JULY 2025
The A's
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Hit the button to take you into August 2025
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31 July 2025
Good morning.
I was up at 8:50 am (GMT+2).
The reason being, is that we re watched the first five episodes of the first series of Happy Valley after we got in from the Red Ruby and didn't get to bed until just before 1:00 am.
We both copped a curry - mine being the Butter Chicken made into a vindaloo, and I brought some meat samosas home, which I haven't eaten yet.
The neighbours were quiet last night, and I still can't hear them as of now. As I said, the first day/night is always the loudest. By seven days they are generally all not talking to each other and are therefore very quiet!
Fingers crossed.
I got my new Blaupunkt car radio fitted - however, they cracked my centre console/facia whilst fitting it, which has really pissed me off as it was only replaced a couple of years ago.
It is 30-year old plastic, and due to the extreme heat, it can be very brittle. I nipped on eBay when I got in a bought a full dashboard, so, hopefully I can rob the bits and pieces I need and take it over on 31 August.
Again - this has really pissed me off.
In other news, we called into to Moto Lucas - which is a motorbike shop off on the corner of on Ayias Varvaras - a street, where we had our first apartment 24 years ago, and which is just off Paralimni's Pr otaras Avenue.
I've always fancied a scooter, even more so since I started drafting The A's, therefore, I bought one.
It's more for Jamie and Lianne to be honest, as they were on about going snorkeling off Cape Greco (Kavo Greko) and trying to get the car down there is a bit awkward.
I looked at an old Vespa earlier this month at this place near Famagusta police station which always has a stock of originals in - but there was no way that I was ever paying €6,500 for one - and that was the cheapest!
This one is a white Peugeot 125 cc, which on one hand is hardly as awe inspiring as a 1960s Vespa, but on the other - at €1,750 including two brand new helmets, is much cheaper - and with only 19,000 km on the clock, it hopefully won't break down!
I'll pick that up today.
Day 210
30 July 2025
Good morning.
I was up at 3:50 am (GMT+2).
Noisy fucking neighbours.
A few of the big villas opposite has some holidaymakers in.
It is always the same when they first arrive, everyone jockeying to be the centre of attention, and he or she who are the loudest generally wins.
They will quieten down in a couple of days - they always do.
Yesterday was a hot one and today will be no different.
I'm taking the car up to Nikos to fit the new radio this morning.
Later on we'll probably grab a curry at the Red Ruby, where we will see Nikolas the Lebanese waiter who with notepad in hand pounces on you as soon as you sit down.
"You know what you are wanting?" he will ask.
And as I tell him every time!
"Let us sit down first - you're like a fucking traffic warden hovering around with that notepad."
We order quick but not that quick.
Yiannis is the same in his restaurant over in Vrysoulles.
"You know what you want ladies and gentlemen?" he'll ask you, as soon as your arse hits the seat.
His garlic prawns are very tasty, and he's not expensive either. The prawns go very nice with a medium rare fillet steak. The idea is to specify what you want on your plate, otherwise he'll class you same as all the other Brits over here and pile it up with rice, chips and whatever else he thinks you'll like.
Animation. Social media currently has all the woke wankers currently going ballistic with the American Eagle jeans advert featuring Sydney Sweeney. It's obviously the double entendre that's bothering them.
Great Jeans = Great Genes. And obviously, she's white, so read into it what you will.
Anyway, I tried to stick the Gaynor character in a similar environment, but 2D is shit when it comes to vehicles and at distance shots.
My favorite car advert... probably because it's a Jaguar...
With 3D you could replicate that advertisement quite easily.
In 2D, you cannot
Day 209
Gaynor Mellor Has Great Jeans
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) A 28 second animation of Gaynor Mellor doing a take on the Sydney Sweeney Advertisement for American Eagle jeans.
I created this from three frames with numerous transitions. The "At Distance" shots still leave a lot to be desired.
With 3D I will be able to open car doors and bonnets and drive away - with everything in proportion.
In 2D - you are very limited.
Music: Shimmer Like A Girl by Veruca Salt
29 July 2025
Kaliméra. Kai eínai álli mia kaftí.
That is good morning followed by it's another hot one.
And it is. I've just emptied the washing machine and gone outside to hang some clothes on the mobile washing line.
All my clothes... is the fact that Julie often emphasises.
"I stood ironing for two hours and there was only two things of mine," she said.
It's her stock saying when the task of ironing is bestowed upon her. And she hates it when it's new stuff as I never take the labels off... And I'm always ordering new stuff!
I got up at 8:30 am (GMT+2).
I did get up for about two hours around 2:00 am as I was tossing and turning, so I came downstairs and wrote up a couple of scenes.
Yesterday, I did a quite a bit before knocking off.
I called at Nikos - the auto electrician who said that he'll fit me the new car radio on Wednesday morning, and I dropped the car into the petrol station where the Bulgarian auto mechanic gave the FTO an oil change whilst we called into a coffee shop whilst he did it.
It certainly needed one. The same oil must have been in it post co-vid.
As for the coffee shop - Mr Bean's, I'll pass.
All the drinks are in cartons and I opted for a Mocha and he sugared the fucking thing without me asking.
We had a few beers at the beach bar on Ayia Trias and called in at The Cottage on Vrysoudian - the main coastal road between Penara and Kapparis, and had a couple of beers and a chicken kebab.
Well, I did. Julie had a couple of wines and Sheftalia's, the latter of which is like a Cyprus sausage made from ground lamb shoulder and/or pork - sort of dependent where you buy it from, and which is best cooked on coals.
When Jamie and Lianne came over to the house last summer - Jamie had some in Protaras and they were €19.
His mum told him, that is because it's a holiday spot that rips off tourists. They are generally between €6-9 if you eat locally. I think George at The Cottage charged €8.50, but there was a lot of them.
Animation. Opposite is Jack Harrington and Jeannie Layne.
As I think I have mentioned before, both characters are in Series 1 as kids.
In Series 2 they are what you see opposite.
The Layne's (Teddy and Alice) live next door to The Mellor's (John and Maureen).
Teddy is an amazing character and sort of has Jack thrust upon him by Anita Pallenburg - his niece.
It is a relationship that prospers, as Teddy sees a lot of himself in Jack. And both daughters - Jody, and more so Jeannie, absolutely adore him being around.
I liked writing Jack up.
In other news, Julie has just booked us to come back out on 31 August.
Day 208
Jack Harrington and Jeannie Layne
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) A 28 second animation of Jack Harrington and Jeannie Layne.
I tried this on a plain background and it was shit.
I stuck a bright kitchen behind them and it was much better. I am thinking that the animation software likes something to anchor on to.
That aside - the animation was created from three frames with transitions.
Music: Lovebirds by Dodgy
28 July 2025
Good morning.
I got up at 9:00 am (GMT+2).
I'd say I had a lazy one, but I could have easily got up at 3:00 am as I was tossing and turning for a good couple of hours.
An overactive mind and stomach coupled with the fact that the air conditioning wasn't touching me as it is really hot.
