The Russell-Coates Museum

Winter has certainly arrived now and with only a few beautiful exceptions the leaves have fallen from the trees and have mushed underfoot. We wrapped up well and walked into town to visit the Russell-Coates Museum and Art Gallery.

It was all decked out for Christmas and looking even more sumptuous than ever, which is saying something because even on a normal day it is stuffed to the very high rooftop, in typical Victorian style, with all manner of objets d'art. The dining table was set - when was the goose going to arrive on a splendid platter!

It is an enormous building, with many of the rooms facing out to sea, some with windows opening onto balconies, it must have been a wonderful place to sit and watch the world go by, to see people strolling up and down the promenade or out along the pier.

In the hall someone was playing the grand piano and the music floated through the rooms that lead off from this central space. The sound really added to the atmosphere of the place. Two young girls in museum dressing-up clothes hung over the balcony to watch and listen.

Everywhere I looked there were lovely things to photograph, but because of the lighting it was difficult to capture what I wanted, reflections and bright pinpoints of light distorted the picture. There is going to be a candle-lit evening event later this month. I'm sure that will be a lovely experience.

Christmas lights.

We've been into town to see the Christmas lights, stopping off for some sustenance at the turros stall (with a Nutella dip - health food!) before wandering through the gardens. Although cold, there was no snow, other than the soap bubble 'snow' that our grandson enjoyed.

Sugar rush behaviour in the Christmas bauble!

There was a Christmas tree for Kiv lit in the Ukranian national colours.

And a little moon in competition.

Leaded light.

We are steadily working through the jobs to be done in the house, those things that were never considered when we agreed to buy! The landing window faces north, is leaded and single skinned. Also, when we studied it closely, it is has become slightly bowed. Call in the experts! We have, apparently, 'caught it in time.' We've been told that leaded windows have a life span of about a hundred years before they start to deteriorate and need re-leading. Our house was built in 1928 so we've bitten the bullet and yesterday the window was removed and taken away to be made into a triple sandwich that will keep the window safe and also hopefully make a big difference to the warmth of the house.

We were interested to hear about the particular features of our window, that the glass colour is hard to find these days, and the bulls eye panes are very sought after and expensive.

We have been invited to visit the works when our windows are on the bench to see how the releading is done. I've warned them that we shall come mob-handed because all the family will be interested to see what is involved.

The temporary replacement is not a pretty sight!

Last shout

It's the last shout of colour in the garden now, once the maple leaves have dropped we shall be sunk into deep shadow until next year. All the leaves have fallen from the beauty berry but the berries remain and are a striking shot of purple. I had never seen this plant before moving here but now I see them advertised all over the place.

The sun, when it chooses to shine, is low in the sky and hidden behind the neighbouring trees. It lights up odd patches in the rooms but I have to accept that the joy of living amongst mature trees is tempered by the fact that the house is dark!

I've been up in the attic tidying my planchest, trying to put work done and projects to do in to some sort of order. It is slow work because I keep discovering things that I'd forgotten about. There are some grainy old photos from my student days and they prompt me to wonder what my fellow students have done in the many years since then. A bit of googling ahead!

Where are they now?!

(Although I know all about one of them, because, Reader, I married him!)