Sunday 29 January 2012

reasons not be cheerful

I am by nature optimistic but sometimes it is an effort. Firstly the Hoover has packed up for no discernable reason and I am a keen Hooverer. Secondly the big hand fell off the grandfather clock as I was winding it up, and thirdly my reading lamp won`t work. Then the infuriatingly smug weather forecasting woman said that a Big Freeze is coming. However, cold dreary January is almost over and there are crocuses and snowdrops along the Ditchling Road.
I had a busy but interesting time at Brighton Meeting House yesterday, a big Amnesty meeting plus the usual Saturday crowd. I discovered that the Ethiopian children are not learning English, they are being taught how to speak Ethiopian!
I have an action packed Sunday ahead. I am now Clerk at Ditchling Meeting. I have never been very good at dates and times so my giving out of the notices at the end of meeting leaves much to be desired.  I am trying to improve, but often leave everyone greatly confused.      We have a bring and share lunch (always a gastronomic treat) and a talk today. Then the choir later this afternoon with plans for our French debut in April with The Wreck of the Titanic.

Tuesday 17 January 2012

I saw three films last week, how decadent is that?  I enjoyed Iron Lady. It took me back to the eighties with all the awfulness of Maggie Thatcher.   Meryl Streep was competely convincing. It was the mean little eyes, the tilt of the head and the walk.    Then I saw The Artist a black and white silent movie with a wonderful dog in it, something different and original about that film that was very appealing.  Both of those were on at the ghastly Cineworld in Brighton Marina which has a nightmarish car park.  What a relief to go to the wonderful Ditchling film club which is literally two minutes round the corner in the Village Hall where I saw In the Mood for Love, which was a Chinese film, sad and subtle, beautifully acted.
The Ditchling Village Choir is branching out. We are going to sing a new work called The Wreck of the Titanic and perform it in Southampton and Cherbourg with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. It does sound rather unlikely. Perhaps I have got it slightly wrong?    (I think some other choir may be joining us)

Tuesday 10 January 2012

How can I keep from singing......

We had a Twelfth Night party at the Meeting House in Ditchling. I had suggested a musical event. They had never had one before. I was anxious, thought no one would turn up ( I often think this as friends will know) It was amazing. Such talent!  Friends brought instruments:a concertina, flute, keyboard, guitars.  They did solos, joined in with gusto to sing and read poetry. They want to have a repeat event soon.
Then on Sunday evening I went to Horsham Folk Club. I was driven through deserted country roads and the streets of Horsham to a packed village hall where all and sundry leapt up, sang, played, recited, mostly older people. It cheers me up no end.
Just off to the cinema to see The Iron Lady. Another good thing about being an Old Retired Person, you can go to the films in the afternoons without feeling guilty.

Sunday 1 January 2012

Write on...

I went to Winchester to Frances MacKeith`s funeral on Thursday. She died peacefully aged ninety seven after an extraordinary life, A lifelong campaigner for peace, she went on protesting and being arrested well into her nineties. I have such memories of her at Greenham in the eighties, of joining her on marches in London, peace vigils, petitions, she never gave up.  I also played in string quartets with her for years, she was always up for it. We played fairly inaccurately but with immense enthusiasm at least once a week. She had a cracking funeral,a real celebrration of her life.
On the way there I had a slight altercation with a bus so my battered car is even more disreputable than ever. And then I put my mobile phone through a warm wash in the machine, so I have not started the new year very well,  but here are my New Year Resolutions:
1.Start a new writing project: bits of my `memoir` that I forgot to put in  (there have been requests for more of the forties and fifties)  
2.The usual: eat less and exercise more, get off that sofa!
3.Write a poem a week, not that anyone wants to read them, but it makes me feel better.