Beresford's Puppets

Ted with Kath (1928 - 2007)

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News as at May, 2012

THE LATEST ON THE STORY.  At last, everything seems to be coming together and I am able to continue.  The memoirs are more or less finished up to chapter 19A (This had to be slotted in as 19a, otherwise it means changing all the links to the following pages - sorry!) and up to Ch24 not finished yet and about another 6/7 chapters still to come.  Some pictures are not of the best quality being copied from an earlier print out but once the whole thing is finished I will return and replace these with the original photos and drawings (as I find them!).

I have now been in my Telford, home for two years.

My Email is still the same as long as you use the following:

ted@beresfordspuppets.co.uk

and not the old blueyonder one.

and the new phone number is 01952 457 242

Kitchie (the cat) is growing well and is now a bit of a stroppy teenager.  We walk down the lane together, no longer on the lead, but it takes a long time to get anywhere because of his 'off road' investigations; this suits me, though, with my dodgy, arthritic, left knee. He is becoming a bit of a puzzle to local dogs. He will rush up to them, even touching noses, then, if they show the slightest animosity, arches his back with vertical tail, 'spits' at them and even bats them with his paw. 

We have been to the vet a couple of times.  One day he came in with his eye closed.  I opened it up carefully to find a completely white eyeball.  assuming he had lost an eye by fighting I rushed him to the vet.  On the receptionists counter he opened two perfect eyes but the vet's check-up revealed a tongue ulcer.  Eye stains revealed no scratches on the eye but conjunctivitis probably from the same virus as the tongue problem - the 'white eye' was, of course the third eye-lid which I should have known about.  Kitchie was quite unconcerned about the anti-biotic and steroid jabs!   Last week he was limping badly on his off-side rear leg.  I could see no damage so off to the vet again.  It seemed to be his paw but no obvious damage.  He had another jab which he readily accepted and off we go another £40 shorter. 

The other day we found a dead baby rabbit and he started to roll about on it like a dog on horse muck.  I pushed the rabbit into the hedge with my walking stick but he went after it and started eating it.  I had to walk home alone!

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When Kath died I felt that it was time to retire gracefully, put my feet up and watch telly but no such luck; there still seems to be plenty of work to do. And then there is the cooking, washing and other household time wasters but apart from that my time is my own.

I am now eighty-three and a recent spell of bad health has made me slow down a bit. This was mainly on doctor's orders who told me to cut out a lot of the travelling and nights away, so apart from Puppet Guild events it looks like being a quieter year this year. I had to turn down Keith's Basildon and Colin's February and Summer Cheltenham festivals last year but it also depends upon my ability to drive with flare-ups of my dodgy knee as to whether I can do much this coming year.  I can still do the jig doll routine and a couple of table top stories if people are not fed up with them!

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I am often asked where to buy carving tools and timbers. See below for a few links of organisations and suppliers, most of whom also sell via the web.

LINKS to other Puppetry sites

www.puppeteersuk.com You can find all the main sites and puppeteers on this one. Any individual puppeteer or group may join this site. It is excellent and essential if you are looking for work.

www.puppetguild.org.uk The best organisation to join whether a beginner or established puppeteer. We are a very 'user friendly' group!

www.scottishmaskandpuppetcentre.co.uk A very active centre based in Glasgow. A visit is a must if you live in (or visit) Scotland.

www.puppetcentre.org.uk  (London) Provides a useful 'on-line' magazine.

LINKS for Tools and Timber

www.craft-supplies.co.uk One of the best in Britain. It has now moved from the beautiful Millers Dale valley, Derbyshire to Bradwell, about six miles away.

www.dick-gmbh.de This is a German firm. Get their catalogue - superb. Lots of Japanese and Swedish tools. It was cheaper to buy from them than at home but we are not in a favourable exchange rate at the moment.

www.sykestimber.co.uk If you are a Midlander then this is the place for your carving timbers. It is at Atherstone on the A5.

www.slhardwoods.co.uk This one is at Croydon so OK for Southerners


www.john-boddys-fwts.co.uk For the Northerners, this one is at Boroughbridge.

www.toolpost.co.uk Another good one for tools - Didcot, Oxon.


www.tilgear.info  Excellent for all hand and power tools - Cuffley, Herts.

www.homecrafts.co.uk  Not the cheapest way to buy bulk materials but good for that hard to find item.

 The  Woodcarving  magazine is great for general carving with many articles suitable for puppeteers if not directly applicable; although there are occasional articles by puppeteers. This link takes you to their excellent website with masses of articles, hints and tips for every sort of carving.
 

Click to go to:

Ted (& Kath's ) Story  or   Gallery

14/05/2012 10:50:09