I didn't check yesterday's temperature but it must have been around 40°c.
I didn't do a lot outside of writing up The A's.
We drove to the supermarket to get some fresh food - salad, fruit etc., called to a coffee shop, this time the Clock Cafe on Paralimni's April Avenue, where I had a Macchiato and Julie a Frappé cappuccino.
We had a few hours at the beach bar at Ayia Trias - which with it being Sunday and in peak season, was manic, as you tend to get everyone and their grandmother down there.
We got back and I had my first dip in the pool of the year.
In the evening we called up at the Lionheart bar and ate at the Bulgarian open kitchen thereafter running out of steam - falling asleep on one of the sofa's with the headphones on - Saturday's very early start catching up with me.
Anyway, I am now totally refreshed!
Animation. Opposite is another animation of Jacob Gotleib and Jenny Mellor.
Little Jenny means everything to the Gotleib's (Jacob and Christie).
The question is why?
I tried Jenny with a Vans hoodie on. It animated okay with her drinking the milk and eating toast.
Keeping complex logos intact whilst animating the person wearing the gear is a job in itself.
It works on a close-up - but when animating at distance it is literally wank!
Day 207
Jacob Gotleib and Jenny Mellor
It's all about the Vans logo
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) A 38 second animation of Jacob Gotleib with Jenny Mellor.
I created this with four frames and transitions from an image I made with Adobe Photoshop 2025.
Music: Love is All by Ronnie James Dio - the former Black Sabbath front man.
27 July 2025
Kaliméra.
Kánei zésti.
That means good morning and it is hot.
What a day yesterday was. We were delayed a staggering seven (7) fucking hours include an hour on the runway.
By the time they called our flight we'd done over £160 in Nolito's Italian Bar and Grill and I'd drained the battery on my laptop editing The A's.
There was a socket in our booth, but it was broke and I couldn't get the plug in.
Julie went around to the priority lounge a couple of times to see if we can gain access, but with it being peak hours and the school holidays, the airport was mad.
I was happy enough as the food was a thousand times better and they served Peroni on draught... £8.50 a pint. And I thought the Red Lion was expensive! As in Heathrow, you can order off the app on the table, which to someone like me is addictive. Especially when it comes to side orders!
We didn't get any reasons for the delay from WizzAir but the taxi driver explained that with all the fires it had created a lot of humidity and a thick fog and all the flights had had to be diverted into Paphos.
Anyway, we are here now.
My first job was sticking the hose in the swimming pool as with the high temperatures and us not being here the water level had dropped. I also had to shift some ants as I'd had a Cornetto-type ice cream before I went to bed and left the wrapper on the kitchen tops which is always a mistake, as there are always ants scouting for food. Anyway, I ruined their morning. Next job up is recoupling the battery on the car and washing it.
A couple of cups of coffee first, though.
I'll put some animation up later.
Day 206
26 July 2025
It is 3:20 am.
Our flight out to Cyprus has been delayed by an hour.
Delays often happen, but this flight is generally okay. I'm assuming that the problem is at the Larnaca end as over the last few days there has been wildfires on the island - the worst in 50 years say some news outlets.
As I've said before, our flight is like a return flight in that it flies out from Larnaca to Luton - refuels, and flies back out with the same pilot and cabin crew.
That aside, I've backed up the magazine onto my external hard drive and my rucksack is half-packed.
This time I'm taking over a Blaupunkt Milano 200 BT Car Radio to be fitted. The radio that's in the car works but the CD player does not, and this new one has both USB and Bluetooth (BT) capability so it can play from your phone.
Right - I'll hopefully see you in Luton Airport.
---
Right - here goes.
It is 9:18 am and we are in Nolito's Italian Bar & Grill in Luton Airport and I'm on the airport's very slow WiFi.
The reason being, is that our flight is now mega delayed, so much so, we couldn't get access to the priority lounge until 11:00 am-ish. This, according to the self-proclaimed pie eating champion of Priority Lounge employees, is because we can only have access two hours before.
I can't understand her attitude as fat people are supposed to be happy and jolly.
Our flight is NOW up on screen with a delay of 2:40 pm.
No idea what the problem is, just that I've done in well over £60 on breakfast and coffee's. I'm not complaining, however as the scrambled egg and salmon on sour dough and the extra Italian sausages were well nice. And my Macchiatos were spot on. In fact, I'm on my third now. Julie is more of a Latte or cappuccino-person.
The booth we are in isn't bad either. Plenty of room.
We came in here a few years ago when the lounge was allegedly full of pre-paying customers. As I've said before, we get in on the Priority Pass which is issued with Julie's American Express Platinum Card.
Anyway, gripe over. Well, not a gripe about the breakfast as that was great fun - just about the delay.
I stuck some Jenny animation up opposite, which I've had up before. The Jenny character asset animates great.
Day 205
Videos
Jenny Mellor with Teddy Edward
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
25 July 2025
I was up at 6:30 am.
Julie was already up and had taken the dog through the woods on what is a beautiful morning with temperatures - according to the Met Office, expected to hit 26°c this afternoon.
Julie is going to see her mum today as we fly out to Cyprus in the morning. She's taking her down some clothes that she bought for her from MandM Direct... and some tongs... as the lady who is the regular hairdresser down at the Old Folks Home has had an accident and fractured either an arm or a leg. Not sure which!
Her sister has also gone away, which I'm told she didn't really want to do.
The reasoning. Family shit.
It happens. We've had loads of it, so welcome to our world. You just hit it full-on and deal with it.
Her son - and obviously our nephew, has just split with his fiancée - and only a month or so before they were due to be married.
The nephew is hardly Cary Grant - far from it, but I personally, wouldn't lose too much sleep over her as she's the size of our fridge, which is absolutely fucking disgusting being that she's only a young kid.
Anyway - apparently, she told him that she didn't love him anymore.
The reasoning... and as ever - is that she's been knocking off some other guy.
Good look to the kid. His Aldi-food shop on a weekend, when she moves in will be absolutely immense!
Other stuff. The tree surgeon came yesterday teatime and took the keys for the gate that accesses the front drive. The four trees, I am told are coming down tomorrow... and whilst we are away... so hopefully all goes as planned.
I had a couple of hours working on The A's last night. Just edits, and today I'm planning to do the same.
Animation. I'm still not happy with the software but I managed to knock out a short video of Gaynor and Mason this morning, and with minimal cropping.
Anyway - it's up opposite.
The background, I perceive as being Maureen's kitchen.
In 3D it will be a completely different environment, but at least the setting gives you an idea.
As for Gaynor, in Series 1, she constantly tries to get the upper hand, but it in the main, it never really works, as Mason is far too clever.
By the look of Gaynor - she could have just caught on with Jenny around this time...
The Mason character will look slightly different in 3D as his eyes will certainly be more defined. In 2D I can only do so much.
I think that I'll go with grey as he is different from other kids and in real-life, I don't know anyone with grey eyes!
