Tuesday 31 July 2012

My Month in Numbers 2012: July

Hello hello.

Well, another month has passed us by. Another month which, despite having involved more Christmas projects and a hailstorm, was in other ways a summer month. Just about ...

Let's see how July stacked up ... in numbers [if this series is new to you, you might like to check out the details here.] Now let's get started ...

2 = the number of plastic sacks we filled with shredded paperwork after a mammoth organisation + filing session:
only 3 = the number of important[ish] letters regarding our current mortgage ... which I shred by accident.

In my defence I had been keeping them in separate 'To shred' and 'Not to shred' piles. Then something clearly went awry ...

4 years = the time lapsed between this year and the date on the last neatly organised , highlighted, stapled and properly filed away bank statement I found. Don't get me wrong, the last four years of statements were all there, in a neat pile, in a cupboard but they hadn't been filed away.

And this struck me as a bit odd ... so I asked myself ...

... what happened sometime in the Autumn of 2008 to have so distracted me from being my old hyper orderly self?

What was it that could dramatically reduce the time I spent on domestic organisation?

And then, the mists of time cleared and I remembered ...

In Autumn 2008 ... I started blogging.

Aha ....

Mystery solved.

Henry IV Part 1 + 2 and Henry V [plus Richard II ... even though that wasn't technically on in July but the very end of June] = the new Shakespeare adaptations which made up The Hollow Crown series on the BBC:
I so admired and enjoyed this series: from the immersive, believable, acting to the sometimes distractingly good costumes [all those leather work and quilted jackets ...oh my.] If you missed it, and you get a chance to see it sometime ... even if [and especially if] you've never enjoyed Shakespeare before ... give it a go.

And, should you need any further convincing Tom Hiddleston [above] spends most of his role in leather trousers. You can thank me later.

270 = the age of the chapel we visited last Saturday:
It's one of those places I must have passed-by hundreds of times without ever giving it much thought. Then on Facebook a local tourism page mentioned that this chapel - on the site of some alms houses - was having an open day. And, while we're not church goers, we do like a bit of history ... and we are quite nosey ... so we swung by and took a look.

The signs outside, by the side of the road said 'Chapel Open Day: Photographers Welcome'. How nice was that? So, we happily took photos of this tiny place of worship which has never been out of use.
The window above the altar shows the founder of the hospital / chapel / school on the right, and his brother on the left [who - useless trivia alert - was married to Samuel Pepys' cousin. Bet you're glad I went now aren't you?]

1 hour + 2 x 4cm blisters =  As the weather has improved a little I decided to take myself off on a brisk morning walk. I got around 20 minutes in when a blister or two began to develop.

I really need to invest in some proper walking shoes or trainers. But they scare me. In fact, my feet shrivel up at the very thought of it! That said ... I don't like the 15 minute:1cm blister development ratio that happened last week either, so I may have to get over my fear of sporty footwear after all.

This drier [kind of] and [mostly] mild, weather has made a difference to my get-up-and-go though and I've also been on several bike rides this month.  One of which took James and I past these guys:
Cute but so, so noisy when they realised we hadn't brought them anything to eat!

13 + 1 = the number of ships + acrobatic jet-skiers counted along the coast: 
This energetic neon coloured sight is really not the kind of thing you expect to see on the North East coast but on this day, in that sunshine, you really could have been anywhere in the world.

5 = the number of times I tried to capture the strange romance of the lights of the heavy industry reflected in the  tide at dusk.

With each shot I tried ... it just kept getting more and more blurry. More and more out of focus.

This was the fifth and worst:
Or maybe it's the best too ...

Funny how a lovely softness and abstract feeling can emerge when you least expect ... or plan for it.

Maybe there's a life lesson in there somewhere.

Maybe it's just an out of focus photo.

Maybe both. Depends on the mood I'm in when you ask ...

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And on that philosophical note - here endeth my numbers for this month ... how about yours?

Everyone's welcome to join in:
  • with a blog post - as long or as brief as you like;
  • with a single important number - or a list of statistics;
  • with a single photo - or many;
  • with a scrapbook page - or none;
  • with any method which makes sense to you.
Then ...
  •  Drop back here and link me to your contribution - this can be any time at all during the coming month;
  • But ...please don't just fly by and air drop a link to your own numbers ... stay a while and leave me a few friendly words at the same time.
  • I'll swing by yours and comment too then,
  • if your post has at least one photo/image for me to 'pin' - I can add your vital stats to the Month in Numbers Pinterest board where lots of others can view your post and visit your original post;
  • And finally ... if you do want to take part in this communal counting caper ... please find time during the month to visit and say Hi to at least a couple of the other Month in Numbers bloggers too [I know lots of you do so already - and I think you're lovely!].
Right .. I'm off on my own blog-visiting rounds now ... see you there no doubt!

Julie :-)

27 comments:

  1. Hi there Julie x
    Still loving this monthly project :)
    I'd really recommend investing in good walking boots, I swear by mine when I'm doing scouting activities x
    here is my month http://sheenasscrapsandscribbles.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/my-month-in-numbers-july-x.html

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  2. There's something strangely comforting about the little bits of life you include in your month in number posts.

