More Holiday Snaps

Here's another shot of Llandudno pier and the Little Orme in the distance. Hazel and Archie are looking for crabs and money in the rock pools. Archie was in the habit of dropping coins from the pier into the sea below and making a wish.
The rocks were covered in limpets and slimy stuff. Tiny crabs but no big ones. A family of oriental looking chaps were collecting the mussels that were plentiful and filling big plastic bags. They either had a resturant or were very hungry!

We went to Portmeirion on the Sunday which was about 50 miles away on the western coast of Wales on the mouth of a big and very beautiful estuary. Mind you, the sands were quite trecherous as there were notices warning of "Quick Sand" and sudden tides and devious currents.
The italianate village is very pretty despite all the tourists (like us!) and the dreaded "Gift Shop" in abundance. The Prisoner was made there in the 60's. There was even a shop dedicated to Prisoner related gifts. Patrick McGoohan tea towls and "I AM NOt A NUmber!" T-shirts and badges etc. But we didn't buy anything- just a few postcards. Archie bought some Patrick McGoohan fudge.

Portmerion was built by Clough Williams-Ellis in 1926 and was added to throughout his life until 1976. All the buildings are listed and some are holiday homes for the wealthy (rooms are over 200 quid a night!) .To discover more about Portmerion go HERE.

Below Hazel and Archie are resting before walking down through the village to the shore and river walk. We had sandwiches and crisps and sat by a weird boat made of concrete that looked out over the hills and valleys beyond the estuary. There are also some cliff top gardens to explore but we never got round to those - too many steps!

Llandudno

Just back from a lovely week of rest and relaxation in glorious North Wales. Packed quite a lot into a few days including a terrific drive through Snowdonia National Park ( wonderful scenery ) to Portmerion and Ffestiniog steam railway, Conway castle, Bangor, Anglesey and Puffin Island and all places in between. I wrote a holiday diary with some collaged pages of the ticket stubs and receipts etc. we collected so might upload extracts in the next bloggage. Lucky you!

The weather was kind to us for the first few days and we got quite pink on the beach. Occasional showers and then this weekend we had mostly drizzle but we had to stay for Ken Dodd at the local theatre- a treat not to be missed!
The show didnt finish until 1a.m. in the morning so very tired today. Hazel insisted on waiting outside the stage door for his autograph but Doddy didnt appear but the manager or who-ever she was took all the books and photos inside for him to sign. We even bought "tickling sticks" and a Diddy Men comic ( he signed that also ) A very funny man and well worth staying up late for.

Home to nearly 900 e-mails most of which are spam and phish. How tickled I am not at getting these!

Archie being happy in Happy Valley- the pier in the background.(top)

Hazel and Archie on Llandudno pier looking out for seagulls. (bottom)

No Brains

Hazel found a bunch of these old cards at Crewe flea market yesterday and has been collaging some silly speak bubbles on them for the holidays. We picked up Audrey from town where she had delivered her precious Nissan Micra for it's yearly MOT and drove to Crewe for the morning. I didn't find much, not even any postcards. It was sunny though and I enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the market. Hazel found some nice old gramaphone needles in a pretty tin she gave me. I expect they will turn up on her blog soon.

Today Archie has gone to the beach with his chum James and his Mum. We are jealous! Hazel is sulking in the workshop- making those collages and pondering her work. I have been to town and back. I found some more bargains in the library sale. Status Quo's Greatest Hits and anothert which name escapes me for the moment. Der! Also a book for Archie by one of his favourite authors Morris Gleitzman about a worm.

Shot Edited Uploaded Burnt

Archie and Hazel made this film today with my help . I play a mad professor ( typecaste or what?) who finds something alarming in his lunch. They had the idea after watching an amusing silent short at the BFI archive/ viewing room thingy at MOMI on the South Bank in London when we were last there. Archie also plays the uke soundtrack and Hazel did all the costumes. It only took a couple of hours to do from scratch and now it's on YouTube- ah, the miracles of the digital cameras, editing software and the interweb!

This morning I walked into town to have a look at the monthly library sale. I bought two DVD's for a couple of quid - the recent "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" and a Jim Henson Prods. film I'd not heard of before. It's called "Mirrormask" with one of the R's turned round the other way like "Toys "R" Us"! Mostly CGI and not puppets by the look of it.

Sunshine Superbags

Green bags of plants. Bags of of greenery from Marbury Nursery they am. Archie bought another insectiverous plant called Audrey 3 to go on his bedroon windowsill with Audrey 2. Hazel bought a carnation or a pink? It was too hot to walk far and anyway I'd walked miles this morning before anyone had got up to find the boot sale we'd seen advertised but it wasn't . So my legs and back ached a bit. Trying to keep away from the computer but here I am - green bags and spam.
Marbury was packed. Archie has decided to call his new plant Neville for some reason.
It's nice to come back to a cool house though Hazel was alarmed to find some damp behind the TV in the back room. The damp collecting doodad was full up. The skirting board was discoloured with water coming from somewhere. Hazel moved all the ivy and weeds from the wall outside to see if theat would make a difference. I painted the wall after it had been cleared of cobwebs and grot.

