Manchester Degree Shows

Nice train ride into Manchester for the annual degree shows at Interactive Arts and Fine Art, Sculpture etc. Some good work by the students this year. Had breakfast in the station Carluccios - salmon , scrambled egg on toasted ciabatta - yum! A pre-birthday treat! Luckily the awful weather of recent days was absent and we even got a good comfortable train both ways. Wow, miracles do happen! Also saw the folk at Special Collections for the mail art exhibition we are sorting for September. They all seem keen on the idea and had some good ideas about the flyers, poster and other publicity bumph we will need. Got the 4-40 train back.

Marbury Walk

Escaping from the drudgery of mail art sorting we felt newly invigorated in the bosom of Mother Nature ( Marbury Country Park ). Hazel said "Let's sit down on this quiet bench opposite an empty field and see what turns up" Indeed after a couple of minutes the field was filled with mad dogs and their owners throwing balls. A constant file of cows wandered by behind us in a neighbouring field and gave us puzzled looks. A bird chirped in a nearby hedge. A helicopter flew past but decided not to land in the field after all.

Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza

Another year flies by since the last Llandudno V.E weekend. Always a treat to go there and enjoy the the old fashioned seaside town , the charity shops, museums, art gallery and delights of the Showground and fun fair etc. So much to do and see in just three days. A lot of deja vu ofcourse but that's why we enjoy it so much I guess. Highlights were the steam engines as always, the mini circus, the old bus rides, the walk down the pier to the slot machines, a curry at the Bengal Dynasty, George's Plaice for fish and chips, walks along the prom, Derek Boshier exhibition at the Mostyn Gallery etc etc. Our hosts at the excellent Promanad B&B were very welcoming as always - and amazed this was there 4th year in charge of the place! How time flies! Weather wasn't too bad - very sunny all day Friday and Saturday but rather chilly - cloudy with sunny spells on Sunday. Found a few bargains in the various junk shops and antique emporiums inc. another silver trophy, Nuddie Golf Tees, BLU-RAY beatles documentary, postcards of Southend and Westcliff, notebooks, rubber stamp rack, medical book with illustrations, a tin whistle, a plastic ray gun ( won on the pier ). Some sad moments when we discovered our favourite antique shop had closed and been turned into a hairdressers. Also no side shows on the promonade as in previous years.

Blakemere Boot

Slim pickings at the Blakemere boot sale this morning. The cold must have put a lot off people off - not surprising really. A dozen brave souls turned up to sell stuff in a soggy field. Hazel bought this illuminated "J" for Jones for a quid. I didn't get anything. Home via the Co-op to get a few bits.

Glossop and Marsden

Lovely two day jaunt over to West Yorkshire to visit our old chum Dave Smith. Stopped off in Glossop to break up the journey and have a banana. Popped into some charity shops for bargains - a tapestry, DVD's and wool. Hazel wanted to sort out his downstairs rooms as they were full of junk and needed a bit of a clean. He's due for a hip replacement soon so needs a room downstairs to recouperate. I mostly watched the snooker with Dave and listened to his stories, some of which I've heard before. Nice pizza from the Co-op on our first evening ( highly recommended own brand ). Dave cooked it in his weird space age oven. The next night we had fish, chips and mushy peas from the local chippy. Tanya picked it up on her way round to say hello and see what work Hazel had done. Cleared lots of stuff - some going back to Cheshire tip and lots in the bin. Looks much more roomy now. Rigo was very stand-offish but soon made friends when she saw we had fish on the menu. Her cat hair will be saved for a possible sweater and knitted blanket. Hair raising ride over the Peaks but managed to get home in one piece despite the rain.

Vagrants

Nice drive through Cheshire's leafy lanes to Vagrants near Nantwich for boot sale. Got a few bargains including some films I wanted to see again particularly the Bob Dylan doc. by Pennebaker. Nice old snakes and ladders board with wooden dice cup and counters. A battered "Striptease" card game that Hazel found. She also got some metal bits, hooks, a massive teaspoon, shelf brackets a table tennis trophy "Barnoldswick Winner 1956 Arnold Greene " , other bits and bobs. Just nice to walk around in the sunshine listening to odd snatches of conversations, some in Polish. Home again via the Co-op for some bread and salad stuff. Tried to get some ice cream wafers but they had sold out.

Marbury Again!

Good Friday - wandering around town - got some CD boxes for 49p from Scope. Then off to Marbury for another walk round the blue bells. They looked brighter in the warm sunshine. Woods were alive with mad wet dogs and the smell of wild garlic. Or was it the smell of wild dogs and the mad garlic?

Marbury Woods and Blue Bells

Our boy is home for a couple of days so nice to go for a walk in the woods to see the blue bells which are just opening here in Cheshire - next week may see a better display. Then to Granma and Audrey's to meet up with Great Cousin Betty and her son in law who drove up from the West Midlands to share some curios and lovely mandolin that Archie managed to tune and play much to Betty's delight. Fish n chips n mushy peas for lunch from the Codfather. Yum!

Whitegate Boot / Walk

Slim pickings at the first Whitegate boot sale of the year. Freezing cold - ice on the car - didn't like to take me hands out of me pockets! Brrrrrr! Hazel got a few bits including some old bobbins, wool and a free money box she insisted the man take 50p for. Also a load of pansies and magnolias etc. I got zilch. Nothing! Not even a DVD though there were a few to sift through. No coat hangers either! Had a walk in the sun own Whitegate Way with early joggers and dog walkers. Birds in full twitterpated mode. Cafe wasn't open until 10 so we came home via the Co-op for a few bits.

