Derelict stories

Mulling things over

2010-08-21T01:38:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking and vsiiting other blogs lately and although l like the idea of different endings l think l have a problem with the length of my story.

I think its too long and a little boring.
I know because I cant be bothered reading it! and if l cant then who will?

Maybe I need to break it up with more images or even me reading the story as an audio add on.

Its good to mull things over.

2010-08-15T03:09:00.000-07:00

now the dust has settled

2010-08-15T03:04:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. Hope you are all well.
I have some exciting news....My film about Cammell Lairds is being taken to Latina in Italy for aninternational film festival!!!!! I am so thrilled.
Latina is twinned to Birkenhead and in Septemebr there is going to be an International film festival again on Wirral and they will travel over from Italy with their films along with films from USA, India, France andmany more places..It s all happening under our own noses soget that video out and with our newly found blogging skills maybe you too can make a short film that could be shown here in Spetember..

Happy Blogging one and all.
Barb

2010-07-17T13:23:00.001-07:00

Well my fellow bloggers the day draws near and the exitment builds.
Fingers crossed we all get sorted before the switch on, but I am sure it will be a great night anyway.
Having looked over some of the blogs i am really impressed and I hope your plaesed with your results.

Most of us came to the table empty handed and open minded and with help and encouragment from Jenn and Elaine look at where we are!!! Happy days.
Not so scared anymore, just wondering what will happen wehn we go live. I ownder who will read our stories and where they will be reading them.
Who knows where this will lead us - enjoy

Barb

2010-06-25T12:09:00.000-07:00

I have such a job trying to read!! its so unfair. I envy all those out there who can pick up a book and enjoy.Oh to be able to say I am an avid reader...it would be nice to able to type without constantly re-reading everyword and amending it also.
I thought bloggig would make my virtual life asier but in fact it hasn't. Looks as though I will be looking at the scribed site and downloading my written text.Where there's a will!!
So many coping mecahnisms in place for my dyslexia but sometimes you just wnat to read and write unhampered. Sounds like l am feeling sorry for myself tonight maybe l am, ts just that l have read all your blogs and they are so interesting i feel as though i have moved away from my original story now and dont quite know how to pull it back.
Guess it will all come together soon one way or another. Scared about this stuff going live and not knowing who will read it..This is just the beginning.

2010-06-25T11:57:00.000-07:00

How do I put my story up on here first followed by the endings.

Does anyone have an ending they would like to offer?

drafts

2010-06-03T02:50:00.000-07:00

What do I do next?

2010-06-03T02:36:00.000-07:00

Not sure what to do about my story now.
I have edited it and feel that l would like to post it on screen but would it not be better to put the edited version on first followed by the endings 1 and 2.

Don't know how to go about that - any suggestions.

ENDING No. 2

2010-05-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

I opened the bedroom door as quietly as l could trying my best not to wake Jennifer. As it opened l peeped in to check she was still asleep "poor kid" l thought, "all she's been through in her young life"
.
I slowly reached over for her coat and shoes desperatley trying to be quiet. I wanted to clean her shoes and brush up her jacket for tomorrow's interview at Rock Ferry High school.
I managed to grab both items and closed the door silently.

As I made my way down stairs her jacket slipped from my grasp and tumbled down the stairs step after step it fell until it landed in a pile near the bottom. I raced after it and picked it up. As l did a note fell from the pocket and when it landed I recognised the note as a prescription. I immediatley thought that Jennifer was on medication and as a chemist i thought it best to check and make sure so she had enough of whatever she needed.

But this prescription was months old and never been cashed.

It was for very strong antibiotics the likes of which are used for people with pneumoina.

Did'nt my sister die of pneumonia!
This prescription was made out in her name. Why was it never cashed?

2010-05-13T12:06:00.000-07:00

Today was as usual, an exciting workshop with lots of advice and comments regarding our stories. I was really glad to be able to read mine aloud so that the group could comment on it. I have now arrived at two endings, both of which I like, but the idea is that I can post it on my blog and let the reader decide. A liitle collaborative partcipation can always be useful. That way my story could work for a lot longer especially if people begin to write their own endings, which would be even better.
Must ask Elaine how this is done, or even Jensen who was missed today. Hope we see you next week!