We are thinking of having a bar-b-q later and eat outside.
We went to book sale earlier at an old Methodist chapel over at Antrobus. It was quite hard to find but luckily found it eventually after spotting a flapping hand drawn poster tacked to a telephone pole. The booksellers were a friendly bunch and were selling plants, tea and cakes too but the place wiffed a bit of urine or drains or something unpleasant! We grabbed a few likely tomes and left. Archie got a book of Dilbert cartoons and Hazel found a book by Tim Holt. I found an old childrens illustrated dictionary to collage. I've got it already and used quite few snippings including a dog for the cover of John Hegley's "Beyond Our Kennel" about 10 years ago.

Memories Are Made Of This

This is a few clips from various cameras from various trips and days out. Archie is playing the musical backing on his Maholo uke.
This morning I walked to town for exercise more than anything. I went round the charity shops but didnt find much. A DVD for 99p of a Japanese ? film described as a cross bewteen The Sound Of Music and Dawn OF The Dead which intrigued me! All for 99p. Also posted a pile of mail at the post office. The sunn was out and it was quite warm but now has clouded over again. Hazel is still recovering from yesterday's driving. She's gone back to bed for a nap. Archie has just got up and is feeding Wilf. Nice mail from PLG (three items ) and the Temporary Museum in Germany.

Hamster TV

Archie has just put this on YouTube. Wilf entertains us again with his wild and wacky antics. Oh how we laughed!

Norbury Junction

We had a nice ride over to Staffordshire today to see my old chum Trevor whi lives near Norbury Junction on the canal - an idyllic spot with a Steptoes yard and several old vehicles including this lovely old Daimler that we had a ride in.
Trevor took us on a long walk round the badger sets and through the woods to the nature reserve nearby. The reed beds were full of rare insects he said- I think some were trying to eat me most of the time! The mosquitos and gnats were out in abundance due to all the rain we've been having. We had a good game of throwing the sticky velcro-like buds of some bush at each other whilst walking along. Didn't see any badgers but heard lots of young kites and pigeons squawking in the woods.

Later after a picnic on his boat we had taken along we went for a drive ion his Daimler round the narrow lanes. Creak bump! Clunk creak! I think that spring needs oiling said Trevor.
Stopped off for a pint at the canalside pub. Trevor waved and said hello to nearly everyone we met - he must be in demand round there for his boat painting skills. He was putting the finishing touches to one when we arrived - a long maroon narrowboat with the odd name of "Rubytoo" which made us think of that old Rolling Stones song "Ruby Tuesday".

It seemed quicker getting home- about an hour and a half via Whitchurch and Tarporley. Thankfully the pitter of rain that started in the morning was replaced by bright warm sunshine. This Hazel and Archie having a cuppa ( we took the tea bags and milk ) outside on the poop deck. The furry russian hat curled up on the roof of the boat turned out to be his 16 year old cat "Percy"? or was it "Parsley"?

Watched a great DVD called Science Of Sleep the other evening which I must mention. Its by Michel Gondry who directed the Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind which I didnt like all that much but this is a very charming and inventive film which mixes animation with live action but in a childlike way- full of hand knitted puppets, cardboard cities and cotton wool clouds etc. Hard to describe really - you just have to see it for yourself. Some nice extras on the DVD too about the making of the models and animations etc.

W.Reginald Bray

It's always nice to find someone who is interested , indeed, passionate about the same things you are and here is one such man, John Tingey, who contacted me recently after seeing a mention of W.Reginald Bray on Flobberlob. His excellent website is full of great images of the postcards and "return to sender" mailings that Bray collected. Also a lovely photo of some of the objects he sent through the post including a collar of a shirt and scrubbing brush. He also sent me this photo of the old victorian postbox in Forest Hill that Mr. Bray used.

Today has been a quiet day in with some blogging and collaging. I also made a CD compilation and the collaged sleeve and sent them out to the lucky recipients. We popped to the station to book our holiday train tickets. Annoyed rather that Virgin won't allow you to book seats despite the chances of the train being packed. We are rather sick of riding in the luggage rack!

Beeston Castle and Slots

We went to Beeston Castle again today- one of our favourite spots for a picnic and to blow the cobwebs away! The rain satyed away which was even better though windy on top of the 500foot plug of rock that looks out over the Cheshire plain. We had a picnic before climbing to the top so Hazel's bag would be lighter. Some friendly wasps decided to join us and seemed to be licking something off the wooden bench we had chosen. Hazel and Archie moved away for fear of stings.

Later we drove over to the Candle Factory and the slot machine arcade which is really a museum of ancient amusements like the Ghostly Graveyard and the Drunkard's Dream and Test Your Strength etc. All good clean fun. Even the What The Butler Saw machines are very tame by today's standards. Archie won a candy stick and a weird nude pig in the crane machine. The chap who runs it was the same one we bumped inot over at Rye when we were visting Roger and Jilly. He was most welcoming again and showed us the DVD he was filming at the time. We bought a copy to watch later.

