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29 March 24
I got Take That done from the priority to-do list this week.
Photos
Thank you to Jamie for sending me this photo of Eoin from the brilliant Rush tribute band Moving Pictures. Eoin is Geddy and he’s wearing the Skwiggles Geddy T-Shirt. Imagine how thrilled I was about that. Thanks Jamie for the photo, and Eion for buying the T-shirt
Also, thank you to Adele and Paul at the Queen Extravaganza gig last week. Paul has gone for Lenmy. but I’m sure Lemmy would’ve easily fitted into the Queen vibe, I’m imagining him playing Under Pressure right now. Thanks Adele and Paul for the great photo.
See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here
If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.
Our Diary
Here’s the key points from this week.
Friday
Last week I mentioned the Scottish fondness for, and I may go as far as penchant for, cones on statues.
Well, I think Norman’s Scottish.
It looks bad but he denies everything.
Saturday
Got up early to take our daughter to a 10K run in Grasmere. Our job was to stand in the rain, and shout ‘Go Hannah, Go’ near the finish line. I think we did well.
I took a load of photos, but none of them got through the review committee. But the professional one took on the day was allowed.
Sunday
I always wanted to draw in charcoal, so went on a course with Catherine MacDiarmid, who is brilliant. Here’s my sketch after the course
Catherine liked it, but my impression was she thought it was a bit boring. So I went home and tried to snazz it up a little. Which led to this:
I basically gave Dave a fancy hair doo.
Monday
A couple of times a year we have The Monday Night Club. This is just drinking with people I used to work with. I enjoyed it, but they still all work together and the longer you’re out of the gang the more you have to concentrate on who the ‘eck is now having inappropriate relationships with who on works time.
Tuesday
If you look carefully, you will realise this isn’t actually the scene from the movie where Gandalf battles The Balrog.
Wednesday
I know Brian Cox won’t mind if I tell you one of the sciency jokes he told in his show last week (spoiler alert)
He said Einstein was giving a talk to some 10 years olds about clever things and he said to them:
‘Don’t worry if you don’t understand it all, when I was your age I was no Einstein’
Thursday
I’ve used sophisticated time-lapse photography here to capture the tiniest of movements.
The slowest creatures on earth: Sloths (No), Snails (No) Children going to school (could be)
I’m calling this one ‘Big Nose Spoils Lovely Sunset’
Claire online got it right though, when she said it was more like ‘Sunset photobombs big nose’
That’s it for now, have a great week. Come back soon.
Ian and Diane
22 March 24
I got Gordon Lightfoot done from the priority to-do list this week.
Photos
Thank you to Becca for sending in this photo of Sam in his Angus Solo T-Shirt at the Livewire gig last week. Sam is also a brilliant guitarist. Bet it was a great night. Thanks Becca and Sam.
Also, thank you to Richard for this photo of his step-son in his Jurgen Klopp T-shirt. Forget about what happened last weekend, two more trophies to win this season. Thanks Richard for the photo.
See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here
If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.
Our Diary
Here’s the key points from this week.
Friday
Went to see Brian Cox in Edinburgh with my daughter. Now I know everything about the universe from before the big bang until the black holes take over – all in 2 hours.
On a night of amazingness, one of the most amazing things was my brain didn’t collapse into a singularity.
Saturday
I spent the day in Edinburgh, I always have a slight admiration for the effort people go to. Look:
This can’t have been a protest cone, because Adam, unlike a lot of statues, was a thoroughly decent person. This cone was just for fun. Or maybe it was Banksy, whose “favourite work of art in the UK” is the Duke of Wellington in Glasgow.
The Scots know their street art
Sunday
Back in Cumbria and walking beside the West Coast Railway Line with Norman, on our way to see me mam.
Important thing to know – even though there maybe only one train every two hours on the rural line you’re walking near, ALWAYS make sure you know the train timetables before you wee.
Monday
Remember this sign, to stop toads croaking.
Well, I feel other species deserve the same treatment
Tuesday
We went to New York 6 years ago, and I sketched this
Brooklyn Bridge
Wednesday
When we get to the river, Norman always runs ahead and starts digging holes dead fast.
As you know (because I keep going on about it) having seen Brian Cox, I’m an expert physicist. But when I try to fill the holes back in, the matter lying next to the hole does not equate to the matter extracted. Therefore, I can not fully fill the hole back up. In conclusion, physics is wrong and matter can be destroyed (sorry Brian).
I will be sending my paper to the Academy of Physics soon.
Thursday
Rare sighting of a beach elf fishing for plankton.
I’ll leave you with a cat riding on the back of a dragon
That’s it for now, have a great week. Come back soon.
Ian and Diane
15 March 24
I got a Wacky Races one done from the priority to-do list this week.
Photos
Thank you to Matthew and his two mates, who went to see the Peter Gabriel era Genesis tribute band The Musical Box wearing their Skwiggles Peter Gabriel T-shirts. Matthew said it was a brilliant night, Thanks Matthew and friends.
Also, thank you to Ginny and her two buddies Sue and Rachel, who went to see Woody’s Bay City Rollers. I’m told Woody hasn’t lost it, he’s still amazing. They had a great night. Thanks Ginny and friends for buying from us.
