random place of mind

long time no post......

2009-08-22T22:33:00.004+01:00

I am not even going to look at when I or Sunny last posted as I know it is an age away.

Apologies for this... life is far to packed to the brim for both of us. Sunny is being creative as ever and juggling a zillion paid jobs and I am just becoming a deadline task orientated wage slave... this will never do!!

However, light is on the horizon ..... both Sunny and I are joining with some other lovely folk to exhibit some of our photographs in Ledbury, Hereford.

The exhibition is by 'Snapzology' organised by Ed... and the theme is music.

mmmm getting my thinking cap on as I am not off to any gigs in the near future... we have an electric guitar in the house oh and xylophone... there maybe a recorder, some castanettes and a drum somewhere .....

Will keep you posted :-)

Shrimping around

2009-06-16T22:10:00.006+01:00

I have been rooting around on my SD cards since the death of my computer a few weeks ago and came across these photos I took last year.

Being brought up on the NW coast of England these guys were commonplace as I trotted down to the beach as a teenager.... the shrimper vehicles. Southport shrimps are to die for, so very tasty... a regional delicacy.

This is my favourite place to walk the dog these days. It is not popular with the locals as it has been given over to nature and the sands have almost gone.

but the vehicles that go out in season into the Irish Sea to catch their booty are beautiful in a quirky kind of way.. they are battered and worn and patched up to go out and do it again & again & again...

Also loving the local signs that have been put up .. no 'cockling' etc

However much I am loving where I stroll and love potted shrimps I was no way tempted by this load of discarded lot.. although the pup was straining at the leash!!

extensions are good.......

2009-04-27T14:32:00.005+01:00

Today I should have been doing a there and back trip to Hereford to attend 'dismantle day'

Yes how quickly have the 6 weeks passed and the 'Unsung Heroes' exhibition had run its course. At a late hour the Gallery asked if we could extend the exhibition a further 2 weeks ....... fantastic. It is great for us exhibitors and very good for the gallery that would have been empty for 2 weeks!!

Personally I am particularly pleased as I have a tooth abscess from hell and the drive down there would have been so difficult if not impossible ... plus after all the lovely warm, dry spring weather we have had it hurled it down this morning ... so not the makings of a pleasant drive at all.

Met up with my friend 'H' this weekend, she accompanied down to Hereford to set my exhibits up. She gave me a lovely selection of photos she took at that time. You can check out some more of 'H's' photos here

In fact the weather this morning reminded me how it rained buckets the day we set the exhibition up hence the really bad hair do!!!

I took the photos to show my family .... suddenly there were roars of laughter from my 2 brothers and cousin.... what were they laughing at ??

It turns out it was this photo

Apparently it reminded them of these creatures ... and they think I have an imagination lol

product testing .. ..sunny's review........

2009-04-17T22:36:00.005+01:00

Sunny was asked to test out some products by the team at FuelMyBlog.
As Sunny gets a bit stunned here and there with 21st Century technology ... plus her computer is older and slower than mine (I didn't think that was technologically possible) I agreed to post the review for her.

The products were from Aveeno by Johnson and Johnson

Aveeno Cream

The cream was a strange one, as there were occasional grains in the product, which was disconcerting. This was its main fault, as it wasn't labelled as having exfoliating qualities so made me feel they were grains who had sneaked in there.
The cream was effective on the drier parts of my legs and shins and seemed to be heavy enough to stay put and carry on moisturising. I did like the non perfume aspect and weight of the cream though.

Aveeno 24hour Moisturising Lotion

The lotion sank into my skin and was absorbed quickly which was good and importantly is wasn't sticky or claggy in any way. I liked the fact it was unperformed and seemed to be fine on my skin which is sensitive so I was happy with that. It didn't offer any particular attributes that would sway me away from the current products I use however.

Aveeno Bath Powder

It was daunting to sprinkle the product into the bath, I was dubious when the package recommended to sprinkle under fast running water - as my tap water is a slow running supply. The powder thankfully seemed to become absorbed into the water, but looked very unappealing.

I was worried that the powder would clog up the dra ins. The bath looked liked a Victorian water tub, dank and murky but I did tentatively step in.

All that aside, it was a nice relaxing bath, the water was softened, and I happily splashed around. I made sure my hair was cleaned with fresh tap water though, as I did wonder how much of the product would stick to my hair.
I didn't notice a huge difference in my skin when I dried myself after my bath though.

I was relieved that the bath wasn't coated in a muddy mess after the water drained away, it just simply needed to be rinsed.

Package Design

I didn't find the design on the packaging nor the product name Aveeno appealing.
There wasn't enough product information on the label and I didn't like the list of foreign writing on the front or reverse as it took up much of the packaging space so added nothing to the overall design.
I did, however, like the oatmeal colour background colour and botanical illustration, but not the chosen type face or the green heavy block of colour.

review by Sunny

liverpool in the spring ....

2009-04-01T19:31:00.010+01:00

Whilst strolling from the station to our Liverpool office I spotted this.... not difficult to miss as it is huge. Apparently it has been on Paradise Street since November, but I have not been over that way since the summer.

It is a Pillar of Friendship and is spectacular.

Under the leadership of master smiths from nine countries, 300 blacksmiths from all over the world worked together to forge the 15 separate pieces that make up the pillar.

This is a blog entry from one of the blacksmiths ... Adrian Wood. This is his designed piece.
What a buzz that must have been to work on something like this

As I approached the dock area I notice these structures dated in the 1850s. They stand opposite the road where my ancestors settled after they cam over from Ireland in the early 1850s. They would have stood at one stage looking at these as I did this last week. It was a starnge feeling.
It passed through my mind what they would think of the regeneration and the fact that these massive trading warehouses are now apartments.... my ancestors lived about 15 to a house back then with no sanitation .....

Another place I managed to visit this last month was Sefton Park. A huge favourite of mine and I have happy memories of playing there as a kid.
The park is undergoing a transformation, the lake has been drained and the statue of Eros is back after a long absence as is the bandstand.

My favourite part of the park has a lways been the Palm House and this was renovated a few years ago now.

These images just had to be solarised... I love the way it has picked up the bird in the photo on the right

The Park was opened in 1872 another area where my ancestors would have strolled around too.

my gt aunt & uncle Sefton Park C1930

who said it was grim oop North ?........

2009-03-20T21:15:00.004Z

Images that have struck me this week ... just look at that sky!!

Oh and a cat that wants attention

& here's sunny..............

2009-03-12T00:18:00.006Z

And this is in my lounge....... thank you Sunny :-)
Love your new web page

2009-03-10T22:37:00.002Z

Sunny takes her time in finding the 'On' button on any bit of machinery...so to get her posting on is a miraculous event.
But, what the wonderful 'Slide' show by our friend Random friend doesn't show, is the other unedited pictures that were taken AFTER the private view....the question is will they be the other slide show...

2009-03-08T18:48:00.002Z

Unsung Heroes was a heroic success!!! All eleven artists came up trumphs with a really brilliant variety of work celebrating their chosen 'heroes'.....not only interesting but beautifully crafted. And the cabinets of altered books by our 'Random place of mind' friend surpassed herself, with a wonderful, crazy, suprising and best of all sincere, collection of Book Art. Well done, and watch as a path is etched to the Courtyard in Hereford (..the land that time forgot), of folk who come to see your exhibition.
Double Hurray...

all done and ready to go .....

2009-03-02T22:46:00.007Z

Keeping the Home Fires Burning

Virtual Reality Camaraderie

Unsung Ancestors

Natural as Nature does

Invention -v- Time

Adventure Exploration

Before After

No going back now... setting up the exhibition tomorrow .. so hopefully I will have some photos to show how we all got on

original bookart ........

2009-02-26T21:27:00.009Z

I was here on Wednesday

at a conference. It was actually a very good conference as I didn't start to drop off to sleep until about 5 minutes from the close ... result.

The best of it all was the location The British Library. What a joy!

The only downside was I had merely 30 minutes (during the lunch break) to explore its wonders.
The library contains some 150 million items which includes 25 million books and a glass tower in the centre which houses 65,000 printed volumes along with other pamphlets, manuscripts and maps collected by King George III between 1763 and 1820. A truely magical place.

I wandered in awe aimlessly for about 10 minutes then headed into one of the rooms (not sure what it was called now) ... but it housed books and maps obviously from times gone by.. I saw the writings of Shakespeare, Captain Cook, King Henry VI, Florence Nightingale and Leonardo de Vinci; original music manuscripts of Beethoven, Purcell and Mozart; and beautiful maps from around the world drawn when everyone thought the world was flat.

I had that same warm custard in your belly feeling as I did when I saw my gt-gt Grandfathers signature from 1835 in a birth register in Morlaix, seeing these great works for the first time..

wow this is interesting as I have been surfing around for images etc ... Canterbury Tales on the net .. do take a look

Anyway piece 4 is now complete and I think piece 5 will be done today and 6 done by tomorrow

3 out of 6 ain't bad ....

2009-02-13T22:37:00.004Z

with only 16 days to go before setting up the exhibition.....

finished piece 3

I love how this has turned out

2 down ...4 in the making .....

2009-02-09T23:40:00.003Z

& 20 days to go .....

[it has not photographed well]

finally.....

2009-01-31T16:44:00.005Z

I have settled on the 6 unsung heroes pieces under construction for the exhibition......

Inventors
Explorers
Nature
Keeping the home fires burning during war times
Ancestors
Bloggers

'Ancestors' is done.... 'Nature' is in stage drying (which includes miniature photographs transferred onto course Thai silk).. ... I need crocodile clips for 'bloggers' so it will light up with a 9v battery... 'war time' is also drying but needs a lot of work... 'Inventors' is in need of some harsh sticking to make it stand up (mmm? not sure how it will work out?) .... & 'Explorers' is in its very early stages........

Must think up suitable words to accompany the pieces .. I can do that sitting on the train on the way to and from work .......
Ancestors is looking a bit like this (as the book was originally 'The Echo' )

'The Echo of those gone by
Those who were once was..
Their thoughts, their lives
Forgotten
Relived, revealed by the hunters
Who thirst to discover their secrets '

Everything needs tweaking ... including me lol

stuffy -v- sunshine.....

2009-01-28T22:34:00.006Z

No contest (of course!)

