This Corona thing & photographing The Mundane

nicoladavisonreed
Apr 20, 2020
25 min read

Second day into studio shutdown , have cancelled the next 2 months family portrait sessions and I fall into the category of one of those who doesn't quite know how to afford the lockdown and definitely how to keep up the studio rent but I am fortunate I have a partner who is still working (for the NHS) and so we will have food in our bellies and we have a home so you wont hear me complaining.

I thought, to prevent me from spontaneously combusting during this voluntary lockdown (its not completely in force yet in the UK) I will utilise the time efficiently (thats not changing ha!) . I shall measure the amount of time I spend in front of that box thing on the wall that spouts news news news and more news and keep a check that im not fuelling any panic with grazing on fake social media news ( a crazy bad habit thats not good for the soul skin). As well as this I am going to make an effort to read more, I used to read so much then think -personally- I had my kids and every time I picked up a book I was asleep by the turn of the second page - same with films-just too knackered! I cannot use this excuse any more as I have two fully fledged fully feathered birds that ask of me less and less as the years go on, it is less physically tiring these days more emotional with teenagers in the house!

So, along with this commitment to myself and to keep my eye in ( i HAVE to photograph -its an eight sense I cannot ignore) I shall photograph The Mundane one or two photographs and probably write one mundane paragraph per day to see me through- hang on to your hats its going to be as exciting as a slow dripping tap- which- if you are so inclined like myself can be as intense , beautiful & dramatic as Tosca !

First bit of Mundanity (is that even a word...)

.The Kitchen Table.

Where we are pleasantly reconvening and starting to get to re -know each other once again

.The Jar of Virol.

Well i never knew..this jar sits here minding its own business and I enjoy its outline visually , & its ergonomics, it feels good in the hand , and I appreciate the art of the glass blowing. On photographing it today I googled the name.. lo + behold learn something new every corona day Virol "was a by-product of the brewing industry , packed full of nutrients , including vits A,B an D, riboflavin, malt sugar, egg, orang juice and refined fats. Small wonder that in 'The House at Pooh Corner ' Kanga gives baby Roo malt extract as a "strengthening medicine" ( source : https://stmargarets.london.2016/11 )

.March the something.

L O C K D O W N

Don't even know what date it is- don't care much at the best of times so now...meh its all...March ..I think :). Thing is with mia family we function like this on every 'new' thing, adventure, catastrophe, trip., holiday, day out, outing, event etc etc - horrendous on the way out but great on the way back- meaning , - it takes us a while to find our groove. There are a lot of opinions clashing, strong minds battling to behold the very best idea, and decisions splitting in more ways than you can shred a leek . The beautiful supposedly tranquil summer canal barge trip comes to mind- fought like ferrets over a carol singers leg along the way (even the willow trees leaned more to say 'sort it out folks" ) but by the time the boat turned we were in our groove and back to The D-R's doing what we do best hanging out together, chilling and laughing...just takes us time. To my point...this corona thing...kind of done a Wile E Coyote on us & put a wee stick of dynamite amongst us MEEP MEEP. The eldest ,now having reached sexual maturity and being ordered home because Uni is in shutdown has chosen- after much revolving door 'emoche' episodes- to stay with the BF down the road-hmmmnot sure how i feel about that or how i should feel about that or i could feel about that, she is an adult but despite that I just felt like putting a lock & chain around my nest . Currently the youngest is on a field trip to the local shop with her dad for "essentials' like muffin cases (seriously ...before the corona police attack ,they 'are' getting some F O O D an just the one bag I might add) .

Annnyways to todays mundane photograph- some items we own , we house not because of their perfection in their beauty but for their perfection in their anti-beauty-this is one of our beutifugly homewares

.The Hairy Chair.

.Middle march or nearing the end of. The morning was dawning on me.

Woke up early again as per ..the robot that is me- the huwoman- knows no other than the repeated action..maybe this shutdown will shutdown my internal hamster wheel who knows. The light on the stairs said or is it whispered or is it called or is it beckoned..no its 'said' hayup ! so yes I got me cam and recorded the call as I enjoyed the abstract shapes against the bannister.

Been a very productive day, made the very most of the Vit D available and stayed outdoors for all the daylight hours, dug up me some garden, painted a window, cleaned a light and refitted the light , painted some more metal stuff which included the front gate and made a small fence (we are talking 2 posts and 8 nails so not Hadrians Wall but still it was a space that needed..a fence) and did the washing made dinner and tea and managed a gorgeous quality 15 mins conversation with my 13 year old in the sun ,sat on the pavement whilst painting my gate ....im on fire today!!! Sunshine does that to me---good ole doctor sunshiiiiiine. Namaste Thankye kindly soleil - very much needed !