We had tea in the cafe and Archie found a half dead fly to feed his new pet- a fly eating plant called Audrey 2 that he bought at the Craft Centre yesterday. We went for a walk first at new place called Little Wumbly or something similar. It was an old wood where they used to hunt wild boar in media-evil times. All we saw though wasa rabbit and a moorhen. We heard Oulton Park race course close by and looked through the old gates to see some cars whizzing round and a steward holding up a notic saying "Pit Stop" or something similar. Hazel wants to go a see a race sometime but I don't fancy it much - all those cars going round in circles - sounds incredibly tedious!

On the way home in a narrow winding country lane a car got a bit close and knocked the cars wing mirror off- just the backing bit. Luckily Archie spotted it lyin g in the road as we sped away and we found a place to do a U turn and went back for it. It was cracked slightly but fitted back on O.K. I'm sure you are all very relieved!

Moss Farm

Went to a boot sale at Moss farm this morning but I didnt find a thing. Hazel got these two old Super 8 films but we are not sure if we still have a projector to play them on. We had a several projectors at one time but they have been givenn away or thrown away . Hazel has gone again to take her Mom and sister.

We drove over to Runcorn to see Harry Potter And The Tedious Two Hours the day after Hazel's birthday. Now the Regal has closed we are forced to go further afield to see any films. I wish we hadn't bothered to see this one which was far too long and garbled to say the least. Probably best if you read the book first and then you'd know what was happening! The small cinema is part of a multi-plex and was comfortable enough but the adverts went on for 20 minutes which didnt help. I dont think we'll be going back in a hurry. Runcorn is a mess of roads and we nearly ended up on the M6 on the way home after taking a wrong turning.

Far Far Away

Archie has made a new film about Wilf. He played the guitar on it too. Clever boy.
Yesterday we went to Crewe flea market. Got some cheap postcards and DVD of "Lost Boys" for pound, which is probably all it's worth. Thankfuly it had stopped raining and so it wasnt too bad. The sun came out in the afternoon so we decided to have lunch over in Nantwich at the wonky coffee shop over the bookshop in the really old building. Syl and Jonathan will remember it from their trip last year. We got served a bit quicker this time! Toasted cheese and tuna sarnies- I just had onion with mine. Then further shopping for clothes and junk. Archie tried on a jacket but it was too small and they didnt have a larger size. I bought a video of thingy ( transvestite comedian ) I hadnt seen before in the Oxfam shop.
Today it was Hazel's sisters 50th birdbath so we went for a meal to celebrate over at Plumley in a pub we sometimes go to on these occasions - the portions are giant size and it's very friendly. In fact the plates are so huge they hardly fit on the table. Hazel's MOm asked for a childs portion and all they changed was the size of the plate and the pile of food was just as big!
I had a pint of bitter which was a mistake as I felt very tired in the afternoon and dropped off on the sofa with my mouth open. Archie took some embarressing photos of me catching flies.
Then it was back to Granma's for tea and cake and a snooze and presnt opening. Hazel got some too as it;'s her birthday tomorrow. Not sure what we are doing. Maybe go and see the new Harry Potter film.

Liverpool Trip

Hada nice day out in Liverpool today. Got the train from Hartford which goes through Runcorn and other exotic places - takes about 35 mins. First to the Richard Wilson ( not the actor from "One Foot In The Grave" ) revolving building down some side street, miles from anywhere. Not quite as impressive as his room full of sump oil but quite amazing bit of engineering. The circle of facade takes about 4 minutes to rotate fully and makes a satisfying "clunk" every now and then. We watched it for about 15 minutes and took some film and photographs - a few others did too.

Then to find the Bluecoat gallery but it was closed so we went to the Tate to see the excellent Peter Blake retrospective. Lovely to see all the early work and collages. Not too keen on the Ruralists phase and the paintings done from his spell in the National Gallery. The POP ART was great though and good to see again the Toy Shop and LOve Wall and so forth. Downstairs was a show of Liverpool artists through the ages which was interesting- Adrian Henri and Fred Fasackerly etc. Hazel bought a nice book of Russian home -made objects in the book shop and we all got a Blake target badge each.

WE got tired of the endless walls of ART and went and had out picnic on the front by the Mersey- lashed by the winds and dodging the seagulls and pigeons.

Found out where the other Bluecoat gallery was ( seems there are about 4 which is very confusing! ) but the exhibition of Wunderkammer wasn't on yet much to our annoyance as we got the invite some weeks ago and assumed it had started.

Then to GAP to get some togs and then home- out feet throbbing on the hot Liverpudlian pavements.

Sunny Rainday

It's so easy to vegetate on days like this where the threat of a downpour is always present. Luckily we were able somehow to drag ourselves out for a walk in the woods at Marbury and feed the ubiquitous ducks and welly around in the mud for an hour trying to spot the "creature features"- a nature trail for kids with colourful posters dotted around - fixed to trees and gates etc. We spotted a butterfly, a spider and a squidgy green octopus.

