Flowers

Another busy day today with a funeral in the morning and a visitor in the afternoon. Our dear neighbour Ellen who had been ina home for the last few years , died a few days ago and we went along to the local chapel for a service in the morning. Hazel went and collected the bunch of lilies and other flowers she'd ordered from town and we had a nice chat to Ellens relatives who had gathered outside her old house across the road. We follwed the hearse down to the chapel which was only 200 yards down the road. The service was rather spoiled by the occasional crackle of the vicars intercom and the boiler in the corner gurgling, also the organist sounded like Les Dawson! I think Ellen, who had a good sense of humour, would have found it very amusing.

After lunch we tidied up and hoovered for our visitor Treena who recently graduated from the MMU, on the course that Hazel teaches on. She bought some nice gifts including some metal bits fro Hazel to sort through and an intriguing roll of film for Archie. Treena also showed us some lovely little books she'd been making using candle wax and other items pressed into the pages. We had a nice chat over some tea and cake about the lack of exhibition space in the area and the possibilty of a mail art show in the sorting office . Treena said they had some empty cabinets in the foyer there which would be ideal for a small exhibition of some kind relating to the post office maybe.

These photos are from our visit with Trevor - his boat and the view from inside the cabin.

Its a bit misty this morning but slowly the sun is beginning to break through.The new bird feeder we bought in Stafford is on the shed but the birds haven't spotted it yet. We watched The Truman Show again last night - one of Jim Carey's best films. Archie seemed o.k. though tired after a party and disco. Better go and get the re-cycling bins in as the bin men have been and emptied them.

Shropshire Union Canal Trip

Had a nice jaunt over to Staffordshire yesterday in the car with the help of Mr. Tom Tom. Managed to find my old chum Trevor straight away as we looked over the canal to the Wharf beyond - he was painting a narrowboat in the bright sunshine. It was quite surprise to see him there as I expected to do some detective work as I hadn't heard from him for about 7 years and imagined he had moved. He hadn't changed all that much - a few more white hairs like the rest of us baby boomers. He had time to take us over to his moorings and show us the delightful spot he'd found under some huge trees and far from lifes hustle and bustle. It looked a bit like Steptoe's yard with lean-to's and tree houses and old rotting tractors and steam engines etc. Also a handy workbench and welding gear. Several boats were tied up there and so we were invited to sleep in one that was empty overnight instead of the B&B we suggested. It was great to catch up with what he'd been doing and to see his daughter who lives nearby. We went for a nice meandering walk in the woods to see the "fairy glade" where the magic yew stood and to see the badger tracks and leavings. It was quite a climb up the top of a steep bank and see the canal far below glinting in the last rays of the evening sun. Later we had a drink or two in the local canalside pub and a nice meal.

We had a rather uncomfortable nights sleep due to the bed with a dip in the middle and the sounds of badgers hooting in the woods ( or were they furry owls?). It was freezing cold too. Trevor's boat is amazing- it's like walking into a smokey museum! Nice to see he'd pinned up some of Archie's old Xmas cards amongst all the drawings by his girls and the piles of books and other debris.

We left for home after toast cooked on the wood burning stove and managed to find a different way back via Whitchurch.

Oh, I forgot to mention that while Trevor was painting his boat in the afternoon we went off to find Stafford which was about 10 miles away and had a look round the shops and bought a few useful items like sheets and a duvet cover. Also Hazel found a hole punch that you hit with a hammer in a charity shop. I found some smaller varieties with numbers on in Booksale.

This afternoon we went into town after lunch to get some milk and bread. I found a nice book about cartoons and comics in Booksale again. Archie seems o.k. at the moment ( fingers crossed ) his texts are more cheery and he seems to be enjoying the evenings entertainments like bowling ( with a square ball ) and the quiz.

Ye Olde Stamping Grounds

Here's those green jelly polymer stamps I mentioned - now mounted on some wooden blocks and used to print on some feet shaped postcards you can just about see underneath.
Below is the arts centre in Frodsham , where we went yesterday. I'm gradulally catching up with myself. Still a pile of mail to answer and lots of records to blog- not to mention the collages I have to do for Scrapiteria and the other blogs. I sometimes think i will never catch up - that two weeks of illness really put a spanner in the works!

Archie has been texting all day - surprised he has any left on his phone. I think Hazel topped it up yesterday. he seems happier now he's had a good nights sleep and some food and out in the snow. Hes fallen over a few times he said so has been put back in the beginners class for a day to find his feet again. We told him that some dry ski slope lessons would help but he wouldnt listen!

The boot sale at Anderton was pretty good this morning despite being smaller than most. The stuff was very cheap and we found a few bargains including a Harry Hill DVD still in its cellophane wrap for onefifty and some PS2 games for 50p! Also a big thick photo or maybe postcard album for a couple of quid. Hazel bought some pansies for the garden and some to give to a neighbour who kindly disposed of a heavy paving slab that had been leaning up against the bay window for ages. The builder promised to come back and remove it but never did.

Hazel took her Mom and Sister to Anderton later when they had their breakfast. I expect they missed all the huge balls of wool we saw there earlier. It was very nippy out but later the sun managed to make it feel like Spring again. I took the trays of plants over to the neighbours and they showed us the work they had been doing in the garden- making fences and chopping wood for the stove etc.

A new programme on telly tonight about celebrities learning to play an instrument. Tonight its the turn of Frank Skinner on the banjo , so that should be quite amusing hopefully. And dont forget the short three minute films about the one man band on C4 tomorrow and the next four days. Its a regular on the novelty song yahoo group so weve had fair warning.

Austrian Chips

What must they be like? Austrian chips - that's what Archie is having a text just said. Hazel's been fretting that the ordeal of a 30 hour coach trip ( should have been 24 ) would put Archie off travelling for life! They had a delay on the giraffery system round the A67 and the B78 or something and missed the connection at the tunnel terminus so had to wait 6 hours for next train to France. We though the timing was all wrong- going on the Friday when all the schools broke up for Easter Hols. Anyway hes' there now and filling himself with chips. So hopefully he'll catch up with some sleep ( only 4 hours last night ) and awake refreshed and ready for the piste.

We tried to take our minds off his journey by going to Frodsham and looking round the Castle Park Arts Centre which seems to be run by two grey haired ladies who make the hot chocolate in a back room. They do a nice line in pre-packaged fruit loaf and sponge fingers. The galleries are actually quite well lit and modern and in one was a daytime organ class in full swing. I had written to ask about available exhibition space a while back but didnt get any reply. "How awful" said one gray haired lady. The other gave me a pad and pen to write down my particulars and give them to the woman who I originally wrote to. Maybe it will jog her memory.

We walked round the park and photographed the squirrels gambolling amongst the shrubbery. The down to the town and the charity shops. Found a pete and Dud DVD and a Chas and Dave jamboree bag double. Vol. three no less! Also a rare LP of Peter sellers and Spike Milligan doing a show ( with awful fake laughter track ) about Watergate I'd not heard before.
Hazel bought a blouse and a denim jacket. During all this we kept getting texts from Archie saying things like "Going Tthru Germany now" and "Stopping at Toilets Now".

Then to Lady Heyes and the antique barns , Home after a a rummage through some expensive junk I seem to remember having rummaged through last time I was there. More texts. Then home for a late lunch and sort through pile of mail on doorstep including huge postcard from Ryosuke Cohen and two "feet" in envelopes.

