Ian Parry Scholarship

The Ian Parry Scholarship http://www.ianparry.org/main.php was won this year by Vicente Jaime Villafranca with a rather gritty view of the drug taking mafia in Manilla.

After review of the entries, I think I preferred the work of runner up entrant Giovanni Cipriano (work above)

I cannot believe that if Ian had lived he would now be 42. Chris and I visited his grave last Sunday

A sick Black Hooker

I am working again tonight, but have managed to finish most of the catch up jobs from the weekend. Broody Nolan has finally finished with her maternal feelings and has joined her sisters in the main run, without a backward glance to her healthy young chicks (pic) I found one of the black hookers off her legs and looking pretty rough this afternoon and have transferred her to ICU in the shed. Like the amber rocket that died recently she has been moulting and has been run down by the attentions of Duncan, so her illness may be natural wear and tear, but I have resolved myself for a PM by the vet if another girl kicks the bucket.

Socal and antisocial behaviour

Last night a small group of teens staggered drunkenly down the lane and back in a futile example of today's pointless "hoodie" behaviour.. By three am, it was all getting rather irritating,as they bounced to and fro from fields to house. As it turned out all the neighbours felt as impotent as we did, as all we feared the possible uncontrolled repercussions from children who know no parameters. I do however feel that we should get together as a community to exert some peer group pressure onto these characters and their families even though I do worry about the safety of the birds in their vulnerable position.
I was dead tired when I went to work this morning, but at least managed to get home early after realising the unit actually owed me some time off.On spec we went to have lunch at Prestatyn Bistro, and ended up having a nice time,a passable meal,and two bottles of crisp white wine. We also enjoyed discussing a possible "civil ceremony" next year......Janet and Ann want to be wedding planners complete with head phones.....hummmmm


I had a welcomed nap when we got home as Chris sneakily watched Steel Magnolias.As it tuned out, it has been a better Sunday than I expected

Residents

I am beginning to hate my 12 hour shifts in the claustrophobic environment of Intensive care. The People work is fine and always will be, but the constant ventilator and monitor alarms dont half get you longing for the quietness of the field and the occasional cluck of the hens.
Most of the poultry had retired to bed when I got out at 8.30 pm to fill the water feeders and duck bath, so I had to content myself with watching the native wildlife that exists along side the hens,ducks,chicks and turkeys.
The population of rabbits have increased considerably over the past few months and with the recent absence of Duncan (who consistently chased them out of the enclosures) have now spent increasingly long sorties amid the henhouses.I counted at least 8 of them grazing this evening.
The hedge at the bottom of the field is filled with a whole flock (over 50) sparrows, who argue and chatter amongst themselves like a troup of St Trinian school girls. They often attack the uncovered vegetables in the allotment (especially cabbage), but at this time of evening they are deep in the hawthorn, twittering loudly before they roost.
I know that badgers cross the field each night ( you can see their trails quite clearly), but apart from one time in the back garden I have never witnessed their passing..
When I was walking back to the cottage in the heavy gloom of dusk, out comes the string of pipistrelle bats that scream their way up and down and down and up the lane.in search of insects. Faraway a fox is barking and further on the horses from the stables are galloping around their field in clumsy playfulness.
I have to remind myself....It is a nice place to live.

A bit of a mess

One of the art deco sculptures hidden on the back of the Port Authority building

Liverpool is not one of my favourite cities. I do love parts of it (The Liver Buildings,docks,John Lewis,The huge masses of the Cathedral and the wonderful philharmonic pub-with toilets to die for!) but in general terms the commercial centre seems incredibly untidy,somewhat crowded and seemingly unorganised. Of course some 19th and early 20th Century architecture, does shine through the endless rows of Costa Coffee outlets and Topshops, (The Port Authority Building standing in the shadow of the Liver Buildings being a case in point) but generally the whole place has been spoilt by Britain's endless high street culture, which is a dreadful pity.

The new Passport office down on New Hall Street was organised very well, so I was in and out in a matter of minutes.The woman that served me looked terribly depressed, and answered me with typical Liverpudlian deadpan humour when I asked her if she was indeed having a bad day? "I feel bloody ecstatic!" she said flatly with a tiny smile.

I took advantage of the spare time by having a mooch around the dock buildings then enjoyed the neat,calm and white order of the new John Lewis store on South John Street.After coffee and the paper (I people watched with great gusto), I caught the train home again, The day was much more interesting than I thought it would be

Gary Kasparov and the Flying Penis

vvvv funny

Hors de prix

Truman Capote's story of prostitute Holly Golightly in the sanitized but beautiful Breakfast at Tiffany's has become an icon in the romantic comedy genre. Hepburn's little black dress, the New York settings in the rain and music to die for are images and sounds that are burnt into cinematic history so much so that the thought of a remake would be totally unacceptable to most audiences, but a remake of sorts HAS been made and to be honest, it is not at all bad.

Hors de prix (2006) (English title Priceless)- shown at Theatre Clwyd this evening, is a sweet comedy/love story that only really works because of the charm of the two leading actors.

The only person that could come close to Audrey Hepburn's magical gold digger would be the delightful Audrey Tautou, so here she is as the cold-as- ice Irène who is eventually thawed by the love of a good man. Tautou compares well with her predecessor, and has that delicate and vulnerable charm that the role requires, but it is Gad Elmaleh in the George Pepperd role, ( who lookes like a sexy cross between Buster Keaton and Nicolas Cage) that really steals the whole film. He totally out does Tautou in the vulnerable looking stakes ( not a mean feat) and commands the camera's attention in nearly every scene. He is quit a find and is a inspired piece of casting.

Of course we don't have the the glossy look of the 1961 film, nor do we have "Moon River" (mine and Chris' song by the way)or indeed the wonderful Patricia Neal, but Hors de Prix, does give the audience something else..............it has a charm and a sweetness all of its own. I really enjoyed it

Passport palaver

Chris was very sweet today and booked us a quick "relaxation" break in Sitges,which is one of our favourite places in Spain. Ann and Tim fell in love with a shabby chic family run hotel (The Santa Maria) on the Promenade years ago, and all the family have followed their lead and have visited it on and off over the past decade or so.
Sitges has escaped the usual British riff raff holiday makers, and caters for the affluent Spanish from nearby Barcelona as well as being a usually well behaved pink pounding European gay friendly resort.
Chris and I are far too "untrendy" to frequent the gay beach and bars, so we love to slob out in the hotel and on the hotel beach...( and do very little else) Bliss bliss bliss
My excitement of knowing we are going was tinged slightly by the fact that I have just realised that I have lost my soddin' passport. After 5 hours of frantic searching ( at least I did find my lost ---and very expensive-- body shop vitamin E moisture cream) we found no passport....nothing...so, in a panic I rang the passport help line and booked myself to sort out an emergency-in-a-week in Liverpool on Friday afternoon) The passport should come around the 7th of September and we fly on the 22nd.....so fingers crossed eh?.we should make it.......mind you I will have to pay 97 quid for the privilege....it will be worth it, as I absolutely have lovely memories of our holidays in Sitges( and a very funny story of Sorell fallin down a man hole...x)
pic, is the small Church overlooking the bay of Sitges