junk art

Well six weeks is over so I finally came out of hibernation and spent the spring equinox doing a recycled plastic bag weaving workshop. I had been asked to do this at a weekend of boater's workshops, but I'd been so busy and tired that I didn't really get my head around it till Friday, when I had two kids off school and one at school, so I spent the morning rushing round doing all the necessary...
It was so sunny in the afternoon that I had my shorts on in the front garden while I prepared and painted the chair frames that have been sitting around outside, gradually deteriorating and generally getting in the way. They had kind of just emerged anyway, as on Monday I had tidied up round the side of the house so it could be measured up for a new bike shelter.

Anyway, so, fornutately I had a willing helper to experiment with the weaving, in the form of Joy, who wasn't really that ill, but needed a bit of a rest from school, I thought ;-)



I was already and prepared by Friday evening and turned up with a car-load of stuff which I had easily acquired from the back of various shops: cardboard, plastic bags and bike wheels. Friends had kindly donated their spare carrier bags too. But the stuff ended up staying in the car till Saturday morning for one reason or another. I actually called in at the Lego-building workshop in the morning, which I am supposed to help out at, but didn't know about this one so it did kind of clash. It was sunny enough to put my shorts on when I arrived- fortunately, really, for doing an outdoor workshop. The wind did get up a bit later on though and I wasn't hardy enough to keep them on all day.

So, anyway, here I am again, doing crafty workshops for families... so glad I agreed to do it, it makes a change from being stuck in my box.

I had a useful and willing workshopee who spent hours on her chair- it is first strung across with jute garden twine. I perfected a great technique for cutting up bags into long continous strips, which I did several demonstrations of... people were quite inspired to think of ways of re-using all their used plastic bags. The chairs were just an example of a practical application, which I've been thinking about doing for ages!

Someone even asked me if I also weave yogurt, which, as you know, I do all the time!

Hibernation

Well the groundhog he say six more weeks of winter, so that means more hibernation for me! I have been spending rather a lot of time in bed this winter, with colds, etc, but it's what I seem to need... I am still trying to shift the one I got a couple of weeks ago, got better enough to go out for 2 birthday nights out, one of which involved singing a duet with my birthday-sister Dawn, which turned out well, I think...

Well, I really cannot wait to be better and in good health, after 4 months of cold after cold- I have now started a health-kick, which includes no stimulants and lots of vitamins! Must get round to some fresh juices too...
Yep, have never really been fully recovered since the kids started school, which is ironic, as I did it for my own health as much as anything... I suppose the routine of having to get up and walk 4 miles per day, without changing my bedtime has finally taken it's toll- and I'm having to go to bed much earlier now, which does fit in with the not- drinking thing, which I restarted on Feb 1 after the Jan 1 proved impossible!
Talking of hibernation- I have been hibernated from the HE webring too, as there doesn't seem to be much point on me being on it, although I have not given up on HE altogether, I am not doing it at the moment...
Well, except when the school closes, like today, due to snow, and I end up with the world and his little boy round at my house!!! Not that I mind- it's nice to feel a useful member of society for a change!

O and, in case you weren't paying attention, I was referring to Groundhog Day, which was yesterday, which is Imbolc, or the mid-point between winter soltice and spring equinox...
so Happy Imbolc and watch out for those first signs of spring!

special guests at new year... while the cat's away

Here are some random pictures of new year.

We have survived the first two days back at school and I feel in control, I think: I have done washing, put the kids to bed, facebooked, and will be in bed by 11, all being well.

Yesterday morning I thought I'd never get up. I hadn't been sleeping properly since new year's eve, when I as up till 4.

Also there was the rat problem- noisy rats, keeping us awake at night. I discovered them a few weeks ago, pulled the plinths off the kitchen cupboards and cleaned everything out, and got a cat. So far so good. Then the cat ran off. And back they came. I actually saw one in the kitchen and that was it- I called in the DIY man to fill all the holes in the kitchen walls. Sor far so good, or so I thought... a few days later on news years day, when my kitchen was full of people, I had a special guest appearance making scratchy noises in the wall, but now higher up. And then they were under the bath... I thought I had to wait till the council was open, so cowered all weekend, after seeing one upstairs. (I still hadn't properly recovered from the flu at this point.) I moved all the children up to the attic and emailed a private pest control company in Keighley. They responded very quickly and came on Monday morning. So that is that, I hope. I really didnt want to use poison, but that is the only way, apparently.