We popped into LIDL on the way home and just as we got outside the heavens opened. One can see how flash floods happen as the rain bucketed down. My linen jacket soaked up the big splats of rain like blotting paper. I had to run from the car to the pet shop to get Archie who was browsing the hamster chews section. I got soaked again on the way back to the car. Great Zambesi's of water poured down the road and made huge puddles where the drains were blogged. We got home just in time for the deluge to stop- Archie rushed in to make a paper boat to float down the gutter. Lucky we left the woods when we did or else we would be wetter than the wet you get bathing a red setter. No that I ever have but imagine you'd get pretty wet.

In The Garden

Proof here that I do get into the garden occasionally and play "kick about" with Archie. I have never been a sporty person though I remember enjoying football and cricket etc. outside school for relaxation. In school it was became a chore due to heavy handed PE teachers and bullying children. Our PE teacher at the seconadary modern school I went to in Basildon was a particularly nasty peice of work called MR. Griffiths and ex-welsh fusilier who had a sadistic streak. He once slapped me round the face for smirking when out of step in country dancing ( too wet to play football outside ).

Very sunny and warm yesterday for a change so quite a nice change to get into the garden for any reason.

Earlier I walked into town to visit the usual haunts- the charity shops, the library and the Post Office to post a few packets of Hazel's "Emblem" book to people. Bought some cheap videos (3 for quid ) including double bill of Ray Harryhausen, Dr. Strangelove and Dave Spikey Live. Also the first Alien by Ridley Scott on DVD from the Woolies sale. We watched Aliens last week as Archie had never seen it. I think the first film is far scarier and superior in every way. It also has a "extras" including commentary by the director.

Another Exciting Day

Just found this great and very silly Richard Condie animation on YouTube. He's Canadian.He made The Big Snit which is a big favourite in our house.

Yesterday Hazel took a car load of stuff to the tip and the charity shops after a weekend of clearing out cupboards and shelves etc. Mostly Archie's old toys and games he never plays with anymore.
After dumping the bags at Help The Aged and The Red Cross we had a brief wander around the market. Bought some CD sleeves ( 100 for 2 quid ) and then drove to Aldi to stock up with bread and milk etc. Exciting eh? Then to the tip to dump the rest of the stuff the charity shops wouldnt want like the long sponge thing covered in camouflage material and the wooly jumpers with elongated sleeves etc.

My cold is better thankfully so well enough to go to dentist for check-up this morning.
Archie has gone on school trip to Liverpool Maritime Museum. He's been before with us so expect he will find it very dull. Still it makes a change from lessons. It was almost cancelled at the last minute when someone in Archie's class had their show stolen and nobody would own up. The whole class was punished and had to miss break and write who they thought did it on bits of paper and put them into a hat. Archie's said "I have no idea". Nobody had any idea it seems and so the teacher said the trip to Liverpool would be cancelled if nobody owned up which seems a bit cruel and unfair.
Anyway, it was just a bluff it seems and they are off. Hope it doesn't rain too much. Fat chance!

Record Finds At Boot Sale

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Quite a haul of old kiddie records today at the Hartford boot. I could not resist these for 5p each and a Beatles Monthly No.7 from 1964 for 5p also from the same stall. Sadly still cannot upload tracks to Boot Sale Sounds at the moment. I suspect the gloriously gaudy sleeves are much more exciting than the audio anyway! Also got a couple of metal thingamies for Hazel I hid away but she found them stealing my plastic bag later to protect her car from a slimey pot plant she bought from LIDL on the way home. She says she didn't notice what I'd bought which annoyed me even more! She still insisted they be wrapped up for her big day ( 27th ). Also purchased for pennies - a wooden photo frame and a 3 DVD boxed set of an obscure 80's BBC Sci-FI series called "Space Cop" ( by the writer of Blakes 7" ) for the pathetic sum of 25p! MInd you, after watching a bit of the first episode I realise why I'd not remembered it and why it was so cheap!

Archie bought a green plastic crocodile and Hazel bought some ink pads and rubber stamp that says " DO NOT WRITE ON THIS SIDE OF THE PAPER" which I have adopted already until I get bored of stamping it on correspondence.

IT started to rain half way round so we came home via the aformentioned LIDL where we stocked up with comfort food and lots of biscuits and cakes.

King Kukulele

Here's another YouTube film of King Kukulele to cheer us up as it's STILL raining and I have a rotten cold, sore throat and generally feel lousy. Spent most of the day yesterday dripping like a tap. I think the raindrops and my nose were trying to syncronise in some strange way. I did make a couple of collages which you can find on Scrapiteria. The new theme is CATS so hade fun looking for felines through my teetering pile of snipping books.

Crewe Flea Market

This is actually a photo taken at the Great Indoors Festival at the G-Mex Conference Centre last week. Archie contributed a drawing of Wilf or maybe another hamster? to the Art Wall.

Yesterday we went to Crewe market which was a bit damp but the drizzle soon dried up. Quite a few stalls there for a change despite the inclement weather. Good to see the old postcards back. WE were just starting on the big 5p box of mostly assorted scenic views when we were told they had all been sold to a lady nearby for a fiver! Audrey and I were quite miffed as we felt we had already chosen a few and with reluctance they allowed us to keep them. It got a bit crowded so I went round the charity shops. Found some cheap DVD's ( I dont know when I"ll have time to watch them!) in Cash Convertors for 2 quid each- even a boxed set of sci-fi inc. Aliens, Abyss and 5th Element. Also Goodfellers, Undead ( Oz zombie film ) and Corpse Bride by Tim Burton.

