Me and the Wotsits

There aren’t nearly enough photos of me up here (!) and whilst going through all the oldies but goldies I came across this one and thought I’d share:

I imagine who ever took the shot (my brother, I’m guessing) thought the wotsits (what are they? ground squirrels??) were a whole lot more interesting than me – hence the ‘no head’ thing.  Actually I’m finding this shot quite interesting.

Did I really bend that way once upon a time?  Was I really that slim?  I still like those clogs – I wish I had those clogs right now.  And those trousers…except they wouldn’t fit me of course…and I’d look, frankly, ridiculous in them.  What did happen to that melting heart ring?  ‘Cos I like that too.  And the belt - it had a Pierre Cardin watch in it, not that it was any use as a watch .  I mean, you try reading the time from your belly button.   Hmm…the bag’s not too bad either …but all together?  Wow.  What was I thinking?

Under The Bridge

The under-side of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.  Another vintage photo, taken in the 1970s, and scanned from a transparency.

Photo watermarked using

Sweet Summer of ’72

It’s raining today so I’ve been loading some of my old photos to Flickr and Red Bubble here.  This is one of my favourites, taken when I was in California in 1972 on a beach somewhere between Carmel and Monterey. It appeals to me because it reflects gentle innocence.  The child is buck naked.  That’s not something you’d see too often now because of concerns about weirdos and pervs around every corner. 

I’ve also been looking at how that beach quickly shelves just in front of the toddler, and now that I’m older I know that this area of coastline is home to many, many seals … and many, many seals = shark food (i.e., there is a thriving shark population here).

I’ll let you into another secret … just yards away from Mum and babe was some kind of small outlet pipe.  I’d like to think that it was for rain water but back in the ’70s it wasn’t uncommon for houses to empty out their waste water directly into the sea.  

I bet that’s just ruined your enjoyment of the innocent idyll.  I should really have just kept schtoom, now shouldn’t I?

Photo watermarked using

Hidden Away

~ A Little Blue ~

We’ve just had some enormous conifers (cupressus leylandii) removed from the top of our garden and look what I found once they’d gone: a pretty blue hydrangea.  It’s like receiving a free gift!

Posted for: ‘The August Break’ project, hosted by Susannah Conway

W is for…

Woody.  She now resides at Lake Tahoe and is known by the name ‘Woody’. Built by famous engineer and boat builder Garfield Wood in 1931 this is the Rolls Royce of motor cruisers and utterly beautiful.  When I saw her I thought of Marilyn Monroe – scenes with the millionaire and the fancy yacht in ‘Some Like it Hot’. 

I always tend to post early, simply because I’m in-n-out of here lately, but from later today (Tuesday) and throughout Wednesday, you can see more examples of how other bloggers interpret the letters of the alphabet over at the ABC project, hosted by Mrs Nesbitt

S is for…

Shiny.  I have no idea what type of car this is other than it’s American…anyone got any ideas?

Grr…illz

For more examples of how other bloggers interpret the letters of the alphabet, please visit the ABC project, hosted by Mrs Nesbitt

R is for …

‘Reading’ and ‘Ridicule’ - it’s a ‘Twofer’ this week from me (two for the price of one).  The first image is taken from a personal album of photos that I inherited when my father died. He was stationed with the RAF in the Middle East for a short time so I can date this to somewhere in the 1940s / 50s. It illustrates something we all are doing right now: Reading.

The second is a terrible old photo of mine from the 1970s and illustrates ‘Ridicule’. Crumbs, no one likes to think they are being laughed at, now do they?

For more examples of how other bloggers interpret the letters of the alphabet, please visit the ABC project, hosted by Mrs Nesbitt

Spread A Little Happiness

So.  Yesterday at 8 a.m. I was like a dog at the vets – terrified and trembling.  It was my quarterly check-up at the doctor and because of:

(1) My total lack of weight loss (I am, right now, ‘el blimpo’…or  more correctly I should probably say ‘la blimpara’),

(2) My singular lack of any real exercise for the last several weeks (I blame the cold for rendering me virtually entirely motionless) and

(3) The work related hell that continues to play behind the scenes here (but hey, what else is new)?

I really, really thought that my blood pressure would be through the roof again, but unlike my last visit, she would not let it pass.  No, this time it would be a stern lecture and quite possibly a return to the Heart Unit at the hospital.  I prayed to God and I prayed to my guardian angel(s) and you know what?  My BP was lower than it has ever been whilst sitting in front of a medic.  My lovely doctor couldn’t believe it.  I couldn’t believe it, but I wasn’t going to query it and prompt a second reading.  Oh no! 

So.  There we are.  I’m currently walking on air.  I’ve thanked God and my guardian angel(s), and resolved to do better in my efforts to stay healthy, so that next time my visit doesn’t cause me such terrible angst.

You may think I’ve gone completely wacka-doodle in posting this video below but it’s Friday, and no doubt given my good mood this song is currently going through my head.  (I have said before that my music tastes are eclectic).   

P.S. (A more modern version of this song, performed by Sting at the end of the film ‘Brimstone and Treacle’, has now been added to the comments section below – it has the advantage of being easier to understand + having the words posted below). 

♫ Even when the darkest clouds are in the sky,

You mustn’t sigh and you mustn’t cry

Spread a little happiness as you go by ♫

Spread a Little Happiness was written by Vivian Ellis for his 1929 musical ‘Mr Cinders’.  Sung here by Binnie Hale.

Women – Know your limits!

A Friday giggle from the brilliantly funny Harry Enfield.  I laugh at this but, rather spookily, I’m pretty sure I did actually see a ‘public information film’ not far off this when I was a very young child!  My how times have changed (I hope).

Old charm and Easter wishes

I’ve said before here that I love old graphics and amongst other things have quite a good collection of old postcards.  I think it was such a charming practise, to send one another postcards, not just to wish seasonal greetings but even just to say hello, enquire after someone’s well-being or express how much you enjoyed your recent get together.  For me part of the joy of collecting postcards is in reading those lovely messages on the back.  It’s such a shame we no longer take the time to do this – emails and texts just don’t do it for me and certainly won’t stand the test of time.

Interestingly, many of the great illustrators were women, at a time when most of us imagine that women were very centred around the house, bringing up baby.  The graphics here are by well-known illustrator Margaret Tarrant.  Her work is much more detailed than the cards I usually collect but I love it all the same, probably because it reminds me of book illustrations from when I was a child. (There again, Sponge Bob Square Pants can’t hold a candle to these beautiful old illustrations, which were pieces of fine artwork in themselves).

I’ve picked the one below because it has an Easter feel to it and I’m wishing friends and contacts here on the web a very safe, happy and peaceful Easter weekend.  Whatever your faith, may your God go with you.