Hello. I wish I'd known about this, I would have been there. A wind turbine blade has been installed in Hull City Centre overnight. I just love big load manoeuvres. Those guys at ALE, Abnormal Load Engineering at Stafford, certainly know how to squeeze these monsters through small spaces. I used to work with them when I was on Leicester Heavy Haulage. Their skill is amazing, they have some brilliant kit.
Looks like they cleared Queen Victoria Square of the light show equipment overnight, and brought in cranes to install cradles which will support the wind turbine blade. The move was planned for a 2am start from the Siemens Factory. This is part of the Year of Culture, and will be on display until March.
I have a fascination for all things heavy haulage, I was part of it for three years. Ah well, that's in the past, but I have some brilliant memories, and when I see them on the road part of me wishes I could turn back the clock and do it all over again.
Back to my artwork. Have a nice Sunday. Toodle pip
Hello. A few more pics of my visit to Hull on Thursday. The main attraction was the amazing light show in Queen Victoria Square. I saved this experience for last. Glad I did, because a lot of people were heading out to The Deep when I was coming back into the centre of the city.
The three main buildings were the screens for this epic show. They all had the same images and sound playing simultaneously, so no matter which way you were facing you didn't miss any of it. The story of the last 70 years of Hull's history was played out in fabulous sight and sound panoramic views. I stood facing the Maritime Museum. As well as spectacular it was also very emotional to watch.
A shame that part of HULL was missing in the doorway of the building.
By the time I had watched this I was shivering with cold and thought it best to make tracks for the bus station. I would have liked to see it on one of the other buildings but I was cold, and there was an hour in between bus times. I caught the 6.25pm bus. It was busy with passengers from the South Bank all making their way home.
If you want to watch the whole show, it's here on yoootooob, thanks to Adam Reeve's excellent video. Thanks to Lesley for sending me the link. Put it on full screen, it's very emotional.
I must get on. Dog to walk. Thank you for popping in. Have a nice weekend. We'll catch up soon. Toodle pip
Hello and good morning. I enjoyed my visit to the Hull City of Culture light show yesterday. Even with a huge hoody parka jacket on it was bloomin cold. I drove to the next village where I caught the bus, easiest way to get there, no looking for car parks and no Humber Bridge toll to pay. There seemed to be more passengers than normal, so the journey took a bit longer with all the stopping and starting. Everyone had the same idea, lots of people from the South Bank, using their bus passes to have a free couple of hours entertainment.
At the bus station there were volunteers in their distinctive blue uniforms to hand out leaflets with maps, showing where all the attractions were. I set off crossing the busy Ferensway and went down Jameson Street to Queen Victoria Square. This is where the big light shows take place. I was too early as it was still light, so I carried on down Whitefriargate. There were a few shop windows to look at which had been filled with relics from the past, a trip down memory lane.
Along the route I came across some people left over from the Sea of Hull a blue art instillation which was photographed last year. You may remember I wrote about hundreds of volunteers who had stripped off and were painted blue.
Along the way I walked across the new Footbridge. I quite liked this cloud formation which reflected a red sun going down.
Arriving at The Deep I was lucky enough to get a shot of this amazing sky just as the sun was dropping down below the horizon.
Opposite The Deep was a building loaded up with a bank of high powered projectors waiting for the sky to darken enough to allow the show to begin. All around were Lots of speakers which would tell the story of how people from all over the world made the journey to Hull.
This is The Deep, my picture from a previous visit. It's one of Britain's biggest aquariums. As you can see a perfect canvas for a light show. At the top of the pointy bit were spotlights reaching up into the dark sky.
I took lots of snaps, but discarded a lot of them. Here are a few of the best.
The story starts in 1800 and goes through to the present day, depicting who came to Hull, how they arrived here, and where they came from. It was fascinating. It was on a loop, I watched it twice. It's a shame that the tide was out and there wasn't very much water in the channel below. The reflections would have been a whole lot better.
I looked to the side and got this pic of the tidal barrier. Love the light reflections in the deep mud.
Now to cheat. Adam Reeve has done a very good video, it's on yooooyooob. It's 13 minutes long, with sound, well worth a look, and the tide is in.
There are too many photo's for one post, so I'll put more on tomorrow. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.