After being cooped up in a hot, tiresome classroom all day there was nothing left to do when the question was asked 'does anyone have any question?' but to keep as quiet as a mouse and exit as fast as humanly possible.
The sun was shining, the air was fresh and clear and I was in my home city .... Liverpool.

This is the new Liverpool Museum .. I can't wait for it to open

Reflections in reverse

The magnificent St. Georges Hall as the sun started to set

I love this one where the sun has decided to stop .. & if you look closely there is a ghostly image of the Radio City Tower in the top left

work in progress ...

2009-01-19T22:50:00.005Z

6 weeks and counting to..... here

& only two pieces in progress

On a cold and frosty morning...

2009-01-10T16:17:00.005Z

Despite the rather cool nip in the air this morning, I decided to take myself, pup and camera to a park I have not visited in a long old while.
Wythenshawe Park.

In the centre of the park is Wythenshawe Hall built C1540. It is rumoured that there was an original building there before it, built in the 1300s but it burnt down.

Following the English Civil War the Wythenshawe estate increased to 2,500 acres. Today it sits in just 250 acres after the owner bowed to pressure from Manchester Council in 1926 and sold it to them as the council needed land. The land was then used to build one of Europes largest housing estates. I will say nothing much about Wythenshawe estate except it has an awful reputation for crime and poor housing

It was beautiful walk though.........

A couple of altered images from today

just playing.........

2008-12-22T18:52:00.004Z

december perfection .......

2008-12-06T22:13:00.006Z

After long old days living under an umbrella that is a balance between Blade Runner (as in grim skies) and Ice Age (as in soo cold) .. the sun shone today .. how perfect was that??

london today......

2008-12-03T20:49:00.006Z

The British Police ready for anything .. arms folded of course

I never realised Nelson had a 'Camel foot??'

times gone by...

2008-11-23T21:26:00.005Z

It is strange as you get older how your mind set changes. Stuff that never interested you now suddenly does become strangely interesting. No I have not become a train spotter or a 'twitcher' .. although I must spill the beans on Sunny that she has bought some binoculars for that very purpose.

My realisation that I am suddenly a middle aged grown up, is this love of History that has hit me. I must confess I hated History with a passion at school and dropped it at the first opportunity (took Geography instead as an O' level option).

I have been researching my family tree for years now and I am stuck around 1795 in Warrington on one side and circa 1800 on the other side. Pleased to say that I descend from an educated lot as there are very few 'X' marks the spot on certificates.

Through my research I have been fascinated by the Victorian era, my grand parents were all born in Victoria's reign and what a different world that was to now. I so wish I had an interest in history when they were still alive and I could have quizzed them what it was like before electricity, fast cars, fast food, washing machines, sanitation (I bought a book about Victorian sanitation reform from a Charity Shop the other week... eewwww it is a wonder that any of us are here today, shows just how resiliant the human race is) and mobile phones.

But this week my history head hasbeen turned further back.
My niece told me about series of books about a lawyer come detective in Henry VIII's England written by C.J. Sansom.

I am a fan of C.J after reading 'Winter in Madrid' set in the Spanish Civil War. A superb read but I thought C.J. was a one hit wonder, how wrong was I?

She had bought 3 of his latest books and due to her studying for her degree has given them to me to read first so she is not distracted.
The first one I have read is 'Dark Fire', I think I should have read 'Dissolution' first but it wasn't one of the 3 she had bought (will add this to the collection when I return the books).

Dark Fire beautifully depicts London in 1540 and the fall of Cromwell, with a feasable fictional element. The research C.J. did is excellent, the whole book brings to life the smells, the sounds and the times of Tudor England.

As Shardlake (the main character) is a lawyer there is tremendous insight into how criminals faced trials back then. If you were the accused and didn't plead in court you were to suffer piene forte et dure, basically you lay on your stomach with a board on your back and heavy weights were placed on it until you made a plea or died. Very brual indeed with the smallest of crimes often leading to a public hanging

Things hadn't changed some 300 years later. I came across this entry at the National Archives when looking to see if any of my ancestors were criminals .. this girl was called Mary Ann

Age:	21
Place of Birth:	Lambeth
Place/Court of conviction:	Southwark
Offence:	Simple larceny: stealing a shawl
Sentence:	2 calendar months hard labour

Date

1873 May 24

on days like this......

2008-11-14T17:05:00.011Z

Wednesday this week in the North West of England saw a glorious autumn day. Who would have believed a day like this could be possible this late on in the year after the most awful summer we had.

So armed with only the puppy and a camera I headed off to the park

It was so peaceful and so colourful

There used to a big hall that sat in the park. The hall was built during the reign of Elizabeth I and was described in 1831 as 'characterized by substantial comfort, rather than by elegance'. Not sure when it was demolished but it was within the last 80 years.

These trees stand in lines and looking at them I suspect they lined the carriage way up to the hall. Just look at the colour of that sky!

I would so love to think that these old trees have seen all those seasons coming and going since Elizabethan times. They are so gnarly there are faces contained in the bark

Well this one certainly does!!

stranger things happen at sea.....

2008-11-09T15:46:00.003Z

and in blogsphere.....

What I thought was a streak of madness on my part, I submitted Random Place of Mind to the World Blog Council for review and approval.

I suppose the approval bit was not at the forefront of my mind at the time as 'random is as random does'... but I do intend to put forward a piece of work in the forthcoming 'Unsung Heroes' exhibition and thought I better see if I could indeed get approval from these important 'weblog experts' should my work come under any close scrutiny next year.

Well a few days ago I got the long awaited decision. I hestitated in opening the email just in case we girls had failed at the first hurdle.

Blow me down.... we got the green stamp of approval, a certificate and the groovy icon thing for our sidebar.

"your internet weblog has undergone stringent review from our panel of internationally acclaimed internet weblog experts. After careful deliberation and several large brandies they have concluded that your blog not only exists but should warrant approval from our panel of internationally acclaimed internet weblog experts."

Please do click here to see the review done by the lovely Ms. Tutt... plus if the urge takes you, you could drop a vote in there for us!!

Thank you WBC and I hope the Colonel's gout clears up soon....

a day in history........

2008-11-06T22:02:00.006Z

A bit late in the day but 'better late than never' in my book.

I has come to the random gals attention that someone is celebrating a BIG old birthday.

no it isn't Prince Charles the next King of all that is Britain......although he is only a mere 8 days younger than this birthday person

This guy is celebrating too although a year younger

the only person that I can find born the same day as this birthday person is Glenn Frey vocalist from the Eagles

Quite apt really ... Happy Birthday Daddy Papersurfer... Take it Easy on your special day

from the Random gals xx

no pressure....

2008-10-28T23:34:00.005Z

No matter how old you get you still experience 'first times'.

As you grow there are your first steps, first teeth, first kiss, first love, first job, first hot curry, first breath of warm air as you step off a plane in a hot country, the first time you smell a fragrant flower......

I am about to experience a first next year.
My first art exhibition.

It has been in the planning for a good old while and now it is really going to happen......
The rooms are booked, the cabinet to display my work is reserved ... except I don't have any work yet, because it is still in 'the planning'.

The ideas are in my head and on scraps of paper that litter my computer area... as I get inspired I write a memory jogger...

The theme is 'Unsung Heroes'
& one of my scraps of paper simply says 'bloggers'

a dusty old friend.....

2008-10-22T20:34:00.006+01:00

I came across an old friend a couple of weeks ago.

We were first introduced in the early 80s through my boyfriend at the time. This old friend & I had some great times together but have not seen him for years . You know how it goes.... we travel through life, have new adventures, find new friends and lose touch with old ones.

It must be at least 15 years since I have seen him and when we met up again I found he had not changed a bit only got dustier oh yes he did seem a bit heavier than I had remembered........

Meet Zenit EM my first 'real' camera..............

Can you believe he weighs a kilo? He is cumbersome but did take some great photos at the time. He went everywhere with me holidays, motor racing .. Zenit was my constant companion.

No fancy camera bags them days just a nap sack from the Army & Navy Stores

I do feel so awful neglecting him (he photographed my life for about 10 years) so I started to clean him up ... snagged a clasp at the side and the back flew open........ low and behold he had a film inside him.
If the film hasn't decayed after all these years being in Zenit in the loft then I reckon I have blown it by opening the back... however it must be worth a couple of quid in Tesco just to see.
I will let you know how I get on...........

bring out the best china.....

2008-10-16T19:29:00.003+01:00

I defy anyone to say that they have never at one stage or another in their lives been wheeled out to visit an elderly relative.

I remember so well in my younger years being taken to visit, whether it be my Gran or Nana or Auntie, and being presented with the 'best china'.

The fine bone china was brought out like a royal event (I always used to wonder how much dust lay at the bottom of the cups!).

A small china cup on a saucer and a side plate with a slice of cake, or in my Grans case a Dundee biscuit.
You would sit there with the best china dithering, trying to balance cup and saucer and plate on your knee........trying not to drop the cup that no adult human could hook their finger through...

Then there was the tea... it was always luke warm, very milky (made with sterilised milk) and 'so weak it was a fortnight'... as my Mum describes it! The tea bag purely waved at the cup only ..It would make you gag!! But you had to drink it and when offered a second cup ..dither again between 'it may offend to refuse' and 'maybe the second cup may taste like tea out of the pot!'

After a recent experience of this whilst visiting my elderly God Mother I got to thinking ... I have just the china tea set to inflict on the youth when I am elderly.

Bought in auction in Kent a few years ago for £1..... Vale bone china.. It is very retro and bizarre..........
I will be serving 'peely wally' tea (earl grey of course) with skimmed milk (white coloured water)

from beyond the...

2008-10-11T08:00:00.000+01:00

I am a keen family historian. Yes it is another obsessive thing I am involved in.
So far I have discovered family tree direct lines back to the late 1700s, who were professors of languages in France and London, Beer and wine merchants, teachers, land owner farmers in Wales , poultry keepers, carters, and railway engine drivers.

It is quite a revelation that most of my ancestors where educated way back, as they did not put their mark as an 'X' when required to sign at marriage or as in my gg grandfathers case when living in France in 1835 to sign for the birth of one of his daughters....

I have discovered illegitimate births including my g grandmother who bears the same Christian name as me (as did her mother, mother-in-law and sister-in-law).. my she was one big problem child to find! Her mother gave birth to her and then married later someone else who brought
her daughter up as his own, and she took his name. That did take some unravelling.

