I know you have all seen this staircase before, in yesterday's blog but I have cropped to this bit for a purpose. The whole thing has been brightened and contrast-added in PhotoShop in order to draw attention to the double line of metal studs across the front edge of each stair. Perhaps some potential 'historic house correspondent' could enlighten us about them. The building dates from 1752 and the library opened in 1820. The stairs are original and would be 'commercial premises' stairs rather than 'stately home'. The very top floor was later used as a photographer's studio ( the original roof light remains, which admitted the then essential north-light for portraits). North-light is not to be sniffed at even in 2007 for natural looking portraits !Talking of 'portraits' neither of my pictures was successful at the camera club last night and I think I have to accept that I don't see 'eye-to-eye' with camera club judges. My portrait was criticised because 'she didn't look very cheerful' and 'she wasn't looking at the camera'. I didn't realise that either of those was a pre-requisite ! Royal Photographic Society judges I am OK with and I suppose I should be happy with that. Nevertheless, a fun night and I enjoyed the chat and the camaraderie.
This morning I really was Mr. Man. When Y went to use the washer she found under the sink awash with water. Big G lay down on the floor and sluthered under the sink and found the fractured flexible inlet pipe.Then it was simply a matter of:- turn off stopcock >unscrew pipe>pull out washing machine> unscrew other end>trip to B&Q>purchase replacement>return home> floor again> screw in both ends>push washing-machine back into place>turn water back on. And, Geronimo!
After a sandwich we nipped down Nottingham again and delivered the black & whites of 1902 Goose Fair and my current view of the square, to Bromley House. Brian had printed them A4 and they look great. Brommers were 'effusive' , was the word Y used. I chickened out of the stairs today and Y nipped in for me.
Then it was Y's 'nails service' at the chinese place. Great fun again with the translation approximations. Until Bungus mentioned the words 'chinese whispers' I hadn't thought of it. But it is that, precisely. And the nails look great and just like 'very nice natural ones'. As Y astutely points out, if someone says 'what lovely nails' it is code for 'are they artificial?'.
While waiting, I emerged from the car long enough to 'snap' this grating around a nearby tree! The pattern appealed to me. Fish, chips, and peas in a bit. And Rob is popping in for an hour tomorrow evening. It is several years since we have seen him, except for a few minutes at the camera club some weeks ago and it will be nice to catch up on his news.
....I've loaded about 10CDs onto Y's new MP3, but although I know they are there, we haven't actually taken the device for a test-drive yet.
1 comment:
I wonder if the artisan who finished the stairs thought,
“How am I going to sort out this tread/riser junction? I know! I’ve got this bag of upholstery studs as Charlie give me; I’ll fix this cover strip on with a double row of them. It should look all right.”
North light was always a requirement for drawing offices too, and for hosiery factories, I believe. Roof trusses? There's a thing.
I don’t know whether your portrait was very good or not but I agree that it is absolutely ridiculous to adversely criticise because the sitter is not full of smiles or is not looking at the camera, unless those were conditions of the competition.
What a clever little plumber you are! I would have been calling in the cavalry.
Should I know about the ‘black & whites’ of Goose Fair?
I am sure Yvonne is right about nails but don’t you think people are reluctant to comment similarly on teeth lest they should be false? In many cases now they usually ARE, of course, (technically) in the case of glamour pusses and media darlings.
Until you told me it is a grating I had assumed, because of juxtapositon, that it was the underside of your washing machine.
I may be making this up but I seem to recall an issue of ‘Architectural Review’ from many years ago which devoted several pages to such cast iron road furniture. Perhaps you should specialise in these objects plus stair nosings? And roof trusses?
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