Whoever he might be? I'm certainly doing my fair share of sneezing and snorting at the moment - full of this cold that Archie has passed onto us! Hazel has it too so fighting over the boxes of tissues and paracetamol and the hundred and one other cold medicines we seem to have aquired in our First Aid cupboard!
I did stagger into town yesterday, for exercise more than anything. It snowed on me half way and the big flakes turned into small grains of rice by the time I got to the railway bridge and then they vanished and the weather improved a bit. I didn't find much on my charity shop trail - just a story tape for Archie ( another stocking filler) and some CD's from the library. I found the latest from Futureheads, The Bravery and Arcade Fire which I've heard lots of good things about and enjoyed them when they were on Jools Hollands show on BBC2.
Hazel found this old postcard at the boot sale ( or was it me?) It's of Percy and his "chum" in Liverpool of all places in 1913. One wonders if they were sent off to the war a year later, and what became of them.
Glad to get home after walking back in the cold, to a nice warm house.
A nice pile of mail for a change with a wonderful envelope full of little home-made books from William S.An Ivor Cutler CD from Pamela and a packet of lovely collaged postcards from Angelica in Texas.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Boot Sale Silence.
I other words- i didn't find any scratchy records or any thing atall infact. Archie did quite well though - he got the Finding Nemo DVD for 3 quid ( two discs) and a PS2 game of Roller Coaster World which is even more tedious than Roller Coaster Tycoon! I think he may swap it for another quite soon. Hazel didnt find anything either. She took her Mom and sister there later and they bought a few nick-nacks. Afterwards we went into town to get some bread and general shopping. It was very quiet- mainly because it was Sunday but some shops did eventually open at 10a.m.
When we got home we found that the Finding Nemo had jam smeared on it! I knew it was a "special collectors edition" but didn't realise the head of Pixar would include jam? Thankfully the jam soon got cleaned off and the disc seems to play perfectly so it was a bargain after all.
Hazel has gone outside to the workshop to twiddle with her metal bits. Archie is sniffling and snorting still- feeling sorry for himself despite all the "bargains" he got. Colds, make you feel so lousy- I don't blame him. I think Hazel and I have caught it too as we both woke with sore throats and had a restless night- each blaming the other for stealing the duvet!
When we got home we found that the Finding Nemo had jam smeared on it! I knew it was a "special collectors edition" but didn't realise the head of Pixar would include jam? Thankfully the jam soon got cleaned off and the disc seems to play perfectly so it was a bargain after all.
Hazel has gone outside to the workshop to twiddle with her metal bits. Archie is sniffling and snorting still- feeling sorry for himself despite all the "bargains" he got. Colds, make you feel so lousy- I don't blame him. I think Hazel and I have caught it too as we both woke with sore throats and had a restless night- each blaming the other for stealing the duvet!
Friday, November 25, 2005
Cult figures of 2006.
This is a new mail art project by Ken Miller who has a different "cult figure" each year - usually a found photo. Find out more HERE.
Archie has a bad colb in de nobes so had the day off school. We had considered going into Manchester with Hazel to see John Hegley do a "lecture" on Inter-Active Arts course that Hazel works on. It would have been nice but Archie was full of cold and the train journey alone is enough to put you off going.Hazel phoned to say he was very good and it fitted very well into the Creative Methodology scheme of things.
Archie has been amusing himself with games , TV and reading. We played cards briefly and had a veg. sausage and fried onion sandwitch for lunch. A bloke just knocked at the door and thrust a leaflet into my hand. Another dodgy double glazing salesman. "I see you already have double glazing." he said and enquired "Do you need anymore?" My answer was in the negative. At least he apolygised for the intrusion and walked off - some just keep going on and on and on about double glazing even when you tell them you don't need any thankyou. I hate cold callers.
Time to go and get some dinner started. I think it might be stuffed pasta and tomato sauce tonight.
An old photo but a new recording of Archie's guitar progress. You can here a hissy sound bite HERE.