I met Audrey and Hazel later by the chip shop. Audrey had bought some fish 'n chips for lunch for her and Granma. It stunk the car out despite being in the boot. Phew!


I rotated this photo so it should be the right way up so don't understand why it's gone back to being like this. Just to annoy me I suspect! Its Archie with a small cardboard suitcase that Hazel bought to put things in. She has quite collection of suitcases now - mostly stuffed with blankets, duvets and old mail art.

Buggy Sunday

No excuses for uploading two more photos taken in the wonderful Insect Circus Museum we saw yesterday ( see yesterdays posting ). It's still very much in our memory. Today the rain held off thankfully so we could get to two boot sales - the first In Verdin Park and the other in Weaverham. Both very well attended much to our surprise. Got a few frames for collages and some silly games. Hazel found a box of small Toronto torch bulbs and a big tube of rusty welding rods. We bumped into Treena and her sister at the Weaverham High School boot- she was selling baby clothes and old toys etc. We saw her again later and she'd just found a great book about postman who had been given a camera to take snaps of their round which looked interesting. Sounds like a nice project. I remember a similar mail art one where a disposable camera or two were sent round to different mail artists and they had to take one photo and pass it on. Some blurry black and white images turned up some years later I think. One of those cases where the idea is a lot stronger than the end result!

The Great Indoors

We went to the fabulous "The Great Indoors" free festival in Manchester today which was full of delights. John Hegley told us about it a few weeks back so we had to go to see a rare glimpse of him and the full Popticians line-up. Also crammed into the G-Mex Conference Centre was a host of other weird and wacky family friendly acts and workshops like the wonderful Insect Circus Museum ( see photos ) with extraordinairy displays housed in an old mahogany lined Bedford TK beetlebox lorry painted like an old circus caravan. Inside were delightful automata, models and victorian style posters and 60's Beatle / Blake inspired pastiches of the Sgt. Pepper sleeve and other mop top related ephemera- curious collages- wunderkammer and cabinets of strange things all with insects doing circusy things. It was worth going to see this alone. We bought a stack of postcards and wanted more. We spoke to the two lovely people who made all this stuff and it turned out they used to be model makers for advertising but sadly the days of real models are numbered due to CGI and computerised animation etc. so they decided to go on the road with this fantastic display and they travel all over the country visiting fairs and festivals etc.

Next came the Ockham's Razor troupe of young acrobats and trapeze artistes who did some great aerial ballet with the aid of just four cubes and a long rope suspended from two pulleys. Next in the theatre were Cirque Bijou who did stunts with angle grinders and fireworks mixed with traditional circus skills. This was also very clever and very noisy!

The place was packed with parents and young children so it was extremely noisy but good fun. Lots to do and see and plenty of workshops where you could paint a mural and play on giant xylophones, bongos etc. There was also the Whalley Range Allstars with a great Living Room where you could stick your head into holes and see yourself inside a room looking out of paintings and furniture etc. They also did a show outside with a giant compost heap that came alive and ate the gardener!

We had a drink with John and the Popticians after their lively and amusing set and John was kind enough to give us one of his CD's and sign it for us. It was great to chat with Keith Moore again too who used to be a neighbour of ours in Lambeth. Keith was playing the saxaphone this time with the Popticians. He urged us to get tickets for the next event which was a remarkable puppet show in a tent joined to an ancient ambulance. Bistouri by TOF Theatre are from Belgium and "one of Europe's best theatre companies". We could see why after seeing the show which was quite magical and very funny all about a weird doctor performing an operation on the big bad wolf in what looked like Steptoes yard! So glad we stayed on to see this. Afterwards rushed off to the station to get our train home in time for tea.

The festival is FREE and running all weekend so catch it if you can and live in the Manchester area. Its a rare treat!



The amazing Insect Circus Museum!

Wilfred's Big Movie Debut

Here's Wilf in his first starring role. Its a subtle film noirish documentary about the day in the life of a typical pink eyed hamster and the trials and tribulations he must endure to get some food. Archie shot the film on his Hassleblad and did the background music.

Something Fishy About This?

Hazel bought me this old knitting pattern from a charity shop yesterday for the sole purpose of collaging. It was funny just as it was but decided to add some fish as I seem to have a lot of them about. Floundering about amongst my cuttings I found some suitable specimens. My cod! I hake these stupid puns!

Just watching a fascinating programme about the Midland Hotel in Manchester whilst having our after lunch tea and dark chocolate ( good for high blood pressure !) and the electric went off. Doh! But, after a few moments came back on again. I guess someone had put his pick-axe through a cable up the road. Apparently the story goes that Hitler saw the Midland Hotel when he was an art student travelling around the North West in the 20's and liked it so much he ordered the Luftwaffe to spare it in the blitz as he had plans to make it his Northern Nazi Party Headquarters after we had been invaded.