Also the birth of another family member who died after being drowned in the Thames aged 5. I discovered that his 'mother' was not his mother. His mother was his 'mothers' sister who was aged 15 when she had him and then sent off to Canada for a better life, whilst her sister brought him up as her own....

So that preamble gets me to the point of this post. I spend a lot of time in cemeteries searching and photographing ancestors.
My the Victorians knew how to push the boat out when their loved ones left... handing out death cards and building huge monuments in their path.
One of the best (yet scariest) cemetery I have ventured upon was Camberwell Old Cemetery.
Part of it has been given over to nature... that is where my gg grandfather, gg grandmother, their daughter and son-in-law (son-in-law that was not married to the daughter buried there.. ).
Many people over the past 100 odd years must have planted rose trees as they had grown so wild

I visited Mitcham Cemetery recently to find one of my name sakes .. great cem.. great monuments.. my name sake had a bamboo stick to mark where she lay ....oh come on!! so I attached her photograph to the bamboo stick.. gawd a gal trussed up so good in 1860 deserves so much more than a bloody bamboo stick!

I visited the local cemetery where I used to live not long ago. I used play in there as a kid.. my teen thinks it is spooky... I think it is a magical place and holds many works of art.

and there was this grave that had this simple line

Grow young again

indian summer........

2008-09-14T23:18:00.005+01:00

Despite my 'glass back' which is giving me so much pain just now. My dear mother expected me to visit her yesterday.

When I arrived I realised she wanted me there so she could fuss around me, cook for me and hope to make the pain go away........ the long journey was so worth it and appreciated.

She is in her late 70s and can't travel to me, so the way she sees it is that I go to her (despite cringing as I 'folded' myself into the car, after getting the pup in and delivering my teen to her dad's ... propped up and in no pain until I attempted to 'unpeel' myself out of the car again)

The sun was shining and I was at the sea side..... so I 'folded' myself back in the car and drove us down to the beach.......... Oh I am so glad I did.
We walked along the shore, getting our feet wet in the puddles left after the sea had retreated. My 70 years plus mum walked faster than me (which did her soul so much good), my niece ran with my pup (which did the pups soul good and my nieces too, she said how alive she felt running along the shore) and I watched all this (which made my soul leap)

random is as random does.......

2008-09-12T22:34:00.005+01:00

As you may or not know..... I am laid up with a slipped/ prolapsed / herniated disc (what ever term they give it as the 3 decades have gone by... but by jove it still hurts the same like nothing you could ever imagine!).
In all innocence I was getting dressed to go to work yesterday and without any warning 'KA POW'.. that elastic band snapping between lower vertebrae happened. I didn't hit the floor this time so I think it maybe only 2 weeks recovery instead of 12 off work (well I bloody well hope so)

hey ho C'est la vie!!

As I am off I thought I would sort out this old groaning computer... but as ever whether I am sorting my loft or bookcase I get distracted.. I am so like Dory out of 'Finding Nemo'.

I came across a load of postcards I had scanned ages ago and thought 'my god how boring are some of these?'
So here we go ..... why would you ever send these to any one??

c'est la vie.........

2008-09-08T21:15:00.006+01:00

I hadn't planned to post tonight.
But after a long old conversion with my 77 year old Mum tonight I felt I must.
My parents produced a family of 3 children. I am the last of the 3.

Our dad died very unexpectedly when I was 5 (sibling bro's were 7 & 11)
It would seem so many years later that the sibling 7 has issues with his child hood.
I being how I am have tried to explain (rightly or wrongly) to my mum the 'middle child' concept.
He sees it as the eldest Bro was favoured and I as a girl was also favoured and he missed out! Granny didn't help as she would give £1 to me and elder Bro but 5 shillings to middle Bro ... none of this I remember at all.. nor do I feel any advantage of being the only girl.. I am just part of the family..

My Mum, in her dotage, is now calling into question how she treated him/us, and I know she always treated us the same, she had enough love for all of us despite being widowed at 36 and in such despair ( but I must say I have learned the wrath to live with from elder Bro was 'such a one' & 'wayward'!)

It is not good for her now to start beating herself what she did, why she did what she did, what decisions she made ... god she was in such a haze I would never wish to imagine.

My dad came home from work on a Friday night then went out collecting 'pool coupons' (as he did to support his young family) .. came home inexplicably early with a raging headache and collapsed. The ambulance was called .. he had had a stroke aged 44 years. (my mum had folk calling around with money for their pools that dad had not collected so she then spent the night into the early hours sorting this out ... she was concerned in case someone may have won .. that is my Mum.. I how I am would have told them to 'go away' but not so politely... but not Mum)

My Dad ...he died on the Sunday.

Mum was all over the place (as you would expect) she took advice from neighbours and relatives and acted on it on auto pilot...... I was 5 years old and was told 'your Dad this morning, go to church, don't cry as Granny doesn't know yet!' ..she was told 'don't bury him it will cost too much' etc etc
On advice I was not allowed to go to the funeral or cremation.

For years I looked out of the front room window looking for my Dad to come home & he never did.........
It was only a few years ago that I accepted he had died when I saw the entry in the crematorium register from 1967. I don't blame Mum in the slightest ( I have told her this tonight) .. it was what was done best at that time

I dealt with it then but this today I am dealing with something new the honesty of grief from my Mother (my cousin told me how my mother would cry herself to sleep .. but put that at the back of my mind as it was 3rd party) who has never, ever opened up to me until today & why she did what she did at the time, my mother has just entrusted me .... & I am weeping so much now at her honesty... but maybe now I can now help my brother .........

(this is the only photograph I have of my dad and me)

god I have an important meeting tomorrow & am so going to look like a red eyed frog!!

la princess.........

2008-09-07T19:33:00.017+01:00

Liverpool. this weekend, was visited by 'La Princess' a 50 foot robotic spider.

I can safely say that I would never have named a spider 'princess'! In our house spiders are usually called 'Oh My God' or simply 'arghhhh!'

It is all part of my city's accolade of being European City of Culture this year.. there are some great photos on their flickr site of some of the events that have gone on this summer.

Yesterday, my friends, my teen and I went to pay La Princess a visit

The weather was not what you call brilliant but hey what do we expect in the UK ... sunshine?? That would be a first !!!
We wandered down from Lime Street station

winding our way down to the Cunard Building on Liverpool's waterfront...... there are some great buildings around my city.... such impressive architecture.

Also noticeable are the images on buildings which remind us of the 'dirty wealth' that paid to build these magnificent monuments so long ago

Down on the waterfront is where we got our first glimpse of the 50ft spider... she was sleeping with a layer of snow that had soothed her to sleep the night before.

My did it rain then .............

We knew that she would be doing a tour of the city later in the afternoon so we strolled about the city, visiting Mathew Street and grabbed some lunch

We decided to pitch our camp on Lord Street up towards Derby Square to get a good view of the princess on her walkabout. My oh my it was busy ....

& then she appeared amongst gallons of water being sprayed into the awaiting crowds... it didn't bother anyone as we were all soaked anyway...

I love these guys they look like little model men

& there she was gone followed by her orchestra and many fans

just my luck............

2008-09-04T23:23:00.003+01:00

If I could say that in French I would .. as it would sound so much better.

A long old while ago I posted this pure magic of human creation. I was so in awe at its presence.

I got a 'whiff' that it maybe coming to Liverpool as part of the City of Culture 08 celebrations... and my sources weren't wrong. Indeed the chap and chapesses have arrived with their creation to ignite Liverpool's streets.

I have waited... I have researched.. I have wondered what magic is to bestowed on us?.......

Then I learned what the creation was that would wade through the streets of my home city..... it is bloody spider!!!!!

WTF.............. did nobody tell them I have arachnophobia ???
There is this mechanical spider beast awaiting me.

I will go and I will face my fear .. but I did so hope for a tiger or some such other animal, maybe a mere cat? .. instead it is an insect .. c'est la vie ;-)
I do have 'inside' information and the show does look 'tres' fabulous

I will let you know how fabulous it is .. do visit their web page it is great :-)

Booksong..........

2008-08-22T19:13:00.007+01:00

I saw this list on Bill Blunt's blog and thought

'mmm? Interesting!'

I love books and take after my father for that. The thought of throwing books away fills me with sadness. I have attempted to do this in the past and not succeeded.

Thankfully my niece is a bookworm too so I can pass them on to her now.

I have banned myself from going to the enormous Waterstones in Manchester as it like entering a time warp.... suddenly 2 hours have passed and I only went into get a specific book.

So back to the list. Apparently most people have only read 6% of the top 100 books on this list compiled from BBC's Big Read. I found that astonishing. I know a lot of the books listed are oldie books now but certainly in my youth, at school and beyond, I read them with pleasure. There are also some excellent books not on there that I would gladly put in the top 100 such as Engelby~ Sebastian Faulkes, Winter in Madrid ~ C.J. Sansom & The Russian Concubine ~ Kate Furnivall... I could add more but I won't.......

However, here are the instructions

1) Look at the list and embolden those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Books you love change to highlighted in blue
4) The books you have no intention of ever reading, or were forced to read at school and hated change to highlighted in red
5) Reprint this list in your own blog so we can try and track down these people who've only read 6 and force books upon them.

Some I have left with nothing denoting them as I don't know the books so don't know whether I would read them or not!!!

So, including a couple of red 'I was forced to read and hated books', I have a respectable 43% ... not as respectable as Bill's 58% however but hey!!

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien

3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling

5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

6 The Bible

7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell

9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman

10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens

11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott

12 Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller

14 Complete Works of Shakespeare

15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier

16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien

17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks

18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger

19 The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

20 Middlemarch - George Eliot

21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell

22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald

23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens

24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy

25 The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh

27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame

31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens

33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis

34 Emma - Jane Austen

35 Persuasion - Jane Austen

36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis

37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

38 Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres

39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne

41 Animal Farm - George Orwell

42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving

45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery

47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy

48 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding

50 Atonement - Ian McEwan

51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel

52 Dune - Frank Herbert

53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons

54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth

56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon

60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov

63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt

64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas

66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac

67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

68 Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding

69 Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie

70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville

71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens

72 Dracula - Bram Stoker

73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson

75 Ulysses - James Joyce

76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome

78 Germinal - Emile Zola

79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray

80 Possession - AS Byatt

81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker

84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro

85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert

86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

87 Charlotte's Web - EB White

88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Alborn

89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton

91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery

93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks

94 Watership Down - Richard Adams

95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole

96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute

97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas

98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare

99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

what is happening out there?.........................

