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.
Yesterday was a day for basking in afternoon sunshine. Autumn may have arrived but the sunshine had forgotten and we sat, like lizards on hot rocks, taking in the late September sun. The wind however was very much in Autumn mode and swirled and nipped at us whenever we turned a corner between buildings. In truth the basking was accidental , we were only on one of our regular dog walks but we had stopped for a coffee and some people watching. Neither were exciting enough to be pondered about but the sunshine was lovely. For reasons which I don’t fully understand the water which accompanied our coffee arrived iced and with a straw. Leave two women with a straw in strong sunshine and this is what you get!
The link below takes you to an excellent article published in the Guardian today.
Pandemic Ponderings has covered most of the topics mentioned but the whole lot, covered by a proper newspaper, makes for a less whimsical read. Even before this article appeared, today, other people’s writing was going to inform this blog.
This is the book,randomly chosen, for the September choice of my book club. By a huge coincidence a character in this novel visits Plymouth . A couple of comments in the book reminded me of things I have not yet pondered about . Given that this blog is about Plymouth, I will just share the Plymouth based one today. But before that an aside.
An hour or so before this blog was due to be published I finished this book. Further curious and serendipitous connections come to light. I love the book for many reasons, including its locations. It is based geographically in places I know intimately, Cornwall and the area around St Pauls Cathedral in the City of London.
Just as I sit through the rolling credits of films, I also read the acknowledgements in books. This one dealt a huge dollop of serendipity. The author, Sarah Winman writes ” Thank you to The Gentle Author and the community that has grown around the Spitaldfelds Life Blog- you are a constant reminder of why we do what we do”
Spitaldfelds Life is the Gold Standard that drives my writing @theoldmortuary . The Gentle Author guided and encouraged me, and many other blog writers to simply write. The surprise to see him mentioned at the back of this novel gave me such a warm and welcome boost. He really is the loveliest of men , the courses he runs are inspirational.
Returning to talking about the pondering the book inspired. In,A Year of Marvellous Ways, a sexual awakening and affaire de coeur is marked by the gift of a penny which is significant to the location of the entwinement. To illustrate this I need to rummage a bit.
It didn’t take long to find an old penny. Significantly this one would have been used in the Plymouth Area. It was designed by Leonard Charles Wyon an adaptation of a design by his father William Wyon for earlier pennies.
The lighthouse, which can just be glimpsed behind Britannia is Smeatons Tower. Plymouths Iconic Landmark. Imaged on the coin in its original position on the Eddystone Rocks. 9 miles south west of Rame Head in Cornwall. Despite being closest to Cornwall the rocks are within the City limits of Plymouth and therefore considered to be within Devon.
Another blog that shaped its own destiny. Not the journey I planned but the journey that happened whilst I was planning.
Our Staycation trip this morning took us to visit the new Antony Gormley sculpture , Look II on the Waterfront in Plymouth. A cultural dog walk on a blustery day.
Look II
If I were a sound artist I would record twenty second snippets of the conversations that occur as People get close to it. Then play them in the echoing paths near the Tinside Lido that overlooks the sculpture at a distance.
It is no surprise that a piece of contemporary sculpture would have a mixed reaction in Plymouth. The link at the top of this blog takes you to a selection of local opinions.
Look II
My creative head was lucky enough to share my first experience of Look II with a couple of people who I will call Twat I and Twat 2. I have precised the conversation to protect my word count.
Twat 1 ” Its a bit rusty for a million pounds”
Twat 2, thinking quickly, how can I uptwat him?
” Oh well it’s been here a week, I expect it’s the sea”
Twat 1, thinks, bugger I’ve been uptwatted! Best play my trump comment.
” My grandchild built something like that over the weekend”
Both get a little closer and kick the sculpture as if it were the tyre of a second hand car that they were giving an opinion on. Twat credentials fully exposed .
Far better the fishermen who demonstrate so deftly why this is a beautiful, thought provoking work of art.
This is going to be a funny blog, for a start autumn seems to be imposing itself on us. Yesterday we had beautiful sunlight and a beautiful Begonia.
