Grosvenor Museum

Had to pop into Chester today to fetch rejected collage from the museum. Hazel drove to "park and ride" and then the bus. Got there a bit too early. Looked round the charity shops first and found a CD wallet that are always useful. Hazel went off to Morgan's and other clothes shops she likes while I waited for the museum to open with all the other rejects!
It took about 15 minutes to shuffle in and sign a form whilst frazzled looking helpers looked for the rejected work and held it up so everyone could see it and think to themselves " Oh yes, awful, I can see why they rejected that one!"
Maybe just me then.
I went back to get Hazel and we looked round the Open Exhibition which was open already though the PV is on Tuesday. My collage was hung about 6 inches off the ground so great for any midgets or elves. Other abstract work of the same size was hung higher up which made no sense whatsoever. Hazel wrote as much in the visitors book but I restrained myself incase they black listed me! The whole show was a bit of a jigsaw with pictues hung higgledy piggledy with no apparent thought of how they would be seen. It was a bit of a curates egg as most open exhibitions are with the shoddy amateurs hung side by side with more accomplished professional work.

Went to sit on the Roman gardens to eat our vege sausage rolls and drink our Cola.
Then back via all the buskers and the town crier to the bus and home.
Archie phoned us just as we got to the Craft Centre and asked if we'd had lunch. We told him we had bought him a sausage roll and he could wait 30 minutes or make his own. He agreed to wait. We popped into the co-op to get more food. Didnt see hardly any motorbikes despite the annual Thundersprint on today and tomorrow..

Flobcast

Revived Flobcast from way back.

Novelty songs from the 30's from a tape called "Comic Cuts Vol. 2" on the Old Bean label released in the 80's.

Tracks are-

1. You Can't Do That There 'Ere - Jack Payne & His Band
2. Fanlight Fanny - George Formby
3. The Pig Got Up And Slowly Walked Away - Ambrose & Orch.
4. A Thick Thick Fog In London - Jack Payne & His Band
5. Madame Ah! La Marquise Ah! - Billy Cotton Band


Walked into town this morning in between the drizzle showers. It brightened up later and was quite warm.
I got a bit of shopping including pickle, fish and parsley. Found two old scratchy 78's in a charity shop. Can be found uploaded to my audio blog.
Saw Treena and Betty in the Age Concern shop. Betty says there are several boot sales this weekn including Hartford, Antrobus and Verdin Park. She prefers Hartford she said as it would be drier - a bit damp under the trees in the park especially when the wind blows the leaves covered in rain which drips down on the stalls underneath.

I managed to get a bus back in time for elevens's.
In post was news that one of my collages entered for Chester Open was accepted which was gratifying but annoying that I will have to go all the way to Chester to fetch the other which didn't get selected. They had over 500 artworks sent in for 157 spaces so I suppose they had to choose carefully and not annoy too many people.
Also nice stamp sheet from Leslie Caldera in California of his collection of bicycles plus some late stickers for the Wheelie Bin Gallery.

Llandudno-Angelsey

Lovely May weekend bank holiday. The weather was beautiful - too hot really . We all got burnt - forget to take the sun block. Usually it rains on bank Holdays so it took is by surprise.
Drove to Llandudno and stayed in hotel we usually stay in. It was double booked so we found outrselves in the house behind the hotel with a view of the car park. The landlady was very apologetic and tried to make us as comfotable as possible.
Another surprise was the annual Victorian Extravaganza - three days of steam fairs and parades and sideshows etc. All great fun though very crowded.
We got there early so able to play the penny slot machines without too much trouble. Some steam rides including a huge "galloper" with ornate horses and pipe organ in the middle. Lots of pipe organs on the sea front too including one on the back of an old van.

Crammed a lot into the first day including parade of all the floats, marching bands- including an amazing one from Woumhout in France. Traction engines, stilt walkers etc. Great to see the George Formby massed ukulele society of North Wales in the town square. We sat and watched them for a while.
Wonderful victorian inspired sideshow in a tent called Professor Voltini and Electra the electric lady who sat in an eletric chair and had sparks coming out of her via a cucumber and a spoon! Prof. Voltini also swallowed swords. Plus a rubber lady from Cuba whose contortions made your eyes water. A Faraday Cage finale with sparks flying round the tiny tent.
Walked down the pier to play the slots and back up to the Happy Valley gardens to have an ice cream and sit on the grass and watch the tide come in.

Later we had a lovely vegetarian pizza at a resturant we discovered a couple of years ago when we were here. There wasa film show in the eveing somewhere of "The Card" with Alec Guinness- filmed in Llandudno apparently but we were too tired to go and see it. Walked along the prom and collapsed at hotel.
The next day a long drive to Anglesey and beach party with Hazel's colleaugues at MMU and Nick who was retiring. Nice picnic and beach games on the beautiful sandy bay on the west coast down a narrow country track. Lots of kite flying and wine drinking etc. We all packed up at dusk and made out way home. Glad we didn't drive all the way from Northwich as it would have been too much. Thankfully a better room when we got back to the hotel and a sea view. A piper in full scottish kilt and regalia was on the hotel steps trying to lure people in to the 40's singalong inside the hotel bar but I think he just frightened them all off!

Bluebell Woods

We walked down to the Co-op this morning to get the papers and check out the boot sale in the car park. before we got there a man and his dog said "Only two cars!" and indeed there was and they hadn't even unpacked the boot yet.
Anyway, plenty of other car boots today - typically a famine last week and feast this with boots at WhiteGate, Lostock and Walnut Farm.
We drove next to Whitegate and found the field eventually by peering through hedges as we sped along the leafy lanes.
It was well attended by over 50 cars and all around the edge of the football pitch.
I got a few DVD's for a few pence each including Billy Connolly Live, The Good. The Bad and The Ugly, The Serpent & the Rainbow and a great documentatry abou the Music Hall era. Also a double DVD of Wall-E that was brand new, an unwanted Xmas gift.
Hazel didnt find much but found some tiny german dictionarys and some plants.
We drove to Lostock next and found a few stalls at the Community Centre. More DVD's including Cabin Fever and a doc. and concert with Al Green.
After lunch of mushroom pate on toast and salald we went for a walk to Marbury as it was still very sunny to see the bluebells before they faded.
So nice to see the woods transformed by the colours and the other spring flowers like the wild garlic whose strong aroma filled the air.
Actually we had lunch after the walk. the day has flown by and now Hazel is catching up with some college work and Archie who should be swotting for his GCSE's is playing some old games on the SuperNintendo he's dusted off from the cupboard.
Soon be time to start thinking about dinner. Maybe those quorn chunks Hazel bought from the health food shop.