Green Jelly Stamps

Just got my rubber stamps back from Bristol. They are made of a strange green jelly-like polymer and smell horrible - a bit like week old pea soup! I would much prefer the old orange flavoured rubber they used to do but apparently this polymer is a lot cheaper and better to print with. I am not convinced though the one I just made up for Archie's "Two Blind Mice" design seems to work o.k. after a few stampings. I've been having fun cutting out the wooden blocks to mount them on with Hazels jigsaw in her workshop. She's hardly used it since she bought it 12 years ago but it seems to cut out thick planks of wood quite well despite vibrating all over the place! I had to try and hold it down whilst Hazel did the cutting. I was rather unkind about her cutting ability and so had a go myself and realised it was far harder than it looked - like steering a pea along a cobweb suspended on a uni-cycle! If you can imagine such a thing- and I know you can.

Well, anyway, I have all my wobbly blocks now and they are all sanded down and now in the process of gluing the green jelly rubber onto them. So will uplaod a photo of them when I have done. Most are feet images for use on the Let Your Postcards Do The Walking cards I am sending out.

Earlier I walked into town to get some fresh air and go to the bank and do some errands. I couldnt help but venture into all the charity shops again. Its a terrible compulsion! I did find a nice book about the Ripleys Believe It Or Not Museum though and some more cheap videos including Leon and Full Metal Jacket.
Archie is looking forward his week in Austria and has a huge Thermos bag of goodies to take on the coach full of snacks in case he should get hungry between here and Stoke. Lets hope they last a bit longer.

Down By The Riverside

A fabulous bit of old film featuring Sister Rosetta Tharpe playing some mean geetar! I think this clip was featured on Amelie- that great film by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.
No Crewe today beacuse of the fog but later it cleared enough to go into town and a mooch round the charity shops and the library. I found several old videos for 50p in the Help The Aged including a doc. about Jimi hendrix I'd never seen before and one of a rare Cicely Courtnedge film from the 30's about the music hall. Also Norman Wisdom and Thin Lizzy! In the Staitonary Box sale we found lods of stickers and scalpel blades for a few pence and a nice peice of smoked cod for a fish pie - actually that was in the fish shop not Stationary Box!

Archie went back to school today after two days off with a nasty cold. Thankfully he seems better and will be able to go skiing on Friday. We were worried he wouldn';t be able to go he was coughing so much at night.

First Bootsale Of The Year

It was nice to get out to the first boot sale of the year ( for us anyway ) in Weaverham. It was nice sunny day though rather nippy. We drove over to Audrey's to pick her up and so saved Hazel two trips.
I found a great book of old coloured alphabets first of all which stretched by platic bag to its limit! I'm amazed it lasted so well considering all the junk I stuffed in it! I should have unloaded some of it into the boot of the car but couldnt see Hazel anywhere - she was going round with Archie. I got a few old scratchy records so hoepfully a few will appear on Boot Sale Sounds which I have neglected rather since being ill. LP's by Flanders and Swann, Hoffnung and Bob Williamson to name but a few. Hazel found some old rusty tins and some metal puzzles. Archie got a great pile of ancient magazines of life in the trenches during the first WW. Photos of smiling Tommies with rats and pointing at mud holes etc. Trying to put a brave face on the horrors of trench warfare. Archie is doing the !stWW in school so these will come in handy.
Not sure what Audrey got - the usual nick nacks and ceramics I expect.

Later we dropped Audrey off and went in for some late breakfast and tea.
In the afternoon Hazedl and Archie went into the garden to do some weeding and planting out some plants they bought at the boot sale. Lots of daffodils out at the moent and the garden looks very springlike and colourful.

The above film is just clips we had left over whilst clearing out the iPhoto files. I added a silly soundtrack. Treemo seems to think it "inappropriate" for some strange reason - I can't think why? Maybe they are in cahoots with Flickr?

Big Al Davies Animation

I think this is brilliant. Big Al shows us all his hats and the music is great too!

Flickr Madness

I deleted my Flickr account this morning due to the stupid new filtering system they have introduced and they had the nerve to deem my account "unsafe" for some strange reason only known to themselves. Its just more media fascism you are seeing on the net just now which I hate. Someone had all their fruit labels blocked too which is eaven sillier! Fruit labels!

So anyway- I spent far too much time on Flickr anyway and I have other fish to fry. Hardly enough time to get round all me blogs! Also been trying to figure out how to publish using LULU which is a bit of a nightmare despite their "simple" demo and walkthrough. I had to ask ace animator Andy Sykes how he did it and he was kind enoughn to drop a few hints and links my way. Now all I have to do is figure out how to use Adobe In Design! This may take longer than I thought! No time for looking at fruit labels!

Blood Presher

Yet another visit to the docs for blood pressure check which seems high again so back for more in a couple of weeks. Also a sample to see if the kidneys are working properly. This affects blood pressure apparently. Ohterwise I dont need any more sleeping pills which is good and I could report that I felt like my old self with 25% addition to brain cells in some departments rather like the Numbskulls moving round the dusty corridoors and finding cobwebbed rooms to dust! How long this will last goodness only knows.

I could not figure out the wretched cell phone to call Hazel so had to walk back home to meet her and get a ride into town for wander. We didnt stay long as I'd been twice thgis week already and I should have been collaging really but the sun was out and it was nice to get some fresh air after being zombified for two weeks.

I collected the books I bought yesterday- one was printed in 1883! Posted some mail and went to the library sale again. Still tons of bargains to be had for 50p. I bought some foreign films that looked interesting on the Artifucial Eye label. I'd not heard of any of them but maybe thats a good thing.

Then to Aldi to get some provisions we were lacking and a few treats like bagels and biscuits etc.
Slept well again last night and awoke refreshed. Have been sorting out some old issues of Curios Thing for possible re-printing. Thinking that LULU might be a good option though the Demo. is rather baffling and fast and american. A nice slow simple English version would be better I think. But will listen to it again in the hope some of the words sink into my addled brian.

Hazel has gone off to her weekly Yoga class and I am cooking the dinner - leftover nut roast, Linda McCartney's sausages and gravy. Also the roast spuds, parsnips and carrots etc. Yum!

Ivor Cutler

I've been meaning to upload this tribute to Ivor Cutler on the first anniversary of his death for a while now but have been too ill to get it together. I just found this old piece of mail from him whilst rummaging through me drawers. Also there was a postcard from Allan Bennett ( what a name dropper eh?) after we'd sent him a fan letter and postcard of one of my pig paintings. Alan writes " ....I like Sam's Pig - I can tell it's not by the other Mike Leigh!"

So anyway, our friendship with Ivor was very short and sweet. I think Hazel had this cabinet show of her "TEA LEAF COLLECTION" in the Royal Festival Hall in 1991 and Ivor saw it and bought some "Tea Leaf Badges" as he always wore a few on his cap or lapel. Later we wrote to thank him and he invited us over for tea and cakes which was a surprise. Needless to say we jumped at the chance and found ourselves on the steps of a large virctorian building in North London somewhere and no answer when we rang the bell. We almost went home deciding it must be a joke or we'd go the wrong day or something when Ivor tured up on a big wobbly bike festooned with bags. It seems he's been to the bakery to get some cakes and was "caught" by someone wanting a chat. Anyway to cut a long story short we had a nice time and it was fascinating to see where he lived and he even played us a tune on his wheezy harmonium. Looking back you wonder why we never took a camera or recorder to capture this very special moment but we didn't.

A few weeks later we invited Ivor over to our pokey flat in South London and he duly arrived and after tea and cake he gave Hazel a Breathing Lesson and left her a sheet of A4 with instructions on how to do it! I wish i knew where it was? Its around here somewhere. Also he looked at all the artworks and collages I was making and phoned up Walker Books to try and get us both roped in on the comic called SNAP! they were doing at the time . He said " Folk were good to me when i was just starting out so I like to help when I can." or words to that effect.

Anyway, through Ivor's kind introduction I got a couple of illustration jobs at Walker Books until sadly the comic folded a few months later.

