Writing Class - after half term.

This was the first day back to college after half term. It was a good session once everyone got into it, but the first half hour dragged and enthusiasm was thin on the ground. We discussed writing styles and talked loads about punctuation; well that's why we are all there, but somehow this morning, it seemed heavy going. A lot of it was to do with the only man in our class. He is normally the life and soul of the session and always has a witticism close to hand, but he had a monster hangover so that was not helpful as he became very quiet and without his friendly banter the class felt quiet.

The homework we have been given is a copy of everyone else's work and were told to write comments, critical or otherwise, on their drafts. You can't do that to someone you sit next to. This week is going to take a lot of prudent thinking!

As Lent approaches .....

A cross of ashes.

Lent is the season of Sacrifice, Prayer and Almsgiving before Easter Sunday. The next six weeks or so are my absolute favourite time in the Church calendar, a special time, culminating in the celebration of our Lord raising from the dead. These 40 days of Lent leading up to Easter Sunday is when I personally focus the most on Christian issues. Western Christians are asked to prepare for Lent on the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday which is today.

Today Christians will be listing their resolutions for Lent and preparing themselves spiritually, I suspect, for the next six weeks. Last year I resolved to give up sweet things and will do the same again this year ....... and hopefully suceed again!

In a Church publication I picked up this morning it said that 'Traditionally the almsgiving for Christians may include donating food, toys and other supplies to a local Charity and becoming involved with Charitable work with the Church'. This is something we can all do, not just regular Church goers. Of course regular prayer and attendance is also part of the daily Lent experience for Christians as they attempt to listen to the Holy Spirit within, ask for forgiveness for past transgressions and strengthen their faith.

So we prepare for Ash Wednesday when we will be signed with the cross on our foreheads, an ancient tradition still carried out, with ashes from the burned palm crosses from the previous year. What a challenge this all is, I just hope I am up to it.

A suprise evening!

I had a surprise meal out this evening with friends. Things like this don't happen to me normally, usually I know when I am going out! I had a super meal in a Bistro in the nearby village of Caerleon. This little Spanish Bistro has been in the village for years and I have always intended to visit but somehow never did. Anyway, tonight was the night and I had a freshly made Paella for my supper. Succulent pieces of chicken, mussels and prawns cooked in garlic laid out on a bed of rice, all washed down with a huge jug of Appletise! Nice!

Pity all Saturday nights couldn't be like this, it beats staying in and watching casualty all by myself!

A mundane morning .....

Rear of my house - 2008

While out shopping today I was browsing through the baby section in Boots - yes, that's right - when then was a huge belly laugh behind me and the voice belonging to it said said 'I have lived through this once before!'. It was an old friend of mine who was really curious to know what I was doing. I explained I was looking for a book on baby names and that the charity shops had let me down, then went on to explain about the writing course and how I was looking for inspiration for character names. We did have a giggle over a coffee, it brightened up an otherwise mundane morning.

When I got home I looked to see if any further work had been done on that powder blue frontage on the house opposite, but it was still the same. I shall monitor the situation!

The photograph above was taken at the rear of my house last summer. I love the colour and thought it would cheer up a February Blog.

Beginners Luck!

Sorting through my digital photos and editing them this evening, I came across this one taken in October 2008. It is a mass of fungi growing at the base of a tree in the graveyard in Capel-y-Fin. I was rather pleased with it at the time, but I am more so now on looking at it more carefully. It is in focus and the markings on the fungi are very clear. It is good to come across a good photograph, as It sets a standard to achieve. Some of the stuff I pulled out of my file was awful!

Mona Lisa

I have had several private emails about my reference to The Mona Lisa (Blog Thursday 19th February). Some agreed with me that the portrait of Isabella d' Este was easier on the eye and some did not agree with me. Then we got on to the more popular issue of what made the Mona Lisa smile. This is an old joke, so I decided to see if I could find out once and for all what did make her smile. The answer is there on the Internet!

According to Da Vinci's biographer Vasari, the artist had hired clowns, singers and bell ringers in order to amuse her so that she wouldn't get bored. Well she certainly looked amused!

No more emails on this subject Per....lease!

...................................................

When I arrived back home today the house opposite me had been painted powder blue with white windows and doors! I wonder if that is it ... finished and it remains powder blue, or if it is an undercoat or something. Funny colour for a house!

New arrival.