This morning we had the bright sunshine but the air was certainly crisper. Autumn shouted loud from a farmhouse wall.
Virginia Creeper
Pretty soon after rain started to fall and that set the tone of the day. Staycation or not some chores needed doing so that was the plan for a couple of hours. Chores and then an adventure. As it turned out we got the adventure but not one of our planning . South East Cornwall is divided from Devon by the Tamar Bridge or the Torpoint Ferry. Further north there are many, mostly mediaeval bridges that cross the Tamar as it gets narrower. A quick pop into Plymouth became a day out. The twenty minute journey home extended to well over four hours when a road accident closed the Tamar Bridge which in turn overwhelmed the Torpoint Ferry which left us with the Mediaeval option at Gunnislake. Mediaeval bridges need a little respect so progress was not swift. That’s exactly why this is a very small blog, no time for an adventure after the unplanned one.
One tiny post script.
Finally the Canadian Soap first mentioned really early in Pandemic Ponderings became a tissue thin sliver of soap this week and today slipped without ceremony down the sink. Another Canadian soap has stepped up to take its place in the bathroom sink. It happens to be the colour of Autumn so I think we have conceded. Autumn 2020 you’ve arrived.
Regular readers will have no problem with the order of this blog and the previous one. But if a reader is playing catch up and reading them in order as they appear the newest is always first. For clarity we are walking down Totnes High Street towards the river. From Fifty5a and the gorgeous assemblage from Lucie Swain in their shop window.
We love a bit of street Palimpsest , Totnes gives good Palimpsest. This assemblage of stickers and graffiti is not of the finest quality but it did grab my attention long enough to attract my attention to the piece that inspired yesterday’s search for Alice Oswald.
High Street PalimpsestBeautiful Street Palimpsest
Slightly awkward as I’ve published this early in error. It’s not even finished yet! Carrying on down the hill we popped over to the public loos and found this little chap.
Is it a Banksy?
Googling ” is this a Banksy?” takes us down another rabbit hole, although, of course, rat run would be more appropriate. My mind is caught up in a trail featuring a Michael Shuman who , perhaps, created this graffiti and claims to have had his identity stolen by Banksy who is of course anonymous. Is it even possible to steal an identity if you are anonymous. The rudimental dickpic above the rat is unsigned. Let’s just leave the whole conversation there.
Things did actually go downhill from here both geographically and in real life. A large hairy lurcher dog flew out of a boutique and attempted to intimidate Lola with both teeth and size. He was 100% successful, she has pulled a shoulder muscle during the scuffle and is demanding cuddles with added diligence to gentle strokes.
Totnes turned out to be quite the adventure. Two last pictures a lovely calm Presbytery with just one perfect autumn leaf to give a flash of orange to an otherwise Lilac view.
Totnes Presbytery
Finally some chains , from Totnes, to show that in these blogs there is always a link. Apologies for scatterbrained blogging. Normal service will resume very soon.
Our Staycation took us to Totnes overnight. I worked in Totnes over twenty years ago, at the time it was known for being a town sympathetic to New Age and Alternative Lifestyles. Pandemic Pondering #232 Going up the hill at Totnes.
Twenty years later Totnes has the same vibe but wears it a little less obviously, the town seems smarter. Pondering in Totnes took me down quite a rabbit hole. A particularly lovely piece of Palimpsest caught my eye.
The name Alice Oswald can be seen through the layers of stickers and paint. Googling Alice Oswald I discovered she is a Poet of note and is the first female Oxford Professor of Poetry and also a winner of the T.S Elliot Poetry Prize . Something I only know exists because my favourite poet Roger Robinson won it this year.
As luck would have it I had taken a picture of the River Dart half an hour before I found the Palimpsest that started this ponder. Lucky because Alice is known for her work ‘Dart’.
I’ve shared the Guardian review of the poem/ book because it is all very unknown to me currently. I’ve ordered a copy of the book from the library. Let’s get on with the rest of Totnes.
Lovely Jubbly
A little smile and a nod to a favourite British sitcom Only Fools and Horses as we arrived in town.
