Nucleus

This morning TTO & I went to one of our favourite cafe haunts, the New Arts Centre Cafe aka Nucleus in Chatham High Street. TTO goes there every week on Thurs mornings, as he meets up with some writing friends; I tag along every now and again, but, if I could, I'd be going almost every day, particularly in lovely sunny weather like we had today.


NAC is a secret gem, hidden down an alley off the High Street. The first indication that it's there, is the huge sculpture on the wall:




with this sculpture on the opposite side of the alley, on top of a shop:






Once you turn in to the alley, you can easily see the cafe; there are tables and chairs outside, all the better to enjoy the sunny weather




They also have folding doors at the front of the cafe that they open in good weather, which is perfect for fair-skinned damsels like me :-)


Inside, it's a combination of squishy chairs and sofas for lounging, or tables and chairs for dining



with a corner for internet access, and, of course, the food bit!




The majority of the food is made by the staff, not just sandwiches, baguettes etc, but also soups, chilli's, pasta, and some lovely cakes.


This morning, I had a large cappuccino, with a piece of homemade cherry cake; TTO had lemon cake. Sorry I didn't get a photo of it, but it didn't hang around on my plate long enough!


I love it, because it's so comfortable; you really feel as if you could hang around and relax. Because it's part of the Nucleus Arts Centre, there is local art displayed on the walls, and you can also visit the gallery next door to the cafe when they have exhibitions.


TTO, myself and Marilyn, one of TTO's friends from his writing group, were once lucky enough to be invited by local artist Peter Reeds, to view his studio space, and some of the work he had finished or was working on. I had seen some of Peters work before, as he has some exhibits at the Brook theatre, and it was a privilege to meet someone I already admired, and to see his working space. Next time you're near the Brook, pop in and check out the paintings upstairs.


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I Love....

Another day, another chance to let you know about some sites I love, for various different reasons.


Before that, though, I must share with you 2 major problems I have with working at my computer:

Beckett is nearly 2 years old, and is very noisy and lively, unless he's asleep, and when he wants attention, you really know about it! He has been known to jump on to the computer table and just paw at your face until you give him what he wants. He's named after Sam Beckett, but not the playwright. More about that in another post.

Holly, on the other hand, has perfected the art of THE STARE. Loud displays or begging are beneath her; she has the power to demand by thought, and uses it whenever appropriate. Holly was a rescue cat; I got her nearly 2 years ago, when my previous cat Tuppence died suddenly, and I wanted a companion for the new kitten (Beckett) I was soon to be getting.


I was planning on getting a younger cat, about 3 or 4 years, but 11 year old Holly followed me around the Cats Protection League as I was looking around, and once I read in her details that she had been there for over a year, since her previous owner had died, I couldn't say no.

So now you've met my greatest distractions (even more powerful than TTO: at least I can, occasionally say no to him )


But back to business, and some sites I would like to share.

The first one is a bit serious, but soooo useful, especially if, like me, you're constantly trying to chugg along through life on a low tank.


MoneySavingExpert has loads of advice for anyone who is in debt, wants advice about where to get the best deals on products, savings, investments etc. The forums are also a great source of info and tips; links to freebies and money off coupons are posted regularly. TTO and I have seen a few movies previewed free, and I've got loads of samples and coupons, so it's definately worth a look, and an explore.


Astronomy Picture of the Day, however, is all about WOW. Every day, a new picture is posted, with an explanation written by a professional astronomer. The images vary, from deep space,




to amazing earth-based pictures,

even diagrams

every time, with a little information about what it is. The pictures are amazing, and the info is interesting; all guaranteed to start your day with a lift, in a humbling kind of way.


Finally, anyone who has cats (and every one else, of course) should have a quick look at icanhascheesburger.com. The grammatically incorrect comments can get a little tedious at times, but for complete and utter cuteness, it is one of the best. If you need cheering up at any time, then follow the link; I defy you not to smile, even just inwardly.


Have a great day


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If a Job's Worth Doing...

I always have a bit of a dilemma when it comes to summer; a part of me absolutely loves the sun, but being fair-skinned, I cannot say that my complexion feels the same way. As I have (frequently) been heard to say, I am the only person I know who managed to get sunburnt, in England, in February. I kid you not.


However, I also enjoy gardening, so I've been trying to make the most of the recent not so sunny weather to catch up on some work in the garden. Today, it was a job I had been dreading, which was re-digging the Green Cone site. I love my Green Cone, would recommend it to anyone who has a garden and have been using it faithfully for a few years now; as a result, combined with all the recycling, I now only put out 1 black sack a fortnight. Admittedly, there is only me and the cats in permanent residency, with TTO staying a few times a week, but nonetheless, I'm proud of the achievement.


