turps | (no subject)

I have a couple of flist people who were in the red warning zone for Storm Eowyn, so I hope you're all okay. I had to walk to town to pick up James' prescription from the chemist and one gust nearly blew me over, and we were just in an amber zone. So, red must have been so much worse.

Thankfully, with piling a load of heavy garden ornaments and planters against the wobbly bits, the fence has survived another day, and the flower shelf is hanging on. The planters and plant pots on it, not so much.

Today it was the funeral of the mam of one of James' friends, so we attended that. She was obviously a popular woman, as a load of people had to stand, including me. So, my knees were protesting after standing for nearly an hour as the service included performances from a male group choir as well as the usual parts from the family and humanist celebrant.

After, we had a walk to see the relatively recently revealed statue of Molly, who represents the woman shipyard workers who helped keep the docks running in world war one and two. It was a nice statue, but smaller than I was expecting. Still, it was a good, if blowy, walk along the river.

Bodhisitting tomorrow, and it seems doing this less often now she's at nursery isn't actually going to be true as this will be the third time this week, including picking her up from nursery one afternoon, and a morning at Silly Billy's play cafe. It was funny picking her up from nursery as it's the same one Corey went to, and while the inside had obviously changed, the walk there was exactly the same. She also came out with a filthy cardigan and looking like she'd been dragged through a hedge backwards, so obviously that part of nursery hasn't changed either *g*

James' first week back at work has gone well, and I met him at Tesco one day so got to try out the walk there from home for the first time, and like I expected it's a very nice walk. Though, I badly overestimated how long it would actually take so need to remind myself ten minutes is more than enough time to get there.

The statue of Molly the welder.

PXL_20250125_120843649.MP.jpg

Roy Lonsdale is a local sculptor who creates some fantastic works, many of them famous in the north-east. He was commissioned to create something for the new retail park in town, and the below is what he produced and what I see when I head to the Tesco.It's a nod to the fact that the site was once the colliery and while I do like it, I don't like it as much as some of his other works, and do wonder if it wouldn't be better with something on the floor, too.

Murphy and Kevin still loving the heated bed. I sometimes wonder if I should buy another so they'd have one each. Then of course, they'd never set paw in either again.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

omens

Omgggg, they nap together!! *__*

Glad you're weathering the stormy weather!! (lol dragged thru a hedge backwards, it's so true)

From:

turps

They do! Kevin thinks nothing about just settling himself down with Murphy and has no concept of personal space.

The wind was horrible yesterday, and quite scary when it sent me stumbling forward. Now I need to get the garden tidied up yet again, but that can wait until the wind is totally gone.

(lol dragged thru a hedge backwards, it's so true)

It really is, they go in so neat and tidy and come out the total opposite.

From:

sweettartheart

I'm going to hug on those beautiful kitties. <333

From:

wenchpixie

Our local weather station registered a gust of 93mph, so they were definitely right about the red warning. We seem to have come through okay barring a couple of slates on the roof, although there are a LOT of lovely old trees down and next but one along's back wall was blown over with an almighty crash. The power was flicking all day, but stayed up along with the internet, thankfully. Mum had it a bit worse as she's down nearer the coast, but luckily my brother was down and whilst she lost a bit of fence at the side and it knocked the drainpipe for the front gutter right off the house, her next door neighbour had a roofer out to fix their ridging and he kindly fixed the pipe back where it needed to be - 45minutes work for £40, which seems kind of incredible to me. He's a local guy and she's going to use him for any other roof work she needs in the future. Several of her neighbours also had fences go over, so she's had two people out to give quotes already and they're going to see if they can't get some kind of group discount. I'm glad I'm not driving anywhere until tomorrow, though, so many trees completely down and big walloping bits of tree all over the place as well. My route tomorrow is likely already cleared, but it's better to have an extra day.

I love Molly - and I like the other artwork, but it's quite industrial. It's lovely when these things are just in your day to day walks though. EXCELLENT news about your walk to Tescos - it's such a useful sort of shop.

From:

dine

huh, for some reason your pics aren't displaying - I just see the file name. clearly they work for others, so possibly it's my computer conspiring to keep cool statues and awesome kitties from me

really glad you guys weren't hit too badly by the windstorm, and at least nothing (including you) blew away or hit the ground!

it's great to hear James' return to work has been going well

From:

kat_lair

statue is cool, kitties are adorable

From:

jacieleigh

If they're happy snuggling, I'd just let them be. I wish my cats would snuggle with each other... any of them. But no, it seem like a win any time there are two of them in the hammocks near each other as they're usually several feet apart. At least they're not fighting.

Any your guys are so cute all snuggled up together! I'll bet it keeps them super toasty!

I'm glad James' first week back went well!

From:

spikedluv

She also came out with a filthy cardigan and looking like she'd been dragged through a hedge backwards, so obviously that part of nursery hasn't changed either

I LOL'd so hard at this!

The kitties look so comfy together!

From:

turps

I LOL'd so hard at this!

I know for a fact Bodhi goes to nursery looking lovely, and yet comes out looking feral! What always amazes me is the amount of sand in her boots. I'm talking, having a stream of sand come out when they're held upside down. How she gets so much in there I don't know.

The kitties enjoy a snuggle, and a playfight. It's always one or another.

From:

turps

If they're happy snuggling, I'd just let them be.

That's a good point, cheaper for me too. I mean, it's not like they're lacking for other cat beds.

And yeah, no fighting is good for your cats!

Thank you, his first week back did go well, and so did today. So that's positive.

From:

turps

statue is cool, kitties are adorable

Sums it up perfectly, really!

From:

turps

Oh no, I've no idea what went on with the images. I'll reupload on here, and hopefully you'll see then. And I really hope they're not too big/small. I'm not used to DW image hosting.

I couldn't believe the strength of the wind when it blew me forward. I was very glad to get home and out of it.

Thank you!

From:

turps

next but one along's back wall was blown over with an almighty crash

Oh man, that could have been so bad! I'm glad no one was walking close by when that happened, or near the trees when they blew down. Strong wind is so scary, it's the extreme weather I dislike the most as it can do so much damage.

I'm impressed with that roofer who helped your mum. So many people would have taken advantage with inflated prices, while he's done the opposite, and got potential new work in the future, which is great. I hope the group discount idea works out. It should do when so many repairs are needed.

Molly is lovely. My MiL loves the Shipyard Girls series of books, which are set in Sunderland during WW2, and passed on each book for me to read when they were still being released. So it was lovely to see Molly in that spot and think of all those women who stepped up when needed, both fictional and in reality.

The walk to Tesco is such a nice one, and will be even nicer when it's a bit warmer and I can take advantage to sit on the benches and enjoy the sunshine. Then Home Bargains is going to open on the site in March. So many bath products so close *g*

From:

turps

And those kitties would hug on you.

Well, Kevin would as he's a ridiculous cat who loves any kind of attention and cuddles.

From:

dine

that worked just fine - yay, lady WWII worker! and the always adorable kitties are even moreso cuddling like that

From:

turlough

I'm glad to hear you and your fence survived the brush with Eowyn!

The Molly sculpture is so cool!! I love when they put sculptures on the ground and not on pedestals. Particularly sculptures of people. It makes it so much easier to relate to them. I checked out the artists other sculptures and I completely agree, they're awesome! I can see what you mean about the one in the retail park though - it probably would look better if it was more "grounded" somehow.

Awwww, Kevin and Murphy look so cosy together!

So good to hear James' first week back at work went well!

From:

turps

I honestly don't know how the fence keeps standing. The thing is so wobbly in places it's a miracle it does so. We really need to get it strengthened in summer.

I enjoyed the Molly sculpture, and it's in the perfect place on the riverside. The other sculptures are fantastic, and I've seen quite a few in person around the area, and would actually like to see them all at some point.

I get what he was going for at the retail park, and I don't dislike it at all. Just, as I said, there seems to be something missing, and I think you're right, it does need grounding somehow. Maybe a miner's lamp or something. Anything to fill in some of the blank space.

Murphy and Kevin can be cute sometimes :D