Its so useful to play around with these ideas in our group because we are all so supportive of each other and led by two extremly compentant people who dont find a problem with anything " everything appears do-able" even down to Doreen creating a new word today ominosity!! really likeing that one

2010-05-10T12:37:00.000-07:00

View Barbara's map in a larger map

2010-05-10T12:03:00.000-07:00

Life and technology can be so unfair.

http://riverview17a.blogspot.com dont give up Dot we are all there to help if you need us.

Tunnel tales

2010-05-10T11:57:00.000-07:00

The web weaver is industrious in her thoughts.
These images provoke memory.
Now your walking in my shoes. Those images really appeal to me and I have no idea why. Industrial ruins..http://tunneltales.blogspot.com/

2010-05-09T02:55:00.000-07:00

Usually I didn't feel nervous, but I did at this moment. Unlce John still had hold of my hand as he placed the key in the lock of the chemists shop door. As it opened I entered a whole new world.
Dark wooden floors, wall to wall glass cabinets filled with so many colourful bottles and boxes. I gazed around, slowly trying to breathe it all in.
Most of the shop was chemists but on the right hand side was a serving counter with dark wooden worktops, brass weighing scales and huge grey till. In the glass cabinets at the side were sweets, rows upon rows of of sweets from Mojo's and Black Jacks to penny arrowe bars and Lucky Bags. The jars behind the counter were filled to the brim with pineapple chunks,pears drops, dolly mixtures. On and on they went row after row. My stomache was filling up with dancing butterflies until my gaze stopped at the end of the counter. A huge metal drum sat proudly with a lid on. Uncle John could see my gaze change to curiosity as I stared at this thing. He began to grin as we walked towards it. As we got near he dropped my hand to switch it on. My hand fell limply by my side and l felt very uneasy and a little cold and disconnected. While he had hold of me l felt safe and good, but here l was standing alone in a closed chemist shop surrounded by all sorts of things, the floor beneath my feet began to sway gently.As the floor swayed I could hear the creaking of the floor boards and the smell of the river for a second I was transported back into the room near the river when my mother was at work. The strange clinical smell of the shop filled my nose then my head until I floated away into darkness.

ENDING No. 1

When I woke I found myself on a huge, warm, comfy sofa with lots of cushions. The room felt warm as the sun poured in. I lay still with my eyes open just gazing around until a cat appeared at the sofa and arched its back waiting to be stroked. I leant over and gently ran my fingers along its back and it arched even more as it began to purr.
In the back ground I could hear voices, a man and woman talking quitely. The cat jumped up onto my legs and I sat up to stroke it. As I sat up I could see over the top of the sofa. I was in a huge, sunny lounge with a wall full of windows allowing the sun to pour in. There were flowers in vases and it smelt fresh and homely.
Unlce John walked into the room saying " hello, welcome back. I think it's all been a bit too much for you young lady. Now stay there and I will bring you a cup of tea".
The cat curled up on my legs, I couldn't move now but it was a lovely feeling her tummy moving up and down as she purred happily.
Uncle John arrived accompanied by a tall ,elegant lady with dark brown eyes and dark hair piled high on the back of her head.I gazed at her as she carried the tea tray toward sme. She smiled broadly at me and her eyes gleamed. I was beginning to feel a lot better now.
Unlce John introduced her as Aunty Catherine, his wife.We all sat and she poured the tea. I tried to move my legs to sit up but the cat had different ideas, he was comfy.Uncle John lifted a limp, unhappy cat down onto the floor, which allowed me to sit up next to him and drink the hot sweet tea.
Uncle John said there was so much to tell me but he thoughtI had had enough excitement for one day. So we chatted happily about their life here in the chemists shop in Rock Ferry. About some of the colourful characters that came into the shop and a little about Rock Ferry itself and how they had arranged an appointment at Rock Ferry High School about a place for me there.It sounded grand. Eventauuly Aunt Catherine said that dinner would be ready soon and would I like to go into the chemist shop and chose ice cream for dessert.
Suddenly it all came flooding back, the swaying wooden floor the smell and that huge, ugly, noisey machine at the end of the counter.I felt the colour drain from my face as my hands became clammy and cold.
"hey whats the matter, come on its allright. You dont have to go if you dont want to, what is it, whats the matter love?".
I held my head down upon my chest as I mumbled that I was a little frightened by the big metal machine with the thundering sound.
Uncle John began to smile as he looked towards Aunt Catherine. She walked towards me brushing some hair back off my face saying that I was the first child not to like their machine and usually after school the children queued up in the shop waiting for Unlce John to switch it on and make the 'candy floss'.
My heart raced 'Candy Floss', wow mylife oculdnt be better and with that i grabbedhis hand saying " lets get the ice cream and can I see the candy floss machine please.