Day 204
The Full Time Job: Placating Gaynor
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) A 23 second animation of Gaynor Mellor and Mason Green in the kitchen of 8 Marquis Gardens, Chiswick Green.
I created this using just three frames with transitions and from three images pieced together in Adobe Photoshop 2025.
Music: Feel So Good by The Brian Jonestown Massacre
24 July 2025
A very good morning to you.
I was up at 5:30 am and through the woods with the dog.
There were quite a few rabbits around, but not as many as there was a few weeks ago.
The reason?
Vulpes vulpes. The fox.
The dog chased a one into the cornfield the other day, and was chasing another in the woods this morning, so that may well be the reason.
As I have completed the magazine bar waiting for advertisements to come in, I gave myself the day off, yesterday.
My task?
Jet washing the patio, front drive, and around the house, which was followed by spraying commercial weed killer. It is quite a large area so it is quite time consuming.
Julie's car was taken via the AA to Johnny Hanson's garage in Crowle. It has a fuel delivery problem, or that's what the mechanics diagnostics told him. It's supposedly a common problem, with the MultiAir system on the car.
It can't be that common as it's the first time it has happened with hers!
Fingers crossed it's not the turbocharger.
The animation software was doing my head in the past few days - the lack of consistency more than anything.
A few days ago I did several animations on the non pro software, where I pushed the boundaries and thought, Fucking hell - that is awesome, which was shortly by the remake of the 1970s Flake advert.
My so-called boundary pushing animation, I won't be putting up on here, as it is that good I want to use it in the series itself.
As I've said numerous times. Nothing that appears on here on the blog, will actually be part of the series as it is me just learning the animation process.
Day 203
Photograph Album
54 x 30 cm, 16:9 widescreen
(Above) Two high resolution images of the Gaynor Mellor character.
Top. At the hairdressers. Bottom. At the beauty salon in White City.
I animated both in the exact same way - however, both turned out differently.
The contrasting of colours was correct, the resolutions spot on, therefore it has to be the software.
(Above) Two high resolution images of the Angie Mellor character.
Top. In her bedroom. Bottom. The 1970s Flake Girl.
The colours in the bottom image were out of this world.
23 July 2025
I was up at 6:40 am and through the woods with the dog.
What was strange this morning is that the dog did all the walk off her lead. We have two legs of the walk - the main A161 road from the traffic lights to the garden centre, and the town's Church Street and High Street to negotiate, so I generally stick her on the lead in a "just in case" scenario.
Anyway, she seemed to appreciate the trust!
We finally have the tree surgeon - Lewis Arrand, coming on Friday to lop down those four trees in the front garden. Once that's done, then we can get a new lawn put down. However, and this is a big however... to put a new lawn down when there's a hosepipe ban would be an act of stupidity - therefore, it'll be probably September when that happens.
In other news the odd job guy and his odd job assistant came around and cleared the gutters and replaced a couple of tiles... fucking £210!
He did me a favour with his 40-foot ladders, however - and washed this long window (and frame) we have that the window cleaner refuses to wash with it being so high awkward to get to.
I helped. I gave him the bottle of Gif, a scourer, two cloths and a spray bottle glass cleaner - the latter of which Julie uses to clean the cooker top with. And I have to say, he did a cracking job!
Mmm. Julie's car didn't fire up today. It sounds like a problem with either fuel delivery, spark, or the MultiAir system. To be continued.
To be fair, it's never caused much of a problem bar a dead battery and batteries for the alarm.
On the animation front, the software was playing me up yesterday and is so today, and no matter what I did/do it wouldn't do as I asked. This generally happens when it is being upgraded, so fingers crossed that it is only temporary.
Opposite is the best I could do from five frames.
Music. Radio Caroline played Gunslinger by Natalie Bergman... Not bad, however you wanna watch the video...
I couldn't believe it when I saw it...
I was talking to Johnny Welsh yesterday and I told him that I'm reading the tea leaves rather too well as I've predicted a lot of what has happened as I'd pre-written it up in The A's... certainly from a political angle... and now this video... the 1960s, RAF logo?
Am I being stalked for ideas?.
Day 202
Gaynor Mellor: The Hairdressers
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) A 25 second animation of Gaynor Mellor at the hairdressers.
I created this from an image made by Adobe Photoshop 2025 along with five frames and cross dissolve transmissions.
I have to admit - the animation software has been absolute garbage the last two days and I've been dumping more than I've been cutting.
It really needs to have the ability to handle bigger files as the "at distance" animation is not very good.
22 July 2025
Good morning.
I was up at 6:10 am, which wasn't bad considering I didn't get to bed until after 1:00 am and around 2:30 am I was awoken by the dog barking.
That fucking cat in the garden... again!
I was working late on my day job and just putting the final pieces together. It can be never ending as you always find something else to put in... and then it's a job of juggling things to make it fit.
Opposite is an animation ending with Angie Mellor coming out of a bar in London.
Did she ever go in a bar and come out on her own?
Not in the story she didn't - but nor did Gaynor or any other female. This is made apparent all the way through Series 1, as London is on the edge, and at times can be a very dangerous place..
For all Mason's idiosyncrasies, Maureen and John Mellor immediately take note that wherever their youngest daughter is, or indeed ends up, she always phones or texts to let them know exactly where she is... as does Mason with his gran - Ana Reung.
"He keeps her safe," said Maureen.
That is a huge understatement as in Series 2, more and more stories keep getting told - most of which you never saw in Series 1.
Music. Nothing much has jumped out at me on Radio Caroline.
There has been a few tracks: Teenage Fanclub's Foreign Land, REM's Can't Get There from Here, Roxanne Fontana's Daydream in the Dark -the latter of which is very much like a track that could have been knocked out by the Brian Jonestown Massacre. She sings about as good (sic) as their lead man, Anton Newcombe as well!
As for the REM track. It's an early one... 40 years old, in fact, and as with their Don't Go Back To Rockville, it has a bit of Country & Western feel to it.
REM are a quite a good band who evolved with the times.
Day 201
Angie Mellor: Cue. Camera. Action!
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) A 77 second animation ending with Angie Mellor coming out of a bar in London.
It's just a montage of frames as the software has been playing up again and the quality it is knocking out is fairly shit if I'm being honest - especially the facial features.
Background music: Already Yours by Curve.
21 July 2025
Good morning.
I was up at 7:10 am after having an interrupted sleep and being awake half the night tossing and turning.
Having an overactive mind doesn't help!
Yesterday, was a watershed moment in that I actually created something that I could maybe use in The A's - that being the Flake advert that never was.
I can maybe put it on the screen of a laptop in Series 2, so Jenny can show her school mates.
In the episode that I was working on - which is the fourth one out of 12 in Series 2 - Desk Wanker, Jenny is winning over her friends one by one, but there are one or two that are still not that nice with her.
"Stick with it and something special will happen," her father told her.
I think I've mentioned that before.
Today, I've got some imagery to drop into the magazine and I'm done.
I've got the local odd job man coming around some time today with his 50-foot ladders to clean the gutters out as with all the heavy rain, the are full of shite down the side of the house.
