The Taxidermist's Daughter

I thought this was a great book and would certainly recommend it as a Good Read.  I love to read a book where I learn something new ~ this time it was information and details on taxidermy.  Not something I want to try for my self but fascinating all the same.

The story takes place over less than a week in the very wet Summer of 1912.  The 'daughter' of the title lives with her father in an isolated and rapidly deteriorating house in the marshes of an estuary in Sussex.  The descriptions of the house and the area are atmospheric and disturbing and made even more worrying through the daughter's amnesia over events which happened 10 years previously.   There is mystery upon mystery, well rounded characters and a sound plot line.  

I have not read Kate Mosse before despite being constantly recommended to read the Labyrinth books.  Maybe when the Pile in the Conservatory has diminished somewhat!

Last night was Book Club (2) at B's house.  We had been reading David Nobbs' (of Reggie Perrin fame) story of Henry Pratt.  This was my choice as I had read it before and I found it laugh-aloud funny.  

It is quite a sad story of a boy from the time he was born until he is 18 but so exaggerated and written in such hilarious one-liners that I hadn't really cottoned on to how dreadful his life was.  But it's dreadful in the sense that Buebottle's is.  I mean poor Bluebottle was 'deadded' every week but sprang back in the next episode.  

I'm not sure whether the book is comprehensible to anyone other than a Brit as much of the humour relies on dialect and Yorkshire customs ~ and specifically in the 1930s to 50s. 

Earlier in the day I had been to the Museum which was nice. The idea was to view old maps of the area and then catalogue.    Pat and I spent ages poring over them  and noting the differences from today so we didn't get an awful lot done really.   But there' always next time ~ and it's good to familiarise oneself with the artefacts!  

Back soon

Po xx

Catching Up

Well actually there is far too MUCH to catch up on.  So . . . straight in to today . . .

After a busy busy week I was hoping for a quiet day for doing a few odds and ends at home.  

So firstly I caught up on reading.  Belonging to two book clubs is great but being a slow reader I try to have at least one hour first thing every morning.  And, oh dear, sometimes it just ex.t..e...n....d.....s.  

Then I had a power-out and had to call Alex for instructions on what to do.  Fortunately Alex was able to explain it all over the phone and after a bit of trial and error I discovered that the kettle was the culprit.  Phew!  Good job it wasn't the (fairly new) fridge, or the freezer, or the oven or the dishwasher . . . or any number of gadgets that would have been expensive to replace.  And I have learned something useful ~ always a plus!

I have been trying to get some 'floating' shelves for the house.  It would help if I weren't so indecisive but although amazon has some I can't be sure that they are right ~ how can you tell if you can't actually see them and feel them? They might be horrid.  So this afternoon I nipped to Wicks and then B&Q neither of which had what I wanted.  Back home and this time I think I have cracked it on amazon.  We shall see . . . 

I was intending to look at 'Victoria' tonight ~ jolly good! ~  but then browsed too long on the computer and missed the start.  Darn!  Catch up there too!

I learned this evening that a friend's mother has died.  She was a wonderful woman: a teacher at my primary school with a larger than life personality.  I remember she taught  two classes together (almost a hundred of us ~ huge classes in those days!) the words and music for the Sung Latin Mass (before Vatican II of course).  The amazing thing was that she even managed to make it FUN!!!  As an adult I knew her as a fellow parishioner and the leader of the folk group at the Sunday family mass.  She had been unwell for a while and was, I think, in her late eighties but her passing is very sad for all who knew her.  

I have had to leave loads out which is a shame really as it's been quite a good six months but c'est la vie I guess.  Fill in later perhaps.  

Back soon

Po xx

Glorious Weekend!

Exhausting too!

Saturday
Fran, Alex and the Pips moved into their new home. Which was exciting.  I was supposed to have the Pips for the day but in the end Lpip went to a friend's for a sleepover, Dpip went to the new house with Alex to 'supervise' and Kpip decided she wanted to stay home with Mummy.  So a relatively quiet day until E&J arrived!  
We were at C&D's in the evening for a Chinese take-away and chat which was lovely although Cat and FE were very tired after a full day's rehearsing for . . .