Chester

Hazel dropped me off at the railway station this morning and we had a quick scout round for the missing number plate that vanished yesterday. She's not sure if it fell off ( just stuck with double sided tape ) or someone had stolen it for illegal porpoises. Apparently they stick it on hot cars for robberies or breaking the speed limit. In the end she went to get a replacement which cost twenty quid and the Halfords chap just stuck it on with tape again and it promptly fell off! So she made him fix it securely with screws.
The train was packed to Delamere Forest with tiny tots and their minders and I had to move from the window seat to make way for little Charlie and Abigail so they could press their sticky faces against the window and gurn at the cows and rabbits.
I had to take two collage sto the Grosvenor Museum for this years Open Exhibition. I've never tried before - always missing the sending in date for some reason or other so this year determined to take something along. It didn't seem all that busy and just one person infront of me with a large canvas covered in brown paper. All the work was resting face to the wall so no idea what the competition was like. No harm in trying though I feel past doing such things and will be greatly cheesed off if I dont get at least one accepted to make up for the bother of having to fill all those forms in and the journey and the exorbitant handling fee!

My bag was lighter now so happy to go rummaging round the charity shops. Found a nice hawaiian double LP by Alfred Apaka and His Village Serenaders and a bollywood DVD for 99p in the cheapo bookshop.
Had lunch of veg. sausage roll sitting outside the town hall surrounded by cooing pigeons.
It was very warm so regretted taking my duffle coat. I got so hot carrying it around I curtailed my shopping and got the train home only to be surrounded again at Delamere by the same group of toddlers all sweaty and grubby from their walk around the forest!
Reading matter was the great book by Philip Norman about the Beatles called "Shout", Just up to where they have just had three number ones and writing hits for Cilla Black, Billy J, Kramer and Gerry & The Pacemakers etc.

Scaffolders

They have gone now but it was very noisy for a couple of hours - clank- thump! bang ! clang! I just had to go outside and sweep the side passage of debris and dust - cough splutter! I checked the roof and it looks o.k. - no tiles dislodged as far as I can make out.

Southend Art School 1967

Old ex-student of Southend Art School , Alistair Young got in touch recently which was a nice surprise and trying to think back to what he looked like made me dig out these old snaps that Phil Spellacy took at the historic sports day back in the halycon days of 1967 - the Summer of Love and beatleish hair do's.
I may be wrong but I think that is Alistair on the back row with the glasses and the blazer? I'm sure Alistair will tell me if I am wrong! My memory of names is a bit hazy - the day too is a bit of a blur like most of the 60's - you know what they say!
I expect most of these people are retired and gaga by now. I expect Tony Oldfield and Leo Hardy are long gone. I'm still in touch with Barry, Phil, and Maureen but no idea what happened to all the others.

Alderley Edge

Catching up with the week and our doings. Ive forgotten most of it though highlights were certainly the drive to Alderley Edge for a walk among the trees and a picnic by the Wizards Trail or whatever it was called. The map pointed to many exotic locations including the Mine Workings and Beacon Hill etc. It was a beautiful day for a walk and we almost didn't make it - getting lost in the town of Alderley Edge frequented by blue rinsed ladies and WAGS and chavs. We popped into a couple of charity shops with prices that rivalled Harrods and popped straight out again! Some kind man pointed the way up the very steep hill - too steep to climb so we got the car and drove up.
You could see for miles at the top and at the very "edge" of the EDge you could peer over into a sizable abyss. It was very misty so could just make out the Pennines in the hazy distance but on a clear day I'm sure you could see Yorkshire.
The Caving Centre nearby also had a small museum with a 50 foot shaft down to an ancient copper mine below. We looked down into the pool of muddy water illuminated at the bottom by a 50 watt bulb. The man in charge says they often go down and explore the caverns and tunnels below that go off in all directions. The whole hill is perforated by many holes and tunnels that once echoed to the sound of pick axe and shovel.

Went into town yesterday to do some shopping. Found a John Lennon - Live Peace In Toronto for 99p on DVD. Some nice clips of old rockers - Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, etc. on the same bill. Spoiled only by the wailing banshee that is Yoko Ono at the very end. Also a cheap DVD from some newspaper of "Millions Like Us" a film made to boost morale in the war years.

Today we ventured to Chelford again and the huge boot sale in a big muddy field. Several big muddy fields around it too for all the cars that had to pay two fifty for the privelege of parking! It was very crowded again with the sunshine eventually breaking through the early morning haze. I didnt buy a thing despite money burning a hole in my pocket. Hazel got qite a lot though - mostly metal keys, pins, needle holders etc. Also a very old Nymph razor made of vivid green bakelite or some form of early plastic. A lovely green glass eye bath. A Medico medicine glass and some signs for the outside loo - "in case of electric shocks" and one for Archie which says "No Admittance!" Also a small tin clockwork train with the chimney missing.

Time to go and light the bar-b-q for lunch outside.

Easter Sunday/Monday

A nice sunny weekend up in Cheshire though we hear the South East was a bit grey and damp. Makes a nice change for us to get some good weather at Easter. Though this will probably turn out to be our Summer!
Hazel and Archie had fun with their circus skills in the back garden. It was nice just to sit out there and enjoy the birds tweeting and ants running off with the cake crumbs.
On Sunday hazel and I went to the big boot sale at Chelford which costs two-fiftyto park. It is huge though and took us a good hour to walk round. Hazel was annoyed at first with all the jostling and crowds but soon relaxed and bought a few things including some nails and rusty Elastoplast tins etc. I found a few DVD's including "Help!" with bonus disc of extras for two quid and loose 50p extra disc of "Pans Labyrinth".
In the afternoon we had lunch at Granma's and weeded their back garden. Took out three buckets of dandylions! Also had tea and trifle later on which was far too filling. They wanted us to eat cake as well!
Today Archie has gone off to see a friend in Weaverham and we drove on to Frodsham to look round the charity shops and have lunch in a bakery. Afterwards went to Lady Heys antique centre to rummage in more junk. Bought another recycled tin indian lantern to balance up the other one. Its made from baby milk cans. Also a record by Jimmy Durante which will no doubt feature on my blog soon. It has all his hits on it like "Ink Dinka Doo" and "The Lost Chord" etc.
Hazel got more metal thingies for her blog. We tried some freee samples of beer in the Staion House micro-brewery that's just opened. Delicious bottled ales . We bought three to try.

Nantwich - Alsager

A nice day out to Nantwich to go round the charity shops. We had lunch outside a cafe watching the world go by. It was very sunny and warm - like a real Summers day.
There was live music too from a great band called the Swing Commanders on a small stage in the town square. They played lots of western swing and some old Andrews Sisters songs etc. Here you see a clip of their Hawaiian War Chant. This Flip video really doesnt do them justice.
Then off to see Tony and Pene and their sons and new grand-children Esme and Ellwood. Sat in the garden and had tea and cake. Nice to catch up with what everyone was doing and see the babies do their thing. Being cute and the centre of attention ofcourse. I bounced Esme on my knee but she looked like she might cryso I gave her back to Daddy pretty sharpish!


We got home just in time to see the easter Dr. Who and have some cheese on toast.
Have also been watching the new Red Dwarf trilogy which is O.K. but nothing special. I found the old Smeg Ups afterwards much funnier.