.The.godawful.brazzier.

One thing I shall remember this time for -amongst a shed loads of shit- is the final acceptance that the godawful brazzier has to go!! Years ive held this design beauty close to my bosoms...way way wayyyyy to many years...poor thing was begging to be binned about 5 bras ago. (edit: I binned the weaponous wires and kept the bra to wear today ...old habits are like old comfy bras, hard to change)

I didnt know this "the bra gets its name from the French word "brassière" (knew that bit not the next bit) which came from the older word "bracière" which meant "arm protector." A bracière was a type of military armour worn over a soldier's chest, but this would eventually be applied to a kind of corset worn by women. " fashion.just-the-swing.com › history-of-the-bra

Sun-kissed and hand sore from sawing and planing and drilling and banging and forking and raking but with me old mucker Vino Vinetto by my side I come to my final Mundane Photograph of the day - the youngest made muffins...nice but left her empties on the computer table....annoying initially but then thought hmmmm look how the stripes on the muffin cases blend with the reflection on the glass table of the window blinds....as yer do - see yer tomoz coz...

.3 Muffins.

A FEW DAYS LATER. BEEN MAKING HAY.

Today I woke up and had to scramble my mind to work out what day it was..convinced it was midweek I was surprised to see Saturday kitchen on the box..then again doesn't take me much to let time constraints go out the window at the best of times, and these aren't the best of times but they are showing the best of the best -you know what I mean. So have not done my 'daily' blog for the past two days ..hey ho..who cares..who reading or looking?...as always I am doing what I choose to do and if anyone else is interested then bang on . Not posted as I had a fence to build and the sun was shining...but did take mundane photographs (below) . Our fence blew down in the last' Storm whatever you called her/him ' and have not had the time or money quite frankly to get it sorted so my lovely neighbour has had to endure a double garden for the past few weeks . I have quite enjoyed not having a postage stamp size garden and the common over the canal view opening up but no excuses, we had the new fence ready to go and now we had .....the time . Living on the canal is gorg im not going to lie and especially during these times. As Ive been raking and drilling and holding fence panels , Ive been watching folk pass by, saw an elder couple , Im guessing their late seventies, walking by holding hands, brought a warm tear to my eye, a well needed soft reminder & invite to the soul to hold on to these precious moments where and when we can ,I may have been holding a fence panel but my heart was holding their love across the canal (yeh so im a romantic who cares). I have had many an exchange whilst I have been out there, with friends passing by and catching up and with strangers exchanging thoughts and concerns and always a smile a wave and a take away message of 'stay Safe' There has been a calmness , a sort of congenial air across the common that soothed my soul and Ive really loved watching all the dogs playing(dog broody!)- been quite a refreshing break from the realities that are unfolding. Anyways not going to keep babbling on particularly about the realities as we have that 24/7 so to the mundane photographs of the last 2 days .

Just had phone interview with Universal Credit who was super helpful , bless the woman as she must be inundated and now to research what I can do about my business . Husband has gone off to work for 14 hour shift - we are all thinking about those essential workers

Quote from The Guardian today

If we turn our gaze to the more distant future, the future which is unknown both to you and to us too, we can only tell you this: when all of this is over, the world won’t be the same.

The Corner Light.

.The Redeemable Cactus.

Had this beauty a couple o decades and what I adore about her is her amazing capacity to heal herself, she has been through many a 'topple over' and still heals herself, look you can see her scars, I love her ...far from Mundane is She

.The Reflections Of The glass Cabinet.

Love a reflection or three

Annoyingly the youngest has left her manoeuvres on the computer table once again ....but hmmmmmm again Mum has to photograph it like a scab you have to pick, or sun burnt skin you have to peel (but sweeter).....so by rights it then became my job to take it to the kitchen

.The Cornflake Bowl.

