GRiffiths Park

This mornings walk to Griffiths Park and the muddy paths . Took a closer look at the detritus we found on our way round - lots of bottle tops, ring pulls, rubbish, tat and ephemera. Then to the Co-op to get some spuds, washing up liquid and bits we were running out of. Nice to get out to stretch our legs despite the dull weather.

Blakemere Antique Emporiums

Toy Box

 Found a dusty box of old toys and other novelties that hadn't been opened since we moved to Cheshire 22 years ago!  It was fun to re-discover gems we founf at flea markets and jumble sales etc. No need for any boot sales or charity shops when we have hidden treasure trove in our own house!  Even some old sweets - candy sticks and Gummi Chews that were still in their wrappers and solidified!  Mind you, those sweet cigarettes ( candy sticks) were like bits of old chalk when they were new.

Can you guess what it is?

Two new papier mache and junk thingies.

Indian Elephant

Latest papier mache and junk sculpture/ thingy based on an elephant mask that Archie bought in India a couple of years ago. In fact all the papier mache Indian things we have around the house that he came home with inspired this series of recycled objects. They are so colourful and charming. I only hope that mine posess a small fraction of that aesthetic.

Congleton Antiques and Junk

Pleasant wander around Congleton today with old chums Tony and Pene just back from OZ and NZ where they managed to avoid any fires thankfully. Not many bargains at the antique emporium but did get a big heavy book about John Peel's Sessions for the BBC which I look forward to perusing at my leisure. Lunch in the cafe on the top floor of Victoria Mill. Cheese and onion toastie and side salad. Toasted tea cake later after a wander round the charity shops in the drizzle.

Congleton Antique Mill

Greeted by a lost partridge or a pheasant maybe at the car park in Congleton this morning. Pouring with rain. Went to meet up with old chums Tony and Pene and look round the antique emporium. Prices seem to have gone up since last time so didn't get anything. Hazel found a bit of 30's stained glass to prop up in her workshop or summerhouse.Nice coffee and toasted tea cake for elevenses. More antiquing. Lunch in cafe on top floor. Soup was a bit salty Hazel said. I had mushroom and cheese toastie and salad which was very tasty.Braved the weather to look in the most boring museum in England . Home through massive puddles. Splish-splosh!

More Junk

Surprising number of bargains this morning at the indoor boot sale at Memorial Ct. despite being at the back of a huge queue. Favourite is the tin woodpecker who pecks at coins and puts them in a woodpecker's hole ( there's a song about that !) well, it would do if it still worked! Also nice set of photo countryside ciggy cards "Senior Service", metal Matchbox garage sign, plastic light meter dial thingy, carved nut in shape of flying saucer? ashtray? bon bon dish? not sure what it is actually. Captain Webbs matchbox and other bits and bobs. Hazel got a sailor puppet head made of plastic, wire gauge and milk pail. Beth got a plastic girls head for practicing hairdressing. Then we all went to Lidl to by boring stuff like bread, olives, cheese, vegetables etc.

Frodsham

Nice drive over to frosty Frodsham to look round the charity shops and junk shops etc. Found a few bargains. Hazel got a lead cowboy drawing his guns to go with the other three lead cowboys on the picture rail above the mantlepiece. Also a blue bowl. We have hundreds of bowls so don't know why we needed another! She can't help herself. I found a copy of "Flyposter Frenzy" that was published back in the 90's - full of mail art folk we used to correspond with. Then to Roy's little shop of treasures. He's very chatty and shows us some prize possesions he didn't want to sell - had to move the poor slumbering dog to get at them - a fancy architects measure thingy and beautiful old glass Xmas tree ornaments ( £4 each ) We were tempted but a bit pricey and fragile - the chances are they'd be in bits time we got home. Tried the bakery for some lunch but they wanted to charge us 50p to heat up a pasty so we decided to go to a cheaper shop down the road. We were going to buy a loaf too so they missed out on several pounds worth of sales. After a cheese and onion pasty in the car we walked round the antique emporiums at Lady Heyes. Found a few more bits and bobs. Freezing cold wind blowing off the Mersey - Brrrrr! Glad to eventually get home in the warm.