Afternoon tea at the Quarter

Posted on February 22, 2024 Posted in UncategorizedTagged afternoon tea, Coffee, Decaff, enjoyable, ladies, Life, Lovely, Spode, Stoke-upon-Trent, Tasty food, Tea, the QuarterLeave a comment

I went out for afternoon tea with some lovely ladies. It was a spur of the moment thing but I was really pleased to be invited. It’s not something English people do everyday!

The meal included various small sandwiches, mini quiche, a scone with jam and clotted cream, a mini Victoria sponge and a mini chocolate brownie.

And lashings of cups of tea or coffee (normal or decaff). The result was a delicious and tasty meal.

The Quarter cafe is at the Spode Site at Elanora Street, Stoke upon Trent. I think there is another one in the city centre (Hanley). You have to book the tea you can’t just arrive. Service was really good, the waitress was very helpful.

Mossy peeling paint

Posted on February 22, 2024 Posted in UncategorizedTagged appreciation societies, Art, boring men, Life, Moss, Peeling paint, Spode, ThinkingLeave a comment

A miniature forest? No, moss and peeling paint on a windowledge at Spode Site, Elanora street, Stoke today. I like the look of it, but when I think of the deterioration to the buildings I realise they must be crumbling inside and out.

I took quite a few photos today, some of them seriously boring! I’m not sure how I will use them. There is a boring men Facebook page I think? I don’t know if I could post them there or if I want to. I might just post them to the peeling paint appreciation society and the moss appreciation society pages!

21.2.2010

Posted on February 21, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged 14 years, Facebook memories, Fun, Life, orange glow, Photo, Snow, sodium lighting, WinterLeave a comment

14 years ago and we had heavy snow. On the night of 14 February 2010. The orange sodium streetlamps cast a reddish glow across the snow. Those lamps are now changed to white LED lights. Less energy used, less atmospheric lighting. No snow!

This has been the hottest February on record. Even in the alps and other mountains in the UK and Europe the amount of snow is 47% less than in previous years. Not good for skiers and winter sports.

This was on my Facebook memories today.

Cat keeps warm

Posted on February 20, 2024 Posted in Cat, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Black and white cat, Cat, Kneading, Life, Love, Poddling, Purring, Radiator, Tuxedo cat, WarmthLeave a comment

She’s taking advantage of the radiator being on for a while. A friend said she looks content in the photo.

I currently have another cat sitting on my knees poddling (kneading) me. I’m enjoying being nuzzled on my hand while loud purrs are surrounding me.

Content cats lead to content humans, warm and happy cats show you love. I don’t think they are as aloof as they are sometimes painted. But they do seem to have an off switch, they can be lovely and then just jump off you for no reason! My Mom used to call it cupboard love, because they usually just want feeding!

Friends

Posted on February 20, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged dailyprompt, dailyprompt-1854, Friends, keeping in touch, Life, Memories, Talking, ZoomLeave a comment

Who are your favorite people to be around?

So lucky to have many friends. I admit they have had to put up with a lot from me lately and I appreciate every minute they have given to me.

For the first time in 63 years I was on my own in December last year. Without those friends I don’t know if I would still have been here.

Time moves on and you lose track of people, trying to find them again hurts when they just seem to have vanished. But I have managed to track some of them down through Facebook (whatever happened to “friends reunited”?)

I hope we maintain some of those interrupted friendships. Covid didn’t help, although Zoom meetings made life a bit easier, but I’m glad not to do them anymore. X

Springs coming

Posted on February 20, 2024February 20, 2024 Posted in Memories, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged ArtRage app, Colour, Design, Digital art, Fun, Life, Love, Memory, Pattern, Poem, Poetry, Rhyme, SpringLeave a comment

Flowers are coming

So is the green

Hoping I’m grinning

When they are seen

Multicoloured blooms

Loom out of the gloom!

Daisies and daffodils

And snowdrops too

Reflecting a sky

Of brilliant blue!

A whole mug of coffee!

Posted on February 20, 2024 Posted in UncategorizedTagged accidentally, Annoying, bath towel, Coffee, Drink, Hot, Life, mopping up, Oops, spillLeave a comment

Argh

Literally just knocked a whole mug of coffee over on the carpet. It’s a good job it’s dark charcoal coloured! I grabbed the first thing to hand, a bath towel. I’m going to our some cold water over it in a minute. Wish me luck!

Discount?

Posted on February 20, 2024 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Annoying, Changes, consultation, discounts, Food, Life, loyalty card, rip off, ShoppingLeave a comment

I go to a (nameless) supermarket that used to give discounts if you purchased shopping from them and used their discount card. I would build up a bit of money over the year and use it towards my Christmas shopping.

Recently they changed the system. Now if you use your card you should get a discount off some products and ‘everyday essentials’ (like milk and broccoli???). I’ve asked a few times how I find these products, apparently they have an extra blue sticker on them. So now I have to spend time looking round the shop for stickers? It also means that I have to choose what the shop wants me to buy to save money. Today I saved a whole 20pence on a tuna sandwich. That’s 20 pence off £26.40. When I asked the manager she said customers nationwide had asked for it? I wasn’t consulted.

Other information is that as theirs is a small shop they have less discounted products. If I go to a bigger store I will find more! Guess what, they are further away and consequently cost more to get to! Wow, wonderful (not).

Another portrait

Posted on February 19, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged actress, Cate Blanchett, Digital drawing, Galadriel, Life, Memory, Portrait, Sketchfu, the Lord of the Rings3 Comments

Oh I am forgetful! is this Cate Blanchett? I think she played the lady Galadriel in the Lord of the Rings films. I drew this about the time the films came out and it’s another sketchfu digital drawing. It’s not perfect but I am quite pleased with it and have good memories of the site.

My old sandals

Posted on February 19, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged beaches, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-1853, holidays, Life, Memory, Mountains, paths, Poem, Poetry, Thoughts, WalkingLeave a comment

Tell us about your favorite pair of shoes, and where they’ve taken you.

Not flip flos

Not beach sandals

Proper walking sandals

Have taken me up and down

Hills and paths

Through fords

Into the sea

On hot days and pebble beaches

Foreshore, piers

Along garden paths

Looking for minnows

In shallows

Sandals that supported me

Sandals that transported me

Sandals I tore off

When my feet got stuck in mud

Sandals that wore out

Heels worn down

Sandals full of grit and memory

That guided my feet..

To you

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Life