The Summer We Had In Spring!

So lucky to have a Summer at Easter time. Now it feels like Autumn! Some nice memories here captured by Archie on his cheap digital camera - I added the soundtrack - sorry!

Crewe Market

Here's Wilf again as rain has stopped any photographing of anything else. Its been dry most of the day so we were able to drive to Crewe with Audrey and look around the market. We took brollies but didnt need them thankfully. Not many bargains to be found - just a silly game for the PS for 50p. Hazel got some trousers. Not sure what Audrey got. The market was quite busy but seeemd to have all the stuff they had last time I looked.

This evening we were suppoed to go and see and hear Archie play in the school musical shindig but the rain came down in torrents and flooded the car park so it was cancelled at the last minute much to Archie's annoaynce as he's been practicing his boogie woogie for the last month or so. Hopefully it will be re-scheduled for next week.

More Flippin' Rain!

More rain! It can't go on for much longer surely?
So no boot sales today - no walks to feed ducks - no drives out into the country. We stayed in to read the Sunday times and depressing news of floods and bombs and burning cars. Some of it sounds like a rejected script from Hot Fuzz. It would be laughable if it wasn't so awful.

Hazel and Archie have been tidying some drawers ( so it's come to this! ) and found some junk ( quel surprise! ) and old stuff we'd forgotten about , like this old drawing that Archie did way back when he was two or three. It was on a packet he'd made with jigsaw pieces inside that he'd drawn and cut up - similar to the drawing here but larger.
After lunch watched some of "That's Entertainment", a compilation of old film clips introduced by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Donlad O'Connor etc. which was very err... entertaining- the old MGM musicals- Busby Berkley, Fred and Ginger, etc. terrific stuff. Real Sunday afternoon fare- reminded me of my youth when we had roast beef and two veg. and listened to Billy Cotton Band Show on the wireless and then settled down to some creaky old film - usually an MGM musical or Alan Ladd or Robert Mitchum noirish thriller in black and white on a tiny 12 inch screen. Needless to say it would be raining. Later would come the torture of Sing Something Simple or the Black & White Minstrels!

Eeee Teeth & Gauge Eyes

This is an old collage from the mid 90's. It got turned into a postcard back then courtesy of Boomerang who set up racks of them to give away at cinema's and student unions. I never really understood why but for a time they took me under their wing and printed a few thousand of my collages which was nice. I got 500 to play with of each batch printed so it kept me in postcards for several years. I still have tons of the Beautiful Britain series if anybody wants any? This one is all gone though. It enjoyed brief fame when appearing on the C4 sit-com "Spaced" - you can see it stuck up on the fridge in the first series and in the second it moves to the side of the kitchen door.

Hazel has gone into town for some retail therapy . I went yesterday but didnt find much. I got soaked in several small showers. I found a DVD of the Coen Brothers "Miller's Crossing" for 99p. Not one of their funniest efforts but good to see again. Also some bread from Marks & Sparks ( no bagels!). Got the local papers but no mention of any boot sales this week.
Hazel is back from her shopping. She got some more anti-squirrel nut vendors as the pesky varmint chewed through the last couple and all the nuts went everywhere!

Grid Polaroids

Jane took these grid polaroids at the bar-b-q yesterday. I look slightly sozzled , which I was. Hazel in her "Happy Talky Talky" chinese dress. Archie and Wilf up the cute factor.

Bar-B-Q

Had a small bar-b-q party today to celebrate my birthday and a chance for Hazel to get together with some of her colleagues at work and try and not talk about degree shows and students which was quite hard for them. Hazel bought tons of food so we shall be eating garlic bread and olives for the next few days! The kebabs were nice though the rain spoilt our plan of sitting outside so most of the food was grilled indoors on the stove which set the smoke alarm off. It's very sensitive and even goes off when nothing is being cooked and we are watching televison!
Got some more cards and presents including some nice metal printing blocks of a lawn mower and radiator from Jane & John. A puncture repair outfit and book light from Dave and a book about weird japanese inventions from Nick and Joan. Later the nice neighbour over the road spotted the balloons that Hazel had tied to the door and came over to wish me a happy birthday ( I can't believe you are 60!) and gave me a tin of lager and a candle holder. Hazel thinks he came with the candle stick for her just incase it was Hazel's 60th ! Most unlikely I said - he could see that I am a fan of the tea-light!

The rain hasnt stopped since. There is a river running down the garden path and slugs have climbed onto little rafts made from the slug traps to escape the worst ravages of the weather.

Birdbath Treats

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

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

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


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

Happy Birdbaths To Me

Archie made this animated card for my 60th birthday. I love his sense of comic timing.

We tried to drive to Crewe this morning but got caught up in the traffic to the Cheshire Show which brought the A556 to a standstill. We drove over to pick up Audrey and she waited in Lostock for 30 minutes by the side of the road - being offered assistance by passing neighbours who thought she needed a chair or help crossing the road! Eventually we picked her up and drove into town instead . The rain held off thankfully. Did the usual tour of charity shops and the library etc. I bought a packet of pitted prunes and the papers.

