Author: theoldmortuary.design

theoldmortuary has been a blog for about five years. It has evolved into an almost daily event. Pondering on the things that are inspired by my daily life. Often mundane, sometimes repetitive I swerve from hyperlocal activity to big and small thoughts without blinking an eye. I am an artist and writer. My hometown is Plymouth in South West England, part of me will always be connected to London and another part loves to travel.

#643 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity1 Comment

If you were forced to wear one outfit over and over again, what would it be?

I have an outfit that goes everywhere with me. Under any unusual or unplanned circumstances I can appear perfectly prepared. My failsafe garment is a long, black,  linen dress. At more than ten years old it is a little grey with wear but it still fits the category of little black dress. It can easily be dyed, again, to be a Bible-black dress worthy of her original beauty . Most importantly the dress has two side pockets. I will never again buy a dress without side pockets. Whenever I travel it travels with me. Even on the most minuscule of trips.

Last week it went to Wales with me. On its own it could have been a beach dress but blinged up with some massive beads it could easily have taken me to a posh restaurant or an evening of live music.

The beads come from an old broken necklace and some beaded curtain tie backs from the eighties. The beads travel with the dress. They are the basic kit, but if packing space allows two other items squeeze in next to the little black dress.

A pair of Moccasin mules from Canada and a long length silk coat in the style of a Gentlemans Smoking Jacket from Hong Kong.

While we were in Abersoch I admired the hat our host Tricia was wearing. Then randomly in my favourite Charity shop I found one with a very similar vibe.

With just this one additional item my go anywhere kit could go anywhere. The hat is by an internationally renowned Milliner Sandra Phillips. Posh Wedding, The Royal Enclosure or a Buckingham Palace Garden Party. I have the full kit and caboodle.

The beauty of this capsule, get me looking fab outfit is the cost.

Dress £100 Flax from Dulwich Trader 10 years ago.

Beads approx £5 made from a broken necklace and curtain tiebacks from a Charity shop. Recreated 5 years ago.

Moccasin mules, £20 Zara Sale, Toronto. Last year

Silk Smoking Jacket, £20, Zara Ultra reduced Sale, Hong Kong Airport. 7 years ago.

Silk and straw hat. £10. Sandra Phillips at the local Hospice Charity Shop today.

£135 spent over the past 10 years on this capsule wardrobe. The dress may well have been worn 500 times, could easily be more.

Money well spent, Lola loves to rest on silk so even more useful.

Nothing phases this ensemble. I have even slept in the dress and babies love the beads, they are indestructible.

#641 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn blogging, pondering, Serendipity1 Comment
Dandelion at dawn

What do you think gets better with age?

Before deciding to use this prompt I read a few other blogs that had also chosen to go with this particular flow. Wisdom, Sex, God(s) and Acceptance all get a good going over by bloggers with mixed results, in my opinion.

I have no such certainty, in the few hours I have pondered this thought I have been going round in so many ponderous mental circles that I feel even more uncertain as to my definitive answer.

Dandelion at noon

Right now at 08:13 I have settled on being both less conscious and more conscious of being my genuine self. Society moulds us in many ways. Always an introvert I have moved through life being self-effacing* hiding behind so many self-created masks.

* Someone who’s self-effacing is shy and likes to stay out of the spotlight, shunning attention and praise. To efface something is to erase it, so to be self-effacing is to try to remove yourself from various situations, especially ones that draw attention.

David Bowie with his multiple stage personnas or Drag Queens seem to me to have the perfect way of being.

Dandelion at night.

A lovely, big, public personality that can take praise and adoration easily and humbly. A personality that can be slipped off at the end of the show, leaving the real person to slip out of the stage door anonymously without the need for dark glasses and an upturned collar.

Much as I would have liked to go through life in the style of Ziggy Stardust or Lily Savage that was never appropriate. So my characters looked exactly like me but with more Chutzpah*

*The positive aspect of chutzpah, which is more likely to lead to positive outcomes, revolves primarily around being confident, daring, and brazen.

