life – Page 49 – Louisa Parry

3BT – surprises

Still ill. Boo. So just two again.

1) I unwrap the foil from around the takeaway-cafe sandwich and am pleasantly surprised by the quality of the bread. The tea is hot and sweet.

2) Hidden out of the way on the first floor, we spot a set of vintage Kilncraft Bacchus crockery. We already have most of the set – my mum started our collection with the set my family used when I was small – but we’d like more small plates and bowls. The man says it’s not for sale, they rent out things on the first floor to TV and film production companies, and we’re disappointed but relieved because we thought from there, from a salvage yard that calls itself an antique shop, it would be too expensive for our tastes. Afterwards, we find three saucers and two bowls in a super-cheap charity shop around the corner.

3BT – yellow, Leeds, ill

10/12/2009 / louisa / 0 Comments

1. The vivid turmeric in the curry turns their lips yellow and we laugh.

2. A combination of a large lunch and a warm office make me feel incredibly sleepy by mid-afternoon so I decide to go for a walk around the playing field at the front of the office to wake myself up. After I complete the first side of the rectangle, I turn to find a view of Leeds I’ve never seen before, glorious in the dying light. The buildings on the hill to the north of the city centre – the university’s Parkinson building, the churches and the rust tower – are most prominent but the sea of new tower blocks to the east are visible too. As I become more distanced from Leeds, I can see how much it’s grown and transformed during my time there.

3. It turns out my mid-afternoon sleepiness is also because I’m getting ill – I started to feel rough in the office but during the journey home, it fully blooms. It’s John’s cold from last weekend so now it’s his turn to look after me. In the evening, we eat soup and watch cartoons. The momentary relief after a sneeze or sinus shift is heavenly.

3BT – a riddler, the magic hour, backstage

9/12/2009 / louisa / 0 Comments

1. My feed reader empty for a change, I’m at a loss for something to read while I drink my post-lunch tea. I stumble upon an audio slideshow about a riddler on the Guardian’s website. The style of the narration grates at times but the pictures and process are fascinating. My tea goes cold as I watch.

2. Naked trees stand silhouetted against the still bright sky. Two plump-breasted birds converse.

3. I wait in the dark backstage for the girls to finish their piece. It’s only a rehearsal but I don’t have to be anywhere else so I wait. The light of distant illuminations dances on the obscured glass windows – red, blue, yellow and white sharp against the black night.

3BT – friction, memories, touch, fluffies

8/12/2009 / louisa / 0 Comments

1. The pleasant pull of metal on skin as an earring hook slips through my lobe. A moment of consideration then a reverse tug and release. No earrings today.

2. I find something I wrote five years ago about something that happened fifteen years ago. It’s fun to re-read and reinforces my desire to (privately) document more of my memories before I forget them.

3. We walk to the supermarket hand in hand. John’s fingertips are surprisingly cold to the touch. I let go to tap the new strangely low roadsign as we walk underneath it. Our hands reconnect on the other side.

4. We’ve been at the office all day so the cats make up for lost time when we get home. Carla stretches out on my chest and I breathe through her fur while I catch-up on comics. Boron circles my legs as I cut green beans. Carbon hangs back until the blanket appears then bags a prime spot, the knee not occupied by the laptop.

Last week’s Tweets (up to 2009-12-06)

6/12/2009 / louisa / 0 Comments

is watching planes land at madrid barajas airport. Weird landscape, smell of petrol. #
enjoyed this evening's episode of security theatre. back home with our favourite stinky felines now. hoorah. #
is incredibly disappointed she is going to have to put on pants and leave the house today. #
@jordiv Hi jordiv :) in reply to jordiv #
has been wading through unread email for the last two hours. I'm frightened about looking at my feedreader. #
hoped to come back from Madrid – the closest thing she's had to a holiday in nearly 4 years – feeling refreshed and raring to go. Didn't. #
watched Fast Times at Ridgement High and crocheted a pinky neckwarmer/cowl to match her new coat. No pattern, just winged it, turned out ok. #
watches a crow, far too big for the spindly branch, find balance. #
went to Coopers with Katherine after drama. There was a dog there which excited us very much and we took beer home for our respective Johns. #
unsurprised bradford's "german" xmas market might close. The markets used to be special but now they're everywhere, selling overpriced tat. #
is not having the best day so far. #
@IdleSi in a similar heroic vein, http://thejudens.com/sarah/files/2009/09/anti-gay-protesters-pwnedpic410ok.jpg in reply to IdleSi #

3BT – those glorious days, bugs & shoots, happy crimes

6/12/2009 / louisa / 0 Comments

1. I stay in bed longer than intended, re-reading ‘How I paid for college’ by Marc Acito. It’s one of my favourite books because the spirit reminds me of the best bits of my own youth – although there are less illegal antics and crazy Austrian step-mums in my story.

2. When I finally do get up, I potter in the porch. I get rid of the dead chilli plant that’s been a breeding zone for bugs for the last few weeks and note which of the houseplants have shutdown for winter. At the far end of the porch though, it’s more positive – the black seed trays are spotted with tiny green shoots, the start of next year’s harvest.

3. John keeps randomly saying how much he loves our new house/kitchen/bedroom/garden. After one such exclamation, I tell him he keep saying stuff like that. “I’m just dead happy,” he says with a smile, “is that a crime?”

Search

Categorylife