Walk through the woods.

Is It Going To Rain?
Originally uploaded by wastedpapiers.

Went for a short stroll through Marbury Park this morning. Hazel was feeling like some fresh air . I think we all were. We stayed in all day yesterday. Hazel slept for most of it! Nice to get out while the sun was shining. No boot sales though - most seem to have finished now around here.
Geese gathering on the mere making a terrible racket. It sounded like hundreds from afar but once we saw them realised there was only a three or four dozen. Lots of mad seagulls too who went bonkers for the bread Archie was throwing. Afterwards did a big shop at Lidl. Half the trolley seemed to be cake and biscuits. Hazel says she needs more sugar. I bought a mouli blender - the sort you can buy in France for mashing up veg into soup. We used to make lots of soup when we lived in London but seem to have gotten out of the habit when we lost our last mouli. I expect its in one of the boxes in the kitchen cupboard that we haven't unpacked since we moved 8 years ago! We have a couple of pumpkins to carve so look forward to making some soup with the left-over bits.


It was delicious, even if i say so myself!

If It's Not One Thing It's Another

My back is a lot better so have been venturing out. Went to town the other day on the way back from dropping Archie off at his friend Jacks in Weaverham. Had almost an hour round the charity shops and library etc. Didn't find any bargains though.
Yesterday was a quiet day in with Hazel and Archie in Manchester. Archie was showing some students how to use Flash. They went to Johnny Roadhouse and bought a Capo ( clamp for the guitar neck ) and some felt plectrums for the uke. Also a kazoo for the one-man band that Archie might do in a school production of Oliver!
Today it's Hazel's turn to be poorly and she came home from college early feeling faint and very tired. She scraped the new car against the side of the house slightly when parking due no doubt to her fragile condition. Hopefully she will be better after a rest - if not it's the doc's on Monday.
A package arrived today from an old mail art contact PLG, in Germany, its was for Hazel and contained a cigar box full of odd metal bits so Hazel was cheered by this and sorted through it when she's had a nap. Inside were many bottle tops, pins, buttons, paper clips, an ancient screwdriver, a couple of badges, a brooch, a nice old pencil sharpener, pencil holders and all manner of wonders. Some will no doubt end up on her BLOG.

Tiger Balm and Heat Patches

Still suffering with a bad back though it seemed to be getting better a couple of days ago and I walked into town yesterday which probably was a mistake. Back to the heat patches which ease the discomfort a little.
Archie's old chum Jack is here today. He lives in Weaverham now so hardly ever see him. He's put on a growing spurt since we last saw him and now towers over Archie despite still being 13. They all went to Shackerly but I stayed at home to creak and groan and watch some old Glastonbury I was transferring to DVD from video.
No Boot sales today but probably just as well as I dont think I could walk very far or bend over to look through boxes of old records.

I've Done My Back In

acornerofroom2000
Originally uploaded by wastedpapiers.

I don't know how but walking in to town this morning I felt something go and I was stooped most of the way there and back again. I was hoping that walking would ease it but it just got worse. I feel a bit like a geriatric at the moment.
In town I hobbled round the usual haunts. Found two more scratchy records in the Help The Aged- A dull chinese pop record and a dreadful folk choir from Italy. Thankfully I did find something to add to the Boot sale Sounds blog- a demonstration record 7" that plays at 33 and third for Stylophone with Rolf Harris for 35 p ( no sleeve ).
Also borrowed the new Razorlight and Basement Jaxx from the library.
I made a big vegetable stew this evening for dinner with some crusty olive bread. No dumplings though much to Archie's disapointment - must get some vegetarian suet.

Running Jumping and Standing Still

The Running Jumping Standing Still Film
Uploaded by Tomsutpen

Delighted to find this on the net. Dick Lester's first film in the U.K. with the help of Peter sellers. Spike Milligan etc. and he went on to direct the fabs ofcourse and a Show Called Fred which influenced Monty Python. We used to watch it at art school back in the 60's along with other visual gems like "The History Of Nothing" by Eduardo Paolozzi and "Flintknappers" about the lost art of splitting flint into smaller bits of flint!

A Busy Saturday

Over the hills 2
Originally uploaded by wastedpapiers.

