Went to Woodhorn Colliery on Sunday, there`s a new visitor centre, haven`t been there for around six years, so it may not be that new. Cars of the Stars exhibition there, Del Boy`s Robin, the Bond car, Starsky and Hutch, Herbie and even Postman Pat, The Harry Potter Ford Anglia. The car that drew the most attention was the Bat Mobile. A charge was made of an extra £1 to take photos. We wore a chain and tag to show that we had paid, that didn`t stop a couple with a lad using their mobile phone, posing in front of each car half a dozen times "Now get one with your mam and me. "It`s the old "He`s got 10 items in his basket" in the 9 items or less line scenario. Something rises in British people, we won`t say anything, but long to shove them out of the way and say "Make way for those who`ve paid please." Instead we mut and tut among ourselves. The rest of the place is brilliant, displays, and archive to look at old photos. I love the black and white harshness of the mining pictures. Will definitely use one of these for a graphite or charcoal drawing project at the art club. One display of a miner in the shower caused much hilarity among the kids, but generally very realistic mock ups of pit shafts and original equipment all displayed in an authentic previously working pit environment.
Nearly there for the local history information, need 40,000 words and now have 35, the photos are becoming a nightmare, I have the 200 needed, but keep finding more interesting ones and can`t decide. The mining stories of past pit disasters have held my interest, Montagu being the most horrific. There`s a harrowing photo in the archive showing the women waiting for news at the pit head. Must buy the new book by Les Turnbull- Coals to Newcastle.
In for the next Ten by Ten at the Cumberland in February and a slot at the Jazz Club in Newcastle in March. Haven`t had much time for new writing as I`m totally enjoying talking to local people about their memories, still have another four people to see, the numbers keep growing. I really would like to keep this going even after the book is finished, so much can be lost if it`s not recorded.
I`m sure that Chico said "Fuck", this is the second time I`ve heard him say it. Mind you, that comes as no surprise considering the weather we`ve been having and D and G being telephone engineers, as soon as they open the curtains in the morning it`s the first thing they say.
2 comments:
I am so glad to hear that I'm not the only one in the land of remote control confusion. You're doing better than I am though, if I can't get the kids to do it I ususally end up throwing the remotes down in frustration. I think I may be turning into my mother, when videos first came out, she once asked what time the film would be starting.
Love the blog.
My son rang Sky, went through a list of instructions a mile long,"Point at TV, select red, point at TV point away select" etc. now we use two controls, still I suppose it`s better than nothing. Memories of videos, if my mother babysat, we could never rely on her to record anything, we`d get the god channel or a fishing programme or the like. My brother always thought that videos were for putting jam sanwiches in (only 3 at the time, so he could be excused) Happy days.
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