I thought I would have a change of design on my Blog. It is a lovely sunny day and the nights are drawing out, so I thought I would give my blog a Spring Look. Hope you like it followers!

I was driving home from the Bank this morning and I noticed a new hairdressers had opened in our area. Its called 'Hairport' and the reception area is called 'Arrivals'. I thought that was pretty good! Full marks for initiative there, it beats 'Janet's' or 'Scissors' which is the usual thing around here.

Spring Forward ......

It is still light at 5.47! This is great, it means that Spring is not far off. I know there is a lot can happen weather wise before then, but at this dreary time of year every bit of encouragement is welcome. This clock changing thing throws me every year. It used to be that the BBC would remind you, but if that is still the case I am missing something. It takes me 48 hours to catch up! However, I have just put the date on my calendar for this year. 1.00 am Sunday 30th March 2009 clocks go forward. Take note folks.

A good day today, I haggled an £80 reduction in my car insurance for 2009. I am so pleased with myself. I am like the cat that got the cream!

More about Da Vinci.

Portrait of Isabella d'Este

c 1508

I have said many times in this blog that I have a very plebeian view of portraiture. I don't like it. The one immediately above however is the exception to the rule. After completing the housework, for the second week in succession (applaud here please) I decided to indulge myself with a cup of milky coffee and finish my book on Leonardo Da Vinci. Art is suddenly starting to intrigue me, particularly the lives of the artists.


A beginner like me can't help stating likes and dislikes, and I personally like the Portrait of Isabella d'Este better than the Mona Lisa. I realise she is not such a beauty, but this is something I would hang on my living room wall in the 21st century. This portrait was painted 8 years before the Mona Lisa. This is what the book says about it:

' Several copies exist - though only as a cartoon - and there has been some critical debate about which one (if any) is the original. This version now in the Louvre, is usually thought of as being by Leonardo's own hand, but there has certainly been some reworking, and it has been pricked for the purpose of transfer'.


Isn't this fascinating? How have I got to be this age and am now only discovering all this? How sad.

Japanese Bridge

Japanese Bridge - Monet

Glancing through a travel brochure this afternoon I saw a holiday advertised to The Loire Valley. I have heard it is one of France's most beautiful regions sometimes called 'The Garden of France'. The Village where Monet lived is called Vernon, there are tours of the house and garden where he painted the the picture above. Most of us have seen this image reproduced on birthday cards and calendars, but to actually see where it was painted would be great.

I have to start thinking about travelling on my own, because if I don't pick up the courage to do so, I will be stuck at home permanently! What is my problem? It is not as if I have never been anywhere, I have travelled as frequently as anyone, both home and abroad, it's just the thought of travelling on my own that puts me off. How stupid is that?

Writers block!

It's been a busy week despite it being half term. Friends coming to visit, me visiting them and so on, but it's been nice. This morning I met friend Y, we have been friends for years, and we decided to have a cup of hot chocolate in M&S. The service there is so slow. Nothing phases them, long queues, short queues they still go at their own pace!

I came home and re-commenced my Assignment for college. I think I will leave it for a few days now (I have the time to do that) as I am getting slightly irritated with it, and I seem to have hit a wall. I have discovered though that Microsoft Word lets you number each line of your story. Why do this you may wonder, well it will be good when I send stuff to my sister to comment on my punctuation. I am pleased I have discovered that.

I was so tired after working on it yesterday evening that when I went to take my chipped nail polish off before going to bed, I was trying to get it off with mouthwash! Time for a break from it I think.

Time out for Dreamers.

Over lunch with my cousin today, the conversation came around to fairies. We agreed that when we were children we believed in fairies and that most of us were told they lived at the bottom of the garden. For a lot of people that fascination continues well into adult life.

So, what is a fairy? A fairy is a spirit or supernatural being that is found in legend, folklore and mythology. A fairy is of many different cultures. They are generally thought of as tiny humans and have supernatural abilities. They appear as characters in stories from medieval tales to Victorian fairy stories, and live on today in modern literature.


They are mostly petite, fey and magical to look at - always smiling. What happened to the one pictured above I don't know, but she looks a bit down in the dumps to me!

I'm a little fairy,

my name is Nuff ...

Fair enough!

""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire

I have been to see the film Slumdog Millionaire which won loads of accolades at the recent BAFDA awards. It is a super film, upbeat and colourful, set in modern India.

