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.

Achey Breaky Art

getting desperate for images to use in blogs. This is from the pile of old 1950's 60's "Hobbies" magazines that Hazel bought recently. How to make a guitar from a cereal packet and bus tickets.
Booked in at the local chiropractor just down the road. Still achey in the mornings and yesterday after a walk round town I felt worn out. Went to the library sale again- got a DVD of the "Weeping Camel" a film about a tribe of nomads in Mongolia.
Then to Aldi for the weekly shop as we were right out of gherkins and cheesy wotsits.

I can't blog for too long as my back starts to ache again so keeping computer sessions to a minimum.

Diablo

Here's Archie in the garden showing us his diablo skills. It's the half term holiday so lots of time for things like this when the sun is shining. Thankfully it did this afternoon. We also walked into town and got the bus back . Archie insisted and I was happy to oblige as my back still ached a little. It ached a lot when I first woke up at 5-30am but eased off gradually throughout the day. I am trying to keep my computer use to a minimum - no more than 30 minutes at a time.
In town I saw Treena in the charity shop and had a quick chat whilst Archie was in the pet shop laughing at the hamsters and gerbils. Treena says she has three blogs now and you can find links to them all at Whole Caboodle.

Archie borrowed The Raconteurs CD from the library to put on his iPod. There was a book sale but didn't find much, just a DVD of a daft film called "Churchill- The Hollywood Years" made by the Comic Strip people. I watched about 30 minutes of it this afternoon and that was enough for me!
We also bought some frozen peas , bread and milk from Iceland. At the fresh fish shop I bought a small peice of smoked cod to make a fish pie that we just ate for our dinner. Yum!

No post again today. Jim in Basingstoke said he sent a packet of CD's recently and they havent arrived yet. The new postman has an annoying habit of throwing things on the front step in public view so I hope they haven't been filched by some little thief.

Archie has been trying to get back into some animation but just managed to draw some backgrounds today. It's a start.
The Cornerhouse want another for a project they are doing but I don't think he'll get round to it what with all his other commitments - the snails, the piano, making mazes for wilf, guitar, the snails, diablo and let's not forget the snails!

It's Catching!

The back pain has been easing off daily but today it came back with a vengeance - getting out of bed I had a terrible spasm which felt like a red hot knife being stuck into me! Ouch! Thankfully another hot compress and paracetamol have made it subside but not sure for how long. Hazel has now "caught" my back pain in her hip as she bent over to pick up the watering can it went and she's hobbly around like me now! Poor Archie thinks he's got the worst cranky parents ever! Creaky parents more like!

Today started out with the gas man coming to fix the washing machine - which he did in no time thankfully so at least we can wash the great heap of clothes thats been piling up. The "brushes" had gone apparently- Hazel said they looked like big graphite pencils and they just wear away from friction over time. Also Hazel fixed the vacuum cleaner with some newly washed filters - it had been sluggish for quite a while. So at least two mechanical thin gs are working again even if we're not!

Lower Back Pain

Woke up yesterday with back ache which got progressively worse as the day went on. I foolishly walked into town and struggled round the shops and back. I didnt find much of interest. The pain got worse and by the time I got home I was stooped like a geriatric. Everything seems to be breaking down- my back, the washing machine won't spin, the PC has crashed and the CD player has given up!

The most uncomfortable and sleep deprived night since the recent illness. Poor Hazel- she didnt get much either. I woke up with terrible shooting pains when I tried to get out of bed. It took me ages to figure out a way to do it. IT's still only 5-30am and I have a heat patch on and taken some pain killers. They say that exercise is good- all very well for them to say!
I managed to dress myself but Hazel had to put my socks and sandals on. They didn't suit her so I had to put them on.

Dominoes

Besides all the scratchy novelty records I also buy other stuff at boot sales and here is a typical example of some tatty ephemera that took my fancy yesterday at Weaverham. All this for a pound! Hazel bought some metal padlocks and keys from the sam chap who obviously was desperate to go home with a lighter load in his car. The "Dingbats Dominoes" are quite fun - you have to match up the silly clowns faces - Blanky, Mac, Mick, Tim, Binky, Spanky and Bimpo!

The "Rhymo Dominoes" are similar - made by Pepys and you have to make up rhymes with the objects on the tiles. So Rat would go with Cat and Clock with Rock etc. I can't see why it never caught on in a big way!
Also thrown into the bundle were these farmyard cards with delightful illustrations of chickens, cockerals, cows, pigs etc.

Hazel got a few other things inclding a wire plate hanger on its original card that I found. I expect it will turn up on her blog soon. She also found a pile of old "Hobby" magazines from the 50's and early 60's which are great and full of useful gew-gaws to make from ply wood.
Archie didnt get anything. Audrey came too and got a few nick-nacks.
In the afternoon we went to another at a church in Lostock but there were only a few cars and it was a bit quiet. Archie bought a diabolo as he'd lost the other up a tree or in a neighbour's garden.

Rory McLeod

It's very rare that we get out in the evening to live gig but delighted to see advertised in the local paper - Rory McLeod at the Northwich Folk Club! So we went along last night and enjoyed it very much though I did drink rather too much Theakston's Olde Perculier ale which went straight to my head! The folk club is held every week or maybe its a fortnight? in the bar of the small theatre in town. Weve been to see theatre groups and dance projects there before but never any live music. The last time we saw Rory was in the late 80's when we lived in London and he appeared ( and stole the show ) at the Queen Elizabeth Hall ( or was it the Purcell Room? ) with another folk band ( who we soon forgot ) but bought a couple of Rory's CD's , we enjoyed his performance so much. He is still as brilliant live and the small intimate space of the bar made it even more special- like being in someones front room! Afterwards we bought his latest CD " Songs For Big Little People" and he kindly signed it for us- " health and joy to you- Rory x " . You can see some of Rory's videos on You Tube.