2010-04-29T11:35:00.000-07:00

He was a tall man silhouetted on the mid morning sun. His outline hovered over me offering a warm gentle hand of welcome placed on my shoulder. From that first touch l knew l would be happy. His strong fingers on my tiny shoulder radiated through me and l felt a communicating immediately.
He spoke in a gentle, clear tone and introduced himself politely as Uncle John. He took my tiny suitcase from me and clasping my hand, firmly but softly in his, we crossed the road to his waiting car.
The seats in th car had been warming in the sun and there was a mechanical smell inside,it reminded me of my time in the stock room near the ferry. As he drove the car away he began talking to me, talking in a way that made his narrative sound story like. I was fascinated. He began expalining how l had come to live with my Grandmother and how today there was no shame in these matters as there had been in mt Grandmopthers day.
The car seemed to float along the roads and l gazed out of the the window content. I felt at peace inside because l felt loved once more. My hand sat losely in my pocket touching the note my Granmother had tucked away in there.
We passed through an elegant square of tall grey buildings and huge lawned gardens surrounded by flowers and statues. Along through some busy street past central station. The further we went the less elegant the houses appeared.
His story was increasingly interesting and he explained that he was trying to prepare me for a suprise once we arrived home. "Home" he actually said home! I knew then l had found happiness because it wasn't a holiday this was the real thing - Liberation from my Grandmother.
If only my mother had lived to be here today. I felt heavy again at the thought of her. I could see her face, smell her perfume and feel her slim elegant arms wrap around me as only she could. Silence in my head and a stomache full of battery acid at the fear this may not be true.
The car stopped.
Uncle John turned towards me saying "I realise this is all a bit much to take in just now, but you will never know how much mean to me and your Aunt Jane.
He leant across the car seat towards me and with a little difficulty he pulled me towards him and kissed my forehead saying howeverything would be alright and how he realised how much l must be missing my mother, such a beautiful, wonderful woman.
We continued on our journey up Hinderton Road, along Old Chester Road until we pulled up outside of a chemist shop. Uncle John parked the car, lifted my case from the back seat and tenderley holding my hand we crossed over the road together.

Mind mapping

2010-04-29T10:54:00.000-07:00

Oh how pleased would Tony Buzan be!!! the inventor of mind maps.
Like eager children in a sweet shop we waited our turn to make our mark upon the map! Markmakers! one and all.
This web is weaving tighter and tighter as the class grows nearer and nearer to linking all our stories together.
We pounce into the discussion as soon as we can desperate to share this wonderful knowledge that we all brim with.
The sharing process is one of the greatest things we can all do and we have reached a point were our shared thoughts become anothers narrative.
We each bring something different to the table, but once the table is laid we can all take something valuable away from it.
Watched over, as usual by out mother hen!! pecking cheerfully away at our titbits of local information. She weaves in and around us coaxing the best of thoughts from us all. Her cheerful and knowldgeable assistant brimming full of what if's!!!! never putting anyone off their ideas but instead helping us to think slightly differently about the day..Once again enjoyed by all.

