Middleport

Posted on October 6, 2025 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged barrels, Boats, Bottle ovens, Canals, Cauldon canal, Chair, Choir, eras, Memories, Middleport pottery, Seat, Singing, Trent and mersey canalLeave a comment

This weekend I went to Middleport pottery to sing with a choir to accompany a play called “Boats, Barrels and Bottle ovens”.

We sang seven songs. From different years over the time when the Trent and Mersey canal and the Caldon canal that is an offshoot of it were built by Josiah Wedgwood and James Brindley. Each era was represented by the cast acting out scenes, first by the side of the Dane, a working narrow boat, then inside a bottle oven to represent the Harecastle tunnel in Kidsgrove. A scene at a boat club in the 1960’s where they discussed reopening the cauldron canal that was full of rubbish and weeds at that time and finally we sang in a scene from the 1980s and then up to date.

I’m not fit or well and this was challenging with freezing cold, wet and windy weather, uneven cobbles and slippery surfaces. I can only thank the people who placed chairs for me so I could sit down in safety when I needed to. Without them I could never have done it. X

Yin Yang Cats

Posted on January 9, 2025 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Black and white cat, Cat, Cats, Chair, cuddle poem, Life, Pink, Poetry, snuggle, Tuxedo catLeave a comment

It’s cool for cats?

Not if you want to stay warm!

Sharing a chair

Which side is yours?

Not much space

To pace about?

So cuddle up

Snuggle down

Purr and sleep.

Distracted

Posted on January 5, 2025 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Art, bills, Chair, Darkness, Life, Mug, Painting, Teapot, Thinking, TV remotes, WinterLeave a comment

Things have got in the way and I have hit a block with my painting of a teapot. I mean both physically and mentally.

You can see some of what is obstructing it. I need to move things, it’s just that I am mentally stuck. I think its the low light levels as this seems to get me every year. One day soon I hope have this finished.

Ouchie

Posted on November 12, 2024November 12, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged cartlidge, Chair, Chair arm, leaning, Ouch, Painful, ribs, walking cane, walking stickLeave a comment

I was out at physiotherapy today when I dropped my walking stick on the floor. Instead of doing the sensible thing and standing up, I leant over the thin chair arm and reached down. Fingertips close to the handle I just reached a bit more and something clunked in my side. It was so painful I shouted out. They checked I was OK. I don’t think I’ve broken a rib, but someone suggested I had damaged the cartlidge between my ribs as my weight came down on the chair arm. I’m OK unless I move, then it twinges. Just worried about lying down tonight. I’ve broken ribs before and that’s painful, this isn’t quite as bad, but it’s definitely annoying!

2 cats

Posted on September 18, 2024 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Black and white cat, Cat, Chair, companion animals, Life, Rest, Sleep, Sleeping, Time, Tuxedo catLeave a comment

Medium cat (left) and large cat (right) like to sleep on this chair. Usually there is a single occupant, but tonight they are sharing. The little cat is on the floor just exploring to find somewhere to settle down.

I’m glad they tolerate and cope with each other, the small cat is nervous and sometimes has a paw raised to her, but there’s very rarely a squabble and usually they chase together to pay. I think I will go and settle down too. I’m struggling to keep my eyes open, the cats have the right idea. X

She’s pinched my chair

Posted on April 4, 2024 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Black and white cat, Cat, Cat portrait, Chair, Cute, Pink, sitting down, Tuxedo catLeave a comment

You only have to turn your back round here and a cat snaffles your space! I’m letting her stay, I’ll sit on the other chair x

Chair cover

Posted on January 20, 2024 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Black and white cat, Cat, Chair, covering, Life, Poem, Poetry, Scratching, Tuxedo cat2 Comments

So they keep their claws out.

Covered over, not so smart

But safe at least, from little paws

I want to save my chair from holes

Cats are cheeky, need a scratching pole!

Chair, what chair?

Posted on January 16, 2024 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Chair, Charity, Fed up, first world problem, Furniture, Lost, perplexed, seating, Thought2 Comments

After getting rid of my old armchairs yesterday, I was waiting for the delivery of the second hand replacements today. It’s been a few weeks since I chose them but I couldn’t have them till the old ones went.

I rang up the warehouse to check on the delivery. We will give you a call when the van is near you, within half an hour…

OK I said, so when I got a call I thought I was going to receive them. But no, we can’t find your chairs, they said. Can you come up and identify them? So I went.

Is that the chair you chose? Yes, but I chose two, there is only one? Oh, the woman said, I was off for a week and noticed one was missing when I got back? I was surprised and annoyed. You’ve sold the other one? It was reserved. I needed ones that will go through our front door (it’s narrow), and small so my feet touch the ground (I have short legs).

We looked everywhere but the other chair was gone. But I need two for when visitors come round. I was getting upset. Why do things always go wrong? Another volunteer said they have a similar chair on their van. They will bring it along tomorrow and I can decide if I want it or they will owe me one! I came home feeling dejected. I had to go to a charity for the chairs and so I don’t have the choice I would have in a store. I know it’s a first world problem but…..

Chairs gone!

Posted on January 15, 2024January 15, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged armchairs, Chair, Furniture, Gone, Life, Memory, seating, Second hand, Springs, Worn out2 Comments

An empty space…. Twenty-five years had a detrimental effect on our armchairs. The springs were gone and I’d added pillows and cushions to try and build them up. At one stage we thought of reupholstering them, they had been very comfortable. But no, when you have to put books in the base of them to hold them up, and the springs dig into the carpet you know it’s too late! I rescued the seat pads and used them to boost the cushions on the settee which is really only used for guests to sleep on. Waiting for two ‘new’ (secondhand) chairs to be delivered tomorrow.

I do a yoga class

Posted on July 11, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Balance, Calm, Chair, Challenge, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-1994, Exercise, Relax, Yoga3 Comments

What strategies do you use to increase comfort in your daily life?

I’m not good at yoga, I’m not very flexible anymore. So I use a chair for most of the positions we do in class.

I have to use the chair for balances too, I just cannot manage to stand up and balance on one leg. But overall I think its slowly helping my mobility. I don’t feel like I will ever be able to do some of the poses, but at least I try.

I think yoga is about doing the best you can, and trying to get to a calm state of mind in the process. I have to admit I have not studied the teachings behind the practice, but if it lowers my blood pressure and helps me to gain some lost movement, even if only to a slight extent, then I’m all for it.

I ache after classes but I think as I have kept going I have been able to feel more comfortable physically, and it might be helping me mentally.

I don’t like the idea of ‘exercise’ style of yoga, where people force themselves into position and use heated rooms, I think there is more to it than that. What next? Boxing yoga? No thanks.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Chair