Slumdog Millionaire

It is about the Indian version of the show 'Who wants to be a Millionaire?'. The film takes a young Indian contestant through each of the questions that he got right and his life story unfolds in flashback. You travel with this character all through the film and in the end I had a lump in my throat. Despite the savagery of India's street children this is somehow an undemanding and unstructured film.

After the credits had gone up the cast danced in a mixture of modern and colourful Indian dress. Modern, lively dance in a similar way to that of the cast of 'Mama Mia'. This is obviously going to be the 'in' thing for a while!

Family day.

Having had a lovely day with my sister and family, I had a present to come home with from one of 'my little greats' (great nieces and nephews). Although you can't see it , she has written on it to me from her, with many, many kisses. I could never have envisaged having great nieces and nephews ...... it's lovely!

My Valentine Roses again.

I had a comment via email about the 'dots on the roses'. I am told they are 'dewdrops' that have been painted on .... and before anyone else asks me, no I don't know why. The latest selling point perhaps?

Wales 23 - England 15 ....YES!

A brilliant match! Just as I predicted, a Welsh win but not a wipe out. Wales were strong, and England kept fighting back, however their ill discipline put 2 men in the sin bin, but it was a super afternoon's rugby, and the stronger team won!

Wales v England

Wales play England in Cardiff this evening. This is more than a game of rugby when the Welsh play the English, there is years of tradition and pride involved here. This is the one fixture that both sides are desperate to win. As I write England are the underdogs, Wales are tipped to win, but you can never tell. I shall be watching and shouting ! I've got my Welsh socks on ....well every little helps!!!

The Transporter Bridge

Transporter Bridge July 2008

The city's most famous landmark has been closed for almost two years on health and safety grounds. I seems it needs a new rail system for the gondola to travel on and there are repairs needed to the main structure before it can re-open. It is a Grade 1 listed structure and CADW have announced they intend to give a a grant of £75,000 towards the bridge refurbishment.

It is good to know that this magnificent structure is being preserved for future generations and enabling it to keep it's place in the city's history.

St Valentines Day ....

It is a long, long time since I received flowers on Valentines day, but these arrived this morning! I was so taken aback I asked the delivery lady if she was sure she had the right address! Life is looking up!

Craft with a difference.

Small Welsh Dragon

This evening I saw some superb ironwork figures. They are made locally by 'Oakdale Iron Works'. Despite their name they are not made in Oakdale but in Llanmartin a hamlet just to the west of Newport. I picked up their catalogue, they are all created by one man Tony Ford, and he will make anything to order, pets, garden ornaments etc. Clever man obviously.

Pheonix

http://www.oakdaleironworks.co.uk/

Romeo and Juliet

It is one of the theatre's greatest works, Romeo and Juliet, a 500 year old story telling the of a doomed romance between two lovers. Now the Politically Correct watchdogs have got their hands on it. The feuding between the Capulet and Montague families leads to three fatal stabbings and ultimately to Juliet committing suicide with Romeo's dagger. This is thought to glamorise knife crime.

One theatre critic has responded in the press by saying,

"It is one part of a 500 year old love story, it is a wonderful story about the dangers of love but it is a tremendous reaction to think it could fuel violence. Shakespeare is pretty violent anyway and has always been used to teach in schools"

I wonder what is next on the PC agenda?

Valley chat

Chatting to a friend from the valleys tonight the subject came around to Maesycwmmer viaduct. I asked if it was still there as so many of these landmarks are gone, but I was assured that it was indeed still there.

I was told that it was bought some years ago from Great Western Railway for 1p by the local council and costs approx £30,000 a year to maintain. It is a national landmark and therefore has been preserved. Along with the Nine Arches viaduct in Tredegar it is one of only two listed viaducts in Wales. (see Blog of 2nd Dec.2008)

It is 260 metres high and there are 16 arches. It was built in 1857 and closed in 1964. Today after a grant of £870,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund for Wales, it is part of the Cycle Network for the Celtic Trail as it stretches across the Rhymney valley. I was pleased to hear this as when I was engaged and later married for the first time, I used to travel under this huge structure almost on a daily basis as my then future husband came from that valley. It was so huge and high, an urban structure rather than the softer rural structures that are surrounded by fields, like the Nine Arches in Tredegar. It always made me feel strange, vulnerable somehow and a little frightened, but of what I don't know. How odd that I should remember those feelings more than forty years later.

Friday 13th?