I realise now, with age that self-effacing is a fairly daft way to go about life. But even as I write this I realise that being a brash ‘ out-there’ person was an impossible lifestyle choice for me. I so dislike the aura around Alpha Humans.

What has got better with age is knowing my own worth and finding somewhere in the middle ground. Not so self-effacing, more sequins and twinkle.

Less Dandelion; more Firework, occasionally!

#640 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Friends, SerendipityLeave a comment

I am always drawn to the potential of an empty bench or a couple of empty chairs placed together. The art of fine conversation settles and thrives in this sort of location. We have spent the last few days engaged in fabulous conversations with friends old and new in Abersoch in North Wales.

Chatting is just the most enjoyable thing when it has no agenda or expectation. Sometimes so many conversations are had that the context or content get confused, but the important thing is that we had them.

#639 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity, Van Life2 Comments
Mango Ice Cream in Abersoch

A strange thing happened in Abersoch. In the middle of a night- time storm a tiny buzzing creature sought refuge in my ear. At first I thought a stray curl had dipped into my ear but buzzing in my head is not the normal response to a curl finding a resting place deep inside my ear. Then the tiny creature started tap dancing on my eardrum. Soon enough he encountered some ear wax and his footsteps turned to squelches.

He was completely invisible to the naked eye and the sounds of him tap dancing and squelching was imperceptible to anyone but me. Everything he did was out of proportion to the real world. The clarity of the tap dancing was like having a private dance from an accomplished soloist in a huge auditorium with only me as an audience member. The squelching was moist and resonant like pulling a boot out of the deepest of mud.

In the outside world, none of this was taken particularly seriously. Meanwhile, the tiny dancer was tiring, the buzzing had stopped. I was encouraged to go back to sleep, if indeed I had ever been awake and this whole episode has been just a dream. Some moments later there was a flourish of sensation, a little more precise percussion on my eardrum and a piercing buzz. I shouted out in astonishment and there was silence. In my hypnagogic state, I was convinced the poor creature had shouted out in pain before his tiny legs had buckled beneath him. I imagined him laying lifeless on my eardrum. Anxious not to bring any more drama to the nights sleeping I promised that I would retrieve his fragile body in the morning.

The morning, as it so often does, brought clarity. The buzz had been his triumphant flight out of my ear once he had regained strength and cleaned the ear detritus off his feet.

I was spared a body retrieval and life had returned to normal. I am left with the memory of a very curious incident of a tap dancer on my eardrum.

#638 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn HolidaysLeave a comment

This is the engine that drove our day yesterday. A Welsh holiday without rain would not be a Welsh holiday. The engine was called Blanche and she took us deep into the foothills and rainforest of Snowdonia National Park.

Outside the weather was being very inclement. Inside the close-fitting carriages our party of four nattered our way up a mountain and back down again. The mechanics of our conversation lubricated by indifferent coffee and glimpses of spectacular and historic landscapes. The waiting room at our destination showed an image of the same journey made in a sunnier moment.

But sunnier doesn’t mean better, it just means different. And yesterday was perfect just as it was.

#657 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity, Van Life1 Comment

Early morning pondering in a camper van with a coffee ready to start the day. I started the actual day somewhat lost in a sand dune. I found this dark feather and had a strange thought. Some people see the arrival of a white feather as a sign that the soul or spirit of a deceased loved one has returned to the earthly realm to reassure or comfort those who mourn them. What does a dark feather mean in this world of reassurance from elsewhere?

I always think of a quill when a dark feather appears. Secretly a quill and an ink well would suit me very well. I already paint trees and plants with bits of trees and plants. Why not write some text with a feather? A friend of mine in London was gifted one of Charles Dickens’s ink wells. The provenance was indisputable, apparently Dickens often gave an ink well as gratitude to his many hosts. Time, I think to Google how to prepare a quill. In complete contrast I recently bought myself some fancy tiny tipped pens. I love them but where is the romance in engineered plastic?

