Blurred vision.

Posted on February 5, 2019February 5, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Charity, Eyes, Eyesight, Glasses, Life, Reflections, Support, VisionLeave a comment

I just had my annul eye test and had to have eyedrops to expand my pupils. My vision was so blurred I was not allowed to drive and when I got home I used my phone camera to zoom in so I could see things!

But then I thought how lucky I am to have a health service where I can get my eyes tested and checked with relative ease. How do people manage in other countries where poverty is endemic? I have given old glasses to charities in the past so that they can be shipped abroad and reused by other people with vision problems.

Life is not easy, and things could be much better organised. Imagine having proper collection points where you can discard your old glasses when your prescription changes. Imagine that these glasses get redistributed to people who need them. It might be that they are only shared with those that cannot afford to buy. Isn’t that a good thing? Think how much resource that could save? There must be a charity somewhere that does this…..

My old self

Posted on February 5, 2019 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Cat, Fun, Humour, Life, Painting, pet cat, self portraitLeave a comment

This is from about 20years ago. It’s me and my old cat. It’s an acrylic on canvas. One friend criticised me for being too splodgy. It’s called Familiar friends.

When you look back at any picture of yourself it can be shocking how much you have changed. The lines on your face increase. I’ve got many more blemishes now. If I take a selfie it tries to blur out the imperfections and I look like I’m standing in fog!

I love this painting. I had dark hair and I was slimmer!

Icy

Posted on February 4, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged An exhibition of blue, Art, Design, Exhibition, Glass, Installation, Life, Painting, Sculpture, Spode, Staffordshire, Stoke, Stoke-on trentLeave a comment

You know it’s cold when the ice that was put in the sink on Friday night is still frozen in the sink on Sunday.

This is what had happened at the “an, exhibition of Blue”, which I was helping invigilate yesterday.

The exhibition space is in part of the old Spode Factory which has been converted into artists studios. The building used to be full of pottery machinery and pottery kilns. I imagine they did not need much insulation in those days. Now, however, thin walls and single glazed windows together with thick concrete ceilings high up which allow all the heat to rise make for icebox conditions in the winter.

We also did not know where the switch was for the space heater that sits next to the lift. So guests and artists alike stood next to or inside the kitchen where a small electric fan heater was trying to defrost the ice in the sink! People tried to sit on the couches to keep their feet off the freezing concrete floors. I’d been there three hours before one of the other artists at Spode found the heater switch in a cupboard! I did feel foolish for not looking.

Even though it was cold we got a good turn out. The exhibition will be coming down soon but it may be possible to get one of the exhibitors to show you round if you are interested.

Gracie

Posted on February 4, 2019February 4, 2019 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Animal, Blog, Cat, Fun, Life, Play, Poem, stickLeave a comment

Gracie sniff stick ,

Bite stick,

Fight stick

Chew it,

Subdue it,

Ignore it…..

That’s exactly what she did. We used to have a cat toy tied to the stick but she pulled that off. The stick has been sitting there, patiently, minding it’s own business. So of course I decided to tease Gracie. She immediately Sniffed it and batted it with her paws. Then she started chewing the tip so I moved it away. As soon as it was still again she ignored it…. So I wrote this poem just for fun.

Parking rage!

Posted on February 3, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Anger, Blogging, Life, Parking, Rage, Reflections, Work4 Comments

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It happened again, people parking in front of our house, not leaving a space for me to park. It’s residents parking only, for people who live here. But that doesn’t stop others parking there.

So what? They pay road tax don’t they? But sometimes the vehicle will stay there for days. .. and I have shopping to carry home, sometimes very heavy. Or I have to park halfway up the hill and take someone else’s space. This weekend was really bad. I had been out to a couple of events and I was really tired. I struggled to find a space to park and really wanted to block the cars in that are not from the street, or even, (and I never would ), scratch their paintwork.

I know its wrong, but its parking rage because my space has been invaded. I need to calm down. But it does wind me up!

Card illustrations

Posted on February 3, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Acrylic, acrylic and pen on card, Art, Cards, Craft, Fun, Life, making, Memories, Painting2 Comments

I did these cards about a year ago. I had taken photos in a friends house because she wanted some home made cards.

