Around the Town

The other day, before the snow arrived, I went on a bit of an exploration dog walk. Never having lived in the town, I wasn't sure where to take the dog for walks, other than the beach which is usually a short car journey. I set off, dog in hand, late afternoon to see where we would end up.

Blyth has it's bad sides, but has good, even beautiful sides too. People are very quick to slag it off, but they usually haven't stopped to look around them for long.

This is the old staithes on the quayside. Home of windmills, and a sculpture that from a certain angle comes together to form a train. We have had tall ships visit, continental markets, firework displays and summer fairs. Any day of the week you will find people of all age sitting patiently with fishing lines....just as they have for decades. Seagulls flying around scrounging for scraps and people sitting in their cars eating fish and chips or just enjoying the scene.










I stood and listened to the hypnotic hum of the huge new windmill. Some say they are eyesores, personally I think they are definitely more attractive than the power station chimneys that blotted the landscape for years. The row of elegant windmills has now become part of our heritage, and I like them.

Over the last five years or so, the once tired, crumbling and dirty quayside area and park has been spruced up and rebuilt. Cafe's and smart new buildings have replaced the derelict warehouses. Its not what you would call Cosmopolitan or anything, but its a long way from what it was 27 years ago when I first visited the town.<

Memory Joggers

Sometimes, totally unexpected, you stumble across something that stops you in your tracks and sends you down memory lane.

The other day, while sorting out some of our things dragged out of the loft in the old house, I found this poster.

 

The very first time I saw one of my all time favourite bands - The Mission.

We went to see them at The Barrowlands in Glasgow and had an amazing night.  The T shirt is long gone, reduced to a rag from being worn to death, but this was tucked inside my huge art portfolio along with my GCSE artwork and other things I have drawn/painted since. The tickets and a few other bits and pieces are still there too along with a Metal Guru's postcard.  I'm still a big Mission fan, and only recently saw them play in Newcastle along with The Cult, another of my favourite bands.  

A few weeks ago I happened to dig this from the back of a wardrobe full of my MIL's things whilst clearing the new house. 

 

Sorry its not straight, for some reason It keeps reverting back to this...no patience!

Anyway, inside this old Fenwicks box - probably French Salon, was a beautiful maternity top that MIL must have bought for some occasion when pregnant with one of the three boys. The pleating and detail was so pretty, finished off with a neat Navy blue bow at the back. Such a pity that the damp had got to it and it was badly damaged. Had MIL been able to enjoy the memory I would have taken it to show her, to find out more about it. Unfortunately she now has late stages of Altzeimers.

During out loft clear out, I resisted the temptation to take the lid off the keepsake boxes I have for both my boys, and my Mum/Grandparents.  I would have got very little done if I had.  I will save those for another day when I can fully appreciate the memories.

On the Road to Normality

Since the last post, that roundabout I mentioned pretty much span off it's axis. We got a buyer within 6 weeks of putting the house on the market. We planned, sourced and set about getting work done to the new house.

If you want to know more about this, may I steer you towards my other blog 'Lady of Harle' - you can get a link from the Blogs page at the top.

Finally, on the 20th December, amidst a week of heavy rain, we finally moved into the new place, with three weeks to continue the clearing and cleaning of the old house in time for the new occupants - not forgetting that somewhere in between we had to celebrate Christmas and New Year!

Tonight I took down the frugal decorations on the tree, and unhooked the wreath from the new front door. New Years Day...new home...new routines.

Back to work tomorrow and only ten days until we hand over the old house.  I can't wait to have a normal life again.  Hands without sores, bruises and raggy nails. I want to be able to go and do 'fun' things at weekends without the guilt.