My Dad's Diary : Fri 28th February 1947

"More snow.

Snow has lain all month."

My Dad's Diary : Thurs 27th February 1947

"More Snow.

Received back money (pay).

Gave Doris Xmas box - overdue."

Times were hard.

My Dad's Diary : Wed 26th February 1947

"Milder today but snow still lying in big drifts.

Wrote to Spicer."

I don't know who Spicer was.

My Dad's Diary ; Tues 25th February 1947

"Snow still lying, freezing hard at night.

Snowing at night."

My Dad's Diary : Mon 24th February 1947

"Fine day again but cold out of sun."

Sketchbook Circle 2017 - Partner B

As Storm Doris batters the house, I'm about to go outside to post a sketchbook back to Partner B (Norma). I may be some time.

Meanwhile, here's a peek into what's bin did. More when she receives it.

My Dad's Diary : Sun 23rd February 1947

"Fine day but heavy frost at night."

Man fells Tree

Last Saturday should have been another Sketch Crawl for me. The Sketch Crawlers were meeting in Nudo Noodle House in Chinatown before going on to the Discovery Museum again. Although I'd drawn in the Discovery Museum before, I was sure there'd be something new for me to look at, but as it turned out, I couldn't go.

In an attempt to finally get my old house on the market ( I moved out over two years ago), I'd arranged for someone to look at my overgrown golden cypress and quote for its removal.

The quote was good, but the best time for him to take it down was Saturday. So no Sketch Crawl for me, although the photographs are calling to me to find a painting in them.

My Dad's Diary : Sat 22nd February 1947

"Doris got Baby's coal.

Heavy snow storm.

Got 12/7 P.W.C. from India."

I haven't figured out the last line yet.

My Dad's Diary : Fri 21st February 1947

"Still snowing. Position very critical.

Met Dave Billingham.

Coals came. also 1 Bag Sea Coal after an argument."

No idea who Dave Billingham might be.

My Dad's Diary : Thurs 20th February 1947

"Received back I.T. £6.9.0.

More snow at night."

An Income Tax refund! And more snow.

My Dad's Diary : Wed 19th February 1947

"_________________________

Snow"

My Dad's Diary : Tues 18th February 1947

"One year in Civil Service.

Still snow on ground.

Got bundle of papers from Alan."

Uncle Alan used to send us Australian newspapers and magazines. One magazine stayed in the lav for quite some years because I was particularly fond of a cartoon depicting a sword swallower withdrawing his sword with some grains of rice sticking to the blade. Of such are memories made.

More Thinking Out Loud

The drawing of the ancient Attic Vessels I made at the Hancock Museum has been hanging about in my head for some time, so I decided to see what some colour courtesy of Photoshop would do to it. I like it, even if it's not complete. Completion would come if I choose to get the image down on canvas as a painting. And I think that's not far off.

This is the original drawing:

My Dad's Diary : Sun 16th February 1947

"Tired today. Went to see Pagan regarding allotment.

Up till 2.30 a.m. with Baby.

Snow still lying. Hard frost."

"Pagan"? I don't know - a man's name, I guess.

Add One Blackbird

Thinking aloud again. Walking home from shopping yesterday, the thought of developing this drawing popped into my head:

A bit of Photoshopped colour, some trees from another painting of mine, and a blackbird from the inexhaustible Google Images cupboard and I have what I think may become a decent small painting (see above).

My Dad's Diary : Sat 15th February 1947

"Snow still lying. (3 wks 2 days).

Got some coal & coke today."

As an aside, I note the little epigram at the foot of the diary page:

"Those who govern best make the least noise."

What a noisy government we have at the moment.

My Dad's Diary : Fri 14th February 1947

"Doris much better.

Baby doing fine."

My Dad's Diary : Thurs 13th February 1947

"Work again this morning.

Still snowing.

Doris ill - Mother slept at 28."

"28" refers to our house - 28 South Hill Road.

My Dad's Diary : Wed 12th February 1947

"1 day A.L.

Went to Food Office re. Baby's Ration Book etc."

My Dad's Diary : Tues 11th February 1947

"1 day A.L.

Running about all day.

Coal trouble beginning.

Got 4 Pkts Fireoids."

I'm really not sure about that last word. It's difficult to read and I've never heard the word. I suspect "Fireoids" might be either firelighters or briquettes made from coal dust.

My Dad's Diary : Mon 10th February 1947

"Doris and Baby got home - both fine.

Pram arrived too."

My Dad's Diary : Sun 9th February

"Last trip up to Hospital.

Doris due home tomorrow.

Mother's at night."

Sketchbook Circle 2017 Opens

Now that my sketchbook is safely in the hands of Partner A, I can reveal my first pages in Sketchbook Circle 2017. I found it oddly difficult to get going this year, so I regard this as a shaky start, but there are some things I'm satisfied with. In creating them I used markers, watercolour and collage. We'll see if they lead anywhere.

1.

2.

                                           

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

My Dad's Diary : Sat 8th February 1947

"Booked pram at Thompson's.

Doris had bath today - due out on Monday."

Sketch Crawl : The Laing and the Library

In The Laing Art Gallery 
(0.8 marker in A5 sketchbook)

I just realised I hadn't reported on January's Sketch Crawl. Apologies! 

We met up in the cafe of the Laing Art Gallery and after coffee and/or lunch tried to find something there to draw. I say "tried" because as I'd expected, it doesn't really lend itself to drawing subjects. I know Allan went outside to draw the entrance and later found some ceramics and glassware in a display case and I saw Mike drawing a piece of sculpture.

I wandered round for quite a while, taking in the Out of Chaos exhibition (recommended, by the way).  Finally, from the comfort of a chair, I drew this corner of the main hall where a piece of rather minimal sculpture stands on a plinth. A man came across and said "I'm a kind of artist: I draw my own conclusions." I suspect he'd used this line many times before and was obviously pleased with it, so I smiled indulgently until he went away. Before going, he asked if I was happy with my drawing. I said "No, not really," which was true and I still feel that way about it.

Leaving the Laing, I followed Mike to the top floor of the City Library where there's a viewing deck. Although I felt my eyes weren't working well - simply tired I think because they've been checked since - I decided to draw the Laing from the the viewing deck, and this is how it came out.

The Laing from the City Library
(0.8 marker in A4 sketchbook)

This one I am pleased with! 

My Dad's Diary : Fri 7th February 1947

"Snow still lying.

Hospital at night. Both O.K."

My Dad's Diary : Thurs 6th February 1947

"Rufus found - out all night.

Registered baby - Henry Robert!

Got 2 cwt p.m. extra coal up to 7 April.

1 day A.L."

Some explanation of the third line may be necessary for ignorant foreigners and those too young to remember: We were being allocated an extra coal ration of two hundredweight per month until 7 April. A hundredweight is equal to 112 pounds in weight.

A.L. = Annual Leave.

My Dad's Diary : Wed 5th February 1947

"Rufus lost in snow.

Went to Hospital. Doris and baby O.K.

Looked all night for Rufus."

Rufus was our ginger cat who joined the family in 1947. He and I grew up together.

My Dad's Diary : Tues 4th February 1947

"Lost tobacco pouch.

Got biscuits for Doris. Put in for leave on 6th Feb.

Went to hospital. Eyes open - first time."

My Dad's Diary : Mon 3rd February 1947

I've decided to continue with entries from Dad's diary, on a selective basis.

"Doris and baby both look well today. Looking forward to having them home."