ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 49TH OF 2025

 Good morning lovely people tis Friday time for

this is my moment to take stock and reflect on the last 7 days for the positive moments and silver linings that have happened. 

Last Friday we travelled to up to Sheffield for a walk around the Christmas markets.  Hubby and I travelled on the tram and when we got there is was torrential rain, my footwear turned out to be completely unsuitable but more to the point my waterproof rain jacket started to fail.  We headed to the millennium galleries as an area that was at least dry and I attempted to dry off my coat using a hand dryer which improved things a little.  We were meeting up with said 25 year old his lovely wife and our grandson, they were travelling by car and thankfully by the time they arrived the weather had backed off and we were able to browse the market without pouring rain. 

My d-in-law treated me to a hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows, it was a lovely wintery treat even if it was very naughty. 

We walked all the way to the bottom of the Moor and then wandered back up, hubby treated us to our tea from the German sausage vendor which was lovely, we all enjoyed it and were mighty full afterwards.

I managed to grab this shot of the three of them, their first proper Christmas outing.  It was a joy to spend time with them and my grandson was as good as gold, they had timed the feeds well. 

On Saturday they came over again and despite the rain we walked around to the local church for the Christmas tree festival, I have never seen so many people make a bee-line for a baby before and my d-in-law had to explain his age and adjusted age when you consider that he is premature, it made my heart sing to see so many people making such a fuss of them all.  

Here is a lovely shot of the inside of the church, each of the real trees are decorated by local groups and they are sponsored by local businesses. 

This was our favourite tree this year, decorated by a local charity. 

We had a restful day on Sunday and then I was back into work on Monday.

I did however take a break at lunchtime for a physio appointment, which fingers crossed is going to help my poorly feet. 

On Tuesday I was in the office, I asked a couple of my colleagues if they could identify a few of the things in the kitchen that needed sorting, I only wanted their verbal input but they helped me give it a good fettle and between us we had it looking spic and span, I didn't take a before photo, but let's just say the after photo is a marked improvement.  

Wednesday evening after I'd finished work we headed to Sheffield for our first Christmas theatre trip.  This time to see A Christmas Carol, it was very good and definitely gave us a little of the Christmas spirit. 

Whilst we were walking around Sheffield we came across this light installation on Graves gallery, work by Pete McKee, it was fabulous to watch, I'm hoping to see the other two in Sheffield before they finish. 

Thursday and we had a tootling sorting things in the house day, I had a lengthy to do list, hubby painted a wall in the porch, I made some very specific cards for some events coming up, I caught up with my journal, me and hubby did a tag team in the kitchen making various meals for the next few days and my sister popped over for a catch up which was lovely, she is genuinely struggling at the moment so it was good to catch up.  

She came bearing gifts, a bunch of flowers and a colour co-ordinated book which I'm very much looking forward to reading, I was so surprised and very grateful to her for such a thoughtful gift at this time of year.  She is a star. 

And that my lovely people is my lot this week, I hope you've had a grand week too. 

Hugs

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 1OTH OF 2025

 Morning all I know I'm late, but nevertheless time to clock the silver linings and positive moments from the last 7 days. 

So last Friday me and hubby decided to head to Sheffield, we had had the Pete McKee exhibition at the Weston on our calendar for an age, so we thought we'd make the most of a lovely dry spring day to head up there and we were not disappointed. The exhibition is called 'The boy with a leg named Brian' after a pair of hand me down trousers were worn by Pete as a boy with a patch on one leg that said the name Brian and he was asked what the other leg was called. 

Growing up in a similar era in a town nearby, there were so many cross overs from my own childhood and I've always loved his style of art, very distinctly Pete McKee

The artwork of the local Green Un sporting newspaper that was always on the bar at my Grandma's pub on a Saturday night. 

Painting of John Burkhill known as the The man with a Pram who has raised over a £1 million for McMillan over the years. 

The water feature in the Peace Gardens where you see kids playing in summer.

A pair of home made samba trainers - the lines being added with Tippex back in the day

The Klix drinks machine, I have two strong memories of these, the one at the swimming baths where my Dad would treat me to a hot chocolate after swimming, he used to use his empty cup to tip the drink from one to another to make sure it was cool enough for me.  The other is the drinks machine at school, I couldn't afford a drink from it as my Dad was unemployed at the time, but I did get free school meals, so I used to buy my ploughman's sandwich and two packets of biscuits, one for me and one for my bestie and then she would give me the money for the biscuits so I could have a drink from the drinks machine like everyone else. 

Space invaders, hubby and I had a go on it it was good fun

and the painting

A great poem about Scalextric and toys at the time, being a girl I had a different list to Pete's list but I certainly recognised the things he had written about

The Fletcher's bread van, it used to park just around the corner and you could walk and get a loaf of bread, when I moved to Stafford in the early 90s I got a bus into town, I giggled when the bus turned up as I was sure it was the same as the Fletchers bread van but with seats in it. 

