#1141 theoldmortuary ponders

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Is your life today what you pictured a year ago?

10 days to Boxing Day. Most of my life the next day or even the next hour is not quite as I pictured it. This prompt so perfectly fitted my day yesterday I felt compelled to answer.

This shadowy image reflected in a glitterball bauble should not have been standing here. Nana , Nona and our Monday Small Person had planned to be at a festive book reading event. An hour before this we were half an hour early and were enjoying good coffee and weak sunshine. In fact we were one whole week and a half hour early. What to do with that suddenly available two hours of time. The answer was to go Christmas Shopping. Not a concept that a 2 year old fully grasps. She did fine and we were surprisingly effective. We rewarded ourselves for unplanned shopping with unplanned  Christmas film watching. Not the day I pictured at all.

And so to Q on the 26 Days to Boxing Day. Q is for Queen.

©James Mylne

I am not particularly a Monarchist but I feel the cranky, eccentric, British system of a Royal Family works better than many Democracies with a Presidential figurehead. Our last Monarch was Queen Elizabeth II. Her reign of nearly 71 years was the longest in history.  And there is a link to the festive season.

Postboxes , which most of us will use to send Christmas Cards.

British Post boxes are sturdy things and are marked with the reigning Monarchs Cypher at the time they were installed. Post Boxes are very long lasting.

Queen Victoria reigned for 63 years. So these two long lived womens’ Cyphers mark almost 80% of all the post boxes in Britain, six Kings , King Edward II, Edward III George V, George VI, George VII, and Charles III, get the remaining 20%.

King Charles seems to only have 1 post box installed in July 2024.

So for the forseeable future Christmas Cards in Britain will be posted in Queenly Cyphered post boxes. Random fact, unimportant but interesting.

1936- 52 George VI Postbox
Festive Topper on a postbox.

#1140 theoldmortuary ponders

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11 Days to Christmas and the last full moon of 2024.

Appropriately named the Cold Moon. A few bobbers went in for a dip at high tide. The water was a balmy 11 degrees. We didn’t stay in long but were rewarded, regardless, by warmed Mince Pies, coffee, and sparkling conversation.

Our Coach keeps a watchful eye.

And so on to P for 26 Days to Boxing Day.

P for photoshopping and painting. The moon didn’t really put in quite such a perfectly composed image, the clouds were too dense. On this occasion moon and bobbers were brought together by the power of photoshop.

While I was hunting for a moon to use this painting popped out of the archive.

In real life it recently popped out of storage. I’ve  never been quite sure if it is finalised.

I played around with the randomised digital manipulation. It rarely works well on photos of paintings but this one seemed to get a new breath of life.

Curiously it is almost the same composition as the photo of Coach gazing out to sea. The randomised manipulation uses the most recent settings that I have used in the photo editor. I wonder if this is why it worked better on this occasion. Serendipity has shown me how to finish this painting off. Its only been 15 years!

Just one more little experiment.

Coach on a Cornish hillside, overlooking blue horses.

Enough of this full-moon madness.

#1139 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn 26 Days to Boxing Day1 Comment

12 Days to Boxing Day.

The festive season washed over us like a tidal wave yesterday. In one 24 hour period we attended a Tennis Club Carols and Mince Pie evening, a wreath making workshop and a Pantomime. We also watched the Grande Finale of a favourite televised Dance Competition which beyond dance features glitz and glam with costumes and scenery in the most sumptuous of fabrics and colours with lashings of sequins and sparkle.  Really all of my favourite things about the short dark days of December.  Favourite things but not paradisaical.

The reason I am pondering the word paradisaical is that personally I would never put the words ‘Christmas’ and ‘Paradise’ in the same sentence unless I was away in a five star hotel somewhere warm and utterly gorgeous with my friends and family. This ponder was prompted by a newspaper article suggesting that a fantastically decorated pub was a ‘Christmas Paradise’. I would have used the word ‘wonderland’ Is this just me or a Northern European thing?

Christmas in Britain often has a reminiscent, historical influenced vibe. Possibly to two distinct time periods. Mediaeval and Victorian, neither of which give me a particularly paradisaical response.

To illustrate this blog I recreated some of my pictures as historical images.

And so onto ‘O’ in 26 Days to Boxing Day.

Over-indulging. As yet I have not succumbe.

Over-the-top, guilty. High notes while singing Carols because I used to be able to do it faultlessly, now not so much.

Out Loud , laughter, always.

#1138 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn 26 Days to Boxing Day, Serendipity1 Comment

13 Days to Boxing Day

Tell us one thing you hope people say about you.

