That was the year that was
After rounding up 2006 in photos here's 2007. This time of year always makes me a bit mopey, getting bogged down in whatever hasn't gone well, but looking through the pictures makes me realise what a good year it's been.
January was pretty quiet. We spent a lot of the year in museums - somewhere warm, entertaining and free to keep the whole family amused. Glasgow's Transport Museum is always a pleasure. I hope the new Zaha Hadid-designed Riverside Museum has the atmosphere of this place.
February - Bangkok for work, which was magnificent. Everything about it was really exciting.
March - Random visits to Carfin Grotto (a sort of mini Scottish Lourdes), Stirling for a Lindsay Anderson exhibition, Galloway for a family visit and London for work.
April - first holiday of the year to the Lake District. Staying away from the touristy bits and wandering round the edges, going to Ulverston, Barrow-in-Furness and up the coast to Whitehaven and beyond. I also went to South Africa for work which almost killed my love of international travel.
May - The Ukrainian Chapel at Hallmuir near Lockerbie. Lovely.
June - A wee trip to Cumbernauld. Good to see the big clock from Gregory's Girl is still in action. Then a big trip to London to speak at Interesting2007 which was scary but fun.
July - A trip on the Leadhills & Wanlockhead District Railway, and a vist to the National Railway Exhibition in Bo'ness. Then our big holiday in Norfolk via Harrogate. Leeds, Nottingham and Manchester. We got there in between two bouts of serious flooding but managed lots of sun, sea and sand in between downpours.
August - Some great trips to Perthshire and Stirling. This lovely little art deco garage near Denny was a great find.
September - Time for one last fling to Aberdeen as I finished work at DFID. During the year I took pictures of all the beaches we went to. Aberdeen definitely has the best sand. So soft it's like velvet.
October - No photos, which is weird. I started work at Learning and Teaching Scotland so was probably too preoccupied getting into a new routine.
November - Stayed in Glasgow. Went to the Radiance Festival. Found this great sign up a back street. So simple but so effective.
December - Went to Edinburgh to see the Sir Basil Spence exhibition which was magnificent. Then followed that up with a trip to East Kilbride to see Duncanrig High School which he designed as the first school there in 1958. It's going to be demolished in the new year so catch it while you can.
So all in all it's been another interesting year, full of surprises in one way and another. Thanks to everyone for reading, writing, and commenting. I hope 2008 is just as inspirational.
Comments
and thanks to you for continue to bring us such warmth and loveliness - thanks for 2007 and keep up the good work for 2008 !
Posted by: funkypancake | December 30, 2007 09:36 PM
Does everywhere you go have gorgeous light?
Or do you just go everywhere at dusk?
Posted by: Ben | December 31, 2007 10:23 AM
The garage was at dusk but the rest are just naturally gorgeous. I love the light on shorter days. It's nearly always raining here so I make sure I take advantage of any sun.
Posted by: Anne | December 31, 2007 12:34 PM
I have enjoyed reading your wonderful blog throughout 2007. 2008 will be even better - Happy Hogmanay!
Posted by: Cara | December 31, 2007 02:01 PM
A good and very full year indeed! I must get to Carfin and the Ukrainian Chapel myself in 2008.
A very Happy New Year to you! As ever, I'll be tuning in regularly.
- John.
Posted by: John Bagnall | January 1, 2008 09:33 PM
oh how nice to start the year with an exciting discovery. I can see interestingness gathers over here regularly.
so I'll be back. av.
Posted by: angela | January 2, 2008 03:00 PM
Happy new year! 2007 was another reliably great year for I Like. I'm sure 2008 will be another corker.
Postcards were a treat this year. Any plans for more I Like goodies?
Posted by: Spud | January 3, 2008 10:53 AM
No plans as yet Spud. I thought about t-shirts but don't have the money to gamble on them being successful or not. Basically I need to wait until one thing sells out in order to finance the next lot. If there's a run on the postcards you never know.
Posted by: Anne | January 3, 2008 07:06 PM
How is the National Railway Exhibition looking these days? I remember helping to restore and install one of the exhibits - a signal, a switch from some points, and a point machine - back when I was a student.
Posted by: Forest Pines | January 8, 2008 08:09 AM
It's looking grand. We've been there a few times. Was it the points from Queen Street station at the entrance? If so, nice work.
Posted by: Anne | January 8, 2008 09:59 PM
They weren't originally from Queen St, but yes. I'm not sure where the points were from, or the point machine; they'd been lying around in the Signals and Telegraph storage pile (at the back of the museum) for years. The signal was from somewhere between Queen Street and Falkirk, I think - it was saved because it's an unusual type of signal, in that it shines a light behind it as well as forwards when it's showing red. The panel was, of course, from Queen Street - it was the emergency panel in Queen St's relay room, used if the link between the station and the signal box was lost. None of the electrics operating the panel is original, either - that was all hacked together from vintage railway and phone electrical stuff that people on the railway had lying around.
Posted by: Forest Pines | January 9, 2008 01:37 PM