Missive from ' T ' foot of ourrr stairrrs

Left sunny Lincolnshire yesterday and hit rain as soon as we hit the pennines,then it was sunshine and Lancashire showers all the way,today it is more of the same this morning but forecast to be sunny later.
We visited the allotment yesterday with Gina as Andrew was out paintballing with their pal dodgy Dave a scouser by trade,he is now covered in bruises where he was hit by the paint,(Andrew not Dave Scouse)what great fun???!!!
There is much digging to be done on the allotment but seemingly a dearth of spade wielding volunteers,I reckon it needs a couple of dry days and two proper yorkshire lads with spades to sort it out.
Last night Gina ordered us Indian takeaway online which turned out to be just round 'T'corner which she was aware of when ordering,this must be one of the few "Indian" takeaways actually to be run by Indians,after a little champagne and beer most was consumed,tonight it is out on the town at an Italian restaurant,which comes recommended,the cook will probably be a Lancashire lass and serve up bury pudding spaghetti,and Bettina's Rovers return specialita della casa,with treaclio spongio per Il dolce,and all served up with the odd "eckythump"in an Italian accent,whilst wielding the obligatory 10 foot long pepper mill with ricordo di wigan pier written on it.
Looking out of the window there are a lot of house "chimleys" smoking and Lowry cats and dogs prowling around though as yet not a lot of matchstick men and women,more later from our intrepid traveller kneedeep in cowheel,wet tripe,pigsfeet,Chorley cakes, and Preston parched peas,here in deepest Lancashire.

Chile

Bad news about the trapped miners in Chile,I hope they get to them sooner than they are predicting(4 months) I am sure I remember a similar incident somewhere in the world where they managed to drill a shaft wide enough for a man to be hauled up,these lads are having a rough time down there and I only hope they stick it out till they are rescued.
The mines rescue team for for yorkshire was based in Erskine Road ,Rotherham many years ago and were professionals,but I suppose after the mines were privatised they were disbanded and no longer exist,though it would be good if they do and could be sent over to Chile to help out.

Brisbane Wolves

BIG win for Sam the pom's team in Brisbane,8-0 putting them in second place in the table, surely the English FA must consider him for the England job after they sack Don Fabio?though if this were to happen some people may have to watch their behavour.

"Willy Willy" and sunburnt land

Sunburnt country gascoyne region West Australia,digital painting A4 size,with a "willy willy" brown sand storm starting in the distance

Country life

Lovely sunny day here on the prairie so I have been out mowing the grass,with a westerly wind blowing its a bit smelly from the muckspreading on the fields but as my old farmer friend in Sicily used to say"It's nature" no complaints from me I'm not one of your city folk that want the benefit of living here in the country,but complain about a bit of manure,not only that our feathered residents are contributing as well.
I had lovely clear view of the wolds(an area designated as of outstanding beauty)and the poor old farmers hard at it making hay while the sun shines,it's all a bit like the archers,tra la la la laaa la laa..and with that I shall sign out.

Tempus fugit

Time flies!I read the obituary today of Jimmy Reid at the age of 78,one of the two Jimmies who led a successful campaign to keep the upper clyde shipyard open,in the early seventies,I shared a few drinks with Jimmy when we were both much younger men, in a pub in Sheffield one evening ,and along with others present was much entertained by his tales from early years in the shipyards,he was taken aback by the small measure of whisky we received and told me the measures in Scotland were much larger and that the best course of action would be to drink it quickly before it evaporated. There were those in the trade unions who claimed the real organiser of the struggle was Jimmie Airlie,and Reid was the Spokesman,in later years JR became a print and tv journalist,and criticised the leadership of the Miners union during the 80,s strike,though events have proved that all the forecasts of the NUM leadership about privatisation and decimation of the British mining industry have come true,and the Thatcher government at that time used the full resources of the state,and a compliant media to fight a battle heavily weighted against the miners.
I enclose a painting of a worn out old miner as a symbol of the heavy industry of Britain.

"Blowholes"

This is a digital painting of the "blowholes" near Carnarvon Western Australia,the indian ocean crashes on the rocky shore and the sea spurts up through the caves in the rock,this ocean stretches west all the way to Africa.

Carnarvon Fascine

The "fascine" walk carnarvon harbour at sunset,acrylic on board 12"x8".

Goat and two emus

Feral goat and two emus at a waterhole,(digital painting)7.5"x10"

Outback OZ

Yet more bright colours from down under memories.