Another Week

Another week has flown by.
Our chimney has been knocked down by Bruce the builder and he's putting it back up again. It looks pretty good so far but his visits have been a bit erratic being "double booked" and the house over the road has distracted him too - overseeing the plumber and electrician etc.
I have a new Epson scanner which I managed to track down and had delivered on Friday. Its been working fine ( touch wood) and have enjoyed raking through piles of old negatives and slides to upload, I still have trouble with some of the settings for more obscure size negatives but it seems to cope with most things. See results at Flickr or on Facebook.
Today we avoided the rain and went to Chester for a wander round the shops and see the buskers etc. Motley groups of musicains playing accordions ( four in all ) and two trumpet players within a hundred yards of each other. Standing in the middle you got a weird ossilating sterao effect! Also the juggler above who had trouble atrracting a crowd at first and could hardly be heard above the din of the accordion and trumpet group. One of the highets diabolo throws I have ever seen. One of those big halibut faced aeroplanes flew over during his performance which brought a surreal slant to the proceedings.
Had a nice vege sausage roll for lunch. Managed to drag Hazel from the Morgans shop before she spent huge ammounts of money on a tentlike dress.
I got a Victor Borge 10 inch LP from a charity shop but not much else. hazel bought a book about inventions in the Oxfam and Archie got a book about piano chords ( much to our surprise) in the Works.
Got the "park & Ride" back and got home in time to make Bruce a cuppa before the rain came down and he covered up the chimney and went home.

Walk Round Shackerley/Organic Farm

Find more videos like this on Small Museum Association: Little and Lively

Our walk round Shackerly Mere on Sunday. Afterwards to the organic farm shop to get some honey and mustard. New spring lambs in the field just vanishing in the distance. Nice views over the valley towards Davenham church.
Earlier we had gone to the boot sale at Hartford High School. I found two old scratchy 78's by George Formby.
Hazel got a nice old salt Witch Domestic salt packet from the 40's or 50's I imagine. Salt from the Middlewich Salt Company - still being produced today.
Also a small book of bicyle parts and "aids"from 1962 but looks much older.

The Bells amd Theatre Mimi

Had a very nice lunch out on wednesday with Tony, Pene, Dave, Nick and Hazel at The Bells in Lower Peover. We dont get out to see our chums much so made a pleasant change to chat with them all and hear the latest gossip.
We poppped into Knutsford too to go round the charity shops. Good to see another has opened where a snooty dress shop used to be - a sign of the times. I bought two great old CD comps of British Vintage Comedy. Some featured on my audio blog.
Last night it was more culture at the Whitegate Community Hall and a travelling band of players called Loon/Theatre Mimi who did a great show called Phileas P. Souper. They all come from Newcastle I think and it was organised by the Cheshire Rural Touring Network who really do a great job in providing some class acts in tiny rural hamlets. The hall was packed though and hardly enough room to swing a bed or a trombone! Elements of Spike Jones, Laurel & Hardy and the circus all rolled into one!
It did take us ages to find though and the Tom Tom fell off the windscreen with a crash and sent us halfway home again it got so annoyed! We didn't win the raffle but got a free tumbler of orange juice in the interval and everyone was very friendly, wanting to know if we came from the village or further afield.

Spring Bulbs, Cables and Harlequin.

Another week has sailed by on the tide. My brain is bobbing along on nicely - catching the Spring breezes. It was quite windy yesterday- the scaffolding built last week by the side of the house to mend the chimney ( next week possibly ) was making a most perculier noise - like a drill being annoyed by an armadillo.
It looks very precarious up there on that little platform. I dont envy the builder his task. Mind you, when he was over the road he didn't seemto have any platform atall and just balanced on the tiles and some how didnt fall off. Hazel dare not look. He made a good job of it though so thats' why we asked him to do ours. More expense.
At the weekend we saw a great theatre group at the Harlequin - a duo called RAW ( Random Acts of Wildness) - a silly name but they did some great physical theatre and clowning and reminded me a little of the League Of Gentlemen crossed with Bottom! Sadly only about 16 people in the audience including us. Northwich is not known for its culture vultures! I think it could have been advertised a bit better mind.
On Mothers Day , Granma and Audrey came over for fish and chips and cake. Audrey found a Norwegian jumper design she liked on the internet and printed it off to take home and knit. She said they had bought all the wool in Aldi and there was none left! I can well belive it.
Archie gave Hazel some chocs, flowers to plant in the garden and a home made card with a pencil drawing on the front.
All the power went off yesterday for 4 hours due to the high winds. I read my SHOUT by Philip Norman and listened to the wind-up radio.
As ill luck would have it the gas man came to mend the boiler which has been giving us luke warm baths but he had to go away again as there was no power. His mate came this morning and fixed it- a fluttering diagram he said. I thought so. He's coming back tomorrow to add a screw that was lost.
I went to town this morning to get some shopping, post some mail and get some HDMI cable for the new telly. It improves the DVD picture no end and almost as good as High Definition they reckon though I have no idea what that would look like.
Nice catalogue for the exhibition Hazel is in at MMU. She's displaying her Rusty Nail Collection.

Another nice sunny springlike day. I walked to town to get some groceries and pots a pile of mail I did yesterday. Hazel was expecting some people from the Manchester City Art Gallery for lunch and to look round her workshop so I got some nice salad and cheeses etc.
Did the usual tour of charity shops and bought a DVD of "Man Thing" for a quid. Also a double cassette of Spike Milligan reading the second part of his war memiors "Rommel- Gunner Who?"
Had a nice lunch and the two girls from the gallery were very enthusiastic about all out collections and stuff on the walls.
After lunch I went upstairs to continue with some collaging.

Gave up looking for a new scanner in the usual shops so have ordered one online today and hopefully it will arrive tomorrow which will be nice. Can't wait to scan all those old slides and negatives we have gathering dust.
Hazel spoke to the builder over the road and he's getting his scaffodling taken down on Friday and moved over to us- so hopefully he can start working on our chimney soon and stop the bits of brick falling off it which is a bit worrying! More expense!

New Telly Box

A nice weekend - very springy. Our old telly has been on the blink for a while now and so we splashed out on new digital LCD wide screen Sony job that is really fantastic after the last one. We watched a great film last night I borrowed from the library - "The Fall" about a little girl and a paralysed stunt man back in the Hollywood of the 20's. A very rich fable filmed in many beautiful and exotic locations round the world. It reminded me a bit of the "Princess Bride". Ideal viewing for the tv's first evening. We will have to watch all out favourites again now and see them in a new light.
We dumped the old telly at the tip this morning after the boot sale at Weaverham.
We got a few bargains including more DVD's whuch included "American Werewolf In London" and Woody Allen's homage to NYC "Manhatten".
Hazel didnt find any gadgets or metal thingys but some plants, an old OXO tin and a CD box to be converted into a Cornell box if Archie wanted it but he didn't.
WE went for a walk this afternoon to Marbury and Archie took some joiner photos for his art GCSE work. We watched the blue tits, ducks, jay, and moorhens feeding and tried to get away from the hoards of noisy kids and dogs that descended on the place as it was so warm!
Hazel is now going to the tip again as she just moved someone off her white line and feels obliged to drive the car somewhere to prove how inconsiderate they were!

