End Of An Era

 

My elder sister Ann has run the Prestatyn Flower Show for some 25 years, helped ably by a large and dedicated set of affable despot types.

Covid had put paid to the last two shows and without the impetus and with difficulties with an older committee demographic and other logistical problems she has decided to pull the show for good.

I understand her emotions , having gone through the same thing just three years ago, but there is something to be said for letting things go whilst on top .

I collected two of her Show’s trophies that I had donated 

The Joan Gray Cup and The Wynyard Cup came back home this morning. 

I’ve been researching if I can book a plot for myself in the village graveyard.

It’s not as easy as you may think

This afternoon, I’ve booked some on line meetings regarding my second pension and looking at how best to pay for my funeral which will be sorted out well before I kick the bucket.

Perhaps it’s because I’m six months off sixty that I’m revisiting things like my will, my funeral plot and expenses my death would create .

I don’t want anyone else to be burdened with any of this shit…..

After Life - ''There are angels''

I’ve been catching up with After Life this afternoon after much nagging and have binge watched season 1 today.

It’s a powerful, incredibly funny and at times painfully poignant exploration into grief 

And the scenes where Gervais let’s the luminous Penelope Wilton shine are incredibly beautiful to watch. 

I loved the more observational humour scenes such as this one in series 3  , just as much 

Hands On

 My circadian  rhythms are shot to hell. I’m back on nights on Wednesday and I felt jet lagged most of yesterday. This morning I’ve taken a leaf out of Rachel’s books and got a cancellation appointment with a masseuse at a local sports club. I rang at 8.30 and was being pummelled on a couch with my head in a hole by 9 am. How wonderful was that?

I feel so much more alive and emotionally stable afterward a bit of hands on therapy. The masseuse told me that flip flopping shift work at my age is dangerous , which isn’t quite the news I wanted to hear this morning, but I have booked another session next week after my next bout  of nights. 

 I’ve just walked the dogs ( above video) and I’m off to deliver a cooked dinner to a friend whose having an exceptionally hard time at the moment . 

Oh I did break wind during the massage , very loudly too, but I was too relaxed to care

Trellis

 I rang Mrs Trellis earlier and thanked her for the three quarter bottle of Chablis which was dropped off on Thursday

“ I left it with love “ she twittered kindly and without edge

She then changed the subject about Village farmer Basil 

I suddenly felt like crying 

Irritation and Mooching

 

I try not to book anything into my diary on the day following night shift.

I’m not in a place to really be sociable or to be able to concentrate .

It’s a mooch day

A sleep followed by a tidy of the cottage which strangely always looks as though a bombs hit it after three nights on duty.

I walk the dogs, sleep until midday then go to the supermarket for provisions .

I’m here now, nursing a strong coffee in the cafe after following the store detective whilst he was tracking an offender. 

I get a lot of sad vicarious excitement at doing this, as I am in tune with his non verbals and know when he’s sussed a shoplifter. 

Today it was a skinny, well dressed young man trying to slip vodka into a backpack 

Soon, when covid is less of a worry to all I can return to my shopping trolley game 

You know, the one where I sneak arbitrary and very odd items of interest into the shopping trolley of someone I know.

My best “ attack” on record was with Gaynor The Mad Organist , a victim who was unaware that I sneaked two packets of tampons, a large box of Brillo pads, some budgie seed and a large pomegranate into her trolley by the time she got to the check out.

It’s cold and very blustery today. 

My laburnum sapling is holding up in the Churchyard though 

I went to check on her earlier.

The village was quiet and pretty deserted save for the ‘effin man who is banging away fixing the porch roof on the new build behind the cottage. 

He has little regard for bothering his neighbours and the noise woke me early 

I’m tired and somewhat irritated and ignored him when I got up to shop. 

Best to keep my mouth shut especially when I’m tired.

This afternoon and evening will be more mooching. 