Hello. How about this then. The new look designer gardening boots. Everyone will want a pair like these. I'm thinking of going into the refurbishing boots business, could make quite a packet with my quirky designs. I think a price tag of around £75 will cover the cost of my time, and materials used to upcycle a pair of boots.
Planting flowers in them was suggested by quite a lot of you. I tried it once and the flowers died. I'm not sure why because my feet are not particularly smelly. They get a wash once a month whether they need it or not, ha ha.
This quick makeover took all of three minutes, and I expect my gardening boots to last at least another couple of years. They will be great in the summer because I have incorporated a complex ventilation system in the design. You will note the open grid at the front, this enables air to enter the boot in the toes area, which then circulates around the whole foot and exits around the ankle. A blow through draught will ensure the feet are continually kept cool when other parts of the body may be sweating profusely.
I can see that there might be a problem during the winter months when the ground is sodden after a rainfall. There is a possibility that mud and water will enter the boots, which could cause some problems, like dirty socks and feet which will have to be washed upon entering the house. I will have to put my inventing cap on and come up with a solution. Perhaps two plastic carrier bags could protect them, the handles could be tied around the ankles to prevent them from slipping off. At least the plastic bags will get another use out of them.
Anyway, I am taking orders for my new boot refurbishment business. Send me your boots with the cash, sorry can't do cards or cheques, and I will do my best to give them an attractive makeover. You will be delighted with the results, if you are not then tough, like it or lump it as my mother used to say. There may be a delay in sending them back to you as I expect demand for this service will be pretty high, so do not expect miracles. If you find you need the boots quickly I suggest you go out and buy another pair to tide you over.
Now I must go and do other things, so I'll leave this with you. Admire my genius inventiveness and if you would like to have a go at boot refurbishment yourself just send £65 in cash and I will dispatch to you a comprehensive kit which will contain everything you need to redesign your boots to a high standard like my own.
Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip
Hello. This was a good find at the library, I absolutely love it, it's opening my eyes to a lot of possibilities. Who would have thought that there are so many alternative uses for old unwanted books. The charity shops are stuffed with them, and car booters sell them for as little as 10p each. I don't think reading will ever go out of fashion completely, but a lot of people are turning to electronic gadgets to satisfy their hunger for the written word.
So what's to be done with the trillions and zillions of books left to gather dust, unlikely to ever see the light of day again? Would be ideal if they could be shipped off to less well off countries, but I doubt that will happen. This may be the answer for a very small quantity of them. They can be used as raw materials for artworks.
I am not able to show what's in the book, but the front and back cover gives a taste of what's inside.
There are artworks by 46 different artists inside, and they are all pretty amazing. I've found some extra info by gooogleing some of their names, so those arty folks among you can also be amazed.
Alicia Martin is a Spanish Artist who created the cascade of books on the back cover. There are many more pictures of her work on this web site.
Jonathan Callan uses a variety of materials, but mainly books. Born in Manchester, he has exhibited all over the world. His web site is a catalogue of his work from 1986 to the present day.
Jim Rosenau is a quirky artist. He makes book shelves out of books. His work will make you smile.
Mike Stilkey paints pictures on books. Not just on one book, but tons of them stacked up. He started by painting on yellow pages. Take a look at his amazing pictures here.
Brian Dettmer has an amazing web site. His sculpture is on the front cover of the book. Sorry, I can't get his web site to load correctly, maybe you can. I have found a Ted video of him speaking about his art, take a look, this man is very clever, I love his art.
I've had a little play today with an unwanted book. I was intending to use it in some kind of artwork, ok, so it's a practice piece, and it's not perfect. See if you can guess the title for a bit of fun.
It's been ever so warm today, and it's forecast the same for next week. I think I ought to have a few days away before winter arrives. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip
Hello. This is a blast from the past, an oldie picture of me and my best friend Carol. Taken about 30 years ago, I think. Note the big hair, ha ha, we were always having perms.
Carol wrote this on Facebook last week.
