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Baby Hala Rose

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:33:00 +0000

Our new baby Hala Rose arrived into this world at 10:40, 9th November 2011 weighing in at 3.2kg
Video here too!

Penguin Cafe

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:43:00 +0000

If you haven't already you should start listening to Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Here are five albums that I own with the one above, Penguin Cafe Orchestra still the best of the lot. The artwork is class too (even with the bottom two albums here similar to those dodgy scenes at the start of that dodge film with Tom Hanks in it!!! Emm what was it called???…The Da Vinci Code, thats it!!!)

Infiniti G37

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:10:00 +0000

I was in this car yesterday (or very similar). 3.7 litre, 330hp. The owner clocked 265km/h to see how fast he could get it on one of the highways we were traveling on (I can't confirm though as it was like watching the Millennium Falcon go into hyperdrive from my view in the x-trail trying to keep up).

Classed!

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 16:50:00 +0000

I bought this when I was home in August. People dunno what to say when I ask them what they think of it, but I love it!!! It's called 'Classed' and is by Stephen Johnston from Clough, Co. Down.

(slightly pixelated but there's nothing I can do about it!)

Brunch today!

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 08:53:00 +0000

We're just about to head out the door for brunch in the Movenpick. It's also our wedding anniversary so I hope to take advantage of the free rum to get me through the day!

Only joking, there will be other people there so I'll not to have to rely on it alone…

New look

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:48:00 +0000

New site nearly ready. Thought it was due an update…

Sarah's first birthday party - 5th July 2011

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 19:43:00 +0000

Updated!

I've got it here on the video page too!

Art Corner by Brian Badonde

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 19:55:00 +0000

Check out Stephen Johnston. I'm seriously liking what he has on his website. This one is my favourite!

Graham Knuttel prints anyone? The prints come in an edition size of 25. Seems good value, but I'm not sure if he has the same appeal he once had. Maybe its the recession? Check them out here!

...and finally Bob Dylan and the Drawn Blank series. The Bradbury Gallery in Belfast is the only place selling them in NI (and ROI I think). They have them at a discout (a quick search on t'internet seems like a decent saving too). The question is though - are there cheaper ways to get Bob Dylan's autograph? Some people don't like them, but I do Drawn Blank here.

Well done Rory!

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:38:00 +0000

Muharraq old town

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 07:38:00 +0000

A few photos from a walk around old Muharraq a week ago....It was a very brisk walk around and back to the car as the temperature was insane. We'll get back there in the winter.

Royal Wedding (at the Brit Club)

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:43:00 +0000

A few pics from the Brit Club this afternoon.

Festivities all day to mark the Royal Wedding...It was better than what I was expecting by a long shot!

500 fils per shawarma. Bargain!

My prize (330ml can of Fosters) kindly presented by the stall supervisor after I managed to get two ping pong balls into a loo without them bouncing back out again!

No matter where it is, there is always the shopping for jewelry, shoes or handbags!

I think this sign will be displayed forever!

Back in Bahrain

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 17:48:00 +0000

I'm back in Bahrain again after almost three weeks away. Living out of a suitcase at home had to end.
The flght over was ok apart from a man collapsing enroute to Heathrow (on the Belfast flight) and the frustration of having to wait an hour to get a set of headphones so that I could watch The Fighter on the flight to Abu Dhabi. It seemed that I was the only one on the plane without headphones at my seat.
It's warm over here and there are tanks, APCs and plenty of police around. There are even sandbag fortifications here and there too with rifle ends sticking out. I'm not sure what they are expecting?
Mind you when I was at home I saw the Army bomb disposal out and about looking busy. There seems to be some people intent of destruction of one sort or another in Northern Ireland at the moment.
My wife and daughter are still in Belfast and shall be jining me within the next 10 days so that'll be good. In the meantime I'll get plenty of sleep and R'n'R, living like a bachelor again.
Good luck to Ulster Rugby tomorrow in the Heinekin Cup QF against Northampton Saints.

Stormont clowns

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:38:00 +0000

Ruane Pixelated again

It really is amazing that these people on the hill are making decisions based on who knows what. I'm sure the NI assembly is the laughing stock of them all.

Surely the Welsh and Scottish aren't even close to the incompetence that exists here in Northern Ireland?