Easter Sunday!
Well firstly, Fran, Alex and the Pips arrived (very early! and even earlier due to this being the start of British Summer Time and the clocks went forward an hour!) to collect G's old fridge freezer.  We were all very excited about the move, our day ahead ~ and just seeing them really. 
Eric, Janey and I then met Cat and Dave at Croxley station and travelled up to London to meet up with Stella, Rich, Rpie and Ja&Ja for:

The Royal Albert Hall with the Albert Memorial

The ensemble
(very young violinists sitting on the floor in the centre!) 

Ke, J, Cpie and FE were all taking part ~ Ke on Viola and the other three on recorder.












The concert was quite amazing ~ over 1300 children playing Double Bass, Cello, Viola, Violin, Guitar, Harp, Mandolin, Flute, Recorder, Organ and Piano. 

Children, parents and teachers had travelled from 26 different countries and spoke a total of 22 different languages.  

Stella, Rich and Rpie

It was all quite breath-taking ~ incredible talent and praise-worthy discipline ~ and all so keen! 

Stella, Rich, Ja (the Pies' other grandmother) and their Auntie Ja and I sat in the very high seats.  And, of course, Rpie was a perfect audience member!

The concert was truly wonderful ~ lots of well-known classics including (perhaps my favourite piece) Greensleeves played by the guitars and the wonderful Czardas (Monti) played by violins and the ensemble.  Although of course I loved everything in which our children performed! 

To say I am proud is an understatement!  Of the children ~ all four of them for their dedication and hard work, for their parents for the discipline they so gently instill and for their teachers.  Stella teaches all four of them Suzuki recorder and I am very proud of the results she gains.  

I am constantly struck by the wonderful Suzuki method of teaching: 'to create people of beautiful minds and fine ability' and to 'engage in human education through music so that children will grow . . with high sensitivity through an unparalleled musical approach.'  

And then the concert as finished and everyone dispersed . . . but not before a great mass of coloured balloons floated down from the ceiling and we all gathered outside for photos, congratulations and general letting off steam.  Here they are ~ all delighted it was so successful but also knowing they could relax a little now the Easter hols could really start!

Yay! We did it! Cpie, Ke, FE and J

Ke, FE and J ~ until next time . . . .

Time to go home: 
FE, Cpie and J balancing on the Met line train.

Back to our various homes . . . 

And for Janey, Eric and me: Janey's Beef Casserole and Bedtime!

Easter Monday:
Ke's 13th birthday.  We had 'Big Hearty' (traditional English Breakfast with all the trimmings) at my house.  A lively crew: Rich, Stella and all the Pies, E&J and me.  It was the usual noisy, talkative Family Meal with all three of the 'big' pies talking 19 to the dozen, loads (really loads!) of laughs and plenty of nice food.  A lovely morning!
Early afternoon Eric, Janey and I nipped quickly over to Fran and Alex new house to see all they had done. Which is loads in a really short time.  Dpip  says that he has done most of it (!!!) and Alex says he is a really good little worker.  Doing well for not-yet-seven! 
Then Eric and Janey headed back up North and I came home.  And, being too tired to do owt else, sat on the sofa and read my book.

Yup!  A Glorious Weekend!

Back soon

Po xx

Touch of Evil

I must just miss the point of a lot of films ~ this was one of them! 'Citizen Kane' was another. And 'The Godfather' was the worst of all. I have tried that one three times and given up through sheer boredom after about half an hour each time. 


I was once talking to a friend who thinks Godfather is one of the best films of all time so I asked him 'why?'.  And to be fair his answers made a lot of sense although I can't now remember his reasons. And I wouldn't wish to try to see it again in order to test out the theories. 

A 'Touch of Evil' is pretty tedious although I did at least reach the end. Partly because at one point C. Heston was fighting in a bar and his opponent was quite obviously a dummy who then suddenly changes to 'real' at the close-up. This smidgen of hilarity was not repeated, however, so my advice is: don't bother.  

Back soon

Po xx

   

Goodbye to T

Today was the funeral of the husband of a good friend.  

A quite amazing 'turn out' of friends and relatives and the service was lovely ~ quiet and meaningful.  It never ceases to surprise me that one can know someone for many years and yet there are aspects of which one has no idea. It is very pleasing that he had such a good 'send off'.

