Family Stuff

2010-03-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

20 Dec 08 and The Wedding of Sarah and James

2008-12-29T00:56:00.001-08:00

The Weather was just right

Getting ready at the Belfry

Proud Dad
St Thomas Church

Sarah looked radiant

There were 3 Best men!

The Bridesmaids were great.Some of their comments made me blush!

Jim and Cynth'

Lara, Dom and Alicia

The Oxford Golf Club

The pictures tell it all. An excellent ceremony, reception and, all in all, a brilliant day

Style over Substance, Isaac's first Christmas and The Wedding

2008-12-29T00:11:00.000-08:00

Trips to the Theatre, Flat Four, Isaac's first Christmas and The Wedding of Sarah to James have been the highlights of the last month. Not in that order.

At the end of November the FF 'Bromham' Christmas commenced the celebrations with a trip to Bath market (where I learned the Wenscelas Pizza joke...ha!) and Bath Theatre Royal and a dire production of The Constant Husband. Criminals should be made to sit through this as a punishment. The average age of the cast seemed 100 and the pace, wit and style of the script were squandered. A lack of substance and no style. The weekend was excellent though and 'Christmas Dinner' on the Sunday was greeted with actual snow flurries.

At work the research project continued and I actually completed the first experimental stage and commenced analysing the Control Group. Hope to be finished in January. The expected visit from our Sardinian colleagues did not occur...due to illness, this time.

Managed to get to see David Tennant's Hamlet in London (before he slipped a disc and left the cast). John arranged it and managed to get tickets for the Flat Four Ladies as well as Laura, Ian, Rachel and David. Everybody enjoyed it.....well...did I? The RSC put on a excellent production. It was, again stylish, updated and intelligent. Flashy, stylish but no soul. I didn't care about the Prince and I really think I should. Everything was perfect but something missing. I felt no sense of tragedy (which I did feel when I saw Daniel Day Lewis at the National). Style over substance. Good night though. Polonius and Claudius were both triumphant.

I was anticipating great things of 'Warhorse' at the National. It had very good 'crit's' and I had waited a year to see it. But the script was sparse and, frankly, poor. As my companion said ' Boy meets horse, boy looses horse, boy finds horse again'! Well I suppose it's a children's story? But the technical side was undoubtedly a triumph. The puppetry was amazing. The full scale shire horses were manipulated by 4 people and were the real triumph of the performance. There was a 'coup de theatre' when a formation of cavalry emerged prior to a charge. But again I feel I should have been more involved in the story. I was entranced by the puppets but did not care about the fate of the protagonists. If the production had worked then I shouldn't have noticed how it worked. A bit like David Tennant -lots of tricks and athleticism rather than depth of feeling. Style over substance. Form over content.

Then to a concert with Maddie Prior and the Carnival band. I've loved Maddie for years. But she does less and less on stage now (in a performance), relying more on her 'backing group', and looks tired. Only a few glimpses of the vivacity of old. The voice,once glorious, is a memory of what it once was. She said that Steeleye Span will tour this year (40th Anniversary). I don't think I will go. Keep the memories.

I sound discontented. Not so. Just nostalgic.

The Carnival Band were entertaining and as humorous as ever and I learned a new word 'Macaronic'!

The weekend before the Wedding and we arranged to have 'Christmas' early, at our house so that Sarah and James could come (otherwise on Honeymoon). As it transpired Sarah was ill with flu. So we had a very large turkey for the Jeffcoate-Flints and us. Isaac was the star of the show.

And then THE WEDDING. (this deserves a section to itself so see above.........)

The Queen, new friends and I

2008-11-18T21:18:00.000-08:00

Bit of a 'Champagne headache' today but otherwise bright and perky. Spent yesterday on my research on Hyperbaric Medicine (which, fingers crossed, is going to plan) then left work at about 3 p.m. to go home to make myself presentable as I had been invited to the 'Palace'. The Invitation stated that guests were to arrive no sooner than 5.15 and no later than 5.50. So 5.30 seemed about right. No panic. Well, there I was standing outside the gates at about 4.45. Me and about 100 others. It was like queuing for School Dinners. Forming an orderly line, I set about making new friends. The Head of the Dental Association and a Procurement Officer from the Devon Ambulance Service (who had once been a numismatist specialising in Greek and Roman Coins - not a big market for that, 'because kids just don't collect things anymore, haven't the patience' so started working for the NHS).
Then let into the Palace (right on time). On entering there were lots of Officials telling us where to go and what to do....basically have a glass of Champagne, put on a name badge and enjoy the place. They went off leaving me to marvel a the Picture Gallery, I and 300 others. Oh, you would have loved the art work...Rembrandt, Canaletto, Vermeer etc. Also there were mini exhibitions, put on to entertain us, from the Queens private collections at Windsor. These included Leonardo Da Vinci anatomical etchings , books and treatise on herbal cures (one was a note book written by Lady Augusta Summer the mistress to George III... and the writing was as fresh as if written yesterday). Here, I made another friend called Emma who is a deputy librarian at Windsor Castle and an expert in 'Arctic Explorers'. I asked her about a Latin text on display which she proceeded to translate leading on to a discussion about the differences in Latin and Germanic Text. She was nice and interesting so when I made another friend, Lady Roberts, (who is the Head Librarian) I put in a good word for Emma (you have to help your friends, you know).

Then, eating canapes,I chatted to NHS representatives from North and South Wales (Paul and ....can't remember) who told me all about new health initiatives in Wales that are 'Client Centred' rather that 'Product Centered' like what they do in England 'Boyo'.

We were asked to get in line and we were shown to another splendid golden room to meet the Queen. An Official took my invitation card and announced me and I shook her hand and then was politely asked to move on. So, that was Her Majesty...a bit of an anticlimax I thought........mistakenly, as it turns out.

So with more Champagne (hence the headache) and canapes I ventured into the Blue Room where there were exhibitions about Military Hospitals, London Hospitals and Eyes and Teeth (there's a theme here I thought). I made my next friend, a Dr. called Julia, who works for the Medicines Regulatory Authority and we talked happily about how nice it was to be here and foreign travel when we were joined by the Duke of Kent. He asked us about what we did and had a little chat about my clients and the importance of regulating 'drugs' and then moved on.

By this time I realised that some other Royals were 'networking' , namely The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, The Duke of Kent, and Princess Alexandra. All of whom I chatted with at sometime or other. Then off to look at another exhibition about Florence Nightingale and perused her original letters to Queen Victoria from Scutari (Crimea) and about the importance of moving St Thomas' Hospital from it's original site by London Bridge because it was too noisy to a new site (where the Imperial War Museum is now) and then from there to where it is now. She was a bossy boots but the Government did everything she told them to do. Victoria was also encouraged to visit her troops which she agreed to do but only as far as going to see them at Fort Pit Army Hospital at Chatham. On her return the Queen wrote a diary entry and sketched the patients she had met. One was of a soldier with a shattered jaw and another was of Sergeant Scarff of the 17th Lancers who suffered a sabre wound to the face. Splendid, immediate, and childlike drawings.

Then met some RAF paramedics and had a chat about DSMRU Headley Court and then networked with the Head of Clinical Services for the Joint Services.

I moved on. Into another splendid room where I made another friend. This was Dr Trisha.... (can't remember her second name) who is the Deputy editor for the British Medical Journal. It turns out that she lives in the next village. Then I chatted to Princess Alexandra who had a very pretty pink dress on and was jolly chatty. Who were we, what did we do, how nice etc. Looked behind me and there was the Queen!. So our group was discretely dispersed by an equerry from the Coldstream Guards and told where to stand (not the Princess as she knew where to stand). I was formed into a little semicircle with some other Health care Providers and up came the Queen. We chatted about rehab. She has the most beautiful smile. I was quite captivated...I know it's daft but it is the truth.