Tomorrow is Friday 13th. Most people think this is an unlucky day.

Do you know that you can send Friday 13th e-cards? Nor did I, and as a Christian I shouldn't be sending one, but I did send just one for the fun of it as it was a novelty!

Open your emails Mrs H!

A matter of size!

I had a conversation earlier with my friend who spent many years in Africa. She had posted the picture of a young male elephant on her Blog and made a comment on him. Well you know how these things go, then I made a comment and so on, until she ended up sending sent me this picture just in case I thought Junior was a big boy!

Messy me!

I got in a right mess in pottery today. I carried a bucket of wet glaze over to my table not noticing the side of the bucket had rubbed on my jeans. When I realised, I rubbed it off with my hands and then brushed my sweater down. Then white streaks on my black sweater ..... and I still have glaze on my jeans! What a Wally!!!

However, I am going along steadily now, I painted my pot (the one that escaped last time!) and made some more coasters today, plus two hanging Christmas trees for my grand-daughters to hang on their tree next Christmas. My cat is still waiting to be fired and so a lot going on in this class.

I took my camera into class to take some pictures of my work in progress, but the screen just said 'card locked' and wouldn't work. However my neighbour in the next seat came to the rescue and photographed them for me with her camera.

When I got home I looked at the handbook that came with the camera, the one that doesn't tell you much at all, in the hope it might say something about a locked card. Who was I kidding? It said nothing ! An afternoons fiddling it is then!

Final Assessment

The Handkerchief Tree

I have spent the day starting my final assessment piece for the writing group. In my story I wanted to include a very beautiful garden with a spectacular tree. I thought of the 'Handkerchief Tree' and decided this would be what I would use. I have to make notes for my commentary and I thought describing this would be easy as I know of a fine example in a friends house, a tree which I have photographed in the past; but when it came to it, what did I know about the tree - very little. I needed to look it up.

It is aptly named the handkerchief tree because of the large white bracts that hang down and flutter in the breeze. I was surprised the learn it is more commonly called the Dove tree or the Ghost tree.

'They were discovered growing in China in the 1860's by the French explorer Pere Armand David, thus it's botanical name 'Davidia Involucrata'. It flowers in May/June time. The first one to flower in Europe was in 1906.'

The one in the picture above is a lot smaller than the one in my friends garden, but equally as lovely in a different way. This information, I think, will be enough for a few paragraphs of my commentary. What today has done for me is underline the amount of work that needs to go into this Assessment piece. I have to write 700 words justifying what I have produced!

Creative writing course.

In writing class this morning I was pleased with the mark for last weeks homework. We have a two week break now for half term, so I have to work on the first draft for my final assessment. I have a skeleton story in place, I need to put in a lot of work in over the next few weeks, as the second draft goes to a workshop for remarks or criticisms etc. Loads more reading also over the coming two weeks.

The next module is for Children's Writing so, as that was what I wanted in the first, place I signed up for this course this morning. I have some work in place on children's stories, so I won't have to start from scratch as I did with this course. All of it is really challenging and enjoyable. To be recommended for those with a leaning towards writing.

Mae Hen Wlad fy Nhadau

Wales 26 - Scotland 13

This afternoon I watched the second match of the 2009 Six Nation Championships. I only watch Wales I must admit, if they are not playing, I just watch for the scores of the other nations ....... well, at least I am honest!

It was Wales v Scotland at Murryfield and Wales WON! They played a strong game, especially the first half. If the team keep going like this, could it be we win the The Grand Slam again this year?

The leaflet above with Mae hen Wlad fy Nhadau printed on, was given to me on St. David's day last year when I went to a Saturday afternoon class to learn the words. Like most Welsh children I learned it phonetically at school and then built on it, but wanted to learn it properly as an adult. The afternoon was fun, with loads of vases of Daffodils and plenty of tea with plates of Welsh cakes on the tables. Before the class finished we all had to stand up and sing from this sheet. The other classes were just filing out when we stood up; the door opened and hoards of people flooded in to our classroom to join in ( I suspect because it was St. David's Day). It was a memorable afternoon ...even though most of my friends took the Micky out of me for attending this lesson!!!

Reverend Robert Walker

The Skating Minister - Sir Henry Reaburn 1790's

After Church this morning I watched a programme on Art & Artists while I ate my lunch. On this programme they were talking about the painter Sir Henry Raeburn. I have to say I had never heard the name before, but continued to watch as the story of the man and his most famous painting. It was interesting.

