Scroogy

A friend just came round to see how I was. I’d just finished watching the George C Scott version of a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, so I was happy to ask her in. She’s a lovely person but a bit excitable and overwhelming.

Anyway she started tidying up the kitchen and put some things in the recycling bin. I heard her moving things and came in to find she was mixing up the types of waste. Not only that she had put my refillable olive oil bottle in the bin. I had to ask her to stop and pulled it back out again. Then she went in the bathroom and managed to break a bit off the tap, (it just needed screwing back in place).

I know how my stuff works and she could have asked instead of coming in like a bull in a China shop. I appreciated her concern for me but please let me do things my own way.

By the time we had chatted for half an hour I was feeling fraught. Thats why I feel a bit grumpy/scroogy. I’ve got used to my own company, I like doing things my own way and I was getting frustrated by her trying to take over. She’s gone now and so has my almost Migraine. It’s left me feeling  like a bad host!

View from Cheddleton

Watercolour I did several years ago at the end of Cheddleton Station platform looking towards (eventually) Froghall wharf.

In the other direction the train line extends half a mile or so before ending abruptly neat the Cheddleton to Leek main road. The train line itself used to continue to Leek before travelling on to Stoke-on-Trent.

The line is starting to be rebuilt towards Leek! It’s exciting news that has been long awaited.

To find out more look up the Churnet Valley railway on the Internet.

Freedom?

Is Lady Liberty disappearing into mist and fog? What happened to the support of huddled masses? Can there possibly be mass deportations?

Looking up the name of the island where people arrived in America, Google says:

On 1 January 1892, Ellis Island opened to receive immigrants. At its peak, during the early years of the 20th Century, thousands of people passed through its gates each day. Angel Island in San Francisco Bay had the same role on the west coast from 1910 to 1940.

So why is this aspect of America. Support and kindness now being curtailed? Perhaps it is through fear, perhaps it is selfishness. I don’t know. There seems to be almost a mass hysteria around the world where xenophobia is taking control. We see it in the UK where the legal routes to migration have been reduced and people fleeing conflict have been forced to risk travelling across the Channel in small boats to get to  the UK. Vicious rumours about those poor people have caused riots and misinformed so many people in negative ways.

We see war in Syria now that has started to maim and kill people again. Destabilising countries causes strife and fear and forces people to move. Gaza is in crisis, Ukraine is being destroyed. Sudan has floods and starvation to mention a few current crises. But instead of dealing with the bad actors we allow the oligarchs of the world to feel they can get away with their cruelty.

All of us need to stop and think about kindness, caring and love. It’s about time we thought as President Kennedy did, not what we can do for ourselves but what we can do for others. Somewhere humanity needs to think about our fellow humans and not just grabbing what we can and damn the rest.

It makes me dispair and worry about what we are doing. Maybe fear of what’s happening to the Earth’s environment is now impacting on its population. Somehow we must start to care more about each other.

Panto painting

Before covid (bc) I painted a series of pictures of places the cast of the pantomime I was in travelled through to get to Gretna green in Scotland (they had no sense of direction). This was one of the destinations.

This popped up on my Facebook memories. Imagine 8 or 10 people walking along and each painting being moved across the stage behind them. It was fun.

Momento Mori

A small painting I did about 7 years ago. My friend bought it from me at a craft fair. I don’t remember why I painted this subject, it might have been Halloween. I don’t know where the idea came from, but it feels likely that I was thinking of spooky stories. Its one of my small canvases from when I was doing more craft fairs. Just found in my memories on Facebook.

Heart felt

Every so often I find a heart, and I smile and remember, I’m not alone.

Memories grip me, I remember clear days, driving through country lanes, visiting old houses, happiness, times spent together.

It doesn’t have to be a leaf, I see hearts in swirls of coffee, puddles, holes in crumpets, flower petals, it’s just some random pattern that leads me to loving feelings, caring, comforting, companionable love.

And I’m glad.

Welsh Beach

Beach or mountains? Which do you prefer? Why?

I don’t know any tropical beaches, but I love the British coast. It’s often rugged and rocky, with rock pools to explore. Sand castles and seahorses to draw in the sand. Looking at barnacles and looking for crabs and fish trapped by the tide. Sandflies on seaweed. Finding out about local tides and how the moon affects them. I particularly like the Welsh coast as its so varied and interesting.

Lighthouses and Ancient burial sites, castles on headlands guarding ports. Welsh names to try and pronounce. Islands and boats, fishermen and tiny villages. I love it.

Past book?

I keep getting ads in my time line to order my 2024 past book now.

Anyone who follows me will know I don’t need reminding. I have had the worst 12 to 24 months in my life that I never want to live over again. I hope to get through December and have a better start to 2025, although I worry about geopolitics. I don’t want one! I don’t want reminding, please don’t make me!

OK that’s enough..

There were good times too, I have some good photos, but I’m not in the mood to share. I’ll hoard those to myself, keep them safe.