Up early for a couple of hours blogging and then walked into town for some exercise. Did the usual charity shops. Found a great pile of old records in the Help The Aged including some Fados from Portugal, Irish comedy, Brazilian samba, Hank Williams singing religious songs, "It's Trad Dad" film soundtrack from the 60's and a weird 10" LP (no sleeve) of a talk given by a german woman about a chalet!? All or some will no doubt turn up on Boot Sale Sounds in the near future. I bet you can't wait!
In the afternoon we went to the Regal to see "Open Season" which was amusing in parts but not quite in the same league as Shrek or Ice Age. We had a short chat to the manager as he tore our tickets about how sorry we were it was closing. Hazel suggested a campaign to save it but he said it was too late now. He seemed resigned to being made redundant.
Later in the evening we celebrated Archie's birthday some more with a meal out at the Bengal Dynasty which from the ouside looks like a community centre in the middle of the countryside but inside is quite posh with dozens of circular tables and semi circular alcoves, plush seating and white linen tableclothes etc. We just had the same as we normally have - a mixed vegetable dish, spicey cashewnut dumplings and bombay potatoes, rice ,poppadums and chutney and yoghurt. They try to make you order bread and extra rice but this was too much as it was and we had to leave some. We waddled home afterwards feeling very full. Archie seemed to enjoy it anyway as it was a treat he'd especially asked for.
Good news to about his animations for MTV Flux which apparently are being shown this week and his "Dancing Bear" has been used as an ident, they liked it so much. I phoned my brother-in-law and sister later to see if they got MTV Flux as part of their cable package but they said they didn't know but would look out for it.

Friday the 13th!!

It hasnt been too bad so far- touch wood, cross fingers, spit through rungs of ladder etc.
Here's Archie practising some new chords he learnt at school on the guitar. We need to get a better mike for this computer as the internal one makes it sound very tinny but you get the idea.
I ventured out to get some sawdust for Flo the rabbit as her bedding area was getting pretty stinky. I managed to avoid any black cats and ladders. Also posted a packet of photos to Jon and Sylvia - so look out for them soon you guys. You chaps. You chums.
Archie has been showing me how to get a robotic voice to sing to the tune of The Hall Of The Mountain King (or is it Peer Gynt?) any words you type into "Text Edit" and click on Speaking. It's funny for about 5 minutes.

Archie's Birthday

It was Archie's 14th birthday on Tuesday so Granma and Auntie Audrey came round after school for a slice of cake and watch him open his cards and presents. We filmed the whole thing for posterity. We have nearly all his birthdays on film in one form or another. Hopefully it will be nice for him to look back on in years to come. I wish I could see what my birthday celebrations were like when I was a baby, toddler and teenager. Modern technology makes this all possible now and we take it so much for granted. When I was growing up in the early 50's you were lucky to get snapped by a box Brownie! I dont think I have any photos of any birthdays infact and have forgotten them all now which is a shame.
We are going out to the cinema at the weekend to see "Open Season" a new animation. Followed by a curry - another late birthday treat. Sadly it may be the last time we shall go to the Regal in Northwich as it is closing down for good soon as it isn't a viable concern anymore - people would rather stay in a watch a DVD it seems. I do understand that it is quite an expensive night out especially if you buy popcorn and drinks etc. but no replacing that unique feeling of laughing or crying in an audience. Mind you, the rustling of sweetie wrappers and the chair backs being kicked during the film does get a bit annoying at times I must admit. The end of an era. Its a lovely old 30's cinema too. I feel like watching "The Last Picture Show" by Peter Bogdanovitch and getting very nostalgic about the whole thing. If only we could get some tumbleweeds to roll past the Regal in it's final moments.

Shire Horses and Squirrels

Went to the Shire Horse Centre near Tarporley today as there were no boot sales close by. Archie wanted to go in the summer again but we never got round to it. This was a special birthday treat - one of many I expect. he also wants to go and see a new animation called Open Season which looks quite amusing from the trailer viewing.
We'd been to the Shire Horse Centre before a couple of years ago and Archie enjoyed feeding the animals with bags of food you could buy from the shop but this time feeding animals was banned because a child had her fingers bitten. Health and safefy gone mad again! So Archie was a bit miffed. Also the bumpy tractor rides were only in the summer and had stopped. Another cross against them. You can never re-live those happy days of your youth it seems, even when you are fourteen!
This film is a mistake - I thought I had it on the camera still camera setting and it was on video, hence the exciting shots of our feet and mutterings.
Also saw some friendly otters and amusing baby guinea pigs climbing in the food trough. The red squirrels moved very fast so just got photos of their blurry tails and ears. Some sad foxes in a dark hut. They were too "humanised" it said and so could never be set free which seemed very unfair. Put a bit of a damper on the morning.
Drove home via the Craft centre and bought some sweets to nibble. Chocolate maggots anyone?

