Someone’s put plants in the washroom at Spode. Great to see life inside the factory.
Indoor plants at spode
Category: Uncategorized
Too tired to blog
194 miles in two days on motorways to visit two brother in laws. A bit of sketching, visiting places to buy food, looking at bicycles and toy trains with my hubby. Did so much driving today that I didn’t take photos.
I was worried about the trip before we went so didn’t sleep well. Then last night we had a very comfortable bed but I still couldn’t sleep. Traffic noise, being too hot, then too cold, people moving about and creaking floorboards. I tried to get half an hours sleep after breakfast but my hubby has a bad cough so I didn’t sleep. I was genuinely worried about driving down motorways, especially since I kept yawning so much my eyes were watering. We went somewhere for lunch near Hebden Bridge then drove to see the other brother in law. Then home. Tired. Shattered. Over tired. Ugh….
The photo? Not relevant but I liked it.
Leopard mural
In 1842 there was a Chartists riot in Burslem which is the mother town of Stoke-on-Trent. During a meeting of Chartists in the town the magistrate decided to read the riot act and the police and military shot a rioter called Josiah Heapy while they were trying to quell it.
I did this painting at least ten years ago and recently it appeared in the local press to illustrate the root. I wrote to the paper giving them retrospective permission to use it, but now it’s on other Facebook pages. When I informed one page they took it down. I don’t mind it being used but I did it and several others and would like some recognition. Some people speculated that I copied it from prints from the time. But actually I researched it. Look closely and you will see faces of customers, staff and the owners of the hotel. I used old prints to get the buildings right in the background. Things have changed since then including a victorian town hall which was built later. The police and mounted regiment are in uniforms that I had to guess. I tried getting the information but could not find it out in time.
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An error occurred….
‘Please put down your cutlery, an error has occurred in the seafood menu.’ Blared the tannoy in the restaurant, ‘whelks were mistaken for scallops’. ‘cuttlefish have been substituted for squid’ ‘this restaurant has had to reboot its robot chef.’
Di and Jo sat mournfully waiting, twenty minutes passed. The auto platter was steaming and the Dover sole on it had started to sizzle.
‘So much for a quiet evening out’ muttered Jo. ‘Not very romantic,’ said Di, a frown on her face. ‘Where’s the Piscean monitor when you need him?’
Jo thought for a while ‘all at sea?’ she quizzed. Di replied ‘that’s a fishy tale!’
Seaside views
Mooching round Morecambe. The B&B we are at is very friendly and if anyone is disturbing the other guests it’s probably us. My hubby decided to explore the ‘sands’ on the beach tonight, but got stuck in the mud instead. He’s cleaned his sandals in the shower while I cleaned up all the mud he’d walked into the bedroom carpet! I dare not look outside at the stairs. For that reason I’m not naming the place here although I would call it excellent on trip advisor.
It’s been a long drive and a long day. So rather than doing my usual thing of blogging into the night I’m going to listen to the sound of the traffic driving past…. My hubby coughing because he’s got a bit of a chest infection and the noise of people going home late from the pub. Hope I sleep better than last night, it was 4.30am before I fell asleep….
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Morcambe Bay view
Today’s view,
long drive.
More later!
On the back of the settee
This is one of my cats, she likes sitting on the back of the settee observing what’s going on. She uses this perch to see if her brother is walking by. Sometimes she pounces on him from there and then makes a quick getaway. She’s definitely ‘ queen of the castle’ despite being two thirds of his size.
I think I might do a tiny painting of her. The fuzzy effect is because I had to zoom in. If I’d gone closer she would have jumped off.
Anyway its almost two am. So I’d better get some sleep. Did I say I spent all day painting?
Night x
Finished
Took all day but I finally finished this. Spent a lot of time painting the old, flaking window frame. I’m not sure the sky colour is right. I might get up early and tone it down. I’m handing it in in the morning….
It’s called Spode Reflected.
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Who is he?
There are some windows in Spode covered in various circular prints. This one looks like a photographic negative and appears to be someone famous although I don’t know who.
There are other patterns overlaid. This must have been a particular place for some sort of work within the factory but I’m not sure what?
Almost done, painting update.
I’ve added myself in the bottom right hand side of the painting. I’m there as a ghostly shadow in the photo, so why not? Trying to get an idea of cracked paint on the frame. 
Can you see my phone?
