Deborah Kerr R.I.P

So sad today as Deborah Kerr died aged 86. She is the last of the great British film stars in my opinion ( okok with Elizabeth Taylor), and appeared in some of the best films of the 1940s and 1950s. She was stunning as Sister Clodagh, the nun with a past in Black Narcissus (1947), wonderful as Lygia in Quo Vadis (1951) and Anna in The King and I (1956), but my favourite performances of hers was as world weary Ida in The Sundowners (1960) .... and the mousy Sibyl in Separate Tables (1958) A classy lady

The Austin of England

Thinking of my first car ( see today's other blog) today and the Austin 13oo, was a real trouper! built like a tank, I spent many years dashing around with 4 fellow cb friends in the back seat like something from Wacky Races! I even remember the registration
GDM 744K
My handle was Pockets ( named after Red Button' character in the film Hatari).... This made me think of the other members of the group and what happened to them! Green Giant (now living in Birmingham and a company director), Cherry Blossom ( a social worker living in a converted hotel in Ilfracombe); Rusty Nut ( married in Rhyl I think) Bogey Man (died in plane crash) Half Pint (Nia in OZ!!),Black Sheep and Sweety pie ( who knows, who cares?) yeap its all a long time ago!

meatloaf-you took the words right out of my mouth

Bloody hell, heard this on Coast Radio this afternoon when I went to the farm superstore! It reminded me of the very early 1980s when I (Pockets) drove the rest of the CB-ers ( CB radio owners) around to various country pubs and meets ( or eyeballs as they were called then) The car was a mustard austin 1300!----class!

10 canoes and little Lord Fauntleroy

Ten Canoes (2006) at Theatre clwyd tonight was a meandering, sporadically interesting folk tale set in the ancient outback of Australia. It told how the lesson of patience and "be careful of what you wish for", but by the end I couldn't really care what the message was. I hate to say it but Apocalypto (2006) did it all a bit better.

Now I wasn't looking quit my best at 8.15 this morning! In fact I looked rather......shall we say......trailer trashy! I had Chris' tracksuit bottoms on (Back to front), my woolly long socks, crocks and a dirty Sainsbury's T shirt (also back to front)....but as I was feeding the chickens and ducks, it didn't really matter. So who turns up at the field? yep the blue blooded land agency man ! FINALLY!! After weeks of complaining he finally turned up to assess the field and to discuss the small print of me renting. I almost had a fit of the giggles, as he walked over from his pristine land rover. all wax jacket,moleskin trousers, expensive leather shoes, cut glass accent and smelling of something very expensive. As we chatted about the field I also realised with a a touch of shame that I had toothpaste all round my mouth! ......anyhow he said that the agreement WILL incorporate a proviso for an allotment, so my plans for a poly tunnel may be still on

Chris is in Liverpool tonight having his leaving do from Preston, we are off to Osborn house for a meal tomorrow night!

Heaton Chapel, Wrong Rooms and Bevs Birthday blog

an "atmospheric shot of Chapel Heaton" this morning

Went over toHeaton Chapel to see Nigel's new house last night; it was important to him that I visit and important to me to do so. His house is lovely, 1930's, cosy ,comfortable (With a garden!) and as always it was good to catch up with a meal and a few bottles of wine. Heaton Chapel is very suburban which is a change for Nige as he has always lived in more Bohemian/student type areas but typically of him he has already researched the area thoroughly with bus,rail,supermarkets, local amenities and local history information all down to a tee.

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I am reading an extraordinary moving book at the moment called Wrong Rooms by Mark Sanderson. It is the memoir of the love affair between Sanderson and his partner Drew, who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Yep not a bag of laughs at times but very honest,very insightful and incredibly moving. I actually found myself in tears several times during the read, which is a rarity for me! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2027067.stm

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Got home at 11am this morning a took the dogs up the gop for a long walk along the old farm road. It feels like autumn today, a little cold and bright, and the leaves are starting to fall, softening the road nicely. I missed Finlay today, as he always had a habit of kicking fallen leaves like a little boy when out walking. Non of the present quartet have acquired this habit.

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Happy Birthday to friend Bev! Hope you have a great day

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ps. Flintshire County council sent out a couple of blokes this afternoon to review the corner and damage to the cottage wall. I think both guys enjoyed their afternoon as both smelt of lager! but they were helpful and threw up a couple of ideas to stop the damage! both laughed at my homemade sign!

Grumpy old signs and Dear Frankie

Homemade and clunky, the sign may help protect the wall, albeit for the shortest of times!. Got a few funny looks putting it up but I don't care.

Sometimes you can come across a little gem of a film in the most unexpected places. When I was on nights on Sunday night ( another bloody awful shift by the way) I caught a film on S4C when on my break. Dear Frankie (2004) is the gentle little story of single mum Lizzie (Emily Mortimer) who pretends to her deaf son Frankie (Jack McElhone) that his father is a seaman and works consistently away from home. Contact between the boy and his non-existant father is maintained by letters, with Lizzie secretly penning the replies. Frankie finds out that his "father's" ship is about to dock and the hunt is on for Lizzie to find a man to play her husband for a day so that the boy is not let down. The whole mess is complicated when Frankie's real father ( an abusive drunk who caused his son's deafness) tries to get back in touch. Set and filmed in and around Greenock, this film by Shona Auerbach has a nice underplayed touch and is genuinely warm and moving. I loved the performances from Mortimer,and McElhone, and also enjoyed Mary Riggans ( a scottish Brenda Vacarro!) as Frankie's Gran and Nuala - look-a-like Sharon Small as best friend Marie; mind you, the best performance was a subtle turn from hunk Gerard Butler as the stand in dad, who suddenly falls for the boy! A cracking little film.

Off to see Nigel this afternoon in Manchester!

quick note

Slept all day today as I am on nights again tonight . Another particularly busy shift which was capped off with an a cardiac arrest which despite everything we got back after a long resus. Enjoyed most of Strictly Come Dancing yesterday. Kelly Brook looked wonderful and was legs ahead of everyone else. I do hope Stephanie Beecham gets through as the old diva seemed to be enjoying herself immensely. Letitia Dean, funny and likable still looked like a pig in a dress.!

Laura Linney and a mixed week ahead

A friend e mailed me the other day to ask why I liked actress Laura Linney , and I had to think carefully about why I am such a fan. She has only appeared in 20 or so movies since the early 1990s and many of her roles have been in eclectic non mainstream-type films rather than big budget productions. I first remember her in the mini-series Tales of the City, as a gauche secretary experiencing gay 1970s San Francisco, and I always liked how "warm" she seemed to be. Mind you one of her best roles was a small appearance in The House of Mirth where she excelled as the evil Bertha Dorset, and I suspect she enjoys playing difficult , complex, and slightly neurotic characters rather than straightforward heroines. Her notable performances for me, have been the psychologically damaged older sister in You Can Count on Me (2000) ,an unsatisfied wife and mother in The Squid and the Whale (2005) and of course her recent turn in Jindabyne (2006) (see previous blog). I also liked her in Kinsey (2004),The Mothman Prophecies (2002) and the tv series "Frasier, in which she had smaller but vital roles in.

Working the whole weekend! but got lots organised for next week, which is nice. Tuesday I am off to see Nige in his new house in Manchester, Thursday off to the pics with Hazel, Friday is Osborn house in Llandudno for a meal with Chris and Saturday Judy is coming for tea. In between time I would like to go and see Pixar's Ratatouille (2007) which is out this week and has rave reviews (I KNOW it is an animation!!!) Am trying to buy a polytunnel too.....................! AND I must plant my winter veg! Pity it has been raining today!