!

* 3 etsy shops


The Little Fox.


The Thin Veil.


Lolley's Curiosites.

It's all about Vintage Pretty...

I'm so excited! Things for Vintage Pretty Fayre have really stepped up a notch this time round! There are so many blogs and sites that have mentioned us (mainly from the sellers hard work in getting our event listed, thank you!), and apparently (I say apparently because you just can't rely on Facebook 'guests' as being accurate, I think a lot of people just like clicking 'yes' for the sake of it!) there are over 240 confirmed guests for tomorrow...

As soon as I get a chance I will dedicate a post to the Vintage Pretty online onslaught of features and advertising!

x

Making the most of the free time at work...

Start at the very beginning, what’s your name?
Maria


Do you own a pair of skinny jeans?
I do.


If you were invisible for a day, what would you do?
This idea has never really interested me if I'm honest... maybe go hang out with some animals. I'm sure I'd have such fun just watching them in their daily lives!


Does the person you like, like you back?
I like lots of people, I hope they like me back!


What did you do last night?
Driving lesson after work, then we popped for a walk around Cardiff Bay, and then we went food shopping at Tesco, where Mikee picked up a huge amount of food and drink for the rider for tonights band!


Has anybody ever given you butterflies?
He still does.


Are you your mum’s favorite child?
I doubt it, haha.


Are you happy with the way things are going?
Yes thanks.


Did you wake up in the middle of the night last night?
I keep waking up around 5am lately... think it's because the mornings are getting lighter?


Sleep on your back or stomach?
Side usually.


What were you doing before this survey?
Answering another quiz, and at work (almost time to go home, yaaaay).


Do you tend to rip the paper off water bottles?
Not especially. I don't buy water for myself anyway, not really into water to be honest! I know that's naughty but I prefer juice! But at least it's fresh juice!


How long does it take for you to fall asleep at night?
Not long at all...

It’s Thursday night, where are you usually?
At home!

What’s the greatest thing that happened to you today?
Waking up next to my boys:)


Have you ever felt like you weren’t good enough?
Yes indeed.


What’s going on tomorrow night?
Erm.... nothing that i know of... more preparations for this weekend's fayre I guess!


Is your hair curly or straight right now?
Extension-y and dread-y.


What do you really think of Starbucks Coffee?
Overpriced and corporate!?


Want to be taller or shorter?
Okay as I am thank you!


What are you listening to?
Nothing, I'm at work.


When was the last time you really laughed?
Earlier at the videos of swimming pigs, they make me so happy!


Do you listen to music every day?
Yep, and started listening to a lot of my old CDs too lately.


Last song you heard?
The Academy Is... An old favourite, though not sure of the song title!


Is the last person that you had a conversation with a male or a female?
Female... I work in an all-female organisation.


What’s the last thing you said out loud?
Something work related.


How was your day?
Okay thanks, something happened at work (not to me) that made me upset and angry though.


Describe how you feel right now in three words:
Sleepy, bored, hungry.


If someone asked you what you wanted, what would you say?
Food please :)


Plans for Saturday?
Vintage Pretty #3. But before that Heidi and I are going to try do some charity shop shopping, as we don't need to start setting up until 11am. After the fair we will probably just pop for something to eat and chill out in the flat. Especially as last time she was here, we had a manic night, fuelled by too much Sambuca and Jagermeister (fun though!)!


Who was the last person besides yourself to touch something on your face?
Mikee most likely!


Do you have a reason to smile right now?
Yuss :) I'm a lucky lady.


Where were you at 9 am this morning?
Work, just got in.


Do you think people talk about you?
Hmmm, perhaps.


What do you carry with you at all time?
Mobile phone


Do you and your parents get along?
Yep :)


This time last year, were you single?
Nope


Is there someone you wouldn’t mind kissing right now?
Mikee, always.


Ever sang a whole song without missing any lyrics?
Doubt it!


Has someone close to you ever told you they were going to commit suicide because of you?
Yes... took almost 5 years, but finally freed myself of him.


Do you care if people talk badly about you?
Not anymore really.


Where were you at 10:17 pm last night and what were you doing?
At home, not long been in from the supermarket.


Were you happy when you woke up today?
Sure :)


Are you a morning person or a night person?
Hmmm... either really! Once I'm outta bed I'm fine... it's just the getting up that's a bit difficult! Hehe.


Honestly, has anyone seen you in your under wear in the past 3 months?
Yes.


Be honest, do you like people in general?
I generally dislike the human race in general... due to our abuse of this wonderful planet. But most people I meet, I like. That's good! :D


Does anybody hate you?
Maybe a couple of people, their problem though.