Then I chatted to somebody about the art works on show. I said that being here and seeing the Queen reminded me of the play 'A Question of Attribution' and Anthony Blunt. She laughed and said I'd better not mention him too loudly and that I might get carted off to the Tower. I had previously wanted to direct this play with actress Jenny Armstrong in the lead part. I swear that she looks more like The Queen than The Queen. In fact that never worked out, but Jenny did play the lead in another play I directed in which she played Coral Browne. In fact Jenny looked like her too. Such chameleon like qualities!!!

Anyway, back to the 'Palace'..

where I re-entered the 'splendid gold room' and rested my 'champagne weary' body on a chair that (if it was in the National Trust it would have had a pine cone on it). Here I met The Director of the South Central Health Strategic somethin' or other....who would love to visit my unit...and so it was arranged. I did this with some other people as well....so the evening wasn't entirely wasted.

Then it was 8.30 and by this time people were filing out so I made my happy way up the Mall to Trafalgar Square on a cold crisp London night . Then home to bed...

Other, other things -still catching up

2008-11-16T14:58:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy time. There been Daryl and Philip's Civil Partnership
Which was held at Grymdyke (home of WS Gilbert- and where he met his end)

Aaaaah!

Went to Iron bridge and the brilliant Blists Hill Living Museum

Nice Victorian lady

Lara trying on her bridesmaid dress (for Sarah's Wedding to James)

Went to Warwick Castle

The Bowman was funny, informative and very skilful

Actually, this is becoming a bit of a photo gallery. So I'll stop now and take time to consider my next entry.

Other Stuff

2008-11-16T14:53:00.000-08:00

Met a Prince.

Sardinia - Visiting Rehab' Facilities

2008-11-16T14:43:00.000-08:00

Dr. Sanna, Lyndon and Daniele
A day off

Yeah, I went to Sardinia (on business).

My Mate Gillian

2008-11-16T14:39:00.000-08:00

Really proud of my mate Gillian. Two plays on in London. 'Crooked Wood'on at the Jermyn Street Theatre and 'Yours Abundantly from Zimbabwe' at the Oval House. Brilliant productions and I saw both of them. You can still listen to the latter, in a former incarnation as 'Boniface and Me' at her website on http://www.gillian-plowman.co.uk/

Children in Need Fund Raising at Work

2008-11-16T14:26:00.000-08:00

The Odd Couple (Cheryl and Me)
How Much Darlin'

The Vicar of Fiddley

We did good!

Grandma and Grandpa

2008-10-11T15:29:00.000-07:00

More Isaac with Aunt Sarah and Virtual Gran Sue

2008-10-11T15:23:00.000-07:00

Meet Isaac

2008-10-10T22:20:00.000-07:00

As of the 29 September I became a Grandfather. Isaac to Ruth and John. He's wonderful and beautiful and ...I haven't the words. Just look at the photo's.

What is worth talking about?

2008-10-10T22:08:00.000-07:00

I haven't written this for some time. Much has happened. But is it worth writing when all you write is what you want others to see? It's not me. Not all of me. If I wrote everything, I would probably be sectioned. You can only write that which is fit for consumption. But good things have occured so I will get back to putting thoughts (some thoughts) down on the blog. Bet the world can't wait (irony was never a strong point). Ha!

Rubenstein Mystery

2008-05-04T11:48:00.000-07:00

Introducing 'Rubenstein Mystery' aka Snoopy

(what a pretentious name for such a little dog)

Summer is a cummin in

2008-05-02T22:34:00.000-07:00

It's May!The lusty month of May! That lovely month when everyone goes Blissfully astray."

So sang the young Vanessa Redgrave in the film version of 'Camelot'. She is at the National at the moment in a one woman play about bereavement. Still beautiful, she is. Boris Johnson has just been elected as Mayor of London thus adding evidence toward the theory that this is, indeed, a 'wacky' month or, more kindly, a month for change ('summer is a cummin in', as they say).

"It's here, that shocking time of year!When tons of wicked little thoughts merrily appear"

Very few wicked thoughts but I am feeling 'green and luscious' today and quite willing to'go astray' in a May like way. May Day (Beltane) customs include: walking the circuit of one's property ('beating the bounds'), repairing fences and boundary markers, processions of chimney-sweeps and milk maids, archery tournaments, morris dances, sword dances, feasting, music, drinking, and maidens bathing their faces in the dew of May morning to retain their youthful beauty and villagers dancing round Maypoles to celebrate fertility.

Heralding the start of Summer, Beltane is now celebrated from sundown April 30th to sundown on the first of May, but before the calendar changes of 1752, all dates year-round would have come some days later, during which time the hawthorn ("mayflower") and many more trees and more flowers would have begun blooming. A fertile time.

The Puritans disapproved of May Day celebrations and Kipling wrote

Oh, do not tell the Priest our plight,Or he would call it a sin; But we have been out in the woods all night, A-conjuring Summer in!

But there are bluebells in my garden, it's very early, and greenfinches, blue tits, great tits and a pair of robins are gorging themselves on the birdfeeder. It's a lovely day!
Looking forward to a day in the garden (after haircut and taking washing to the laundry because the washing machine broke last night) and then to 'Richard III' at the Roundhouse with John.

Sarah and James have just bought a puppy, who is very sleepy and plays with Sarah's slippers (not his toys). Snoopy by name and, I think a Cocker Spaniel.

I found this self profile of Sarah on her facebook. Things she likes to do etc.

Swimming...gym when my Ipod works and there is nothing better to do..shopping but on my terms no one elses...being with my bestest friends and family...my beautiful cat Charlie..work...its somewhere to go for a few hours..and Bean watching..its like having your own TV
Favorite Music:
Depending on my mood..anything from dodgy 80's music to 2day...not much I dont like... except when I have to listen to some of my Dads odd music x only joking dad xx oh god he is going to post more pictures of me on his blog now...b*llocks...
Favorite TV Shows:
Am completley crap at watching TV..serial fidgeter..but Gavin and Stacey, Little Brit, Dom Joly, fonejacker..
Favorite Movies:
Proper old school...the best movie in the world has to be Pretty Woman followed by Dirty Dancing..all movies should have a happy ending cos if you cant have a perfect world there...
About Me:
Soft and caring, passionate when people are unfair or mean, stubborn,

You see, Sarah, some things come back and bite you in the arse!!!

Now I'm off to bathe my face in dew to enhance my beauty.

Porridge

2008-04-19T23:01:00.000-07:00

I have just emerged from a period of depression. Despite a restful few days in Dorset there has been a shadow. Don't know what, why or how, but there it is.

A comment on the radio cheered me up yesterday (on 'Question Time'). A commentator likened Gordon Brown to porridge. I suppose he meant 'slow and stodgy' with particular reference to the Prime Minister's reaction to the effects of the '10p income tax' decision. A Minister, on the panel, replied that 'porridge is nutritious'. Frederick Forsyth countered that Gordon Brown was indeed like porridge 'thick and from Scotland' . Later I heard a play on Radio 4 in which Boswell (Johnson's biographer) replies to a comment that 'in Scotland the men eat oats, a dish that, in England is fit only for horses'. He says ' that is why the English have the best horses and Scotland the best men' .

