For Debby no!!!!! I mean Lizzy

 Sunday has been a productive day .

After a brief sleep, my brother-in-law came round to help me install my new washing machine. 

( not the easiest job in the world as it turned out) 

The humidity here is 65% , so we were dripping by the time it was up and running with my undercrackers leaping in soapy happy circles.

My brother in law has been a godsend to our entire family over the years as he’s one of those men who can turn his hand to anything practical and I’ve always been very grateful for his consistent smiling support over the years. 

This afternoon , the old washing machine my husband bought is now waiting for the village scrap iron man on the patio and the new all singing all dancing computer confusing washer is working perfectly 

I popped a gift of a litre of nice gin and some internet bought gin glasses to him at teatime 

The glasses were made in Spain which is apt.

I will leave you with some photos of my living room , especially for Debby

And as promised , I haven’t  tidied  up.

I’ve already bought and paid for new carpets for the cottage but these won’t be laid until late September. A few weeks to allow for Roger’s bladder to be  trained by the girls me thinks …..the same carpet will run into every room including the bedrooms

Then the cottage will be finally finished for the time being.

I’m picking him up at 11 am from Alfreton 

His purchase will signal a twenty year relationship with his breeder and from what I understand will probably be my last chance to buy a dog from her which is a poignant thought.

Roger will be my last terrier ….and one of a long line of lovely dogs …Finlay, Maddie, Meg, William, George, and Mary

I’ll Leave The Landing Light On…..

 

Someone I know, has had cancer recently diagnosed.

A mutual friend told me. 

It wasn’t a secret. 

I messaged them and simply said I had met my friend, nothing more

and the link was made

The ball was in their court and we messaged briefly about it

“ I’m here” I said

I know you are” came the reply. 

Sometimes too many words can be said at times like these. 

A Card, a cooked meal, the offer of a silent walk, a theatre ticket 

Can support someone who is hurting just as well.

The offer of taking Mary for a cuddle 

A book of poems with a bright orange cover, 

A crisp 10 dollar bill with the  instructions of buying an ice cream.

I remember bedtime as a seven year old 

Who was always frightened of the dark. 

A simple action,

A single promise always made things better

“ I’ll leave the landing light on “ 

Hot Afternoon

 Yesterday I met some friends from the village to discuss planning an open day for the new pond. It was a case of mixing work with pleasure as the meeting took place in a dappled green garden under the trees, with wine glasses and beers in our hands.

It’s felt that my holiday has just been extended by several days .

I’ve agreed to help manage the Flower Show again and next year it ( as well as the novelty vegetable photograph competition so enjoyed by blog readers ) shall return. 

It felt the right thing to do.

Last night I caught up with my family again for a Spanish supper in my sister in law’s garden. 

It was her first dinner party post lockdown, another milestone for her, and a pleasure for us as she cooks very well. 

So today is a non day as I’m working a single shift tonight.

It’s far too hot to walk the dogs more than 100 yards which makes Dorothy listless and sulking.

I’ve already sat her under a cold shower earlier and now she smells of body shop pink Grapefruit soap but is still unhappy at not being able travel in the car.

I gave her the meat from a left over lamb chop in an effort to buck her up but that failed miserably 

Roger arrives on Monday

I wonder what that little bombshell will have on the bulldog diva.

To Kill A Mockingbird

 

I met Nu in a cocktail bar on Frith Street (she had picked it as it was air conditioned) we then went along to Suvvlaki the best Greek restaurant in soho where we ate Greek tapas to die for , sat at an open window facing the street and watched the world go by.

I still felt as though was on holiday

We walked into Chinatown where we ate obscene ice creams at bubble wrap waffle before the theatre

Bliss

Most of us of a certain age have grown up with the goodness that is Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mocking Bird, 

His quote 

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

is one that follows a person through life, even though he was a fictitious lawyer in a non existent Southern town.

To Kill A Mocking Bird was not without its faults and I wondered how these would be addressed to a modern audience, most of whom loved the book as a child and saw it through a child’s eyes.

Aaron Sorkin’s production is a bold interpretation with the famous court scene divided into segments sandwiched in between the growing up stories of Scout and Jem Finch and their best friend Dil in rural Alabama.

