Monday, April 30, 2012
Pilgrims Antiques Centre.
The sun has shone - a most welcome break in the wet weather.
People have been in and out of Pilgrims Antiques Centre and things have been bought.
Huh! Nothing of mine bought......and after some real thought and hard work on my part.
I am tired now - legs ache, back aches and shoulders ache; but all in a good cause I think.
This is what you see when you get to the back of the shop - my section.
A locking cabinet now stands in front of the window and the glass shelves have moved to the end of the wooden shelves.
There's the cabinet amongst my other shelves - everything has been moved today.
Fabulous 1960s table.....looking towards the kitchen shelves.
I got close to selling the table today. The woman loved it.
But she already has a table which fits her room and lifestyle - though she did begin to wonder about changing things.
Maybe she will be back.
You are seeing it the wrong way up.
From the other side it seems more obvious that the artwork depicts a flower and a butterfly.
The old shelves now hold what I tend to describe as my "pretty" things.
Beyond them are the toy shelves.....mostly toys for toddlers or young girls.
( I do feel a trifle ashamed for such a sexist approach!)
The 1950s and 1960s.
Here I go again.......this is the section for the men and boys!
Me and my world.
This is part of Monika's section. There had been cabinets here. But now there is furniture.
My cabinet came from Monika.
She still has 2 cabinets.
Bill and his section.
Bill and his truncheon.
He has 2 of them, which he took into the shop today.
And now for an early night.
With rain beating on the windows once again.
People have been in and out of Pilgrims Antiques Centre and things have been bought.
Huh! Nothing of mine bought......and after some real thought and hard work on my part.
I am tired now - legs ache, back aches and shoulders ache; but all in a good cause I think.
This is what you see when you get to the back of the shop - my section.
A locking cabinet now stands in front of the window and the glass shelves have moved to the end of the wooden shelves.
There's the cabinet amongst my other shelves - everything has been moved today.
Fabulous 1960s table.....looking towards the kitchen shelves.
I got close to selling the table today. The woman loved it.
But she already has a table which fits her room and lifestyle - though she did begin to wonder about changing things.
Maybe she will be back.
You are seeing it the wrong way up.
From the other side it seems more obvious that the artwork depicts a flower and a butterfly.
The old shelves now hold what I tend to describe as my "pretty" things.
Beyond them are the toy shelves.....mostly toys for toddlers or young girls.
( I do feel a trifle ashamed for such a sexist approach!)
The 1950s and 1960s.
Me and my world.
This is part of Monika's section. There had been cabinets here. But now there is furniture.
My cabinet came from Monika.
She still has 2 cabinets.
Bill and his section.
Bill and his truncheon.
He has 2 of them, which he took into the shop today.
And now for an early night.
With rain beating on the windows once again.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Holidays for many - and the weather.
It has been a while since I posted anything about my life and thoughts.
The rain upsets me.....I am unable to live the life I want to live.
Some interesting things could have been popped into the wet days; but I have concentrated on getting up to date with other things.
We are not alone in having rainy days.
The news from Thailand is of an abandoned (for now) stop in the Khao Sok National Park.
Hey - that happened last October too!
Maybe they can get away this week - the last week of the long school holidays.
There have been good holidays for the Thai Monks.
Here are a couple of collages that I printed for my album today.
The rain upsets me.....I am unable to live the life I want to live.
Some interesting things could have been popped into the wet days; but I have concentrated on getting up to date with other things.
We are not alone in having rainy days.
The news from Thailand is of an abandoned (for now) stop in the Khao Sok National Park.
Hey - that happened last October too!
Maybe they can get away this week - the last week of the long school holidays.
There have been good holidays for the Thai Monks.
Here are a couple of collages that I printed for my album today.
Easter has been a time for trips away.
Here is a picture that my brother shared with me today of Hunstanton in Norfolk.
Lovely picture.
Today has not been holiday weather - but some bold souls decided to get out anyway.