So there you have it in a nutshell. A few weeks later we found out that Archie was on the way and we told Ivor the good news and he very abruptly said he wished us well with family life and he understood if we had no time for our friendship as we'd be busy bringing up a baby! Nothing could be further from the truth we said but Ivor became very insistant that we'd be better off without his friendship which was quite shock at the time and I felt quite hurt by it.

Now the baby is a teenager and the strange and multi-faceted poet has gone. We treasure all these little things he left us and still listen to his music and stories. He was certainly a "one-off" and much missed.

O yes, Ivor told me I spelt "friend" by remembering this image - a man sitting in a frying pan on a hot stove - fry-end!

Sleep For Seven Hours!

My first full nights sleep for ages! I feel so much better for it. Mind you, I was like a zombie last night - walking round and bumping into things and trying to brush my teeth with the loofah etc.
The above compilation of film clips are from berlin that Hazel took ( some bar with gypsy musicians and art gallery with strange autoamted trouserage ) Archie did the soundtrack.

Hailstones and Sunshine

I had a nice walk into town and back as the bus wasn't around. Lovely and sunny except for brief hail storm. I put up cheap nasty umbrella and cut my thumb on one of the sprockets? I went into thet walled up newsagents and the lady found me some sticky plaster - only two quid for a big packet. So that was good as the blood was beginning to ooze down me thumb and drip into my carrier bag of wet envelopes!

So anyway. the barbers was full up so and the icy wind round me lug-'oles made me think i should wait until the weather warms up a bit before I am too hastey and get me greasy locks shorn. I will try again on wednesaday. Got me first footsdhaped postcard today but in an enevelope from John M. Bennett in the USA. So off to a good start. A packet of ephemera from PLG. Coincidentally sent him a foot shaped postcard today.

The sun made me feel quite rejuvianted despite only having four hours sleep again - or so it seemed to me - maybe it was five?
Bought some cheap vids and CD's from the library sale. Some bloke was going on at the librarians on how the toilet is always locked downstairs . I didn't even know there was one? She was very calm and explained to him that it was a library and not a public conveniance - there are two public toilets nearby if you are taken short. He still ranted and raved but was eventually subdued by her calming voice. Some old codgers in the queue were butting in which didnt help matters saying things like "Your just a trouble maker you are!"

Ive never heard the like in the library before- its always so peaceful and quiet!

Mothers Day

Heres the Mothers day card that Archie made for Hazel. Inside he's composed a nice little poem which says-

" I'm a hammster
I can't speell
If you dindt clean my cage
I would relly smell"

And he's drawn some hamster poo on the bottom ( of the card ).

Hazel's Mom and sister came over later despite the hail stones and the gales ( with sunshine in between!) for tea and cake and exchange of presents, pots of mini-daffs etc.
I actually had enough energy to make a few flyers for my new mail art project "Let Your Postcards Do The Walking" and showed Audrey the foot shaped postcard I'd made. Also asked if she wanted any images tunred into rubber stamps as i plan a new sheet for these upcoming projects. I havent had any made for years so thought it would be good to get some FEET images. I found quite few in some old victorian cataloges and in old issues of Curios Thing. Audrey wanted some Egyptian images and I found some in my rubber stamp archive that I havent used.

Later I cooked a nut roast despite not having any nuts or sage and onion stuffing mix ( an essential ingrediant!). Luckily Hazel found some ol,d hazelnuts and almons left over from Xmas and made light work of them with her planishing hammer!

I used bread crumbs and onion for the stuffing and some sage from the garden, I didnt even know we had any!

It was delicious! A real Sunday roast. Mindyou i was getting a bit tired and grumpy and hot by the end of the afternoon! I managed to stay awake until 9 and went to bed to litsen to some rubbishy Men From The Ministry on BBC 7. Derek Guyler?

He was best I think as the policeman in Sykes ( with Hattie Jaques) But i digress.

Two Steps Forward One Step Back

Not another red nose but a postcard I sent to someone a few months back. I'd forgotten all about it but they uplaoded it to the Comic Relief group at Flickr which was a nice surprise.
The howling winds and hail of last night made my sleep very erratic so I was forced to take half a Tamazipan which I didnt really want to do. Thankfully I dropped off and had about 4 hours. The two previous nights have been better with no sleeping pill atall which made me feel a whole lot better.
Anyway, i see it as a minor blip and hopefully can get back to the usual 6 hours without too much a do.

Went to see Archies first piano lesson yesterday. Considering doing some myself. He did well considering he'd not done much keyboard before despite having a Casio thingy gathering dust in his bedroom since he was about 6 ! It will help his GCSE Music grades hopefully and he seems to enjoy it.

Red Nose Day

My nose is probably red enough after this rotten flu' bug but I did buy another today as they had so many left in Oxfam and also this excellent sticker for our wheelie bin from a stall in the middle of town. Also they threw in a great little recipe book for things to make out of your left-overs. The haddock and spinach crunchy bake looked particularly delicious- as did the apple and bread 'n' butter pudding! Yum!

It was nice to have a few more hours sleep and I didn't have to resort to the sleeping pill! Hooray! So I think I must be getting better. I certainly had a spring in my step today and was buying all kinds of junk to prove it!
I even bought the Big Issue which isn't like me atall. It has a few interesting articles too which I will get around to reading over the weekend maybe. Ive started the "With Nails" film diaries I bought years ago and never got round to after seeing Richard E. Grant on that new cookery prog. where they make dishes they had as kids and they talk about their lives which makes it a bit more interesting than the usual kitchen humiliations!

I also bought a few dodgy videos like Airplane 2 and Chinatown with Jack Nicholson. I remember seeing it at the NFT some years ago and enjoying it. Also a fanstatic scrapbook of old sepia photos for a quid from the book stall in the market. It has a whole page of creepy graves! Mostly fun days at the beach though with stripey swimming costumes and boaters etc.

Alos bought some blueberries which I've been having on my muesli in the mornings. They are delicious!

Have been scanning lots of feet this afternoon- mostly from old Curios Things. I'm hoping to get a new mail art postcard project off the ground and making some "flyers" for it. I found a few brains pics too which amused me. Mine seems to be settling down now you'll be glad to hear! Nearly back to my old self.

The gasman came this afternoon to mend the light socket in the bedroom. It was a faulty wire i think. It didn't take him long to trace it. There was an amazing ammount of fluff under the bed. Hazel hoovered it up before he arrived. Have fitted new long-life bulbs to save the planet - ha hah! I wasl listening to some old codgers on the radio the other night as I dozed off. It was LBC I think? One suggested that the current panic about Global Warnings was a big lie and the earth goes through cycles of change every million years or so. What happened to that next Ice Age we were sposed to have? Also he cleverly figured that the ice caps and ice bergs were mostly under water so if they melt they would make the sea LOWER because they would displace the air with water ( Ice expands - water contracts ). This made perfect sense to me in my addled state. You don't know who to belive do you?

The Chubb Chubbs

It was nice to get out to stretch the legs this morning after being cooped up for two weeks. Ah, the sun on my face- it was full of B vitimins ( or is it D ? )- anyway, I was obviously lacking some and felt a whole lot better after a wander round the charity shops and library. I asked about the exhibition space but the person responsible was having a tea break. I phoned later and booked it, packed it, for March 2008 which gives me plenty of time to sort out my mail art archive and have them framed nicely etc. Also in one corner can be one of the recent projects announced at yahoo mail art groups. I'm hoping to get some flyers made and rubber stamps as soon as i feel able and have more energy.

I actually got four hours sleep last night- taking half a Tamarzipan which suited me better - they make you a bit woozy and dopey the next day and I can't operate "heavy machinery" apparently!
Hazel wnt off and bought a lighter duvet (7 togs ) which seems better for this mild Spring we are having. Also a softer duck feather mattress cover that my sister reccomended. Like they say- you spend a third of your life in bed so its wise to make it as comfy as possible!

