mother

After yesterday’s ballsup ballot in Canberra, I was stomping around, wondering how people could be so self-centred and uncaring of our chunk o’ rock when I received an email from a friend somewhere on the far side of the rock with this link And here’s the URL, in case the link is dodgy.

http://dingo.care2.com/cards/flash/5409/galaxy.swf

It made me feel better 🙂

I found something else yesterday that cheered me. On Youtube, yes, my detested bête noir! Can’t quite remember what I was doing there, but my eye was caught by the word “trout.” So I let my mouse have free rein and it found this for me:

I was among the fortunates at that concert. There was rather a lot of giggling.

Perhaps I have been a little too harsh on Youtube. I wonder what old Franz would think?

In comments yesterday, Hilke said she had trouble seeing my hat. Hmmm…I did a little fiddling with that photo and just did a cut and paste of it so here we go with a “proper” photograph…

I keep my broomstick nearby! 😉

Talk about low-tech shoots! The pink hat is perched atop a stack of CDs!

Want a hat like this? Get a crôchet hook (medium), a ball of paper string (or kitchen twine) and go for it. Don’t know how to crôchet? I should think a quick Google will remedy that.

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I am not superstitious. Wandering through cemeteries never bothered me. I have two black cats. I most emphatically do not believe in ghosts. The only ladders I fear are wobbly ones…but…I’ve had this strange prickling sensation over the past few days. As if someone is standing behind me. Right behind me. Perhaps if I post a more flattering picture of my mother …

Now will you go away, Mod?

Over at the Mancunian Mansion of my blog buddy, Kaz…some people have been reminiscing about former homes. God knows why, in most cases, since some of us lived in some pretty grotty student digs. But, on a whim, I did a little Googling myself. Not letting away too much information, but this should take you to my old stomping ground .Generally called (with much affection) Belsize Village. The horse chestnuts, in summer, were a canopy across Belsize Avenue…

One night, at the cinema up on Pond Street, I saw a charming short French film, which, for a host of sentimental reasons, stays in my mind. Here’s the music…

Did I just post another Youtube ? Can’t have this becoming a habit! Time for a cold shower, I’d say.

Well, I was not awarding prizes in the previous post for “guessing the mystery person.” I suppose I’m rather glad only Andrea saw a resemblance!

The “man” in the photo was my mother and she wasn’t half miffed at being kept out of the powder room as her friend had a flask of gin in there!

I first saw that photo more than 50 years ago and I begged to be allowed to show other kids. Got a flat refusal on that! And, next time I asked, Mother said she’d burnt it. I really don’t know why she hated it so much. Perhaps it was the painful memory of having used spirit gum to stick all that hair on!

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I am currently involved in several “arty” projects. Most involve paper in some form. And paper form is something that really rings my bells.

It can be amazingly strong or breath-takingly delicate. I had a hat crocheted from paper string which I wore in the vineyard. Day in, day out. In fact, I have a similar one now…

Yes, the hat is made of paper and yes, it has been caught in the rain more than once. I also have a pink one; it’s in the car and I can’t be bothered fetching it!

I’ve used paper in all sorts of things over the years. I remember needing a can-can petticoat in a hurry once. Good old flour and water paste and a few sheets of last Saturday’s newspaper did the trick. I’ve used paper tubes to protect seedlings, paper bags as hair curlers, folded paper as splints for wounded animals (it would also work for human fractures.)

But I’ve never made anything quite in the same league as Simon Schubert http://www.thisblogrules.com/2009/11/simple-paper-turned-into-two.html

If looking down that stair well does not make you giddy…!

And now, I must toddle off and fold some paper for book pages. If you have any favourite paper tips, do share them.