The other job that needs doing is the lopping down of the four trees at the front of the house.
It appears that the tree surgeon just doesn't want the job as he keeps on putting it off. Now, he's not responding to my text messages. Getting any form of tradesmen where we live is a fucking nightmare, be it plumbers, electricians, builders or whatever.
Anyway - let's see what today brings...
Day 200
Angie Mellor: The 1970s Flake Girl
In Monochrome
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) The 1970s Flake Girl commercial rendered in monochrome with different sized frames
20 July 2025
Good afternoon.
A late one today as our Jamie called round for his breakfast around 9:00 am and we called in at the annual Crowle Show, of which his wife - Lianne, is the chairperson.
We had an hour there and walked back to the car before it absolutely fucking hounded it down.
It has been glorious weather for the last few weeks and as soon as a rural market town wants to show everyone what it's all about - bang!
So sad. Lots of hard work, only to be washed out.
We did our bit.
We bought two £25 vouchers from the Red Lion and The Industry Bar and Grill as raffle prizes, and we picked one up from Omar at the Curry Leaf. Hopefully we might win them back when the raffle gets drawn!
The animation opposite. Wow.
This is possibly the hardest animation that I have done so far, as I managed to get everything in Angie's mouth apart from the fucking Flake!
In the end, I chalked fuck on it and let her have some Japanese chocolate instead!
The colours, however - are outstanding, and Angie... well she looks awesome.
The story... and there is one...
The original, was one of my favourite adverts on TV when I was a kid... the haunting music mainly.
The story is, that Angie did a remake of the advertisement as a 21 year old in 2020, but the agency who did it, got dropped and it never appeared on TV.
She got £500 for it and that was as far as she ever went for her as regards a career in TV.
In Series 1 it never got really mentioned; but in Series 2 it does.
It is the episode where Jenny Mellor and her Uncle Pat are rummaging around in the loft for photos of her mum and dad - Gaynor and Mason.
"What - Auntie Angie was on telly?" she asked.
Her uncle Pat explained what happened and Jenny... well Jenny was just being Jenny.
"I'd definitely sit in the middle of a field and eat chocolate all day for five hundred pounds."
Day 199
Angie Mellor: The 1970s Flake Girl
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) A 30 second animation of Angie Mellor as the 1970s Flake Girl.
I created the image using Adobe Photoshop 2025 along with around eight or nine frames with as many transitions along with a partial reverse loop.
She looks absolutely awesome!
19 July 2025
Good morning.
I was up a 5:30 am and through the woods with the dog.
According to the Met Office it is going to be slinging down for most of the day, so maybe it will break this humidity we are having... Maybe.
I cracked on with my day job yesterday and I am just about completed.
I also trialled some animation with both the pro and non pro software. Pushing boundaries, really.
I was going to put some of it up on here, but I'll wait until I do a music video, as it's a bit erotic...
Opposite if you're on a laptop or PC is an animation of the Angie character doing some ad-hoc modelling (again).
As I've mentioned before, Astrid Karcherr is one of Gaynor's crowd who is at university studying photography and from time to time Angie sits for her.
It is only touched upon in Series 1 but is made quite apparent in Series 2 when Uncle Pat takes Jenny up into the loft looking for photographs of her mum and dad.
It's quite a nice scene as are most scenes with Pat and Jenny.
"What - Auntie Angie was a model?" asked Jenny whilst looking at the photo's.
"Not a professional one - she just used to do it for one of your mam's mates... Your mam did as well," said Uncle Pat.
"What - mam did?"
When Jenny came down to London lots of things began to overwhelm her, namely finding out who her parents really are.
Day 198
Angie Mellor: The Monochrome Girl
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) This is a 17 second single frame animation of Angie Mellor that I created with Adobe Photoshop 2025.
Yesterday, I pushed the boundaries on different animation software and it was the non pro software that was reproducing the best...
18 July 2025
A very good morning to you.
I was up at 6:50 am.
Julie was already out through the woods with the dawg!
It must have rained through the night - however, it is still as muggy - if that is indeed a word. I should have really said "humid".
Yesterday was another work day which went as planned, and today I should have more or less completed the magazine from a news and features point of view, which should give me a full two weeks to concentrate on The A's - including a week in Cyprus.
Animation. The software has been all over the place over the last couple of days - the non pro software more so.
I have no idea what is happening.
The animation opposite is of the Gaynor character supposedly in the Beauty Salon up in White City, which is owned by a lady by the name of Nadine Bocianowski - a.k.a Nadine Box, who is the wife of Henry.
Nadine is also on the board of the West London and South Thames Chamber of Commerce with Mason's gran - Ana Reung, therefore, anything that happens with Gaynor, and indeed Mason, gets relayed back and forth, which at times can be quite funny.
Notice the itching?
There is one instance towards the end of Series 1, when there are four or five ladies having a meeting at 24 Boelyn Mews, which is Ana's flat underneath her grandson's - 24A.
Now that is funny.
The music to the animation in my opinion is part of one of the greatest intro's of a song, ever - that being Good Morning by The Dandy Warhols.
If you put music to an animation, you really have to use shorter clips, as I did in the introduction video - where Elastica knock out the grunge track - Stutter.
Since I did that, the quality of the animation is 150% better and by the time I come to produce the series I'm hoping it will be another 150%.
I keep saying it, but just needs to reproduce at 4K and accept bigger files.
Some of the bloopers I have may have frustrated the life out of me, but they aren't half funny.
In the salon opposite - I have Gaynor walking straight through the glass window of the shop and on to the street without a care in the world!
Day 197
Gaynor Mellor: The Salon
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
This is a 79 second animation of Gaynor Mellor in the beauty salon up in White City.
I created this using around nine frames, several transitions and a reverse loop.
Animating at distance is still a problem and the end frame is about as far as I can go before I lose the resolution.
Music: Good Morning by The Dandy Warhols.
17 July 2025
A belated Good morning.
I had something of a lay-in in that it was 7:20 am when I awoke.
Yesterday, I absolutely hammered my day job and wast still working at 11:00 pm. Hopefully, today I will be nearer completion as I fancy having a day off tomorrow.
I keep saying that tomorrow, I will do this and that and it never materialises as there is always something else that crops up. Just lately it has been the great weather and the pub that's been calling!
Animation. Opposite is Gaynor with Clara's younger sister, Debi.
Nobody knew more than Gaynor, what it was like to be 14-years old.
"That's a horrible age," she told Clara, whilst having their first meal together.
Clara lived in cramp conditions in a two-up-two down with her sister and parents, Don and Joyce - her one hope of getting out of there, being her boyfriend - Augie Doggie (Dorian Ogley).
"My mam’s idea of a career is finding a decent bloke who doesn’t drink and gamble, and who could possibly work long enough to get us on the housing ladder," Clara said to Gaynor.
"And Augie?"
"He drinks and gambles …and at twenty-three, still lives with his mum."
