SUNRISE SUNSET

Live Theatre has always been an important part of my life. For many very happy years I was treated to free theatre tickets by my art critic friend Jonney, and experienced 1000's of very happy hours getting totally lost in ballet, plays and a whole array of musicals. It widened my limited expeiences of live productions and gave me an appreciation of the goo and the fine!

To me, plays have become synonymous with friendships! Les Miserables ( friends Judith, David and Cheryl) Phantom of the Opera (Nia), Bombay Dreams (Nu), I could go on and on and on.....

Of the hundreds of musicals I have enjoyed, It was the Sheffield Crucible production of Fiddler on the Roof that really lingers in my mind. I think I have never seen such an uplifting and moving production before and I remember me and John left the theatre literally on cloud nine after sitting through almost three hours of pure joy

This song is from the 1971 film version .

Moon River - Breakfast at Tiffanys

My last and most favourite piece of music has to be Mancini's Moon River...it has everything......a wonderful tune, a film link, romance, and of course, Audrey!!!! oh and it is mine and Chris' "tune".........

A masterclass of calling a spade a bleedin' spade

I always enjoy desert island discs...hosted by the velvet toned Kirsty Young
(For those that have never heard this famous BBC radio programme it is a talk show where celebrities choose eight of their favourite music pieces and discuss them - AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THEIR OWN LIVES- with the journalist Mz Young)

On Sunday I listened with interest to the actress and director Kathy Burke (right) and I found the whole production riveting and completely refreshing due to the complete absence of normal showbiz and intellectual bullshit and jargon.

Kathy Burke spoke honestly and from the hip about her relationships with family and friends. She harboured no angst about the relationship with her alcoholic father but saw it simply for what it was...As a child she hated him...as an adult she forged an unsteady understanding of him...and time and time again, when a more verbose and "arty" actress would of capitalised on the "drama" of the conversation and questioning, Burke told it all as she saw it and when she didn't "get it" she simply said "well I dunno about that!"
I enjoyed this exchange at the end of the programme:-

Kathy Burke: "For years I was in upset and unhappiness with myself because I thought I was a freak because I didnt do relationships!"
Kirsty Young: "How can you write yourself off like that? how can you say it's not meant to be?"
Kathy Burke ( a little indignantly): "How would I be writing myself off?"
Kirsty Young (back peddling quite seemlessly): "Because I think you sound like somebody who could greatly enrich the life of somebody else"
Kathy Burke: passionately! "Yeah but I want to enrich my own life, I not here to enrich someone else's bleedin' life!!"
I liked that........

Hometime

Leo and Richard left at 9.30 am...The dogs collapsed in tired heaps by 9.35

ps

tee hee
I had to smile to myself
Leo is in bed, I have just come in following sorting out the animals, making everyone dinner and washing up the dishes........... and have just grabbed a minute to write up the previous blog about the day before I gather the dogs up for their evening walk!
Chris and his father, like bookends are fast asleep!
They've had a hard day!

Touristed out

Leo's last day here in Wales has been warm and sunny and bright.
He was up at 6am and out in the field with me soon after 7am letting the birds out, feeding and watering!
Chris took him to Church with him at 11 am ( complete with game boy -set on silent- and a stuffed elephant of all things) and the old lady congregation was stirred up into some excitement at Leo's presence!
This afternoon we took him for a ride on Llandudno's 100 year old cable cars, which was a first to me. We had an enjoyable time with the tourist crowds ( you couldn't tell by the above photo, could you?)...and ate ice cream overlooking a rather hazy Irish Sea

Richard and Leo go back home to Broadstairs tomorrow. I hope we have made his "holiday" here fun and trust we have not spoilt him too much ( always a worry with infrequent young visitors)

The cottage will seem very quiet and empty without them

Notre dame de Paris Gypsy

she doesn't quite live the role but after 60 seconds it lifts a pace

Jango Fett

This afternoon I learnt all about the virtues of Mace Windu versus Jango Fett and what Jabba the Hutt thought of Darth Maul........what our 7 year old guest doesn't know about Star Wars doesn't need knowing believe me!

After Chris and Richard took him to Chester Zoo, I drove Leo to the video store in Prestatyn to pick a Harry Potter DVD. After 25 minutes of deep concentration ( when all available copies of the famous series had been taken off the shelves and put in a neat row on the floor) he spied a dvd of Star War -The Clone Wars and so excited he was about it, he told me in detail every character and every episode of the six film series!

His excitement and enthusiasm was quite infectious

Poor lad...after a long day's activity he just about managed to finish a cheese covered lasagne , watch a few minutes of clone Wars then after kissing each dog in turn he has fallen into a deep and timely sleep

Chris, Leo and an elephant