First of all Martin calls the decision to cancel the radiotheraphy unit in Altnagelvin sectarian. Edwin Poots pisses off the good people of Banbridge this time and to top it all, Ruane gets another slap in the face after a decision by herself to remove funding for a grammar school was overturned in court.

How much money is being wasted by these clowns? Remove them at once and march to the gallows with haste.

www.theCloudSpotter.com

Belfast

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:39:00 +0000

We're back in Belfast after a trip via Abu Dhabi and Manchester....Even managed to get myself to Ravenhill tonight!

A few pictures I took below from the last few days.

Vigilante checkpoint outside apartment - 15/03/11

Police helicopter en-route to Pearl Roundabout - 16/03/11

Wide shot showing smoke from Pearl Roundabout - 16/03/11

Smoke from Pearl Roundabout - 16/03/11

Yas Island, Abu Dhabi - 16/03/11

Yas Island, Abu Dhabi - 17/03/11

Yas Island, Abu Dhabi - 17/03/11

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In country

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:18:00 +0000

All things are ok here. Dunno how long it's gonna last and watching the news like everyone else.

(Big) kids outside doing a checkpoint as viewed from my apartment in front of health centre. They're either protecting the stash of drugs inside, waiting for the doctor to arrive or possibly looking for some sort of business. Reminds me of my youth (menacingly hanging around outdoors staring towards the top of the town eating a curried chip on a cold night looking for business). Thankfully I've since grown up.

As I am under house arrest I watch a lot of telly. I gotta try to find something other than Glee and the endless re-running of the Lionel Richie concert ads to be held in Dubai, or is it Abu Dhabi or, who cares to watch...He is a legend though (in some peoples eyes of course). I'd say the women went mad for him during the 40s...Maybe they still do?

The ad has just come on again...''Isn't she love-ly, isn't she won-der-ful!!!...''

All Night Long (All Night) - Is that a reference to his old nightshift in the Ford Motor Co., Dearborn facility in Michigan with the emphasis on 'All Night' as he feels many people are misinformed as to how long a nightshift actually is?

Well done Cricket Ireland!

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 17:44:00 +0000

Ireland beat England by 3 wickets at the Cricket World Cup in Bangalore. What an achievement!!!

JP Rooney

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:37:00 +0000

I bought this painting this evening from the White Image Gallery in Hillsborough , Co. Down. I know I've mentioned JP Rooney before with his Robinson copycat style and what seems like mass production of paintings, but I still like it and it was very affordable!

theCloudSpotter.com

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 11:50:00 +0000

More tests from scribefire

Test

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Golf again

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:26:00 +0000

Looking forward to the golf this weekend in Bahrain. First time the European Tour has come to rest here.

Since GMac and Ronald McDonald aren't playing this weekend I'll be shouting mostly for this man...

No, not him...

...C'mon Darren, but naturally I'll be supporting all the europeans after that and the local Bahraini amateur.

UPDATE - 31st January

A few photos from Saturday. Darren Clarke is sound as I suspected. Followed him around his 18 holes with Paul Casey and the amateur Kevin Aherne. Clarke coached the amateur throughout the day...Class guy!

Darren Clarke, Paul Casey the eventual winner and some bloke in a suit - probably Swedish.

Food and beverage court at the entrance.

Jiminez on practice green after his round with the trademark cigar.

Golf again

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:26:00 +0000

Looking forward to the golf this weekend in Bahrain. First time the European Tour has come to rest here.

Since GMac and Ronald McDonald aren't playing this weekend I'll be shouting mostly for this man...

No, not him...

...C'mon Darren, but naturally I'll be supporting all the europeans after that and the local Bahraini amateur.

UPDATE - 31st January

A few photos from Saturday. Darren Clarke is sound as I suspected. Followed him around his 18 holes with Paul Casey and the amateur Kevin Aherne. Clarke coached the amateur throughout the day...Class guy!

Darren Clarke, Paul Casey the eventual winner and some bloke in a suit - probably Swedish.

Food and beverage court at the entrance.

Jiminez on practice green after his round with the trademark cigar.

What does this picture mean to you?

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:35:00 +0000

I recently found this picture on the web with the question 'What does this picture mean to you?' posed below it.