How Do You Make A Venetian Blind?

Poked more holes in the walls for shelves and the blinds which look good . We don't feel like we are living in a gold fish bowl anymore. Our neighbours are very nice but they do tend to stand at the open kitchen window and blow smoke outside and always seem to be watching me do the washing up or cooking etc.
On Tuesday went to town and borrowed a DVD "The Fall" from the library. Archie has watched it already and said it was "weird" and gave me some impressions of the characters in it. It looks stunning visually from what I have seen on YouTube.
Hazel is back at college and feeling a lot better- though trying to talk less and catch up on the form filling.
Went back to town on Wednesday with Hazel to get some shopping and look at some TV tables as Hazel is fed up with the pile of gadgetry and wires that surrounds the TV at the moment. They all seem too bulky though for our little alcove corner.
Saw Treena and Betty in the Age Concern. Betty said there was a boot sale this Sunday at Weaverham - first of the year - which we are looking forward too as they are usually very good and well attended. Hopefully the weather will improve by then.
next door are having their windows replaced now so lots of banging, drilling and smashing of glass yesterday. They seemed to be grinding it into a fine dust - crunch! crunch! crunch!
One of the blokes doing the work looked at our multi-coloured stickered wheelie bin as Hazel dragged it back from the roadside and said " Are those travel stickers?" and the idea that the bin had been on holiday , even a world cruise, tickled me.

Warrington Via Anderton

Nice sunny blue sky and drive to Anderton for boot sale at community hall this morning. Got three sealed DVD's for pound each including a polish surreal gem called The Hourglass Sanitorium with a great cover of eyeball/skull. Also Planet Terror by Tarantino. Hazel bought a lovely large blue glass japanese vase.
Archie just sent a text from his coach on the way back from a weekend boot camp - seems he ha d a good time but needs a bath. They have been building rafts and suchlike - playing team games to bond before the GCSE onslaught.
After the boot sale we drove to Warringtom with the help of our friend Tom Tom and found the huge IKEA but there far too early so went to nearby Macdonalds for a brown sludge mascerading as hot chocolate. It was heaving so glad to get out window blinds and leave in a torrential downpour. Popped into PC World for a scanner but they didnt have the one I wanted. Looks like the internet is the best bet.
Got home in 30 minutes despite the rain. Hazel was a bit agitated and nervous navigating the many roundabouts and feeder lanes but we got through it all o.k.

Windows 09

We've had some new sash type windows put in to replace the old ones that had "blown" and were all foggy. The new ones are amazingly clear - its like looking at High Definition TV after watching an old 405 line set from the 60's. They seems bigger and brighter too and hopefully will keep the heat in in winter and be cooler in the summer. They tilt too for easy cleaning of upstairs windows. It felt rather extavagant but we had promised ourselves new windows for ages - long before the present financial climate. Hopefully it will add to the attactiveness of the house if we ever consider selling it.
The windows took three days to put in so was rather at a loose end most of the time- the workroom having been almost emptied of junk and furniture. I spent most of the time on the internet or watching TV. Luckliy got a nice DVD from the US of an old Columbia serial from the 50's called "Captain Video" which I remember making a big impression on me when I was about 10 or 11 and used to go to the Century Cinema in Pitsea. They had a wonderful Saturday children's matinee and you could see a feature, a cartoon and serial for a shilling or maybe even six old pence. It was certainly one of the highlights of my week back in the 50's and early 60's.
I also remember the old Batman serial in black and white made in 1943 and Captain Marvel. There used to be small cinema's at some of London's railway sations too- I remember one at Victoria especially. They showed old serials too as well as Pathe newsreels and cartoons. Great if you had to wait an hour for a train.

Hazel is still not very well and her sore throat seems as bad as ever. She got a sick not today to cover her for the last two weeks. I wish they had given her some anti-biotics- it may have cleared up by now.
I have been painting the window frames and trying to sort my room out. I stuck my hand into a box of tools and pens etc. and stabbed my little finger with a scalpel blade- ouch! I knew it would happen one day.

Wilfred RIP 2007-2009

Sadly poor old geriatric Wilf the hamster shuffled off to the big wheel in the sky last night. He was found just now looking very pathetic and cold. Hazel shed a few tears and we buried him in the garden with all the other hamsters, blackbirds and Flo the Bunny who occupy the little graveyard by the tree house. A polish neighbour came out to hang things on the line and waved - probably wondering what this strange english ritual is with the bundle in a tea towel being buried under the apple trees?

Schmapp

I was flattered that Schmapp should ask for this image for their latest thingy - not sure whatit is really- a widget? on iPhones and the like. The image seems very tiny so here is the larger one of Hazel and Archie at the Tradescant Trust Garden Museum near Lambeth Bridge. Schmapp have put it up the road near St. Thomas's for some reason?! Its next to the Archbishops Palace in an old church.

This was taken a couple of years ago on a trip to London. The Garden Museum is undergoing restoration I think so maybe not open yet but the gardens are lovely- if small and a welcome oasis from the traffic of the embankment and Lambeth Bridge Road. You can see also the graves of Captain Bligh (pictured) and other notables.

Sickly Week

We are all proper poorly as some old radio star used to say. Hazel has had a terrible cold and sore throat for a week and since talking too much at college has lost her voice completely. We can't find it anywhere. I told her not to go in but she was determined not to have another day cancelled. The doc has suggested complete rest from talking,even whispering is bad apparently. So Hazel is writing notes on a little pad. Its like living with a trappist monk.
Archie has been off school too with a bad cold. He's gone in today though.
I went to round the town this morning and did usual tour of the charity shops but didn't find anything. Got flowers, bread and garlic in the Co-op on the way home.
Fun in the post office - some dilly dallying at the till and then the womam behind the counter ran out of money so had to go and get some - meanwhile the queue is building up and lot of tutting and head shaking is going on. She comes back and the old chap in front wants some tobacco - cigarrettes? no tobacco in a pouch! In a what? A pouch- oh a pouch etc etc. More tutting and head shaking- gasps of disbelief etc. for ever growing queue. Then it came to my turn . A book of second class stamps and one 56p stamp please. She starts to tear off a one pound stamp - no just one 56 pence stamp for a postcard to america. Oh 56 pence - is that for 0ver 200 milligrams? No its for a postcard to AMERICA! More tutting and fuming from assembled throng. She puts an 81p stamp in front of me. No a 56pence stamp - that's a 8ip stamp! O dear. Tut tut- fume fume. Lots of murmering. I'm getting quite agitated too by now. Eventually I get what I want and get my change and wonder if its the right change but cant be bothered to check after all that hassle over a stamp. I shall get them from Oxfam in future- its easier!