2008-08-06T22:25:00.003+01:00

This is the World Clock................ it does come with some 'rider's' with it but it is amazing all the same!
almost 6.7 bn people
80m births to 34 m deaths (mm the balance is out of hand here )

25m cars produced, 65 m bikes and 50m computers
wow there are 1.1 bn internet users .. how cool

but scarily to keep this growth going there is over $ 720bn invested in the miiltary

must venture deeper into this website!!

symbiosis?......

2008-07-31T21:41:00.004+01:00

This photograph captures a most mutually beneficial relationship

But note to the left..... it is a pharmacy.. 'so the drugs don't work!!'.... and to the right a newsagent where folk can check out your obituary!!

Neat hey??

hey hey 'tis summer.......

2008-07-29T22:42:00.004+01:00

I am aghast! We have had 3 days uninterrupted sun.
In the UK up North this is certainly a result. Sad as it may seem but each sunny day is cherished and remebered.
A few weeks ago I visited the Manchester Science Museum and witnessed a 'talk' (along side a league of different nations) about the Manchester cotton trade in the 1800s.
This area was ideal for spinning cotton as it was so damp apparently!!
Gosh why didn't I know this before I bought my house here and settled in the area??

Yesterday, I ventured back home to Southport and spent a great few hours on the beach there. The sun shone hard and the sea?? Well the sea was absent. I had quite forgotten this,as in the summer months the tide goes so far out you can't even see it.

We walked .. under the Pier and beyond and still we could not see the sea.

down in the tube station at..............

2008-07-27T21:43:00.004+01:00

I am not a lover of the tube.
I prefer my feet on the ground and not below or above the ground for that matter!

But I had to travel on the London Tube system and my eye was caught...... some great sights on 'click, walk, click'

click, walk, click.. london style....

2008-07-25T23:33:00.005+01:00

Point, click & walk with just a bit of resizing and cropping

What did I miss up there?
horses behind lol

lust for london...

2008-07-24T21:33:00.019+01:00

I was in London yesterday.
My meeting was for one hour but I did a 10 hour day!!!
I love visiting our capital but it is only these days on a day trip as the train can get me there in a little over 2 hours.

I took my camera and did a walk, click, walk.
But that can wait for another blog or two.

Our London offices are nestled in Whitehall a stones throw from Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament but most importantly 10 minutes from the National Gallery.

I have not been there since I was a teenager, nor have I had time to pop in on other trips to London. As I had 1 1/2 hours to spare before my train I thought 'why not?'

The gallery was packed and it didn't strike me for ages, until I heard another UK English voice just how many foreign tourists were there. Many Japanese, French, Spanish etc and so many Americans (which I thought unusual due to the state of the $ to the £ just now).

My first 'oo' 'ah' there was Cezannes ~ 'Bathers'. Love the simplicity yet depth of this painting

Then dear Van Gogh and his 'Chair' & 'Sunflowers' 'Sunset in Wheat Fields'.. how we had to draw 'The Chair' in that style aged 16.

Some great Lautrec's ...

Moroni ~Portrait of a Lady ('La Dama in Rosso')

How sumptuous is that fabric on her dress?

Dirck van Delen from 1634 and Architectural Fantasy.. simply wonderful in composition & imagination!

Rembrandts 'Anna and the Blind Tobit'

Rubens 'Minerva Protects Pax from Mars'

Velazquelez ~ The Toilet of Venus' an odd title, love this along with a contemporary postcard 'Life imagining art!'

Drouais ~ 'Madame de Pompadour' sensational. the lover of Louis XV (15th).. no image I could find could depict the fineness of the fabric and lace on her dress.. it is exquisite and like a real life image or photograph.. had my nose pressed up to her skirts!!

Loved this image of 'Antoine Paris' by Hyacinthe Rigaud. (oh not a woman painter but a man!) how contemporary is this guys face (not his dress or hair) in comparison to other portraits in the 1700s?

But finally I gazed on a painting I have admired for many years, having it hung in my bathroom...

Georges Seurat, ~ Bathers at Asnieres.

I hadn't realised just how large it is? Approx 5ft x 8ft.. and even more sensational live :-)

Ahh! My inner soul is recharged again :-D

Our body's what more do we need?...

2008-07-20T23:57:00.000+01:00

My mate Krees has not been convinced to start a blog... he says he would lose interest after a few posts .... but has allowed me access to a load of photos that he has taken (and I must say they are fabulous)

I have always been acutely aware of body language. As much as we try to disguise it, the real me/you comes out. It tells a wealth of information. The folded arms means you are not comfortable in the situation you are in so you choose to protect you body. The flight or fight when your face reddens, your body naturally pumps with adrenalin for the fight or maybe the 'get on your heels and run away'. This part I really had to recognise in my former job... was he/she about to run or punch me square in???

There are also the comforts you adapt when faced with talking to huge room of strangers (if you look at Prince Charles he always holds or touches his cuff when delivering a speech)
Mine is putting my hands behind my back and holding my hands together.

It is fascinating to watch people in public how they interact.. the formal business type meetings in public places and the flirty pick up scenarios..... we really are an exquisite species to behold.

So this brings me (albeit in a round about way) to Krees's photos. This batch are of footballers .. doing what they do ... playing, smiling and confronting .. also the crowd when there is nothing going on. How bored do they look????

This made me laugh.. a great photo for 'Spot the Ball'

bleak july......

2008-07-09T23:08:00.003+01:00

I am British.... hence I have this unwritten right to mention the weather however many times I choose to............
On the 13th July last year I posted how dismal it had been and 12 months later nothing has changed.

I walked through Manchester tonight on my way home with trousers weighing like lead weights around my legs due to the amount of rain water they had sucked up right up to my knees.
I have a hyperactive puppy who needed a walk as soon as I set foot in the house ... so I obliged (result soggy, smelly puppy and a very wet random) then a very soaked teen returned home. Central heating was switched on... for goodness sake it is July!!

One month today I will be in Madrid. I have booked some sunshine.
Well I darned well hope the booking got through??

If this is global warming then someone has missed GB totally in the equation!! We seem to have global wetting.... just typical for us Brits!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7493781.stm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?id=2613

so this is summer......

2008-07-06T19:52:00.006+01:00

In true British tradition the summer is not shaping up too well. I think I have noticed it more this last 12 months due to having a puppy.
One day last week, I took the pup out just wearing jeans and t-shirt. I just got to the very back of the field behind my house and the heavens opened. I had been watching the evil black clouds grouping over head, thinking 'wow, they are so fascinating!'

I made a run for a large group of trees and sheltered there for a bit... then the thunder & lightening started. Time to make a run for it. I cut out of the field through someones front garden (they weren't home form work yet) and legged it for home. One of my neighbours stopped his van & I thought 'awww he is going to give us a lift' ... alas no, he wound his window down and shouted 'are you completely mad??' ..... 'mmmm yes possibly' I called back.

Anyway today, so not to go stare crazy me, the teen and pup headed off to Sale Water Park.
We used to go a lot when teen was a wee one to feed the geese... until there was an incident involving a large goose & small persons mitten.

I took these photos of the pylons that straddle the park... fearsome creatures that they are. Then played about with them... to make them look even more fearsome.

I do like the way these went after a bit of warping

Normal

Dancing

Dragon

wednesday walk .........

2008-07-02T22:09:00.000+01:00

I live 5 minutes walk from the Manchester Ship Canal (aka 'The Big Ditch') but have never walked across it. (not in a biblical way ....there is a bridge and a lock)

The construction of this massive undertaking started in 1887 and took 7 years to complete. 7 years is not a long time in our books today but if you consider it was more or less just pure brawn, shovel and wheelbarrow that achieved this, it is such an achievement of human construction .. ..
At the time of it's creation it was the biggest navigational canal in the world.

I do recall from an exhibition in Ordsall Hall a Punch type cartoon about this venture, which had the investors featured as 'bafoons', 'lunatics' for investing in a mad adventure to navigate shipping from the prosperous port of Liverpool inland to Manchester using little known rivers as their guide (36 miles).
This was the largest cheque ever written at the time in 1887. The initial investment to the project.

But they did it despite the doubters (but at a cost.. of £15 million and many navigators lives)

Interestingly I have had a look at who invested back then. All the investors had a connection with an ancestor of mine (he is recorded as being a banker who invested in many canals in the North West of England in the 1800s, he was one of the first bankers in the North West - Parr's Bank) although I can find no mention of him in the construction of this canal (to date!).

Fascinatingly in 1890 they found a dug out log boat near where I live. It was made circa 1083AD (one of 13 found along the Irwell & Mersey rivers). It is made from an oak log which had been split and hollowed out. because of its description it is thought it was used to ferry turf and peat, maybe an odd person but certainly not heavy substances such as stone.

Over 100 years since it was unearthed and 925 years since it was used .. I have been lucky enough to see it

So on for my walk

focus ....

2008-06-24T22:43:00.008+01:00

I was sat in the office this afternoon, frantically trying to get a recommendation report finished in draft form. I have been researching the information for this for what seems like a life time ... but alas it has only been 12 months.
Anyway I knew I would finish the draft before the deadline of 30/06. I hit the send button to escalate it upwards and onwards up the management chain at 15.00 hours today, said 'phew!' and booked a days leave for tomorrow..............

Now the focus is I have a friend coming to stay at the weekend, have a team building day, 2 days studying, then my final exams next week..... as I was typing away today I was hit by 'OMG ... no me time for ages' hence the day off tomorrow.

I must stay focused and do a bit of this
& I must do lots of this

I must avoid this

or
and
will lose in straight sets to

2008-06-20T14:35:00.007+01:00

I consider that I am not a bad mother. I keep a good house. I work full time and have various creative projects on the go.
All in all I am busy woman.

In the early stages after divorce life was tough, one of the biggest juggling acts I have ever had to do, but on the other hand it was strangely easier too (no wet towels left on the bathroom floor, no shavings in the bathroom sink and the freedom to please myself)

The main two things I realised that my ex husband did was 1. take the bin out on a Tuesday and 2. water the plants. Not bad really.

