Author: artbychristinemallabandbrown

I'm an artist based at the Spode factory site in Stoke on Trent. I paint, draw and create digital art. Contact me at mallabandbrown@aol.com

Shivering

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It’s still cold and wet, the rain has been falling all day. We are expecting our fuel bill again soon, so I’m keeping warm by stopping in bed under the duvet in the morning. I’m fine there with a book or my phone. My hands get a bit cold but I could buy some thin gloves. It’s mad that things have got so expensive and at the same time the weather has stayed cold. But unlike the photo, blossom and leaves are starting to show as a green and white fuzz on the trees. The forecast is for a 10°C rise in temperature at the weekend, up to about 19°C. We will see…..

High school?

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Describe something you learned in high school.

I did go to Sixth form at school, but it wasn’t a separate high school. I think things have changed in the UK since I was there. I guess different places in the world run their school systems differently and now Sixth form colleges are often stand alone institutions.

We didn’t have computers when I was at school, they were just coming in when I left. So that’s another thing I didn’t learn! There were typing classes (which I didn’t do) and I think the typewriters were pretty old!

So what did I learn? I did A Levels. One of them was Art, and I loved it. I started to learn about subjects like Pop Art and French Impressionism and Surrealism. It was good to actually learn about the history of art as well as finding out about different techniques. I learned about Andy Warhol and Monet, Cezanne and Salvador Dali. I remember pictures of Campbell soup cans, haystacks and melting clocks. I didn’t learn about female artists though, that came later when I went to college. The Art course made me decide I wanted to do an Art degree, and here I am still being an Artist all these years later.

Grr, on hold!

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I have just spent a pointless half hour on line to a call centre. I realise they are busy, so I don’t expect to be answered straight away. But listening to dull music with the occasional ‘we will be with you as soon as possible’ really doesn’t help. Each time the music dropped out for the announcement I thought someone would answer.

The list of 8 options to choose from was also frustrating. None of them really fitted with the question I wanted to ask:

Press 1 for fate

Press 2 for hate

Press 3 for karma

Press 4 for drama!

Press 5 for applying

Press 6 for annoying

Press 7 for an answer

Press 8 for a dancer!

My mind was boggled so I gave up. If they had only said you are number (1-100) in the queue, and the waiting time is….. Minutes. That would have been helpful. As it was the only people getting anywhere are the phone company!

All you need

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I’m glad I have someone to love. He drives me round the bend, and I think I’d be OK on my own, but we are joined at the hip. We stick together somehow. Chemistry? Maybe, perhaps we are like an old worn pair of shoes. We only match each other. Foibles? We’ve got a few. I’m sure we would drive other partners mad if we ever decided to find someone else. I’m a believer in the wedding ceremony, richer for poorer, in sickness and in health. All it means is that you have to have give and take in a relationship. I don’t mean you should stick around if its awful, or put up with bad behaviour. There has to be some love. I’m glad I have a bit.

So yes, I love the Beatles song “all you need is love”, it’s my era and I’ve probably listened to it a thousand times, and if you can, try and love yourself as well as others x

Leaving work

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Describe one positive change you have made in your life.

It was a drastic decision, but I don’t regret it. Each time I thought I knew my job inside out the management changed things. In that sort of situation you could be doing the right thing one day and the wrong the next. That’s the problem with hierarchy, the top decides and the bottom has to implement rules even if they don’t make sense. And each time the goalposts move it’s not likely to be in your favour.

So I found myself out of work, but not regretting it. I had enough money to live on for a while so I set myself up as an artist. Of course I had grand ideas of sales and building a clientele, but at that stage I really didn’t know that my health would not be good. With that and the pandemic (no I haven’t had covid as yet) I found I really didn’t have a business. But I don’t care, I’m away from the humdrum, I’m not being made miserable by rules I don’t like and don’t want to follow. I have had more freedom to be myself than I ever had during the rest of my life. I guess I’m what they call semi retired. A hobbyist? I’d rather paint than do anything else.

Would I reverse the change? Never. I’ve only been back and seen my colleagues a couple of times. The past is the past, let it be!

Magnetic bags?

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What is it about cats and bags? I caught the cat trying to get his head in a small paper bag yesterday, it hadn’t had food in it but he was intrigued anyway. They like the cloth bags from the local supermarket, but even get in the orange plastic carrier bags if I leave them on the sofa while I’m unloading the groceries. Sometimes though if I use the bag again they go off it (it must smell different).

What other things do they sleep on or in? Cat beds, a cat tree, cushions and chair throws, basically wherever they want and can fit. Occasionally they even sleep on the sofa or our chairs, but that’s usually after we have gone to bed. Yeah, cats rule round here!