The music the family had chosen was appropriate and beautiful. At the committal they played 'Echos' by Pink Floyd. I was never a huge fan and didn't know this piece. In fact to begin with I thought someone had forgotten to turn off their mobile phone.   

Listen if you can ~ it's wonderful.

Sleep well, Tom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm0VBWnUhvU

Our little star

Add caption

Rpie at 10 weeks and looking quite amazingly like his cousins, the RAF Boys. 

You would need to see him in 'real life' to recognise just how cuddly he is.  

Our new star!

xxxxxxx

   

Some odds and ends . . .

Amazing where the time goes!  

An expression that retired people use a lot and which really annoys me is:

I'm so busy I don't know how I ever had time for work

Well it's because you didn't have time to do the nice things you are doing now! 

Of course we all know this but Lord! it's such a cliche ~ and I hate cliches!

OK Rant over ~ what have I been doing since January? 
Lots but too much to update all of it but this and last week . . .

I pulled a muscle in my back which was very painful and meant I couldn't do some of things I had planned but had extra visits from Stella and some of the Pies and Frankie and some of the Pips (the others were at school).  After persevering with the meds, however, I am much better and able to get on with stuff.

Thursday:
Whole School Retreat Day at the Nilands Centre, Bushey which was lovely: relaxing and fun and so nice to get to meet all the new staff.
Then in the evening to the Colosseum for the Chairman's Quiz.  My team were: The Two Annes, Keith, Sandra and John and Stella and Rpie and me.  Rpie was not much help with the answers :) but a delightful team member, very well behaved (better than some!) and very sweet.  We came joint third.  

Friday:
Had Kpip for the afternoon and then met Frankie and Lpip at Cinnamon Square in Ricky for Hot Choc and Cake.
In the evening to Holy Rood Church to see and listen to Faure's Requiem performed by members of the Church (all amateurs) and a few visiting singers.  The conductor was the lovely chap who played the organ and who had been so helpful with music generally for G's funeral last year.  He really managed to bring out the best from all the singers and the performance was truly beautiful.

Saturday:
More music in the form of a 'gig' for the purpose of raising money for T (a relative) to go on the school pilgrimage to Lourdes. T played guitar and sang for two hours at the Royal Oak in Abbots Langley ~ and very talented he is too! and not yet 15.  A most enjoyable and relaxing way to spend an afternoon and a very respectable amount raised. 

Sunday:
Frankie's birthday. She came round with Lpip and Kpip (Dpip was at the new house 'supervising' ;) and we had a Cream Tea with cup-cakes.  Yumm!
In the evening I went to the annual Paschal Meal at church where we celebrate the Passover in the way Jesus would have done. We all bring something to share and I (not the best of cooks!) made a pasta salad which, surprisingly, drew compliments!!  Lovely evening ~ great company, good chat and a very nice meal!

Monday (yesterday):
Frankie phoned to say she was going to Ikea to get a mattress for Lpip and did I want to come.  I find it difficult not to find something I want at Ikea but had to stint somewhat as there wasn't a great deal of room with a mattress to carry.  All went well until we arrived at the check-out and Frankie realised she had lost her keys!  I nipped out to the car park to make sure no-one had found them and subsequently stolen the car while Fran and Kpip retraced our steps.  Fortunately they had been found and handed in but Fran had by then lost the bags of shopping too so all we did get in the end was the mattress.  Heigh ho!
In the evening it was Small Group at L&D's which was very nice.  Good company, a good discussion and cosy!

Back Soon

Po xx 

2016 . . .

Christmas Eve arrived and I thoroughly enjoyed the preps and the visitors and I took photos! 

And Christmas Day arrived and it was wonderful and I loved having Frankie, Alex, the Pips and Alex's dad here and it was the best Christmas!

Boxing Day arrived and F, A and the Pips were still here an again it was wonderful ~ cosy and relaxing.

And New Year's Eve arrived and the Annual NYE Dinner was here and it was terrific.  Midnight came and we welcomed it in . . . and it was lovely.

And then . . . a new little Pie arrived!!  

Yes a lovely little boy whom we all love out of all proportion to his size but deserving of every iota of love we can give. We are all delighted with him and Ke, J and Cpie are thrilled to have such an adorable baby brother.