Farther's Day

Archie made this nice design on some wrapping paper - inside wasa box of dark chocs. He also gave me a CD of 60's and 70's hits with a cover he had made - a self portrait again. I left it in the car so can't scan it yet. We listened to it - Sweet, Canned Heat and Santana as we drove over to Weaverham. The boot sale that Betty ( at Age Concern ) said would be there wasn't on! Betty is always right so this came as a bit of a shock! We drove around for a while trying to find others and eventually found one over at Peover in the "cow pat field" - so named as it was full of fresh cow pats when we first encountered it a few years ago. The indian chap who takes the pound as you drive in is famous for scratching his crotch just before you hand him the money so Hazel drops the money from a safe distance!
Not many stalls there - about 6 altogther and two of those are burger vans! I do find some bargains though - a stall full of cheap DVD's and plump for Hellboy ( we enjoyed Pan's Labyrinth recently by the same spanish director ) and one about J.M. Barrie with Johnny Depp. Also two CD's - "The Temperance Seven" Vol. 2 and some 50's rock 'n roll classics.
Hazel bought a book called "Bo**ock's To Alton Towers" written by people who write for Viz comic about unusual family days out - The Garden Mower Museum, Port Sunlight etc. Archie bought an old broken fob watch to give to his Mom for her birthday.

We stopped off on the way home for a walk around Shackerley and fed the duck's with invisible bread.

Degree Shows

Yesterday we went to the Interactive Arts third year students degree show at the MMU in Manchester. Archie and I went after he had got back from school and met Hazel in the Holden Gallery where the I.A. have been put this year. Its certainly a much bigger space and makes a change from all those awful abstract paintings that usually clutter up the place. The Private View was very crowded and noisy what with all the "sound art" and birds chirping, live music and chattering students etc.
Afterwards we went for a pizza before going back to the hotel we normally stay at on these ocassions.

The next day we had breakfast in a local health food cafe "The 8th Day" and I bought some vegetarian pies and huge fruit muffins for lunch. Was able to look round the shows without all the noise and hub-bub which was far better and enjoyed most of it. Hazel had to be around to oversee the Interactive Arts so stayed until four but Archie and I had enough by 1 so came home via Altringham on the tram as the railway was up the creek for some reason.



A general view of the Interactive Arts show with one of the more interesting exhibits - a chicken coop with a TV screen inside showing a film of chickens in a battery farm and voice-over by a member of some animal rights group who made a raid on it to set some chickens free. The "smallest art gallery" in the world just behind it made from a former porta-loo with photos of loo signs from around the world on it's walls.

Sorting Office

WE met Treena at the sorting office this morning to put up some mail art in the empty cabinets. Treena was already there with all her polish and dusters and cleaning the glass. It was surprising how much mail needs to fill up six quite small cabinets successfully. We barely had enough and I presumed we'd have loads left over to take home again. I took a selection of the "Handy Postcard Exchange" work and stuck them up in four cabinets. Thankfully Hazel helped or else it would have taken hours! A steady stream of people came in which was encouraging and one hopes that some will take the time to look at the postcards and envelopes etc. whilst waiting for their parcels or whatever. Not sure how long they will be up for. Treena is curator and so I leave that side of it to her. Maybe put up some more mail from the archive in the future if all goes well. Playing it very much by ear at the moment.

Warm Weekend

Archie has been picking up the guitar more and more just lately and his chord progressions sound pretty good now. Nice to see him more confident but he's not keen to show off his skills at the music night at school.
It wasa beautiful sunny weekend and on Sunday we went to a boot sale at Verdin Park in town and got a few bargains including an address rubber stamp kit for 70p - it has plastic tweezers to pick up the fiddly type to slot into a frame. Also some DVD's including Annie Hall and some old Fleischer Brothers "Betty Boop".
Hazel got a small tin of broken metal things and a gadget for twisting off screw caps off bottles. Archie didn't get anything and slouched around like a grumpy teenager. Hazel took her sister and Mom afterwards though they could quite easily have driven themselves over there.

We had a picnic lunch in Marbury Park which was very busy with mad dogs and children. A nice walk to feed the ducks etc.
Hoping the swifts would be weaving in and out of the avenue of trees as they did last year but none to be seen. Maybe it wasa bit later in the year when more insects are on the wing?

After Hiroshige

This is a gummed paper collage I made back in 1976 when I was living briefly at my Dad's before moving to Stepney. I made quite a few of these garish things at the time - narrow boats, roses and castles, water lilies etc. probably trying to compensate for the dreariness of my surroundings in Basildon. The East End of London seemed very colourful and full of life by comparison.

Still suffering from an achey back thought it's not as bad as it's been previously. Hazel and Archie have gone out for their yearlyeye tests. I can't go into the front room as Hazel has washed the curtains so it's like a goldfish bowl in there - the room flooded with light.

The weather is really hot today - we had our lunch of "tear and share" cheesy bread and salad in the garden. Our neighbour is having an aerial or gate made( maybe both?) and so its quite noisy out there what with the chatting and sawing and hammering.

Grunta

Archie's latest flash animation he 's been working on over the half term break. It needs some fine tuning but looking good so far. I was pleased with my pigeon impressions!