Needless to say all the house plants died.

Imagine my horror when last year my teen announced she wanted some cacti. Oh no! Plants!
So not being a 'bad mum' I bought 6 tiny cacti from the local garden centre put them in cute little pots in the conservatory..... and that was it.

2 weeks ago I was cleaning the conservatory and getting it ready for the summer. (It is not used too much in the winter as it feels like the Antartic and in the summer like the Sahara Desert.)

I had completely forgotten about the cacti....... so imagine my surprise when I saw this

My kind of plants. What beauties!!

eye for.........

2008-06-08T23:43:00.006+01:00

I briefly mentioned here a business trip I took to Athens.
During the 2 week extravaganza I was accompanied by a great pal 'Krees'. That is how our Greek host said his name.
Krees & I have worked together off and on for about 15 years. Last week were having one of our 'chin wags' and found ourselves discussing 'the fear of heights'

Now you all well know I hate flying but I have also developed this fear of heights too. I am fine with the concept of being up there but the fear is the looking down. So to cut a long story short he sent me some photos he took from up high on the Eiffel Tower.
I asked if he would mind if I posted them and he replied 'not at all'

Quite frankly 'Krees' has a great eye for images, detail & persepctive and I think he should do a photography blog. What do you think?? It think they are fabulous.

If these didn't convince you .... have a look at these from London et Paris

& his son (11 years old) is certainly following in his footsteps with this captured shot

green is the colour...............

2008-06-05T23:59:00.000+01:00

The Wednesday hike took me and my mate and a very excitable puppy along this trail near home.
My mate is a native to these parts so she is educating me to the natural 'nooks and crannies' she explored as a child living inland (where as I am a coastal gal)

I was amazed at the natural beauty of this urban area that I have only seen a tiny bit of, and has been left to grow undisturbed
.

take the train...........

2008-05-31T21:07:00.005+01:00

I am at the stage where I am finalising my summer jaunt to the Continent. That sounds ever so sophisticated, doesn't it?

As many of you will know I just can't do the 'silver bird' bit.
I used to fly a lot but have developed this irrational fear of flying in a weighty cigar tube with wings which hurtles at some speed high above the earth eeeeewww!!

Any way this doesn't stop me from going places and this summer I am off to Madrid. & you know I just can't wait, I love that city.
The journey is by train . Manchester - London Euston, London Euston to St. Pancras, St. Pancras - Paris. I have 5 hours in Paris (fabulous, another favourite city), then Paris - Madrid on the train hotel through the night.
I have booked a first class single compartment and am looking forward to capturing the night scenes as the train rattles through stations in France and Spain. Another joy is watching the sun come up and it showing me parts of the world I have never seen before ... I am so excited.

The plan is to do a travellers sketch book of the whole journey/adventure through photographs, sketches and random momentos picked up en route.

As I am thinking about the sketch book it reminded me that I once attended a class about 'Travellers Sketchbooks' taught by my great friend and (silent ish) partner in crime on this blog - Sunny.
I have known Sunny for far too many years than we care to remember but I had never seen her teach. This will embarrass her now, but she was phenomenal, I was in awe of her teaching technique and knowledge of artistic application... I am not saying this just because she is my friend I am saying this because she IS very good!

I took small bag of photos and momentos, to the class I had gathered on a business trip to Athens and transformed them into these .....

Great fun!!

i must, i must, i must...........

2008-05-30T21:06:00.009+01:00

It is a dream come true. It is remarkable & in my home city too.

Today a special exhibition opened at one of my favourite galleries the Tate Modern.

The first comprehensive exhibition in the UK of the works of

Gustav Klimt

I have loved his work for as long as I can remember.

My father bought 5 hard backed books in the mid - late 60s that showed the different eras of art: Landmarks of the World's Art. (surfing the net I see there was one I am missing... Medieval World)
These books got me hooked on art, I would flick though them for hours on end as a child (& giggle with embarrassment at the naked people)... 40 years on they still have 'that' magic (minus the embarrassment).
Prehistoric and Primitive Man

The Classical World

The Age of Baroque

Man and The Renaissance

Then in the Modern World ... Gustav Klimt - The Kiss1911

Need I say more except I will, I must get myself over to the Tate and feast on the treasures it will reveal.

Big hairdo's in the land of the Scouser

2008-05-29T22:37:00.002+01:00

Johnathon Swift as we know was from Aint'ree.
He was used to the swirling desolute winds that blew from the salty Mersey and he composed a ditty called 'Gulliver Unravels', which orginally, is what these photographs from out learned friend, show. To stay intact in this city of culture what must have a decent barnet. If you want to get ahead get a hat, is a familiar phrase, but in Liverpool, this translates as, get a big hairdo that doesn't crumble under the windy sway from the River Merciful.

simply streets ahead.........

2008-05-25T22:22:00.007+01:00

I have had a fabulous day in my home city today.
As part of the city of culture celebrations Liverpool held the Streets Ahead Festival .
It is an elective mix of entertainment .... live shop mannequins, Angels on wheelie things, balancing acts, street hop, art and huge talent from around the world.
I was able to collect many images of the day. But what filled my heart was the sound of laughter I heard regularly and folk talking to one another which simply doesn't happen in day to day life... an intense feeling of everyone around me just simply enjoying themselves and smiling.

This act was the first thing I came across.... from Catalonia, Spain ' Osadia' the most talented artists using us humans as their canvas, transforming ordinary folk into works of art with weird hair do's. I was soooo hoping to be picked but sadly it was not the case.

Then as we strolled around we kept seeing the works of art. I wonder how they slept tonight with all that wire in their hair???

peony pleasure....

2008-05-23T21:32:00.007+01:00

My peony is out. What a fabulous vibrant flower.
Unfortunately that means just one thing............ we are in for some harsh weather.
For the whole length of time that I have inherited this beautiful plant in the garden, which I must say it is so persistent to show me what is about, (it has been dug up when new fencing was put in and replanted) it is always hard wind and rain that follows its bloom!

My advice to this flower is 'don't bother to bloom.... because as I type the rain has started battering down'

sunday by the dock........

2008-05-19T22:17:00.021+01:00

Yesterday I visited my birth city ... Liverpool
The weather wasn't that great but at least it didn't rain!

I had my camera and took some 'snaps'. Interestingly I had totally forgotten about/never used this photo programme I had bought/acquired/downloaded called PhotoImpression some time ago .

I know for many folk there is Photoshop (my computers memory just isn't big enough to take it) and many other delights that are far more advanced on the market but this has had the 'wow' factor with me. I have had so much fun.

Welcome to the Albert Dock ... a subtle but intersting change from photo to painting

The Beatles Story .. I liked this as it was

The dock depth

I do like this one as the second one shows how many lines there are in architecture .. new and old

a Customs Cutter

Interesting difference

This has to be my favourite by far

walk, click, walk .........

2008-05-16T08:11:00.015+01:00

I have described on here a few of my walking routes to the office and yesterday I chose route 3.
This is my favourite route in so I decided it was time I took a few photos, but with a difference.
The challenge was to strap the camera to my right hand, not to stop walking and 'randomly' point & click as I went along.
It was great fun -ipod in, sun shining, camera in my hand what more could I ask for?
I was amazed how well they turned out too. :-)

The pictures have only either been resized or cropped out where I see an interesting bit ..... enjoy.

The way to work>>>>>>

Castlefield and part of the Science Museum
My favourite blue post box & the Ox

SpinningFields and Manchester Civil Court of Justice

& on my way home>>>>>

at the end of this street is where they film Coronation Street. There are always folk hanging about to get a glimpse of the characters (a bit sad!!)

& into the train station

You should try this, it is great fun and don't look at what you have taken until you down load....... them

they came from the north.......

2008-05-14T23:04:00.008+01:00

It was a beautiful sunny day in city centre Manchester today. & it was the day that Glasgow Rangers played Zenit St. Petersburg in the UEFA cup final at the Eastlands stadium.

Manchester decided to open up the city to become a football stadium, with large screens set up for those who could not get match tickets.
I got on the train this morning and it was packed with blue shirted Rangers fans having their breakfast..... Tennants Extra (ewww it wasn't even 9.00 am. I believe, however, that Tesco on Market Street was selling beer at discounted prices at 6 am this morning)

As I walked to work I smiled to my self as I watched convoy upon convoy of cars pass by me all adorned with Union flags and Rangers scarves. People peeping their horns, waving and shouting.
It was all very light hearted and unusual to say the least.
I certainly had never seen so many people carrying crates of beer on their shoulders before.
It was reckoned that approximately 100,000 fans were to descend on the city.
I may not have seen 100, 000 but I could hear them through the day.

By 10.00 am Manchester was gridlocked as parts of the city's roads were sectioned off for the showing of the game.

The fans were certainly enjoying themselves and the pubs and off licenses did a roaring trade.
The photographs on here are courtesy of the Manchester Evening News On-line.
Earlier this evening I logged in to see the events of the day ... apart from 8 arrests and Tesco getting in trouble off the City Council, all seemed to be going swimmingly.

Alas not so the case a few hours later.
One of the massive screen failed to work, a Russian chap was stabbed and riot police have been out on the streets .......... why does it always seem to end this way?
It couldn't have anything to do with the 24 hour drinking could it??

Tomorrow I will walk to work, hopefully the sun will be shining but I will be kicking my way through rubbish and probably stepping over a few hung over bodies (I have also read that there is only one post match train leaving Manchester for Scotland.... don't you just love good organisation all in the name of sport!!)

what's your brew......

2008-05-11T21:46:00.007+01:00

You know I can't resist a good old book. This one I have borrowed & will have to go back into our archive library when I have done.
It is called 'The Brewing Industry' by Julian L. Baker, F.I.C., F.C.S. published in 1905.
Within it describes the history, process & 'the future prospects of the beer & ale industry in the United Kingdom'

Well we all know the future of the beer trade, it is a booming multi-million pound industry, mostly manufactured on a huge scale under laboratory like conditions. Of course there are still the independent brewers carrying on age old brewing techniques still.