.SURE SEEMS LIKE A SUNDAY. 29.03.20

Not much to say..last night was quite cool, had a mini kitchen rave to Gok Wans live Instagram feed , his mix was full of 90's old skool house tunes so lifted the spirits that along with 2 cans of Doombar. At the very same time I noted Carol Vorderman's twitter feed ( she's a self confirmed space geek) said that the ISS (international space staton) was flying over at 8:31 pm so made a date with the beautiful clear Van Gogh skies for that. Saw the ISS sail by ( I ..think)- took an immensely poor vid of it - going to try again tonight but this time a photo so today I shall you tube how to photograph space stations on the move . Incidently GW house party started at 8:31 so for a minute was having to split myself in 2 places- the trials and tribulations of a Lockdown.

Missing my eldest who is isolating down the road at her boyfriends ( well you would given the choice wouldn't you) and my mum who went into a care home literally before the virus broke for her Dementia and so I haven't seen her now for 'too long' and my thoughts constantly swing to her , her mind was pretty fragile when she went in so I can only 'not guess' as to what she may be thinking or feeling. Anyway on the upbeat, ive made a big Chilli for the next couple of days (eldest and her bf re-camping with us from tomorrow) . Husband got a good shop in, the local supermarket allowing NHS + Firefighters priority and he is both ,although he didnt need prioritising today he said there was no queue so maybe the initial feeding frenzy has subsided..I hope. I cannot stand supermarket shopping on a good day let alone when there's panicky people clambering for stuff...as he says in Kez "I would rather eat a bowl of snot"

.THE THIR-TEENS MAKE UP TABLE .

Discovered something that made me happy whilst photographing this - I have very sensitive lips so always have to make my own lipstick/balm - I add lip colour to a pot of vaseline , been doing it for years to protect my lips , they are the first thing to burn or to chap or too blister or to get cold sores. Annnywway ..amongst my youngest array of 500 combinations of make up I found a lipstick tinted Lip Balm made by Nivea...I am so having that! in fact has now firmly took residence in my pocket - sure she wont deprive her ole mother of it .

Time is like a Coin

Dont let anyone spend it for you. Never have we all had so much Time- we are abundant with it and although we lost some Time last night -I think,-I never understand this losing and gaining an hour thing- always fuk it up . Time is ours and ours alone for us to choose what we do with it and I for one am not going to judge anyone for their choices- life is subjective - how I choose to spend my Time might not be your choice - thats the beauty of being individual- jeez if we were all the same spending our Time the same way now that would be scary. Will get some photography absorption in today though to fill the creative well.

.The Fave Magazine.

.DR HUMOUR.

I dont know about you all and how you are coping or your methods of coping but for my family laughter is always key- we never take ourselves too seriously because sure as the moon lights up our sky there will always be something around the corner to bite you on the Glutus and remind humanity that in fact we are fragile we are vulnerable and we are all one- I think the best comedians are excellent at transporting this point . Me for one do not wish to be any where within yards of a moral compass for anyones life especially during these worrying times and I expect the same.

Live + Let Live, even more so now, I am so done with the curtain twitchers , the high + mighties; the neverdo wrongs; the ' you shouldn't do thats', the Puritanicals that hide not one but a graveyard of dirty skeletons in their deep dark closets -this particular breed of folk from what I can see and read , THEY are really coming into their own on social media during these tough enough times ...this why Photography + Books, films ; music + magazines + silence are my 'go to' .

Off Piste from the thread but Can i just say ...husband has just informed me the usual joint he purchases on a Sunday for £5.50 is now £9.50. so he chose not to buy it ..WTF.. leaves a bitter taste in my mouth to think that 'some' supermarkets 'may' be cashing in on a crisis ...that my friends is when my humour runs out.

Until tomorrow . Stay Safe.

.SPIRiT ANIMAL : FLAMINGO .

.THE SILENCE.

Have not got much to say today - cannot be arsed with writing. It seems an extra quiet day, almost the calm before the big storm.

.LAST DAY OF MARCH.

It seems its Tuesday, know this because husband has to go to the fire-station for his weekly training, the difference this time is only 2 fire fighters per training session and I think he said they will be donning PPE, he also said they have to prepare for the firetruck and themselves to be used to deliver bodies which is a harrowing thought. On a lighter note I emailed Mums care home and asked if there is anyway I could face-time my mother as its been perhaps 3 weeks since ive made any contact with her and so they said yes and this afternoon I have a FT call with mum which is venturing into the unknown as 1. Mum has never owned a moBile phone 2. Mum has recently been diagnosed with vascular dementia - just need to see her face and her enduring smile will be something and to know she's in good care ...which I do know..but yer know...