Gaynor was always nice with Clara's kid sister and sometimes they took her to their Yoga classes through the week - however, to go out was what she really wanted, but the furthest that ever went - and solely down to her big sister, was a burger and a Coke or Shake in the Speedibar.
"Not happening," said Clara. "You're not old enough."
Debi saw Gaynor as the posh girl that had everything and was in absolute awe.
And Debi wasn't the only one.
Day 196
Gaynor Mellor and Debi Margieson
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) This is a very NOISY 82 second ( 1:22 min ute) animation of Gaynor Mellor with Clara Margieson's often troublesome 14-year old sister, Debi.
I created this with eight frames, several video transitions and a reverse loop.
The animation software has been all over the shop today and from what I've learned, it absolutely fucking hates brown hair!
Music: Pipedown by Babyshambles..
16 July 2025
Good morning.
I was up at 5:45 am and through the woods with the dog.
A nice cool morning.
Another work day beckons.
I was shagged out by 5:00 pm yesterday, so we ended up going for a couple at the Red Lion, which rather strangely got quite full, which is not just unusual for a Tuesday night - but unusual full stop.
Fillet steak tonight, so we are definitely staying in!
Music. I played a few albums by The Eels last night.
Mark Everett - the lead man. What an absolute talent.
One of my favourite albums is Electro Shock Blues (1998) - however, A Man Called E (1992) is absolutely up there.
Never heard of them?
Jim Carrey - the very funny and talented actor, albeit the very woke wanker, was in a film called Yes Man (2008), and outside of Third Eye Blind's Jumper, and a couple of other non-descript tracks, The Eels, did every song as part of its soundtrack. Nine, I think.
They even did a few tracks on Jon Bokenkamp's award winning cult series The Blacklist.
My favourite Eels song?
I like 3 Speed, Efils God and Antfarm, but I have to be honest - there are so many to choose from.
Could I use any?
I don't think so.
The A's is very It Girly and 100 miles per hour, therefore, I don't think the music would be a good match.
Animation. Opposite is a 46 second shot of Jenny Mellor and Jacob Gotleib - the merchant banker.
Jacob is showing Jenny something on the computer and Jenny being Jenny, picks it up straightaway... and Jacob? He rarely ever smiles.
Jacob is a background character for much of Series 1. There is a reason for this, but I can't say why, as it would be giving too much away.
A couple of things that I can tell you, however.
1. The scars on his face come from when he was a young man and conscripted to the Israeli military.
2. In Series 2, and without fail - Jenny Mellor sees Jacob and his wife, Christie, for a couple of hours every Saturday morning.
Jacob is the ultimate character.
Day 195
Jenny Mellor and Jacob Gotleib
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) A 46 second animation of Jenny Mellor and Jacob Gotleib.
I created this using five frames and several transitions from an image that I knocked out with Adobe Photoshop 2025.
Again, the background colours don't help the animation, but I was working from my laptop and I didn't have my external hard drive to hand.
To offset that, I put some incidental music to it, which is the Cat Stevens-penned First Cut is the Deepest sung by Rod Stewart (1977)... who happens to be Johnny Welsh's favourite singer...
John Welsh? He might be real, but he is also a character in The A's!
15 July 2025
Déjà vu
I woke up at 6:00 am on hearing the back door slam shut downstairs. It was Julie taking the dog out.
I got up, stuck Radio Caroline on and fired up the kettle. Take Me On by A-ha, Ashes to Ashes by David Bowie and Whole Lotta Rosie by AC/DC were the first three tracks up - the latter of which is a tremendous song if you're that way inclined
I was working on my day job until midnight and trying to collate the technical information regarding a multi-million €uro job in southern Ireland - that being the N22 Farranfore to Killarney Project - which, if I'm being honest, was like trying to draw blood out of a stone.
Anyway, it's done - thank fuck!
The weather has cooled down considerably, therefore, I'll do some cardio today.
My cardio had been replaced for the last week by us eating out and drinking - the top meal being at the Curry Leaf on Sunday evening.
One of the waiters - Skip, who I've known over 20 years, makes sure that the chicken is always ultra-tender as there's is nothing more off-putting in a curry than wrestling with Foghorn Leghorn's undercooked brother.
It's the same with the prawns at the Red Ruby in Ayia Napa. Just cook the frigging things a bit longer!
I did nothing on The A's yesterday, as I was breaking the back of my day job. I should have most of the magazine wiped off by Friday, making me well ahead of schedule.
Animation. Opposite is something that I wasn't going to do but which I ended up doing anyway.
Using the same character asset and pose I initially created two 20 second animations by cutting a few frames in two different environments.
The first one was absolute dross and the second, I ended up extending as I thought it was that good.
The same asset and pose, yet they both turned out different.
Why?
The quality of the background is all I can put it down to.
I've now been doing this for 193 days - not intensely, but learning through the preconstruction phase, and the colouring and the backgrounds is what helps the animation process no end.
Dark on Light; light on dark; dark and light on light and dark. It makes one hell of a difference. As does dropping an asset on a high resolution background taken with a camera as opposed to a pre-generated background.
Anyway, that's enough boring tech for today...
The bathroom animation is the first time I've managed to get the asset dancing without really losing quality. It's still not perfect, but that perfection will come - hence why I'm still in the preconstruction phase.
The music is good, however... Feeder - an immensely underrated band in their day... I even took time to fade it out at the end.
Day 194
Gaynor Mellor: In the Bathroom
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) Music: Cement by Feeder.
This is a 200 second ( 2:20 min ute) animation of Gaynor Mellor in the bathroom dancing, and then talking to the person holding the camera - which would be Mason Green (Series 1).
I created this from around 12 frames - which I split into two frames from the original full body image that I created with Adobe Photoshop 2025, and then added a further image, after relieving the Gaynor asset of her jacket and dress.
I was going to stick with a 20 second animation, but I was enjoying listening to the music, therefore it turned into a bit of a music video!
I need to perfect the dancing as in Series 1, as Gaynor and her crowd are always in The Met in Hammersmith and the Knights Templar up in Notting Hill - both of which play good music.
...And Walking in the Rain
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Poor Quality - Example Only)
(Above) A 19 second animation of the Gaynor Mellor character walking in the rain.
I put this up to show the difference when you are animating with a poor low resolution background v's a good solid one.
This is a poor one which I generated using Adobe Firefly.
The contrasting of colours - light on dark and dark on light also makes a huge difference. Here it is shite.
If you want brilliant - then use a camera to get a high resolution background - and use dark on light or vice versa.
That ALWAYS works better.
14 July 2025
Good morning.
I woke up at 6:30 am on hearing the back door slam shut downstairs.
Julie took the dog out this morning. The exact same dog that interrupted our sleep at 1:30 am barking her head off.
I went downstairs to let her out and flipped on the torch only to see her chasing around the patio after a cat that had already gone.
Yesterday, I had a full day working on The A's and thoroughly enjoyed it, as the story is not only flowing better, but picking up momentum.
I'm very happy with it.
The animation opposite is of Dawn Penn.
