Shedcast 35 - Joey Banana Brains visits Mama!

Hello Everyone,

This is a very short blog because we are very busy this morning preparing for the weekend. More on that next week, but we did manage a Shedcast last night, so here it is. I have to say sorry for the abrupt ending but in all the jollity I forgot to check the battery and my computer blacked out - it was probably the hand of God saying 'enough already'.

If you are reading this, Jim and Pam, we are thinking of you and hope you are feeling better soon. I will probably ring you in the week. 

Have to go now, please everyone, be careful when you are out and about, this Covid is still on the rampage. I am still disinfecting my weekly shopping delivery.

Lots of love and hugs to all, I'll be back next week with a full blog. Keep smiling!

Jane (and David) xx

P.S. Hope to see as many of you as possible at the Academy theatre in Birdwell, next Saturday or Sunday for our performance of 'That's the Spirit'.

Oh and if you are looking for a good read or are thinking about Christmas presents then buy one of my books. I need the revenue. Love you, byeeeeee! Go to Amazon.com Many thanks, Jane x

Covid Blues and Jane's Weeping Woman

 Hi All,

I'm not going to hide this, I'v been in a shockingly depresses mood this week, not least, because my weight has shot up and I hate being hungry. Anyway, I did cut down on the number of slices of bread in a day, and there was no cake in the house (another reason for the depression) so my trousers do once again fasten around the waist. That said, I still feel like a living Beryl Cook lady, and I know there are going to be hungry days ahead.

And whilst feeling thus, I produced my painting of the week, my very own 'weeping woman':

Jane's Weeping Woman

And do you know, while I was in the shed, a terrible accident happened in Birdwell, when a motor cyclist and a car were in a collision. The first I knew of it was when the Air Ambulance came thundering overhead. The accident had been somewhere around Aldi's just up the road. I didn't know at the time, but I guessed someone was not having a good day. More tears!

However, I had a buzzy night (and yes, I mean buzzy) at the Hoyland Theatre Group meeting on Thursday evening, and successful rehearsals today for our up coming play at the Academy Theatre on 11/12 September, so I am, in fact, feeling much better. I even wrote an Aunt Martha verse or two, which I have recorded here: https: //youtu.be/ypaVv-DNPdI

I have noticed that the Youtube Shedcast is not visible on mobile phones, but if you go to the bottom of the page you will be able to open the website, and find the Youtube videos. Otherwise check them out on FaceBook by looking in my Timeline.

We have not stopped walking, but have only managed three decent hikes this week, still, we have been busy doing other things. It has taken us all week to get over the many celebrations we have had over the past few weeks, and now we are building up to the next round of popping corks. 

My task for the coming week is to paint something 'jolly' and lift the spirits a bit. I'm trying not to watch too much TV news whilst keeping up to date with radio broadcasts. 

David is going to fix a little coffee table for us, then when we have visitors we won't have to balance stuff on our knees. And we finally got rid of the remnants of the old sofa at the tip this week. I am formulating ideas for new curtains, too, (remember the ones I got at the charity shop? They have served us well all summer, but I am getting very annoyed by the fact that one curtain is shorter than the other and I am having to hide the shorter one with a flower vase that is also well past its sell by date), very annoying.

These things matter, you know.

So, before I find anything else to moan about I'll say ta taa! I know what you will all be saying: KEEP WELL AND KEEP SMILING!

So that is exactly what I aim to do.

Love to everyone,

Jane and David xx

Shedcast 30 - Yes We Can Walk 100 Miles!

 Hello Everyone,

Well, we did it. David and I have walked 100 mies during July, and it has done us good both mentally and physically, and we have raised about £300 for Barnsley Hospice. So, a big thank you to all those who have made donations, and a big thank you to all the encouragement we have had from friends and family. 

We had a very enjoyable walk to Penistone, leaving our house and going through Birdwell woods, skirting the edge of Worsbrough Dam, and getting on to the Trans Pennine Way. Once in Penistone we caught the bus back to Barnsley and back home. It was a 10 mile walk through the most delightful countryside that brought our total to a manageable 14 miles to walk in the last week of the challenge.

So, here is Friday's Shedcast with an update of the week.

Now it is full steam ahead to learn my words for the play I'm in 'That's the Spirit' at the Academy Theatre, Birdwell, on 11/12 September. August is going to be a bit slower than July, but just as exciting. It is our 53rd Wedding Anniversary on Tuesday (3rd) and then David's birthday on 7th. I think the 'dream machine' might be heading out this week, even if it is only for a picnic. Then, we have been invited to a wedding on 28th August.

I'm hoping to fit in a bit of cello, do a new painting, read some poetry and maybe even write something. Meanwhile, David will be busy in the garden and hopefully making (or I should say mending) our little coffee table.

So, that's it for another week. Have a good week yourselves and as always, keep well and keep smiling.

Love from Jane and David xx

P.S. And if the armchair calls, there is always the Olympics on the TV.

Shedcast 29 - Creative Walking

 Hello Everyone,

I hope you are enjoying this heatwave, I certainly am. It is a tad hot to be pushing the miles, but this week I have managed to clock my total up to almost 70 miles during July. My target is 100 miles by the 31st, so I will be out every day this week.