Thats the way with this coronas thing, life can go from one harrowing situation to one of a hope many times in one day- just have to stay calm and stay grounded. Im doing a lot of jobs outside the house to keep me sane and to get my fresh air quota and to keep fit, levelling and digging up the back garden is hardcore for the arms!. Whilst clearing the canal (the girls and I have been canoeing up and down the canal for years with bags collecting all the discarded plastic - Lucozade , in fact all energy drink bottles seems to be the favourite tipple and the favourite topple into the canal). I removed a wire mesh from our canalside that particularly collects all the plastic bottles like nits in hair, on doing so , attached was a very old grey mysterious pull-string bag. I darent open it -the bag has remained there for days now cant bring myself to open it or move it , its getting stiffer by the day i know this as poked it with the rake . For some reason the bag makes me feel troubled...or i could be projecting .

.Mystery Bag.

I said this was going to be Mundane - more mundanity on its wayski

.THE BLIND CHORD.

.THE FILM CAMERA. patiently waiting

The other night had an exciting time (well comparably) with my 13 year old checking out the ISS station flying over - it went over our house two nights and I You tubed for the second night how to photograph stars at night in hope of capturing ISS in a good way like I see so many cool starry night photographs on my FB feed(you know the one)- hmmmm didnt quite accomplish it whatsoever - the white dot above IS the ISS

.THE ISS.

Which brings me neatly to todays mundane photograph and Ansel Adams quote

“You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.”

.THE ISSPOON. Toasting t-cakes reflecting on the ISS and thinking thats the kind of milky way photograph I was after and far more detail than my attempt at the stars ;D

.HOME IS WHERE THE HEARTS ARE.

Eldest and her boyfriend after a week with his parents are now re homing to us ( its like a step family scenario and you are allowed to) So they are settling and finding their groove upstairs in the loft- staying home together watching multiple Disney movies.

.LOOKING OUT. the eldest in thought - all of us propping each other up in these disconcerting times

.APRIL APRIL APRIL. The meaning of April is Open . www.dictionary.com/e/april/

So open hearted but closed doors..we can do this.

Films watched thus far on Lockdown

1. Tiger King ( along with the rest of the world)

2.Mcqueen

3.Freud

4.The surrogacy trap

5.Brain on Fire

6.Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise

7.Strike a Pose

and a shed loads of real life crime investigations !!....my capacity to stay awake during a film has strengthened...must be the lie ins !

Finding myself pointing the camera towards parts of my husbands body ...not to worry ..not in a perverse way..leave that to the experts

.Feet. Not A Fan but Like His.

Nice to see husband relaxing everyday ..well in between shifts at the mental health hospital he works a which has confirmed cases and his alerter going off for the firestation. Saw his feet , which are in this position guarding the remote control every day..personally theres only so much whatcha call them...programmes about upcycling, renovating, finding, atinquey, retro,car jobby , enginey stuff, bring back to lifey or ..things i can watch... then its TTFN.

To be honest dont really feel very much of anything atm, the thought of 'running' is not stirring me , not even walking...I havent left the house in 2 weeks , ..sorry..once to collect a beer keg for my husband.

.THE ROCKING CHAIR.

I wonder to myself , as im sure everyone is doing , what will the streets be like when we return to them.

Read this today on a facebook feed , i thought was poignant

"We fell asleep in one world, and woke up in another.

Suddenly Disney is out of magic, Paris is no longer romantic, New York doesn't stand up anymore, the Chinese wall is no longer a fortress, and Mecca is empty.

Hugs & kisses suddenly become weapons, and not visiting parents & friends becomes an act of love.

Suddenly you realise that power, beauty & money are worthless, and can't get you the oxygen you're fighting for.

The world continues its life and it is beautiful. It only puts humans in cages. I think it's sending us a message:

'You are not necessary. The air, earth, water and sky without you are fine. When you come back, remember that you are my guests. Not my masters.' "

- Anonymous

.THE BUDDRESS.

Actually picked up the book my neighbour leant me afore the lockdown and as i usually ddo wth photography books i flicked the pages initially to land on a random page and i stopped at this....am doing and will do mr Frank !!

.WISE WORDS.

Keep Safe . x

.FRIDAY THE THIRD.

Decided not going to keep blabbing on about this and that as I am not a writer as I am not a singer but love to sing , it is not good for those around me though :D . Glad I'had a go' and up to a month or so ago writing was painful & it is not now so in that sense I am glad I attempted . It seems 'for me' the photograph atm absolves all need to chatter on ..which im grateful for.

