Tag: Planning

Tub of pencil crayons..

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I went to an event planning meeting today at BArts in Stoke. It’s going to be an opera based on the witch (wise woman) from Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, who was alive in the 17th and 18th centuries. She was buried at 90 degrees to the normal North South orientation.

From Wikipedia :

Margaret ‘Molly’ Leigh (1685–March 1748) was an English property owner in the Staffordshire town of Burslem who, in her will, left substantial sums to charity. She was also accused of witchcraft, and, after her death, her grave was disturbed following claims she was haunting the town.

We had a singing session based on some of her life and the treatment she received from her neighbours. We were also invited to create some art based on her life. (hence the tub of pencil crayons. The opera is due to be put on later this summer.

Impeller problems

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I have an impeller pump in my water system because my header tank is in the bathroom extension and doesn’t create any water pressure when I have a shower etc. Last night it didn’t pump, it just hummed. Only a trickle of water came through. The pump pushes water through the cold and hot systems. It’s probably full of limescale because I live in a hard water area.

I’ve got a heating engineer coming out tomorrow. He’s been round and found out what pump he needs. So I’m basically waiting for it to be changed over, but I want a shower. Now instead I’m trying to work out if I can boil water then add cold into saucepans so I can at least wash my hair. That would be after I clear out the airing cupboard that’s full of a lot of junk. Plus the house is in a mess. Argh, I’m going to be preoccupied for a while.

Decay

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Some of the buildings on the old Spode works site continue to deteriorate while others next to them are being restored and reused.

My fear is that some, like this one, could literally crumble before they get any work on them.

Time moves on, plans have been made and then stopped because they did not fit in well with both the historical significance of Spode works and the surrounding town. The traffic management needs considering too. Meanwhile the buildings need protection and rebuilding.

Too many historical and unique buildings in the city of Stoke-on-Trent have disappeared recently. Destroyed because of disrepair or fire or vandalism. The industrial archeology of the city needs saving. Otherwise we will end up with warehouses or generic apartment buildings and lose our history.

Where Manchester used old Mills to create  loft spaces and apartments, we seem hell bent on hollowing out our citys history.

Everything

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What details of your life could you pay more attention to?

Recently I’ve been putting my head in the sand and taking avoiding action. Anxiety will do that to you. Pulling my mind and life back up out of it is hard work.

A lot of it is external, caused by things out of my control. But even so I must pay more attention to things. I must not let things to continue to spiral out of my grasp.

The plan is to look at easy, medium and hard things to do. Trying to do one or two or even three of them a day.

What I found was that trying to do all three one day exhausted me, made me too tired the next day to do anything more. I think I am a bit burnt out? Maybe getting things done less quickly and trying to build up is the best way to go?

Anyway I’m going to try and get back to normal soon.

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Getting outside

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Out painting with a friend

It’s been a month since I went out painting on a windy day, came back and caught my leg in a car door. On Saturday there is an urban sketching meet and I might go. What concerns me is that I will need a table or at least a chair. But on the same day there is a choir performance I’d like to attend. It will be possibly a safer bet as its downstairs and there will be chairs and no steps to negotiate….. It feels scary and good to contemplate getting out and about again. It’s good that two activities I love, art and singing, are both happening on the same day, but I am anxious!

To be people friendly

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How would you design the city of the future?

Enough space to live, to fit in, to get what you need. But not too much, so you crowd everyone else out.

I like the ideas in Japan where space is at a premium so it is designed to be suitable for peoples needs. Things like fold up beds, or rooms that convert from one use to another. Innovation and recycling of materials.

There is a TV programme called George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces, where every week someone is trying to get the most home space out of a tiny space. Some of the solutions are incredible.

Look at the Earth and our cities, we are too wasteful. We want too many things, we want the biggest car or house, without realising less is more. Each of us could accept slightly less and share out assets better!

So town planners need to consider the resources we have, the cost of living, how things can fit together to make things better (or worse). Just having a little garden space can be very fulfilling. Life doesn’t have to be awful in cities, but it does need to be less haphazard and more organised, otherwise things tend to the chaotic and entropy builds. Cities fall as well as rise. We need serious thought and planning.

Flower head

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A planter I made about thirty years ago, I really wish I’d planted it up with lobelia like this but it got a bit late. It’s had snapdragons in it this year but they have got a bit straggly. I hope when I get a bit better I will be able to get out and rearrange things a bit. Summer is passing by and I’m stuck. Sorry to be grumpy.

Planning

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Now’s the time to order our hanging baskets for the year. The lady that puts them together asks me what colours I would like. Usually I don’t specify what theme I want but I’m definitely going for a rainbow theme this year. I think because there are so many different flowers and shapes and colours that would really brighten the yard. Last year was mainly red white and green so I bought in other flowers to broaden the spectrum.

Going out of the back door and seeing all this colour lifts my spirits. I usually order them and then collect them 6 to 8 weeks later. It’s a bit expensive but I have never been able to grow baskets as beautiful as hers. The summer arrives and I bring the baskets home. Then we have a riot of colour until late Autumn.

Planning application

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I’ve just written a comment on our local council website to oppose planning approval for development of the historic Spode Factory site in Stoke, Stoke-on-Trent.

Planning application in for Spode Site. Search on Stoke.gov.uk for details. Planning application 67906/FUL comments need to be in by 20.07.22.
I wrote :
Elanora Street and the surrounding area in Stoke Town are subject to a lot of heavy traffic. I think this proposal will have a negative effect, particularly around peak traffic flow times.
In addition, as a Studio holder based at the Acava Art Studios on the Spode site I am concerned about how my business will be affected. I need vehicular access to my studio when collecting or delivering artworks and art materials. I would want to be reassured that artists in the studios will not have there businesses restricted or inconvenienced.
Spode Site is a heritage site. It should be developed with an understanding of its historical value to the town, city, and world. But instead the city council seem to be taking the low brow option of cramming ‘apartments’ onto the site.
Like the Goodsyard proposal currently in the process of being considered, it is another uninspired use of land.
In a decade of austerity it is also a question as to whether anyone would want to buy an apartment on a brownfield site where the history has been removed!
Security on the site has been reduced due to council cuts. There have been incidents of intruders entering the site in the evening and nights. Has consideration been given to the security when the work goes ahead?
Finally I want to say I believe this proposal is ill-conceived and destructive of a historical site. The development will be detrimental to Stoke’s standing as a heritage centre. So much of our local history is being allowed into crumble into dust. The council has a short sighted bias  which does not seem to want to take responsibility for Stoke-on-Trents culture

Getting ready?

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Thinking about Christmas. Or any other festival. I would usually be getting ready to travel to see my relatives on Christmas day, or for them to come to us. Only a small group of us, between three and four depending if there is another guest. Then Christmas lunch would be turkey with sausage meat and stuffing, roast potatoes and parsnips, peas and sprouts. Plus gravy. Not interested in bread sauce or cranberries. Our lunch then over we open presents and chat, watch some TV. Maybe go for a walk. In the evening the meal is a salad with some cold meat. I guess I should apologise for this. I know vegetarians and vegans and I do feel guilty. It’s our family tradition, but perhaps it’s time to change.

As the Christmas celebration arrives I’m beginning to wonder if it’s worth tidying up and preparing lots of food. There are only two of us this year. Life changes and you have to go with it….funny how describing it for us is all about food and not the religious reason. How strange. I didn’t mention presents either. I’ve got too much stuff. I don’t think I need more!