One of my photos was printed in H&E Naturist magazine for January 2011 (it was taken last year). This was in the last days of honest naturist pictures in H&E, for 2012 they have gone all coy in an attempt to get the magazine onto general sale; they aren't making enough to survive on subscriptions. I wish them luck, but I wouldn't bet on it myself.
The photo was taken with a fixed-focus toy digital camera that cost 30 quid in Tesco, using a mini-tripod and self-timer, not typical origination for a glossy magazine. The sky came out a magnificent blue on the PC screen but the printed version had a disappointing purplish hue.
We had a week at a cottage in Pembrokeshire in April. Not expecting April to be naturist weather we chose a cottage on location alone rather than for its naturist potential, then it was a scorcher of a week. There were some opportunities in the garden, and we found others in quiet areas on paths, beaches and in woods.
In May I went on one of the two Shabden visits to a local Butterfly Farm. T'was a little chilly I admit, but the hothouse with the tropical specimens was very pleasant. They also did us a very good supper.
Nudefest was its usual self, but the weather this year wasn't up to much. There was no sunbathing and the indoor events were more fun. We did manage a real ale tasting session outdoors in one short sunny break. One day we gave up and went out in the car to look around some Cornish towns.
The fourth and last annual Shabden Broads cruise on the Southern Comfort was in July. It passed off very pleasantly as usual and we were treated to a gorgeous sunset on the return trip. But one spoilsport complained and the company, understandably concerned about its continuing business, felt unable to run a another cruise next year.
Summer holiday was in Provence, we splashed out on a villa with a pool. The sun obediently shone every day bar one, when we had a torrential thunderstorm instead.
Just to see how moribund my BN region really was, I went to its AGM at Diogenes; as usual at a naturist AGM at a naturist club, everyone was fully clothed in a cold room. And indeed little had happened. More might happen during next year with some new blood on the committee, but it's not my region any more.
The BN AGM was held at the Naturist Foundation in Kent. Again it was cold and again nearly everyone was well wrapped up, except for a little sunshine around lunchtime which encouraged a few sunbathers. The meeting was constructive again. It voted to keep BN within the INF, and to swap several regions around, which put me now in a different region.
Went for the first time to the now annual BN bash at Alton Towers, where the whole of one hotel and the waterpark became naturist for a weekend. Great fun. I don't swim, but the water was warm enough to just laze around in it, and there were many other activities going on.
©2011 nib -
2011-06-22 -> 2012-01-21