Saying thaat... dominating words and thoughts for today are

:-I wish my mum lived with me and not the Care Home

:- Crazy dreams atm ( also watching Freud film -it said " dreams are the nights eyes")

:- Missing my studio space where I can be a total nut job in private -as it stands theres nowhere currently to even masturbate )

.LOCKDOWN CURRENT MOOD.

.WEDNESDAY 8TH APRIL.

Havent posted for a few days...soz..this Corona thing..I blame that. Weather has been glorious- seems almost even more cruel to contain human life inside boxes but the everyday heroes- those that stay in lockdown will help us get back to the rat race quicker....hmmmmmmm.. Have accomplished so many outdoor house missions that it would be beyond boring to list but safe to say i dont think these jobs wouldve got done in usual times. "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." – Helen Keller

The PM has gone Into intensive Care with this Corona thing and we continue to steer our own ship steady as per .

.CUPPA CHA.

“Honestly, if you're given the choice between Armageddon or tea, you don't say 'what kind of tea?” ― Neil Gaiman

.MAKING HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES.

'THE MAP APPEARS TO US MORE REAL THAN THE LAND" D.H.LAWRENCE

Last night I watched Return To Belson- it broke my heart the visual images - my heart and I imagine all hearts are in a continual fragile state with all the traumatic deaths that are occurring and the isolation of those on their deathbeds and the sheer terro it must feel like not to embrace your loved one at their most needing. The stories are survivors as much are the humans - the pain of the survivors run so deep it almost impossible to talk about but as they are the remaining few they feel it is their vital duty to share their experiences far and wide so another Belson never ever happens again. One thing amongst many I learnt watching and listening was that Jews dont leave flowers at gravesides they leave stones -I can relate to that expression -its beautiful- I have always felt the stone holds the soul of the one who lifted it.

"The stones on a grave is a physical way to honor the deceased. Stones last longer physically than flowers. They are everlasting and permanent like the memory of the deceased"https://www.jewishfuneralsusa.com/2019/04/02/jews-stones-graves/

.STONE LOVE.

.ALL WE HAVE IS NOW.

'According to Darwin’s Origin of Species, it is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself. Applying this theoretical concept to us as individuals, we can state that the civilization that is able to survive is the one that is able to adapt to the changing physical, social, political, moral, and spiritual environment in which it finds itself.'

https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/05/04/adapt/

.ADAPTING.

.HOW LITTLE WE NEED.

Clarissa Pinkola Estes Quotes says " If you've lost focus, just sit down and be still. Take the idea and rock it to and fro. Keep some of it and throw some away, and it will renew itself.'

.FOCUS IS ALL.

See Y'all soon... stay focused x Peace Love + Photography

.MID APRIL.

Keeping random thoughts in my notes on my phone as they come to me , one of them being Hope and Faith and belief...quite apt today as 'I think ' its easter Sunday - not that means much in mia casa except chocolate and when the youngest wakes ( average waking time midday currently ) I shall present her with the one chocolate egg gifted by the grandparents and exchanged via a doorstep whilst they remained inside... anyway will have more thoughts on HF+B but literally cant be arsed to type much atm( which usually when I write that equals to me waffling on - to contradict myself ,as like most of humanity -I am host of contradictions).

.BOREDOM.

I have raised my kids on a sprinkling of it...essential for creativity , you only have to look on social media and witness the magnitude of creativity . Its important to get bored and its important to Daydream.

.Be happy to see the back of this little fooker - hands are so dry. (iphone pic)

.THE NET.

For all its wonder and all its bringing of persons together I am diluting time on Social Media because all the vitriol and blaming can become degrading so trying to gleen the beauty and the love and disregar the hate but not being blind to the reality that there has been, still is and will be ,some serious shit occurring globally- but for sanity sake & family harmony I have to retain a positive perspective and look for an interesting and yes joyful point of view -where there is one.

.POV.

.CANT FIX EVERYTHING.

literally hawking the house and garden for the next project or 'thing' i can fix...

okay time to ......erm......maybe see what else i can cook for the family x stay safe

.THE DAY AFTER BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY.