Beyond Quills my dune meanderings also gave me other nice thoughts and images. Sometimes being a little bit lost is the best place to be.

#656 theoldmortuary ponders

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I was not expecting this! Our adventures in North Wales were always going to have an element of surprise but an outdoor shower overlooked by the mountains of the Snowdonia National Park was a very special treat. As it turns out I was not the only one to get that sort of surprise. The Dwyryd Estuary at low tide was a canine idea of a great evening out.

The soft sands and clear waters of low tide were just too tempting for any pretence of good behaviour.

Which would be fine under normal circumstances but we would be sharing a campervan bed with these two all night. They were threatened with a cold hosepipe.

But unknown to us the campsite facilities were exceptional for dogs as well as humans. A hot water shower with a soft grass platform to sit on and beautiful smelling products.

This is all a stroke of extremely good luck, we needed to be in striking distance of Abersoch and this was the only campsite that would have us. Booked out of necessity it turns out to be the most fabulous of campsites. With extraordinary views. If I only mentioned the showering facilities I would be like the sort of person who visits great museums or art galleries and only mentions the cafe.*

So here are the views looking west.

And the view across the estuary to Portmeirion.

Now early morning blogging, which this is. Is usually a solitary activity but this morning Hugo needed to be up and out at 6am. Whatever he imagined was going to happen didn’t. Instead of larking about in mud we did some rock clambering and visited a couple of memorial benches.

Treasured memories of all those who loved this special place. And still a garden by the water lies. **

We sat a while with Mrs Jones and her anonymous companion and enjoyed their red roses, almost more beautiful now they are past their best.

I discovered that slate here is many wonderful shades of rust.

And that East is not quite where I expected it to be.

* The cafe, should you be interested was, of course our in-van catering. Top marks for that too.

** The quote on the bench may be personal. My memory of a similar quote comes from The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám

Our lovely campsite details :-

#655 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn dog walks, Serendipity1 Comment

Sometimes humans leave things in the way of the dogs usual walking route. Yesterday evening Summer got in the way of their usual sniff highlights. The open space where they like to track hedgehogs and foxes has been taken over by a huge screen for people to watch Wimbledon.

The area near the tunnel had been taken over by live music which in turn had pushed the paddle boards onto the walls where the best doggy news can be sniffed.

We didn’t help matters by stopping to buy a Pimms and talking to people.

The whole walk had slipped from canine planning to doggy dystopia, nothing was quite as it should be.

Our dogs are very urban creatures they didn’t cope well with the 4 years of rural living. The wildness and whimsy of daily walks on a nature reserve never filled them with the joy we imagined it would. Sometimes we would drive the 6 miles to where we currently live to replicate their urban walks in London. Plenty of stone and concrete, parkland and mowed grass open spaces.

They are absolutely city dogs. They like repetition and familiarity. In London their three favourite walks still excite them even though we moved away permanently a couple of years ago. Hugo will always choose to do a poo right in front of Shakespeares Globe Theatre.

Lola however knows exactly where the juiciest squirrels live. The trees that border Dulwich College cricket pitches.

Their choice of favourite places for certain things has always puzzled us. Doing a poo in front of the Globe is quite a performative thing. The photo above was taken in the early morning before tourists were about but normally this area is throbbing with humans. But I know Hugo, if I were to walk past there with him right now. His nose would go in the air and soon enough his geolocating spin would start. Several tourist smartphones would be whipped out and a white dog defecating on Bankside would be a holiday highlight. Similarly Lola and the squirrel spot. If we were ever to lose her on Gallery Road in Dulwich, I would know exactly where to find her. The curious thing is that she might know where the juiciest squirrels live. She has no idea what to do with one. Worryingly she will single-mindedly track them and watch wistfully for twenty minutes as they escape up other trees but face to face with a squirrel she has no idea what to do. One day a squirrel fell from these Dulwich trees. It was as dead as a dead thing, little front paws still clutching at an invisible acorn. It landed at her feet. She gave it a cursory sniff and walked on.