My 2 nephews on the left, and friends, at the Amberley Industrial Museum.
Yes, this very wet drought creates weather talk.
Last week my neighbour gave us another gem. She commented on how windy it has been. Then..."Is it windy at night as well?"
Somehow I must find out if she knows what happens to the stars in the day time!
Mustn't laugh.....Dad told me once of an elderly friend of the family (or relation) who asked what happened to the old moon when the new one arrives each month.
I am expecting a busy day tomorrow at the shop. Maybe not with customers.
I am hoping Monika has emptied a cabinet which she is selling to me. This will involve much re-arrangement for me and a lot of help from Bill.
Now scroll down for a small selection of favourites taken in Newcastle of son and grand daughter.
My son and grand daughter.
Just one last set of photos, taken whilst we were in Newcastle.
We did so many good things, but perhaps these are my favourites - taken on the platform at Tynemouth Station.
I wanted to share them with those who don't facebook.
Ecky knows and I know, that Ashley doesn't choose to smile for the camera.
"Come on, Dad" she pleads..."Smile!"
A hint of a smile there.
"OK - if I must smile, then it will be the biggest fakity, fake smile I can manage!"
I love this picture.
She is beautiful. Like somebody in a Pre Raphaelite painting.
The original was much bigger - but I cropped out a scowling Dad!
We did so many good things, but perhaps these are my favourites - taken on the platform at Tynemouth Station.
I wanted to share them with those who don't facebook.
Ecky knows and I know, that Ashley doesn't choose to smile for the camera.
"Come on, Dad" she pleads..."Smile!"
I love this picture.
She is beautiful. Like somebody in a Pre Raphaelite painting.
The original was much bigger - but I cropped out a scowling Dad!
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Newcastle Monkland
Two weeks ago, we were well down the A1/M1 on our way home for Newcastle and today, at last, I have finished sorting photos.
What have I been playing at for 2 weeks?
Watching the rain maybe.
It was raining at 6 o'clock this morning, so we haven't been out.
Never mind.
Now, to share a peek at the Newcastle Monkland.
Ashley and family have been there for over a year now. A great deal has been done and it now needs mostly cosmetic work to complete it. The trouble is life tends to get in the way of things like that.
But first lets feature one who needs no touching up.
The dress came from Thailand - from the second hand market stall that Mam and I liked so much.
Front of house 2012. The new walls still need rendering, when it has dried out.
The wall round the front garden is new. There was a thick, woody fir hedge.
The far window is the "family room" - very suitable for putting up visitors. It is not a bedroom, though. Having extra bedrooms increases house insurance!
As things were March 2011.
One side of the new kitchen - in the extension.
Can you see that the cat (Isaac) has found a warm place for sleeping?
The kitchen in 2011.
The window wall was knocked out to add lots more space.
New cooker.
The dining end of the kitchen.
The whole area needs new flooring.
Through the kitchen window.
The music room.
The piano is being played a lot now.
Ashley plays beautifully - by ear. He now plays for one of the churches he attends.
This end of the living room - the garden end, would look reasonably finished. There are lovely new French windows to the garden. It is very comfortable.
But one day the walls and ceiling will be painted.
The other end of the living room - the computer end.
Liz's room.
The only room that is finished.
It had been in such a bad state that walls and ceiling had to be completed before it could be used.
Ashley's room.
What have I been playing at for 2 weeks?
Watching the rain maybe.
It was raining at 6 o'clock this morning, so we haven't been out.
Never mind.
Now, to share a peek at the Newcastle Monkland.
Ashley and family have been there for over a year now. A great deal has been done and it now needs mostly cosmetic work to complete it. The trouble is life tends to get in the way of things like that.
But first lets feature one who needs no touching up.
The dress came from Thailand - from the second hand market stall that Mam and I liked so much.
Front of house 2012. The new walls still need rendering, when it has dried out.