Friday's Footprint.

Walked into town after the rain stopped and it turned into quite a warm sunny morning before going all dark and wet and windy again in the afternoon. I took some cable and the hub with me again to try and get the ethernet sorted but the knowledgable and slightly grumpy bloke on the computer shop said I needed to change the modem as it didnt allow for any extra cables or plugs. So will have to get back to BT which we all know is a particularly daunting task as they never answer any phone calls and pass you halfway round the world several times until your hair turns white ( o dear it already has!).
Also did the usual round of charity shops and the library. I found a video of the second seris of Monty Python but when I got home discovered we already had it but with different design on cover. Another stocking filler.
Got a few little things for Archie's birthday next Tuesday including a Simpson's Comic Book ( I expect he already has that too!). Some bagels from M&S and my bag was pretty heavy. Trudged home for lunch.
Managed to reconfigure the DVD recorder back to its old settings so at least I can dub some old VHS tapes to it and reduce the pile a little. Watched a little of "One Dot TV" which C4 used to show a few years back. Experimental animation and short films by students and clever young things. It all looked very old fashioned somehow just five or six years later!
Must remember to mention the Artifact exhibition in Manchester that Hazel has some work in. Here's a LINK to her page on the website devoted to it.

Tin Toys and Freeview

Have been enjoying making short films on my new camera to upload to Treemo which is great place for all kinds of file storing and sharing. These animated tin and plastic toys make it easy for a one-man film production company as you just wind them up and let them go! weeeeeeeeeee-clunk!
Yesterday we had to return to Hazel's Mom's to put together her new fancy TV cabinet ( the TV is fancy not the cabinet!) which is one of those dreadful flat pack jobs with four pages of unitelligibble instructions written by a sadist! It took two hours to glue and dowel the whole thing together. Hazel did most of it I must admit. I was just there for moral support and to look for sprocket flange nut 35b. Anyway, to cut a long a tedious story short, Hazel managed to put it all togther and it looked better than expected but we had two screws left over! The new telly tuned itself in to all the freeview channels so that was a relief and Granma was very happy. We got given the old Freeview box to try and to our amazement it worked so we now have a few extra channels to flick through and say "There's nothing worth watching". Which wasn't really true as I did find a great prog about African music ( much to Hazel's annoyance as it clashed with Coronation Street) on BBC4 ( first of a 6 part series - yippee!) Browsing the listings I see there is a couple of programmes about the late great Jake Thackery on BBC 4 also at the weekend so things are looking up on the TV front.
Ray the builder eventually came back to collect the concrete mixer and wheelbarrow and promised to return to smash up the two remaining slabs and take them away.
Hazel is getting used to driving onto the front without flinching when she gets near the bay window and the neighbours have been parking well away from the dropped kerb so no problems there as yet.

Conkers and Ethernet Hubs

Walked into town after the rain had stopped to pick up a couple of conkers that had blown down in the night. Also went to buy some ethernet cable to try and get the PC online. Wasn't really sure what sort I needed so a bit of a stab in the dark. Learnt from experiance that the idiots in the computer shop have no idea so didn't ask them for advice after the "wireless" fiasco. When I got them home I realised they would never fit the plugs we had - certainly not the USB port which is square on the router and not flat like these are. Doh! I think i will have to take them back and change them.
Not many bargains to be found. The library sale had finished.
Yesterday at the bootsale at Weaverham there was little to be had but did find a scratchy copy of 'Songs For Gay Dogs" by Paddy Roberts for 50p. I have a couple of his other LP's and they are very funny in a quiet english whimsical sort of way. This one has more risque songs but by today's standards very quaint. I put a few tracks and the amusing sleeve onto my Boot Sale Sounds blog. Also bought a ethernet hub which spurrred my interest in getting the other computer online.
I don't think Hazel or Archie bought anything - just some boxes of pansies. Audrey came along too but I don't think she was tempted by much despite the many stalls.

Shackerly Mere

Archie and toadstool
Originally uploaded by wastedpapiers.