Lots of words been fermenting in my internalness..(Probs cus i got out of the house for the first time in 3 weeks and did a 5 mile run) but cant be arsed once again (i blame the muscle ache in my legs since we are into the blame game in this current climate) to formulate proper sentences( shall write more on the morrow after i wake up early and hover over the puter to attempt a NHS ticket for him indoors working at the mental health hospital as we speak ) to see Liam Gallagher at the O2 so to sum up thus far last couple of days- a list

Gok Wan Kitchen Instagram isolation Nation Insta Live

Fridge

Couple more bottles of wine

Cook

Managed to sample some of the kids Easter egg chocolate

slept

netflix

dreams

baking

Fridge

Cook

Netflix

Lie in

Long showers

Raking soil for the gazzillionth time

So best keep it to the photographs of the MONdane

.HEARTS + FLOWERS. Allus reaching for the loveage.

.THE DAY BEFORE MY MUMS BIRTHDAY .15.04.20.

Was intending to write today but alas as per...not happening , so post some photographs instead.

.....dont know how long this is all going to last..meanwhile ...

.LOCKDOWN GARDEN STUDIO WITH THE YOUNGEST.(WHO HAS A PENCHANT FOR EYELASHES CURRENTLY)

20.04.20

Long time no see or hear...no excuses just life got in the way ..you know how it is with a Lockdown. see me man at her care home on her birthday , we sang happy birthday to her which she appeared to love and we thanked the nurses profusely ....my mums life in their hands , I read something earlier in the week about his mum in a care home and he likened the situation to being like her being in a burning house ad you cant get to her....I understood this feeling as folk are dropping dead in care homes , I believe there were 12 in one care home , so to see her smiling and communicating was good and I selfishly gained some reassurance, theres only o much faith you can keep , evidence is always key (note to self im watching waaaay too many crime stories on the box) . Todays date is some kind of high ten to 'The Weed 'I am reliably informed..apparently on this date all the weed-smokers go to their fave spot & smoke pot/weed/hash/zoot /ganja/spliff/joint/bifter/ whatever you want to call it and get pleasantly wasted all day..alas its not happening ..well at least not from where I can see or smell looking over the common.(its usually drifting over the warm summer airwaves of a dusk )..must be a garden thing this year. The date 4/20 frames this calling...you may or may not know what im chatting about ,I thought I was up with most things..apparently not ...think my age is revealing itself as is my daughters.

Been doing A LOT of stargazing and hence attempting to photograph stars as you may have read earlier ..not my greatest talent but beautiful clear starry nights presently and i suppose looking out there and thinking of the 3 person crew circling the earth in their star ship makes one escape the troubles for a while..the news is traumatic currently ..a constant reporting of very and lonely deaths.

yeh photographing stars ..not my strong point but like to challenge myelf :)

.STAR + SUNLIGHT.

Where would we be without light

.SUPERGRATEFUL TO THE WARM WIND ATM.

I can quite easily Zen to most simple things and peeking at the wind take our clothes on a drying date is most exhilarating to perve on.

.IT IS THE SIMPLE THINGS.

Simple is the main ingredient sometime that feeds my soul

.WEDNESDAY..OR IS IT THURDSAY?.

The initial coupe of weeks of the Lockdown i was like a hermit crab literally didnt go anywhere- even the very thought of battling shoppers for loo roll and pasta made me tense so luckily I had someone in the Lockdown family that was willing to brave the fury at the product frontline and bought back the bacon literally ( and veggie stuff too ). After i think waaay too long my mind body & spirit had had enough and took itself for no..not a gentle stroll but a big run to nowhere for 5 miles. So this leads me to talk about 'running ' for a fit bit . When I turned the big 50 I took up running as a challenge to myself , the furthest I had run previous was home from school when the sirens blared out at the local mental health hospital if a patient escaped , cross country at secondary with a Marathon in hand (Snickers to you whippersnappers), around a lagoon chased by a man ,and again down an alley when chased by another man both times with my mate Fifi , the parents race (i lost)i or back home from the pub when the colitis kicks in ( thats pretty fast). Within the year of careful and slow stepping up i achieved the 10 k mark i was after...job done..back to Sofa..I have continued with the running but more for the mental health than the physical bod thing. (Bella Mackies book 'Jog on" was a game changer for me)

So out on my run last week, way out into the country side with one car passing every ten mins and the same always happens i spend the middle part of the run wondering not if but 'when' im going to be abducted ...must be the siren thing in my head....still i always manage to break through this ridiculous notion and thoughts to 'run more like a man' so not to attract attention and all that fkin bollox women berate themselves with like its their fault not the perpetrator...i could run naked and it wont be my fault....you see how wonderful the mind is and the conversations to be had on a jog.