Archie celebrates Norway Day too.

Michael left this logged on so I thought I should add Archie too...
Happy Norway Day Everyone..especially Esther, Erle Vilde and Rasmus.
SNEAKY BLOG BY HAZEL.

Happy Norway Day!

Have a lovely time eating your sour porridge and brown cheese! Or whatever it is you do. Hazel was in town this morning and overheard Terry Wogan on the radio in a charity shop saying "Happy Norway Day - enjoy your sour porridge!" so he must know.

The rain has stopped but it's still very grey and dull. Hope the sun is shining in Oslo and Hamar! Archie is off school - the second day this week , due to a nasty cold. He's practising his keyboard upstairs- selections of boogie woogie and The Entertainer. Now it's Steve Reich?



Here I am playing the Norwegian National Anthem on the multi-coloured kazoo that our Norwegian friends sent us for just such an occasion.

Soggy Old Boot

A nice photo sent by Rick Cox from Cardiff where he has kindly allowed me some space in a glass cabinet in the foyer of the Art College he works in. These are some of the "handy postcards" that I was sent several years ago which was the forerunner
of the "feet shaped postcards" project I am doing at the moment.

I can't belive that nearly a week has flown by since my last bloggage here. Where does the time go? I have been occupied with making pages for various books and booklets just lately. None of which are particularly inspired or inventive but they have made me think about putting pages together asgain after a break of a few months. One is a adaption of an assembling 'zine I used to do where I compiled a limited edition from pages sent to me through the post. This time though I've made all the pages myself. I'd forgotten how labour intensive the whole process is! Also the ink cartridge has run out of yellow so forced to used up the red and blue now. I hate waste!

Today we went to boot sale as the morning was sunny. It was over at Hartford High school, a few miles away. It wasn't as busy as it usually is mainly becasue of the threat of rain. Sure enough it did get cloudy and rained in the afternoon. I dint find much just a PC game which makes the computer crash and freeze up. Well it is the 13th today! Hazel did well- a bit pile of rusty tools including a fold up file? and some gouges and calipers etc. Archie was pleased with is 3 Red Dwarf videos for 50p each.

Bank Holiday Monday

I havent taken many photos lately so this one I grabbed from Hazel's archive she likes to clog up the hard drive with - hundreds of strange metal objects and gew-gaws like this elastic band operated twit scarer being wound up prior to putting in a book to make someone (me ) jump!

The drizzle was pretty impressive on Monday but we went to the boot sale anyway, which was over in Sutton Fields n near Frodsham. It was pretty depressing really and I didnt find much - nothing in fact. Hazel did a little better and came away with some "poppers" on a nice card and some plants.

Yesterday was collage and blogging day. I tried to get the files to upload to LULU again but with no luck. I'm seriously thinking of giving up the whole idea. I need a course in Photoshop etc. to help me with all the intricate details - it totally baffles me!

Today we went into town and did the usual charity shop tour and then to the library. Borrowed the latest Aardmann film "Flushed Away" which is CGI and not plasticine but hopefully won't be too awful. Also bought a very expensive black cartridge for the printer and in the process of printing 20 copies of the collaborative book that Roger and I did a while back and just got round to finishing off. I have made several mistakes so far and one copy is printed ontop of itself! Doh!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the colour cartridge will last, at least until I've printed the covers. Hazel is in her workshop trying to get some work done for her exhibition next year in Norway.

Over And Over Again

This gives you some idea of what a boot sale on a cloudy May day looks like though the sun did come out briefly whilst we were there. Found this film at YouTube as I hadn't time to take any photos or make my own. Its Soft Cell doing the background music. I didnt find much today despite looking through piles of old records. I got two old encyclopedias from the 30's with some nice colour plates that I will use for collage purposes. They are two badly damaged to keep whole and we have similar in better condition. Hazel got a pile of stuff - pins, needles, packets, a bowl from a cruise ship, a wooden stool etc. She went back later with her sisters and Mom. They got loads of knick-knacks. I suggested they join Knick-Knacks Anonymous as they have so many now theat they have no room for any more!

Ub Iwerks

A great Ub Iwerks animation from 1934.

Friday On My Mind

My mind is aglow with whirling nodes of transient thought. Shame I can't think of anything exciting to write about! A few days of collaging, blogging, shopping and suchlike.
Another glorious sunny and warm day yesterday but today is cooler. We went to town on Wednesday and did some shopping. I'll have to consult my dairy to see what I bought as I can't remember. It couldn't have been anything much good!

No, it was just the local paper. I sanded down the bottom of the front door and applied some candle wax to stop it's scraping. It's been driving us mad for months now. It's so much better and quieter- we should have done it ages ago!

Today another walk for exercise . Found a CD of some old BBC Radio comedy. Mail included two more "feet" and CD's from Jim in Basingstoke who phoned me yesterday to say he's send them.

Some very nostalgic smells today though not sure what or why. For some reason they reminded me of my childhood. They came and went in a fraction of a second. I tried to think what they reminded me of but no luck.

The above collage or copy of a collage is from the 80's when I first got into mail art. I used to writers on the back of it, and similar concoctions and send them to people.