    Although the thought of Tom Hiddleston usually gets the blood pumping again very quickly....

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  3. Ooh, I do love a bit of shredding - there is something madly satisfying about it for some reason!

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  4. Just reminded me I need a new shredder and some people try very hard to get a shot of bokeh like that. Very arty. Will try and join in at some point but probably in a couple of weeks :0)

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  5. I'm another who likes to shred things! Great set of photos again this month to go with the numbers.
    You can see my numbers here:http://suburbansahm.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/month-in-numbers-july.html

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  6. Good numbers. I like your shot of the lights - claim you did it on purpose!

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  7. What a great set of numbers! Looks like you have been busy! I am going to look out for the TV series maybe coming over to the States and I really enjoyed the photos from the chapel... Good job on the paper organizing! I so need to do that!
    My numbers are here: http://anounceofcreativity.blogspot.com/2012/07/my-month-in-numbers-july-2012.html
    Have a great month of August!

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  8. I just read the tutorial on this and will try to do it for August.
    I've seen it on other blogs but never knew where it started or how to go about it.
    Rinda
    ps Nice chapel!

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  9. What did you do with your shreddings? We compost ours. But perhaps that's because we enjoy a good shred every 3 months or so - you'd probably FILL a compost bin with 4 years worth!

    Love the last two photos especially - great action shot and lovely artistic industrial bokeh!

    My July is up today - June is MIA although the numbers are in a draft post ...

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  10. a fan of your bokeh photo too!
    Once a year i tackle the sorting, shredding and filing away and yep i'm the same something always gets shredded that shouldn't.

    I'm now two months behind on my MIN's..have all the numbers just need to do the layouts

    xx

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  11. Omg, I *thought* that was Tom Hiddleston....was I meant to read any more after that?? (raised heart rate, dizziness, general swooning). Your month has something in common with mine, just finished re-filing (ie chucking away) everything in the hanging files, off to buy a shredder tomorrow. Blogging much more important!

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  12. I love your photo of the lights - a soft focus on like sounds very nice sometimes. Yeah to the shredder - it's so cold and wet up here I lit a fire but also used it to get rid of a load of old gas and electricity statements. I haven't discovered yet if I've shredded anything vital ... :).

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  13. just posted mine on http://helenascreativemaven.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/july-al-that-jazz.html

    doing my monthly numbers is firmly set as part of my end of month routine now - thank you. Love your donkey photo

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  14. Super set of numbers for the month Julie !

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  15. Another great number month - thanks for the reminder that I have a mountain of shredding to do - currently hidden in carrier bags in the understairs cupboard.

    My numbers are here - http://kkfantasticplace.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/my-month-in-numbers-july-2012.html

    Karen x

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  16. We like historical places too, lovely chapel.
    I´d make a poster out of the guys picture! So cute. The one looking at the camera is priceless.
    I´ve been trying to work out the jet ski pic. Where´s the driver? I can´t see what is supposed to be up or down. *squint*
    Ouch at the blisters and accidental shreddings.
    Here are my numbers, linked back to you. :)

    http://keepitsimplemakeitgreat.blogspot.com.ar/2012/08/july-update-what-do-you-wish-to.html

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  17. Looks like I wasn't the only one busy shredding - isn't it amazing how it piles up?
    Posted mine earlier today at
    http://scrappyknitter.typepad.com/odds_and_ends/2012/08/my-july-in-numbers.html

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  18. Hello Julie! I like your blurry lights photo, it may be a bit unclear but it's pretty and captures an 'essence'! I also laughed at the lapse in filing being due to blogging, I've found the exact same thing has happened to me. Oops!

    Here's my numbers: http://jennifersjumbles.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/july-in-numbers.html

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  19. What great numbers :) I have created my list for July and it can be found here...

    http://helensworld-helent.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/month-in-numbers-july-2012.html

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  20. That chapel looks quaint - I would have had to have a look at that too and I love the boke on your photo. Here are my numbers for July...
    http://juliaheald.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/jam-packed-july.html

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  21. Julie i've linked up my june numbers now. i'm not sure you can read them though so will have to take another photo x

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  22. Thanks for the lovely comment on my zip wire post! I just realised I had not linked back to you for July's MIN so have now rectified that x

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  23. Finally got around to posting ym month in numbers - http://mrsbeee.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/my-month-in-numbers-2012-july.html

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  24. finally I am linking my post up. I am loving everyones numbers. Here is my post link....
    http://tamarastitterings.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/july-in-numbers.html

    As usual I love your numbers.

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  25. Hi Julie, I have posted my first MiN after reading your tutorial, thanks. I love the donkeys in your post! and I am another shredder!
    http://miriamrogers.co.uk/?p=6487

    Off visiting now.

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  26. Hi Julie, inspired by your Pinterest-board I have made a 4x6 card for my project life: vacation in numbers..hilarious to count the icecreams we eat and the books we read :) I love this, and next time we travel i will count again.

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  27. and I forgot to link to my blog... http://www.ongevijftig.blogspot.nl/2012/09/vacation-in-numbers.html - sorry.

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