Went for second visit to chiropractor today which was pretty uncomfortable - she said it would be. I feel like I've taken two steps back - my back hurting again like it was a week ago! I can't believe I'm actually paying for this torture. Seriously thinkng of not going back especially as she reckons I need a six week course of treament. Great - a tremendous way of emptying my bank account!

Goodbye Flo

Here's the red-eyed devil bunny in happier times. Not sure who took this photo. I had to go and get a carton from ther local shop and explained what it was for - they looked at me as if I were mad! In the end we didn't use the crisp carton but Hazel wrapped Flo - frozen like a sky diver with her paws out at her sides - in a tea towel and popped her in the deep grave we ( I did most of it despite the bad back ) dug under the tree house. It was full of gnarly roots of the apple tree and they had to be snipped off with the sharp spade. We placed soume of her favourite toys and carrots around her and put the dirt on top and a slab of stone with a pot of flowers on top.

Hazel doesnt want another rabbit - she said a cute bunny now just wouldnt be right and it would be hard to find another with the character that Flo had.

If this wasn't enough, a thoughtless teacher told Archie off today for not doing his homework that he was suppoed to do over half term. He'd taken in a note from his Mom explaining that he had an animation to finish off too and the deadline is in three weeks! They are happy to take all the credit when he gets his films into the Cornerhouse and shown in festivals abroad etc. but can't see that comments like "get your priorities right!" are crushing for a sensitive lad who spent all his holiday working on the thing he loves and wants to do when he leaves school. They should be encouraging him not making such negative remarks!

The mini-disc player doesn't work either - 4 days can be such a pain sometimes!

SWAPATORIUM: Shocking Find

Sad News

Chucklefoot

My old chum Jim Benson from Basingstoke sent me word of this film of Chucklefoot on You Tube. I think he said his son took the film in Basingstoke recently. A great one-man band and he has puppets too!

This morning we went to three boot sales which seems a lot but they were all quite close and smallish. The one at the Winnington Scouts was the largest but I didnt find any bargains - I think Hazel got a box and medals and brooches. The next in Witton was by the Indian resturant and pub. I bought an old minidisc player for three quid - its quite chunky so imagine it was one of the early prototypes. Unfortunately it doesnt seem to have a proper plug for the mains so will have to get one to power up the internal lithiam battery. Not sure what Hazel bought. Surprised to see our old neighbours Louise and Nigel? who live over that way now with a stall , trying to sell some clutter they had accumulated. We compared notes of lower back pain as Louise suffers from it too. She scared me , telling me her chiropractor nearly pulled her head off last time she went!
The next sale was quite pitiful at Lostok Community Centre and only four or five stalls with mostly rubbish. I bought an Athlete CD for Archie for 50p which has a free DVD with it. Archie was embarressed by a lady inside the hall who tried to sell him some black bed sheets saying he looked like " a kinky sort".

Next to Granma's for tea and biscuits and the sunday papers whilst Hazel took Audrey to the pub bootsale again.
Poor Flo the rabbit looks rather sickly at the moment and typically its the weekend when no vets are open. Hopefully she will perk up by tomorrow.

Hobbies Magazine

From more innocent days of simple pleasures. Hobbies magazine from the late 50's. Fretwork and crystal sets, serviette rings and candle holders. Collectors Corner and great adverts for stamps, musical movements and bendy files.

Down On The Farm

This afternoon we went for a short walk around Shackerly to feed the geese and swans with the two crusts we had saved. It was a gorgeous sunny and warm day. The village on the way reaked of rotting fish for some reason - maybe they use it as fertiliser? I still ached a bit so made use of the many benches dotted round the perimeter. Took a few dogy time delay shots as I scrambled back into position and the camera hanging precariously from a nearby twig.
Afterwards we took a diversion to the Organic farm near us with lovely views of rolling fields and rolling cows etc. The had some baby chicks to coo over and organic ginger beer - just like an Enid Blyton novel! We bought some expensive organic produce from the farm shop for our dinner.

As well as the chicks there wasa flop eared rabbit in a pen and some sheep and lambs.
Kids are well catered for there as they have a big wendy house with three rooms and a "race track" outside with push along cars and trikes - games and a small cafe where parents can buy tea and coffee and cakes etc.

Grunta

Archie has been working on this flash animation for a few weeks now and just getting round to adding a bit more this half term holiday. I did the pigeon "coos" in case you were wondering. I'm sure it will be even better when he finishes it.
The fledgling blue tits seem to have flown the nest box - at least I couldnt see or hear them anymore. I hope they are o.k. - Treacle the bird killer is roaming round the gardens .

My back is still aching and I woke at 5a.m. again and had to get up - my mouth like the bottom of a hamsters cage - ugh!
I have started a new blog of all the hand shaped postcards I got in 1997-2000. It might take me a while to scan them all as there are well over a hundred.

I just watched this through and realise something terribly wrong happened during the YouTube uploading and instead of the Grunta animation we have this weird pixelated but very colourful avant garde film! O well - maybe it's for the best. I will upload Archies film when he has finished it.