Mock Mayor

_20190919_215241

_20190919_233459

In Victorian times Newcastle-under-Lyme was a rotten Borough. The citizens of the town decided to choose their own Mock Mayor and Mayoress. There is a famous painting in the Brampton museum and art gallery depicting the scene. A man stands on the market cross steps with a wooden staff and a horse tail switch. His wife is falling off a donkey. Mace bearers with cabbages on sticks are in his retinue. The town crier and other mock officials officiate.

So me and my hubby were asked to join in and have ended up being chosen to play the mayor and mayoress parts. Then we found out the mayoress was played by a man! So I had to find a dress to fit him. The thing is he suffers badly from anxiety so he took a lot of persuading. The thing in its favour is that he enjoys acting. It takes his mind off the anxiety. It’s because he’s laying a character. It’s hard to explain. If he is just being himself his anxiety is through the roof. But as long as things go OK when he’s acting he’s OK. If I am not there he can’t do things… Anyway that’s just how things are.

The Ceremony recreation is on Saturday. I’m hoping I don’t fall off the steps, fluff my lines, forget where to stand, plus support hubby…… Eek!

Urban sketchers, on the roof.

I almost missed this today. We were invited up to the bridal suite in the Potbank Hotel to draw the views from the top room. The windows look out over the Spode factory roofs and beyond….

By the time I got there I was very late. I only had 45 minutes to draw. So I drew the view with the iconic Spode chimney first, looking out over Stoke Minster and part of the town hall. Then in the last 15 minutes I drew the cupola? of a building, its prominent as you look over Stoke. Turns out its an old co-op building. I only found out because as I was leaving I bumped into another urban sketcher who had not been able to get there in time. She had done research into what it was.

I might not have done as much as I wanted but it was fun. I would like to go back and do more.

X

Haunted bike light?

_20190916_154905

It’s on again! My hubby shouted from the kitchen. He’d been outside to check round the garden, and found the back light of his bike was flashing. But he’d turned it off after he’d found it flashing earlier. It was one of those multi function lights with different patterns each time you press the button.

Well has anyone got into the garden? I asked. No one can get through the fence, and why would they want to switch a flashing rear light on. I don’t know, he said but I’ve switched it off.

The next night he was checking round the garden again. It’s on again! He said excitedly. Well it must be broken, bring it in. It’s probably got rain in it.

So last night I walked in the kitchen, it was on again. I pressed the button on the back. Eventually it switched off. We went out for an hour and when we came back it was on again!

I know what to do. So I opened it up and loosened the battery, then I put the front lens back in place. As I went to walk away the lens popped off and landed on the floor! It made me jump! The outcome? It’s in the bin!

 

Green Woman, self portrait..

I suppose it would happen. I decided to do a self portrait….. I seem to do them once in a decade. The last one was a drawing about ten years ago.

I’m not sure if painting myself as a Green woman will work, but hopefully it will compliment the portrait of my hubby as a Green man. I’m thinking of offering to do them as portraits for people who are interested in the pagan world.

I’ll share more as it progresses. X

Autumn flowers

And foliage. At Trentham Gardens, I love the colour combinations, yellows and purples, reds, oranges and greens. Really rusty beautiful sculptures are inserted into the borders to add to the joyous jumble. Giant bees jostle metal flowers, knopthalia (red hot poker plants) and crimson and variegated Coleus add their foliage flames to the fire. Makes you feel warm on a dreary day.

X

George

Untitled57_001

George was a good cat. If he climbed on windowsills he would carefully place his paws so he didn’t knock over the vases. If he climbed to the top of the bookcase, somehow he would not knock the books down. Even if paint was spilled on the floor he could avoid walking through it. Oh George was a clever cat. He could be seen in the window of the house. Not looking out, but looking into the room. A twinkle in his eye.

George had one bad habit. He chased the goldfish in the bowl. It would hide behind the plastic castle in the corner. Waiting for George, who could stare for hours, to get bored and go away.

One day it was cold and grey, the weather was stormy, and George decided to look out of the window and watch the trees waving in the wind. Suddenly a bolt of lightening struck one of the tallest trees. There was an almighty cracking noise, and a huge branch came down hitting the window and smashing it. George jumped out of the way just in time, his paws softly landing on the carpet. But then he saw the goldfish, it’s bowl had been knocked over. He sniffed it as it lay flapping on its side. But, instead of eating the fish he carefully gripped the tip of its tail in his mouth and ‘plop’, dropped it back into the half full bowl. Then he placed himself next to the bowl and watched the fish swim.

He likes his coat.

15676974139732545418753177606166

Boy cat likes hubbies coat. If he gets a chance he will jump up and poddle it, (knead it with his front paws).

My hubby was in the garden earlier then left his coat on the armchair. Up comes uss catand jumps up. Now he’s curled up, snuggled. Must be a boy thing, scent and all that. He never sleeps on my coat (mind you I do hang mine up!). The trouble is when hubby comes in to sit down, cats snaffled his chair. They stare at each other. Will boy cat move? Hubby looks at him, he looks at hubby. I say ‘are you wanting to sit on your seat?’ Hubby lifts cat up, claws attached to coat! Cat comes and poddles my knee!