I bought lots of tat ofcourse - cheap videos and a Chas & Dave Lp . O dear -says Hazel.

Going for a rest now and read one of the piles of books Ive stacked up over the last few months that I havent gotten around to. It seems like the ideal time to catch up with all my reading.

Slighly Sillier and More Sensible Please

O.K. Hazel pointed out that my recent bloggings have looked rather weird so I am trying to reflect what sleep deprivation and Tamarzipan does to an already addled brain!

So here's a slightly more sensibler ( is there such a worm ?) bloggage at 5a.m after a deep four hours sleep.

It was lovely to get a phone call from my "little" brother the other day, who is actually probably an inch or two taller and wider than me, well last time I saw him that is! He saw the bloggage too and was alarmed by the wordage and phoned to see how I was. This cheered me up no end. He can hardly get two words out of me normally but I think I succeeded in baffling him with my new found knowledge of 7o's rock that had been hidden somewhere deep in the cobwebbed recesses of my brain. I can talk for Great Britain these days if there was such a sport.

Woozy feelings. Its the Tamarzipan the NHS Help Line said. Well worth checking out if you are worried or anxious about something. They have trained councellors who are very easy to talk too.

The Health Service seems to be imploding but the poeple who work for it do so, under great stress and amazed at how much they laugh all the time. I was laughing too when I came out of the Infirmary. Though not surprised so many people go to Poland to have their teeth capped ! The nurses there are fantastic as are all the medics. Humour is a great weapon and was used in the last war very effectively to keep up morale ( ITMA etc.) The radio is great to drift off to sleep listening to some wonderful archives on BBC 7. Thankfull the Beeb get it right sometimes.

Some very strange and amusing films on yesterday afternoon as I woozled after a nap. Mutiny On The Bounty on C5 was hilarious with Marlon Brando heading mostly British cast of swarthy sea dogs and faces you cant quite but a name too? Is that Ted Moult? Bernad Cribbins? surely not! Certainly Trevor Howard as Cpt. Bligh was suitably by turns amusing and frightening! Ooer! Look out its them Tahatian gals again with their bread fruits! Ah the swelling theme music of the bongos - still ringing in in my ears!

Stoppit! Now its getting silly again!

Say something sensible.

O.K. Hazel pointed out that my recent bloggings have looked rather weird so I am trying to reflect what sleep deprivation and Tamarzipan does to an already addled brain!

So here's a slightly more sensibler ( is there such a worm ?) bloggage at 5a.m after a deep four hours sleep.

It was lovely to get a phone call from my "little" brother the other day, who is actually probably an inch or two taller and wider than me, well last time I saw him that is! He saw the bloggage too and was alarmed by the wordage and phoned to see how I was. This cheered me up no end. He can hardly get two words out of me normally but I think I succeeded in baffling him with my new found knowledge of 7o's rock that had been hidden somewhere deep in the cobwebbed recesses of my brain. I can talk for Great Britain these days if there was such a sport.

Woozy feelings. Its the Tamarzipan the NHS Help Line said. Well worth checking out if you are worried or anxious about something. They have trained councellors who are very easy to talk too.

The Health Service seems to be imploding but the poeple who work for it do so, under great stress and amazed at how much they laugh all the time. I was laughing too when I came out of the Infirmary the other day after my blood tests. Have I told you this one? Excuse me if I have.

Anyway, a good nights sleep is the best tonic ever even though you feel like you've been dragged through a hedge backwards. My old Dad used to say that quite lot when he saw the teenage me and my "new" Rolling Stones hairstyle! Looking back now its hard to see what all the fuss was about!
They look so clean and scrubbed and manicured.

I hope this has been a good day for you all. Smile at someone - its catching!

Slap me With A cabbage Day.

Just watchingthe TV 6-30 in the morrow here in blighty.

The dazzling montage skims by my red and eyeballs.

O the tortured worl of misery we live on - someone give Bush a big REd Nose for goodnesss ake !!

These partners for PEACE seem doomed from the start.

Publicity stump?

Was on Marzipan last night and feel like a rawlplug. In fact I think Am a rawlplug ( I thin Murkans call the diblets) ?

I could be wrong.

Just two hours slip again.

Two steps forward and one step back.

Does anybody know a good phone company besides BT?

Painting Box

Lovely and slightly out of sync. old Julie Felix Show from way back when we had flour in our hair and all the world seems like it was yesterday.

One of Johhny Rotten's favourites apparently!

RED Nose Day

Thansk all- their is a group here at Flickr that needs your input. sadly only 9 people on it and its been open year! Join now and boost awareness of a great day of FUN.

I had a nap this morning as I didnt sleep much last night. Up and down like a fiddlers elbow! Stress and being 60 soon i guess- a bit of a corker of a watershed!

I just spoke to my 86 old Auntie who had me in stitches about what a "naughty boy you was - always burying my ornaments in the garden and and filling the next doors toilet with pebbles! Mrs. Dennis next door said "'es gorn and done it again Mrs. Murray!"

Also she walks down a big hill and up a again and gets her shopping despite high blood pressure! Amazing!

So there is hope for us all. She also said "You also buried some wooden elephants and when we found them several years later they had rotted away and all that was left were the rusty metal bits that hold them together!"

I nearly choked laughing at this point. I hope I have her energy and stamina at her age. My other Aunti now in a home for the bewildered is doing well and looks fantastic said Auntie No. 1 - "she looked better than me! - the wrinkles had been iroend out and she had a new hair-do !" What a tonic it was to speek to her and several other poeple tonight - sorry if I burst your ear drums with my incessent chortle.

I think I am going through some kind of mid -life crisis I should have had ten years ago, but Archie has kept me young at heart. My brain seems re-wired- new synapeses and using parts I never accessed before. Its a bewildering and strange feeling! Anybody else been through that?

Watching Silver Surfers later to get some tips! On C4 I think.

Total Eclipse of My Art

This was an amzing experiance but nobody seems to have seen it except us!
Even patrick Moore wasnt on the telly? Until the following evening and then it was last months Sky At Night. BBC going crazy again!?

Still they made up for it today when ther new Shaun Of The Sheep was on which was brill. I nearly wet myself. In fact I think i did. Archie is even more keen now to make some more I think- no pressure or anything! His 5 minutes on Blue Peter went to his head i think! he's having a lie down and reading the book he bought for World Book Day ( or wahtever it was called ) he got a pound toekn from school- everyybody got one and he spent it on a thin volume of Vampire stories.

Hazel has gone to bed for a lie down.

I had a nap this moring and woke up feeling like a banana - so I had one for me dinner.
Quite nice it was too- a bit yellow looking though. Later i had a bowl of muse-li with all kinds of anti-doxipants in it! Ive been watching too much Dinky Dick and Don I think!

Sanford and Son

American version of Steptoe and Son apparently! So my Treemo buddy tells me. Thanks for the link scal!

The Staggering Stories of Ferdinand De Flambe!

Or soemthing like that? Do you remeber it now? It was on about twenty years ago when the BBC was a force to be reckoned with. Now they are desperate to win back viewers on the web-de-tent thingy attched to the wires on the compueter some how? Its all a bit of a mystery - a bit like the people who choose all the shows that the Beeb put out these days. Mind you the director, Victory Loius -Smythe who had a hand in the above delightful nonsense inn the 80's has recently delighted us with some fabulous docs . on BBC 4 about Celia Derbyshire and the Radiophonic Workshop and Jake Thackray the troubadour and wit. So she's certainly gone up in my estimations!

meanwhile dot dot dot...
as Viv stanshall used to say. The Total Loonie Eclipse was a fantastic site and we enjoyed it so much we have ordered another for next year - here at the back of the Radio Times with all the shed adverts.