I’ve heard many of the things people say about me. Of course I focus on the unkind, inaccurate and cruel because I am, a woman, a people pleaser and a human. The same can be said for the kind and thoughtful comments. I question if they are deserved, maybe those comments are inaccurate too. I realise that these statements make me sound like a swirling ball of angst but in the spirit of the festive season I will share the gift of wisdom my dad gave me a long while ago.

” You don’t have to be the best or the cleverest, but you do have to turn up”

Goodness knows what fire of teenage drama he was trying to quench when he came out with that nugget of sagacity but I have carried it happily as both my top and bottom line of behaviour. Of course I have learned to twist that sentence to both my advantage and disadvantage.

I am hopeless at over-committing and turning up too often. But conversely I have sometimes ‘turned up’ and unexpectedly scooped the prize.

Somehow, and I don’t really know why it has given me a level of immunity to what people say about me. I don’t really have too much expectation in that regard.

“She turned up” will do just fine.

And so onto N in the 26 Days to Boxing Day.

Nativity.

I have no idea why I am such a pedant about Nativity scenes in public spaces but the storyline of a Christian Christmas is that the run up is all about hope and expectation.  Until Christmas morning there is no baby in the manger…

On a personal level this pedantry has bitten me on the bum. Imagine a working mother of two,staggering home after a long working day at 11pm on Christmas Eve. Everyone is asleep. One job before morning is to put Jesus in his manger.

Where is Jesus?

Frantic searching of nearby shelves and book cases. No luck.

The next hour is spent crafting a swaddled baby of tiny proportions out of a cotton wool ball, a Qtip or Cotton bud. Finger gauze and nail varnish.

Jesus, that was difficult!

#1137 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn 26 Days to Boxing Day, SerendipityLeave a comment
The Barbican at Dusk.

14 days to Boxing Day.

I’ve been asked why I am counting down to Boxing Day . Just to be a little different really, and 26 is conveniently the number of letters in the alphabet. So I can have two running themes. A countdown and a letter to hang a ponder on.

In trying to extract maximum enjoyment out of short days I  have been greatly helped by the gradual build up of festive lighting and by making sure I get some effective reading time. This gem of writing from Virginia Woolf came my way yesterday.

Devonport Park
Devonport Park

I think even great prose benefits from some Festive lighting.

And so to 26 Days to Boxing Day.

M has to be for Music. Traditional, Random, Contemporary, Pogues.

#1136 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn 26 Days to Boxing Day, Drawn to the Valley, Drawn To The Valley Artists, Serendipity1 Comment

15 days to Boxing Day

I did not expect to create a painting today. I did not expect to go to a biker cafe. I did not expect to be writing this blog at 5pm.  But beyond that the day has gone completely to plan.  A regular meet up with other Plymouth based arty people for nattering, exhibition planning and festive high points.

Usually, I can easily paint and talk but Santa was not the most unusual man in the cafe. A gentleman approached to talk about my art for about 45 seconds and then talked about himself for the next  minutes. Even my absolute dedication to getting paint on paper didn’t stem his flow of self-obsession. I was polite and responded appropriately while avidly painting away.

But my mind was a bit fried by the time he wandered off. Thank goodness for the impromptu arrival of a friend, we escaped to a nearby bikers cafe. No chance of self obsessed artists there.

And so to 26 Days to Boxing Day . L for learning . Actually the point of our arty gatherings. We sit together and do small tasks but we share tips and techniques. Artists are by inclination and practice solitary creatures. But our regular meetings over the past two and a half years has created such a strong and effective group of solitary beings. Sometimes 25 of us.

March 2022
December 2024

And guess what? I was painting with the same colours at our first get together.

theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Bobbing1 Comment

My favourite physical activity is sea swimming. I do it year round and the sea temperature today is 12 degrees.

What are your favorite physical activities or exercises?

I do not consider myself a               ‘hardened’ sort of person. 12 degrees is about the mid-point of swimming in Plymouth.

The Bobbers, my swimming group have dipped in water at 7.8 but I don’t think the water has ever gone above 16 degrees in the three years we have been swimming regularly. If I were to ask the internet about swimming  in 16 degree water the advice would still be that it is not advised. We do just fine doing something many people would recoil from.

#1135 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn 26 Days to Boxing Day, SerendipityLeave a comment

16 Days to Boxing Day.

Wintering. There is a plethora of good vibe articles about learning to love short and wintery days. I have never been a fan of West Country winters. I love the crisp cold winters of London, the South Coast  and East Anglia. But I have chosen to make my life in Devon and Cornwall, places where the winter is warmer wetter and unrelentingly greige. Wintering positively is something I aspire to. Book reading and twinkling lights are an easy boost.