Are you mad at someone right now?
Work...


What’s on your bed?
Bedding?!


Last person on your bed?
Mikee (he gets up later!)


Is there one person in your life that can always make you happy?
My dad... he is my absolute idol and best friend.

If I was a...

If I was a month, I’d be November. Nice mixture of Autumn and Winter... Dark, chilly, Halloween, cosy indoor times.

If I was a day of the week, I'd be a Saturday. Everybody loves a Saturday (well maybe not retail workers who have to work weekends... I feel your pain, I did it for years!
If I was a time of day, I’d be evening. Time to cosy down and chill out.
If I was a planet, I’d be the mooooooon (search The Mighty Boosh).

If I was a sea animal, I’d be a seal. Used to love them when I was younger. I'd then like to show the seal clubbers a taste of their own medicine. Bastards.
If I was a direction, I’d be forwards. In theory anyway, as I always look back on the past though I believe it is better to look ahead!

If I was a piece of furniture, I'd be the most comfiest bed in the world.
If I was a liquid, I’d be water. So refreshing!
If I was a gemstone, I’d rather be a nice, smooth pebble thanks. More interesting I think!

If I was a tree, I’d be one full of monkeys! Eeeee!
If I was a tool, I’d be a hammer, everyone needs a hammer to put lovely pictures up!

If I was a flower, I’d be maybe a crysanthemum?
If I was a kind of weather, I’d be chilly and dark. Winter weather!

If I was a musical instrument, I’d be the drums!
If I was a color, I’d be black.
If I was an emotion, I’d be gentle. I love gentleness. Whether it be in manner, in weather (gentle breeze), in touch... The word itself makes me feel safe and relaxed.

If I was a fruit, I’d be a grape (unseeded), hehe.
If I was a sound, I’d be a cute animal sound... like when Bela sighs... he's so cute when he does that!

If I was an element, I’d be water.
If I was a car, I’d be a cute little black car of some sort. Cheap but reliable.
If I was a food I would be pasta. With Dolmio sauce, yumyum.

If I was a place, I’d be home.

If I was a material, I’d be soft cotton.

If I was a taste, I’d be sweet.
If I was a scent, I’d be vanilla.

Quizzy

1. Mens chests..hairy or hairless?
Hairy all the way! The idea of men who wax/shave makes me cringe.

2. How often do you run red lights?
Well, never, because if I did that my driving instructor would not be pleased.

3. If you could raid any celebrity's closet..whose would you raid?
Not really into celebrities as such... but I do like Natasha Khan's style (Bat for Lashes).

4. Would you rather have more followers/friends on Facebook, Twitter, or your Blog?
I don't mind... but having blog followers makes me feel very special indeed. Thank you all so much, from the bottom of my heart.

5. What makes you feel sexy?
Getting all dolled up, though I feel more attractive than sexy... not really into 'sexy'.

6. I get excited when...........?
I sell things at fairs :)

7. Are you the "outdoorsy" type or more "indoorsy"?
More of an indoor girl... but I do like going out for trips to the park and things like that. Plus, it always feels better going home when you've been somewhere else... helps you appreciate it more.

8. Would you rather have your dream home or a million dollars?
Million dollars... I could help myself and many others out with that kinda money!

Why hello there little blog of mine...

I haven't blogged for a good while. Work has been busier (I am now Receptionist and Counselling Services Admin Assistant now dontcha know?! By the way, things like this really don't bother me... who cares about job titles and statuses?!)and I have not been too busy out of work... I guess with Mikee being out more doing his PA hire, I have been stuck in not doing a lot. This is one of many reasons why I'm psyched to finally start driving for real! I am now trying to have 2 lessons a week, but Don (my instructor) has been away a little recently so my 2 lessons a week should start up again next week. We have both decided it is my lack of confidence which is slowing my progress down... so it's something I need to work on. As Don says, I know by now HOW to drive, it's just putting that all into action, and syncing my brain with my body!

I did have a nice evening out last week with Sam (Honest to blog!) and Saffy. We went for something to eat at a pub up town called The Gatekeeper. It's cheap and cheerful, which is always good! Saffy had the vegan curry (Sweet potato and spinach) and I had just chips (it was a couple of days before payday so I had to budget my meal. But chips, fries for my American buddies!, with plenty of ketchup is always good!) I always have such a good evening with my friends. I may have just a few, but they are more than I could ever hope for. I adore them. Chatting with them comes so naturally... and with previous friendships I have come to learn that if it feels 'forced' in any way, then it's not a great friendship to start with. You can be good friends, but you can never be the kind of friends that you'd hope for... always there and never judging. My three closest friends are amazing: Sam, Saffy and Heidi.