I have just re-read my comments of Wednesday, 27 June 2007

New Prime Minister today!!! S'funny I don't feel any different. Thought it was an impressive first speech outside Number 10. New Politics eh! I like that idea, let's see if it works. Pity Paddy Ashdown didn't see it that way. Best men/women for the job despite party boundaries -sounds good to me.

Well that's as near to optimism as I was going to get. Pity he's turned out to be a ditherer. Wanted power but doesn't seem to know what to do with it. Even Mugabwe realises how insignificant Brown is. Brown, as Lord Desai commented this week, was put on earth to make Tony Blair look good. My goodness what a condemnation. No wonder I felt depressed

The photo above was taken at a high level security council meeting on Peace in Africa on 16 April 08.
A good news story is that another 'Johnson' is to manage England!!! Only the rugby team though. Pity.

I'm off to make some porridge!

Connections - Kings, Lords, Drabs, and Epitaphs

2008-04-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

10th to the 18th April - a week of some interest (to me, at least). On the 10th I was privileged to attend the Lord Mayor of Westminster's farewell lunch for Lord Peter Imbert CVO,QPM,JP (the retiring Lord Lt of London) at Westminster City Hall. Good view from the 18th floor, overlooking Buck' House, drinking champagne and 'chillin'' with Lord Mayors (past and present), Black Rod and 'the great and the good'. Hey, I even had a 'pee' standing next to Robert Powell (ex 'Jesus of Nazareth'). So I'm a name dropper - I don't care. I've mentioned before that I have an interest in London and here I was mixing with all those titles and offices central to it's history. I had a long chat with Joe Trotter ex-Lord Mayor for Islington and a real Cockney. We had something in common - stories about the Krays (no, it's a long story).
Sunday back to London. Jenny and I watched the London Marathon (well a bit of it), visited the National Gallery and Portrait Gallery, shopping in Covent Garden.

The weather drove us to shelter in the Menier Chocolate Factory (theatre). A fortuitous Maria Friedman matinee filled two and a half hours. This is a wonderfully intimate theatre. The performance centred around the Arrangers of songs rather than any particular theme. Ms. Friedman 'sells' the songs expertly and the musicians ('all soloists in their own right') compliment the emotional 'tour de force'.

Later we stumbled across the 'Cross Bones' cemetery in Red Cross Way (near Borough Market). Not so much a cemetery now as a memorial on a gate to a London Transport depot. A memorial from the people of Southwark.

The medieval Bishop of Winchester had a bad reputation for consorting with and acting as a landlord for the drabs of Southwark and the prostitutes were described as "Winchester geese". Although "Winchester goose" has the meaning -'a prostitute', Andrew S. Cairncross, editor of the Arden edition of KING HENRY VI, defines it as "a swelling in the groin, the result of venereal disease," and "one so affected". Here's a quote from KING HENRY VI (Part 1)

WINCHESTER.Gloucester, thou wilt answer this before the Pope.

GLOUCESTER.Winchester goose, I cry, a rope! a rope! Now beat them hence; why do you let them stay? Thee I 'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array. Out, tawny coats! out, scarlet hypocrite! (Here Gloucester's men beat out the Cardinal's men, and enter in the hurly-burly the Mayor of London and his Officers).

Hmmmm... the Mayor of London again!

I also found a modern quote and definition from an American ‘Urban Dictionary’'A condition in which an individual suffers from an inflated crotchal area. When suffering from 'the winchester goose', there is a significant swelling of the pelvic region. I quote from the Urban Dictionary -"Yo! that bitch has some wicked nasty winchester goose!! But it don’t look like it has nice cushion for the pushin’, it just looks fatnastay' (Not exactly Shakespeare but it is interesting to see a connection that traverses the centuries and continents.

The 'Geese' congregated in and around 'Cock Lane'. Peter Ackroyd comments that this area was known for 'continual riot and disorder' and 'the prostitutes of Bankside, practising their trade within the 'Liberty' of the Bishop of Winchester, were known as Winchester Geese' ('London ,the biography', 2000, page 690). It is recorded that they actually paid rent to the Bishop. So, presumably, he was living off immoral earnings! More information about the 'Cross Bones' can be found at:

http://www.into.org.uk/SouthwarkMysteries/CrossBonesGraveyard.htm

A short remembrance ceremony to honour 'the outcast dead' will take place on the 23 April at the site of the cemetery at 7pm.

Talking about Henry VI (above) brings me to last Tuesday when John and I ventured once more to the Roundhouse to see a production of Richard II (RSC). A thrilling production which led me to read, again about the Wars of the Roses, hence the tie to Henry VI and indeed to cemeteries.

Let's talk of graves, of worms, and epitaphs,
Make dust our paper, and with rainy eyes
Write sorrow on the bosom of the earth.
Let's choose executors and talk of wills.
And yet not so -- for what can we bequeath,
Save our deposèd bodies to the ground?

Richard II Act III

Which leads me to yesterday and a visit to Moreton Cemetery (Dorset) and the grave of T E Lawrence (although by the time he died 'Lawrence' had changed his name by deed pole to T E Shaw) and then Cloudshill.

I have to confess that I have been defeated by the dense Victorian prose of the 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom' but am minded to try again. Above the door of Cloudshill (where he spent his latter years until his untimely death in 1935) he has had carved (in Greek) 'I don't care'. Perhaps he was a 'name dropper' too!

'We few, we happy few'

2008-04-09T16:02:00.000-07:00

Terrific night last night. Off to London with John to The Roundhouse where the RSC are currently performing the Shakespeare History Cycle. We enjoyed a brilliant performance of Henry V. The hard nosed English (led by a Welsh King) stuff the effete French who swing indolently from strategically positioned trapezes.

Go to: http://www.reviewsgate.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3718
and: http://www.dailyinfo.co.uk/reviews/feature/2613/RSC_current_season

for reviews. A witty production with Geoffery Streatfeild as Harry. The Chorus was particularly memorable highlighting the contrast between returning Soldiers from Agincourt and their reception by the English with the adverse reaction of the public to soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan recently. Humour from pleasing anachronisms and a delightful scene between Katherine and Alice made this a great night out.

John and I loved '2 swords Warwick' - you have to see it !!!

...and the 'wooing' scene revealed a truly rounded, multidimensional King Henry.

Effectively directed by Michael Boyd ...what's not to like.

Tomorrow it's back to London to meet, and have lunch with, The Lord Mayor of Westminster! Turn again Whittington.

A Sunday in April in Goring

2008-04-06T13:08:00.000-07:00

Wedding Dresses and stuff

2008-04-06T11:36:00.000-07:00

Saturday - and it's everyone to Pronuptua to choose a wedding dress ('Dad, just bring your cheque book!!' ). Sarah took a record 55 minutes to choose, fit and out (that's my girl). Jenny and Sue said she looked beautiful but I was not allowed to see...a bit harsh that. Then they all went to John Lewis to buy 'baby stuff'!! Then lunch at 'The Slug...'
Back to John and Ruth's house, as Sarah and Sue hadn't seen the 'scan' yet..

I have to say that I totally approve of the baby wear modelled here. Look out the Welsh!!

(click play)

'Micky Salberg' at the Watermill

2008-04-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday and a trip to the Watermill Theatre at Bagnor. This is the second time this year. Previously (in March) we saw 'Merrily We Roll Along' (Stephen Sondheim. Dir: John Doyle). Past visits to 'Fiddler on the Roof' and 'Mack and Mabel' had primed me for this brilliant director's use of minimal stage space, big musical ideas and use of talented actor/musicians.