Spring Rolls Round Again

Very mild at the moment and signs of Spring in the air which is welcome after all the cold and frost etc.
Yesterday I took the Canon scanner back to Argos as it wouldnt work properly. I was a bit miffed to say the least as it had been working fine for the last couple of weeks and I was enjoying adding old slide films and negs. to Flickr that have been languishing in an old box for ages. The good thing about Argos is they always exchange goods or give money back within 30 days of purchase. So now I am looking around for another scanner - hopefully one that isn't so prone to breaking and has large negative scanning option. I think I have found just the job with an Epson 4490 but I'll have to get it online or go to PC World in Warrington which seems unlikely.


Poor Wilf looks like he won't last much longer. We thought he had snuffed it last weekend but has bravley battled on despite all the bumps and lumps and bald patches he has. He staggers out of his ball of bedding for a drink and hardly eats anything- looking very bedraggled and ancient , like a hamster version of a one-eyed Yoda.

Went to a boot sale today at Lostock near Hazel's Mom's. It was in the local community centre and mostly indoors. I got some cheap DVD's including John Carpenter's version of "The Thing" with extras like a making of and a commentary which is always interesting. Also a Tommy Cooper video I'd not seen before called "Cooperama".
Hazel bought some books and a box of drawing pins. Audrey and Doreen were late getting up as usual so they were just setting off as we popped in to say goodbye and pick up the fairy cakes they gave us. Hazel's Mom walked very slowly and carefully holding out the the tin of cakes as I was looking elsewhere and when she gave them to me I tipped them up to shove the tin in my carrier bag with all my other goodies. She looked horrified and exclaimed "No!" But no harm done - the icing and cherries were still intact!

Manchester

A nice but exhausting day yesterday - getting up at 5-45am to get train (thankfully not late ) and get to Manchester for a lovely big breakfast in the college canteen. We had a look round the exhibition of art school technicians work in the Holden Gallery. Some nice stuff including some small paintings on plaster of wall fragments a bit like the Boyle Family.
Andy Sykes- ace animator - gave a talk to the 1st years later which we sat in on which was fun. He had pinned up some of his drawings to colour in- he holds these "coulering in" evenings in shopping centrs and places. He showed his animations and film of the artists working at the AYUP animation space at Bradford's Museum Of Film & Television or whatever it's called.
An interesting talk and he seems to be doing well since leaving the Interactive Arts course a few years back.
We had lunch with him in the staff canteen and ate out sushi from M&S . We did buy some fruit crumble though and I think it was plums but not sure!
Archie ordered a new resonanting uke at Johnny Roadhouse. He plays the other one all the time so I'm sure he will find it useful and a slightly different sound as its made of metal.
In the afternoon Archie and I walkded down to the Whitworth Art Gallery and saw the exhibition of Surrealism. Some great Max Ernst collages but not much else to write home about. The modern stuff was pretty awful.
Then walked back to the station via the Cornerhouse (nothing showing ) and home.
Archie was so tired he fell asleep later and didn't wake up until 10 p.m.

Valentine's Day

I made Hazel a collaged card and gave her some chocs. Walked to town before H & A got up and back at 10am. They were still not up the lazy pair. Mind you it has been a long stressful week for both of them what with students and open days and "catch up days" etc.
I didnt find much in town- just a loaf of seedy bread and the Independent with free CD in it.
In the afternoon we all went to Lady Hayes with Audrey to mooch around the antiques and buy some of Bob Carolgee's candles from his shop.
I took the Flip camera and took a few snippets. Hazel found tons of stuff for her blog including packetsof anceint needles and some sewing gadgets- things to thred needles and other bits and pieces. Archie bought a book about Nature for his art class project.
Audrey bought a few things too - postcards a,d a rubber stamp that says "Best Wishes". She showed us the production line of home-made cards when we stooped off for tea at Granma's.
Peeked in the window of one gallery to see the Tardis and Daleks but didnt go in. Found some nice recycled Indian lamps made if tin in one shop. Hard to choose which one to get but eventually plumped for the biggest which Hazel bought me as my Valentines present. It hangs in the back room now- over the dining table and sends out rays of patterned light on the ceiling with a small candle inside. I'll have to take a photo of it if I can.

Chicken Rock

Fat Larry Homes and his clucking geetar! One of my favourite instrumental chicken songs of all time I think.
Nice day yesterday when old friends Tony and Pene came over for lunch. It was Pene's birthday so we rushed out to get her some flowers and chocs at local supermarket and get some nice food in. I made a vegetable soup and cooked a mushroom quiche with some salad. We had a cake a bit later on. I neglected to take any photos which was a bit remiss of me.
Watched a bit of my staggering performance in the film "Dead City" we got inthe post on DVD today. Its the cheaply made zombie film we were in shot at the old Regal cinema in Northwich before is was gutted. Very funny to watch again. Some deleted scenes and documentaries on the extras disc we are looking forward to seeing.
have been digitising some old slides and negs using the new Canon scanner which seems to be working ok so far despite a few early glitches. Probably my fault. Pushing the wrong buttons.

Matchbox Stuffing

We have been matchbox stuffing this weekend - we know how to enjoy ourselves! This is Archie's effort soon to be added to the Flickr group of International Matchbox Stuffers League or whatever it's called. I was just remembering the game we played at Basildon Boys Club - filling matchboxes to see who could get the most items crammed inside and somebody though this would be a fun idea to run with and its grown into this group now of nearly 100 people all madly searching their drawers and tins for tiny things! ( I have mentioend this before ina previous blog - this is bad sign - obviously going a bit senile !)
Yestrday we went to knutsford to mooch around the charity shops and peek into the posh shop windows at all the snooty Knutsford folk. Some are very freindly i must say and in one gallery/craft shop I was given a cup of tea. A new venture to bring in customers the nice girl said - maybe a few chairs and tables at one end.
It made a nice change and lubricated the vocal chords. I still didnt see anything to buy though - all a bit twee and crafty for me.
I found some great DVD's in a charity shop including The Exorcist with extras and Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd which I wanted to see and the cinema but never got the chance. We watched it last night. Hazel psent most of the time hiding behind her cushion whenever the blood started to flow and there was copious ammounts of it! Fantastic to watch though - amazing sets and costumes and atmostphere. The singing though started to grate after a few songs and they all started to sound very similar. It made me think of the awful Blood Brothers which is an unfair comparison really but the only one that came to mind.
Hazel bought some clobber in a sale- a new victorian looking blouse and a cardie. I wanted to buy a paper but they don't have a newsagents on Knutsford it seems - its all boutiques and antigue shops and wine bars.
Looked into the Penny Farthing Museum/cafe place but it was packed with "ladies who lunch" and so difficult to take a phot of all the old bikes hanging from the rafters. Took one outide with Hazel leaning on a sign post and bike that someone had made from an old plough or maybe a washing machine?