The painting (above) is on display at the moment in The National Gallery of Scotland. This serene skater is thought to be the Reverend Robert Walker skating on Duddingston loch in Scotland. Reverend Walker was the minister of Canongate Kirk a member of the Edinburgh skating society.

I reiterate my view on dark sombre paintings, they are not for me, however, I do appreciate the brilliance of the artist, but would not want to own this type of painting myself.

Another snow picture ........

View of the Sugarloaf mountain from the house.

My friend that I mentioned in the last Blog entry gave me this photograph taken at her home, as she knows I like to change my screen saver on a regular basis and thought this one would be a good local view to use.

The Sugarloaf is near Abergavenny and the photograph was taken in Monmouth. What a supberb view and a pretty good camera too!

An odd day!

An unusual wall

My friend JJ, who lives in the country came down today. We were going to have a day at home doing some pottery as she is an accomplished potter. However we went to buy the clay and the place was closed on Saturdays. Plan B. was a day taking photographs; we decided on a local beauty spot where there was still some snow, but upon trying to access it the ice was too thick and therefore dangerous, so we decided to go home only to find another of my friends had called when we were out! So all in all a wasted day!!!

We did spot an unusual wall on our travels and I jumped out of the car to photograph it, but it was a very quick job as JJ was parked in the middle of the road, so it had to be quick!

But, it's always nice to have friends around and we did have a nice lunch in a place that I have known for many years, with magnificent views overlooking the snowy mountains that surround the City. JJ was amazed that such beauty was so close and for me it was a trip down memory lane, so perhaps it was not such a wasted day after all.

The antics of Miss L.

There is always more snow in the country than in the city. My friend Miss L (you have all read about her from time to time) went tobogganing in her garden ............

and then she fell off! Ha ha ha !!!

This is a photo Miss L took earlier today in the garden of her home. Lovely isn't it?

Miss L's garden Monmouth 6th February 2009

The weather.

Winter snow and sun.

When I left home this morning I left in a fairly heavy snow storm. A few hours later when I returned, it had rained, that rain had washed all the snow away. The sun had come out and dried up the rain. It was a lovely cold, crisp, dry sunny February day.

What an odd feeling that was driving back in the street. The British weather is never banal that's for sure!

Credit crunch - what credit crunch?

Dans La Prairie - Claude Monet - 1876

I sat down with the daily paper earlier. It was reporting that a Monet painting (pictured above) had been sold for £1,329,250! The picture is of Monet's wife, Camille, reading in a meadow full of flowers. Now I know the super rich are not like you and me but it seems the zillionairs that gather at Christie's for this auction have not heard of the credit crunch! I wonder if it ever crosses the minds of these people that there are others out there loosing their homes and jobs on a daily basis. I don't suppose they think outside the box, just live in a protected world of wealth and grandeur.

Where does all this money come from in these recessionary times? Even if I had that kind of money, I have to ask myself, would I buy a Monet for that price just to hang over the mantelpiece as a talking piece for the equally rich to admire. It just seems so obscene, when people's struggles are so prominent, but I suppose this is how it has always been. There will always be someone out there who is rich enough to pay a fortune for a Monet.

Burned Boobs!

Before I went to theatre yesterday I was warned that I may have some irritation on my chest where the nurses had placed pads to enable them to 'shock' my heart. I did not expect my skin to be burned! It is not serious, but my right boob is sore, the nurse told me to put After Sun on it, but after twenty four hours it needs some antiseptic cream. I have been walking around all day scratching one boob, not very ladylike! - but still worth every moment if the heart stays in the correct rhythm.

Something to make you laugh .....

A friend sent me these to cheer me up as I am indoors all day. I don't normally put jokes on the Blog, but these made me laugh out loud! They were taken down and published by court reporters who had had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place. Maybe I find them funny due to the the subject of my last weeks Creative Writing homework! (see Blog Monday 7th February).

ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
WITNESS: Oral


ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time of day you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8.30pm.
ATTORNEY: and Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: No. he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him!


ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?
WITNESS: He as about medium height and had a beard
ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?
WITNESS: Guess.

ATTORNEY: Doctor before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No
ATTORNEY: Did you check for Blood pressure?
WITNESS: No
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No
ATTORNEY: How can you be sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting in a jar in my lab.
ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.