Just back from Shackerly Mere to feed the ubiquitous ducks. We found this solitairy toadstool - Fly Aligaric? that had not yet been flattened by mad dogs or rampaging children. Archie said he would like to flatten it - the horrid boy! But maybe he just said it to annoy his grumpy Dad.
The geese , swans and ducks seemed very hungry despite it being late in the day and we imagined they had been over stuffed with stale bread all morning!
This morning I walked into town and got a few CD's from the library sale for a quid each including The Best of Blondie, The Best of Adam & the Ants and The Hits of Some Country Singer I Can't Remember The Name Of But He Was In San Quentin When Inspired By Johnny Cash When He Came To Play.
Also went to the bank and the post office.
Ray has finsihed the slab laying and it looks pretty good.


Hazel wanted to check her e-mails so had to curtail my blogging activities.
Back again. Where was I?
Also at the market found an old 1964 Silcock Farmer's Diary for 1964. It makes fascinating reading. Lots of stubs and ephemera of nasty chemicals he used on his crops and cows. Actually I think its mostly a diary farm or a dairy farm? Subtle play on words there which i hope you noticed. Iv'e just burnt my finger on the oven trying to placate a bowl of Cheesy Pasta.
So, where was I?
O yes, the diary ios full of gems such as " Cultivating silage pit bottoms to smooth down in prep. silage. Grinding four ton. Sprayed white field 26 acres of wheat with phenosaylene plus. rate of 4 pt. per 9 gallons water per acre."

Sheer poetry!

Better go and check the dinner before it explodes.

Butterfly Phenomenon!

Roger Stevens (radio) came to visit us yesterday and during a rather inspired collage session in the back room a most extraordinairy thing happened - just as he opened his mouth for yet another brilliant and pertinent witticism a few colourful butterflies came out of his mouth and flitted round our heads! It was so astonishing I had to rush upstairs and find my camera - luckily the butterflies were still there so I took this photo. Also a fly and bee emerged at some point and strange ethereal sixties type music was heard wafting on the breeze. Very odd. But things like that always happen when Roger turns up. Sadly Jilly was stuck in Manchester at the Labour Partly Conference but she phoned several times to check on the butterflies and the wasps etc. - she's obvious used to this.
Roger got held up in traffic so didnt arrive until lunchtime and afterwards we started on a curious eight page booklet on the theme of Space Travel ( or was it Spice Drivel?) Anyway, it soon took shape and Roger was churning out cut-up poems about dogs with beaks and horses with mortgages in no time. By 5 we had worn ourselves into a collaged induced stupour and had to stop. Hazel meanwhile had filmed alll this and the 3 hour DVD is available in the shops on Monday.
Roger showed Hazel his Tom Tom as they negotiated the roadways to the curry house and we had a selection of vegetarian dishes and I cooked the rice and nibbles. Jilly phoned to say she was having dinner with Tony Blair but she would much rather be with us.
Archie showed Roger his new guitar technique and Roger showed Archie some new chords he had invented.
Roger bought us some lovely gifts including some insect badges ( very appropriate!) , a poster of old record players, and a big shoebox full of ancient school's slide film in beautiful round sellotape encrusted cannisters. Not forgetting the two old Beano comics from the 80's for Archie's collection.

Yes, ducks!

Marbury - duck feeding
Originally uploaded by wastedpapiers.

Lots of ducks to feed this afternoon at Marbury. Had to get rid of all our stale bread before Roger gets here.

Earlier we had two bootsales to go to. One at Lostock School which was pretty poor - just a few stalls and nothing worth buying. Archie bought a Gorillaz CD and when we tried to play it realised it had a big scratch and jumped all over the place.
Drove to Kingsly Cricket Club for the next one which was a bit more up market out in the wilds of Cheshire. Lots of posh people getting rid of stuff so did get some bargains including a rare Lonnie Donegan EP and an LP by Burl Ives singing some childrens songs amongst other things. I don't think hazel and Archie got much though. Hazel was tempted by a snooker score board made of wood but decided she had enough bric-a-brac.
We just got into the car and driven about 100 yards before the heavens opened so good timing! The rain tipped down and the thunder rolled out and rumbled ominously until we got home.
It brightened up later and so, like I said, we went for a walk to marbury and it seemed that hundreds of others had the same idea. We found out it was a sponsered walk in aid of Muscular Distrophy. The woods were teaming with families and prams and buggies, children and dogs etc. Found some nice shiny conkers. Hazel stooped down to gather a load into her plastic bag. She drilled them all later to take into college for her students.

No Ducks Today

Simone & Garfinkle
Originally uploaded by wastedpapiers.