Speaking of Heidi, she is coming to stay this weekend for Vintage Pretty #3. I can't wait! I love to be around her, she's so much fun and we are so alike. Girly girls but ungirly too, if that makes sense?! She loves that I too do not wear heels EVER, and she is vegan too (which is always a bonus!). We can also totally insult each other in jest, which I love! She makes awesome stuff, a lot of her dresses she makes from scratch, she's so talented. I love being around passionate and creative people! I am lucky in that way as each of my friends has a passion for something or other... nothing more inspiring than that!

Dear Tyler...

Did Formspring inform you I had replied to your amazing message? I hope so as I forgot to add to Blogger! And now I can't find it on my Formspring... let me know lovely, because I would like to include what you wrote on here...

You are amazing and thank you once again for your message.

xoxo

I have mostly been watching on Youtube...

These little darlings make me so happy I literally almost shed a tear! I want to visit the Bahamas just for these guys!


I have realised just how much I am scared of rollercoasters...


Beyond crazy...

"I'm not scared"... oh my goodness! I was quite literally getting sweaty palms and saying "shit shit shit!" whilst watching this.

But then you have really hyped rides that actually don't look that scary... (The POV videos/TV slots make it look really lame... and then you see the user comments!)

And lastly, just some music I am currently enjoying...

I had never realised this existed until last night... (Think I prefer the Iron & Wine version... though I do like this too.. c'mon it's Ben Gibbard!)

And this is good...

And lastly, Heidi introduced Mikee and I to this band, and I am loving them! Especially this video (floating dogs in space too!)
(I can't find a video that will let me embed it here, so here's the link... it's worth the effort to click it, hehe)

Me = emo. (And Falkor)

Some random photos of my home.

Update!

So I lied...I am doing an update now as it is currently past 12.30am and I don't feel ready to go to bed (though I am laying on the sofa as I write this!)

I haven't blogged for a little while! Though I have been busy with plans for Vintage Pretty Fayre #3, I have also been feeling rather lazy and uninspired too.

I haven't done as much crafting as usual, as its been a quiet month and I really need to sell what I've got before I make more! Having said that I have made about 6 new notebooks, 10 mini notebooks for the fayre goodie bags (first ten through the door get a bag full of treats from the days sellers!) and some wooden trinket boxes! I found somewhere that sold these awesome hinged wooden boxes and brought rather a few as they were only £1 each. But yes, the last couple of fairs have been disappointingly quiet so I wanted to make sure I didn't spend much on new stock until I sold some of what I have.

I also haven't been up to a huge amount... I did a few weeks of 11 hour shifts as we needed staff cover and I can always do with overtime money, especially as its a rarity in my job! I've been trying to get in two driving lessons a week as both the instructor and I notice a difference when I have more lessons... Looking back I shouldn't have had just an hour a week for so long, it really isn't enough. I'm so wanting just to pass now, I have been taking lessons for so long!

So that's it really, I haven't been up to a huge lot, but I guess we all have a time where we just don't feel the need to blog. I hope that has passed for now as I do enjoy blogging, and getting to know you all through your blogs!

I will post some recent pics on here tomorrow and hopefully have something else to write about!

Oh and lastly! Robyn, I have finally posted your parcel! Did it Friday, once again so sorry for the humongous wait! Xxx

Update and photos tomorrow

I pwomise!

First car boot sale of the year!

This beautiful owl was only £2. There were actually 3 of them and the lady on the stall offered them as 3 for £5 but unfortunately I didn't have much money on me. They would have made lovely gifts too!

These little fellas are awesome! They were only 50p for the two, as one of their tails had broken and been glued back on... Not that I mind about stuff like that, adds character I think!

Pretty pale pink birdy candle holders (I like it when ornaments come in pairs!)

These are so cute, and look pretty old too, which endears them more to me.

Owl teapots! I've seen the cat ones before (as I have two, and Sam has a few!) but never owls... then I go and find two at the same car boot sale, but on different stalls! The one was 50p, and the other I found after for £1.

It was a gooood day for car booting!

* We were in Wolverhampton in the weekend (yet to try out Cardiff boot sales yet!), it is always lovely to see my family, even if it was only for a short weekend. Here's a gratuitous picture of Mikee with Bambi (who wouldn't keep still, hence his blurrines)... and my dad in the mirror!