See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here
If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.
Our Diary
Here’s the key points from this week.
Friday
I love it when an ordinary thing can be brilliant. A disused railway track could have had a normal gate, but why do that when you can do this.
Saturday
Unlike Kate, this has not been altered. Amazing find, ancient ray gun, and it still works.
And like Ian Smith said on Facebook, we used to find loads of these in the woods. How no-one was killed is a miracle.
Sunday
Mother’s Day.
Hope all you mothers had a great day (did I unintentionally sound like a rapper there).
Our mothers are getting older and my mam’s broken her arm and Diane’s has been in hospital with a bad stomach. So we kept it simple and had a buffet at Diane’s mum’s house. I ate just enough sausage rolls and pork pies to make me hate my jeans, but keep me out of hospital.
Despite everyone having stomach cramps, It was a great day.
Monday
Road safety is important, that’s why I told Norman to look both ways before crossing
Tuesday
On Norman’s walk, a school girl was walking very slowly in front of me, looking back every 3 seconds angrily. As I approached she sped up and started shouting ‘Get away from me, I’m not going with you.’
Me and Norman looked at each other.
Then her mother raced up from behind me: ‘You are, and you’re going to school whether you like it or not.’
Then there was a lot of swearing. So I led Norman away, I don’t want him to learn any new words, and was glad it was nothing to do with me or him.
Wednesday
Here’s a sketch I did for someone a while ago.
Thursday
Went for a walk to Bowscale Tarn.
Legend has it that the tarn is the home to an immortal fish that can talk. I saw Norman chewing on something so I’m not sure if that’s true anymore.
Though I’d end with a psssh-ti-cooff
That’s it for now, have a great week. Come back soon.
Ian and Diane
8 March 24
I got Christy Moore done from the priority to-do list this week.
Photos
Thank you to Carol, whose grandson went to see Queen Extravaganza in Glasgow last week in his Skwiggles T-Shirt. He had a great night, she said. Thanks Carol, and thanks Carol’s grandson for the great Freddie pose.
See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here
If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.
Our Diary
Here’s the key points from this week.
Friday
This is the power of art, it wasn’t like that when I went inside.
Stains, puddles, hold your breath until you get out – type of place.
Saturday
We went to the pub with friends and talked about loads of interesting things that I can’t remember. Just like last time.
This has been going on for 40 years.
Sunday
When there’s a great view, the last thing you need is a massive nose spoiling it.
Thanks Big Nose
Monday
Shocking news – I’m not Norman’s favourite person.
It’s the blinkin’ binman who gives him treats on Mondays and Wednesdays. Norman is continually looking out for him.
As I’ve said before, Norman’s only goal in life is to be very fat, and the binman is his accomplice. Whenever they meet, the binman stuffs about 10 massive treats into his face.
Conversation snippet:
‘I don’t think he wants anymore…’
‘Of course, he does, look…’ stuff, stuff.
‘I think that might be enough…’
‘Always room for a couple more…’ stuff, stuff.
Tuesday
I did this cartoon a while ago, but it applies now more than ever.
Wednesday
Posted this on Facebook with this caption -Spare a thought for sick trees, puking splinters, ouch.
But Ian Smith’s comment was the best Is that a sick-a-more? Thanks Ian.
Thursday
I did these two paintings about 7 years ago for a local company for their Sakura Room, hence the flowers and pinkness.
Thought I’d end with this fabulous post
That’s it for now, have a great week. Come back soon.
Ian and Diane
1 March 24
I got Roger McGuinn – The Byrds done from the priority to-do list this week.
Photos
Thank you to George for this great photo from Ipoh in Malaysia. He’s been to Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui, Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh. And he’s photographed some of Ipoh’s amazing street art, see behind George. What a fab trip. Thanks George.
And, also thank you to Scott and his brill wall of rock.
See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here
If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.
Our Diary
Here’s the key points from this week.
Friday
I’m not a billy goat (you’ll be surprised to know) but I was still too scared to cross this bridge.
Saturday
Having become obsessed with watching programmes about fungi and trees communicating, I was raging at this.
There used to be a lovely forest path through there.
Sunday
Norman at the café: ‘How long does it take you lot to eat a tiny bowl of soup?’
Monday
Last week I was thinking of setting up a website giving fashion advice to the over-80s, specialising in hats of a purple hue. This week, I was thinking of another side business in selling my 20-year-old daughter’s clothes that she doesn’t wear and leaves on her bedroom floor, it’s called: boohoo-should-have-tidied-up.co.uk
Tuesday
Did this cartoon a while ago, but it still applies now.
Wednesday
This is from 10 years ago, the main Breaking Bad characters sketched . Here’s my favourite Saul Goodman quote when Walter and Jesse are getting on his nerves as usual:
‘If I ever get anal polyps, I know what to name them.’
Thursday
Norman insisted on this photo of his good side in the golden hour, to send off to his favourite website:
big-headed-dogs.com
Spotted a Sky Mouse over the Solway Firth
That’s it for now, have a great week. Come back soon.
Ian and Diane