This musical progresses backwards (er...regresses sounds wrong). Frank is a celebrity in 1981. We watch his life rewind to where he, and his two best friends, began as fresh-faced students in the 1950s. “How did you get here from there, Mr Shepherd?” . This story in reverse shows that success comes at a price. It's a tale of crumbling relationships, disillusionment and unrequited love. In the second half of the play the story focuses on youthful aspirations, the pace quickens, the mood lightens and there is a very funny satire of the Kennedys in the Whitehouse. Good show, but we had lousy seats in the 'circle slips'. Great little theatre, vibrant acting space but some lousy sight-lines unless you are in the stalls or front circle. The Mill's got ducks too!
This week we returned to see 'Micky Salberg's Crystal Ballroom Dance Band' (by Ade Morris. Dir. Guy Retallack).

'Micky' is a three hander. A musical play set in Stoke in the 50's. Rock and Roll replaces the 'dance band'. Post war Polish immigrants struggle for acceptance, a love/hate affair with a 'Stokey' lad, cultural clashes and great music. very enjoyable evening with, again, multitalented actors playing several instruments, singing and acting (often all at the same time). The curtain call featured the players letting rip with rock and roll classics. Timely Jewish humour acted as a telling contrast to the tragic history of the protagonists.

This is the set.

I particularly enjoyed the performance of Pam Jolley as Samuella Salberg (playing saxaphone and clarinet and keyboard and, eventually, singing). I have previously enjoyed her performance in 'The Blonde Bombshells of 1943' at the Oxford Playhouse (see the picture below, she is the one playing the clarinet).

As You Like It 1967/68

2008-04-03T10:01:00.000-07:00

Two things stuck me about this production:
1) Alan Howard has the most arresting voice I have ever heard. I have to admit to trying to copy it in nearly all my amateur attempts at Shakespeare.
2) The set consisted of the massive branch of a tree which swung impressively onto stage. I was amused to find the quote below.

"Two vast gnarled branches that swing out from the wings and that slowly become swathed in greenery as the mood of the play mellows. I have known productions of 'As You Like It' where you couldn't see the wood for the trees but Mr O'Brien avoids any arboreal clutter and, incidentally, provides two of the largest phallic symbols I have ever seen on a stage." Peter Ansorge, Plays and Players 8.6

Photographs: Thos. F. and Mig Holte Collection (Copyright Shakespeare Birthplace Trust)

Photographs and text used in this blog

2008-04-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

I have, as you see, used photo's to illustrate some of the text in this blog. In the main I have used my own, rather poor, photographic ability. However, in some cases I have appropriated published images and text from the Internet and other sources. I have tried to refer to the provenance to each of the images and text that are not my original work. The blog is not, as you see, meant to profit anyone and may prove educational to those happening upon it. If the owner of any image, or text, used has objection to me publishing their work, or feels I have not given due credit, please let me know via the message board and I will immediately remove the image or amend the text.

Just tryin' to spread the word about stuff I find interesting,

In good faith

David

On Quoting Shakespeare by Bernard Levin

2008-04-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

If you cannot understand my argument, and declare ``It's Greek to me'', you are quoting Shakespeare; if you claim to be more sinned against than sinning, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you recall your salad days, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you act more in sorrow than in anger; if your wish is farther to the thought; if your lost property has vanished into thin air, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you have ever refused to budge an inch or suffered from green-eyed jealousy, if you have played fast and loose, if you have been tongue-tied, a tower of strength, hoodwinked or in a pickle, if you have knitted your brows, made a virtue of necessity, insisted on fair play, slept not one wink, stood on ceremony, danced attendance (on your lord and master), laughed yourself into stitches, had short shrift, cold comfort or too much of a good thing, if you have seen better days or lived in a fool's paradise -why, be that as it may, the more fool you , for it is a foregone conclusion that you are (as good luck would have it) quoting Shakespeare; if you think it is early days and clear out bag and baggage, if you think it is high time and that that is the long and short of it, if you believe that the game is up and that truth will out even if it involves your own flesh and blood, if you lie low till the crack of doom because you suspect foul play, if you have your teeth set on edge (at one fell swoop) without rhyme or reason, then - to give the devil his due - if the truth were known (for surely you have a tongue in your head) you are quoting Shakespeare; even if you bid me good riddance and send me packing, if you wish I was dead as a door-nail, if you think I am an eyesore, a laughing stock, the devil incarnate, a stony-hearted villain, bloody-minded or a blinking idiot, then - by Jove! O Lord! Tut tut! For goodness' sake! What the dickens! But me no buts! - it is all one to me, for you are quoting Shakespeare.

Bernard Levin (from 'The Story of English'. Robert McCrum, William Cran and Robert MacNeil. Viking: 1986).

Don't you just love London?

2008-04-01T12:49:00.001-07:00

http://ahds.ac.uk/ahdscollections/docroot/shakespeare/performancedetails.do?performanceId=11371

I have had a love affair with London since my first visit in 1968 (aged 15) to see Brewster Mason, Barry Ingham and Ian Richardson in 'Julius Ceasar' (dir. John Barton) at the Aldwych Theatre. I later met Barton on his visit to my school (Coleshill Grammar) 2 years later just about the time I joined the National Youth Theatre (working for Michael Croft in Zigger Zagger at the Roundhouse and touring in 'Coriolanus' ). That first trip to London melded with my first experience of professional Shakespeare had a great influence on my life. I have enjoyed both equally ever since. Later that same year I had the joy of seeing Dorothy Tutin, Janet Suzman (who I hear on the radio today talking about Zimbabwe) and Alan Howard (as Jaques) in 'As You Like It' at Stratford. But it was the first mix of LONDON with THEATRE that I found intoxicating.

The mystery and magic of London, for me, can be found in the unexpected places just happened upon. These special places, and the people we meet there, highlight experiences which form our history. They are memorials to and a celebration of, our shared past. They form a connection through time which facilitates continuity. The continuity of what Peter Ackroyd refers to as the 'English Music'.

I suppose the places which speak to us most directly are graveyards and memorials to the heroic dead. One such place I have visited on several occasions is Postman's Park.

Postman's Park is located between King Edward Street, Little Britain and Angel Street, and was laid out in 1880 on the site of an ancient burying ground and the filled in moat of the Roman wall. It was called Postman's Park because it was around the corner from the General Post Office sorting offices where Anthony Trollope worked in between novel writing. In the street, a statue of Rowland Hill, the penny post man, stands, facing the traffic, looking across to their long-gone offices in St Martin's le Grand. pews.
Aldersgate Street is on the far side of Postman's Park. It was on this street in 1735 that John Wesley had a mystic spiritual experience which led him to found the Methodist church.

But what Postman's Park is really famous for are the ceramic plaques commemorating men, women and children who gave their lives saving others. It was the idea of a Victorian painter, George Frederic Watts. In 1887, the Jubilee year, Watts wrote to The Times, proposing a national memorial recording examples of everyday heroism and self sacrifice. He quoted the case of Alice Ayres: "a maid of all work at an oilmonger's in Gravel Lane who lost her life (in 1885) saving the lives of her master's children".
Nothing came of the idea so Watts decided to create his own memorial here in Postman's Park. In an open gallery, roofed with red tiles, are 53 glazed ceramic plaques designed by the de Morgan factory, where the earliest ones were made. Later tiles were made by Doulton. The lettering is elegant, delicate and old fashioned

Many commemorate children. Edward Morris, aged 10, drowned in the Grand Junction Canal trying to save his companion when they went swimming in the summer of 1897. David Selves, aged 12, died in Woolwich Reach "supporting his drowning playfellow and sank with him clasped in his arms," September 1886. At 9 years old, William Fisher was the youngest: he died in Walworth in July1886 trying to save his little brother from being run over in the street.
The heroic Dr Rabbeth was treating a four year old boy for diphtheria. A tracheotomy was necessary but, since the child still couldn't breathe, the doctor used a tube to suck the infected matter out of his throat. Samuel Rabbeth, aged 28, died of diphtheria in October 1884. The child also died.
One of the last plaques records the death of Alfred Smith, a policeman, who died saving the lives of women and girls in an East End factory after it had been bombed by German Zeppelins in 1917.