Internet, saved documentaries on the iPad to watch, blog reading and and messaging friends 

I’m having Korean curry for supper, a frozen portion found at the back of the freezer washed down with three quarters of a bottle of Chablis, a gift left wrapped in a Jiffy bag , I’m presuming by Trellis on Thursday. 

Well I’m presuming it’s her as she’s the only person who leaves me the odd bottle of something with one large glass taken out from it 

I cant read post nights so will watch tv and some old films and maybe phone a couple of friends

The cold is affecting Albert today. 

He’s limping more than usual. 

I set up the fan heater in my office and put a cushion in front of it. That’s where he lying with his hip facing the warmth.

I don’t feel very interesting today

QUERY (2020)

The Storyhouse has a season of LGBT + themed movie shorts coming soon and I’ve booked to see as many as I can fit in. 

The movie short is a much maligned and overlooked part of movie film making.

I saw this film called Query on a virtual film gay film festival during lockdown and fell in love with it.

It’s a simple tale well worth 8 minutes of your time, and shows just how good a movie a short can be in the right hands.

Group Pressure and Church

There is a pub trip planned for my work colleagues tomorrow. 

Beers and an important rugby game.

I’m glad I’m at work.

The pub trip I can do, but watching competitive games generally don’t  catch my imagination as much as most and the tribal and verbal part of supporting my hometown is somewhat lost on me.

Am I repressed or am I not swayed by the crowd ? 

I suspect it’s a bit of both if the truth were known.

Anyhow, like I said , I’m glad not to be there

I wouldn’t pretend to be interested in who made which try 

And that can dampen the atmosphere sometimes I concede.

And I don’t really drink during the day…an anathema to many sporting fans I know.

I’ve never screamed my head off watching a concert, or laughed hysterically at a comedy gig

Though I have got quite giddy at a great play, or the ballet when the mood has taken me.

I’m not one for pretending to pray in Church either.

During prayers I keep my head up, and listen politely .

I find the pretence of praying much worse than doing nothing.

During my brother’s funeral, the vicar gave me a “ look” when my head didn’t bob with the others

I didn’t look away.

Speaking of Church. 

Yesterday I received word that the Bishop has made the final decision that our Village Church is to close. 

Our request for it to become a pilgrim Church has failed also which surprised me somewhat as I thought we had put up a robust argument for its change of status.

We await official news of what will happen to the building itself and the glebes which border it. 

The fields will be sold I am sure . The building’s future will be difficult to gauge given the fact that it houses a cemetery which is in use by the village population.  

We will wait and see……

Hattie’s painting of St Michaels & All Saints

And Just Like That, The Perfect Ending…….

 Spoilers

Now I have to be honest from the get go

I loved the last episode of And Just Like That……

After just nine episodes ( some of them very clunky) the season finally reverted back to the Sex Of The City of old and got back into its well paced and solid stride.

The finale closed a few doors and opened others

Carrie let go of Big and starts a new career and a kiss with her hunky promoter 

Miranda goes to Los Angeles for a few months to support Chay ( it will end in tears)

And Charlotte remains the frilly back bone of all after a disastrous Bar Mitzvah is made good.

Ok we can all do without the infertile Black Professor storyline but  the unapologetic Seema (Sarita Choudhury) is an energetic addition to the cast even though the men ( Steve and Harry) have been under utilised so far.

Anthony ( Mario Cantone) thank god is still blessed with all of the great one liners ( as well as a rainbow yarmulke ) and I loved Hari Nef ‘s introduction as the wise transgender Rabbi Jen. 

She stole the show for me.

Hari Nef as Rabbi Jen

And so we are set for season 2 …..and I hope there will be a season 2 

And after a clunky start I loved the fact that just after Carrie gently scattered Big’s ashes into the Seine , she arranged to meet with Samantha off screen in Paris for cocktails thus sort of reuniting the friends albeit long distance one last time

Samantha will not be returning we all know that , but with peace made everything can move on nicely

And that’s where the series gives all us 50 somethings hope 

It moves on nicely.