Alpine pop, we only had it for a short spell, the lads delivering on a Saturday used to run down the passage between the terraced houses with a crate of pop and deliver it, we couldn't afford it long term, but it certainly brought up some happy memories. 

The horse from Castle Market

and the painting of Pete on it with his Mum

Button tins, my Mum's tin was smaller and always had the odd pack of needles in there so you daren't push your hand in for fear of being caught by the needles. 

Top deck of the bus at the front, the best view

Kids enjoying the catch up the grown ups had (not). 

I don't ever remember bathing in the sink, but I do remember my Mum laying me down on the draining board whilst she washed my hair in the sink, my hair was so long I could sit on it at the time, so it was always a mammoth task getting it washed. 

The boy with a leg named Brian

Outside we got to see the 'Little Pete' statue, its a shame they didn't do small paintable miniatures of it (because I would definitely have bought one) if I'm honest, but they did do a hard back book of the whole Pete McKee exhibition which may have had to come home with me.

We then walked into town down West Street into town and headed to the Millennium galleries, I treated myself to a much sort after Phlegm art book (which is signed - win win) and then we enjoyed the exhibitions. 

We weren't big fans of the John Hoyland paintings, just not my cup of tea, I didn't mind this one

We had a selfie in front of this one

and another

Like I said - strange

Mmmmm  hubby was unimpressed

but then we went through into the other exhibition space that had been based around some strange John Hoyland ceramics called 'these mad hybrids' and had paired them with other strange artwork which we loved. 

I loved the face

this huge tufted artwork

strange little ladders

and this giant furry sculpture

John Hoyland's work

and these, we'd seen some of this work before at Graves Gallery

this reminded me of an American footballer

then we headed over to Graves Gallery for our final art fix

I loved this oil painting of Venice

But loved the Sheffield scene even more

A close up of the house, the colour way makes it seem very forboding

Which was in direct contrast to some of the artist's other work

We enjoyed a coffee at Zoobies and then headed back on the tram. 

Saturday we headed over to my sisters for an epic build and paint session.  Hubby set too building her new wardrobes and we set to painting her spare room, which was rather full so we had to work around the room.  But we did it, then her old wardrobe was moved into her spare room and then we set to on the bathroom which was something of a disaster because we were almost at completion when she said she didn't like it.  She had chosen a green colour, but it was quite dark unfortunately.  I believe since then she has repainted it back to white, so at least it prompted her to get it sorted. 

Sunday was a day of rest as we were both absolutely shattered, we enjoyed a lazy day, book reading and watching films and I did some scrapbooking. 

The rest of the week has been a blur of work (hence my tardiness). 

We did however go to the local theatre to see the Full Monty by a local amateur dramatics group, can I just say there are some very brave actors out there!  As most of you will know the film is set in Sheffield because that is where the story originated (based on real life events), the musical however has been set in America, so it lost some of its fun local element if truth be told, but it was very good nevertheless and yes they did go the full monty - thankfully the person on the lighting desk was very quick to turn them off at the critical point

I hope you've had a good week too. 

Hugs

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 21ST OF 2022

 Morning all time for 

Well last Friday we were off and had said 21 year old's graduation show to look forward to in the evening.  We decided to head up to Sheffield early and use the last opportunity to see the Pete McKee show which was brilliant.  We came across his work originally in Scarborough years ago and were amazed to find that he originated in Sheffield. 

It was very busy and the weekend tickets were sold out, so we were glad we managed to make it, he uses emulsion on board

this one from the bought council house

the couple heading away for a break at the seaside back in the day

the begrudging retiree now engaged in work at the local B&Q

the family scene, only the dog looked genuinely happy

this one was a favourite cartoon strip

this was very telling

and apparently Pete's interpretation of the last scene of this particular cartoon

then we headed for a bite to eat, before making our way over to the graduation show, it was amazing to see all the work 

his model on display

the proud nan shot, that I think most will have seen on Facebook

Saturday we spent enjoying crafting, a binge watched (background watching) the second series of Bridgerton again whilst scrapbooking and hubby was silversmithing out in his shed, a very positive and productive Saturday. 

We headed up to YSP on Sunday, despite the weather being somewhat overcast

the lime green of spring still making for great photos

obligatory selfie

this was heading back up to the main centre. 

We had a lovely chilled relaxed afternoon and evening, watching a couple of films - The Adam Project which I particularly enjoyed and Don't Look up which whilst interesting and slightly satirical has the dire ending that you perceived from the get go.  

Monday arrived all too soon so back into work, but only a 3 day week this week for me as I've taken some time back on Thursday.  It has been something of a testing week, but you get those sometimes and with them they remind you of how to enjoy the not so great ones. 

I hope you've all had a lovely week. 

Hugs