(if the answer is anything other than nothing then you're nuts)

Christmas 2010

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 18:36:00 +0000

This Christmas was fun filled and action packed. Below are a few things of note over the past three weeks.

The weather
Northern Ireland had its heaviest snowfall in 25 years!!! Castlederg, Co. Tyrone, hit a lowly -23°C which was nice for them and the lack of children outside playing was remarkable. Car travel was tricky; having had too good of a look at cars in front sometimes.
My mum's Honda Civic kept going through the snow though leaving those german cars in their tracks: literally.

The Honda is pictured above there and is as far up the drive as I could get it in the first few days. As you can see the snow is heavy but it's really hard to appreciate it from the photos of how heavy it was...The Mid-Ulster Garden Centre is pictured in what looks like a scene from Narnia.

The routine
Anyway, while at home eating and drinking was pretty much all we done along with some shopping and visiting people. Oh yeah, there was the TV of course, arguing and watching Ulster get beat. All very traditional.
The bottle of wine we had for a few years was opened on NYE (pictured). Ro was given it as a present during the hayday of the property market and it retails at about 20 times the price of an average bottle of wine. I couldn't tell the difference. Give me Faustino V or VII any day.

The water
Many homes were without water with jokes like

'Can you spare £4 per week for a Belfast family who have to walk to the leisure centre car park to get their water...' flying around. The clowns at Stormont took no responsibility whatsoever in what was a cover up, pass the buck act of shambolic proportions. God knows the outrage when water charges do come in to pay for he replacement of wooden mains pipes that have been around for 150 years, but then again money doesn't grow on trees.

The birthday
Ro celebrated her 37th Birthday on New Year's Day.

We celebrated in style by having a meal for two in Magherafelt. Feeling like we robbed the restaurant by only paying £40 for two starters, two glasses of wine, two main courses and a dessert and double espresso I sped off in the Honda!

The present
Apple TV.

New website and book launch

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 18:43:00 +0000

Check out the website I did for a friend below. It's not finished and yes; I know, the subject is of an acquired taste... The emblems in the book were meticulously researched and recreated from scratch over the last number of years.
Outstanding commitment and perseverance to finish something like this!

It's to coincide with his new book. Wait for it, wait for it...

Emblems of Jagdwaffe 1937-1945: A Study

Oman

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:39:00 +0000

Three days off work for Eid last week so we went to Muscat, Oman.

Our hotel was the Muscat Intercontinental Hotel for three nights. As hotels go the rooms were at best average, but the rest of the public areas throughout the hotel were spot on. We didn't spend that much time in the room however and got out and about a bit with our friends providing the taxi service.

Seems to be a great place to live with plenty of natural beauty everywhere and plenty to see. The buildings and planning seem to be co-ordinated which is refreshing and easy on the eye!

Here are a few pics of our hotel and surrounding area...The rest of the photos are here.

Whoopy-do-da

noreply@blogger.com (theCloudSpotter) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 17:40:00 +0000

I haven't been on this for a while for good reason...That's because I've been doing very little and anything I do see or hear that is interesting...Well I tend to forget about it quicker than I should.

Oh, I just remembered something from yesterday that is interesting. I saw two pizza menus being used for head rest covers in the back seats of a car driving in front of me? I couldn't get close enough to recognise the Pizza menu but it did get me thinking. I thought about it and ordered a pizza for my evening meal.

When I'm not reading pizza menus I like to listen to the radio. BBC World News is always on in my car and today (in between the endless coverage of the miners) a Baptist minister in the states was talking about Whoopology. When you whoop you preach by sort of singing and engaging the audience or congregation. It's popular with African Americans and is believed to have been brought to the Land of the Free by slaves (in particular west Africa where it has evolved from chanting).

The thing is, that according to him you don't need to be black to be taught the art of whooping and as a Whoopologist he can train people. So it seems within reach of ordinary folk. I didn't catch his name or what he charges as the programme was getting as interesting as listening to coverage of the third miner coming up the shaft in Chile, so I had to change station. For your enjoyment though I've provided a link to some other guy just as passionate. Check it out here . Throw in some alcohol and class b drugs and Disco Stu there could clean up.

Eastenders is on...I'm off.