New paintings and regular art updates.
So many images
So many thoughts
Ideas and colours
Going back years.
My gallery is full
I have to edit
So sometimes they go
Removed so
I can fit in more
Keep below 100
I can’t afford more
It’s just a little blog
And who’s interested?
My life written out
In dribs and drabs…
Kitty likes curling up by the sofa. Right where I walk to get into the kitchen! He turns over and miaows at me when I approach him. Delighted that I’m saying hello. Then proceeds to get underfoot, as I walk slowly behind him. Sometimes he tries to rub against my ankles, which could be deadly to him as I’m still using crutches and am quite unbalanced. Then he jumps up on to the kitchen cupboard miaowing for a tasty treat or to run his head against my hands. He’s a lovely, medium sized cat. No malice, mainly living indoors although he does pop outside sometimes. His one trick is not to come when I whistle him. He used to, but when we got the bigger boy rescue cat it seemed like it learnt to come to me when I whistled, but my old friend has decided to come over when he wants not when I call him unless treats are involved.
What’s the most money you’ve ever spent on a meal? Was it worth it?
We went out for a lovely meal at a Japanese Restaurant called Miso in Stoke on Trent. There were three of us so we agreed to share the cost between us as it was a family outing. It’s actually mentioned in a Novel by a Richard Osman, one of his Thursday Murder club series.
We had sushi for starters, with Miso soup, then each of us had a different Bento box, including Duck with teriyaki sauce, and mackeral with black pepper sauce, salad, rice, and guyozo.
Finally we has pistachio ice cream with sesami seeds.
Drinks included iced tea, sake, and cold japanese lager. I think the cost crept up because we kept ordering sake and I also had a glass of peach wine. Very tasty.
We love the place, but they were being refurbished recently, I know it’s reopened but we haven’t had the chance to go back and I will have to be more careful about what I spend!
Wandering backwards and forwards on crutches to the bathroom and my armchair. I can’t help remembering when I was younger. We would set out on a cycle ride or a walk. We used to visit the North of Manchester, around the pennines. Into Wales and see spectacular mountains. Up to Yorkshire and around Ingleborough. Up steep slopes on our bikes then down one long winding valley that took us seven miles back down to our campsite (I was pleased with my map reading that day).
Being ill or injured is difficult. I can’t ignore it, but I guess I have to be a patient patient! But I want to do simple things like washing up. When I can support my weight I will, then cook, the eventually I will have to tidy up, hubby is trying, but he doesn’t quite get organisational ideas. Like putting shopping in the fridge safely! Or how to cook chicken when you have never done it in your life! Time heals I guess.
I wish I was out and about, that I could just stand at the sink and do the washing up. But I guess it’s less than five days since I pulled a ligament in my foot and about eight since the car door slammed into my other leg and cut a hole in it.
I’ve started watching a TV channel that shows old 1960’s and 1970’s programmes. A favourite is Randall and Hopkirk (deceased). There’s usually an old house like this one in it.
There are classic mini cars in it, and fashions from the 60’s. There are car chases and mysterious disappearances. It’s intruiging and funny. Part of the joy is the memory and excitement of watching again.
I can remember it from childhood. The characters were a private detective (Randall) and his late partner (Hopkirk). It’s always some strange case. The detective tries to investigate but struggles. His partner, Hopkirk, who is a ghost, helps solve the cases. He can move through walls, transport himself by thought from place to place and move objects without touching them. It’s humourous and a classic mystery series. They might be a bit un PC these days, but I love it.
What traditions have you not kept that your parents had?
My family were traditionally conservatives. I was bought up to think that socialists were bad and would lead to serious problems for our country. But when I left home I started to see things in a different light. I had to look at how other people lived. There had been a lot of strikes, and people were struggling to survive. I found out things that had never been discussed at home. Thinking and listening to the words of John Lennons song Imagine really got to me. The struggle to manage when I was out of work for a short time. It made me realise how hard life can be for others.
My traditional upbringing included religion. The rules were set. Money had been important, but listening to Jesus teachings after I left home gave me more concerned belief that people deserved better. I became interested in equality for women, and I also supported charities that worked to save nature. I think leaving home gave me insights I would never have had before. It led to arguments with my parent, but I hope I changed her opinions too.
Pictures behind pictures, a wall full of images. The chimney brest is concrete so it took an effort to get the nails in!
It also has a mantlepiece with lots of ornaments, mainly cats. I’m not proud of my clutter, but I’m attached to it. I took a monochrome photo because the colours are a bit riotous!
Are you a clutter nutter? Do you ‘collect’ or ‘hoard’? I’m on the verge, I might slip into hoarding soon, but recently I have been trying to declutter. It’s not a rapid process. But I’m trying.
In the check office at Etruria Industrial museum. There was an interesting video being shown.
We went and watched a half hour video compilation by ( I think) Ray Johnson. The film was showing areas in and around Etruria and Shelton. These included the old Potteries loop line that ran through Etruria, Shelton, Hanley, and Cobridge. The line up to Shelton bar, which was the steel works was so steep it had to have special four cylinder 0-6-0 steam engines to take ore and coal up the steep slope from Kidsgrove up to the Steel works. A lot of the film showed the working conditions there with temperature s in the blast furnace area between 1500 and 2000 °C!
The film also showed how much work was done by steam engines. Apparently there was 50 miles of track in the steel works. Not only did they make steel, but they supplied the gas works next door with coal gas that was converted into ‘town gas’, that used to be stored in the old gasometers next door. The film also showed coal being dug from the ground. It also the coal being used to power the flint mill. It showed the crushing of bone and flint at the Flint mill that was produced by the Princess beam engine at Etruria. A very informative video.
Bit of a bad photo but I had some good news today!
Great to hear I’ve sold this which was on exhibition at Etruria Industrial museum. It was only a small painting of the governor on the Princess beam engine at Jessie Shirley’s bone and flint mill at Etruria, Stoke on Trent. I took another painting up which was also based on a photograph that I’d taken at Etruria at its last steaming event.
My teachers nails as she dragged them down the blackboard always got our attention!
Screech…
Scratch…
Searing the air
To my ears!
Watch out
Teachers about!
Find your place
In your book
Get your work done?
Or detention!
100 lines
“I will listen to teacher”
Or screeeee ch!
Mallaband-Brown