Oh by the way, the council don't do it for free, it cost the same as the ones I got in. There is still a bit of noise, but not much- I can sleep, and Joy's back in her room now. The boys are staying in the attic now- it's finished! Just need to take the bed frames and bigger stuff up... manana...

And as for the cat... he was from the cat protection league, and had mental health issues, and I had to let him out after a few days as he was doing my nut, and I haven't seen him since. Someone actually phoned today after seeing the poster. I have already knocked on all the neighbours. But this was on the street at the back, which we are separated from by our garden and a huge communal garden and allotments. i went up there with Freddie this evening with more posters and knocked on a few doors, and had a snoop around some sheds. I had actually given up, knowing he is a ferral cat. The cat people told me I had to get a catflap, after the event, but I explained that this was not practical (I had already told them about the rats, and that was why I wanted him) (EF dont you have a cat?) So they said they were going to come and pick up the cat!!! I did point ut that they may have a problem finding him. I am considering going over to Haworth Cat Rescue, and being a bit more discerning, ie, don't just choose one that looks cute in the picture, and when you go to pick him up he is the one growling behind the sofa!!!

Xmas at home

Ah I've just been looking through my blog at old pics and its really fun to see. For some reason there is a parallel blog, called knittingyogurt1 which goes earlier. I've been on Facebook a lot but I think I'd like to keep up with my blog too, it's fun.
So here's what we've been doing through the holidays. It's quite easy to catch up as most of the time we have been blobbing around in bed with the dreaded cold, which the boys were struck down with the minute they broke up from school.

This is quite a good representation of what we did at solstice: there was a huge fire, a teepee where everyone told stories, rain and smoke. After that I went to bed and slept for about 36 hours. The children looked after themselves, I only got up to administer the odd paracetamol for earache, and warm drinks. I hadn't realised how bad the cold was until I got it too.

I got up on Xmas day and Meg and Si came round and made me a lovely breakfast, followed by the arrival of the kids.

there was much present opening of course...

The dancemat was a big success.

We did go round to friends' in the afternoon for a huge feast, to which I managed to contribute a nut roast and mince pies (home made, of course!).

We had a bit of a lull, the kids went to their dad's for the weekend and I stayed in bed. New years Eve I went out for the first time in about 18 years, and danced till 3am. Then we had a New year day open house, which was great fun, with loads of kids and crazy adults.

We have been recovering since then... the boys have watched many episodes of Scoobydoo- just how many are there, anyway? I have been detoxing and catching up with friends and family on facebook, and generally hibernating. I am not looking forward to the prospect of school starting on Monday morning at all. But then at least I will have no excuse but to "get on" and do stuff.

It's that time...

Well the boys have been in bed all day with temperatures and coughs. That's three months of school and they're completely wiped out! Well at last we have two weeks in recovery now. I have been making mincemeat for pies, during which Freddie sat on the kitchen floor in his pj's with a very big book, that has a CD, saying can you read this story to me, this page...and this page...and this page... so I said I would but by the time I'd fetched Joy from riding he was fst asleep in bed again. What are the chances of them sleeping through the night?

I am currently simmering apple chutney, which is refusing to set. Were the caraway seeds a vital ingredient, I wonder???

So anyway, the last few weeks have ben a bit busy, with all sorts of school plays, etc. Here's Fergus in his violin recital... (on right, yes he now only has shoulder-length hair)

I missed Joy's pantomime, in favour of watching Freddie's Christmas songs, but I was not disappointed... (big Santa)
(Just tried and failed to upload a video- OK its really wobbly, but I'm just amazed I managed to randomly hit the record button just as Freddie had his starring role!)

halloween

Ok- I've finally got round to blogging this...I've been busy, ok? actually it was such a wild weekend that it took me a week in bed to recover!!! I succombed to the nasty lurgy again, only worse this time, due to excesssively late nights...but it was worth it! You just gotta do it sometimes, and it was halloween, after all...