Last Indoor Boot Of Spring

Last indoor boot sale of the Spring at the Memorial Court this morning . A few bargains including some tin clockwork toys for a quid each and some googly eyed postcards. Also a nice old one from the 20's of Westcliff where my mother used to live. Hazel bought a few postcards and gave most of them to her Mom. Next to the small out door boot sale at the Care UK car park. Not much there sadly. Tyen to Lidl for a few bits and bobs. Had to get some vegetables for Granma .We went round Granma's and Audrey's afterwards to show off our bargains and have coffee and chat.

More Mothering

More Mothering Sunday treats in the afternoon over at Granma Jones' and some home made cake and coffee. Hazel took some flowers and plants and chocs for her Mom.

Mothering Sunday

Nice card and presents from Archie who instructed me to buy the tiny daffodils. Googly eyes and tin toys - he knows his mother well! Then off to the outdoor boot sale at Blakmere which was the first of the season. A bit quiet but big enough to make it interesting. Got a DVD boxed set of Quatermass series from the 90's with John Mills. Also a Bob Dylan live CD which I may have already. Hazel founf a farme for her recent Plum Jam portrait she got in Wales and pile of ceramic flowerpots for 10p each. Nice to get back home in the warm. Some framing to do now before lunch. More mail to sort later.

Congleton Walks

Lovely sunny day - walks round Congleton with our old chums Tone and Pene. Once round the lake in the nearby Country Park and then a bit later after some antique rummaging in the old mill we walked to the other park cafe for a beer and sat in the sun by the River Dane. Later we had lunch in the cafe above the antiques. Pene went off for her swimming aquarobics thing and we walked round the town and looked in a few charity shops. Found a nice tin motor boat that works with steam power. Hazel considered a frog mask/head but decided it was too expensive and cumbersome.

Boot Sale Time

Slim picking's at the indoor boot sale at Memorial Court this morning. Lots of my favourite sellers weren't there sadly so didn't get anything. Hazel found a few bits and bobs including a small trug, some hessian for rag rug making, custard glass, Dinky ice cream van, etc etc.

Old Photo Album

A page from an old photo album. Mostly pictures of me in various places around Kent and Essex where we used to live.

Vdeo

Memorial Court Boot Sale

Ventured out into the rain and wind to the indoor boot sale in town. Got a few bargains despite being at the back of the huge queue again. Nobody seems to like the junk we buy! Just as well ! Got a nice tin toy "Monkey Circus" that trundles around very slowly when you wind it's key - a couple of books to cut up for collage material ( they are battered and scribbled in so don't feel bad ) a penknife, a tiny pencil, Capt. Webb's matchbox, a bezique counter thingy, a ceramic Welsh lady called Jones, a small plastic man with large head? and all manner of other goodies. Then to Lidl to buy a few bits ( grumpy sales girl at till ).

RCA SCULPTURE KICKSTARTER FUND

Walk in Marbury Country Park

Another warmish February day despite a slight frost this morning - it warmed up later in the bright sunshine. Dropped Audrey off at LILIWAC knitting and croquet get together in Great Budworth and then Hazel drove us over to Marbury for a walk and picnic. Lots of mad dogs leaping about being bitten on the nose when they got too close to that swan in the photo - we kept our distance! Saw lots of wagtails, ducks, geese, moorhens etc. An abundance of daffodils and blossom. Ate our tuna sandwich and humus crisps under the picnic area thingy. Noisy adult children and carers nearby having a picnic too - some wandering off to shout at the blue sky for being so blue - some in the bushes. "Come back Malcolm or there's no theme park for you!"

More Junk

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

North Wales Antique Road Trip No. 2

Nice couple of days in the Welsh countryside, looking for antique and junk shops. First to Mold which was nice little town with a farmers market in full swing. Took refuge in pleasant cafe and got speaking to a local couple who told us the way to the Antique emporium some 5 miles out of town. Had a toasted tea cake. A couple charity shops to look in. The Antique place near Mold wasnt that exciting - everything was very expenive and brass kettles etc, polished to within an inch of their lives! We prefer grubby artifacts! Hazel bought a book about 100 objects ( see photo ) written in English and Welsh. Then off to Denbigh and the place we went to before on our last Antique Road Trip. A bit pricy too so didnt get anything. The owners sat outside on old armchairs sunning themselves. Hazel noticed an ambulance leaving in the next door garage and she wonder if the man she saw busy with something on the floor was in fact giving artificial resuscination to someone the ambulance had just taken away - something we missed when reversing out some moments before! Then to Ruthin and the Crafts Centre to see the exhibition of enamelling and work by John Grayson with some techniques he had discovered from working with old Midlands metalworking "toy" trades. The rest of the exhibition was rather dull ceramics. More good shops and antique places to look round. Found a lovely shops that sold old 60's novelties and toys including masks , plasic viewers ( religious ) shaped like cameras and tiny hand mirrors with cartoons of cowboys etc. Hazel bought a Rocket Watch which had four hands. Also some ball bearing puzzle games with silly faces. Stayed the night at an old rectory - a delightful B&B with owner to match, who served up a tray of lemon drizzle cake she had made with a pot of tea to welcome us. She laughed a lot which is always a good sign. We walked up the hill to the old church and got a good view of the village and the new school which was a bit of an eye sore - felt sorry for the peopleliving nearby who had to look at this horrible thing being built spoiling their view. Anyway, ate the baps and crisps whilst watching Little Miss Sunshine which we had seen before but enjoyed again. Slept rather fitfully due to heavy duvet and strange bed but enjoyed a massive breakfast the next morning. Then off to Wrexham which was a nightmare to get to down those narrow winding lanes. Equally awful to get out of via a spaghetti junction type road mangle!