A 100 Small Things

This is a frame from a very short animation I did using Monkey Jam free software. I realise I didnt have the patience to carry on with it. It looked rubbish anyway and took far too long. I used to have patience - I did spotty paintings that took months to do. I make collages now as they are far quicker and people seem to like them more.
Have been collecting things to put into a matchbox. So this is how you spend your time? Its for a project on Flickr. So far i have put in my matchbox- a pebble, a hairgrip, a pin, a needle, a ticket, a sticker, a button, a plastic duck, a popper, a match, a tiny mirror, a bead, a bit of wire, a leaf, a grain of sand, a granule of sugar and a badge. Hoping to find more things today. We used to play this game at the Basildon Boys Club before returning to the hut to drink lemonade and listen to the Everly Brothers on an old scratchy 78.
Yesterday i went to town and bought a very heavy DK book called "Chronicle Of The Cinema"- 100 years of the Movies for a quid in the market I nearly gave myself a hernia carrying it home. I was going to cut it up for collages as it has some wonderful old film posters inside its 920 pages- nearly all full colour. But it's far too nice really and Archie might find it useful for his Film Studies course he is doing for "A" level at 6th form college- presuming he gets the right grades for his GCSE's.

The snow that everyone else has been getting and grinding the country to a halt hasn't appeared in Cheshire- just a smigeon and its all melted. So no chance of that dusty sledge being used any day now. Its been hanging in the shed gathering cobwebs for the last ten years!

Glove Weather

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Whether or not we wear them is another matter. This one spotted on out walk round Shackerly this afternoon. Brrrr! it was freezin'! Glad to get home again.
No boot sales today- at least none we knew the whereabouts of. Betty said there was one in Winsford but we tried to find it before and went on a wild goose chase.
Yesterday we just did the fortnightly big shop at Aldi.
Its started to snow. The weather forecast said it would- blowing down from Russia. They can have it back anytime!
We watched the directors commentary extra on the Little Shop Of Horrors DVD last night which was fun and insightful. Frank Oz explained a lot of things well and surprised us by saying the man eating plant wasnt shot at the same speed as the rest of it when singing as the puppeteers couldnt move the lips quick enough to sync. with the vocal track. So Rick Moranis? had to move very slowly so when it was speeded up it looked like the right speed. Also they changed the ending as the preview audience didnt like the way it ended with all the good guys getting eaten by the plant! What an admission!

Deep Joy

Two of my favourite people of all time- Prof. Stanley Unwin and Roland Emmett on Parkinson back in the 70's.

Busy Weekend

A weekend full of incident and culture including a concert at Sir John Deans. A violin and piano duo by a friend of ours neice who is studying at Manchester School of Music and winning lots of prizes. one can see why - her violin playing was quite amazing. Favourite pieces of Mozart, Franck and Carmen medley. The old school hall was packed.
Last night we saw "Slumdog Millionaire" which was excellent and lived up to the hype. I can see why its been picked for Bafta's and the Oscars now. makes me keen to see other Danny Boyle films that we've missed in the past like "Sunshine".
Popped into Northwich Glass to finalise our new windows. They are so helpful and friendly in there. It will be nice to seeout of our back room window again- at the moment it's like looking through a mist!
This morning was wet but luckily the bootslae at Antrobus was mostly inside though some brave souls froze outside on the cheaper pitches.
I got a few DVD's for 50p inscluding Pixar's "Cars" and Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride". Also one of our favourite films ever - Frank Oz's "The Little Shop Of Horrors". we had it on video but nice to get all the extras like "outtakes" and "making of" etc.
Hazel got some things for her blog including a pile of cotton reels and needles and other sewing stuff. Alos some hideous plates. She got Archie some old comics but he's not too keen these days. We shall keep them though. great to see Foxy in the Topper and Nutty comic which passed me by at the time.

Rusty Cat Magnate

Another animation at Mini-Clip I made yesterday whilst the kettle was on.
Went to town today to look at trousers and then round the usual charity shops. Found a DVD of a sci-fi film with Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey called K-Pax which I'd not seen before. Also a biography of Tommy Cooper which i look forward to reading.
Some old women in the Salvation Army shop were discussing in loud whispers their various operations and surgical procedures - I kept hearing words like "blockage" and "tumour" so didnt stay long in there. They rarely have any bargains anyway.
Hazel is looking at websites of old aide memoires and getting inspired for her next project. It's time for tea and cake!

P.S. Hazel showed me a great photo she got for her Rusty Nails blog. It was a cat that had picked up a rusty nail on its magnetic collar. We assumed it had been rolling around in a shed trying to catch a mouse or a woodlouse or soemthing and the nail attached itself. Makes an interesting addition. Also the one found by the Ministerios Offioucosos of Kulture in Cuba. Mine, found by the side of the road in Northwich doesnt seem so interesting now - I will have to look for another -somewhere more exotic.

Lily Morris

Terrific old film of the great Lily Morris singing "Why Am I Always The Bridesmaid". Shame its so crackly and jumpy though it still doesnt take away from a charming performance and eccentric dance at the end. You Tube is full of such gems of the music hall. Other names to look up are Marie Lloyd, Little Tich, Nellie Wallace, George Robey, Billy Bennett,Dan leno, etc. to name but a few.

Toys

Just to show you that I haven't been completely seduced by the animating doo-dad at Mini-Clip. Here's a quick tour of the toys and gew-gaws on our shelves at the moment.

Boo!

Two more animations from the Mini-Clip site. They are getting better and more detailed as time moves on but I dont think Pixar will be too worried just yet!
It's very engrossing though and you realise just how much work goes into a full length animated cartoon of the simplest construction!
Went into town this morning for a walk despite threat of rain. Posted my prescription at docs. Got a loaf but not much more- nothing in fact! The usual wander around the charity shops- the only businesses to be thriving at the monet it seems. More shops due to close down. Most town centres will be ghost towns soon.
It's that Blue Monday feeling.
Time to go and make some macaroni cheese to cheer ourselves up !

Elefant

Here's an elefunt what I animated at a great animation site at Miniclip. This for Ennio Pauluzzi who sent me a nice elephant card the other day.
Another week has rolled by and it's Saturday again.
Yesterday I walked into town and found a few bargains including a brightly coloured tin crocodile from Zimbabwe for three quid which is probably equivalent to a trillion dollars over there. Also a video of the Beach Boys early days from 1976. In the library sale I found a great double CD of "Round The Horne" for 50p.
I got my hair cut previously in the week and look rather like a refugee from a transit camp. I won't be going back to that barber's again!
Today we popped to Aldo and got Audrey a push along seat and basket thingy for the shops- so she can have a sit down when she gets tired or needs to take the weight off her feet. She spotted it boefore but wanted Hazel's opinion as to its usefulness.
It was a bit heavy and cumbersome in its huge box but we managed to slide it along the tiled floor of the shop to the till and out to the car park.
Nice and sunny today but threat of gales, hail, snow and storms tomorrow. I thought it was too good to last!