Is Senile Dementia taking hold? Watch this Space!

Eclipse of moon

We are popping in and out the garden to see the total eclipse of the moon. At it it's best from 10-24 Greenwich mean time in the u.k. The best eclipse of the moon since January 2001. The Chinese reckon this is an omen for good and for prosperity for all of those who drink hot chocolate out in the open air , sat in deck chairs. Archie set up his telescope , which took ages and I put on my giant Sir Patrick Moore trousers and did them up around my chest for extra warmth and comfort. Sir Patrick is a TV sensation over here in the U.K. as you all must know. Check out the new BeeB Channel at You Tube to marvel at his enormous archives!

I am off outside now to see the Dragon nibble the edge of the dusky moon through the twigs of the old apple tree - a bit like the bowl of muesli I had this morning.

We have filmed the whole thing digitally so hopeflly so pics tomorrow. I put on my reading glasses by mistake and the moon looked like a giant flaming orb coming down - most alarming! The neighbours curtains are twitching i expect . The Leigh-Jones's are outside again looking at the stars!

The Outer Limits - Season One

The Grumpy Guide To Art

Dear Radio Times, It has come to my attention that your Grumpy Old.... series is getting far too funny and not "grumpy" atall! I nearly choked on a brazil nut last night whilst watching those crazy 40 somethings describe the delights of the Tate and Suurealism, Pre-raphaelites etc. Vic reeves was particularly engaging ( big hit song Shaun The Sheep by the way ).

Could have done without the 3rd rate holiday show and gardening celebs though.

Jenny Eclair was particularly delightful we thought. Just a sort anecdoet about her. Hazel was in a group show of recently graduated RCA students in the 80's in Islington atthe Crocodil Gallery. sadly now defunct.

She wanted to by some of Hazel work. She was making very cheap "Currant Steamers" at the time. Jenny pondered her options- "MMMmmm I'm feeling a bit pre-menstrual today' she declared, " will it be your bueautiful Currant Steamers or some new shoes for my husband?" So she she went off to think about it. hazel never saw her again but phoned up a few days later to see. But jenny was out and her husband said on the phone - "ooh these new shoes are a bit tight! "

Oh how we laughed! No mor e Brazils for me Mrs. Worthington.

It wasgreat to see at the end what bits of art they had bought recently. it seems Jenny has a Cornelia Parker exploding shed hanging from her stair well! Fantastic! one of our favourites too!


All the best, Victor Lewis- Smith

Biscuits

Biscuits.

Someone's been in and measured all the biscuits in the night.

They hung them in the Tate for the Grumpy people's delight!

Nicholas Serota said , "That bourbon's far too tight!"

It needs to be at least another inch off to the right!



Dawn's Chorus

Up again- I flit down to the loo.

The dawn chorus is twittering outside in the rain.

The two cooing pigeons woo down the chimney

I collapse into a dream.


The starlings in the big ol' tree

gather for their breakfast

In great numbers- they stand more chance

Against the big thick leather coated booby bird!

In the dawns early flight.


Shirt.

My shirt is inside out - much like my brain at the the moment.

I pulled on my trousers and listened to the rain

Piddle on the window and gurgle down the drain

I looked out the window- and saw all the cars

had lined up in the night to mystify the stars.

For Archie

Sadly, the BBC in it's infinite wisdom have chosen to with hold the embedding of clips fromm the NEW YOUTUBE channel but you can find a tiny bit of the new AARdmann series "Shaun The Sheep" here-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWJA-VPVmUQ

Great catchy title song. Not sure who is doing it. Its on all next week in U.K. at 3-45pm. in the afternoon. Archie is ecstatic! he much prfers this to the 1964 Boxed set of "The Outer Limits" we got him from Woolies. I though the Galaxy Being was fantastic- I nearly choked laughing so much! Hazel fell asleep on the settee! He's gonna get the new Maxiimo Park CD instead. teenagers eh?

How Did We Do It?

How did we raise such a clever boy? Hazel admits she is not the "brightest button in the box", although she managed to get from an Incomprehesive in Walsall to a the high echelons of the RCA in a matter of a few years. I , on the other hand am a baby boomer from the decrepid jiving 50's and found myself in a terrible secondary modern in Basildon where I suffered for 5 years and got one "O" level in art! It took me another 4 years at Southend Art School to get the other four I needed to go onto Art School and the Pre-Diploma Course which was the forrunner of the Foundation Course in Art & Design.
Anyway, I digress!
We went to the High School last night to talk to Archie's teachers about his glowing report and what hi "options" might be for next year. Hardly any it seems! He has about ten "compulsary" lessons and threee blocks of six others that he can choose from but on e must be a IT subject!? derrrr! Why do they make it so confusing? Anyway we made the mistake of going down early to try and spot a teacher to talk to but they all had huge crowds of eager parents and even grandparents lined up ready to pounce. We had a time-table but last year nobody seemed to stick to it and you just had to jump in the queue when you saw a space! Crazy! I wasnt feeling very bright so stayed around for 30 minutes to show willing and then slunk off home to watch some mind numbing cookery programme. Hazel was braver and as it turned out was rewarded with fantastic feedback about Archie's progress that made us very proud! We are still wondering how we managed it? maybe a leap in the gene -pool to Archie's Great Grandfather who we never knew. Perhaps he was a clever bastard, as Ian Dury once said.

Many Hands Make Write Work

New Guinness advert with wonderful animation and music by Balkan Beat Box ( we think, though Guinnesss isnt sure it seems!)

Another sleepless night. tossing and turning- woke up in cold sweat and aching- mouth like the bottom of a parrots cage - make that an albatross! hazel didn't sleep much either. Still recovering from Berlin and this nasty flu' bug. hope none of you get it!

Blood Is Thicker Than Walter

Hi Roger and Jilly, glad to hear you are re-untited! Love is a wonderful thing - I have had a revelatory experiance not unlike finding jesus in the cupboard under the stairs! I blame this rotten flu bug that has been plaguing us for the last threee weeeks! Poor Hazel looks exhasuted after dragging herself round Berlin and me fretting over her. Now she is back I have had a relapse and had to go to the docs. I pooured my heart out to him and he looked as if I was going MAD! He has passed me onto a bereavement councellor ( sometime in the future?) to talk about my Mum and Dad. Their deaths over five years ago really shook me but I didnt know it at the time. Hazel thought I handled it quite well but obviously not! I have been having yo-yo ing emotions - from gloom to elation to sobbing wreck! Poor Hazel sent me to docs and he listened to my chest through his periscope and sent me for a bloood test 00er! which I had this morning- didn't get a badge saying "YOU GAVE BLOOD - BRAVE BOY!" though the nurse was amused by the one of an earwig I was wearing. It's to cheer people up I said. ha ha - we all laughed. It took our minds off the blood being drained out of me. Hazel drove me home and I had a nap after a small breakfast. I woke up with dizzy smells and headachey still and feeling about 109 ! Cripes! I've never felt like this before. So there you have it in a nutcase. No worries about the al-bum cover. Keeep it and use as frisbee! We can do a joint one but when I am all better!

Hazel has gone for a nap now. poor thing. She's worn to a frazzle!

Archie has beeen given lots of treats as we both feel guilty for being ill. We got him the latest "Kaiser Chiefs" LP which is really good the bits I heard- better than there first. He's put it on his i-pot.

Just phoned the n u rse at surgery and shes made appointment for Friday and blood pressure, which I haven't had done for ages. A small woman from the co-op will do it apparently as they are short staffed.

I am taking anti-biotics which look like mexican jumping beings and Hazel is on chinese mushroom spore pills! O how we laugh! O how we cry! Boo hoo!

Lots of love , Michael Hazel and Archie. XXX

p.s. we have a big long parcel in the hall - for the neighbour. We keep lifting it up to guess what is inside. Its very light. Hazel thinks its a sponge on a stick! Whats your guess?

