Photo of the Week: A Visitor to our Balcony

We awoke this morning to find a beautiful web on the balcony and its designer firmly ensconced in the centre. The only down side to this was that in my excited attempt to photograph it, I stepped back to frame the shot and smashed the pot housing our TuBishvat rose. Shhhhh, don't tell L!

Traore est Triste

This is my favourite photo from yesterday's match between QPR & Stoke. It's near the end of the second half, and QPR are 1-2 down. A long cross field pass just evades Armand Traore on the left wing.

Luckily, Nico Kranjcar restored some kind of parity in the final minute. Having been viciously fouled a couple of times and the perpetrators receiving minimal punishment from the referee, he equalised with this fantastic free kick:

That feeling of denying victory to an obviously superior foe does not get old. What is it about thwarting the opposition that is so delicious? 

Hoping this is not the best moment of what currently looks like being a long and painful season for my beloved R's.

Not Another Post About the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge?

I'm blaming issues with Google for not blogging earlier about the ALS Ice bucket challenge. But even though everyone is probably fed up by now and you've moved on to other challenges like the Hummus one, I'm still up for this.

First of all, am not exactly sure why, when the actual challenge is make a donation to the charity OR ELSE dump a bucket of ice on your head, people are donating and still sluicing themselves. I'm with my friend young David P who gave his money and absolutely refused to do the ice thing. Also, I do wish that my government would use more of the money I've already given through taxes as funding for all kinds of vital medical research and treatment.

Back to the topic of this post ... actually, first of all should be what on earth is ALS, or MND as it's known in the UK? Here's a link to a simple explanation from Huffpo.

This is a dreadful disease, and hurrah for everyone helping to find a cure!

Meanwhile, here are some of my favourite Ice Bucket Challenges to inspire and/or please you:

Actor Orlando Jones poured a bucket of bullet casings over his head to highlight the case of Michael Brown in Ferguson MO. There is an article about it here. The vid is here.

Matt Damon is committed to sanitation issues in the developing world, so he decided to use toilet water for his challenge. Read about it here. Watch him here.

Patrick Stewart made a really classy video that I found here. However, at the moment the YouTube video is telling me that the film is now private. If that doesn't work, this link may.

This one is cos I love Tina Fey.

This is for L who loves Sex in the City.

This one is cool and a bit political I suppose.

Dolly Parton is a good sport here.

It's fun seeing famous people get soaked I guess. If you enjoy that, then browse a whole lot more for yourself right here.

Finally, if you still want to take part, both donating and dousing, the UK link for the Motor Neurone Disease Association is here.

I've Missed You All!

Sorry it's been so long since I blogged - a bit of an issue with Google accounts and access to Blogger. Am back now though :-)

Here is a happy photo I took from my seat last Saturday with my little pocket Lumix camera - Rob Green making a save early on from Sunderland's Fletcher to keep us in the game. The first points of the season for QPR were a great early birthday present. Also just glad to keep my reflexes in shape!