Author: SpinningStreak

To this:

Progress!

Back in position. It didn’t take long. I think I just wanted to see an Improvement – a concrete Result.

The rewards in teaching (still the best job in the world, by the way) can take a long time – about 5 to 7 years for academic achievement in secondary schools, though of course there are good moments along the way. But I think that is why I also feel the need to make stuff – the satisfaction of creating something tangible – from fleece to spun yarn to dye pots to hooks and needles to finished item in a couple of days.

Or even a super-shiny copper fish in a couple of hours!

The Christmas mugs. Lost. All 27 of them. In the house. It could only happen here.

But it does mean Christmas has arrived rather early, because I’m not letting them out of my sight again this year. We missed them.

My personal favourites are these:

Nothing to do with the designs – just that they are rather fine china, unlike most of the thick, clumping other ones.

I have a similar attitude to tea towels. Some of mine are quite embarrassingly coy (cute fluffy things) or tourist souvenir maps – but what they have in common is the fabric – 100% Irish linen every time. It’s getting much harder to find now – the mills closed in NI in the early 1990s. I have had a go at spinning linen – but I would need a lot more practice!

I think this is the male in the local territory. He appears to be in great condition – no doubt limbering up for another rowdy mating season in January! He is more than happy to stare you out and is very used to having his photo taken, though the official strategy is to ignore him.

We have a garden morning tomorrow – I still have a few hundred daffodils to get in the ground. I expect he will stroll past to inspect the works.

Both names used by locals to refer to the i360 tower, right next to the elegant Victorian bandstand on Brighton seafront. A 531 ft moving observational tower, opened in 2016. I’m used to it now, but it took a while. Mostly because it crashingly bisects the view of the sea that we used to have from almost every window in this house.

Very controversial financially as well. It cost £46 million – £36 million funded through Brighton and Hove City Council. Visitor numbers were significantly over estimated – result? The debt to the council (ie. to Brighton and Hove residents) now stands at £50 million and the loan is unlikely to be repaid before 2424.

Probably not a choice most of us would have made!

Almost deserted on the seafront this afternoon, despite the amazing light. The Victorian bandstand is one of my favourite structures. It was put up in 1884 – but I don’t think it has ever looked as good as it does today. The original seems pretty dull and dark in the old photographs, though the lacy ironwork has always been spectacular. I can also remember it very run down and peeling, as well as later in its Corporation Acid Aqua period – thank you, Brighton Council…All is forgiven now though – it was beautifully restored about 10 years ago and is back in service – various musical performances over the summer, and of course lots of wedding photos all year round! I love those tile patterns and the shadows – just wish I’d had time to hang around for the sunset.