Friday, June 22, 2007

Birdbath Treats



It's wonderful to get a collage every year on my birthday from John Evans. I must have about 20 by now and some are framed all around the house. He's a busy man at the moment so delighted he remembered me this year.
Yesterday Hazel drove us to Chester to get a new CD recorder from Richer Sounds which is the only place you can get them it seems apart from the interweb. Sony have made the new one twice as big and twice as heavy as the old variety I bought 7 years ago for some weird reason only known to themselves when most gadgets are getting smaller and smaller! My arms were longer too by the time we got back to the bus stop and the "park and ride scheme". We also took the opportunity to pop into some charity shops but didn't find much. Hazel also bought me a light linen jacket for the summer as she hates the one I wear now. Trying on clothes in Gap is not my idea of fun - more like torture for someone more used to grabbing clothes from the rails of Oxfam!

Anyway, some hours later I am still trying to figure out how this thing works. It's a lot different from the other one and has less plugs for some reason which I find baffling! Hopefully will see the light over the next couple of days.

Good news too about the LULU book which has been dispatched and should be here soon. So looking forward to seeing my first proof copy. I expect there will be some tweaking to do before it's allowed out in public!


This is me in 1949 or thereabouts wearing a natty little outfit. I tried to find a baby photo but the family album is buried under tons of stuff. Hazel put this one in a frame and hung it on the stairs as it amuses her so much. I think my parents were still living in Highbury in London at the time in a one room flat. Just after the war logdings were hard to find because of all the bomb damage and the big rebuilding programme took awhile to get going. We spent several years with relatives before finding a small flat in Corringham in Essex above the Coots ,who used to shell shrimps for a living. Just down the road was the family who had the first TV in Corringham and they were very popular when the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth happened in 1952 ( or was it three?). They moved to Canada I seem to remember and had to sell the mink farm they owned. I can still smell their house now- a mixture of mink and hot valves! This was a couple of years after this photo was taken though. I think my Dad tried to apply for new life in Australia but he wasn't really that qualified - just out of the army and worked in various jobs including electricians mate and a wheel tapper's listener on the railways.

10 comments:

Roger Stevens said...

Happy Birthday yesterday...

A pressie and stuff is on the way - well, I say on the way but it hasn't actually reached the postbox yet... no doubt you'll get it by the not as famous but equally important birthday of 61.

Poems in Space. I've done nothing on the CD yet. I'm hoping to get them done in the first couple of weeks of July - then we can send them out. What a treat that will be for all our friends and family and fellow mailartists and bloggers. (Winks ironically)

Big birthday hugs

XXX

Wastedpapiers said...

Thanks Roger. 61 sounds like a far more sensible number! However I've decided to go backwards through my 50's and 40's from here on- this makes perfect sense to me.

I assume you havent moved yet. Any interest in your cottage. Have the wig wearing badgers been round?

I was watching the prog about Property Auctions on BBC this morning while `I HAD MY SECOND BREAKFAST ( stop shouting!) and amazed to see a jolly builder buy a plot of land in Kent for 25 grand. he was gonna build three 3 bedroomed houses on it and sell them for 200 grand each he reckoned but they look tiny. the neighbours were'nt too pleased either! A Perculier Chapel used to be on the plot apprently.

Looking forward to putting the cd in with the mag - which looks great by the way but not many pages. Maybe add a sheet of stickers to bulk it up a bit.

Still waiting for the LULU book to turn up. John Hegley phoned last night which was anice surprise. He sounded a lot happier than he did a few months back. He's playing in Manchester next monday at some pub or other. Hazel might go along. He's also doing the G-Mex in July with the Popticians.

Unknown said...

Ah, and you haven't changed a bit :)

Wastedpapiers said...

I dont think I could get away with wearing a beret like that now Adele! I would end up looking like Frank Spencer.

treena said...

thats lovely i wish i got a collage on my birthday, the baby photo amuses me as well, it is so vintage!!!
at last the lulu book sounds good and ill be looking forward to reading hearing the poems in space, is that what i heard a bit of at yours and hazels? what is a cd recorder? am i foolish should i know? also adele if you read this hello i like your art, i keep trying to send you a message but i get mixed up on your web site have you a humble blog????? thanks michael for letting me use your blog space for my chats! happy birthday!

Mauricio said...

Hello!!!!

Happy Birthday :o)

Great collages here, congratulations

Wastedpapiers said...

Thanks treena and mauricio. Yes, I do feel a bit vintage myself I must admit. I look at that photo and don't really connect with it atall - it seems like it's someone else from a long time ago but it definately is me!

The LULU book needs some tweaking to make it presentable alas. I may need some tips from clever old Andy Sykes again. "Poems In Space" was much more fun to do and a lot easier with only 16 pages to worry about!

A CD recorder is a gadget that has two CD player decks and one can record so copying CD's can be done very easily but what I mainly wanted it for is "ripping" from vinyl - from the record player via some handy plugs and sockets on my hi-fi. The old one worked a treat for seven years but having trouble sorting out the complicated procedures on this one. I expect the penny will drop soon and all will become clear as to what to do.

Jon said...

That collage is great - as is Archie's cartoon. What nice surprises!

Happy Birthday (belatedly) !!

Wastedpapiers said...

Thanks Jon. Always nice to get surprises even if it isnt your birthday!

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness, you are soooooo cute in that photo!!! And lucky you, to have collages from John Evans! I have so much stuff to send you. I promise to get to it soon!