walking around jervaulx abbey

I haven't seen the model of Jervaulx Abbey, even though l have parked next to the Tea Rooms where it is kept  (I might go and see it next week).  I did however, walk all around the abbey itself last week, as these photographs will testify.  As you can see, it was quiet - very quiet. I didn't see anyone else at all while l was wandering around.
The things you do when there is spare time from work to kill.

toodle pip

we - yevgeny zamyatin

I'm finding this book hard going at the moment (We - Yevgeny Zamyatin).  It's not difficult to read or anything (a state controlled organised future), it's just that l have only been reading it at work just before falling asleep, so l haven't taken stuff in properly, and then forget what has been happening the next time l pick it up.  I might make a concerted effort at the weekend.

toodle pip

persepolis - marjane satrapi

The Persepolis film is based on the graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, and tells the story of her coming of age in Rasht (Iran) and Vienna, incorporating revolutions, punk rock, changing attitudes and identity.  Interesting, and highlighting a different kind of cartooning style, it certainly made a change from the usual super hero graphic novels. Recommended.

toodle pip

jervaulx abbey model

Derek Shaw spent two and a half years making a 1:72 scale model of Jervaulx Abbey, by East Witton, not far from Masham, North Yorkshire, as it would have looked in about 1530.  I certainly wouldn't want to undertake such a task myself, but l'll be the first to agree that he has made a pretty good fist of it.  The official site is here, and the model is in the back of the tea rooms.

meat adverts

Meat adverts that are straight to the point.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

toodle pip

how to celebrate being 100

I don't know who this granny is, or even if the picture is faked,  but that is the way to celebrate a 100 year old birthday.

toodle pip

old fashioned medicine

Old fashioned medication, the way it should be prescribed (although you could probably just buy this over the counter).
I may start a petition to bring it back.  Sometimes advancement is not for the best.

toodle pip

jm barrie, arthur rackham, and peter pan

More crap that l would like to collect if l had the money and the space.  Pre First World War books illustrated and signed by Arthur Rackham.  The above illustrations are from J.M Barrie's 'Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens', and the whole book, complete with illustrations, can be viewed here.
It's about time l had my lottery win.

toodle pip

ferry cross the mersey (1965) - jeremy summers

I watched Ferry Cross The Mersey the other day on a pirate DVD (as you do).  Hardly ever shown on TV and never officially released, it's the tale of Gerry and The Pacemakers supposedly trying to win a talent competition in Liverpool at the peak of Merseybeat.  It features old Liverpool locations, top tunes by Gerry and his gang, would be stars at the competition, plus a pre nose job Cilla Black doing them a favour (fnaaar).  Excellent stuff!

toodle pip

grim reality

This is how the FPO lives her life.

toodle pip

women wearing football shirts

This is what women wearing football shirts should look like

This is not what women wearing football shirts should look like, but more often than not, it is the reality.  

Good to see she is a Liverpool fan though, and it could even be my old stamping ground of Bootle behind her.

toodle pip

plague boy shirt

Another design that would look great on a t shirt.

toodle pip

a couple of foreign film posters for doctor dolittle

I'm a sucker for the unusual foreign posters!

toodle pip

doctor dolittle (1967) - richard fleischer

By Jove, this took me back!
I haven't seen Doctor Dolittle for donkeys years, and have probably only seen it twice in my whole life, but l was really surprised at how much of it l remembered.  Yes, of course it goes on for too long, the story is pretty much non existent  and some of the 'animals' (such as the fox) have to be seen to be believed, but it is still an enjoyable escape from everyday reality.
Based on the Hugh Lofting books, this stars Rex Harrison as the Doctor, and the mad Irish accented Anthony Newley as his pal Mathew Mugg.  Everybody knows the basic tale - thanks to Polynesia the parrot, he can talk (and walk and squawk) with the animals. Remember the Doctor's first name?  Of course you don't - it's John.
That's about it really, sure the film looks great, there's a bit of a love story, incarceration (twice), a shipwreck and a floating island,  The Great Pink Sea Snail and young Tommy Stubbins tagging along just to annoy me. But the plot is irrelevant, it's the animals and song performances that make it, even with the crappy ballads.
I nearly forgot - there's also a great cameo by Dear old Dickie (Richard Attenborough) himself, as circus owner Albert Blossom, which just about steals the show, but l can't find a YouTube clip.
As far as l'm concerned, you can take your Eddie Murphy remake and shove it where the sun don't shine, even if the original movie was a commercial failure.

As a side note, Portia Nelson, who plays the Doctor's sister, wrote the book called 'There's a Hole in my Sidewalk -  The Romance of Self-discovery' which contains the poem 'Autobiography in Five Short Chapters', often used by self help gurus, AA meetings, and motivational speakers (who probably saw the poster for it in 'Good Will Hunting'.

I
I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost ... I am helpless. It isn't my fault. It takes me forever to find a way out.
II
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in the same place. But it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.
III
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in ... it's a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.
IV
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.
V
I walk down another street.

Another side note.
The Puddleby-on the Marsh scenes were shot at Castle Combe, as was War Horse (amongst others).  A place l'd like to visit when l eventually get down (like James Brown) to the Devon and Cornwall areas (even if it is in Wiltshire).

toodle pip