Hoodwinked!

This is one of the funniest clips from a wonderful film that we stupidly missed when it was at the Regal. It got very little exposure at the time I seem to remember which is a shame as it's brilliant! Go and borrow or buy the DVD now. We treated ourselves and hugely surprised at how inventive and funny it was. I nearly choked laughing at this mad goat with the interchangable horns. The music is fab too. I'd love to find the soundtrack if only for this one song! Looking forward to seeing the directors commentary at some point. Also, it was done on a shoe-string budget apparently with just 5 thousand dollars and two computers!

We popped into town yesterday and bought a few things( incuding this DVD ) - Hazel got some old kitchen weighing scales from the Hewlp The Aged - they have a set of weights with it. Not sure where they will go? I bought a nice old copy of Dover 1800 woodcuts and a japanese writing pad from the same place. Later we had a take-away curry as I didnt feel much like cooking. Still coughing like an old 50 Capstan a day man! Hazel bought me some evil cough mixture that tastes like creosote - if it doesn't work it will be good for re-painting the garden fence!

House of Bamboo

Apparently some drunk got up and sang this in Berlin and Hazel was convinced I would have it in my vast collection of Bamboo Songs. I did track it down to You Tube and fine version here by some guy in a grass skirt. The camerawork is a bit wayward but you get the idea. I wonder who did it first?

So this is for Hazel.

Presents From Berlin

I went into town this morning to get some flowers for Hazel to celebrate her home-coming. She eventually arrived earlier than expected and got a lift with Tony & Penny which was nice. So didnt have to go via Manchester which would have added two hours or so to her journey which would have been silly. Sounded like a fun filled three days. Seemed more like a month to me! Some presents including this warped single which I havent listened to yet. Postcards, Bit of Berlin wall. Sweets. German lucky bag. A Russian hat for Archie ( with ear flaps ) made of synthetic bear. A big crusty seedy pretzel that Archie ate straight away - greedy boy! Looked through all the photos and felt like I'd almost been there. I made a spinach bake - just in time. Catching up with Coronation Street now she is. They dont have it in Berlin for some reason.

Alarming tales of falling scaffolding and cars screeching to a halt. Four days eh? The Natural History Museum sounds like a barrel of fun - laughing at the fossils! The most interesting exhibit was a flea on a fly on a pin? It sounds like an Ivor Cutler poem.I think Hazel will sleep for two days now!

This new blogger account is such a pain to get onto- i wish I'd never changed. It takes twice as long as before!

"Near the house of the art in Berlin people(persons) stand in wet suits snake(queue). Letting drip and impatiently they wait to throw their(her) sailboard in Eisbach which flows here into the English garden and rears, besides, in a stone step to a halbmeterhohen wave. The professionals jump gekonnt on their(her) board(shelf), the more careful paddle only kneeling in the movement and get up on the foot of the wave. Forwards bent, they balance by the trough, let themselves drive(do) a small piece in the direction of waves parting. Who finds his(its) balance, tries to circle possibly rapidly in the waves slope entlangzugleiten and possibly elegantly by the foam. But not later than after a few turns the movement throws him up to the crest – then only the choice(election) remains between header and Rückenklatscher."

It seems surfing and Hawaiian music are big in Germany which doesn't surprise me as I have heard the Die Waikikis before- infact I may have bought a record by them in the past by mistake thinkig it was something more exotic. The feeling is rather like the Mike Sammes Singers wearing leather shorts and the plaintive strains of the South Seas wafting in the background. The germans love skiffle and rock and roll and I have discovered many German's love world music so it seems they are fans of the slack key guitar and the ukulele too. Echos of it can be found in this quaint record that Hazel found- sadly warped by a fire- hence the clicking nature of the two tracks. The other two tracks jumped a mile!

Die Waikikis - Fern am Strande von Samoa

Die Waikikis - Goldner Mond von Hawai

These SendSpace files are available for seven days or until exhausted.

Berlin

Still feeling a bit under-the-weather due to bugs and virals of last 10 days or so. I don't remember having a cold that lasted so long or affected me so much. Hope I can shake it off by the time Hazel gets back from Berlin. She's gone with a college trip - flying off from Liverpool's John Lennon airport today. I didnt think she'd be well enough but thankfully she is despite a lingering cough. Hopefully she'll have a nice couple of days and it won't be too tiring for her. She's been before so knows her way around though lots of rebuilding work has beeen going on I hear. So Archie and I will fend for ourselves until Friday.
I ventured out yesterday for the first time in ages. Foolihsly walked all the way into twon and back. I would have got a bus but didnt see any. My legs turned to jelly half way home and I just made it! I feel like some old geriatric!
I got a few bargains including a nice old book about the Music Hall and the Postcards From The Boys they were selling off cheap in Booksale. Its full of pstcards sent to Ringo by the other three Beatles. I gave it to Hazel as a belated Valentines present to get my own back for the Book of Roundabouts she gave me! It least it has hearts on the cover.

Bugs!

For the last three days have been full of the nasty germs and bugs that Hazel had/has. It is a particularly rotten strain of viral infection that turns you into a zombie ( not again!) and all you are capable of doing is watching day time TV from 9 until 12 and then a break to chew on a dry crust and eat copious ammounts of paracetamol based cold cures! Also sucking throat sweets and gulping cough syrup by the spoon load. Nothing seems to work really but you feel comfort for a little while that they might do.

Hopefully Hazel will feel well enough to go back to college soon. Archie hasn't succumbed yet thankfully so his half term holiday is only spoilt by his sickly parents groaning and sniffling!

Stale Bread and Toadstools

Just back from a nice walk around the woods and lake at Marbury. Fed the ducks our usual supply of stale and mouldy bread. Archie gave some to a little lad who had no bread. We explored a new path cut along the bank of the stream that feeds the mere. Took some photos of toadstools and other brightly coloured and sticky looking funghi. You can see them at my Flickr stream.
Very crowded in the woods today- twitchers and groups of ramblers and families with bouncy dogs and barking children. Heard some woodpeckers in the distance and saw them flying high up in the branches as we got closer. Some twitchers stopped by us too to remark upon it and confirm what we had suspected. We had left the binoculars at home so didn't get a closer view.

Hazel almost didnt leave the house as she is full of cold and headache again. Shes gone back to bed now. Its not long since her last bout of sniffles and sore throat despite all the lime juice and orange she drinks.

Archie is doing his homework after cleaning out the rabbit and the hamster quarters.
Almost time to go and make the dinner. I think it might be nut roast again as we have a half of cabbage to eat up and I found three packs of onion rings in the freezer! Who knows what else is lurking at the back?

Snow't About

No snow either though plenty about it seems. I walked into town - trying out my new boots. I managed to get there and back without too much trouble. I had two pairs of socks on though just incase. I got some bread and brazil nuts. I might make a nut roast tonight as weve had a cabbage in the fridge for ages and can never think of a suitable meal for it to go with. It doesnt really go with lasagne or macaroni! We had a nice thick veg stew last night with dumplings. Just the job for these cold winter evenings.

Yesterday we went to B & Q to get some floor paint but think weve bought the wrong one. I tried to paint the bathroom floor just now and it just ran off the glossy paint thats on it now. Its more of a wash. There was an accident just outside B & Q and we got there just as the road was being blocked by a police car. Nobody badly hurt but lots of broken glass over the road. Someone had to go to hospital for stitches. The roads must be still icy in places despite the gritting lorries doing their best.
I had a look in Currys for a CD Recorder as mine is playing up ( it is 5 or 6 years old after all ) and keeps stopping when you least expect it. Seems they dont sell them anymore. Neither do Argos. No call for them, the man said- all being done on the computer now. The salesman at Comet suggested I use a DVD recorder instead! What an idiot!