Marbury Again

More Flip fun here with the special Kaleidoscope mix- a flavour of our walk around Marbury Country Park on Sunday. It rained in the morning just as we got into the car so we got back out again and waited until the rain stopped - we are easily put off by the vagueries? of the weather.
Previously I had been finishing off some collages for a bookwork project a friend of Rick Cox is doing. Fourteen pages (A3) but folded strangley to A4 and a flappy bit .
Ive participated before and they are usually of a high quality - goodness knows why they ask me to take part!
Also dropped some collages round to Bill who is a friend and folk band colleague of Mike who invited me to take part in an exhibition in Manchester (Chorlton) next month - all collage work from people he has met on Flickr. Apparently Bill has something to do with the Northwich Folk Club. They play as a duo there sometimes and also in a Caleidh? band (not sure how you spell it ) for weddings and birthdays etc.

Thankfully it has been mild the last couple of days after the freezing weather of the last two weeks. Still ice on the lake at Marbury though and we had fun watching the gulls and ducks sliding across for the bread. A very fiendly robin at the bird hide and a mouse scuttling about in the brambles.

The Knutsford Travesty

I took this clip today whilst waiting for the bus to Rudheath. I think I must have just missed one because i seemed to be be waiting ages. Here you can see the Old Post Office which is now a big cavenous pub. The new post office is hardly big enough to swing a cat in!
I walked to town despite the slippy conditions and bought a few things we desperately needed like a 30p video of Lee Evans "Live In Bristol" and a candle snuffer. Saw Treena and Betty in the Age Concern shop too - they both looked very well and said they had good Christmas's.
Woolies looked very empty and sad - one man was clattering about inside, loading shelving units and other shop paraphenalia onto a trolley.
Hazel is in the workshop cutting out round bits of metal for some new work.
A late nail arrived today from Ruth Fledermaus in Alabama. She hasn't been in touch for about 6 years so a nice surprise. It was a lucky nail to ward off evil spirits she reckoned.
I also borrowed the film "Man On A Wire" about the chap who walked from one twin tower to the other via a high wire in the 80's or 90's thats just been released on DVD.


Its' been too cold to venture out most days so weve stayed in and huddled around the radiator.
We did go to Knutsford yesterday though as we were going stir crazy. There weren't many sales on and the shops that had them were too snooty for us to go in!
We popped into the history centre or whatever its called to see the renowned Knutsford Tapestry which was depicted on a jig saw I gave Granma Jones for Xmas. Hazel had seen it before a few years back but I never had. A kindly old gent showed us round as it was housed in a special constructed room at the back - through a courtyard full of weird sculptures and farming implements etc.
He explained that it started out as a small project, just 2 feet by 6 feet and quickly grew when other folk in the town heard about it and wanted their shop or house included. So it turned into a huge community project with many panels being worked on ( cross stitched) at once and when completed the whole thing was sewn together by some genius so you could hardly see the joins. Now it comprises of three huge panels some 20 feet long by 5 feet high.

Shakerley Mere / Chester

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Another Flip mix using the "Journal" setting with added background groovy music. Shakerley mere was frozen over mostly and the geese and ducks were walking on the ice - maybe you can just see them in the distance? Maybe not. Compressing for the blog looses a bit of clarity - the original was quite sharp for a cheap camcorder.
We didn't take any bread scraps this time as we were intimidated by the signs everywhere saying "Do Not Feed The Wildlife With Bread!" This makes them swell up and explode or something equally disturbing! Other people were ignoring the notices and feeding them their bread though which made us regret not taking a small bit to slide over the ice and watch the ducks slide amusingly after it.

Today we went to Chester as I was feeling better and it wasn't so icy. It was packed and the shops which all had sales were doing a roaring trade. I bought a new shirt from Gap and Archie kitted himself out with new clobber. Hazel also found some bargains at Morgans , her favourite shop in the whole world. Also got a roll up keyboard for a couple of quid for Archie but he wasn't very impressed I dont think. It did sound a bit like a harmonica that had been crossed with some bagpipes!
We had a vege sausage roll and covered ourselves in crumbs and then a hot chocolate in a Thai cafe.
Then back to the park and ride bus and home.

Happy New Year!

Another year done gone. It went by so fast and a lot was packed in. Highlights were the trips to Norway in January for Hazel's exhibition at the Kunstbanken in Hamar and our trip to Boston and New York in August to visit our dear friends Sylvia and Jonathan and see a bit of America for the first time ( for me and Archie anyway ).
Other highs were Archie getting Grade One piano much to our amazement as he hardly did any practicing. Also our Silver anniversary of togetherness. 25 years just seems to have flown by! My small exhibition at the local library wasn't really a highlight but my first showing of work for a while so it counts for something.
Also a week in London with our old chums Jane and Graham and to Basildon to stay a couple of days with my sister Barb and her other half Des.
Archie did well again with his animations. "Landlubber" his short for Big Al Davies song got him into the Cornerhouse "Exposures" Film Festival again for the 5th year running.

Last night Archie set off his domino effect match event which lit up the bottom of the garden for a few seconds and spelt out "09". The loud chatter in the background is one of our polish neighbours in the back garden shouting to relatives in Poland we imagine - his phone being just a baked bean tin and some taught string reaching to Krakow!
Hazel lit some amusing fireworks and filled the back gardens with smoke and the Poles retreated indoors. They came out again at midnight and sprayed champagne over each other and shouted something polish at us. We think it was Happy New Year but could have been something very rude for all we knew. We were expecting a very loud party but it was very restrained thankfully and we managed to get some sleep after drinking some cava and orange and watching a bit of Jools and the Hootenanny. Nice to see Dave Edmunds still going strong.

Sunday Frost

Another video from the Flip camera taken at Granma's house and in Marbury Park. Have tried messing about with the software included which mixes the images in certain ways- like the sepia look here plus jaunty background music.
Brrr! Its cold today- thick frost outside. Yesterday we took some junk to the local tip and had to queue up with all the others who had the same idea. Time to make room for all that new junk we have aquired! We had several defunct electrical gadgets piling up in the shed - electric kettle, hair dryer and radio that are all burnt out or malfunction in some way. Amazing heap of similar objects at the tip. Hopefully they are recycled in some way and not just go to land fill.
A brief walk around town to see what sales there were. Not much it seems. Woolworths looked very sad and empty with just a few items left - like some third world supermarket. Hopefully it wont remain empty and boarded up for long.
One wonders what shop will follow it down the rocky road to ruin.
Hazel bought some A4 printing paper but it wasnt any cheaper than usual. I looked for a USB cable for the Flip camera but couldn't find any.
Will have to try Chester next week as they have a better selection of shops.
After dinner ( the last of the nut roast ) we watched Billy Bailey DVD "Tinselworm" that Archie gave me for Crimbo. It was quite funny but not as good as expected. Playing to large arenas really looses some of that intimate atmosphere of the earlier gigs.