In the introduction it starts with 'It is necessary to go back several thousand years to find the first mention of ale or beer. In the well- known Egyptian work entitled 'The Book of the Dead, reference is made to the preparation of an intoxicating beverage from grain'

It never fails to amaze me how things are discovered. Who would have thought to make a drink from grain, what were they accidentally doing to discover this in the first place?
Possibly it is probably as Diodous Siculus states 'wherever the vine was not found in Egypt, Osiris taught the method of preparing a corn wine from grain'
So one assumes that the early beer and ale was a substitute for wine. It would seem that humans have always had the urge to have a little tipple

Amusingly it comments in the book that this 'barley wine' was only fit for women to drink.

When the Romans invaded Britain they found that in the south us Brits drank mead, cider and ale but up north ale was unknown? But apparently the Romans did approve of the ancient Brits methods of making ale.

Ale was a common drink of the Saxons before they invaded us and by the time they did invade beer and ale was the general drink of the country, so much so some were paid in malt and ale.
Imagine that today 'can I have a pay rise?' 'oh ok you can have 12 bottle of pale ale extra a year!'

After the Norman Conquest, the national brew declined with the introduction of French wines but by the 12th Century it was back in favour & we were exporting to Europe.

Hops in brewing was well known on the Continent. In the UK the addition of hops to make a 'bitter beer' was strongly opposed and prosecutions were common place.
In 1542 Boorde's wrote ' Ale is the natural drink of Englishmen, and made of malt and water, while beer, which is composed of malt, hops and water is the natural drink of a Dutchman and of late is much used in England, to the great detriment of many Englishmen'

In the 18th Century the making of ale in country houses was a recognised duty of the housewife.
Around this time where as wealthy people brewed their own beer they found it cheaper and less troublesome to have brewers do it for them... so the industry grew.

Antisocial behaviour and drink was obviously a concern those days too.
These next two pages show the correlation that more drinking houses means less drunkardness
Is this true or false? I have no idea.

These figures in 1895 show the consumption per capita of beer. At first I thought almost 32 gallons per person was a lot ...... 256 pints ..... less than one pint a day!!!!

'No doubt the economic influences of the day, which attract large populations into limited areas, account for the increasing demand for stimulants in the form of ardent spirits. It is unfair to class beer, wine and spirits together, for their relative effects are very different on the human race. Beer and unfortified wines containing as they do but small quantities of alcohol, can be freely drunk without injury to the individual; spirits on the other hand, unless used very moderately, rapidly affect the vital powers.'

hey Julian L. Baker, F.I.C., F.C.S. you can't just leave it there ... what a bout normal wine ???

a cock stride....................

2008-05-04T23:58:00.010+01:00

I have a puppy.... well she is 13 months old now but she is still 'my puppy'.
She has her twice daily walks in the field behind my house but every Wednesday night my friend and I take her for a good 2 hour hike.

Although I have lived where I do for a good many years now I still don't know the nooks and crannies of the countryside that is a cock stride from my house. My friend does, however, as she was born here and had explored widely when she was growing up.

The lighter nights are now with us and what a joy it is to wander through the countryside in the evening sunshine after battling with inner city traffic. To watch my puppy discover horse manure for the first time and her rub her face in it like it is heaven!! [why do they do that??]

I have decided to take a few snaps of 'my Wednesday countryside' hikes, to show how green and lush the north-west of England really is .
This set are not particularly good but you get the gist I hope!
.......England's Green & Pleasant Land'

my city of culture.........

2008-04-16T20:13:00.013+01:00

As many of you may know I was born in the city of Liverpool. Famous for the Beatles, Liverpool F.C. and this year as European City of Culture.

I love the city of my birth but of recent times I am failing to recognise it with all the development work (something I have written about before on here)
Last night I caught a trailer for the Time Team. Lo and behold they are doing a programme (Monday Channel 4 21.00 hours) about Liverpool's first dock.
Below is a brief introduction which just falls short to reveal which dock it is.

About 18 months ago when discussing our family history my brother showed me a map of Liverpool he had been given by our grandmother when he was small boy.
It is dated 1836, printed on a type of cloth and it folds up like a pocket book. It is one of the most fascinating maps I have seen. It shows parts of Liverpool I recognise and of course parts which no longer exist because of massive bombing raids during WW2 or just due to redevelopment a bit like what is happening now. I don't know how my grandmother came to have it as she was from Scotland and my grandfather was from West Ham and they weren't born until the late 1800's, but glad to say we have it in the family.

I paid to have it professionally scanned and printed. This is it scaled down version so you can see how it looks.

On the top left is an image of how Liverpool looked in 1650, which fits with Tony Robinson's animated clip above of Liverpool (meaning Muddy pool). There was even a castle then!

The middle image is Black Rock Lighthouse
Constructed in 1830

Top right is Liverpool in 1729. What is interesting here, in front of the Custom House is a dock. I wonder if this is the dock the Time Team will be featuring (if so, they should have come to me because I have a map!!!)

Later in the main map of 1836 that dock is filled in and the 'New Custom House' is built on it. Plus the dock estate has been built and developed further into the Mersey.

The Old 'New' Custom House has well gone and I think it was were Chevas Park was and has now been dug up to develop.

This last image shows Blundell Street were my ancestors were born (from the other side of the family). They came from Ireland in 1850 and settled in the dock area as the men were sea men.
This area was extensively bombed in WW2 so no houses survived.
On the Kings Dock now stands the new arena.... I wonder what my ancestors would have made of that creation???

I will be tuned into Channel 4 on Monday to see if my map is correct!!

grand day out....

2008-04-15T14:14:00.013+01:00

jug ears....

2008-03-25T19:33:00.004Z

I knew I had it somewhere!

The sketch Sunny did of the bloke that chatted her up (see previous post)

penny for them.......

2008-03-17T22:36:00.012Z

It has been mentioned before how when Sunny & I get together we have uncontrolable fits of laughter.
When I was 'sorting' the other day I came across things that reminded me of another occasion when this happened.
Sunny had come up for a weekend and we decided to visit our old stomping ground of Southport.

It wasn't a pleasant weekend, weather wise, but that did not deter us from hiking up the pier to take in some fresh sea air. At the end of Southport Pier is a coffee shop and a
'Victorian Penny Arcade'.
It is great. You change your shiny new 10 pences for grubby old pennies. Not a bad return if you calculate from this site the value of a penny in 1900 to what it would be worth today (well 2003 to be precise as that is when the report was done). If my maths is correct (& I wouldn't hold too much hope there) it would be equivalent to £78.68. I guess if they charged that type of money no one would play!!

Of special interest was Gypsy Rosie Lee who read your palm after you placed your hand on a copper plate. Uncanny results....... same palm image but different readings and so accurate as to mine and Sunny's personalities

M ine

Sunny's

Next were 'Notes from your lover' ... hysterical

I just want to know where the large sum of money from Grandpa went & how did either of let the man escape that turned 'me into an animal, crazy with lust!' ... drat!

Maybe it was this chap with the amazing snake ... although it looks a bit wooden don't you think?

After a few games of wooden pinball, 'What the Butler Saw' & flipping metal balls into holes it was ........'Who will be your next love?'
All excited we found our last two pennies. Fighting to get to the slot like a couple of kids, we awaited anxiously for the news........

So Sunny does the one on the right remind you of anyone?

That night in a club she was pursued by a bloke who bore an uncanny resemblance to the mystical fortune card she had received earlier that day!!!

Remind me Sunny where did you tell him you were emigrating to????

life......

2008-03-15T22:56:00.005Z

I have been sorting today.
And you know that means I come across stuff that I saved and forgotten about.. it is usually books but today it was a handwritten note I had done.
I have no idea where this came from?
It can't have been from the 'net as I would have printed it nor was it something I had written as it was so neatly written!!
So my conclusion is it came from a Hallmark card!
It must have hit a nerve as I kept it.....it is an interesting form of words!

'Life is a time for learning

We must learn that our life is as important
As that of any other person on Earth
But never more important!
We must learn that we have every right to happiness
Yet it is is up to us to find & recognise it!
We must learn that life is not easy
Nor is it permanent, others will come and go

And often their departure will cause us pain
We must learn to develop a positive attitude
That can be handle life's disappointments
And we must learn that in order to find love
We must look inside our own heart!

For if we cannot find with in
We will never find without '

That does some what sum up

Secure truth .......... absent lies
Thoughts from places
Within............with out

wind in my willows....

2008-03-13T13:57:00.004Z

Yesterday in Manchester was the windiest day I have ever encountered. Not only was it blowing a gale but the rain was horizontal at times and so cold.
The streets of Manchester were littered with discarded umbrellas, I have never seen so many in my walk to work. It was like there had been an invasion of broken umbrellas from outer space, bins were full of different coloured ones and one pesky handbag sized spotty designed invader flew up and hit me on the shin, it had been left on the ground to perish .
What amuses me is who actually thought that their brollie would with stand 70 mile an hour gusts???

I relied on my jaunty hat to keep my hair in some state of normality but I was soaked by the time arrived in the office.

Yesterday also gave me one of the most bizarre sights which beautifully summed up British madness!
There was a bloke doing this!!

Three times he blew leaves out of a corner only for the power of nature to place them back again.
I think I would have just gone home and had a cup of tea as there was no way he was going to win

i am hooked...

2008-03-04T23:36:00.000Z

It is a terrible place to be being hooked. Whether it be Class A, nicotine, booze, exercise, veg, fruit, blogging or fast food.
Anything in excess is bad for you .. moderation in all things seems to be the key to a healthy life.

Imagine my horror when I have realised I am a junkie? Surely not me? Sensible, reliable, can be depended on aeib (aka random) .
Well yes it has happened.
So how did it happen? How did this state of dependency creep up on me?
That surely is the question I am asking myself?

In May 2007 something changed in my life. Luckily the dependency wasn't immediate then.
That happened over the last few months.

The month of May was when I got a puppy. No that isn't the dependency to which I refer more she is dependent on me. When I leave for work this little ball of fluff goes mental at the thought of her pack leader leaving, I have the daily 'catch the dog' exercise trying to get her out of the lounge, which is her favourite place because she can see out of the window and bark all day at people passing by.
I used to switch on the radio as I was leaving and she has learned that is a signal I am leaving (along with brushing my teeth, touching my keys and handbag & wow betide should I put a cardi or coat on!!)
So to combat the alert I have been putting the radio earlier than when I leave..... and that is when I became hooked.
I tried a few tactics, Radio 4 (no too stayed).. local radio (now Terry Christian is a wow with me on my way home but I reckon pup has not sussed that yet)
After listening to the Top 20 on Radio One one Sunday night I clicked the switch one Monday morning and came across this guy

Yes this is who is responsible

If you don't recognise him (coz I wouldn't in a month of Sunday's) this is Chris Moyles. (I thought he was actually called Andy Moyles??)
I have to listen to him on my way to work. His show is addictive. It's like being in an office with your most favourite sarcastic colleagues.. a world I have moved from last year and miss a lot!

