Will be in London with lovely family on Wednesday so I am cheating a bit in calling this Wednesday ramblings when I am writing it on Tuesday but am sure, gentle readers, you won't mind.
Catching up this week and generally trying to get on with things, but will admit to finding it difficult. Still, a big hug and a shriek of Bammer from Florence will make me feel better. Also, Helen had her twenty week scan the other day and it has been confirmed that come September Florence will have a little sister. Am thrilled to bits at the thought of two gorgeous little girls - seem to run in my family. My mother was one of five daughters, she had my sister and I, then I produced Kathryn and Helen and now Helen is producing Florence and ? I gather they already have the name but am keeping stumm about it for the moment in case they change their minds. From a practical point of view it does mean that all the clothes that Florence wore will now pass down to the next child though I will, of course, buy her new things as she must not always be a second-hand Rose. Have cleared the calendar for September and will be busy cooking and stocking up the freezer for her and James and Florence before the arrival so that they won't have to worry about meals for a bit.
Lovely long chat with Kathryn this morning who called me from Oz. She has just come back from the Cook Islands and had a simply wonderful time there - sent me some pics and the turquoise sea even outdid the Gt Barrier Reef and I thought that would take some doing. Having a chat about my visit next year and a trip to New Zealand may be on the cards - it is on Kathryn's list and I would love to return and see it again, the scenery is simply glorious. Less than 100 days and she will be here!
Charging through books at the moment as I am staying indoors out of the ghastly rain and I certainly need to catch up as am falling behind with all the heaps on the floor crying out Read me Read me. Currently reading The Dying Minutes by Martin O'Brien. A Daniel Jacquot Novel it says on the front and means nothing to me, but I gather it is the seventh in the series so am coming late to the party. French detective, set in Marseilles and the smell of coffee, croissants and ciggies almost steaming off the pages. Am loving it already and will be reviewing later on in the week.
Then an early proof copy from Bloomsbury of Abdication by Juliet Nicolson set at the time of, well the Abdication, and a novel now from the writer of The Perfect Summer; Dancing into the Shadow. Lots of historians turning their hand to novel writing it seems so am looking forward to this one. Also in the package was their new catalogue with loads of goodies therein, but the one which really caught my eye was The Art of Baking by PAUL HOLLYWOOD (bursts into chorus of Hooray for Hollywood and dances round living room). Catalogue from Constable & Robinson as well and I know I have said it before and will say it again, but it needs saying - Thank you to all these lovely publishers who send books to us Bloggers. Yes, I know we are giving them publicity and word of mouth etc etc but in my opinion the joy in receiving such a great selection of books far outweighs any good we may do them all.
Ok off to do a bit of cooking now - have made a chicken and leek sauce to go with pasta for lunch with Florence, she loves her food and is a pleasure to cook for. She also has an endearing way of saying 'I like this Bammer' which is very heartwarming.
As this is a Ramble you will understand when I veer off to talking about Sky which I now have. I may have mentioned it........I dislike very much putting money into the pocket of Mr Murdoch but really have no choice if I want to see certain progs. Last week I holed up before and after Sue's funeral watching the Test Matches between Australia and the West Indies. Because I did not have a vested interest in who won I found it very soothing and enjoyable to watch. Coming up in May are the next Test series over here and looking forward to that. Then there has been lots of tennis though every time I switched on it always seems to be Nadal I was watching and I will admit to finding him unlikeable. Don't ask me why, just one of those irrational things. He takes ages between each point and is never every picked up on it by the umpire which I find annoying and does he have to flick his hair with his fingers, pull up his collar and worst of all, pull out his shorts from being stuck in the crack between his bum cheeks EVERY single time he returns to the base line? Most off putting. He also seems to win everything which makes life rather boring after a while. Almost as boring as watching Murray NOT winning everything....
Have been checking out Sky Arts and the one thing that strikes me is that there is an awful lot of Andre Rieu on there. Now he seems a pretty nice guy when interviewed, laughing and smiling and brings pleasure to millions, married for years, good family man blah blah blah, but his hair! I mean, mullets and flowing locks do not sit well on a man of his age. Somebody should tell him.
So have to hunt through a bit of dross but then in the last few weeks there has been a production of Beethoven's Fidelio, one of my favourite operas, a programme on choreographer Jerome Robbins, lovely interview with Dame Judi, a performance of Don Quixote from the new York ballet and I have awaiting my attention Cappricio by Richard Strauss with Renee Fleming, Mignon by Thomas which I know very little of except the overture, the Verdi Requiem recorded in St Mark's Venice and a two hour documentary of James Levine's tenure at the Met. And, finally a production of Das Rheingold with, hopefully, the rest of the Ring to follow. An embarrassment of riches and well worth my money.
And in case you think it is all high brow stuff, rest assured. I am finding that a channel called Alibi seems to show at least three episodes of NCIS every night and at the moment am watching Series Eight on Channel 5 on terrestrial, then leaping forward and watching the end of it on Sky, and then flipping between episodes of Series Nine. I am getting seriously confused. And then of course I can watch the final series of House.
OK, in the words of Mr Bennett 'I have delighted you enough' and am now off for lunch, shower and then in the car and A12 bound.
Au reservoir everyone and may I thank you all for the continuing flow of comments and messages coming in from all directions about my friend Sue. They are a great comfort to me.