The wall round the front garden is new. There was a thick, woody fir hedge.
The far window is the "family room" - very suitable for putting up visitors. It is not a bedroom, though. Having extra bedrooms increases house insurance!
As things were March 2011.
One side of the new kitchen - in the extension.
Can you see that the cat (Isaac) has found a warm place for sleeping?
The kitchen in 2011.
The window wall was knocked out to add lots more space.
New cooker.
The dining end of the kitchen.
The whole area needs new flooring.
Through the kitchen window.
The music room.
The piano is being played a lot now.
Ashley plays beautifully - by ear. He now plays for one of the churches he attends.
This end of the living room - the garden end, would look reasonably finished. There are lovely new French windows to the garden. It is very comfortable.
But one day the walls and ceiling will be painted.
The other end of the living room - the computer end.
The only room that is finished.
It had been in such a bad state that walls and ceiling had to be completed before it could be used.
Ashley's room.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Lunch and a chilly evening.
We enjoyed lunch with French Julie today.
Well, actually enjoyed is not the best word to describe how Bill and I felt....Julie is full of praise for the local fish and chip shop.
We have no praise for it.
The chips were rather like they were last night's left over chips and had been re-heated. Tough as old boots.
Shame.
But Julie had opened a bottle of red wine in readiness for our meal - so I soon felt mellow.
Julie had been in hospital for a couple of weeks. She was discharged on Monday.
Poor Julie expected to feel back to normal - and that hasn't happened. Her mobility is still poor...."can't put one foot in front of the other", she said. She gets tired very easily. Conversation, however, is lively. At one point we were sharing views on philosophy of education!
It is a shame that she feels unable to find much positive to do. But I do understand how that can be after a spell in hospital and when your confidence has been knocked down to allow some degree of depression to creep in.
I would love to think that when we see her next week she might be able to accept an offer to be taken out. We'll see.
We hurried home to get ourselves ready for a stimulating, but cold evening.
It was the Haywards Heath Athletics Club Open Meeting, which they hold at this time each year.
I can tell you, it was not so very warm on the timekeeping steps this evening. We had clear skies (briefly) and the temperature dropped sharply. And it was pretty windy.
We didn't have any electric timekeeping at this meeting - what we, the timekeepers, got on our watches was the only time. It is so good that we are such good timekeepers that the athletes can trust that our times are only ever a few hundredths of a second away from correct. Sometimes we are spot on....a bingo!
It is not often these days that a mile is included in a programme - but Haywards Heath have always had a mile race and there are awards for winners of each age group.
Mostly the races were shorter sprints.
We finished a bit later than expected - but the officials judging the long jump must have finished very much later than expected; they were still at it when we left.
I have one more set of pictures connected with Newcastle to share. These will appear tomorrow - pictures taken in the Newcastle home.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The Metro of Newcastle and District.
On Radio 2 this morning, somebody commented that it could turn out to be the wettest drought we have had since records began!
And it certainly has been wet today.
It was a stay at home day. And suddenly it was the day for me to Spring Clean the bedroom. We have a dust free bedroom! Not for long I guess.
This evening I look back to Newcastle once again.
This blog posting is for train lovers.
I like trains and I really liked The Metro.
It is clean and efficient. The trains come by every 12 minutes. There are 48 miles of track which take passengers from the airport out to the coast and north and south of The Tyne.
There is a Metro stop a couple of hundred yards from Ashley's house. You buy a ticket from a machine which lasts for all that day and opting for just one zone or two.
It opened in 1980, thus having the advantage of modernity over the London Underground. It is overground for most its miles, but goes deep under the ground in the city centre. Much of the track was built on the existing urban railway, built in 1904.
Artwork is an attractive feature at several stations.
Bill "drives" in to Tynemouth Station.
It is an old station, dating from 1882.
It is a Grade 2 listed building.
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A website picture - which shows what a wonderful venue this must be for the Saturday antiques and collectables fairs.