Also in town I bought some cheap videos for 25p including the wonderful "Night On Earth" by Jim Jarmusch with music by Tom Waits.

I have been listening to lots of 60's music lately including Tomorrow featuring Keith West. Steve Howe of Yes fame was also in the band at the time. Here's a couple of tracks on here for a change -

Tomorrow - The Incredible Journey Of Timothy Chase

Tomorrow - Three Jolly Little Dwarfs

Ah the hippy dippy days of 1967 !
The above collage is of a CD sleeve I did for Roger & Jilly to accompany the compilation of psychedelia I made for them. Roger is in the process of making a CD of his own songs he wrote with a freind back then. I imagine he was listening to things like this at the time which may have influenced him.

Feathers!

A circle of feathers left by a bird of prey in our garden. Hazel just saw a blurred shape and it was gone. Looks like a pigeon was too slow to get out of the way. It must have been a large bird to carry a pigeon off? Hazel took this photo.
Friday I went into town a again for a walk and look around the charity shops. That makes a change I hear you cry!
I got a few bargains including some DVD's by Italian director Dario Argento- a boxed set of three of his early films of mystery and horror. I can't remember what they are now. "Bird With Golden Plumage"? that was one I think. Only two quid for three!Also two videos in sale - 25p each - of Sci-Fi series on TV which name escapes me too for the moment. Red Dwarf - which Archie likes.

Yesterday I stayed in to do some collaging and watched a bit of Jacque Tati's classic comedy"Mr Hulot's Holiday" as I transferred it to DVD.

Today we a quiet morning doing nothing much and in the afternoon went to feed the ducks at Shackerley. The early morning fog had cleared and it had turned intoo quite nice day. The animals have been fed and watered and Archie & Hazel cleaned them out. Pew! They needed it!
On the way to Shackerley spotted a large bird of prey flying off from a bush. It looked like a buzzard but couldnt be sure. Maybe the one that killed the pigeon in our garden.

Auction Fever!

Hazel has been bidding for a few items at the online auction for the Regal bits and bobs. The signs saying "Seats Can Trap Tiny Fingers" and "No Smoking In Regal 1" etc. went like hot cakes much to our surprise. Everything seemed very cheap a few days ago but there was flurry of last minute bidding that pushed the prices up beyond what we thought was a bargain. Hazel might have a solid oak door to cart home. No sure how! She wanted that most of all so she got her wish. She's going to put it in the workshop to replace the flimsy one that's in there.
We went to the Mid Cheshire College the other evening for a look round the Media studios. They had lots of equipment but not much creative use of them sadly. Archie has the option of going there for two hours a week but we decided it would be wasted messing around with Photshop and Illustrator. He does that at home anyway. They mention "moving images" in the hand out but it was a lie - the woman in charge looked perplexed when we asked what sort of moving images they used. "We don't" she said. So it's a lie then?

Went to Chester on the train yesterday for a wander. I dont find much. A CD of Charlie Chester which is pretty awful. Also a cold cheese pastie and Mojo magazine to read on the journey home. It had a free CD with it of unknown bands playing versions of the songs on Sgnt,Pepper's Lovely Hump Club Badge. The bits I listened to were pretty awful. I must admit I havent listened to the original in ages as I heard it so much in 1967 that I started to hate it. I always though Revolver was the masterpiece if I have to choose one.
Chester was very crowded so I was glad to get back on the train again. They have put up some electronic barriers at Chester now so it takes ages to get onto the platform, especially with a coachload of kids being ushered through by some officious looking teachers and flustered railway staff!

Our Days As A Zombie

We turned up at the Regal about 9.30am as requested but found only two people outside and all the doors boarded up and locked but after 5 minutes the door was opened and we went in to the darkended foyer which was crammed now full of old posters, film memorobilia etc. Everythin g had "lot" numbers on it, even the radiators and the light fittings.
Some "zombies" were being made-up in the back of the foyer by the old popcorn and coke kiosk and wires and lights and film acoutrements littered the floor and trailed through into the theatre.

About 30 "extras" had voluteered for this "no budget" film shoot. Most had answered a request in the local paper like we did. No pay but a chance for out names to be on the titles and the fun of being a zombie for a day!
Hazel had asked some of her colleagues at work to come but only John showed any interest as his son Saul was a big zombie film fan. They looked great in their make-up. Ours was pretty good too though Hazel's was very subtle and soon rubbed off.

The tedious bit was in between takes but thankfully there was a lot to see and explore. The old projection rooms crammed full of ancient projectors and reels of film were fascinating and we felt priveleged to have the chance to look round them.

The filming stopped for lunch and we had some tortilla wraps we bought from Aldi, crisps and orange juice.
We finished about 5pm. They were doing some action shots later but we decided to go home as being a zombie is quite tiring - all that moaning and staggering about takes it out of you!

The can read more about the film "Dead City" and see a short folm about it HERE.

Electric Fish

Last night I dreamed of electric fish - in the mouths of prisoners and their teeth were chattering with the shocking haddock they were getting!
Over the last couple of days its been the usual blogging and collaging ( see above - for Scrapiteria ) and walks into town to get shopping and mooch around the charity shops. Found a strange LP of songs fashioned from the poems in "Alice In Wonderland" - slightly disturbingly operatic. Not really my cup of tea but I was intrigued enough to fork out two quid mainly for the nice sleeve art and I wondered how they would sing "Jabberwocky". I expect it will turn up at Boot Sale Sounds soon.

A middle aged man hailed me as I walked home , "Hello George, How are you??" . eh? "I'm not George " I hastily replied and walked on . He just looked at me with a puzzled expression. Weird eh? Maybe I have a doppelganger? I used to get mistaken for people when I was younger but it hasn't happened for a while.

Archie wasn't in the local paper this week. Surely some mistake?

Hazel is happy now that eventually the local council have finally agreed a white line in the road outside will deter idiots from parking in front of her parking space and dropped kerb. The local window cleaner did it yesterday despite a huge gap the other side in which to park. It was odd though as Hazel had just phoned them to see what the delay was ( she wrote last October !) and when she put the phone down a letter from the council saying she had been granted a line plopped on the doormat! How's that for coincidence and serendipity?!

Jean Pierre- Jeunet

Brilliant short film by extraordinairy French director who made Amelie, Delicatessen and City Of Lost Children etc. just found on You Tube.

Windy Weekend

Heres Archie looking very tiny at school when they had to interview the Tory MP "Ozzy" Osborne, who managed to keep his foul mouth in check the whole time for which he must be congratulated.
Gale force winds last week took a few tiles off the neighbours roof and a bit of guttering. Luckliy we managed to escape unscathed. Have I said all this before?
Hazel and Archie were coughing and sneezing all weekend but were well enough today to return to college and school.
I went down town this morning for my daily constitutional. I found some old 78's in the Help The Aged. All 50p each. Worth buying for the lovely sleeve art. Especially glad to find the Uncle Mac Nursery Rhymes- a three disc set in special fold out sleeve ( mostly disintegrated ). Also a Spike Jones and a yodeller I'd never heard of. Soon to be fetaured on Boot Sale Sounds.

Thankfully the winds have subsided and it's a nice sunny if nippy day. Just been watching the news of the container ship run aground off the Devon coast and the wreckage on the beach. Lots of beachcombers with BMW bikes, exhaust pipes, engines, wine casks and other flotsam, etc. wheeling their finds away , looking very pleased with themselves.