I like it so much that I am darned well driving into City centre Manchester, sitting in nose to tail traffic just so I can hear out the show.... I don't have an ipod/mp3 so can't do the train bit & listen (my fellow train passengers would be delighted, as I know I can't be trusted with headphones and music or laughter... cos I know I will join in.... yes this has been proven )
Although I did venture on to the cattle cart today as Man U were playing Lyon so knew the roads would be gridlocked this evening .. how right I was !! but missed the show though!

I hasten to add it is car tomorrow just to hook up with Chris (or Andy) and his team!
Just want to add that Monday had me rocking with Brown Sugar & the seamless link ..... full volume on Deansgate ... fabulous

Whizzy garden birds

2008-02-24T18:17:00.003Z

I have a studio at the end of my long elongated garden.
One wall is nearly an entirely window. Instead of working, I often use the studio as a bird watching sanctuary, especially at this time of the year. How lucky I am to watch at really close range little garden birds, right outside my window, where I am undetected. And not only is watching them truly an inspiration, but their birds songs are beauty itself.

Birds are Messengers from the gods, I wish I was in tune, literally with them, to understand their stories.
I should join a Twitchers group, but I could be the annoying one who keeps fidgetting in the hide (now that sounds a condition I need to see a doctor about).

Thanks to my chum AEIB who suggests the scent of flowers as a pick-me-up. Totally in agreement, my house is full of the smell of sweet narcissus, something my cat seems to enjoy too.

highway robbery .............

2008-02-19T23:04:00.007Z

Dick Turpin met his maker almost 370 years ago. He was a highway robber but actually was convicted and hanged for horse rustling (a crime punishable by death in those days)
Oh how times have changed, it would seem today that highway robbery is now legal.
Dick & his horse Black Bess have been replaced by 2 blokes in a battered old ford fiesta type van who, no different to Dick, demand your cash.

Yes I was clamped tonight and £90 poorer!!!

Thank goodness for the kind people in this world. A lovely lady over in Canada (Fracas) has bestowed on Sunny & I the gift of smell the flowers. And as it says, quite rightly 'one journey, many discoveries'

We often forget, in our busy lives, to take stock, slow down and indeed smell the flowers.

Sunny has been very much under the weather recently and chatting to her last night I am so pleased that she is feeling a lot better.

Sunny, Fracas sent you a message through me ~ 'I hope she knows I’m thinking about her. You too, but smelling flowers is good for the soul. I wish her flowers.'

times they are a changing

2008-02-05T22:20:00.000Z

I had a great excuse to visit my birthplace today paid for by the company.
My birthplace is The European City of Culture 2008.... yes Liverpool. Of which I am very proud.

But what has happened? The skyline was just full of cranes, the streets were dug up with my well trodden short cuts blocked off with hoardings and men in hi vis jackets.
So much construction, disarray and dust.
The new arena is finished on the dock side but that is surrounded by a complete mess.

The glorious 3 Graces are shadowed by what is going on.
I didn't recognise my beautiful city anymore.
Maybe I should leave it a while before I return again when all the cranes have left.

new music

2008-02-01T23:03:00.000Z

This what my teen is listening tonight live at the Academy .......... her next door neighbour who I have known since he was 2 years old :-)

shelves of curious stuff

2008-01-29T21:56:00.000Z

As you know I love books. Can't bear to throw them away particularly the ones that I know have soul. A while ago I posted about my South American Handbook 1928 and Lear's Book of Bosh.
This weekend I had a swap around of furniture in the dining room which meant a complete empty of the book case in order to move it.
Well you can imagine it took 5 times longer than it should as I 'ummed' & 'arrred' over the gems in there.

Tucked at the back behind the big meaty books (Times Atlas of the World, Secret Britain, Whale Nation etc) I found a couple of small old slim books. I must tell you my mother gave me them some time ago, she found them whilst clearing out things when her partner died. Her words were ' You may find these amusing?'

The first one is 'mastery of speech Lesson6' - How to speak in private life and in public places.
It is not dated but gives advice on how to talk in the home, to servants, policemen, labourers, foreigners, public officials and so on. It does mention a lot about being frank ... I don't want to me Frank!!
In talking to a foreigner it gives you the scenario that 'you are in a social gathering, or you are travelling and get into a conversation with a foreigner. What topics would be of most use?
1. Present events in the foreigners land (all well and good if you have your Blackberry with you)
2. Great men in the foreigner's land (bit stuck if he is Belgian... sorry!)
3. Great achievements of the foreigners nation at any time (Blackberry time again)
4. The past or present relations of your country and his (tricky on many fronts being British)
Along these lines I have the most interesting conversations with foreigners of all sorts from peasants on the mountain side to bankers'

The second one is the 'woman the home maker; or how to care for your wife'. Published originally in 1905 but the copy I have is the 3rd edition released upon the world in 1914.

It is a corker of a book which swings from a mans chauvinistic view point to how to keep a woman well. It is of particular interest to me as it was published in my home town but I have been unable to track anything down about the Rev. Melville C. Keith , M.D. to date

I will be keeping these two books at the front of the book case for future reference and will post genuine snippets of madness in the future

btw the lady at the top of the post was tucked in side 'woman the home maker' - knit yourself a long vest pattern!!!

Bits of unconnected strands, whisps in my willows

2008-01-27T21:55:00.000Z

I didn't toast a wee timerous beastie on Rabbie's night. So tonight I am having a dram of rye vodka, whoa ee, its ticked the back of my sarcophagus! I'll raise my glass to Tam O'Shanter and his ghosts instead. That vodka is doing weird things...
Its cold, come straight from the Ukraine to my kitchen.
It's time to read again, keep these long chilly nights at bay, so I've started The Quite American (Graham Greene). What a great read. Only on page 25, and its really good.
And like Aeib, it's 'keep fit' night Monday, and I am week three of Tai Chi. I don't know when we are going to get to the Bruce Lee kicks yet. Have to be careful the lycra doesn't snap.

true words of advice

2008-01-24T22:24:00.000Z

This is from an email my nephew sent me. It is one of those chainy type ones where if you don't send it to 1000 people your head will explode and plague of locusts will invade your home etc etc.
Not one to intimidated by such nonsense, lets just say I have disobeyed the instructions.
However, the content struck me as being true and it is gentle reminder to us all how simple actions and thoughts can make a difference.

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
FOUR. When you say, 'I love you,' mean it.
FIVE. When you say, 'I'm sorry,' look the person in the eye.
SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.
EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.
NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
TEN.. In disagreements, fight fairly.. No name calling.
ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives.
TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.
THIRTEEN! .. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, 'Why do you want to know?'
FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
FIFTEEN. Say 'bless you' when you hear someone sneeze.
SIXTEEN.. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.
EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
TWENTY- ONE. Spend some time alone.

blue monday?

2008-01-23T23:57:00.000Z

yes I know it is now Thursday ... but I have been busy!

Blue Monday was a funny old day (not as in funny 'ha ha' but funny peculiar')
It started ok albeit a wet and miserable day.
It carried on being very wet and the banks of the River Irwell burst. It caused mayhem around the working district of Salford. Basements had to be evacuated and folk where stressing around the financial/legal quarters.
It could have been worse because C1857 when the banks burst coffins were seen floating down the Irwell. We only saw trees, debris and footballs (there are always footballs, plus the odd canoe and sofa)

The other 'peculiar' scene I witnessed was when driving out of the car park was this.
An ambulance hurtling towards me, flashing lights and sirens going, on the other side of the road. I slowed up as I could see that they would have to over take a vehicle on their side.
I also saw a woman in a red coat standing on that side of the road.
Suddenly she walked into the middle of the road ....... & stood face on to the ambulance and remained there.
the ambulance driver slammed on his breaks, as did I!
he stopped about 2 inches from her. His face was in horror (as was mine)
She walked to the side of the ambulance, banged it on the side and gave some 'non-vebal' communications with 2 fingers.

It has troubled me since this scene. I am wondering whether this girl had meant to end her days here and was angry that the ambulance stopped in time. Her actions were so deliberate and calculated. She disappeared out of view very quickly like a spectre into the distance.
I have surfed the 'net to see if I could find any information about a girl in her late 20s in a red coat but to no avail.

the year of the......?

2008-01-19T00:16:00.000Z

It is a new year. 2008. A new out look. A new 'look' maybe.
I am certainly looking to get fitter and lose weight oh and also to get stuck in to some art work.
Sunny I know is out to earn money through various projects and commissions.

But the common thing about us is to find a mate. Yes I know we are mates but we want a male mate. If we had inklings of a different nature then we would be sorted but we haven't so we are not. It is a tough call as how can a male meet the expectations of such independent females? Near impossible I expect.

It is a scary adventure I can tell you! These are the options!

Do you visit nightclubs in the wee small hours?
I have always made that my mantra if you weren't chatted up by 23.00 then after that the beer googles went on and the 'I don't care what they look like' has kicks in then Erm no thank you!!

Join a night school?
Now which one? Those full of males bird watching and twitching? Are they twitching because they want to be away from their wives? Mind you car mechanics, plumbing, carpentry does have a bit of an edge??

I have just started my Yogalates. There are only women there of 'various' shapes and sizes to say the least ... god I feel thin just going there. Result!

I must add that the first appearance at the college ..... as new starters we had to congregate in the canteen and this dear lady came out and shouted 'CLAITS?' (I thought she said Plates), then 'Anyone for Assertive Classes?' ... there were loads that said 'YES ME' - oh come on I would have expected no one to answer to that question at all, if you can stand up, say yes & wave in a room full of strangers then you don't need the class.
There was then the chap who answered to 'Water Colours?' who dropped all his brushes in the rush to get to class. (Mid 40's and lives with his Mum is my guess on him)

What is left ? Internet dating??
How does this work? You could pretend to be who ever you choose to be. A brain surgeon (ok not on my case), a Solicitor? A Doctor? All well and good in a responsible role play situation but getting that as the truth in the first place it isn't going to happen.
I am more fortunate than Sunny as I live in a large city, she lives in rural England and if someone doesn't recognise her from her profile then I am a Dutch man !!