If you would like to do something similar all you need I’d a thin black ink pen and acrylic paints thinned down to watercolour consistency. They work as well as watercolours and it saves having to find them out from whatever cupboard I’ve got them in!

I basically drew outlines then filled them in with the paints.

I’ve only done a few more of these. Maybe I will paint more in future.

Singing

Posted on February 2, 2019February 3, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Life, Music, Poem, Poetry, Rhyme, Sing, songLeave a comment

Sing high, sing low, sing medium

No sound evokes emotions as much as song.

Sing sweet, sing dry, sing rich.

Music stills hearts and makes them soar.

Sing soft, sing deep, sing life,

Happiness and sorrow can be drawn out.

Sing loud, sing quiet, sing laughter.

Your life, your heart, your dream.

Charity singing day.

Posted on February 2, 2019February 2, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Charity event, Clay Chorus, Fun, Hanley, Life, Lord mayor event, Loud mouth women, Music, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Victoria Hall2 Comments

I’ve been out all day singing at workshops with various tutors. Then in the evening 16 choirs were involved in a concert to raise money for three charities.

The day started early at a local theatre, groups went off to various changing rooms, bars and the auditorium to learn new songs and vocal techniques. In the same way as artists have different styles so do musicians. The first workshop I attended was called “joy” and it was joyful and bonkers. Fast cheery tunes and ” jazz hands”, it woke us up and some of us even threatened to join the teachers choir. The second workshop I went to was called “raise your voice” and helped us to harmonise and listen to each other while we learnt two folk songs.

In the afternoon around 400 of us.. Yes that many, learned a new song written specially for the day. Based on “let your little light shine” the lyrics were written by a local poet and music by a local musician. The result was filmed this evening when we sang it at the end of the concert.

It should be going on YouTube.

Each choir also sang one or two songs. Some of the singers were in 3 and even 4 of the choirs so they were busy.

We had a satisfying day and I think everyone should be proud of what they did.

Clouds

Posted on January 31, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Blues, Clouds, Infinity, Life, Patterns, Poems, Poetry, Reflections, Skies, ThinkingLeave a comment

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Feathers, bold, blues new,

Trees and lamps, float above,

Mirror wings , fly out phantom birds.

Swoop over head, peck at the sky.

Field of blue, arching inwards,

Nearer than infinity, but far.

Find your reflection, on the wind,

Life eternal, changing, clouds scattered.

In the dark (part two)

Posted on January 31, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blog, Blogging, Fun, Humour, Life, Mystery, Short story, Very short story4 Comments

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It’s been suggested that I carry on with this, so I will try…

I closed the front door and reached for the light switch. Nothing, the house was in darkness. My partner was not about. I used my phone to light the livingroom while I tried to find the fuse box. But when I checked none of the fuses had tripped.

I tried the light at the other end of the room, but it was the same. Normally we leave a table lamp on if we go out, but this was off too?!

What was going on? The room was freezing and dark, the curtain was open on the side window of the house so a glimmer of sodium street light trickled in.

I walked past the barometer. The pressure had dropped. The snow was starting to drift past the window again. I could see snow flakes falling silhouetted by the street light.

I realised that I still had not heard my partner. I moved back to the front door and opened it. Any foot prints on the pavement had been covered by the drifting snow. What next? I walked through the kitchen to the back door. It was locked and the key was still it. Even so I opened the door to look out. I was not surprised to see a cats eyes reflecting back at me, there are always stray cats hanging around for hand outs.

But the eyes looking back at me looked larger than normal, bright gold, glinting. Perhaps a fox? I slowly closed the door, not daring to take my eyes off the steady gaze until it was locked shut.

Feeling dizzy and worried I used the light from my phone to climb the stairs. Thinking all the time that maybe I should have knocked on my neighbours door? The memory of people walking upstairs in horror films also crept into my mind.

“Hello” “you’re home early” my partners voice came from a chair by the window …..

(I’m not carrying on with this tonight, leaving it as a bit of a cliffhanger).

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Life