Leaving school

Posted on February 28, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Cleaning, College, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-1862, jobs, Learning, leaving home, Memory, School, Time, waitressLeave a comment

Describe a phase in life that was difficult to say goodbye to.

When I left school all those years ago I remember feeling like I was falling off a cliff. Hard to change my life.

Everything had been about learning, getting up every day, going to classes, coming home, doing homework. Trying to make the switch to ‘real life’ was a shock. I knew the times I worked would be different, but I got a couple of part time jobs cleaning and waitressing so I was not free to enjoy weekends or evenings anymore. This got worse as I went to college in the following autumn so I was trying to fit in my college work and my jobs and trying to get some work life balance.

I managed the change in my life OK after a few months but strangely it was hard to say goodbye to. I was still with my family and friends. The next year I left home. That was the real shock to my system.

Helibores, flowers in bloom.

Posted on February 28, 2024February 28, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Esther Chilton, Flowers in bloom, Helibores, Life, Memory, Spring, Writing challengeLeave a comment

A helibore at Rode Hall.

I’ve just written a post about flowers in bloom on Esther Chiltons blog:

I visited Rode Hall in Staffordshire this weekend to see flowers in bloom. It was the annual Snowdrop Walk. It’s about a mile of paths around gardens and woods and along to a lake where thousands of Snowdrops of various species are in flower at this time of year.

We had to book a time slot to get a parking space because the ground is saturated after a very wet winter and there would not be enough space in the car park otherwise.

My friend and I had a lovely walk around the grounds. We were a bit disappointed because a lot of the snowdrops have already gone over (finished flowering), but there were other flowers in bloom including daffodils, helibores, cyclamen, camelia, and other flowers and shrubs. Flowers are blooming and Spring is on its way!

Mobiles

Posted on February 28, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Art, Creative, Gallery, Learning, Library, Memory, philanthropy, skill, Wire weavingLeave a comment

Wire woven mobiles in my window. The first thing I look at in the morning. One was to celebrate my hubbys 65th birthday, the other Ygdrasil, the tree at the centre of the world was a gift from my friend. I wonder if there will be any more?

Wire weaving is a brilliant skill, I think my friend was featured as a maker on one of the TV sales shows a few years ago. This sort of work takes agility and dexterity.

Creative people deserve recognition and support. In a world where councils, running short of money, are going to close art galleries and libraries, I wonder what people are meant to do to learn and enjoy the arts? Maybe the richest 20 MEN in the world should share some of their wealth more, even if we go back to Victorian values like philanthropy. Art is in our DNA it needs preserving!

Putting a bookcase together!

Posted on February 26, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged bookcase, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-1860, DIY, dowel, Glue, leaning, MDF, Memory, pva, ScrewsLeave a comment

Describe the most ambitious DIY project you’ve ever taken on.

I remember fighting to put a bookcase together. We had picture instructions. Various dowels and screws and covers to go over the screw heads, shelves, and a few bits that made a sort of plinth base thing. It was white coated MDF which had white hardboard that slotted together at the back. It came with pva glue that helped hold it together.

Once we got it out of the box we got confused with how to put it together. Place part A next to part C, use dowel B to join together etc etc… But it gets boring after a bit. You spill the glue on the destructions (as I call them), which stick together and then, disaster(ish). It sort of looks like the picture on the box, but a bit like the leaning tower of Pisa! No matter, we will try putting books on when the glue dries…

Diagnosis

Posted on February 24, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Appointment, diagnosis, Health, Hospital, Life, Memory, Thinking, Time, WaitingLeave a comment

I’m not saying what I’ve got, but I’ve been waiting for a follow up appointment for two years. So this isn’t a recent thing.

I was told last time that I didn’t have something, now I’m told I have. Basically my previous symptoms, we’re not bad enough for a decision and delays in appointments have meant it’s taken two years for a proper diagnosis. To be honest I felt relief because I can take tablets for it. Hopefully that will alleviate my symptoms.

Now I’m waiting for some other test results about something else. I feel like I’m playing illness top trumps! (a card game).

Floating

Posted on February 23, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Art, Blue sky, Collage, Life, Memory, Photography, Sunlight, Thought, Time, wispy cloudsLeave a comment

I used to do a lot of collages like this. I just looked back and saw this. Blue sky and wispy clouds with an old building suspended in the sky. I think I might try and do a few more if the rain ever stops! Grey skies and lack of sunshine makes me a dull woman. I need to try and do more art and experiment more. I don’t want to come to a stop. I hope when the sunlight comes back I feel more bright myself.

Young at heart

Posted on February 21, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Countryside, Friends, Fun, Health, Hubby, Memory, Photo, Sadness, swing, Time, WalkingLeave a comment

Hubby on a swing we found, at the edge of a field a couple of years ago on a country walk. Soon he was flying up to the sky! Luckily the rope didn’t give way.

When covid was going on we actually went walking more, getting away from the city and people, then when lock down ended we continued but with more friends. This was one of those occasions.

Later I stopped walking as much after badly pulling a muscle, but we were trying to get back into walking when I trapped my leg in the car door and that resulted in a wound that took months to heal. We were just getting back into walking when my hubbys health deteriorated and he passed away. The universe seems against me!

I think I need company to get back out again. I don’t like walking on my own, easier to hide.

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!

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: Memory