Poorly Peeps

The wind is whistling down the chimney like a thing possessed. I can't quite catch the tune. Hazel and Archie are both off college and school today dues to bad colds, sore throats, coughs, wheezes, sneezles etc. Thankfully I haven't caught it yet. I'm up and down the stairs like a fiddler's yo-yo.
Yesterday I went to local shops to get the paper. Archie managed to wheedle himself into it again. There he is on page 12 next to the Tory MP for Tatton who I can never remember. A selected group from all years had to interview him. I think Archie's question was " What do you think of the school league tables?" when all we really wanted to ask was "Why are you making such a hash of being the opposition party?"

Flo had to go and have her bum scraped and her nails trimmed as they were beginning to curl up and look like talons. She wasn't a happy bunny! Still traumatised by her ordeal she glowers at us from the deepest recesses of her hutch.
I went to the dentist for bi-annual inspection and scrape. Thankfully nothing serious showed up on x-rays. Arggh! The old water jet torture! Glub glub! Nasty weather for the time of year. Glub glub! A lot milder though. Glub glub!

Made some more "headers" for my copious blogs. Made salad and baked spuds and leftover lasagne. Yum!

New Header's For Old

Thanks to Madeline I have been able to do away with a few old "headers" on my blogs and made my own from bits lying about on the floor of my room. It really is quite easy once you know how. I don't know why everyone doesn't do it. Hazel wants one now for her blog. I can see this will keep me busy for a while. I can change them when I get sick of them too which will be nice.

Went into town yesterday and got my ear bent in the bank by an officious woman, determined to sell me insurance and other stuff I didn't want! I came out feeling rather depressed by it all. Thankfully soon cheered up when I found a great inter-active CD-ROM in a charity shop for one-fifty. Its the Ceremony Of Innocence on the Real World label from 1997. Despite being an ancient 10 years old it still worked and is like an inter-active story based on the Griffin and Sabine Trilogy by Nick Bantock. It's full of surprises and visual delights - the cursor turns into butterflies and lizards etc. and the correspondence beteen Griffin and Sabine ( mostly postcards ) come to life in all kinds of clever and intriguing ways.

It's raining today so staying in to continue with collage making and "header" uploading.

Unlucky For Some

Spot The Edam N0. 2
Originally uploaded by wastedpapiers.

It's been a windy and wet few days. Thursday I chased a neighbour's recycling bin down the road after it had been emptied by the dustmen and thrown carelessly on the pavement. The wind dragged it into the road and as I bent down to grab it another gust caused it to skid along the tarmac for about 100 yards with me chasing it trying to avoid cars coming down the road! I'd learned my lesson and didn't bother to rescue anybody else's bins as they blew along - banging into wheelie bins and lamp-posts etc. Some front gardens ended up with several bins from their neighbours so imagine the confusion when they came home from work.

Yesterday I stayed in to start the collaged assembling project that I had promised some friends. It's called Issue 13 so was looking for scraps with a superstitious angle - ladders, magpies, four leaf clovers, that kind of thing. Needless to say I was unlucky in not finding any!
I did make a start though and have the bare bones of the pages worked out and some initial layers glued down.

Archie was part of the group interview the local tory MP at the school yesterday. He had his photo taken again for the local paper. Thats 4 weeks in a row now almost! Last week we were on the front page in the last audience of the Regal , but you can just about make out our faces - about five pixels each! I meant to ask about an enlargement at the papers offices today but completely forgot. It would be a nice souvenir to have.

Today is the 13th so more bad luck in the shape of a headache thats lasted all day. I went to town this morning for a walk but didn't find much. The Guardian with DVD of "Gilbert Grape" with Johnny Depp in it and some postage stamps I bought at Woolworths.

Hazel and Archie have been in the garden - burning the Xmas tree branches and making lots of smoke. They have saved the stump/stalk with all the others. We have a fine collection of old xmas tree stumps now - all lined up in a row!

Now I'm going to make a veg. curry as we have enough yoghurt and dug out some Bombay Potatoes and Nan bread from the freezer.
It's windy again and the trees are thrashing about outside in the garden like things possessed!

A Little Bit Of Jean Tinguely For Hazel

Le Cyclop 1/4
Uploaded by David_Reverchon

Drizzle!

Stayed in today to finish off some collages including this one and do some blogging. I went out briefly to post letters and bought the new snazzy Beatles stamps. Archie got a nice clipping in the post from the Cornerhouse with review in a teacher's mag. called "In The Picture" which says nice things about Archie's animation "Kenkeneb" which is on the Cornerhouse DVD.
Archie came home very tired after running round the park a couple of times. Too much trifle over Xmas hols.!
I made some cauliflower cheese, baked spuds, green soya beans and carrots for dinner. Now too full for mince pie and cream. It's a good job I don't have to run round the park as I fear I wouldn't get very far!

SWAPATORIUM: The Blue Lyres

Regal - 60 Years

Found this short film from Granada TV on the Regal website. Transferred it here before they sell it on e-bay! Rather compressed so quality is a bit iffy.

Last Night At The Regal

A joyous celebration of cinema but a sad end to a fine old family business last night at the Regal. "Grease" was the final film by popular demand just beating "Gone With The Wind" apparently. I was a little miffed at the choice whn I first heard but as it turned out it was perfect as loads of people dressed up in 50's clothes for the occassion (not us) and the atmostphere was fantastic - clapping and community singing through all the songs and jiving in the isles and on stage at certain key points in the film. At the end it was pandemonium with people dancing on stage in front of the closing credits and calls for the manager to make a speech. The ice cream ladies took an ovation and Hazel shook the managers hand as we left ( I went out the back way ). Hazel took loads of photos which you can see at Flickr.
We got to the cinema quite early and luckliy found a good seat for the sell out charity show. It was nice to soak up the atmostphere and watch all the "T - Birds" and "Pink Ladies" milling about . A nice mixed crowd from children to senior citizens. Some very posh people from Cuddington sitting behind us discussing the merits of pub food and lack of any decent resturants in the area. Delightful short films at the beginning with clips of iconic moments in films throughout the history of cinema.

Very sad though that we won't be able to go here again to see films and must travel to Knutsford or Chester. Nobody is sure what will happen to the site which does flood quite badly when the river overflows - which happened a couple of years ago.

Penultimate show at Regal

Went to see the penultimate show at the Regal tonight - Ben Stiller etc. in "Night In The Museum" which was rather dull and disapointing. It's a shame all those stars had such rubbish lines to read. Mickey Rooney, Dick Van Dyke, Robin Williams etc. All the money, like most Hollywood fodder these days was spent on special effects and hardly anything on the script. The Regal was featured on the TV regional news too for about 2 minutes this evening. I managed to record it and will try and make a Quicktime version for the blog.
Here's my 4th collage of the year. I made a couple more today. We took all the decorations down and packed them away for another year. The tree left it's usual wake of needles which will no doubt be around for a few months until they are all hoovered up. The boxes of tinsel and lights all neatly packed away in the wardrobe.
Archie is in the local paper again - a smaller photo of the first which reminds everyone how to see his animations on the paper's website. It's a shame the sound doesn't work though , at least not on our computer.

Sales Time!

This is my third collage of the year so doing well so far. Hazel found some plastic folders with clear pockets for my collages so no excuses now. The sales have started and besides the collage folders we found some other bargains including a facsimile copy of the first Dandy for eight quid ( reduced from 16 ) so Archie was pleased with that. Hazel also bought some disc shooters which look like blue plastic egg beaters but they fire fleuorescent corn pads out of a slit in the front at high speed with an annoying sc-fi "Weeeeeeeh!" noise. ( batteries not included )

I havent found much yet but keep looking. Most of the shops are full of half price Xmas stuff. Annuals are 99p now so it's worth waiting until after Xmas to buy them.
The weather has been pretty awful so have stayed inside most of the time. Managed to do some collages and aiming for one a day to fill these folders up.
Archie has added to the Wilfred maze of boxes that pile up. They all slot together and give Wilf several hamster miles of tunnels to explore!