Archie has a bad colb in de nobes so had the day off school. We had considered going into Manchester with Hazel to see John Hegley do a "lecture" on Inter-Active Arts course that Hazel works on. It would have been nice but Archie was full of cold and the train journey alone is enough to put you off going.Hazel phoned to say he was very good and it fitted very well into the Creative Methodology scheme of things.
Archie has been amusing himself with games , TV and reading. We played cards briefly and had a veg. sausage and fried onion sandwitch for lunch. A bloke just knocked at the door and thrust a leaflet into my hand. Another dodgy double glazing salesman. "I see you already have double glazing." he said and enquired "Do you need anymore?" My answer was in the negative. At least he apolygised for the intrusion and walked off - some just keep going on and on and on about double glazing even when you tell them you don't need any thankyou. I hate cold callers.
Time to go and get some dinner started. I think it might be stuffed pasta and tomato sauce tonight.
An old photo but a new recording of Archie's guitar progress. You can here a hissy sound bite HERE.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Flo's typing her memoires.
Thats what it sounds like anyway but really just the water dispenser wired to her hutch being used.
Just back from town looking rather windswept but it's milder today despite the hail stones bouncing off the window just now. Quite windy too. Leaves everywhere. I didn't find much though a good copy of Tim Hunkin's book about Everything for a pound in a charity shop.
Yesterday we were startled by someone rattling our front door - I assumed it was the postman trying to force a large packet through our letterflap. I opened the front door and this woman was in our porch with a big bunch of keys trying frantically to remove one from our key-hole! She looked startled and said "Is this Mr. Wilberforces house- she phoned to say she was stuck in bed?" Seems she was from the Social Services or the Council Help Squad or something and had got the numbers mixed up. The house she wanted was on the other side of the road about 10 doors down! Oh how we laughed!
I got a nice packet from an old tape swapper pal who had sent me a cassette of some rare Johnny Standley and Spike Jones he had found. I put some tracks on my Boot Sale Sounds blog. Coincidentally another tape swapper Jim in Basingstoke phoned during the day to find out if I had anything new. I told him I'd just been to the dentist for a check-up and got a 30 minute tale about the misfortunes that have befallen his gnashers over the last 30 years! Thankfully nothing alarming happened at the dental surgery- just a routine check and hygenist scrape and polish afterwards. Glad to get that over with - I've never been very good at going to the dentist but better than I was.
Just back from town looking rather windswept but it's milder today despite the hail stones bouncing off the window just now. Quite windy too. Leaves everywhere. I didn't find much though a good copy of Tim Hunkin's book about Everything for a pound in a charity shop.
Yesterday we were startled by someone rattling our front door - I assumed it was the postman trying to force a large packet through our letterflap. I opened the front door and this woman was in our porch with a big bunch of keys trying frantically to remove one from our key-hole! She looked startled and said "Is this Mr. Wilberforces house- she phoned to say she was stuck in bed?" Seems she was from the Social Services or the Council Help Squad or something and had got the numbers mixed up. The house she wanted was on the other side of the road about 10 doors down! Oh how we laughed!
I got a nice packet from an old tape swapper pal who had sent me a cassette of some rare Johnny Standley and Spike Jones he had found. I put some tracks on my Boot Sale Sounds blog. Coincidentally another tape swapper Jim in Basingstoke phoned during the day to find out if I had anything new. I told him I'd just been to the dentist for a check-up and got a 30 minute tale about the misfortunes that have befallen his gnashers over the last 30 years! Thankfully nothing alarming happened at the dental surgery- just a routine check and hygenist scrape and polish afterwards. Glad to get that over with - I've never been very good at going to the dentist but better than I was.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Space Junk!
Christmas junk more like - the shops are full of it! I walked into town yesterday and looked around, trying not to slip on the icey pavements. Brrr! It was very frosty but warmed up as the morning went on. I borrowed a couple of CD's from the library - Maximo Park's "A Certain Trigger" which is exellent despite the lead singers very odd haircut which makes him look like an extra from Bleak House ( which we have been enjoying on the box ). Also the latest from Gorillaz which Archie wanted to hear.
A loaf of crusty wholemeal from Greggs. My teeth dont like it though - I think i may have a cracked filling so good job it's my six monthly checkup at the dentists next week.
I resisted the junk and got a couple of cheap DVD's. Quite a pile of them now and hardly any time to watch any though we did see the old David Lean version of Great Expectations the other evening. Strong on atmostphere but the dialogue was pretty naff- maybe it was the clipped posh english accents.
Archie's animation was seen by lots of people and shown to various teachers at the school who were duly impressed but still tight with the old vouchers or whatever they are called.
A loaf of crusty wholemeal from Greggs. My teeth dont like it though - I think i may have a cracked filling so good job it's my six monthly checkup at the dentists next week.
I resisted the junk and got a couple of cheap DVD's. Quite a pile of them now and hardly any time to watch any though we did see the old David Lean version of Great Expectations the other evening. Strong on atmostphere but the dialogue was pretty naff- maybe it was the clipped posh english accents.
Archie's animation was seen by lots of people and shown to various teachers at the school who were duly impressed but still tight with the old vouchers or whatever they are called.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
"Wheel" on TV
With a bit of luck Archie's animation "Wheel" , or at least a small snippet of it, will be shown on BBC's "Blue Peter" today and CBBC later on. So we are keeping our fingers crossed. "Wheel" is one of the short Flash animations that Archie got accepted by the UnderExposed Film Festival at the Cornerhouse in Manchester in December.
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Spike Theatre
Went to see the Spike Theatre production of "Backwater" at the Harlequin Theatre in Northwich last night. Another fantastic show and sadly not many people there to see it. We'd seen previous shows by them so knew we wouldn't be disappointed. Only four actors but they are masters of the quick change so seems like more and they all play instruments. We love that physical theatre style and the sets and costumes are simple but very flexible so the hut by the fiord (its all set in Norway) changes into the school, the boat office and the home of Nora, the main character who finds her dead father's camera and begins to photograph the strange characters of her village and begins a journey of discovery.
Today we took Archie and James for their third skiing lesson at the artificial slopes at Runcorn. I was expecting a dreary industrial scene but the bit of Runcorn we went to was very green and leafy. The ski slopes are set in a big park and there is even a small steam narrow gauge railway nearby that I assume chuffs round the park perimeter.
It was quite busy with 30 or so children in Archie's group but luckily they got split into two groups and had two ski instructors to each group. They progressed onto the medium size slope this week doing some easy straight runs and then going backwards for some reason best known to themselves. I suppose it all helps to give confidence and get used to situations where you find yourself going backwards down the Alps! Archie fell over a couple of times but mostly seemd to be doing really well. He's keen to go back anyway which is the main thing. It's amazing to see toddlers flying down the bigger slope around the poles and made it look so effortless. I'm sure Archie and James will be doing that before too long.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Charity Market
It was the annual charity market today when all the stalls in the market hall are taken over by Greenpeace, Help The Otter, Mrs. Quimby's Slug Sactuary etc. Sadly they didnt advertise it very well and hardly anybody there. I only noticed a tiny poster in the Information Centre window quite by chance whilst looking at a poster for Jet Harris, on at the Winford Community Theatre (or whatever it's called?) in September.
So plenty of room which was good for me at least and I found a few stocking fillers, a nice cajun comp. Cd on the Ace label but alas no scratchy records suitable for Boot Sale Sounds. Last year I got a few so I had high hopes. Still, my plaid plastic shopping bag was heavy enough and i would have splashed out on a bus home if I'd seen one coming.
I found a CD by Kirsty MacColl in the library that I'd not heard before too.
Later I went out again to get some much needed wood chippings and pellets for Flo from the pet food shop nearby. They only had a giant sized "bale" of wood shavings so my arms were even longer by the time I got them home!
Angelica's parcel to Hazel has been full of suprises and we gather round every evening to see Hazel open another wrapped box of goodies. Angelica is obviously finely tuned to Hazel's wavelength via her blog as the gadgets and metal objects she has found are absolutely the things Hazel would dive on at boot sales if she could ever find things as bewitching as the patented Keyhole Lock or the folding set of wire coat hangers. The last box was opened tonight after she got home from college and inside was a beautiful travelling sewing set with thimble ,miniature cotton reels, needles and a wooden cone (?) that all snugly fit togther in a metal tube. As if this wasn't enough there was also a small lilliputian tin of Cork Grease and a splendid vintage Key Ring Hook on it;s original card. How Angelica is able to part with such wonders is beyond us! I expect it won't be long until they are all displayed proudly on Hazel's BLOG for all to see and admire.
So plenty of room which was good for me at least and I found a few stocking fillers, a nice cajun comp. Cd on the Ace label but alas no scratchy records suitable for Boot Sale Sounds. Last year I got a few so I had high hopes. Still, my plaid plastic shopping bag was heavy enough and i would have splashed out on a bus home if I'd seen one coming.
I found a CD by Kirsty MacColl in the library that I'd not heard before too.
Later I went out again to get some much needed wood chippings and pellets for Flo from the pet food shop nearby. They only had a giant sized "bale" of wood shavings so my arms were even longer by the time I got them home!
Angelica's parcel to Hazel has been full of suprises and we gather round every evening to see Hazel open another wrapped box of goodies. Angelica is obviously finely tuned to Hazel's wavelength via her blog as the gadgets and metal objects she has found are absolutely the things Hazel would dive on at boot sales if she could ever find things as bewitching as the patented Keyhole Lock or the folding set of wire coat hangers. The last box was opened tonight after she got home from college and inside was a beautiful travelling sewing set with thimble ,miniature cotton reels, needles and a wooden cone (?) that all snugly fit togther in a metal tube. As if this wasn't enough there was also a small lilliputian tin of Cork Grease and a splendid vintage Key Ring Hook on it;s original card. How Angelica is able to part with such wonders is beyond us! I expect it won't be long until they are all displayed proudly on Hazel's BLOG for all to see and admire.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Goodbye Gloomy Tuesday.
More rain today so stayed in to collage and blog a bit before Hazel got up and wanted to do some college work. Archie has gone round to James' Grans to play until dinner. I think we might have Broccoli Cheesy bake tonight - comfort food when the weather is like this.
Yesterday I walked into town and did the ususual tour of shops and the library etc. I didn't find much just some wrapping paper to wrap some early crimble presents that are starting to accumulate. I hate last minute shopping so have to start sometime in September!
Have been listening to some recording of the Tom Robinson show on 6 Music whilst collaging and he's playing some great stuff including Maximo Park , Field Music and a band called Viva Voce, who have a great new single out. His guests are good too- last night it was Andy Partridge of XTC fame playing songs from his boxed set of "Apple" demos and oddities that didnt quite make it to the XTC albums.
Yesterday I walked into town and did the ususual tour of shops and the library etc. I didn't find much just some wrapping paper to wrap some early crimble presents that are starting to accumulate. I hate last minute shopping so have to start sometime in September!
Have been listening to some recording of the Tom Robinson show on 6 Music whilst collaging and he's playing some great stuff including Maximo Park , Field Music and a band called Viva Voce, who have a great new single out. His guests are good too- last night it was Andy Partridge of XTC fame playing songs from his boxed set of "Apple" demos and oddities that didnt quite make it to the XTC albums.
Saturday, November 05, 2005
Happy Annie Adversity!
I can't believe that Hazel forgot! It's usually me that forgets things. 22 years since our first date at the Guy Fawkes bonfire and fireworks party in Alsager where Hazel was studying for her degree in Forgetfulness! She's suitably embarressed and blames the college work load - just too much to think about.
Anyway I went into town this morning and found a few bargains including an old 78 shellac disc of The laughing bassoon by Charles Penrose who was famous ofcourse for the Laughing Policeman that got played to death on Children's Favourites on the radio. I'd love to feature it on Boot Sale Sounds but dont have the technology to transfer 78's to MP3 yet. I'm hoping Hazel's sister, Audrey, can copy it and some other 78's to a cassette on her new record player. Watch this space.