2010-04-29T06:26:00.000-07:00

2010-04-29T06:23:00.000-07:00

My Journey

2010-04-20T11:40:00.001-07:00

2010-04-20T10:43:00.000-07:00

My story begans at an end point in my young life.
The end of my life with my grandmother and the death of my own mother.

It also began with my first Ferry journey, alone.

Meeting a family member for the first time and our journey to my new life in Rock Ferry.

2010-04-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

Mind mapping through images

2010-04-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

During the course of today's workshop it became evident to me that images would be more appropriate at this time. So I have set about this task with a view to text at a later date.

2010-04-20T05:50:00.000-07:00

Today started with Billy Jones the Fishmonger! Keith introduced us to his sad and lonely wife on the railway platform. Talk about a starter for ten, we were all chomping at the bit with things to say and sing about. What a group! and so the morning went on. Emotions ran high as we listened to his story and followed it with debate and discussion.

Jensen had updated his story already onto the blog with images of St Paul's church and the iron bench in the grounds. He also placed images of Well Lane Poilce station, which is where my dad used to work.

This project is all about place and memories and each time we meet I find I remember even more. Ideas and thoughts flow freely, as usual, and my enthusiasm needs containg until its my turn.

We discussed how to link our stories and the various ways we can do that. At frirst I couldn't image how my story would be linked but it soon became very clear to me that I could in fact link up with a few of the group and that enhanced my imagination even more. My thoughts where flying all over the place as we discussed where this project wsa leading to and some of the group decided to wait a while and link into our stories a bit later when they were clear about what they were writing

2010-04-15T13:30:00.000-07:00

It was a warm, sunny May morning and my Grandmother had just brought me a cup of tea into my bedroom.
She wasn't usually this kind to me, but as my Mother had died only three weeks previoulsy i guess she had a tiny feeling of kindness towards me.
Also the fact she was reliqishing her duty onto a younger member of the family miles away across the river Mersey on Wirral seemed to have put a spring into her step.
Of course she was upset when my Mother died, she even put her arm around me ather funeral, but I quickly slid away from her touch.
She niether liked me nor my Mother, we simply were'nt good enough in her eyes. So my Mother worked part-time to pay for our keep. I never knew what happened to my Father, people simply did'nt mention him or how we came to live with this woman.
There was a massive hole in my heart which had once been filled by my Mother. I felt cold and heavy that morning as i sipped at the tea knowing that void could never be filled. I would never experience the warmth of her love as she folded her arms around me. Although on this particular day I was somewhat distracted. I was going to take the Ferry to Wirral to meet my new guardians, my stomach filled with butterflies at the very thought of this.

I sat thinking about all the hours spent alone in that room while my Mother worked in those freezing offices overlooking the ferry, no wonder she died of pnuemonia.

We took the bus to the ferry terminal, which was quite a journey, but one I had taken happily next to my Mother. When we arrived at the pierhead it was sunny but windy and I held tight hold of my suitcase. All i owned in the world was inside that case.

I enjoyed the warm breeze across my face, blowing my hair in all diresctions. The seagulls singing, noiseily overhead. We marched quickly down the jetty as it swayed beneath our feet. When we reached the ferry my Grandmother pushed a ticket into my pocket telling me not to lose it. Then she informed me that i should go aboard as the ferry was due to sail very soon. I was told i would be met on the other side by a tall dark man who would recognise me and to give him this note, which she also forced inside my pocket. She bent down and gave me a peck on the cheek, cold and detached. Then she turned and walked away from me.

I stood for a moment not quite sure what to do, the ground below was still moving and my stomach was full of battery acid with fear of what was to come.
The ferry bumped hard against the huge rubber tyres and the ropes creeked and groaned with the strain of the pull. People walked past me along a rickerty wooden walk way with chains to steady themselves.
I just stood there watching.
One of the crew shouted " come on love, she's quite safe"
I looked around, there was nobodt there, he must be talking to me.
The next moment he was by my side picking up my suitcase and holding my hand we walked acroos the wooden walkway. He was a tall man with a shaved head a thick navy jumper and short stubby tattooed hands, so gentle in comparison to my Grandmother's.
"You just sit in there love and we'llbe on our way before you know it"
I did as I was told and like a rabbit in the headlights I froze when the engines started up. So loud, it felt as though the river was erupting and the smell was awful and choking.