That's it for now.   Happy, happy, happy!

Back soon

Po xx

More preps . . .

Spent much of today cooking and it was mostly quite nice and peaceful.  Even the clearing up was peaceful.  I suppose if I stopped treating cooking as something to be 'got through' a.s.a.p. I might even enjoy it. 

Visited with Cat and David this evening and took the presents.  Two coffees and lovely chat then left for another 'go' at Costcos.  

Hopeless!  It was heaving ~ even at almost 8 o'cock and . . . . The croissants (for Christmas morning) were 'best before 25.12.2015'.  
No pain-au-chocolat, no packs of salmon, no fish pies, no brioches, no thin candles, no patience (ha!) 

Abandoned trolley and came home.    I can get it in Sainos tomorrow morning after I collect the capon.  

Back soon

Po xx

Tuesday Chuckle

The Dodopad's Four Stages of Life:

1. You believe in Santa 

2. You don't believe in Santa

3. You are Santa

4. You look like Santa


My tip for 2016: Buy a Dodopad: 
doodle-pad, memo-message pad,       engagement diary, organiser, calendar and all-round Good Thing

Preparations for Christmas . . .

. . . are under way

Well they have been under way for a while and apart from cooking and delivery of presents I am done!


Preps for cooking meant an overhaul of the freezer ~ long needed!  I found: 

• some salmon from several years back, had for dinner last evening (microwaved) and I'm still here
• spring rolls (!) also considerably out-of-date, had them for lunch (microwaved) and feel ok at this point
• other bits and pieces that were so old that I felt I couldn't serve it to anyone other than me.  Not tried them yet ~ I'll let you know . . . I hope!

Then to the store cupboard which wasn't as bad but still found various jars of herbs dating back . . . oh aeons!  

How long can you keep wine?  I have some in the rack that I suspect has been there for a number of years.  And half a bottle in the fridge less than a month old.  And Port?  How long once it is opened?  I know nothing!

The trouble is that I dislike cooking ~ I detest it if the truth be known! ~ and only really do it for visitors.  And, whilst I would eat out-of-date food myself, certainly don't want to give it to family and friends who in all probability will not have constitutions like myself and Eric brought up on Zebra Sausages every Sunday. (I will add the recipe for Zebra Sausages at the end of this post).  So a good clear out was well overdue and I'm pleased I have at least started.  

I am 'At Home' for Christmas which I am looking forward to.  Frankie, Alex and the Pips are coming on Christmas Eve in the evening and staying until Boxing Day and Alex's dad is coming for just Christmas Day.  So quite a lot of preps to do . . . and certainly fun to be had with my lovey visitors.    I have charged my camera so maybe even take some photos . . . 

And now for the Zebra Sausages Recipe:

Take one pound (usually 8) pork sausages and place in a frying pan of hot 'fat' (oil, butter, marge etc).
Fry sausages for one minute (or less if in a hurry)
Turn and fry on other side for another minute (if you can wait that long)
Dish up.

The resultant fare will be nicely browned on two sides and pretty pink on the other.  Hence an appearance similar to a Zebra's coat. 

This 'recipe' is as served by my mum every Sunday when, having gone to early mass and, in those days, having had to fast since the night before, we were all 'starvin' by the time we had walked home  So the quicker she could get the breakfast on the table the better.  I have to add that she was a very impatient lady anyway!

Back soon

Po xx

Tuesday Chuckle

Are Santa's elves just a lot of subordinate Clauses?

. . . . they get worse . . . .

New Babies

Ok!

First off . . . my lovely niece Lizzie and her hubby now have their third daughter.  Yay!  Born last Friday and doing very well indeed although I think everyone is pretty much exhausted!  I have seen photos and she is gorgeous and is so much like Lizzie that I have to smile when I think of her.  They live a good hundred miles further north so it will be a while until I see her but we are all very excited down here in Hertfordshire!

Then secondly . . . the Live Nativity in Watford Town Centre.  Which was lovely!  I took Dpip and Kpip last Saturday afternoon and we were very lucky as it coincided with our church's 'slot' so a couple of people we knew were singing and then waving when they saw the children which was nice.  There was a Shetland pony, a sheep, goat and five donkeys altogether which, of course, the children loved!  The crib scene itself was a sort of tableau vivant ~ no actual baby though which was probably just as well!