Once we had packed away all the camping gear and done all the washing after our little trip to Hornsea last week, we had a clear run at doing other things this week. Off course, walking was involved, but as I pulled a muscle in my lower abdomen I decided to 'flat' walk for a couple of days and I spent a lovely hour on the football pitch creating an abstract 'footprint' on the Strava app. This is what came of it:

I have now received £70 in donations which is a bit off my goal of £150 so if you can help me out I would appreciate it. DONATE HERE

CHEERS!

I was also very busy during the week writing my first screen play. It was for a competition that is being held by Wentworth Woodhouse. I thought I would give it a go and thoroughly enjoyed the process. Fingers crossed, but if nothing comes of it I still have the outline of a play, which I intend to write if I don't win the competition. Meanwhile, I have an idea for another play, which I will work on next week.

David and I have been enjoying the garden and the facilities of our own bar. Though, generally speaking, people are out and about as normal, we don't feel inclined to join the crowds, so pubs are off limits to us at the moment.

Rehearsals began this week for the play 'That's the Spirit' to be performed at the Academy Theatre in Birdwell 11/12 September. Exciting stuff!

So, that brought us to Shednight, our weekly moment of madness in the shed:

So, that was our week. I'm looking forward to another week of craziness, why not? Meanwhile, keep safe everbody, enjoy the Olympic Games if that is your thing, keep moving yourself and keep smiling.

Love to everyone,

Jane and David xx

P.S. Photo of the Week - To the woods!

Shedcast 23 Let's Get Socialising12 06 2021 at 10 52

Hello Everyone,

It is great to be able to get out and about even though we are still keeping a healthy distance from other people. I went to Barnsley last week to do a bit of shopping, yes I wore a mask, even in the street, because quite frankly once the mask is on I find it easier to keep it on until I am home. Barnsley centre was very busy but the shops were not packed so I think people are still preferring the outside to the inside. There were lots of people sitting outside coffee shops. Anyway I enjoyed my little trip out and the exercise was good for me. I'm loving the warmer weather it makes life so much more pleasurable.

This week I have been busy with my writing making a few adjustments to my poems for the Spoken Word event on the 4th July, and I have been rehearsing my part in the play 'That's the spirit!' which is on at the Academy Theatre, Birdwell, on the 11th and 12th September. I seem to have come full circle since playing the part of Elvira in Blithe Spirit when I was 15yrs old. That was a long time ago!

Painting of the week: well it has only been a few more designs using the phone notebook, so not much to say about that.

I managed to brake the toilet flush function again yesterday but have made a temporary repair, so we are not exactly 'flushless'. David knows quite a lot about flushing mechanisms - say no more.

I managed to cut my hair this week, I haven't been to a hairdresser for about two years now, I did my own before the Covid shutdown, so I just continue in the same way. I will colour it later on in the week. David does his (what hair he has left) own, too. It makes a huge saving on our budget which, personally I put towards clothes or whatever.

Here are some pictures from last week:

And her is Shedcast 23 - Let's Get Socialising.

As ever, keep safe and keep smiling!

Have a lovely week,

Jane and David xx

Act Your Age - Not Likely!

So, it is over, weeks and weeks of learning words, songs, dance steps. Weeks and weeks of not acting my age, just for the sheer hell of it. I finally got my act together for the last night of a 3 night run at the Academy Theatre, last night. Yes, it was hard work, but I enjoyed every minute. Would I do it again? Not this side of Christmas. Here are a few pictures:

 Grumpy old women. Act Your Age the Musical.

And Glamour 

There is always a nurse!

And football supporters

Not acting our age!

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Sharing a changing room

And Cheeky Men too!
Whatever will I do next? I've got a list of things so I'm not going to be bored. Watch this space.

It is Fathers' Day today, so to celebrate, here is a poem I have written about my Daddy. We are a close family and I loved my Daddy so much. He worked on the railway.

Daddy

I don’t like your whiskers, rough on my cheek,

or the smell of your breath, that sometimes reeks

of smoke, or beer, or, on occasion kippers,

and, I hate the stink of your old brown slippers.

I loathe the stench of your coat even more,

it reminds me of festering garden manure,

it whiffs of paraffin, old painting rags,

that diesel-oil waft of your stop-go flags.

and greasy brill cream in your hair, what’s that?

A sticky slick on the rim of your hat:

flat streaky strands on a shiny smooth dome,

stains on the pillow, globules in your comb.

Your hands look like you’ve been digging holes

In the garden, fingers dirty as moles.

But when your shift is over, and you’re back

like Daddy-bear black with grime from the track,

and you slip your work-bag onto the floor,

hang your coat on the hook behind the door,

sit at the table, rummage in your pocket,

bring out a bar of Cadbury’s milk chocolate,

something changes, your  fragrance turns sweet,

there are roses, red roses at your feet,

and I smile, you’re no longer a baddy,

all I can smell is my lovely Daddy.

And now I am going to make something hot for tea, the weather is quite cold today, and I need internal warmth.

I will leave this blog with just one more comment. The terrible news of the murder of Jo Cox has really shocked me. A young mother of two, a brilliant politician, and a caring person. The world has lost a very bright spark. RIP Jo Cox.

Talk soon,

Love to all,

Jane x