Leonardo Da Vinci

Self Portrait - 1512

Having been told to 'take it easy' for 24 hours, I decided that I would sit down with a cup of tea and my book 'The Life and Works of Leonardo Da Vinci' which I received as a gift yesterday. I have put my new interest in the Arts on a back burner for a while because of my writing course which is taking a lot of my time, but which I am enjoying. Having studied this book for a while and recalling the time when I saw some of Da Vinci's works in the London galleries some years ago I have decided I like his drawings better than his paintings.

This self portrait I particularly like. I had a birthday card from my sister some years ago which was a print of this and I still have it. He looks wise and intelligent with a sense of humanity about him, but the book tells me he is not as old as he looks when he drew this in red chalk around 1512. He was certainly an extraordinary man, even a beginner like me can see that. Some of his works, such as his designs for an excavating machine drawn in 1503, are well before their time, but then he liked to describe himself as an engineer, which he was, and just made passing reference to his paintings.

I am only halfway through my book, and as I am 'confined to barracks' as it were, there will probably be more about Da Vinci written later ..... anyway it's still snowing, and I don't fancy taking the car out in this weather!

Being Nosey ....

Being Nosey!

Once the drama of yesterday was over and my friend was leaving this morning it was a hoot in my house. Miss L is self confessed nosey! She lives in the country in a large house well away from the road and from the village, so when she comes to my house she is in her element! I was trying to put breakfast and got called upstairs twice, then to the living room, then she is looking out of the kitchen window but decided she could not see enough from there.

She saw, a woman sweeping snow from the front drive in her nightie, dressing gown and shoes, then she saw that someone had pegged their washing out in the snow, I was informed of the colour of the ironing board cover in the house over the way, what time they got up this morning and how they had now gone out! Each time someone passes my window she is like a 'Bobbin Robin'!

What tickles me is when she says 'I would hate to live here!' I suspect this street wouldn't be too thrilled at the prospect either!

A Big Thank you

My Heart procedure was successful yesterday. I want to say to all Blog readers and others who telephoned, left messages, sent ecards and generally supported yesterday, thank you. It was appreciated. Special thanks to Miss L for taking me into hospital, putting up with me while I was there, bringing me home and staying over to look after me. I am very lucky.

British Heart Foundation

I telephoned the British Heart Foundation Helpline today to ask about Arterial Fibrillation which is the condition that I have. As I am going into hospital to have it rectified tomorrow I thought I would get a different view point from the BHF. They were excellent. They told me what the hospital should have been telling me. I explained that I kept hearing emotive language like 'shocking the heart' and so on, and the BHF confirmed that unfortunately this was common language in hospitals, but it is all very mild and very safe which is all I wanted to know. They were so re-assuring. I can't praise them enough for this service.

At least I can face tomorrow with a more positive outlook now.

Weather watch!

Rear garden of my house this morning

Even after the snowfall overnight, which was only light I know, we didn't have a lot in the city. As I have said before, we are situated on the coast here on a very low plateau and rarely get snow. I was speaking with a friend on the phone last night and we agreed that the last substantial snowfall we remember in this city was 1984.

I remember that snowfall, I was still working then and we had had a day of interviews, my boss the then Bishop of Monmouth, was not keen for us to shut up shop as he thought people might still be trying to get try to get to us. The result of that was staff (all two of us) were stuck in the city centre long after the buses had stopped running and I had to walk the three miles home in the dark in a blizzard! My boss walked the first two miles with me and my husband and eldest son came to meet me from the other direction so I was not alone on this trek home! The worst that happened to me was that I had frost bite!

Nothing like that in 2009 ......... thank heavens!

Writing Class

A lot of empty chairs in our class!

Last week for homework we were asked to record three to five snippets of conversation that we had overheard during the week. I had visions of myself 'ear wigging' around Tesco's but that wasn't necessary as I got all I needed in the Pottery class last Wednesday from perfectly ordinary conversations!

I am going to list them in the Blog because taken out of context they are quite funny.

1."My Health visitor came to visit me because she broke down at the end of my road".

2. "I gave all my heads away".

3. "God made man in his own image, but what about women I ask myself"

4. "Remember the Black Widow spider eats the male after mating"
Reply: "Hmmm .......I can see the attraction!"

5. "Do you know that bees can count?"
Reply: "Have they counted their dwindling numbers?"