Racing Pudden's

Here's one of my first uploads from my new Flip video camera. Racing xmas puddings that came out of some crackers from Morrisons. Much better than those usual tedious plastic novelties like key rings and shoe horns etc. We played with these for ages over at Granma's yesterday after dinner. We were so full it was about all we could do!
We also played a long game of Monopoly which was won by Audrey i think though I'd lost the will to live by the end of it! Thank goodness we didnt play Scrabble else I'm sure it would have ended in tears!
The new polish neighbours had a party last night but warned us by bringing round some polish food and a bottle of wine which was nice of them - what english people would do that? They weren't that loud but at midnight we could hear polish songs being sung and glasses clinking. We managed to drop off and sleep like proverbial yule logs.

Granma's Birthday

It was Hazel'sMom's 75th birthday the other day so we had a nice lunch with them and took along some presents and cake etc. Archie took his uke to play "Happy Birthday" and generally entertain us. We helped put up the plastic folding tree and the decorations and threw our chips into the garden for the robins and starlings etc.

This was the card I made for her. It also doubled for a theme at Scrapiteria.
Very mild here with temps. in double figures. No white Xmas this year methinks.
Did some more shopping this morning early before the mad rush. Just waiting for Bruce the piano teacher to turn up for dinner but he is late. Maybe his train is having trouble with the mild temperatures or leaves on the line?

Sanity Clause

Just back from shopping at Morrisons for mince pies, custard, poppadums, parsnips, etc. etc. and other xmassy groceries. I'll expect we'll be out to get more before the 25th though. It wasn't as hellish as i thought it would be but the drive there was full of incident- mad drivers over taking on bends and tail gating and we caught them up at the lights so what did they gain? Stupid iriots - as Benny Hill once said. Audrey came along too and was telling us abou the scrape she got from a big lorry with sickly driver who shouldnt have been driving by the sound of it. The insurance people said the car would have to be scrapped which made Audrey very upset. We went along to see the damage and it was a very faint scratch down one side and the hub-cap popped off and rolled somewhere ( who knows where? ) and a slight dent- hardly visible by the naked eye, so to suggest she have it scrapped seems ludicrous! It shook them up- her and Granma- though and will be wary of big lorries in future, especially those driven by pale sickly looking men.
We have lightsup inthe back room now - around the window which brightens it up a bit.
Hazel was just outsie washing the car and a Water Co van drove up and parked right across her white line. She wasnt pleased needlesss to say and told him to move it as the whole street was empty mostly and so plenty of other places to park. Another sickly looking bloke with hardly any brain cells to rub togther. How come they all get work with the council, water, electric services? Duh!
Another van drove up shortly afterwards and they grunted at each other as they went looking for a leak. "Dont park there- she's already told me off!"

Archie is back from bowling. He said he now smells of chips, grease and bowling alleys.
Off to get the tree now. The one from last year in a pot at the bottom of the garden is still alive but looks a bit tatty and probably full of slugs, bugs and weevils.
Also an interesting selection of cards from people we dont know or can't recognise! Who, for example, are Freya, Pippi and Inga? They sent an intriguing packet of "pills" with a home made label" Christmas Survival Pills" which are really Tic-tacs. "May Not Work On Teenagers". If anyone has any idea who these jokers are do let us know- both Hazel and I have no idea who they are, but scarily they seem to know us!

Rainy Weekend

Just back from a drive through the deluge to Weaverham to drop Archie off at jack's ( he's going bowling as part of Jacks Birthday treat ). We went on down the wiggly wet lanes to Frodsham and Lady Hayes Antique Centre and did some browsing amongst the old tat and books etc. In the candle shop ownded by Bob Carolgees ( he of Spit The Dog fame - see above) Hazel bought some Xmas candles and matches. Bob was behind the counter serving but no sign of Spit. Hazel didnt realise who it was until I pointed out the posters outside stuck to the window.
Hazel bought a few presents for herself that I can wrap up for her for crimble including a nice old biscuit tin, a multi-pen,pencil stamper gadget and some needles etc. Also some other stuff for her blog.
Other good news is that Archie passed his Grade 1 piano exam .

Do You Feel Christmassy Yet?

Not in this drizzle I dont! Just back from a shopping trip to town. My duffle coat soaks up the rain like a sponge. We have our lights up and flashing - so do the neighbours. We have new noisy ones from Poland or somewhere foreign. They seem friendly enough but shout very loudly in Polish or whatever it is. Hard to work out who actually lives there as I've seen at least 5 different people coming and going. They have at least two flashy cars- a BMW and a Passat. They'll find parking a nightmare down our street - one of the reasons the last couple moved out apparently.
O well , it's early days yet. Watch this space for further neighbour news.
I did the collaged xmas card again this years and got 100 printed at Boots for 8p each. We spent most of the weekend sticking them down onto card and folding and enveloping , rubber stamping etc. I posted a heap of them this morning and spent this afternoon doing more. One wonders if it's worth all the time and effort!
No time to feed the ducks this weekend. More shopping and sliding on the trecherously slippy pavements!
Woolies was heaving due to a 50% off lots of things Sale, but not much I wanted sadly. I did queue up to buy a calender on Sunday when it was relatively quiet.
Fascinating stuff eh?
Hazel made a christmas cake with the help of his nibs. It looks good enough to eat. I was thinking about making some mince pies but probably easier to buy them. Mine tend to erupt like mini volcanoes and spill sticky goo all down the pie dishes like so much treacley lava! It hell to wash off afterwards.

Where Did That Week Go?

Seven days have just flown by! I can't remember much of it - it's all a blurr. We did go for a walk to feed the ducks though on Sunday as I have this photo of Hazel being follwed by a few mad geese to remind me! Half way round Shakcrley mere we found a notice baodr which had new posters pinned to it - Do Not Feed The Wild Fowl!
First time weve seen it! Now we feel guilty after dumping half a stale loaf in the lake - but the ducks and geese went bonkers and chased us up the path - they obviously love the stuff. I suppose its like us with naughty stuff like cakes and chips! Apparently they get full of bread and cant eat the healthy stuff and get sick. Try telling that to the little kids who feed the ducks every weekend!
I must consult my very tedoius and dull diary which says-
Wednesday- Went to town and got two videos "The FLY" and "RE-Animator 2" for 20p .each. Hazel working every day this week - coming home exhausted and going straight to bed. Pipes still leak free. Hooray!
Thursday - Archie's Grade One ivory tickling at some old farmhouse in the wilds of Anderton. Full of ladies with buns in tweeds. Grand piano that he wasnt used to and cold fingers. Doesn't sound very promising.
Friday - Winter heating allowance- yippee! Walked to town and back. Drizzle. Did some Xmas shopping.
Saturday - Took bags of old vids and books into Oxfam. More shopping.
Sunday - Went shopping AGAIN with hazel. to argos and B&Q for floor paint for bathroom.
Monday - Snow! It didnt last long though. maybe we will have a white Xmas this year? Painted floor of bathroom with weird smelling pale green paint. I managed to tip the can up and so half the floor is cream now and really shiny! I will paint the rest tomorrow. luckily half a tin left. Drips have stopped which is good.
Downlaoded Toon Boom software to try. Our PC isnt fast enough to handle it. Seemed very complicated too. Similar to Flash.
O well, thats it in a nut shell. Off to paint the floor again now.