Watts was a Victorian with a social conscience. Painting portraits made him rich and he spent his money on good causes like the Home Crafts and Industries Association which taught art to working people. (His wife held classes in their home.) He also gave money to St Jude's — now the Whitechapel Art Gallery — and gave his paintings free to galleries, such as the Tate, which had no admission charges. He deplored the killing of birds to adorn hats with their feathers and, what might seem to us odd (but was much in keeping with the views of the Pre-Raphaelites), he was president of an Anti-Tight Lacing Society which, presumably, was set up to encourage women to loosen their stays (Victorian ladies were so prone to fainting).

The City of London is only one mile square but redolent with history. Take time to look at the street names! The English settled there in the ruins of a former empire and were invaded in turn by Danish and Viking marauders, then Norman conquerors finally took over. It went from Celtic gods to Roman gods to Saints with quaint English names like Ethelburga and Ethelreda. Its guilds and livery companies are medieval. Its Bishop condemned Tyndal to death for anglicising the Bible. Shakespeare, it is said, stole an entire theatre, sneaking it away plank by plank at dead of night. Donne preached of death and salvation from his coffin at St Paul's Cross. The city financed wars and civil wars, survived plague, fire, bombs, Reformation, Regicide, Restoration, Enlightenment, and will no doubt survive all the modern ills prophesied by the Daily Mail. Yet here is set aside a little space to remember how a labourer called Richard Farris died trying to save a washerwoman from drowning herself in the Surrey Canal. Their memorials were unveiled in 1900 by the Lord Mayor and the Bishop of London who was, no doubt, happy to read the Bible in Tyndal's English as perfected by King James's Greek and Hebrew scholars.

In the Patrick Marber play 'Closer' a character takes the pseudonym 'Alice Ayres' from one of the painted tiles.

Much of this information regarding 'Postman's Park' is gleaned (with thanks) from the following sources:
http://www.victorianweb.org/art/parks/9a.html
and
http://www.urban75.org/london/postman.html

Suzanne Vega meets Louisianna

2008-03-31T11:36:00.000-07:00

I am sitting In the morning
At the diner On the corner
I am waiting At the counter
For the man To pour the coffee
And he fills it Only halfway
And beforeI even argue
He is looking Out the window
At somebodyComing in

"It is alwaysNice to see you"
Says the man Behind the counter
To the womanWho has come in
She is shaking Her umbrella
And I look The other way
As they are kissing
Their hellos I'm pretending
Not to see them
InsteadI pour the milk

I open Up the paper
There's a story Of an actor
Who had died While he was drinking
It was no oneI had heard of
And I'm turning To the horoscope
And looking For the funnies
When I'm feeling Someone watching me
And soI raise my head

There's a woman On the outside
Looking inside Does she see me?
No she does not Really see me
Cause she sees Her own reflection
And I'm trying Not to notice
That she's hitching Up her skirt
And while she's Straightening her stockings
Her hair Has gotten wet

Oh, this rain It will continue Through the morning
As I'm listening
To the bells Of the cathedral I am thinking Of your voice...

And of the midnight picnic
Once upon a time Before the rain began...

I finish up my coffee It's time to catch the train

You Are My Sunshine
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are grey.
You'll never know, dear,
How much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away

The other nite, dear,
As I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you in my arms.
When I awoke, dear,
I was mistaken
And I hung my head and cried.

You are my sunshine,
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are grey.
You'll never know, dear,
How much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dmx6KxBsLCU&feature=related
No point really....just liked the juxtaposition...so there!

iPod Mania

2008-03-25T13:55:00.000-07:00

You see I didn't realise that I needed an iPod. I was guilty of looking down my nose at the silly people who cut themselves off from life, earphones in situ, and failing to relate to the world around them. Also I'm a technophobe about some things. So there's my Daughter, buying me a Christmas present (well combined birthday and Christmas present) and it's a 3rd generation iPod Nano. It's brilliant. I'm converted. Not only have I put all my record collection (sorry CD collection) on it but I've got photo's and videos and notes and all sorts. Forgive me for gushing but I am 55 and consider such things only slightly short of black magic. But the best thing is iTunes. All the songs I've ever wanted in one place. Don't have to buy the whole album for just one song - can buy individual tracks! Wow! and then there are all the freebies (even Sarah didn't know about the free audiobooks on podcasts, free nostalgia radio, ghost stories, rugby podcasts, friday night BBC comedy programmes and lots more. I searched 'The Battle of Waterloo' and 'Agincourt' and came up with free podcast accounts of the battles. There are even

free walking guides around London and free guides to the major art galleries and museums. Just download and walk.S'brilliant.

And I can listen to Maddy Prior in the bath on my docking station.......aaaaah luxury

Zimbabwe

2008-03-25T13:28:00.000-07:00

This week Zimbabwe will see elections. If you have any doubt about the need for regime change you should go to http://www.gillian-plowman.co.uk/
Go to 'plays' and then scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the link to the play 'Boniface and Me' Then listen..............

Coincidences do happen

2008-03-25T12:53:00.000-07:00

Browsing the antiques fair in Benson, I found the chap on the left. I was intrigued, never having seen one of these items before. I found this unnatractive gentleman fascinating in design and had not a clue what it was for. The vendor told me it was a turn of the century porcelain matchstriker which, she felt, was manufactured in Germany. You can strike a match on the roughened base. A cigarrette can be put in the mouth and smoke will eminate from the holes in the ears. An interesting piece of Tobbacciana (? spelling). I bought it for £30 and that was that.
A couple of weeks later I was at a bric a brac sale in Hampshire and was astonished to find the other chap (the one with the moustache). The guy let me have it for £15 - he hadn't know it's provenance but his wife had told him it was a match striker. So I thought there may be a set of these waiting to be collected. So I did a bit of research and found a couple pictures, below, of similar objects made by Schafer and Vater.

Schafer & Vater Porcelain Factory was located in Volkstedt Rudolstadt, Thuringa Germany. Gustav Schafer and Gunther Vater wanted to produce high quality porcelain and founded the Schafer & Vater Porcelain Factory. Schafer & Vater Porcelain Factory purchased the List Porcelain Factory at Neuhaus in 1896. Schafer & Vater Porcelain Factory produced a wide range of hard paste porcelain such as figurines, and dolls' heads. Schafer & Vater Porcelain Factory also produced soft paste porcelain in bisque items. Majolica and Jasperware were other produce lines. They had become so successful that their unique and fanciful wares were picked up by the Sears Roebuck catalogue and became available all across America by 1910.Schafer and Vater succeeded because they made the kinds things few other companies would even attempt to make, interesting products of broad popular appeal, and they made them artfully.
The company had started by making doll heads, but Schafer&Vater had more adult products in mind — fun items involving sex and liquor.Their line of nudes and bathing beauties was more comical than naughty( go to : http://www.onr.com/user/bblady/schafer.html ), and their figural liquor bottles were designed to make cocktail time fun. These were most popular in the 1920s.
Schafer and Vater made decorative bisque and majolica wares, not so much to imitate the companies that made these things, but to put their own interpretation on them.One type of ware S&V dared to put its own interpretation on was Wedgwood’s jasperware, the finely ground stoneware that resembles porcelain bisque, stained with a colorful dye and decorated with white cameos in relief.
Wedgwood is always signed, so those pieces without a signature might well be S&V. Probably not be as valuable as Wedgwood, but still very collectible. Collectors like S&V jasperware for its thick, creamy cameos and romantic motifs. Wedgwood’s cameos are a bit flatter and the motifs are classical.
The best S&V wares were made between 1900 and the 1930s.A few teapots were produced by the company and are extremely hard to find and rare. Schafer & Vater Porcelain Factory produced many figural liquor bottles for distribution by pubs.Paul Schafer had taken over from his father in 1913. He working alongside Gunther Vater built up a successful workforce of around 200 people, using 3 kilns. The factory was destroyed by fire in 1918. A new factory was built to resume production. The firm closed in 1962 and it is reported that in 1972 the East German government assumed full control of the vacant factory and their records and moulds were destroyed.