Two new babies then? . . . . hmmm . . . . tune in for updates! 

Back soon

Po xx   

Tuesday Chuckle

Not so much a chuckle more a hollow laugh this week . . . .

Just been into B&Q, Watford, to buy an electrical adapter.  And no-one in this DIY store knew the difference between 'fused' and 'unfused'.    

Good Grief!

Listened to Nessum Dorma on a loop all the way home.  Equilibrium restored 



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Po x

Tuesday Chuckle

More Tom Swifts: (thanks, Kim, for telling me what they are called) 


'Would you like an omelette?', she asked eggregiously.

'Only if you have the thyme', Tom replied asherbically.

'I'll make it when I've finished the housework', she choretled.


Back soon

Po xx

That'll do!

Called in on my friend Ce this afternoon.

I rang the bell and Ce's hubby, N, who was sitting in the window, saw me and waved.  Ce came to the door, flung it open and said 'Oh it's you, Rose, I asked N who it was and he said "I don't know . . . a girl" '.  

Girl? !!!  That'll do nicely, N!!

Christmas Lights

Took the Pips to the Christmas Lights switch-on at a local shopping parade.  It was scheduled for 3.45 p.m.

I'm no sure what it is about 'It will be very cold so make sure you dress warmly' that is incomprehensible to both Frankie and her children but unfortunately they were all frozen and shivering by 4.10 p.m. when the first carols began prior to switch-on.  A plight indelibly attached the The Young I fear as I was just as bad!  So we called it a day and went home to fish and chips in my cosy house.  

We went past the shops on our way back to the Pips' house and the trees where all the lights were strung were very pretty so all was not lost.  

Still very cold today and overcast with rain in the air.  Have just been to local artists' showing in Oxhey ~ great talent.   Some nice pottery which I was in two minds about buying for Christmas presents but I wasn't really sure so I didn't. Will probably regret it come Christmas Eve . . . .

Back soon

Po xx

Harry Potter tour

My friends Ka and To came to stay for a couple of nights and Ka and I went on the Harry Potter tour.  

Ka is a HUGE HP fan and, although I liked the films and thought they were much better than the books, I have forgotten great swathes of it and am not at all bothered about it.   

The tour, however, is less than three miles from my home and, having heard that it is good, had wanted to go for some time.  And I felt I should as it is considered to be one of Watford's attractions.  So pleased I did!

The staff were all lovely, the exhibits wonderful and really interesting and the whole atmosphere a delight.  I forgot my camera but took some photos on my mobile phone only I can't work out how to put them on the computer so here is the website address if anyone wants to look at it:

https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/

I have to say that being there is heaps heaps better than just reading and looking at the photos.  I loved the info on how the sets, props and effects were made and it really is all very well done.  Lots of humour too from the staff and the videos.

At the very end of the tour is a massive model of Hogwarts and a walkway around it which is what Ka liked best and I am torn between walking through a life-size mock-up of Diagon Alley with all the detailing in the shops and standing on Platform 93/4 by the side of the Hogwarts Express.  Oh and seeing the 'snow' fall out side and knowing it wasn't cold and wet was pretty good too!

The tour certainly exceeded my expectations

Back soon

Po x

U3A

Still loving University of the Third Age (U3A) . . .

This morning was the first session of a new group: 'Europe into the 20th century' with a talk on the development of Romantic Ballet ~ right up my street! 

This afternoon: the Shakespeare group where we each chose two sonnets to read and then discuss.  I loved Shakespeare even at school ~ we had a teacher whose subject was really Hockey (which I detested!) but she also taught English to the younger forms.  I loved her English lessons in direct proportion to how much I hated the Hockey sessions.  She introduced us to A Midsummer Night's Dream in Year 8 and took the class to a production at the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park ~ I am forever grateful.  

Otherwise I have been busy trying to catch up on emails (they seem to have a life of their own!), tidying and making beds ready for the arrival of Ka and To tomorrow.  Which will be nice.

Back soon

Po xx

Tuesday Chuckle

A quote from W C Fields:

Always carry a flagon of Whiskey in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake.