Signals

Another quiet week looking out at the drizzle.
Have been scanning some of the cigarette cards that I bought last week. Examples here
here and here.
The library sale yielded up a few bargains including some obscure foreign films and less obscure like Dr. Who, Body of Lies and Rescue Dawn ( whoever she is?).
Hazel went to Manchester for her birthday for lunch with the MAG lot. Archie made her a great control panel card with flashing lights and beeps etc.
Masses of starlings on the tree as I write- going crazy - feeding frenzy!
My brother is a little better - slowly does it.
Time to chop up some onions to fry with the vege burgers.

Control Panel Heaven

A busy few days with lots happening like my little brother having a stroke and ending up in hospital ( get well soon John ) but thankfully he seems to be responding to treatment and getting some movement back. Archie passed his Grade 2 piano and dumped his keyboard in the back room. Mind you- since he's rejected it he's been playing it more now than he ever did when it was in his bedroom. So this was the secret?
Went to Chester the other day and got drenched with torrential rain that came down in buckets. My umbrella developed a leak actually got wetter holding above my head like some surreal Daliesque soggy mannequin.
Hada pleasant enoughtime before the heavens opened around the usual charity shops and the market etc. Didnt find much. Had a vege sausage roll under a tree by the cathedral. A one legged pigeon hopped by and said "You'd better get back to the car as this drizzle will turn into a flood soon!" and he was right.
Yesterday we went to the Secret Nuclear Bunker at Hack Green near Nantwich. A great couple of hours of cold war paranoia and old gas masks etc. The deep bunker isnt very secret anymore and seems to be run by a couple of ladies in the NAAFI cafe upstairs- who take the money and make the tea!

We thought there might be a few control panels there for Archie's art project but delighted to find there were hundreds - whole rooms full! So that cheered him up. He went round snapping away happily for ages. The austere bleak doom laden ambience only made us laugh louder at the dummies wearing all manner of strange garb and expressions on their faces etc. Luckliy not many people around to overhear our chortling.

Shtum!

You didn't see me - right?
Forget everything you have read here - it didn't happen.
Another weak has gun by. Beautiful sunny weather for the mostly part. A little bit of rain is most welkum. Kool soft flowing drippy wet rain. Just the job for the garden. You should hear the moaning- oh no- what awful wevver! People have short memories.
I cant be bothered to look in my diary t see what happened last week. It wasn't all that exciting. On Sunday we went to the boot sale at Weaverham. I got a few daft films including a Russian sword and scullery epic called Wolfhound that was a bit like a cross between LOTR and Monty Python and the Holy Grail. very funny in parts but I'm sure it wasn't suppozed to bee.
Taking grate joy in seeing the words being underloined in red.
Hazel got a few bits for her blog including a tin of pen nibs and lots of plants for the hanging baskets. Archie bought a big jigsaw of a planes cockpit and dials for Audrey and Granma to do. He just wanted the picture on the front for his art project about control panels. He's making some out of card but hopes to make a larger one.

Wednesday again and a walk into town. Borrowed a Sweded film about vampires from the libary. Had a chat with Betty in the Age Concern shop. No boots this week she said- maybe one at the pub in Weaverham. Looks like rain anyway. Luvvly rain to make the grass grow. To make it all grin again.

World Still In Pieces

Busy week making second batch of caramelized onion pickle - just three jars which made the house stink of vinegar for a couple of days. Archie complained bitterly - anyone would think it was a mustard gas attack!
Very warm and high pollen count which made us all sneeze- Archie especially who suffers from hay fever. He's taking pills which help but make him feel sleepy and lethargic.
Hazel still has the tickly cough she had a fortnight ago.
Went to two boot sales on Sunday. At Verdin Park we bumped into Will and Adela who had some big bags of plastic animals they found. I didnt find much but Hazel bought some nice old fob watched for a quid each and gave me one. Just noticed it has a quartz crystal inside so cant be all that old but better than a wrist watch - I can keep it in my pocket or on a chain.
The boot sale at Hartford High School was better for bargains - got a few films including Crash and Identity. Also an old EP by the Stringalongs ( see audio blog ).
Hazel got a few things too including plants and leather wallet full of gold leaf.
Archie made a rare boot sale appearance and got some plastic electronic toys for the innerds. He's taking them apart to make a mad scientists control panel for his art project - flashing lights and ossilators etc.
It was his final piano lesson and grade 2 test on Monday so he was happy and the news that 6 Music had been reprieved really made his day!
A walk into town yesterday and more films that I'll probably never get round to watching including the original King Kong, Under Seige and Hairspray by John Waters.
The image above is the cover of a mail art project I did back in 1984. Quite a nice publication that Dick Turpin's uncle printed for me. The mail was stuck up on a bulletin board my me every day at the Whitechapel gallery as part of the annual Open exhibition. It was quite a job but fun to do at the the time.