Same as mine but different song

Will try to find more!!!

February and March

2008-03-23T17:09:00.001-07:00

January was a bit of a dead loss. Miserable and I became 55 ! February was better with Sarah and James planning for their marriage in December and John and Ruth moving into their new house. Did I mention I'm going to be a grandfather!!!

Ruth and Laura constructing Ikea furniture. I supervised (well, just held a bit of wood actually). Oh yes, forgot to mention that this is the first photo of Ruth as a pregnant person!!!!! We have seen the scans (on a DVD) and the baby was very lively. Due in September.

Jenny and I have been walking bits of the Thames path. She has got the fitness bug and is walking miles. This is the lock near Henley. (by the way did I say I am going to be a Grandfather!!!!)

Benson and Wallingford

Flat Four Weekend at Willen. Notable for the fact that I beat Simon at Chess (for the first time).

Probably forgot to mention it but I'm going to be a Grandfather!

Family Christmas

2008-03-23T16:10:00.000-07:00

Christmas Eve and the customary Goring Torchlight Procession. Jenny and I have been going for 11 years now. This year Sarah and James brought Jim and Cynthia (James' Mum and Dad) and John and Ruth invited Ian and Laura (Ruth's little sister and her partner) and some other friends so it was a great night. By the way my photo's all came out black so I've appropriated this photo from another blog which belongs to an artist and author called Sarah Laurence. I urge you to look at her blog and web site.

http://sarahlaurence.com/blog/labels/pubs.html

THEN PRESENT OPENING

and the traditional walk to feed the ducks at Goring Lock
Other stuff? Jenny and I went, with the staff from work, to Jongleurs in Oxford. John,Pat,Jean and I saw Ian Mckellen's King Lear (great night) whilst Ruth and Jenny preferred to stay at home.

Oh yes my future son in law (James aka The Bean)

I find this quite disturbing!!!!

We all went to see 'Billy Elliot' (again) on the 28th and went with Sue and Andy to 'Mamma Mia'. Oh yes, I was given an iPod, by Sarah, more of that later.

So then there was December

2008-03-23T15:55:00.001-07:00

Flat Four Christmas at the Royal Albert Hall, thanks to Philip and Daryl.

Lazy Blogitis

2008-03-23T14:52:00.000-07:00

Ah man! The days have gone since September and I have suffered from such an attack of chronic laziness and acute apathy. My weight has increased and my life is drifting. This is a first step to change that around. So an update to what's been goin' on. Work mainly! Time to retire, but I'm 55 and no retirement in sight. My research project faltered because of the pedantic nature of the legal profession. This has been resolved, as of last Thursday, so I'm feeling much more positive now.

September - Newbury Show (with Stephen)
Waddesdon Manor (with Sue)

Then a weekend with Flat Four in Weston Super Mare and the RAFTA project. Lovely theatre and a lively production

A November Sunday at Blenheim with Aunt Ruth

October and Dad's birthday. Bought him a bird table so he could enjoy the birds outside his living room window. I constructed it without the aid of instructions as that would be an affront to my masculinity. It fell over.

Holiday in the Peak District

2007-09-04T12:30:00.000-07:00

Week of the 20 August 07 and there we are in the Peak District.
Memorable Moments were:

Well Dressing in Taddington Chatsworth and a rainbow

'Atmostheric' Haddon Hall
(it's a family joke)

Lyme Park and the Damien Hirst 'Pregnant Woman'Bakewell in the morning and Bakewell Puddings!

Too many Bakewell puddings!

Sarah and the'Bean'

2007-09-04T12:19:00.000-07:00

Sarah and James (aka 'The Bean') have decided to get married on 20 December 08 in Thame with a reception at the Oxford Golf Club afterward. I wonder if I can get a game. Great News they are a well suited couple though Bean did not put in the casserole tonight and Sarah has banned him from going out. So he has to stay in and play with his Wii (sounds rude, that)

Time Flies

2007-08-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

Time flies when you get older. It seems to speed up and, there you are, you're in September. It's the same with Flat Four it was only five minutes ago when we all first met and decided to put on plays together -and now it's twenty odd years later. So there we are having an August weekend in Selsey. The weekend was typical 'Gillian' . Ever the excellent hostess she laid on sunshine, shopping, dancing in the street (see below) and a visit to Patrick Moore's garden party.
Swimming in the sea and croquet (we let her win).

There was much silliness and a cat

Perhaps we should have been reading plays

Early morning Selsey

Robert is never far from a cat (hmmm)or a cat is never far from Robert

Selsey Street Fair

Caught in an untypical pose (drinking)!!

Caught in a typical pose (shopping)

Aaaaah!

Thats better. Kitchen bitches!

Dancing in the streets!

Early morning Sunday in Selsey

Oh, by the way the weight is now 15 st 3 lbs ( I thought if I put it in here then no one would notice)

Music that cheers me up

2007-08-02T14:27:00.000-07:00

Pleasant Valley Sunday - The Monkees
Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty
The title music to the series 'Firefly'
The Castleford Ladies Magical Circle
The Lark Ascending
Variations on a theme of Thomas Tallis
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Jerusalem
I'm a believer - The Monkees
Sympathy for the Devil - Rolling Stones
Penny Lane - Beatles
Duelling Banjos
Faure's Requiem - Libera Me (funnily enough)
The music from the film 'Badlands' - Musica Poetica (a haunting theme to one of the most brilliant films ever made)
Little Green Bag
'I wish' and 'Tragedy'- from Into the Woods (in fact most of the songs from that show)
Days - Kirstie
Eleanor Rigby
Angie - Bert Jansch
Tam Linn - Maddie ( oh Maddie xx)
Paris in the Rain and Play the Song again - Maria Friedman
Take 5 - Dave Brubeck
He is an Englishman -reminds me of 'An Englishman Abroad'
Red River Rock - Johnny and The Hurricanes

and a song that can make me cry

In the Sky - sung by Maria Friedman. Please go and get a copy and listen very carefully. It was written by a 12 year old boy in 1940. He was one of the Jewish Community in the Vilna Ghetto.
It is the voice of an individual soul crying out against the horror and ravages of war. I first heard her sing it live at the National Theatre as part of the play 'Ghetto'. Perhaps the only play I ever attended when the 'curtain' was met by profound stunned silence. Listen to the music and try to get a copy of the play. The messages of both song and play, resonate still. The song is a track on 'Maria Friedman' 1995. Carlton Home Entertainment Ltd.

another play that had a similar effect on the audience was 'Oleana' by David Mamet. The only two hander I have encountered in which, no matter who you side with, you're wrong!

