Pride

Pride is a feel good comedy drama that Britain seems to churn out rather effortlessly . Set at the height of the 1980s Miners' strike , it's a bit of whimsy based on the true story of  a group of gay activists who pick a small Welsh mining community to support when the trade union action takes hold. 

And so we have flamboyant gays meeting Welsh small minded ness , with the gays winning over the locals with feats of disco dancing warmth, advice on fashion and the the obligatory gay bashing bigot ruining the Kids From Fame feel with speeches on Sodom  and Gomorrah .

Interestingly enough amid the sentimentality ( and there is a great deal of sentimentality) there are subplots galore which centre upon, Aids, coming out, and family dynamics  and wisely director Mathew Warchus does not shy away from sex and the fickle nature of gay life in the 1980s but covers everything we see in so much warmth...you can't help but enjoy the ride..even though that much of the narrative is terribly heavy handed

It's a sweet film....and one which is elevated by some sweet performances from the likes of Dominic West ( as a faded actor with some sharp dance moves) paddy Considine ( as a miners' leader who embraces the gay activists ) and Imelda Staunton as Welsh matron who proudly informs local bigots that she's off to Swansea for a " les-off"......

Yes  all sweet fun!

I dare anyone not to watch the film without gently smiling to themselves ...mind you the scenes where the miner's wives sing " Bread & roses" as a sign of defiance against Thatcher's government and when ostracized  Welsh gay bookshop owner Gethin ( Andrew Scott) hears a gentle " nadolig Llawen ( Happy Christmas  in Welsh) from a friendly mother are dreadfully moving to watch and had me snuffling into my hankie

8/10

A Big Wet Vagina

I found myself on catch up today. I haven't taken the harvest festival food to the homeless  shelter as yet, William needs another trip to the vets and I need to pick up a friend's carpet cleaner in order to remove the mouse intestine stains from the hall landing carpet.
I did, however,  manage to walk the dogs , do some shopping and buy the house coal this morning and at lunchtime I popped into the the driveby McDonald's in order to buy a single ( yes a single) cheeseburger for me and a large fries for the dogs As we drove past the animal feed wholesalers I saw Bunty loading horse feed into the back of her jeep, so I stopped to say hello.
She told me that she had sold on the geese that I had sold to her, blaming the fact they continued to act  like" bastard geese from Hell" and as we chatted she helped me feed the dogs with their chips .
When she handed Winnie her fries, she swore under her breath as her hand disappeared into a huge bulldog mouth, then she wiped her wet hands rather theatrically on her jeans
" Christ Almighty it's like putting your hand in a big wet vagina" she bellowed
I could see her point..........

Behind The Bedroom Door

It's almost dark in the bedroom

I've slept very heavily for a few hours

And I've just woken up with a bit of a start.

I was dreaming that I was at work and I was hiding behind an iv gantry with

One of the Filipino nurses, a girl called Carmen.

There were zombies shuffling around and one seemed to have caught our scent.

and we were convinced thet we were goners 

I am glad I woke up

And I know now just why I have dreamt what I dreamt 

For behind the cottage bedroom door

I can hear the long, deep sniffing of a welsh terrier as he noisily comes to terms that

Daddy,who usually takes him for a walk at this time,...is stinking like an old kipper in bed

in the middle of the day.

Is that an eclair you're eating or are you just pleased to see me?

Twilight Albert watching the rain

85 comments  on the last post........and I hardly wrote anything...... Go figure.....sometimes I think there is no need to write anything profound ....just post a silly photo of yourself  perhaps in a pair of ill fitting underpants with a cat on your head and poof......more comments than you can shake a stick at...........anyhow this weekend is a sort of non event for me thanks to the new nhs electronic rota system who, in its wisdom now considers Sunday as the START of the week and not the end . Subsequently part timers like me often get given a Saturday shift from one week and a sunday shift from the next.....hey presto we now get all weekend to cover.........
It looks like the end of the world outside as the weather has turned.....I had just got back into bed, wet and shivering after letting the birds out when Chris informed me that there was another funeral in the Church today...the sheep  are grazing next to the Churchyard and need to be moved, the grave digger will be arriving in his lorry to cross the field anytime now....
What a shitty wet, nothing day.
POSTSCRIPT
well we've just had a sneaky jaunt to marks and Spencer's
And after some lunch we have had a crafty chocolate eclair in the car on the way home
I was driving and still managed to eat the eclair without holding on to it
Now that's skill!
Off to bed
X

Do It Yourself

Chimney Sweeping Morning In Trelawnyd

Goodbye to a grand lady

 It's not quite the thing to say nowadays but I was incredibly proud to see the entire Chatsworth Estate  staff lining the funeral route of the late Dowager Duchess of Devonshire today. I have walked the road from the village of  Edensor to Chatsworth and the thought of cooks, maids, shop staff, farm workers and gardeners all lining the road with their heads bowed as the last Mitford sister passed in her wicker coffin is incredibly moving......
Tally ho

More Tea vicar?

The vicar  and his entourage waiting patiently for their rhubarb tarts

Every year after Harvest Festival, the Church holds a harvest lunch in the village hall to raise funds. 

They usually put on a hot pot and fruit pie to follow, so it's well,worth the small talk., especially as Church stalwart Christine Davies usually makes the pies, and she's a cracking pie maker. ( I'll get her to enter the cookery classes in the flower show if it kills me)

It's a beautiful sunny day today, and suddenly the village seems full of activity. There is a funeral at the Chapel with a burial in the graveyard next to the Ukrainian village and the Children from the school will be attending Church this afternoon for their harvest festival service. 

I also met the incredibly cheerful foreman overseeing the renovation of the houses on London Road, who strangely knew of my blog. He asked if I could dig out any historic photos of the houses for him, which I have done, I think he's been somewhat overwhelmed by people congratulating him for taking the job on.

The cooks in the village hall, Mrs Trellis is first right 

Bake Off

It was the semi final of Bake Off this evening.
Cheerful chippy Richard, wisecracking Yorkshire gran Nancy, the elfin Chetna and technical wizard Luis slugged it over baklavas, a dry-as-a-nun's chuff German Schichttorte and a show stopping selection of French entremets. 
Who will win?
Who knows? And to be honest it doesn't really matter which one lifts the trophy as every one  is a talented baker in their own right
Having said this ,  I really would like Nancy to win,