I confess to trying the internet route once in a rash of random boredom and I must say that there were a few lovely chaps who chatted to me in a hyperspace sense but when I saw their photo they reminded me of Jabba the Hut........ sorry I do feel bad about that.

We both need some advice here and any would be appreciated...... there must be some lovely chaps out there looking for equally lovely ladies?

The only possible fly in the ointment to searching this year isn't it the Year of the Rat????

home gallery

2008-01-10T00:24:00.001Z

gallery chez moi.......... ........ art by Sunny

present embarrassment

2008-01-05T16:00:00.000Z

During this glorious 2 weeks off work I have been visiting friends and rellies as you do this time of year (yes sorry Sunny we have not been able to hook up but will do soon, have my birthday country weekend booked )

This morning I called on a friend for coffee and cake (I have not started yogalates yet so I can still have cake!). We had seen each other on Christmas Eve and exchanged presents not to be opened until Christmas day. So this was the first time we had had chance to see each other since then.
We were chatting away about stuff (yes she is yogalating with me.. I am so persuasive!), we were talking about the whole festive events et al.
Then she said
'were your presents eaten?'

Blind panic. Trying to remember gift by gift what 'er & I had opened on the 25th.
Ok focus now Random!! Mine were 2 cats with ' the best antiques are old friends' around their necks and a 'grow your own Toy Boy' (we don't buy serious pressies, although I could do with a new a new Toy Boy hee hee ) & 'ers were definitely non edible gifts.

I 'Huh'ed?' as only a blonde can do!

Then she produced a huge box of Thorton's chocolates.

I 'Huh'ed' again

When I looked closely I could see the corner of the box was missing

It turns out that she had wrapped all the presents and put them in the loft in about October. (aren't some people so organised) Then dragged them down come Christmas and just given them out in the carrier bags they had been in. Not noticing anything.

The embarrassment was that some of presents had in fact been eaten. Yes that living nightmare ..............mice in the attic!

What amused me the most (apart from the complete embarrassment my friend must have felt when the presents were returned) was the fact that the mouse/mice had eaten some of the chocolates and replaced them with loft insulation in perfect little shapes.

Imagine that wee thing thinking 'if I stuff this insulation in they will never ever notice I was here' how ingenious!

is there a cure?

2008-01-01T20:31:00.000Z

I know how to party I learned it at an early age, not sure these days, however, I could do it for 11 days as Sunny posted about the Babylon folk.

I partied hard last night along with millions of other people around the world.
My usual morning after the night before cure is a cheeseburger, fries & strawberry milkshake from McDonalds. Alas today I couldn't get one as the boys in blue would have had a field day if they had asked me to blow their equipment this morning.
The bacon butty and copious amounts of Earl Grey just didn't hit the spot as a second option.

Not one for watching TV I suppose I miss out on a lot of advice (although I feel my life is calmer not knowing a lot of the rubbish that is churned out on a daily basis) but I was held captive with the TV earlier today and the advice the pundits were giving to shake off the hangover was to get some exercise. Exercise? I haven't started yogalates yet!

Being only a mile from the beach I figured that was the best way forward. Coat on, dog at the ready and off.

Not a sunny start up here to 2008 but not a cold one either, just a nothing grey old day.

It was fabulous. I found there is nothing better than the sea breeze to knock the alcohol vapours out of your system. Not a surfing beach unless you are of 'Borrower' size, but to anyone that knows this coast to see the tide being well, tidal is rare.

& to cap it all the joys of taking home a very happy, albeit sandy, damp and smelly pup.

The Babylonians knew how to party

2007-12-31T17:30:00.000Z

The Babylonians were partying 4,000 years ago on New Years eve, then they continued to party for 11 days. But the reason for their grand bash, was to ready themselves for the planting season. And their resolutions were usually to pay back debt and give back farming implements they'd borrowed.
I like the idea of a party for farmers who are about to begin preparing the land and the soil and the seeds to plant.

Janus the god of change and transition and beginnings, looking forward and backwards.
January.
I like the idea we should balance our hopes for tomorrow with a keen awareness of what happened yesterday.
We look forward too much and not backwards enough, if we looked backwards more maybe we wouldn't fall of the resolution bandwagon so easily.

Tonight i am intending on being with a group of friends that I often see, here where I live.
One of us might remember to flick on a TV at 11.58pm for two minutes to hear a few of Big Ben's chimes, then we'll carry on playing a game or dancing or whatever we end up doing.

And if anyone gets serious or maudlin, they are going to get their head dunked in a bowl of leftover turkey soup....

The Year of the Rat is nearly upon us...
(well not quite, the Chinese New Year happens in February)

clock ticking...........

2007-12-29T22:53:00.000Z

It’s here again. Another end to another year.

I must be getting older as the years seem to fly by now or is it just the fact I try to pack so much in to 365 days?

This year has been no exception. The most marked event was a change in career. A whole new world and culture to come to terms with, I think I am settling in ok now, just getting used to a lot less salary. A new phenomenon budgeting and no more ‘lets go and designer shop’ on a whim. Oh well it is out weighed by the fact I now work 9-5 Monday – Friday, no more 50 plus hour weeks, no more staying away at a moments notice, no more working into the early hours.

I had promised myself a night school course with my new found freedom, which I didn’t do. I couldn’t quite make up my mind what to do. Learning a new language or becoming proficient in French, German or Greek again were the favourites. I guess I have just enjoyed the freedom and being a Mum coming home and cooking tea (a novelty which I must confess is wearing off now)

My ‘er has had a culture shock too, Mum being at home and now at the age where she really would prefer I wasn’t but me as a Mum of a ‘er of that age certainly prefer it!!

I have made a decision about 2008, however, something I want to stick to.

It has come about because I now sit behind a desk all day now (the first time ever in my working career) and that brings with it …. & I hate to say it ……… some extra pounds.

14 to be précis. What a difference those 14 pounds have made and they have to go.

On the 7^th January I am joining a Yogalates class. I do confess I did have to look up what it is exactly and it seems it is a cross-breed evolution of Pilates and Yoga.

I am one of those people that has to join a class otherwise it won’t happen. I have a DVD shelf full of keep fit stuff. Cher, Tracy Shaw's Salsacise, Calanetics, Pump it up (nearly killed me!!!) to name a few and my Mum even found at a car boot sale a Green Goddess video ………….. noooooooo! There is just something so wrong about prancing around in you living room, breaking in to a sweat and being able to quit too easily because Corrie is about to start.

So for one hour a week I will be there in my joggers, focused and determined as long as they don’t interfere with my diet (I am happy with what I eat thank you).
It is a 9 week commitment so by Spring I shall be svelte like again.

That is one 2008 resolution.

The other is to do this (from a text my niece sent me)

Remember life is short, so break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably and never regret anything that makes you smile.

Happy New Year

image from Prettybits.blogspot.com (thank you)

festive cheer

2007-12-22T20:46:00.000Z

Well I survived the Christmas bash ....... only just. From the list of songs I remember 'Wake me up before you Go Go' , 'Fairy Tale of New York' and I did the mandatory 'New York, New York' arm in arm with many other suitably inebriated folk (like me), kicking my legs out in some sort of sequence. I had a great time it was fabulous catching up with the colleagues I no longer work with (I changed jobs this year to something completely different and I must confess I do miss my old chums. They are like my big brothers and I worked along side them for many years, plus they certainly know how to party)

So it is nearly upon us. I did the festive shop this morning. The supermarket was not as onerous as I thought, but hey they are are open 24/7 so plenty of time to spread the shopping out. The staff were very cheerful, can't say I would be with that never ending flow of trolley loads of food. The shoppers were also happy mostly at my expense though as I had the trolley from hell, wonky when it was full and a squeeky wheel to boot. The exception to the happy shoppers was the woman behind me in the queue who had a face like a slapped bottom as I struggled to pack my shopping (I have a damaged arm at the moment..... don't ask but it involved curtains, a window ledge and not taking care what I was doing .. a week and a half later it is still agony)

For me now the Christmas shop is firmly shut. No more pennies will pass through my fingers.
I need to do the big wrap & house tidy up for the family visiting Christmas day.

Off to see the Golden Compass on Christmas Eve. It is a bit of a tradition that we either go to the cinema or the theatre on Christmas Eve, then round to friends in the evening.
So.............................................

I would like to wish you all a great Christmas, peace and a healthy, adventurous 2008.

lets party

2007-12-15T21:47:00.000Z

Well it is upon us the party season. In particular staff parties. That time of year that you let your hair down with the folk you spend more time day to day than you do with your family.
That time when you have to be sociable to those you would not wish to spend any time with at all let alone a time when the drink flows and you may not be able to 'button it' when inhibitions go.

I have read with interest Nurse Myras description of hers with the lesbian speed dating including a chaplain & a Dominican Nun, it is always an education visiting Gimcrack !!

Mr Woppit spent his office party day ducking and diving avoiding enforced Santa hat wearing, vinegar masquerading as wine (love that description) and the randy lady from accounts.

This week I am off on mine to Blackpool
My outfit has been chosen & I must say it is stunning.
It is at one of many hotels in Blackpool that do party nights. Quite a brilliant commercial decision by them as they would lie dormant in the winter months.
It costs £40 for evening meal, cabaret, disco, room and breakfast.

The best factor in this is after numerous glasses of whatever takes your fancy you just have to find your room (or someone else's if your room mate is busy!!) ..... no sitting in the cold waiting for taxis or contemplating the all night bus with other drunken nutters.

So ahead of the party on down I have complied the top 10 records that are compulsory on the dance floor at Blackpool
10. I will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
9. Love Shack - B52s
8. Band of Gold - Freda Payne (& you can guarantee many bands of gold have been removed!!)
7. Fairy tale of New York - The Pogues
6. Wake me up before you Go Go - Wham
5. Mustang sally - the Commitments
4. Disco Inferno - The Trammps
3. Time Warp - Rock Horror Show
2. New York - Frank Sinatra
1. Merry Christmas - Slade

We know how to party up North .... well after copious amounts of alcohol does it matter what they play as long as we have fun