I named the character after the Jamaican reggae singer who in 1967 released the brilliant albeit rather haunting track, You Don't Love Me (No, No, No).
I needed another arc in Series 1 and Dawn was it.
As I said yesterday, Dawn met Mason in the period before Gaynor and came back into his life mid-point in Series 1, which for a time rattled his soon-to-be fiancée.
The bikini scene, with Dawn, never actually happens in the series. I did it solely for you to get a picture of why Gaynor became so intense about Dawn's presence when around Mason.
There is however, a bikini scene, but with a character by the name of Claire Milz, who is the wife of the highly-flawed A.J (Arthur) - a degenerate gambler, with a master's degree in architecture who runs his own firm south of the water.
A.J was sort of based on my mate - Johnny Welsh.
This happens in Series 1 when Mason goes missing and Gaynor goes looking for him.
There is a link, however...
The Girl in the Mirror (2023) is a lovely song by the Wakefield-born punk singer, Louise Distras, which gave me the idea for the Dawn character.
If you get chance, listen to the words and you'll maybe see why.
Day 193
Dawn Penn: The Girl in the Mirror
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) This is a 34 second animation of Dawn Penn.
I created this using five frames from an image that I created using Adobe Photoshop 2025.
13 July 2025
I was up at 4:00 am and out through the woods with the dog an hour later.
It's hot and uncomfortable and my stomach is doing cartwheels.
We had a fry-up late last night.
We'd only nipped up to the Red Lion for a drink with the dog after I'd been working all day and Julie had been over at the Old People's-stroke-Nursing Home to see her mum.
Some friends we know - Darren and Sarah, came in, so we ended up staying a bit longer than we had planned.
We first met them post-Co-vid when Fat Fred - the owner of the pub, tried to get more people in and went down the route of making it dog-friendly.
Their dog is called Bear and as is his name suggests - he is massive.
Well, yesterday, they came in minus the dog and we had a couple of drinks with them as they had come into town to pick up a curry.
Opposite is an animation of June Penn the face on the reception when you enter the premises of The Greenford Group of companies in Series 2.
Mason Green and June's daughter, Dawn have history, but not like you would think. Well, certainly not like Gaynor thought.
In Series 1, the June character isn't very forthcoming and is most unlike her daughter.
There is maybe a reason for this.
June had Dawn when she was just 15 years old and they moved around a bit before she was caught on with her second child, "Melly".
That story is sort of mid-point in Series 1, when Gaynor finds out that Dawn has just moved into the flat over the bakery that she uses in the fictitious Little Brittany part of Hammersmith.
It is a time when the alarm bells starting ringing and the green monster comes out to play.
It is quite humorous watching Gaynor's head move "tennis-style" and side-to-side when Mason is speaking to the opposite sex.
It is also something Jenny Mellor does when her mum is talking to her dad.
In Series 2, the rather attractive 42-year old that is June, is working for Greenford and is seen as being more outgoing.
Music. Elvis Costello was being played on Radio Caroline this morning - Five Small Words (2010). A tidy song.
Wanna amazing factoid?
Elvis Costello's dad both wrote and was the voice behind the R Whites Lemonade advert - I'm a Secret Lemonade Drinker.
Day 192
June Penn: The Face of Greenford
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) A 31 second animation of June Penn.
I created this by breaking the original image that I created in Adobe Photoshop 2025 into two segments and using four frames with a few transitions, I rendered the animation.
12 July 2025
I was up at 5:00 am and out through the woods with the hound.
What another lovely morning.
I'm currently in the kitchen on my laptop. The door is open, I have a coffee in front of me and I have Radio Caroline on, who are knocking out a nothing track called Knockout by the vastly overrated Bon Jovi.
All these American 'not quite' heavy metal-type groups tend to sound the same. Just middle-aged noise.
Yesterday was another hot one.
I did zero cardio and around 5:30 pm we nipped up to the Red Lion and I had Fish and Chips, whilst Julie had Beef Bourguignon, the latter of which, was surprisingly nice.
The animation opposite would be from Series 2 and is of course Jenny Mellor with her granddad - John Mellor.
I really enjoyed animating this
As I know the story, I obviously know what has gone before, so to see John with his granddaughter is extremely satisfying.
In the words of Ana Reung and indeed Jacob Gotleib - John and his wife Maureen are extremely good people, and until you watch the series you won't really know how good. And I think the word good is quite the understatement.
Mason Green adored them both and looked up to John.
In Series 1, John has Mason working for him for a week.
John's man-management was first class. He knew exactly who Mason was, and just sat back and let him get on with it - some of which is really funny.
He was broken hearted at the week's end as he didn't want him to leave, such was the bond - as he was, when Gaynor upped the ante and forcibly implimented what was her Long Term Plan, whereby she moved-in full time with Mason.
John always complained about them being in the house - mainly the noise - however, he never really meant it.
But that was just John.
"Just enjoy the quiet whilst we have it," said Maureen.
"Grandkids?" John smiled.
Gaynor's Long Term Plan was: "Engagement, good careers, nice house, marriage, and two kids, so we can all enjoy them while we are young."
"Two of 'em," winked Maureen. "Then you'll be complaining about not get your eight hours sleep."
"Definitely Australia, then?" he nodded.
The reality was that John, and indeed Maureen, couldn't wait.
However, only part of that plan ever materialised - that being little Jenny Mellor opposite with her granddad!
As I said - beautiful.
Day 191
Jenny Mellor with her Granddad John
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) A beautiful 35 second animation of Jenny Mellor with her granddad - John Mellor.
I made quite a few frames of this, but only used four of those frames with three transitions.
The animation works very well - possibly, due to the colours.
11 July 2025
Good morning.
I was up at 7:00 am. Mainly because I was tossing and turning all night due to it being stifling.
Generally, the house is cool in summer and warm in winter - however, the upstairs was exceptionally warm - hence why I didn't fancy doing any cardio yesterday.
In Cyprus we have the air-con in every room, so you don't feel the heat.
Trivialities aside... yesterday was a nothing day. Julie racked up home around 1:00 pm due to a combination of reasons - the main one being that she was pissed off and hot. Oh yeah - and the internet at work was down... again.
We nipped over to the Skippingdale Retail Park off the A1077 Phoenix Way (Scunthorpe Bypass) for a visit to Home Bargains.
Generally, it is a Sunday-thing, and the futile exercise of trying to get your car parked whilst all the beef and Yorkshire pudding set are driving around trying to find the space nearest the shops.
Going on a Thursday, I have to say, was a much nicer experience - not so much because of the ease of parking, more the fact that the shelves were better stocked and some of the prices... wow.
Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500 ml was just under £12 earlier on this year. £4.99 yesterday. I bought eight bottles.
The price of Domestos (blue bleach) has been up and down since Co-Vid - from between £1.25 (2 for £2.50) and £1.50 a bottle. £1.19 yesterday. I bought 12 bottles.
Tinned tomatoes. The ultimate base food for most sauces. Generally you can get four for £2 at Iceland or 0.49p a tin at Tesco's - with no brand name.
