Category Archives: The Jacksons

What we’ve been up to

iPhotography Course

I signed up to an on-line photography course offered on Groupon earlier this year. Now will have the time to start it.

The first project is to take a photo of an inanimate object and name it “before”. At the end of the course one has to complete an “after” photo having transformed it into an art-form using the skills one has, hopefully, acquired!

This is my “Before” photo

Torch

My “Before” Picture

 

9 October 2018
Back To School Weekend Challenge entry

Orhan & Leah edit

 

16 October 2018
Suggestion Weekend Challenge entry

Teh finger of suspicion points at YOU

The finger of suspicion

 

23 October 2018
Halloween Weekend Challenge entry

The Joker

 

6 November 2018
Module 5 basic composition, Rule of Thirds

Kerala fish Market

 

20 November 2018
Module 9, Black & White composition; High Key

Stainless Link

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Boxing Day 2017

Once again it was great to have the family back together again. Especially good that Josephine’s brother Jimmy was with us after missing the gathering for few years.

As usual Olivia, our three year old great-granddaughter, managed to steal the show narrowly beating her older sister Kacie into second place.

 

Family Gathering

 

Knockagh Knuts Marbella Trip, October 2015

Another successful outing for the Knuts this year. As usual thanks go to Geoff Pearson for organizing the trip and to John Lynas for running the competitions.

The weather was good to us with temperatures of around 25° – 27° throughout.

The hotel, NH Marbella, was extremely good. Comfortable beds, for the time we actually spent in them, and excellent breakfasts. It was also located a five minute walk from the beach and 10 minutes to the nearest bar!

We played two courses: Santa Clara first, where the greens were rather poor to say the least. This was followed by Rio Real, which proved to be much better all round.

Winners of the silly trousers were Dylan O’Neill for day one, Philip McCrery day two and the overall winner was David Winning.

Farewell to Ken Skelton

A short note to mark the passing of Ken Skelton, Skeltie., late of East Antrim Hockey Club and even later of North Belfast Harriers.

Ken died peacefully on 5 May 2015 in the NI Hospice having partially fought of a tumor on the spine and then succumbing to one on the brain.

A great sportsman and snooker player, he once beat Alex Higgins, he will be remembered with great fondness by members of the hockey club who attended his funeral in force.

All sympathy to his wife Val and the rest of the family.

Greenisland Golf Club, Formal 2014

2014-11-15 20.03.36

The Ross Park Hotel in Ballymena was chosen for the 2014 bash and a very good one it turned out to be.

A bus was laid on to transport us to and from the do so our evening started at the club for a couple of warmers into the bank. Amazingly enough there was no problem getting the group of some 50+ embarked on time. Or maybe they were just scared of Anne Clarke!

There was champagne, or non alcoholic punch if you like that kind of thing, served on arrival and a photographer to record proceedings – Well the early parts anyway. One does not really want a photographer recording all one’s antics!!

The service and meal, a proper vegetable soup followed by roast beef and a dessert, could not be faulted and the bar prices were reasonable. What more could one ask for a start to the main proceedings.

 

 

The group proved to be a great success so, by the time the bus arrived to ferry us home, we had danced our feet off.

Thanks to George Boyd, Anne Clarke and the organizers for producing a great evening all round.

Carrickfergus Sailing Club Retired Dancers BBQ

The annual BBQ for the CSCRD is now back in the diary.  The sun shone on the righteous and all went well.

The proceedings opened at 2 p.m. with jugs of Pimms NO 1,  poured into glasses, not each!  The menu included stuffed herrings,  tiger prawns in a spiced coconut marinade, rib-eye steaks in a whiskey marinade ribs and a selection of deserts made by the ladies.

As is common practice at our meetings the ladies and gents sections hold separate discussions and this avoids any dissention and we are able to solve the worlds problems.

Fortunately no minutes were kept, but I can report that we adjourned at approximately 9.0 p.m

 

The Blue Mosque

Istanbul stopover

We stopped for a day in Istanbul on our way back from Nepal.

What a contrast, wide dual carriageways lined with flower beds and central reservations crowded with daffodils and tulips.

The overall impression was of a modern and spectacularly clean city.

We were booked into the Amiral Palace Hotel, a stones throw from the Blue Mosque.  This is a really nice “boutique” hotel and our only reservation was the size of the room.  For an overnight, or possibly a couple of nights it was quite adequate but if one has a couple of cases and a few changes of clothes it is a bit tight.  The staff were friendly and helpful and duty manager suggested that, as we were only in the city for one night we must take a Bosporus Dinner cruise.

After a stroll around the local souk we took a couple of hours nap and were then picked up by the minibus to take us to the jetty.

On arrival we were a little apprehensive as to how the evening would progress as we we were shown to a table the occupants of which were at least 30 years our junior.  We need not have worried, there were three Algerians, three Moroccans, a couple of Indians and a lone Japanese/American lass, all of whom immediately made us welcome.

The dinner was very good with a choice of local fish or chicken as the main course and there were a couple of large glasses of wine included.

The cabaret also turned out to be quite a class act with a belly dancer providing the main turn.

There was not too much commentary on the passing sights but nobody really noticed. Altogether a very pleasant evening.

The next morning we walked up to the Blue Mosque an around the square before our taxi arrived to take us back to the Airport.

We will be back I’m sure.

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