Thames rising

2007-07-30T14:25:00.001-07:00

Same bridge on two consecutive nights

Stranded boats

Flooded meadow near the Swan Inn

Mallorca

2007-07-30T13:13:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since the last entry. Been away to Mallorca. I've always been a bit of a snob about 'Majorca' and the images that it conjures. I was persuaded to go on the recommendation of a colleague. I'm glad I did. Had a relaxing time in a quiet neighborhood (Costa del Pinos). Good weather, great beaches, friendly people and plenty of good food. The weight, I have to admit, suffered badly. I am ashamed to put it in writing. I spent most of the time swimming, lazing on the beach and reading. During the latter I re-aquainted myself with 'Canon Alberic','The Mezzotint', 'The Tractate Middoth', and 'A Warning to the Curious' et al. I was lucky to have the Oxford version so lots of juicy footnotes and explanatory bits of biography.

Re visiting M.R. James put me in the mood for visiting a gothic Cathedral. So a day in Palma was called for. The Cathedral is majestic (I think it's the largest in Europe) dominating the waterfront.

Whilst Jenny ransacked the shops I enjoyed strolling around the narrow winding streets of the Old Town in Palma. The courtyards of the old houses are a delight with surprisingly theatrical presentations of works of art .

Great set for 'Romeo and Juliet'

We also experienced the public transport preferring bus to car. Very reliable but took ages to get anywhere. So tended to walk (and still put on weight). On a beach near Callor Millor (a concrete hell hole although the beach was OK)) I nearly met Wales, Liverpool and Swansea legend John Toshack. He was at the next table in a beach bar and I earwigged his conversation (talking about the Rugby World Cup, funnily enough). Jenny was unimpressed. Oh yes I also enjoyed the white stallions ( of the Mounted Police) outside the Palace in Palma.

Anyway, I've got lots of photo's of sand and blue sky and sea but they can be a bit boring so I'll keep them to myself. We got back to England on 20 July just after the rains came. Gloucester was flooded and the Severn and Thames were steadily rising. Didn't affect us much though, although Jenny's family were in dire straights (David was 18 hours in a rescue centre after getting his car caught in the floods, Stephen was putting his furniture upstairs and Megan was cut off in Newent with the tides rising and people stockpiling water and food). Goring lock was submerged but it was the next village, Pangbourne, that was hit quite severely. One chap at work was devastated when his was the only house in the street to be flooded just because of the lie of the land. We got off scot free (funny expression that! why 'scot' free?)

Science Museum

2007-07-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

I'm just taking a few minutes to update the blog. It's been awhile. A friend of mine pointed out an apparent paradox. We complain about the increasing amount of 'unecessary' surveillance that predominates our society and yet an increasing number of people share intimate aspects of their lives in 'blogs'.

Spent last Saturday at the Science Museum in London. Jenny and I went with Steph', Chris and Lara.

We wanted to show Lara the Lions in Trafalgar Square but we couldn't get in because Gay Pride had cordoned the square off for their annual march. I feel I want to say something about a 'gay pride of lions', but can't think what.

But we did meet John and Ruth and, as the weather was pretty lousy, we went to the Science Museum. We spent all afternoon playing with gadgets and puzzles. I enjoyed the medical bit and Stephenson's Rocket. It was a great day out (and cheap - free entry). Brilliant for all us kids (and the adults too).

John distinguished himself by attempting to put the largest Jaffa Cake that I've ever encountered into his, considerably sized, mouth all in one go. I don't know who he gets that from. Must be his mother. I take a few moments for a brief aside. It seems that entering the venerable estate of marriage has not matured this boy one jot (I'm pleased to say). He invited me to be a 'friend of his' on a site called 'Facebook' or something of the kind. On entering this website I find that I have been bitten by a 'zombie' and that I now can 'poke' and 'bite' other people. His, is a strange world. At least I thought it was his world until I found that Karrie (a Flat Four friend) had also invited me to be her 'Facebook' chum. Mind you, she's not responsible for her actions either.

Back to London. We finished off the day at Hamlys Toy Store where we were assaulted by a woman with a'bubble gun'. Oh well!

The rest of the week was pretty tame after that.

A nice recipe and the 'Bacon Sandwich'

2007-06-29T15:50:00.000-07:00

First, Happy Birthday to Sarah and John (30 and 33 today). Sarah is in Mexico and has just phoned to tell us that James has proposed to her today! She accepted. John and Ruth, his new wife, would like to be in Mexico but have just bought a house and can't afford holidays for the next 100 years.

One of the joys of having a new daughter in law is that, because she is a vegetarian, we have had to extend our culinary knowledge base. Learn to cook plants. I used to think that the most potent argument against vegetarianism was 'THE BACON SANDWICH' (fanfare and pause for applause). But I have become enlightened and although 'THE BACON SANDWICH' (fanfare) is still a force to be reckoned with there are some very forceful counter arguments in the vegetarian camp. One being the Artichoke! You may stand aghast but try this recipe.....s'good....honest.

Got it from BBC - Sunday Kitchen by Celia Brown

Preparation time less than 30 mins. Cooking time 30 mins to 1 hour

Ingredients
4 large fresh globe artichokes
1 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
300g/10oz mixed wild mushrooms, especially morels, chanterelles and ceps, cleaned and chopped into small chunks
2 tsp fresh thyme or lemon thyme leaves
80ml/ 3fl oz vermouth
150g/6oz mascarpone cheese
salt and pepper
25g/1oz pecans, crushed
a handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1 potato, boiled and mashed
olive oil
vinegar
Method1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil for the artichokes. Add a good glug of both vinegar and olive oil to the water and plenty of salt.2. To prepare the artichokes, snap off the stem and slice about a third off the top. Pull out what you can from the middle and use a spoon to scoop out all of the hairy choke. Place in the boiling water and cook until tender, about 30-40 minutes. They are done when a leaf pulled from toward the centre comes away without resistance. Drain upside-down until dry. Preheat the oven to 220C/400F/Gas 6.3. To make the stuffing, melt the butter on moderate heat in a wide frying pan and add the mushrooms, garlic and thyme with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. When they have absorbed the butter and begin to soften, pour in the vermouth and cook, stirring, until it has mostly evaporated. Finally, stir in the mascarpone. Allow it to melt and coat everything with its sweet creaminess.4. Spoon into the middle of the drained artichokes. Sprinkle with crushed pecans and bake for about 10 minutes, until heated through and golden on top. Finish with chopped parsley before serving. When eating, use the leaves of the artichoke to scoop out the creamy filling. Serve on a bed of mashed potato.

I found that the artichokes go black after cutting unless you coat them with lemon juice. I also put lemon juice in the water to boil the artichokes instead of vinegar.

Enjoy! I served it to Ruth (daughter in law) and her Mum (Jean) and they survived!!

Back to the 'BACON SANDWICH' (fanfare and wild adoration).

In April the BBC reported that scientists (from Leeds University) had, apparently, created a mathematical formula of how to make the perfect bacon butty and discovered the secret to the ideal sandwich lay in how crispy and crunchy rashers were.
They found that two or three back bacon rashers should be cooked under a preheated oven grill for seven minutes at about 240C (475F).
The bacon should then be placed between two slices of farmhouse bread, 1cm to 2cm thick.

Four researchers at the Department of Food Science spent more than 1,000 hours testing 700 variations on the traditional bacon sandwich (You see they are not a University just to waste their time!!).

They tried different types and cuts of bacon, cooking techniques, types of oil and a range of cooking times at different temperatures.