Friday we carved pumpkins and the boys dressed up as monsters for the kids halloween party.

Fergus had a great time playing pool with the other litle skeletons and monsters.

It was actually at the same place as the grown-up's party later on, so it was all decked out really super! I was ready for bed by seven, but somehow managed to muster the energy to go home and transform myself...



Ahem...this was later on: bride of Frankenstein goes to the dance...


This is one I took earlier of the dress. I danced till nearly dawn, but got home safely just before the first rays of sunlight....

World on your doorstep: Saturday

It was WOYD weekend, Hebden Bridge's music festival, and on Saturday morning we had inevitably got roped into doing the parade at the last minute, which started on our way down to the park, anyway, and Charlotte wanted a hand (or five) to hold the giant firebird puppet. It was great watching all the amazing puppets emerge into the car park, ready for the parade.

There's me, holding a wing of the firebird, which is more complicated than it looks, especially when you have to flap, and the gap gets narrow and there are trees to negotiate. I hardly noticed what route we were taking, it took so much concentration, and I got so hot I had to hand my coat so a passer by, who, of course, had disappeared in the crowd when it started raining, (but later re-apeared). (pic by Chris Ratcliffe of HEBWEB, where there are more).


That's the boys approaching a scary giant puppet, and the acoustic tent in the distance, where we saw several acts, including...
Dawn and Bill (the plumber!)

And it was worth sticking it out till the (bitter) end to huddle under umbrellas round the main stage, watching the legendry Victor Brox.
I then whizzed... no dragged...the kids home for tea and bed, and went out to see some more live acts around town in the evening, which got quite late...

remember me?

Ok, well we have been a busy of late, what with the Fringe, etc, which I shall blog about here when I get round to it. But there has been some other stuff going on in our lives as well. Here are some of the highlights...


Theres been Calderdale pulling the plug on Joy's stabling experience: "no-one under 13 is allowed to groom a horse"... they need work permits now. This was pretty devastating news, but the stables are starting a pony club to find a way round the regulations.


there's been a wet summer solstice round a bonfire

...with fire twirling


There's been a 21st birthday

...featuring Meg Munroe
And we spend this week at Grandma's, looking after her, playing where I used to play,
...cycling and talking to horses
and of course lots of homework. There might be more about this later.

fringe

OK this is what I've been doing. Among other things. I have been maintaining the website, (as well as organising workshops and doing Holme Street Arts Centre stuff) but, really there's not a lot I can do to make it look any more interesting as it's been set up in a CMS called Drupal. (And you may know how much I hate CMS's). I can add images. hmm... Any ideas? (I don't think it's possible to change the backgrounds or text colours).

Blogs I can do- they're easy. Maybe I should do a Fringe blog. Maybe I should do an Arts Centre blog...

I'm also regretting getting a PC and not a Mac- they're so much better and I still hate Vista. I've been using the borrowed Mac for doing the website- it just works and has photoshop. I haven't got any software for this PC as it's Vista. grumble. The children are revolting. Must go for a walk...

Easter Week

So... I've been having computer problems, ok? This week we lost both laptops. My work one and has gone back and Freddies is broken: needs soldering apparently. Joy's and Fergus's have been having a major overhaul due to lack of hard drive space on Joy's, and, I suspect, the downloading of World of Warcraft had something to do with it too. I have just realised that I could try my laptop out using the old monitor I was given, as it's only the screen that's broken, I think. But I haven't done that yet. Meg's new one still doesnt have Office, which makes it a bit difficult for her applying for jobs, etc, so she has to use one of the two that work.

Also I have to move these two as they are really in the way up to the attic, which is Meg's room, with no door in between. I have thought for 4 months how to make this space, which used to be a bedroom, and now is a stair-room, work as a computer room, but I haven't managed it and I think the only option is to move them, but where to? Well Joy's can go in her room. I will have to get them wirlessed up, which I am working on getting the bits for.

And to top it all I seem to have lost my camera. Last seen at Callis on Saturday, where I took some lovely photo's of Easter egg hunting and egg pinata bashing. I have asked Dawn to look for it. We all slept on her boat on Friday night, much to the delight of the boys and the disgust of Joy. I sat out round the fire in the snow after the kids had gone to bed, celebrating the Spring Equinox full moon, etc. Hopefully I will find my camera with these pics on. Well, I was thinking of getting a new phone to take photo's on, so maybe the universe has taken my old camera away and given it to someone else.