Well I think I can now say I'm officially retired. After only working half my hours in August it was time to hang up my boots. After working 51 years without a break, plus during this time the longest period out of work I had was one week. That's not bad for the amount of moves I had. I am now just waiting to exchange contracts on my sale, and purchase, and up north I will return after moving away 42 years ago. Carol is two months older than me, we have remained friends almost all of our lives, living just down the road from each other when we were at junior and secondary school. We sat together on the school bus, hung out together, people thought we were sisters. Carol went to college when we left school at 15, and I got a job in Wooly's. Her family moved to Blackpool, and when I was 17 I went for a holiday, and moved there when I was 18. I stayed three and a half years, then moved on to Birmingham, then back home to Burton on Trent. Carol met someone and married, and moved around quite a bit after that. Carol didn't have any children and neither did I. We always kept in touch, by phone, letter, and visiting each other. Now we phone, email, and text each other, with the occasional visit. I am mighty proud of my best friend Carol, she is the sweetest nicest person you would ever wish to meet. She has been through a rough patch or two but has never shown any anger or hostility to anyone when in a difficult situation. Her family are absolutely thrilled that their sister, aunt, and great aunt is coming home. It's funny that we are totally different when it comes to lifestyle choices, yet can still remain friends. Carol chose a well paying career and likes to spend her money on nice things. I did the opposite, had a career with reasonable pay, and don't place any importance on nice things. It must be down to our upbringing that we have both lived within our means. We are from working class families, and both learnt to make do and mend from our mothers. I have been nagging Carol to retire ever since I finished work at 60. She has carried on another seven years because she enjoyed what she was doing, and got used to earning extra money to fund her chosen lifestyle. Now at last she is free from work, and is about to make the move from Hampshire back up north to where the rest of her family are. After working for 51 years, an amazing achievement, I think she has done her whack, and deserves to enjoy her retirement. When she is settled in her new abode I can see a visit on the cards, I will be popping over to the west coast, and who knows, I may even take the train and walk back, ha ha. Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.
Hello. I haven't been doing much Youth Hosteling lately, but as you are aware I am always a fan of cheap and affordable accommodation. I don't like paying silly prices in a posh hotel, and don't need all the trimmings. A comfortable bed with use of a clean shower and toilet is all I need. Breakfast I will have if it is included in a cheap B & B, or a reasonable price in a hostel, or I don't mind preparing my own food in a self catering kitchen.
My recent stay at Helmsley was just perfect, the hostel wasn't busy so I was lucky enough to have a six bedded room to myself. No queuing for toilets or showers. I might mention that some hostels now have en suite facilities, they also have private and family rooms you can book, so if you don't fancy sharing a dorm there are other options. Prices vary, the cheapest being £10 a night, a bit more if you choose a popular month.
I always find the wardens very helpful, and the people I meet are always friendly. It's the ideal place to stay if you are a single traveler. Just to give you a taste of some of the hostels I have picked a few out to show you.
Grinton Lodge is near Richmond in North Yorkshire. If you want to go this coming weekend it would cost you £10 a night on Sun/Mon/Tues. And if you are a member there is a reduction of £3 per night. You won't get cheaper accommodation than that unless you put a tent up in a field. Have a look here.
Hartington Hall, near Buxton, Derbyshire.This is just the bees knees of hostels. A 17th century manor house with log fires and oak paneling. Have a look here.
Want to stay in a castle? This is St Braviels near Lydney in Gloucestershire. This is a grade 1 listed monument which is over 800 years old. It certainly does have the WOW factor. It's looking like beds are £20 for this month and next. Have a look here.
Fancy a bit of Shakespeare? This is the Youth Hostel at Stratford on Avon. A Georgian mansion set in three acres of grounds. Beds from £17. Ideal base for Stratford and Warwick. Have a look here.
This Victorian house is at Streatly on Thames in Berkshire. Lots of places to walk and cycle around here, close to the River Thames. Have a look here.
As my blog is about saving money I am not going to advertise a posh hotel at astronomical prices just because they have given me a freebie, I am telling you about some of the cheapest accommodation that is available. YHA is a charity, they rely a lot on volunteers to run things. Cheap doesn't mean they are tatty, they are continually updating their buildings. I don't get a freebie for this, I believe they provide an affordable service for low income households. Another thing to note is that you can get a breakfast at a hostel which does food, even if you are not staying there. Served between 7.30 and 10am.
I'll leave it with you. Consider hostels when planning your holidays, check out the web site and see the list of benefits they offer. Breakfast at a city hostel on a Sunday? No bother, just pop in before 11am.