We were camping overnight at Steamer Quay which is a really quick walk into town or onto several beautiful Riverside walks. As usual @theoldmortuary our day started with a coffee. On a day when new restrictions were set to be announced the message was loud and clear at the café.
The Curator cafe set us up perfectly for the steep incline that is Totnes High Street. The high street is full of independents , we had a fabulous browse in regular retailers and charity shops . Earmarking purchases for when we were on the descent. Arrival at the top was rewarded with a visit to.
Another coffee shopwith great coffee and outdoor seating overlooking one of my favourite Vintage shops.
We were in Totnes so obviously bumping into a stranger involved a conversation about Dry Needling , fascinating, not for me, but apparently it works.
Just a little blog today. The subject has been covered in a couple of different ways in other blogs. A regular dog walk for us starts on Commercial Street in Plymouth and follows a circular walk around Sutton Harbour and the Barbican in Plymouth using the footbridge by the Marine Aquarium and then back via Sutton Wharf. Within Pandemic Ponderings we have only done it in daylight
Last night was our first walk this year in the dark. I hadn’t really planned a blog about it but two nice photos presented themselves and it seems a shame not to use them
The first was a flock of swans with the twinkly lights of The Barbican behind them.
The second was a lovely flat tide image of some fishing boats.
Either of these images would have charmed us if we were on holiday in Greece, but they are very close to home and it may well be the Pandemic that has made us appreciate , more fully, local scenes. The dogs , of course, never go to Greec e so have no idea why we keep stopping to take pictures on home territory. Quite possibly they are wondering why we are not making the effort to have a good sniff or do a little wee.
Being more appreciative of everything is a curious side effect of Covid-19. @theoldmortuary we plan on being better at appreciating everything more effectively. A hard way to learn a simple lesson.
Don’t you just hate wisdom that gets shared on Instagram and Facebook. I’m not a complete quote/ inspiring text pooper but in truth many are pretty dire. And then completely by accident you write one of your own.
I was messaging a former work colleague, who works hard under difficult circumstances. Her only moan was that age was ‘ getting’ to her. Without thinking I replied ” Age is unavoidable, surf it with style”
I’m not normally that profound but I had just got out of the sea after a really long morning swim. Last night we wild camped near to Tregirls Beach so we could make the most of a high tide early in the morning.
The evening dog walk was dramatic, but we had missed sunset so walking on uneven ground was tricksy.
Long Carrow Cove
Hugo and Lola settled in with books and the newspaper while we got supper ready.
Breakfast with the view.
Tregirls beach was the location that inspired my profoundity. A good long swim with just the right amount of chill was exactly what was needed to clean the cobwebs from my mind, and indeed prepare the ground for a memorable quote. Depending on your standards of course.
A little bit of weekend meandering. I realise that 2020 is both a landmark year and one that many of us would like to see the back of. I’ve caught myself twice this week discussing how I would like to look back on this year and understand its significance on the future. I don’t think I’m wishing my life away but I’m intrigued to know how life will be post pandemic ponderings. For now I’m sharing some random thoughts and images that have brightened our weekend.
A very late wildflower patch is maturing under our outdoor tomatoes, tomatoes that would not exist if we hadn’t been in a Lockdown for so long.
The glorious poppies of late spring and early summer, much loved and instagrammed by our neighbours during lockdown are long gone but one lonely little seed pod came indoors with me today and nestled in a sunbeam on a velvet cushion.
The next pictures are related because they were taken at the same location. The first two are tiny figureheads that mark the gender of the Loos at our favourite pub/coffee shop. I’ve included them because during last week I’ve been working at The Box, a new museum and gallery in Plymouth during the soft opening sessions before it opens properly. Figureheads are a big feature of the entrance area, but any photographs of the actual museum are banned until the museum is properly open. These two are at the Lord High Admiral in Plymouth. A fine substitute until I can share the real things. The Lola picture was taken just after we had had our weekly coffee fix at The Hutong ‘pop-up’
Four pictures from the weekend that would not have existed if the Pandemic had not happened.
theoldmortuary.design 