Yesterday afternoon and this morning I attempted to record my greige reality. Another alleged way of boosting the love for winter.

Dusk.
Early morning.

I can’t say that simply recording these images felt particularly positive. But using my randomly generated AI photo editing made the evening pictures a much more positive experience. For some reason the morning ones remained resolutely dull.

Dull morning manipulations.

The dusk shot was a revelation of different interpretations.

Festival Campsite.
Winter scene.
Moonlight
Bright winter day.

I am intrigued by the difference between morning and afternoon photographs. It has to do with the position of the sun and which direction I am facing. West is best. I tried to create some interesting images from the morning shot, but it was not to be. The afternoon shot just kept giving fabulous manipulated images. Which certainly inspires me. My wintering, late afternoon walks with the dogs can include some greige photography as long as I face westward. I already feel perkier about the post 4 pm walk.

26 Days to Boxing Day.

K is for Kindness which we should all aspire to particularly during the festive season.

Another K is for Keith, my Dad who was always a kind, generous and open minded man. 30 Christmases without him seems like a mad number.

I often wonder if Keith is one of those names that might get lost in the future. It is a strong Scottish name meaning wood but I cannot image it ever being trendy . I have never known a nasty Keith. They are rare but always lovely in my experience.

#1134 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn 26 Days to Boxing Day, Serendipity, Words1 Comment

17 days to Boxing Day

I am not a habitual list-maker. There is a constant rolling list of lists in my head and there are random notes in a paper diary.

Midway through December the paper diary becomes more and more two diaries, both bulky, that need to be referred to.

A morning of admin both personal and Tennis Club has required the two diaries, my smart phone and my laptop. 4 things ! Plus my brain.

Seasonal lists will start to appear in the 2024 diary in the run up to Christmas. Whilst walking the dogs at lunchtime I will consider which lists need to be transcribed onto paper from my swirling thoughts later this afternoon.

And so on to J on 26 Days to Boxing Day.

I rather like the letter J.  It may be the first letter I learned to write as it starts my first name.

Both my children have a J.  Jays encourage a flourish. Jays feel like happiness they make me smile. Some lovely words start with a jay.

  1. Joy
  2. Jubilation
  3. Jolly
  4. Jollily
  5. Jollity
  6. Jollification
  7. Jovial
  8. Jovially
  9. Joviality
  10. Joyous
  11. Joyousness
  12. Joyful
  13. Jubilant
  14. Jubilee
  15. Jackpot
  16. Jaunty
  17. Jazzed
  18. Jazzy
  19. Jazz
  20. Jazzed-up
  21. Jewel
  22. Jeweled
  23. Jiggle
  24. Jiggling
  25. Jiggled
  26. Jaw-dropping
  27. Jump
  28. Jumping
  29. Jumped
  30. Jingle
  31. Jingling
  32. Jingled
  33. Jangle
  34. Jangles
  35. Jangling
  36. Jangled
  37. Joke
  38. Joked
  39. Jokey
  40. Joking
  41. Jocular
  42. Jest
  43. Jester
  44. Juggler
  45. Juggled
  46. Juggling
  47. Juggles
  48. Jumbo
  49. Juice
  50. Juicy
  51. Jig
  52. Just
  53. Justice
  54. Justified
  55. Justly
  56. Jim-dandy
  57. Jocose
  58. Jocundity
  59. Jocund
  60. Jounce
  61. Jouncy
  62. Jouncing
  63. Jelly
  64. Jeez
  65. Junoesque
  66. Juvenescent
  67. Juvenile
  68. Joyride
  69. Jump-up
  70. Jitter
  71. Jittery
  72. Jittering
  73. Jitterbug
  74. Jet-set
  75. Jamming
  76. Jammed
  77. Jam
  78. Jam-packed
  79. Jamboree
  80. Jabber
  81. Jet
  82. Jive
  83. Jives
  84. Jived
  85. Jog
  86. Jogging
  87. Jogged
  88. Joggle
  89. Joggled
  90. Joggling
  91. Joggles
  92. Joust
  93. Jousting
  94. Journal
  95. Journaling
  96. Journals
  97. Journey
  98. Journeyed
  99. Journeys
  100. Juxtapose
  101. Join
  102. Joining
  103. Joins
  104. Joined
  105. Jolt
  106. Jolting
  107. Jolted
  108. Jolts
  109. Jump-start
  110. Jumper
  111. Jammy
  112. Joie