Also got a few DVD's for the pile- those from magazines they give away free. "Water Like Chocolate", "Only Fools and Horses" and "The Last Emporer" amongst them.
There's a bonfire and firework display at Verdin Park tonight so looking forward to that if its not raining.
Anyway I went into town this morning and found a few bargains including an old 78 shellac disc of The laughing bassoon by Charles Penrose who was famous ofcourse for the Laughing Policeman that got played to death on Children's Favourites on the radio. I'd love to feature it on Boot Sale Sounds but dont have the technology to transfer 78's to MP3 yet. I'm hoping Hazel's sister, Audrey, can copy it and some other 78's to a cassette on her new record player. Watch this space.
Also got a few DVD's for the pile- those from magazines they give away free. "Water Like Chocolate", "Only Fools and Horses" and "The Last Emporer" amongst them.
There's a bonfire and firework display at Verdin Park tonight so looking forward to that if its not raining.
Friday, November 04, 2005
Something Wonderful
Glad I went into town yesterday as it's drizzly today and hasn't stopped all morning.
I've been catching up with the mail and making some quick collaged postcards for the Postcard Swap at Flickr.
I also burned a couple of tracks of Jack Hulbert and Cicely Courtnedge for Boot Sale Sounds which I will add later today.
Yesterday I walked into town and back for exercise and went round the usual haunts, the Post Office, the library ( sale ended!) and the charity shops. I found a Rolf Harris LP for 50p in the red Cross shop which cheered me up. Sad eh? Its one I'd never seen before from 1973- the first variety concert at the newly opened Sydney Opera House. I added a couple of tracks to Boot Sale Sounds too.
Archie was 20 minutes late coming home from school so I naturally got worried and phoned the school to find out if he was still there. He turned up thankfully about 5 minutes later saying he's had to stay behind to draw a diagram for Miss Revel of where James had been kicked in the goolies by another boy. Poor James ,but it did make me smile. The phone rang a few minutes later and the teacher said they couldn't find him so I had to explain what had happened.
I borrowed a couple of CD's from the library- the hits of Basement Jaxx and a solo outing by Richard Thompson.
Also I bought some tap washers in town as the bathroom sink hot tap has been dripping annoyingly for the last month or so and was driving me mad. Amazingly after I had found the right tools in the shed it was quite easy to do. The old washer had disintegrated so surprised it hadn't been dripping more! Quite sense of achievement at completing such a simple task without a mild attack of Tourette's or throwing the monkey wrench out of the window!
I've been catching up with the mail and making some quick collaged postcards for the Postcard Swap at Flickr.
I also burned a couple of tracks of Jack Hulbert and Cicely Courtnedge for Boot Sale Sounds which I will add later today.
Yesterday I walked into town and back for exercise and went round the usual haunts, the Post Office, the library ( sale ended!) and the charity shops. I found a Rolf Harris LP for 50p in the red Cross shop which cheered me up. Sad eh? Its one I'd never seen before from 1973- the first variety concert at the newly opened Sydney Opera House. I added a couple of tracks to Boot Sale Sounds too.
Archie was 20 minutes late coming home from school so I naturally got worried and phoned the school to find out if he was still there. He turned up thankfully about 5 minutes later saying he's had to stay behind to draw a diagram for Miss Revel of where James had been kicked in the goolies by another boy. Poor James ,but it did make me smile. The phone rang a few minutes later and the teacher said they couldn't find him so I had to explain what had happened.
I borrowed a couple of CD's from the library- the hits of Basement Jaxx and a solo outing by Richard Thompson.
Also I bought some tap washers in town as the bathroom sink hot tap has been dripping annoyingly for the last month or so and was driving me mad. Amazingly after I had found the right tools in the shed it was quite easy to do. The old washer had disintegrated so surprised it hadn't been dripping more! Quite sense of achievement at completing such a simple task without a mild attack of Tourette's or throwing the monkey wrench out of the window!
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