The tutor was pleased with what we had all harvested by stealth and then said "I want you to write one A4 size page of dialogue integrating at least three of the quotes you have recorded, all in the same story". That is part of this weeks homework, that and more reading! So another busy week.

The lesson did not start off too well this morning. 9.30 is the start time and at 9.40 we had no tutor, just when we were wondering what to do she arrived. A few people were not impressed as it is only a two hour session to begin with and by the time she unpacked and collected herself we had lost a quarter of an hour, but we soon gained time and were back on track. However, there is one lady (who keeps reminding us all that she has a degree in English Literature), who does not come every week, we all had to stop while she was kept up to speed with what had gone on in her absence. Now I do not know what the answer to this is, but it is limiting the time the rest of us have in tutelage in such a short period anyway. Another worrying fact is that we are less in number every week, although I believe that this has evened out this week. I don't think we will see any more returning. Let's hope all goes more smoothly next week!

Snow

I have mentioned before in this Blog that we don't get a lot of snow in this area where I live, so this morning when I saw the BBC News of Central London at a standstill with the snow moving South I thought we are bound to get some over the course of the morning, but no we didn't! They have had quite a fall in the valleys so I hear, but that is not unusual.

Cambridgeshire, where I have a lot of good friends, has been badly hit and I have been sent some nice photos via email. Kent and Surrey has also had heavy snowfalls both areas where I have family. I bet my great nieces and nephews are seeing, what is probably their first real snowfall, and having lots of fun. Unlike my own grandchildren who must be pretty miffed today with so many school closures all around them and life goes on as normal for them!

Church Social

A Church Social. I haven't been to one of these for years. I had forgotten how 'samey' they are, no matter what Parish you are in! A good evening though, everyone worked very hard to produce a good evenings entertainment. Members of the Church choir dressed in wigs, rugby kits, Doc Martins with tutu's over the top. They performed a ballet to Edvard Greig's Peer Gint Suite No.1 which was hugely popular with the audience. What a hoot!

For the second half of the evening a three piece group played music from the sixties. They were superb and everyone was up on the floor dancing to well loved numbers. When they were introduced by the Vicar at the start of the evening he called them the band with no name. It transpired that they were three undertakers from a local firm, who had all had bands in their younger days (the sixties) and now played at socials like this for no fee to give failing Churches a monetary lift! This concert was in aid of our sister Church which needs urgent repairs, well a total revamp really if money were forthcoming. All this, plus a 2 course meal, a glass of wine and entry into the raffle for just £5!

I got asked to help with flowers, the answer was 'No thank you', Cleaning 'put me on the rota' and administration 'Yes please' so I have taken on yet more again!

As with all these things the route from newcomer to helper is very short, but we wouldn't be there if we were not Christians and willing to help where we are of most use, not where we think we ought to be.

Still Life ?

Well not exactly Coco Chanel or David Bailey for that matter, but all my own design! I needed to suss out the use of the flash on my camera before I go out tonight, so I had a practice this afternoon.

In the art world does this qualify as still life perhaps ???

Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel

Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel

1883- 1971

I watched a programme on television last night about 'Coco' Chanel. I thought I would take a look as I have contributed to her fortune over the last 35 years, I wanted to see how it had benefited her!

Chanel once told 'Harper's Bazaar' that "simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance". How true that is. Chanel always kept the clothing she designed simple, comfortable and revealing. She took what she considered poor fabrics like jersey and upgraded them. Not that I have never owned any of her designs obviously, I have never had the money to do so, but I am addicted to her perfume, and that is where I, and millions of other women, helped with her fortune! I suppose after this length of time you could say Chanel No.5 is my 'signature fragrance'. However depleted my circumstances I don't intend to change that fact at this point in my life.

In 1921 Chanel No. 5 was the first perfume to have a designer name attached to it. She was the person who set the standard for future designers to do the same. I had a bottle of Chanel No.19 given to me at Christmas, it must have cost a fortune, but I am not impressed with it at all. To my way of thinking it does not come close to the fragrance of No.5, but we are all different.

This lady, from very humble beginnings, born in the poor house, abandoned to a convent at six years old to have a harsh upbringing with nuns started sewing in her teens, went on to make a huge mark on fashion all over the world, all her own designs and ideas. I really enjoyed this programme, it really is a story of rags to riches. It was on the History channel if any of you Chanel users, or wearers for that matter, want to watch this programme as these things are always repeated!