I must get on. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip
They have until midday on June 8th, to vote for your shed to win it's category
Many thanks for taking part and I hope to meet you at the final regards Wilco (Head Sheddie) Oh my, I'm through to the final. It would be great if my readers could vote for my shed, also known as The Bespoke Summer House or The Beach Hut. Please pass on the links to anyone you know, friends and family. If you haven't already found it by clicking on the link at the top of the page, here it is on the Shed of the Year web site. You can find your way to the voting page from there, or go direct to it. To vote go to this page and click on the button underneath my picture and click 'vote'.
Ooooh, I'm getting all excited, I might have a chance. I have no idea what the prize is, I don't care. It was the fun of building it, now it's the fun of taking part that counts. Now I am officially a Sheddie. Thank you very much for all your comments yesterday, it was so interesting reading them all. If anyone hasn't got round to reading the post and comments, you might like to sit down with a cuppa and browse through it. It's raining so I am stuck indoors at the moment. When it stops I have outdoor stuff to do. Thanks for popping in. we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.
Hello. Just thought I would pop back tonight to tell you about something amazing that happened today. You may remember that my wonderful computer fixer upper emigrated to Australia nigh on two years ago now. I was very sad when Mark went, although it was the best move for him and his family. They are now settled in a nice area in a lovely house, they have jobs and a car each and their children are happy in their school. I've never met his family but Mark is an all round good guy.
So why am I singing his praises now, I haven't seen him for two years. I sent him a message via Facebook, asking how do I connect the Hudl to my internet connection here in the house. A couple of messages went back and forth, then this morning I had just replied to him and literally seconds later the phone rang. I had the shock of my life, Mark was on the line wanting to help me.
My phone is upstairs next to the big computer and he thought the password I needed would be on there, as that's what he used to connect up the little net book. I switched it on, and the screen filled up with messages like it has been doing for several months. I just ignore them because I don't use the big computer very often now.
I followed Marks instructions clicking where he told me to click. A code and password came up in a box and I read them out to him. Things started happening on my screen as he took over the computer. I had sat with him many times before as he worked his magic, unable to understand the double dutch which appeared, or keep up with the speed at which things were happening. He is like grease lightening when it comes to fixing things.
He chatted as he worked, I found out all about his new life in Australia, and for just over an hour this went on. I worried that his phone bill would be horrendous, but he assured me that it is very cheap to phone England, he pays a very reasonable annual fee to Skype and all calls are covered.
He found the password I needed for the Hudl so that is now connected. He also went through the whole computer and gave it a thorough clean, there was a few bits that shouldn't have been there, and he put me a new anti virus on. It's running like a new computer again.
Isn't it flippin amazing that someone from the other side of the world can sort out my computer for me. Mark, if you are reading this I am really chuffed that you were able to do this for me, you are one of the best.
Tonight I've been to college for the first lesson on up cycling. We were asked to take a man's shirt and we are turning them into cushions. I didn't have a shirt, but my good friend Barry had a rummage in his wardrobe and found one he doesn't wear any more. The first thing to do was iron it, then measure a cushion and make a paper pattern and use that to cut out the material. I skipped the paper bit as my shirt is a bit smaller and I will make a cushion to fit it. The front with the buttons on becomes the back of the cushion, and other parts of the shirt will be used to customize the front of it. Ideas for customizing will be demonstrated next week by the teacher. Photo's to follow.
I'll sign off now, time for the hot chocolate and beddybyes. Good night.
It's been a champion drying day, the washing is all put away after a good blow on the line. None of it gets ironed, I don't do ironing. The bed has been stripped and made up again. I have posted about this before, but it was ages ago so worth another mention. It's how I make my bed into a nest.
First I have a mattress cover. On top of that I put one duvet, this I lie on top of. The lining of my nest if you like. Then I have four pillows for my head. I actually lie on two or three of them, the fourth one is used to prop me up in a sitting position while I read for ten minutes. Inside my bed I have another pillow which goes under my knees. I just find it more comfortable that way.
Next on top of that is another duvet.
And finally another duvet. So that's one underneath and two on top.
This is my nest ready to get into. I am not using the quilt I made at the moment as it's not needed. I will save it for the spring and summer. By surrounding myself in these duvets I burrow down like a mouse in a hole. I used to have an electric blanket many moons ago, but since making my bed like this in the winter I haven't bothered to replace it. I occasionally have a hot water bottle, but it isn't always necessary. So there you are, as snug as a bug in a rug.
On a different note, I made an interesting discovery today. I love this fabric which I am using to make a bag. There will be some left, but not enough for a second bag.