Just a walk into town and some early morning shopping before it got too busy. No bargains whatsoever. It was quite mild too- so much so I had to take off my jumper. Its nice to get to the end of September and not put the central heating on since May or whenever it was.
Hazel and Archie were just getting up when I got home. Hazel said she's got up hours ago and had a bath and was listening to Round The Horne on the radio- if you can believe that!
Above is a collage I made yesterday with a couple of others for possible inclusion at Scrapiteria. Also for the Girls And Guitars pool at Flickr
Hazel and Archie went out shopping later. I watched the prog. about The Fall and Mark E. Smith that was on last night. I have a soft spot fore the Fall but sometimes they are rather painful to listen to. I once saw them play live at Queen Mary's College in the Mile End Road back in the 80's - they were fantastic. Mind you, I think I was slightly tipsy at the time. I wrote to the band and got an illegible note and cassette of live gig from them which really amazed me - what other band would send out bootleg tapes to their fans!
Got a couple of interesting CD's in the post from the Exoticaring Group - James Brown's Intros. and some wonderful calypso from the 50's and 60's.
I made a prawn curry tonight which was excellent though I say so myself and we watched Men In Black again on BBC 1.

Family Snaps

barbmikjohn&dee
Originally uploaded by wastedpapiers.

Here's an old one with my sisters and brother at Gravesend in Kent with the British Fleet massing in the background. Just got a surprise phone call from my little brother John who has just found my blog and wants a name check. So there you are Bruv, not just a name check but a dubious family photo- cheesy grins all round!
Not sure why we are in Kent but maybe went to see Uncle Bill who lived in Tonbridge? Or just a day trip that went horribly wrong when we got on the train to Southend and ended up here by mistake! Who knows.
This morning I walked into town and did some shopping and did the usual snoop around the charity shops. Found a video of Jabberwocky which was Terry Gilliam's first feature after Monty Python I think? Also two badminton rackets that I discovered were ancient wooden ones and not the fibre-glass ones that Archie craves. So what do you want for two quid?! I guess we'll have to re-cycle them or turn them into fly swatters.

Double Boot Joy

The first boot today was at Hartford High School which isnt all that far - twenty minute drive, if that. Quite well publicised so very packed and cars spilling over into smaller carparks. Luckliy we found a parking space. I found some scratchy records- a 4 LP boxed set of George Formby (Hazel rolls eyes heavenward) I was very chuffed with - also a folk group called Fiddler's Dram who had a small hit in the 80's called "The Road To Bangor". Also an LP by a scottish chap called Will Fyffe from the 30's or 40's. I expect they will all end up at Boot Sale Sounds very soon.
Hazel didnt seem to get much - a box of pansies and a packet of pins? Archie didn't find much either- two lego skeletons. He produced them from his pocket and said "Oh no, they've died!"
We went home for some breakfast and Audrey phoned to say there was another boot sale at Witton Albion F.C. so we went over there too but it was almost time to pack up . I found a video , still in it's wrapper ( but no box) of BladeRunner ( the directors cut) for a quid. I don't think I've ever seen the directors cut so it will be nice to see it again and Archie might be old enough to enjoy it now.

Have a good weekend!

English garden
Originally uploaded by wastedpapiers.

Hope the jet lag has eased off a bit now Jonathan and Sylvia. Glad you got home o.k. Here you are in our leafy oasis. Mind those apples! Crunch!
Yesterday Hazel drove us over to the Retail Village at Cheshire Oaks which sounds very quaint but is just a big circlular outdoor mall with a huge carpark in the middle. Tons of shops with boring clothes in so Hazel was having a great time popping in them to buy stuff but I wandered about looking lost and bewildered and wondering why I'd come. Found a Virgin record and DVD shop which had a sale on but most of the cheap stuff was rubbish you'd find at a boot sale for 50p- they wanted a fiver for it! So I didnt get anything. Got lost on way home and nearly came to blows when Hazel ignored my half -hearted directions and turned right onto the road that goes to North Wales instead of the road that goes somewhere else! We were on the big road to Wrexham and manged to turn off thankfully at some pretty village - Piflington , Pulpinton? Anyway got sucked back into Chester again and thankfully found the circular road that leads to Northwich after a 30 minute detour. So it could have been worse. We could be in Wrexham though I'm sure it';s a very nice place.
Hazel is even more determined to get a Sat Nav system now!
What else? Maybe the last boot sale of the year tomorrow at Hartford so hopefully this fine weather will continue.
I'm off to town in a mo' to checkout the library sale and the charity shops. Get the papers etc.
Over and out.

Test Post

I just want to see what this looks like here.