Rafe Spall is no Gregory Peck in the lead role as Atticus. He isn’t polished and serene, and hasn’t that quiet heroic look.But his small town lawyer, is gentle, and humorous and brittle enough to still cry at the mention of his wife’s death. He is more flawed that his screen counterpart, but still retains those decent qualities most loved by Harper Lee’s fans.

The three children of the story are all played by young adults, and this works well thanks  primarily to the actors playing Scout and Dill. Gwyneth Keyworth is exceptional as Scout, ad-libbing with the audience in her broad Southern drawl when they were late in settling down and David Moost, who gives Dill an odd sense of a young, very camp Truman Capote ( he was Harper Lee’s Best friend) 

In the novel the housekeeper come nanny, Calpurnia didnt quite have a proper voice when the unfairness of racism was raised but Sorkin’s Calpurnia is not adverse in challenging even Atticus in his beliefs and behaviour and in one pivitol scene screams out what she thinks of the all white Jury who are sitting in judgement of Robinson ( a wonderful Jude Owusu)

The actress Pamela Nomvete turning from hired help to a roaring lioness impressively.

The new play has a great deal to say about the America, that still exists , most noticeably seen in the Trump years. Those disaffected and mistrusting of intellectual contact.

To kill A Mockingbird was a triumph , and a real rollercoaster of a play to experience.

It is one which will linger in the mind for a long while to come 

Told Off

 Mrs Trellis told me off this morning for watering the planters in the heat of late morning.

I apologised but told her as I was going to London today it was the only time I could do so.

She pursed her lips 

“ Another holiday? She asked.

I knew she was pissed at me, I can always read the signs now 

She has vocalised before that sometimes I leave the dogs too often with Trendy Carol and her hubby

I reminded her that I was only away overnight

A treat for my birthday.

She pulled the brim of  her white laced sun hat down and walked on with a warning “ Keep out of the sun”

The girls down at Trendy Carol’s barked their welcome at the garden gate and she stopped to coo at them

I hate being in Mrs Trellis’ bad books

It’s like being told off by a favourite aunt

She reminds me of Calpurnia, Atticus Finch’s housekeeper in some ways

 “She’s a faithful member of this family and you’ll simply have to accept things the way they are...Besides, I don’t think the children have suffered one bit from her having brought them up. If anything, she’s been harder on them in some ways than a mother would have been… she’s never let them get away with anything”

I took her advice and dressed in shorts and T shirt I’m sat on the train southwards. Apparently it’s 90 degrees in the capital so shorts will have to do for the Theatre 

I’m not staying with Nu in West London but have booked the Z Hotel in Covent Garden

I need to be back home earlyish tomorrow as there’s a meeting about the village pond I promised to go to

God it's hot in London . Found a gay bar with outside seating for a beer. 

Just waiting for Nu

The Seekers - Georgy Girl (1967 - Stereo)

RIP Judith 

Chill

 

The sun and heat and occasional dousing by warm Mediterranean salt water has done great guns with my psoriasis knees , so much so that Dorothy actually looked disappointed when she gleefully tried to chop down on one when I eventually sat down on the couch after sleeping and housework and watering the garden and dropping round to give Old Trevor  some advice on analgesia.

This is the time when I don’t miss being in a relationship.

It’s lovely to be just me and the animals

I’m weary after my night shift coming so close to travelling back from Spain , so I’m mooching for the rest to the day.

Tomorrow I go to London

I’ve bought garlic doughballs for supper and a small box of Mac and cheese bites and after a dusk walk will drink my last beer and watch the hit Prey on Disney +

And share my supper with the girls 

Good Old Herb

 

My plane home was delayed but I refused to get all pissed off with it all as the easyJet staff were good humoured and helpful and our Irish pilot jovial and apologetic.

The car park didn’t charge me extra for the delay and after a confusing wiz around the new roadworks near Widnes I finally got home in Wales  at 2.30 am.

I can’t sleep, even though I’m still on Sitges time so I ve grabbed a beer out of the fridge and set up a gift Janet gave me. A metal silhouette of Sitges church  which I thought was rather sweet.

It will look nice with a candle behind it

I’ve just been reviewing the last day listening to Herb Alpert on YouTube.

I went back to the bar where I saw Greta the diva at lunchtime Sunday but sadly she wasn’t there. 

I stayed and had a beer and a somewhat dry Caesar Salad and watched the gay Sitges Promenade by.

It’s a kind of mincing Disney land at times …

And not really very real at all