Turn it over and look at the other side. Isn't it amazing? It's like a painting, like someone has daubed paint on with a brush. I can see a picture hanging on the wall. This has got my mind working. It could be framed as it is, but what about adding embroidery to it in different colours, and maybe some beads. It could be quite an amazing piece of art.
Now I can't make up my mind which side I like best, the front of it......
Or the back of it? There are a lot of possibilities here. I shall look more closely at the back of fabrics in future, you never know what you will find.
Haven't got time to hang around tonight. Got to get my dinner, then I'm going to do the supermarket dash. I'm going yellow sticker hunting. Hope I'm lucky. Catch you tomorrow. Toodle pip.
PS. I watched Dragons Den while on the trainer last night. Almost an hour. Had to stop halfway through to take some clothes off. I was chuffin hot, ha ha.
Something to share with you today. Something quite amazing, something chuffin brilliant. I am not a fan of talent programmes, they build people's hopes up and then they knock them down. Not everyone can get through to the finals, not everyone has talent, in fact some of them have no talent at all, but they are prepared to put themselves in the firing line in the hope of a big break. Instead all they get is a lot of ridicule. The programme makers know that. They include them because they will increase ratings, a terrible example of exploitation, a cruel way to make money. I don't watch talent programmes because I feel for the people entering, also I don't have a television set, a good enough reason I think.
Last night, while pottering around on yooootoooob I happened to come across some of the better auditions, and these people definitely have got talent. I absolutely love the way first impressions go completely out of the window once they open their mouth. Remember Susan Boyle, and Jonathan and Charlotte? Absolute gems of inspiration.
I am beginning to appreciate good music, and find myself being drawn to fabulous voices, the type that can actually sing. I have picked out these for you to listen to, see if you agree with me, that these are absolutely amazing. There are some surprises here, you will be blown away, and you will need your hanky. There is raw passion here, and it shows as they give it their all. Enjoy your Sunday.
Well, what do you think? Stunning eh! Catch you tomorrow. Toodle pip.
Hello. The wanderer returns I got back at 6pm tonight, after a delightful couple of days with my family. Sis is happy in her new home, it looks lovely. They downsized because they didn't want to have to tidy their massive garden every time they came back from a holiday. The new smaller bungalow is not far from the old one as they like the area, and they have enough hard standing for the caravan instead of paying for it to go into storage. Everything had to be ripped out, and refitted from scratch. She has a lovely modern kitchen and bathroom, new everything in fact. Today work is starting on taking down the old fashioned lean to conservatory and a brand new one is being built which will give them an extra room. They made the right decision to move, even though it took them five years to sell. Well worth the wait until the buyers with the right offer came along, and they found just what they wanted in the new house.
Sis had planned a meal out with friends and family last night. to celebrate her birthday. I went to the pub for an hour and had a drink with them before they moved onto the restaurant. It was very noisy, there was a duo on, singing and playing guitars. I am not very good with noisy places, I struggle to join in conversations because I can't hear what people are saying to me, then I get fed up of shouting and give up. I didn't join them for the meal, not a fan of Indian food, so I went on to Uncle Stan's house and stayed there for the night.
This morning we went to the library to see his paintings in the exhibition. He sold five last week, all the money is going to the Air Ambulance. Here he is chatting to someone who is interested in learning how to paint. Stan is always keen to encourage people to take it up, and likes to help with advice.
It was difficult to take good photo's, because of the reflections in the glass. It didn't help that they were displayed in the foyer of the library opposite the big windows overlooking the car park. I had to take some of them at an angle to try and minimise the reflections. This one with the red dot in the bottom corner has sold.
This portrait is amazing, such an uncanny likeness. I think John Hurt himself should buy it.
Another colourful abstract has sold. I like this one.
Stan stands beside his self portrait. Pretty good eh!
The exhibition runs till Saturday so if you are near Burton on Trent, pop and have a look. You might catch Stan there, as he likes to sit and have a coffee and watch people's reactions to his work. He would love it if you speak to him. He is amazing, I hope I am still on the go when I am 90.
I've had a smashing day today. After a lovely lunch cooked by Pat, I went back to the town for an hour before I set off back home. I wanted to have a look round, and see how it has changed in the seventeen years since I left there. I'll post the pics tomorrow. Toodle pip