Four for £2 yesterday - and get this - Heinz.
The only time I've ever seen Heinz tomatoes (just like Heinz sweetcorn) is in Cyprus.
Sorry, I just like shopping.
Me and excess money were never meant to be together!
Around 4:00 pm we called at the Red Lion after walking the dog around the church and had two hours there.
I'd say to cool off, but Dave the barman was absolutely melting behind the bar.
Animation. I needed to explain a bit more regarding the relationship between Clara (Margieson) and Gaynor as this was a beautiful friendship all throughout Series 1.
Opposite is a 30 second video of them circa November 2022.
They met briefly, whilst in The Met in Hammersmith and arranged a meal in Facchetti's Italian Restaurant just after Pat and Angie's wedding (12 November). And the relationship prospered, so much so Clara was - along with Angie Mellor, going to be maid of honour at the wedding that never was in February 2024.
Christmas Eve 2022 is nice.
Clara calls around to Mason's flat.
"She's good for you, eh?" she says, regarding Gaynor.
"I'm talking a lot more," Mason quietly tells her.
Mason had lost his parents just ten months earlier.
Clara had always been a friend.
An hour later Clara is anxiously knocking on Gaynor's door...
Their lives were MAD.
Day 190
Clara Margieson and Gaynor Mellor: Series 1
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) A 30 second animation of Clara Margieson and Gaynor Mellor in Series 1.
I created this from five frames with the odd transition and cross dissolve from images I created with Adobe Photoshop 2025.
I never thought it before, but Clara has a look of Kylie Minogue!
...And in Monochrome
(Above) The 30 second animation done in black and white
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10 July 2025
I was up at 5:45 am - and Julie was out through the woods with the dog, whilst I did its breakfast, emptied the dishwasher, made the bed and kicked up the coffee's.
Julie came back in complaining about the dog nearly ripping her arm out of its socket.
The dog saw a black and white cat... and well, I'm sure you know the rest.
It's glorious outside with the Met Office saying that it will get up to 28°c this afternoon.
When I switched on Radio Caroline, I got Hozier's Take Me to Church, Elton John's Crocodile Rock, Simple Minds' Alive and Kicking and Canned Heat's 1968 hit - Going Up Country as the pick of the tracks
Quite the mixed bag - but all listenable.
Last night I played three albums on the B2 whilst I was in the dining kitchen going through the screenplay of The A's.
Alight of Night by Crystal Stilts, Cuckoo by Curve, and Forever by Cranes - the latter of which is quite haunting.
I managed my 90 minutes cardio - 60 in the afternoon and the 30 around 6:30 pm. I'll try and do the same today.
Animation. Opposite - if you're on a PC or laptop is Clara Margieson, who during Series 1 was the best friend of Gaynor Mellor.
They were both from very different backgrounds.
Gaynor was from a middle class family in leafy Chiswick Green and was very spoiled by her parents...
Clara was not.
She was two years older than Gaynor and was still living with her parents and younger sister - and when they met, was working in a computer and electrical wholesalers in Hammersmith.
Gaynor had her mind set on university and training to be a doctor.
"That posh girl," is how Gaynor was often described, by the Hammersmith-set, not at least by Clara.
Throughout Series 1 they were inseparable - whilst in Series 2 they were not.
"Losing Clara hurt the most," Gaynor said on her return to London. "She was there for me and I just didn't listen."
Clara had known Mason Green all her life - as had her boyfriend - Dorian Ogley, who was the biological grandson of Albert Hands and affectionately known around the borough as Augie Doggie.
Nevertheless, Clara, wouldn't be where she was in Series 2, if it hadn't been for Gaynor.
Day 189
Clara Margieson: Series 2
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) This is a 47 animation of Clara Margieson - the best friend of Gaynor Mellor in Series 1.
I created this using several frames and transitions along with a reverse loop from an image that I created in Adobe Photoshop 2025.
The pro software was very temperamental this morning and was playing up no end.
...And in Monochrome
(Above) The animation of Clara Margieson done in black and white.
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9 July 2025
Good morning.
I was up at 5:50 am and through the woods with the dog.
The no alcohol-thing didn't last long.
When Julie got in from work yesterday evening, we walked the dog, the sun was out, and that was it.
The excuse was that we donate to the Crowle Show.
It is a poor excuse, but it was an excuse all the same.
The Crowle Show is a rural farmers market and a place where vegetables and livestock are shown with prizes etc., in a neighbouring town on the Isle of Axholme. And it's chairman (chairperson) is one of the Crowle town councillors, who just happens to be our daughter-in-law, Lianne.
Julie told her that we would get a voucher for the Red Lion as a raffle prize. We did the same last year.
We also got a £50 voucher for the Curry Leaf which was matched with another voucher donated by the owner and my mate - Omar.
Anyway, the upshot is that after a few drinks we came back with a voucher for the Red Lion.
I need to do an extra 30 minutes cardio today to offset that!
Yesterday was a work day - and trying to get everything in place for the August 2025 magazine.
I need to go back to the screenplay for The A's at some point, as whilst I was on the cross trainer yesterday, the ideas were in full flow.
The thing is with me is although I can work like hell and multi-task with the best, I lack organisation.
Never put off until tomorrow what can be done today is the quote.
I am the complete opposite.
Fuck doing it today, I fancy a beer.
Work hard, play hard?
Hardly.
Nowadays, I know my limitations.
I still work hard, however - and am not averse to putting in 18 hour shifts. And I could never not work - ever.
Anyway - I need to have some continuity with the screenplay, therefore I need to take some time out each night to do that.
Animation. Opposite is Anita and Jenny in the kitchen.
Anita has just bought Jenny some new sneakers and is looking online for her some new clothes.
Jenny gets mega-spoiled by Anita!
In the episode - Desk Wanker, Jenny inquires about what her mum does with the money she gets as Jenny notices that everyone else, spoils her...
"I'm saving up for us a new car," Gaynor tells her.
"I don't need a car," Jenny replies. "Granny and Nita drive me everywhere and them underground trains are mint."
Mint is Jenny's favoutite word secondly followed by innit... And the rhyming slang she picks up along the way is very funny.
"And please speak properly," Gaynor often tells her.
Day 188
Anita Pallenburg and Jenny Mellor
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) A 40 second animation of Anita Pallenburg and Jenny Mellor.
I created this using different fragments from within six frames, with five transitions - one being a cross dissolve.
8 July 2025
Good morning - and what a lovely morning it is.
I was up at 6:25 am and through the woods with the dog.
Yesterday was a tiring one.
I had everything signed off by 10:50 am and was working until 10:00 pm when I eventually called it a day.
I absolutely hammered my day job and managed 60 minutes cardio - as I did on Sunday after flying back from Cyprus.
I'm trying... or we are trying, rather - not to have any alcohol until we get back out on 26 July.
It is certainly do-able but certainly very fucking boring - especially when the sun is out.
Opposite is a 35 second animation of Gaynor learning to ride the Vespa (scooter).
