Crinoline Robot's Vintage Week

Only the brave deserve the fair!

Yes, it's one of my favourite times of the year, the time when Carter's Steam Fair is in town. It's in Bath from the 6th to the 14th, though when I passed through the park on my morning walk yesterday they were already getting set up. Those beautiful vintage steam-powered amusements take time to put in place.

One ride interested me particularly. A GHOST TRAIN. This wasn't part of the fair on any of the previous times I went to it, so I am very, very excited by this. Vintage and horror in one gorgeously-restored package. I don't know which days Mr Robot and I will visit the fair on, but I'm going along with my friend Andrea after work next Thursday, and I bet the ride looks thrilling in the twilight.

Aside from that, I have work news: I'm going to move to a new magazine. It's not that I don't like my current one, but a big part of my job is checking spelling and grammar, and fact-checking, and so I read every page in every issue at least twice, and after four years on the same magazine I really fancy moving to a different subject. From the start of October I'm going to be Operations Editor on Official PlayStation. I worked on a PlayStation mag back in the early noughties, and then on a Nintendo one, so it's not as odd a move for me as you might think. Games magazines are really challenging as the subject is so time-sensitive - on a knitting or camera title, you can plan chunks of the publication months in advance, but that's pretty much impossible with games. I'm looking forward to the challenge.

Mr Robot and I also have the urge to do more around the house. We bought a new lampshade for the living room last weekend - just spotted it in Wilko - and it's made such a difference to the room.

Look at that horrible fireplace. LOOK AT IT. It's grubby, cracked - and you can't see the missing chunk behind the left-hand foo dogs. It's far too large for the chimney breast, so we'd like to get rid of it and replace it with one in keeping with the house. We'll probably go Victorian repro rather than actual Victorian, though, as it'll be half the price. We need to get rid of the old, oversized fireplace before we can do the floor, but we want a real fire so we'll need to have the chimney inspected and probably relined... think of one job and about five others pop up! And we've got a pile of stuff we want to do in the kitchen first...

Comments

  1. Well, you've certainly grabbed the bull by the horns. It's change all round at Robot Central! I think change is good, as is a new challenge. Keeps things from getting dull. Your new dining room looks great. Very Moroccan that lamp. Wilkos are on the ball! Have a lovely time at the fair. Hope you don't see too many ghosts! ;) xx

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    1. We saw lots of lights we loved at the Moroccan market in Granada on holiday, but couldn't bring any home. This one will do - we can always swap it for the real thing if we make it to Marrakech.

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  2. That's a stunning lamp, and it goes really well with the colour of the walls. We have nicely proportioned fireplaces in all our rooms, except the dining room, where they hacked off a chunk and then closed off the whole thing with horrible, floor to ceiling fake tiled thingy. Compared with that, yours doesn't look too bad at all. Have a great time at the fair - it looks very inviting, and good luck with your new job! xxx

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    1. Heh, you can't see the lower part where it's all stained and ramshackle. The fireplace has to go!

      The fair is just brilliant. I love it.

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  3. We never had such a fair.
    Sometimes, every year or so - we have a circus in our town, but that has nothing like you're described here, dear. It must be wonderful to be able to enjoy this event, to be the part of it, to ride the spooky ride (although, I'd have to consider this one - being spooked is not always a fun thing for me) :)
    Do tell how it was when you go.
    Have a great Saturday!

    Marija

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    1. It's unique - there's nothing else like it. It was started by an artist who rescued one of the old steam-powered rides and restored it, and the fear grew from there. All steam-powered, all hand-painted... it's like a funfair out of a dream. Even the lorries that transport the rides and the trailers the fairground workers live in are vintage.

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  4. A gaming magazine sounds like it would be interesting editing, but I like games so perhaps I'm biased.

    The lampshade is beautiful, and I know you hate the fireplace but...well, that's just me envying a fireplace! That will be wonderful if you can get it in working order.

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    1. The fireplace is too big for the chimney breast, and it really is in a state further down. We'd love to replace it and get a proper one that fits and looks nice put in.

      I like games. The magazine I'm moving to has superb writers - Jen is a real star for the future - and it's going to be really exciting.

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  5. Well, that is a fabulous lampshade and from Wilco to boot!

    I think your fireplace is rather nice...

    Good luck with the new job; it will keep the little grey cells working and it's good to challenge one's self.

    Have a great week and enjoy the fair!

    Veronica
    vronni60s.blogspot.com

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    1. We didn't get to go to the fair this weekend as I was poorly. (And Ziggy let a live rat go in the kitchen - we left the back door open as it was a sunny day and he waltzed in with it - so I've been going crazy with the bleach in between feeling sorry for myself. Damn catses!)

      The fireplace really is grotty lower down. Trust me, the room will look even better with a new one (when we get round to it).

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  6. Gorgeous lamp, looks very Boho chic!
    I like your grubby/nicely patina-ed fireplace! Ever thought about painting it shiny black for dramatic contrast? (Covers the grubby if you can't stand that look too.)

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    1. I think the stone isn't much good for painting - it's the local stone, which is quite a soft limestone (probably why it's stained so badly; it was like that when we bought the house, and all the scrubbing in the world won't clean it). And it's missing chunks. And it's too big for the chimney breast. It's gotta go!

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  7. Congrats for the new job and exciting challenges ahead!

    I love a steam fair too. We went to an annual one held at South Cerney at the weekend and it was bliss. I could have spent hours on the dodgems

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  8. Many happy congratulations on your new job, dear Mim. I hope that this position is rewarding and enjoyable for you.

    That's awesome about the fair coming to town. I get as a giddy still as I did when I was a small child still when it rolls into our town (usually) once or twice a year.

    Many hugs & happy mid-summer wishes,
    ♥ Jessica

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  9. Hope the fair was every bit as fun as you hoped. It certainly looks classier than the chavfests that pull up and pitch on the park around here complete with greasy burger bars.
    The new light is lovely, like Tania says very Moorish. Wilkos do some cracking homewares, don't they?
    Well done on the new job! xxx

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  10. Super new ceiling light, looks great! We just put a new one in our dining room, and only then did we realise how bad our previous choice had been(!). Ah well. Keep your eyes on Gumtree for fireplaces, and Ebay local. Some people give away for free if you can transport them. xx

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  11. Congratulations on the new job, I hope you enjoy it. We are busy doing house stuff too - so many jobs!!

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  12. Congratulations on the job!

    We have a stew fair permanently round this way, but it's open only in summer holidays and bank holidays, one day we'll have to have a look xx

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