My turn for the front seat!
Mural at The Metro Station which links to Newcastle Central mainline.
By Hilary Painter.
She has adapted the style of Thomas Bewick, a wood engraver to celebrate the 250th anniversary of his birth.
There was a photo of a bust of Thomas Bewick in The Philosophy and Literary Library that I posted a week or so ago.
Another artist features at Monument Station.
Bob Olley painted a series of Metro train windows revealing an abundance of Famous Faces within.
Bob Olley's most famous work made me laugh.....so I will share it with you.
And it certainly has been wet today.
It was a stay at home day. And suddenly it was the day for me to Spring Clean the bedroom. We have a dust free bedroom! Not for long I guess.
This evening I look back to Newcastle once again.
This blog posting is for train lovers.
I like trains and I really liked The Metro.
It is clean and efficient. The trains come by every 12 minutes. There are 48 miles of track which take passengers from the airport out to the coast and north and south of The Tyne.
There is a Metro stop a couple of hundred yards from Ashley's house. You buy a ticket from a machine which lasts for all that day and opting for just one zone or two.
It opened in 1980, thus having the advantage of modernity over the London Underground. It is overground for most its miles, but goes deep under the ground in the city centre. Much of the track was built on the existing urban railway, built in 1904.
Artwork is an attractive feature at several stations.
Bill "drives" in to Tynemouth Station.
It is an old station, dating from 1882.
It is a Grade 2 listed building.
r.jpg)
Mural at The Metro Station which links to Newcastle Central mainline.
By Hilary Painter.
She has adapted the style of Thomas Bewick, a wood engraver to celebrate the 250th anniversary of his birth.
There was a photo of a bust of Thomas Bewick in The Philosophy and Literary Library that I posted a week or so ago.
Another artist features at Monument Station.
Bob Olley painted a series of Metro train windows revealing an abundance of Famous Faces within.
Bob Olley's most famous work made me laugh.....so I will share it with you.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Cragside. Northumberland.
On our last full day with Ashley and Ecky we went to Cragside - a National Trust house and garden and massive estate in the Northumberland Hills.
Cragside was built by Lord Armstrong in 1863. It was the first house to be lit by hydro-electricity;
As its name suggests it was built on a steep and craggy hillside.
This was our first view of the house.
We had already seen the pump house; the pump sent water up to the house from the large man made lake.
The high bridge is contemporary with the house, but has recently been renovated.
It was a day of steep steps and steep slopes.
Ecky and 2 of her Momjii dolls.
These wooden dolls come from Japan and are very much collected.
We bought the one with the water melon the evening before inside The Sage Arts Centre.
Ecky took lots of pictures of her Momjii dolls enjoying a day out.
Splendid view from the formal gardens.
Designers such as William Morris and Byrne Jones were involved in the interiors.
There was a small dressing up box.
I want a trilby!
We took loads more photos of the grounds, the house and the areas up in the hills. There is a 6 mile drive round the estate.
But for tonight that's enough pictures.
Cragside was built by Lord Armstrong in 1863. It was the first house to be lit by hydro-electricity;
As its name suggests it was built on a steep and craggy hillside.
This was our first view of the house.
We had already seen the pump house; the pump sent water up to the house from the large man made lake.
The high bridge is contemporary with the house, but has recently been renovated.
It was a day of steep steps and steep slopes.
Ecky and 2 of her Momjii dolls.
These wooden dolls come from Japan and are very much collected.
We bought the one with the water melon the evening before inside The Sage Arts Centre.
Ecky took lots of pictures of her Momjii dolls enjoying a day out.
Splendid view from the formal gardens.
Designers such as William Morris and Byrne Jones were involved in the interiors.
There was a small dressing up box.
We took loads more photos of the grounds, the house and the areas up in the hills. There is a 6 mile drive round the estate.
But for tonight that's enough pictures.