2010-04-15T06:27:00.000-07:00

As usual ideas flowed and we could hardly keep them to ourselves.The sense of knowledge as we touched on different places creates the want to discuss what we each know about that place.
The discussion around our thoughts was very interesting as i think we all see each place slightly different, maybe it was our upbringing within those places that sets the ideas flowing.

As I read my story I was slightly suprised at how it became almost historical although nothing was mentioned to place it in a particular time.

I need to think about the note and ticket pressed into my pocket, could this be discovered in the future by someone moving into my old bedroom or even washed up in a bottle on the beech near to where I now live.

I used to collect scraps of paper as a child and hide them behind a screen covering the fireplace in my bedroom over the shop in Birkenhead. I found them wonderful pieces of someone's past and maybe I wanted to be part of that past by hiding them away for another person to find in the future.

Also the bottle on the beech is interesting as I now find myself living very close to a beech. Every step of the way I seem to be making connections to parts of my past, my history, here.

Synchrinicity!!!

Are you finding this too.

In the room

2010-04-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

I wasn't allowed to cross the water but watched the ferries go in and out.

I could see the ferries if i stood on the only chair in this cold,noisey store room. I shouldn't really be in this room and my presence was kept secret everytime I arrived in this place.

It was a small room, quite dark and gloomy with a strange smell, oily and yet dry to the back of your throat. There was a chair and some old newspapers dotted around the floor and some shelves,two and a half walls of shelves with old rusted bits and pieces on, obvioulsy surplus to requirement.
Beneath my feet I could hear the sea crashing against the dock walls. The constant creaking of the old floor boards and the smell of the sea.
In the distance i could hear the voices of the passsengers boarding the ferry. I would stand on my chair and imagine a day when I was old enough to leave this place and travel freely across that river, a river so forbidden to me at this age.

I would try to amuse myself with odd bits of paper I had to draw on and sit and stare at the photographs on the newspapers. It got so cold in my store room that on occassions I made a den out of the newspapers and wrapped myself up in them to keep warm until it was time to go.

At the end of the day the sound of the key in the lock would announance my freedom and my mother would be crouched down in fornt of me, arms wide open, ready to fold them around me with such love. Each time this happened she repeated the same words over and over " I am so sorry my darling, but we need the money so much, it wont be long before you go to school and I won't need to leave you in this awful room again".

The heavy old door would close with a bang. My heart felt as light as a feather as I danced along towards home holding my mothers hand, forgetting about the hours spent previously and basking in her love for me at the present.

workshop

2010-04-08T06:16:00.000-07:00

Today's workshop was focused on stories about place. We all presented to the group, in turn, with some images or memories of places in Wirral and allocated the story to the place on the map of Wirral with a pin.

I spoke to the group about living in Rock Ferry and in particular about Byrne Avenue baths. This building was erected in 1931 and is now closed to the public and is being left and negelected for want of cash.

This was not just a swimming pool, it had many lives.People went there to dance and play water polo, dive and play five a side football plus many other things.In fact for its age it was possibly one of the first community centres. This building was not just a swimming pool it also was a bath house for local people who did not have a bathroom in thier homes so had to use public baths weekly to get a bath.

My interest was aroused immediately because of the map Elaine produced; and secondly because of the stories everyone had to tell. For each story told I felt a connection, maybe because I have lived on Wirral all my life and moved around a fair bit. Secondly because as children my father taught us how to read maps and made the most wonderful games up for us on long journeys. He was a rally driver in the Police and we would help to marshall the events, usually in North Wales, and we would then have to naviagte for him our journeys home.

It was interesting today how we each took a line from each others story and then developed that line into our own story. It became apparent that a few people had the same ideas in mind and this was made clear once we all told our story.

Fifteen minutes wasn't long enough for any of us as our imaginations ran away the moment pen was put to paper.

Another good day!