.OUR TOWN IN LOCKDOWN.

Been inspired by photographers all over the country using their daily walk to make doorstep portraits so ...decided to do it. Made a plan, made a call out, got interest , plotted a route and today was my first day shooting. I have added 3 questions for my town mission , shall talk more later...ive gone on way too much ce sera

saty safe folks and stay well x

.EASY LIKE SUNDAY MORNING. 26.04.20

All this hooha about 'clapping for the NHS' as if we havent got enough to frikkin worry about now its 'shouldyou clap' and 'if you clap' and 'what if you dont clap' ..look all i know - its not about politics for me and mine in fact not even going to give my personal politics air time on this- safe to say i broke my wooden spoon banging the pan with my children clapping and smiling beside me with the rest of our street for those NHS staff and all those key workers keeping our countries cogs turning an for my children's father who misses most street claps as hes at work on the frontline at a mental health hospital and when not doing that he is with his colleagues at the fire station---im clapping for him and for them..and thats why i dont mind breaking my wooden spoon, f*k politics its our way of giving thanks collectively

dont quite know what this is but it was in the garden and i keep staring at it ...well id know but i mean it is another random thing that i cant quite see the back off as its kind of interesting..for now

.APRIL SOMETIME ...NEAR THE END OF.

You know that saying ' Stop the world I wanna get off !" well..it did didnt it..and we all took a tentative step off ...will we all ever be the same again..of course not. If you look back at past interviews/articles i have been fortunate enough to do I have always banged on about wanting 'my next project' - well the Lockdown series landed by default and you can catch it here on my web to see that indeed I went from photographing the Mundane to documenting the locals in my town during this weird time. Talking of Time, thats the one thing that struck me about photographing the series was hoe much T I M E was mentioned in the peoples responses to the 3 question I posed to sit alongside the portraits ( photographs all over the world are out of work and documenting their locality so i nicked thE idea but added 3 questions as a gage to how people were feeling )....T I M E ....just T I M E

.THE FACE CLOTH.

One of the greatest personal discoveries for me over lockdown was this little beauty ( photographed below). I have spent maaaaaaany a morning wiping panda eyes away with cotton balls, hankies,knickers, bog roll, my finger, you name it and then.....TADA! my daughters have introduced me to this gem..its 99p! from I think B&M or might be Home Bargains ..I cannot express highly enough how flippin excellent this mere humble cloth is at removing eye make-up..one wipe ..all gone..its a miracle and so much better for the envioro as pop it in the sink to wash and then hang dry...I cant believe how beautiful this simple facecloth is and how happy it makes me....think I need to get out more....oh I cant..ne'ermind

Moved a chair somewhere else and it says to me gently ..I am happier here ..thankyou ;)

I have two teens in da house...pretty much sums up my home schooling atm

.ZEN LIFE.

'Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted' John Lennon

MAY!!!!

My youngest birthday month so always good vibes in may. Feeling optimistic but selfishly for my holiday to BBEEEEEZA in july.......I aint religious but im a prayin

.MAY THE SOMETHING.

I can take a deeper breathe and worry a little less- business grant has come through ...to tired to talk for one reason or another but still photographing The Mundane

.MAD MAY..OR IS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE MARCH?.

...lockdown lockdown lockdown .to end or not to end that is the question

Still photographing the Mundane

But (you shouldn't start a sentence with but ... says who , me & grammar police are not on the same side) - as my spiritual antennas twitched and spoke to me ( no it wasnt spliff or acid more like some sort of breakdown in my twenties)..In EVERY moment there are a LIFETIME of happenings

.BRAS ARE WEIRD .

.SCRAPING THE BARREL OF MUNDANENESS.

.COBWEBS LOVE ME. MUST BE THE WITCHNESS IN MY SOUL.

.MORNINGS DAWNING ON ME.

.EVERY DAY IS LIKE SUNDAY.

.DONT WEAR ANY OF THESE BUT THEY STILL HOLD A PLACE..FER NOW .

.WILLIAM IT WAS ...REALLY NOWT.

.I LIKE HATS MORE THAN I LIKE PEOPLE.

LOCKDOWN LOCKDOWN LOCKDARN

Hey neswsflash you are no different to me...think there are quite a a few nervous celebs out there all scrapping for little meat...the meat being Limelight...when that spotlight flicked off what became of thou, what now or who did define you ?

Its times like these we learn to live again