That happens in Series 1, but obviously the animation you see opposite won't be the same in the The A's, as that is being done in 3D - with all the proportions being 100% accurate and the camera angles and all the scenes being a thousand times better.
As I've said before, the pretty girl(s) on the scooter(s) is a big thing in The A's. As are the clothes and the music.
Style plays a huge part.
"All your beautiful little people", as Julie refers to them.
In the episode - Desk Wanker; the one which I was working on, whilst in Cyprus, Jenny Mellor - the seven-year-old boffin that wears glasses and gets moved up, has to come to terms with girls three years older than her, some of whom aren't that nice.
And it can be upsetting.
It isn't that long before things start changing... and some of this has to do with the girl opposite, trying to handle the scooter.
"I was great friends with your mum," the new maths teacher says after the penny eventually drops.
"What was she like? asked Jenny's school mate and Form Captain, Elsie Gabbitas.
"Jenny's mum? Wow - she was the It Girl."
Part of the storyline was always going to be about the archetypal ugly duckling that blossoms into a swan.
And the Gaynor and Jenny characters are very, very alike.
Gaynor says to Mason in Series 1: "I wish I'd met you when I was younger."
"What - when you were ugly?" Mason asks.
"Christ no..." she replies. "Sort of six months earlier..."
Day 187
Gaynor Mellor: The Vespa
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) A 35 second animation of Gaynor Mellor first learning to ride a Vespa.
I created this with six frames and a few transitions.
Animating moving objects in 2D is fraught with problems.
3D will be much better, but nevertheless - outside of the first frame, it's not bad.
And in Monochrome...
(Above) The 35 second animation of Gaynor first learning to ride a Vespa rendered in black and white...
Very 1960s.
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7 July 2025
Good morning from the Isle of Axholme in a very wet North Lincolnshire.
I was up at 4:30 am. I'm still two hours ahead on Cyprus time - GMT+2.
On getting back in the UK it absolutely fucking hounded it down.
The journey back from Luton - from getting on the M1 at Junction 10A to getting off the M18 at Junction 5 was extremely interesting. The rain was that bad at times, that the traffic just about came to a standstill, with 40 mph limits all the way up the M1 being the norm.
Julie picked up the dog and took her out during a short window of no rain - or she thought, and came back in looking like a drowned rat. On getting through the woods the heavens opened and she copped the full force of the storm.
That aside, the dog was really pleased to see us.
I completed the July issue of the magazine when I got in. Nothing much, just some new adverts to place and the front cover photograph. I'll upload that to the printers shortly.
Animation. I've not done a Gaynor animation for a while, so there is one opposite.
It is a Series 1 image that I created quite a while ago using Adobe Photoshop 2025, and one that I didn't size correctly as I didn't know then what I know now.
The ultimate cliché, eh?
That is the Gaynor character in Series 2.
"How could I have been such a flipping idiot?" she says to her mum.
"I have no idea, love - it's just another thing that you are really good at," her mum replies.
"Thanks for that."
Day 186
Gaynor Mellor: The Art of Seduction
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) A 39 second animation of Gaynor Mellor in what looks like a hall destined for a wedding reception.
I created this using four frames cut into three segments from the original image with transitions.
What should be noted is that the original image that I created with Adobe Photoshop 2025 wasn't sized accordingly.
I should create at a maximum resolution of 300 dpi and not crop down to 30x54 cm (16:9 widescreen) until all the image is completed.
As it is, the "at distance" animation loses its quality and just recently that hasn't been the case.
The preconstruction phase - is one where I rectify the mistakes, and this is one.
Try to use the highest resolution possible!
Gaynor Mellor: The Art of Seduction
In Monochrome
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
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6 July 2025
An earlier than normal Good morning to you.
A long day beckons.
It is 01:35 am (GMT+2).
The taxi will be here in just under an hour to take us to Larnaca Airport. I've just put the car up the drive and uncoupled the battery.
We are back out here in 20 days, so it should have been okay to leave it coupled, but I didn't want any unnecessary drain on the new battery.
Julie booked the flights out yesterday.
I managed to iron out the Series 2 episode - Desk Wanker, which I have been on with since I got here.
There are lots of arcs to the story - many of which stem from Series 1 and many of which were written at different times, so trying to get them to all integrate into one episode has been interesting.
Jenny Mellor is the glue that holds this episode together.
On her starting a completely new school the teachers at what is the private and very select Christ Is King all girl's school, saw that she was a hugely gifted child - and following some intense testing, was moved up three years.
That initially came with its problems.
"Stick with it and I guarantee that something special will happen," her father - Mason, told her. "It always does."
Anyway. Time to go. A shower and a shave beckons.
I'll see you at the airport. Hopefully I can create a new animation whilst I'm there!
---
It is 4:20 am (GMT+2) and we have been in the Skala Lounge just over an hour.
I've had two Macchiato's and a soda water and a fried breakfast beckons. When it eventually gets put out! 5:00 am, generally.
I'm just in the process of cutting an animation of Jenny Mellor and Jeannie Layne in Mason and Anita's kitchen, but it's all a bit slow this morning.
Jeannie Layne is related to Anita and lives next door to John and Maureen Mellor, along with both her parents - Teddy and Alice, and younger sister, Jody.
Jeannie was in Series 1 as a 10-year-old.
(Anita''s mum is the cousin of Alice Layne).
In Series 2, you get a good insight into the Layne family and get to know who they are and what they have been through.
Like the Pallenburg's - the first thing you notice is the noise of all the females trying to talk over one another.
Day 185
Jeannie Layne and Jenny Mellor
Rendered at 2160p 4k, 16:9 Widescreen
(Above) A 16 second animation of Jeannie Layne and Jenny Mellor in Mason and Anita's kitchen.
This was created using two frames and a transition.
Note the Adidas logo.
5 July 2025
Good morning.
I was up at 5:45 am (GMT+2).
I'd been tossing and turning for the last hour.
The air-con has been on all night and it's still hot. And for some reason my left ankle has flared up for no apparent reason and is throbbing like a bitch. I certainly can't remember going over on it. It is, however - the one which has given me a bit of grief when I've been doing my cardio.
It's light outside but the sun hasn't risen as yet.
Yesterday was another hot one. 40°c.
We drove into Ayia Napa and I had a couple of beers at the Harbour Pub, whilst Julie nipped around the marina to see her longstanding friend, Caroline - who owns a boat that's moored there.
When Jamie and Lianne come to Cyprus, they generally go out on it, and go snorkeling in the bay off Cape Greko.
Scubacat it is called.
I did quite a bit of work on The A's - still with the same Series 2 episode - Desk Wanker.
There are a couple of instances in it where little Jenny Mellor becomes overwhelmed, both of which are quite upsetting. I really hope I can put those emotions over.
Jenny is such a wonderful character, and as I've said before, she possesses similar traits to her mum and Granny Maureen. Being nosey and gossiping to name but a few!
Opposite, I've chucked up another animation of Angie from what would be Series 1.
Yesterday, I added to her 2D wardrobe (Below).
Just click them and they will open in colour.