I’m not too sure why I digressed quite so much but I suppose it was to show that our dogs are very much creatures of habit. They were really not impressed with a Summer evening of happy human activity messing with their plans.

Unknown to them it messed with our plans too. We should be somewhere else right now and soon we will be. But summer evenings with lovely stuff on an evening dog walk including Pimms, Tennis, Live music and snatched conversations. All in glorious sunshine is what we will remember when there is no one about and the rain is hitting us sideways on the exact same walk in November. The dogs however apart from being wet will love that things are back as they should be and they can do what they need to do where they plan to.

#654 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn blogging, Serendipity3 Comments

On what subject(s) are you an authority?

Today marks 7 years of owning theoldmortuary.design domain. Before that my blog was called the garden painter because that is what I was. A part-time artist who painted in the garden often with a ginger cat as muse.

My blogging in thegardenpainter days was sporadic and not hugely effective. I didn’t know why I was writing a blog but the concept fascinated me in an abstract and unfocussed sort of way. A house move and renovation/repurposing of an actual old mortuary gave me a new title but no greater insight or efficacy at blog writing.

By now I was writing and reviewing for an arts magazine, no closer to actually being an effective blogger. A much younger and replacement editor suggested that I was perhaps too old for a publication that had him as an editor. Exactly the inspiration I needed to create my own publication/blog more effectively. I found a blog writing course by the wonderful Gentle Author who writes a fabulous blog.

https://spitalfieldslife.com/

Between the beginners and the advanced course, Covid 19 stuck and I was caught writing a daily blog for considerably longer than was planned. At some point I did the advanced course. Pandemic Ponderings filled the space between the two courses. theoldmortuary ponders was devised on the last day of the advanced course. Not exactly a diary or journal but just a daily reflection of an ordinary persons life with all the mundane aspects, repetition, chores, dullness set against abstract thoughts inspired by words or pictures. I try to look for the positive or quirky and having that daily need to find something to write about actually makes me observant and better tuned in to each day.

So in answer to the above question.

I am somewhat of an authority on the blogs of my own creation. From pretty useless blogging to daily blogging on the mundane parts of life, via a daily personal record of an International Pandemic.

I can track the development stages that bring me to this point. A little late on a day when I have bobbed, entertained a grandchild, done some Social Media work and right now luxuriating in watching tennis on the TV. Later I will dog walk again, listen to some live music and then tomorrow will be another day. Who knows where that will take us…

What is an authority anyway?

HMS Kent sailing past as we bobbed this morning. Friends and family on the deck. Frigates passing us make the most wonderful artificial waves. A bobbing bonus with thanks to the British tax payers Defence budget.

#653 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn art, Bobbing, Serendipity1 Comment

Last night our evening bob was a little more bumpy than we had anticipated. Getting in and out took more care than usual but swimming in a lively summer sea was invigorating and buzzy. Conversation afterwards was lively and touched on a new exhibition in Manchester by Yayoi Kusama.

https://factoryinternational.org/whats-on/yayoi-kusama-you-me-and-the-balloons/

Sex Obsession © Yayoi Kusama

I’m not sure we can fit a trip to Manchester into our summer plans but we did catch her exhibition in Hong Kong earlier this year. She translates life experiences into distinctive abstracts featuring dots and serpiginous and fascinating shapes. At 92 she is unlikely to take up cold water swimming but I wonder how she would depict an experience like last nights swim.

I might have a go at trying a chilly coloured watercolour. Depicting swimming in a bumpy sea with unexpected icy splashes as waves bump into each other. Showering bobbing swimmers with droplets of salty, very cold water.

Spot the blogger at Yayoi Kusama Hong Kong.

Spot the blogger + last night’s seascape.

Reel with music below.