Easter was a long weekend, as we didn't get that much sleep on Friday night, due to the cold, and Saturday felt like Sunday, and Sunday felt like Sunday, and Monday felt like another Sunday. (Well, actually I did get a head start by going out Wednesday and Thursday night!). I didn't get any Easter Eggs, until I buckled on Saturday afternoon, when I had to get petrol and there were some in the garage, so cheap... I just had to get four. And we made crispy cakes out of choco-rice and green and blacks- yum- will have to make more, I think, maybe today... It's still Easter, isn't it?

This week seems to have gone by really fast without doing a right lot, apart from changing the table round in the kitchen, which has made it much much better.

We just went out for a walk with Clare's dog, who we are looking after as Clare has to rush over to Ireland for funeral. We went to the enchanted allotment and I stole some willow. Hopefully it it has some magic in it. It's a bit late for it as it has buds on some of it, but there's still some growing higher up that is not too late to cut. It's actually quite sunny and spring-like, and I want to get out and do stuff in the garden, or should I go to the market first?

happy valentines

Joy was up at the stables all day again we had a relaxed day with the boys at home. I was awoken by Freddie presenting me with a card he had made at Daddy's. When I got up he listed all the work he wanted to do today, which involved various kinds of collages. He must have enjoyed the sticking session we had at the Hebden Group yesterday, making Valentine's cards.

So we did an "R" collage, with a rhino, raspberries, red and roses; a sponge heart print (he had obviously been saving the heart-shaped sponges salvaged from Meg's bathroom box for such an occasion, though he didn't once mention that it was Valentine's day).
We also had a go at some monoprinting using a cotton bud to draw on the paint covered acetate.

Fergus did a dinasaur collage with tropical leaf background.

They played on computers for the rest of the afternoon and Dawn and Ro came round for a play/chat/tea. Dawn sang her latest song in the kitchen, which was lovely, and took some of my photo's of Callis for the LILO conference at CAT.

Joy was bushed when she came back- she was running round the paddock leading someone on a pony trotting when I arrived. She galloped yesterday, too. She's up there all day tomorrow, too; she's really enjoying it.

When I got them all to bed Nick cooked me a lovely meal and then decided to cash in his brownie points by indulging in his favourite pastime: WoW, which I don't mind, (although Meg said it should be banned on Valentine's), I think he's made a really good effort, plus it gives me time to blog, etc.

groundhog /Imbolc

Aw, isn't he cute?

Well we all know it's Groundhog Day today, don't we? So why don't we celerbate groundhog day here, or have any apparent interest in it whatsoever? Well, someone did say Happy Imbolc to me yesterday at my Taichi class, and, as you may know, Imbolc is basically the same festival: half way between winter and spring, and Groundhog Day comes from Candlemas, which I'm sure comes from Imbolc. It just makes sense.

So far so good. Well, it just occurred to me, pancake day being only next week, that pancake day is also the same festival, except it's calculated back from Easter, the date of which is influenced by the lunar and weekly cycles (ie, Easter Day being the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring Equinox). But who the hell says so? The Pope? And when do we celebrate it? It's all so dissipated. I mean I'm all for everyone doing their own thing and all, but where's the meaning? and what's the point in celebrating if we don't know what we're celebrating and we aren't doing it together?

OK: back to groundhogs. For those of you who don't know: it's basically one of those weather prediction days. If it's sunny that means there's going to be another 6 weeks of cold weather and the groundhog (AKA woodchuck) is meant to pop his head out of hibernation and if he sees his shadow he goes back inside again, knowing the winter's not over yet. It doesn't have to be a groundhog; we don't have them here, do we? Anyway, so, guess what? it's sunny today for the first time in ages! So, I guess my hibernating days are not over yet.

It snowed here last night, too. I might just go and take some pictures for you instead of festering inside. O and feed the rabbits, of course. See, the children aren't here. They're in Penrith with Daddy and Daddy's girlfriend. I bet it's snowed there.

Happy, urm ....day, whatever floats your boat.