Unfortunately, though, when I originally dug the hole for the Green Cone, with the help of Weasley, we didn't quite dig deep enough, so the lip of the cone itself was level with the ground instead of under it. And over the years, the level dropped enough for me to recognise I needed to redo it.


Words cannot describe the horror. I must stress again, this is a wonderful device, and it works well, but, if you do ever get one, make sure you site it properly, and dig the hole properly, so it's EMPTY at the time.


At least the flower bed got dug at the same time, and I have now re-sited my rhubarb plant, so it might actually grow this time, and I've planted the peony I bought a while back. If any of my cuttings take, there's a place for them now, as well.


Just so you don't have the Green Cone image in your head for the rest of the day, here's a pic of my lovely Holly, risking life and limb, asleep on the edge of the footcube I made:


A life without cats just ain't worth livin'


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Time Marching

So one of the other things that has happened in the last couple of weeks, was TTO reaching (nay, stumbling indiscriminately into) his 40th birthday.


Now, I try as much as possible to live by the philosophy that you're as old as you feel, age is but a number, etc, etc, but to many people, it cannot be denied, being 40 feels IMPORTANT. I reached the mythical figure a few years ago, and I have found it a little harder to ignore my age since then, even though, as a general rule, I succeed.


So I was a little daunted at the thought of what TTO might be going through; birthdays for both of us are generally a pleasant but quiet time. He had already firmly declined his parents suggestion of a party, though accepted their invitation to go out to dinner. I marked the days with bated breath.


In the end, the day came and went, with nothing untoward happening, of course. Human beings put so much store on events that really are just random; why should a 40th birthday be any different than the others before it? It makes me remember my 5th birthday; it's the only time I've ever woken up on my birthday, and actually felt older, as if I'd grown overnight. I can still remember the feeling today, lying in my bed, wiggling my toes, as if they were further away from my head than they had been when I fell asleep the night before.


I decided to make birthday pressies for TTO; not only do I not have an awful lot of money, but I wanted to give something a little more personal. A couple of years ago, he bought a wonderful old smoking jacket in quilted burgundy from a stall in Camden, and I always thought he needed a smoking cap to go with it, so made him this:




For a first attempt at sewing for a few years, I was very pleased with it. It wasn't easy attaching the two crown parts, and I was pleased with the lining as well, except I had to machine hem it, as the iron-on interfacing I bought, wouldn't. But I was happy with it, and TTO loved it, which was the main thing (though he did say he wouldn't be wearing it out of the house, as he valued his life too much. I took this as a reflection on the area we live in, rather than my handiwork.)


I also did a painting, which I feel a little too sensitive about to show you all; I must hasten to add, it doesn't depict anything shocking, it's just that painting is not something I have done much of, and it is a little too much of me to display too openly.


Well, people, time to go for now; 2 cats to feed so we can all settle down for the evening. TTO is at his place tonight, so I have the opportunity to indulge in the TV that he doesn't normally choose to watch. Tonight, I'll be settling down in front of Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth in 'You Were Never Lovelier'. I love old movies, particularly the clothes, and, of course, approve of Rita Hayworth, a fellow redhead.


Aahh, but now I think I have revealed too much again. Bye for Now,


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Where Have You Been?

Well, you know what they say, time flies when you're having fun! I know, it's been such a long time since my last post - in that time my lovely son (henceforth known asWeasley) had his 21st birthday, and TTO had his 40th.


Weasley lives with His Lovely Girlfriend(HLG), and her parents, and they threw him a surprise BBQ, just close family and friends, on the 20th June, the day after his actual birthday. TTO, Shiny Thing, Her Lovely Fiance(HLF), and I all went along: his dad and stepmum also went, but later in the evening. HLG took him out for a walk with the dog while we arrived and ensconsed ourselves in their garden and waited for his return. His face was a picture when he came back and saw us - genuine surprise, which was really nice.


I must admit, I felt a little sad that other people were arranging treats for his special day, but, at the same time, I was glad at least someone was. It's one of the things you have to realise when your children leave home; you are no longer responsible for their every need.


But then, my children would probably argue that I very rarely catered for their every need! For those who may be curious as to whatWeasley's appearance is like, try clicking here. It explains his nickname perfectly, and also explains the very first words that I uttered when I first saw him - "Oh shit, he's ginger".


He'll never forgive me.


Back tomorrow with TTO birthday stuff


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