A shortlist was then tested with computers to measure the texture of each sandwich.

Fifty volunteers also judged each sandwich according to its taste, texture and flavour.

Dr Graham Clayton, who led the research, said: "Our research proves that texture and the crunching sound is important. While there was much debate within our taste panels on the smoked or unsmoked decision, everyone agreed that tough or chewy bacon is a turn-off."

The formula is: N = C + {fb (cm) . fb (tc)} + fb (Ts) + fc . ta, where N=force in Newtons required to break the cooked bacon, fb=function of the bacon type, fc=function of the condiment/filling effect, Ts=serving temperature, tc=cooking time, ta=time or duration of application of condiment/filling, cm=cooking method, C=Newtons required to break uncooked bacon.

I could have told them that

2007-06-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

New Prime Minister today!!! S'funny I don't feel any different. Thought it was an impressive first speech outside Number 10. New Politics eh! I like that idea, let's see if it works. Pity Paddy Ashdown didn't see it that way. Best men/women for the job despite party boundaries -sounds good to me.

Oh yes the Artichoke recipe - next time.

Weekend away

2007-06-26T04:47:00.000-07:00

Having returned from a productive weekend with the Flat Four Players I weighed myself to find I have lost 2lbs more. (14st 10lbs). I always loose weight over these weekends, must be the food or exercise.

Back home and John and Ruth have bought a house (hooray!), haven't seen it yet but apparently has all original features (Victorian, mid terrace) and nice garden with off road parking. Not far from the River Thames. So that's both John and Sarah settled (for a while anyway).

I'm working on a research project currently about the use of HDOT (High density Oxygen Therapy) as an adjunct to rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries. I was amazed to learn that I had to get authorisation from the MRHA (Medical Health Regulating Authority) as well as normal ethical research approval. Apparently Medical Liquid Oxygen is considered a 'drug' as it is listed in the British National Formulary. It's odd that the gas we are going to use (high oxygen content, though it is) is considerd Prescription only Medicine, when Divers use Oxygen mixed with Nitrox without a prescription. Anyway, I've queried that with the MRHA and we'll see what they have to say. I sent off all the appropriate forms today and I have 20 days to wait for authorisation so I'll keep you posted. I mean I'll keep me posted because I don't believe any else reads this. But as I wrote earlier this blog is for me to keep some sort of order in my thoughts and not really for anyone else.

Working with my patients today and discussing their previous treatment. I am constantly amazed at the lack of information they are given by their surgeons (or medical staff) prior to, or post elective surgery. Nearly all the patients tell me how surprised they are at their lack of progress (before attending our unit of course) and didn't anticipate the weakness, lack of range of movement or lack of co-ordination they would experience post surgery. Go to surgery get fixed then I'll be OK. Well no, that's not how it works. You loose muscle bulk, strength and stability. There's scar tissue and wounds and pain and ....stuff!!!! Why don't the surgeons tell them this. It takes time for the body to heal for goodness sake.

Sorry going on a bit. Just that it's one of my pet frustrations. Another one is Bookshops that put price stickers over either the title or the dustjacket notes of a book you want to buy. STOP DOING IT!!
Ah well, back to work, see you.

Oh yes. I've got a great recipe for artichokes with a mushroom and vermouth filling. I'll put it in next time.

Waterloo

2007-06-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

Today, 192 years ago, the Battle of Waterloo was fought in an area of just 3 miles east to west and 1.5 miles north to south. The opening battery commenced at about 11.25 hours and the battle was won by 22.00 hours. Wellington's army was 68,000 strong and Napoleon had 72,000. The Allied army is positoned on the north ridge sheltered, in the main, on a reverse slope sheltered from canon shot. 'Hedges of considerable size protect part of the British front, and the position is made stronger by the possession of three fortified points, the chateau, farm and woods of Hougoumont, the farm of La Haye Sainte, and the villages of Papelotte, La Haye and Frischermont'

The first attack, by the French, is on the Allied right directed at Hougoumont Farm and Chateau. Hougoumont is the western most outpost of Wellington's line and so important to keep to prevent his army being outflanked. First intended to be a feint to draw Wellington's strength from his centre the battle for Hougoumont lasts all day with an escalating amount of 10,000 French thown against the 2,500 defenders. It is never taken. Napoleon directs General D'Erlon against the Allied centre. He learns that Grouchy has not prevented the Prussians from marching to join Wellington. He deploys his reserves to guard his right flank against the Prussian threat. The farm of La Haye Sainte is taken at 5.pm. 'Of the original 678 men who had been garrisoned at La Haie Sainte only 42 managed to escape alive. Now the centre of the allied line was completely exposed to French attack.'

D'Erlon attacks the Allied right centre with 4 Divisions, Cavalry and Artillery. The action is saved by the heroic charge of the Household Brigade (English Cavalry) which sweep into the French lines. They attack the artillery but with their horses blown they cannot return and are destroyed by the French Lancers. 2,500 horsemen sustaining 1,000 casualties. But the main French attack is repulsed. The British position is desperate with fighting all along the line. Marshall Ney thinks the British are defeated and are retreating and attacks with massed cavalry unsupported by infantry or artillery only to find that the British have formed squares which repulse the attack. He attacks 12 times. The squares hold and this, arguably, proves the decisive phase of the battle.'Apparently towards the end everyone was so tired, the cavalry and the men in the squares merely stood and stared impotently at each other.' 4 p.m. and the Prussians are in site. They capture the village of Plancenoit on the French right. 2 battallions of the Old Guard repulse them stabilising the French position. Ney wears down the British centre by a series of co-ordinated attacks and begs Napoleon for fresh troops to finish the job. Napoleon delays for 30 minutes until 7 p.m. by which time Wellington has shored up the centre. The Old Guard are sent into battle. They have never been defeated. They are met by the resolute firepower of the Brigade of Guards. The Old Guard waver and retreat. Wellington, seeing this, orders the advance 'Now Maitland, now is your time!' The whole British line moves forward. The French are broken. Napoleon flees the field. Thousands of French are cut down. 47,000 are dead and injured on both sides.

'The ditches around Hougoumont were choked with bodies, and huge piles of corpses marked the area where the French cavalry had been cut down, and one could see the position of the 27th's square by the dead, still lying in that formation. Worse than that was the condition of the wounded, many of whom lay three days before being treated. Parties of Belgian scavengers toured the field, murdering and robbing the wounded; looters from both Allied armies scoured the area, stripping the dead and living alike. Over the whole field arose a continuous moan . Those who saw it acknowledged that the most sickening sight of all was in the Hougoumont enclosure, where a barn had been set alight, burning to death the scores of wounded, both French and British, who had been placed there.'

This is a much simplified account of my limited understanding of the Battle.

I urge anyone interest in the Battle to read 'Waterloo, A Near Run Thing' by David Howard. One of the most enthralling books I have read.

Some of my account is taken from: http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~awoodley/regency/waterloo.html an excellent site dedicated to the Regency period. I urge anyone interested in this period to visit this comprehensive resource.

Saturday and Sunday

2007-06-17T08:29:00.000-07:00

Lazy Sunday. Visited Benson Antiques and bought a photo frame. Cut lawn and sat in the garden enjoying the sun. 25 years since the Falklands War (I was at Akrotiri at that time) and there is a poignant reminder on the television. I can't remember much of what went on as it is all so remote now. I wonder if there will be similar commemoration of the Iraq conflict in 25 years. Somehow I doubt it. Tony Blair has only a few more days in power. What wasted potential. I hope Gordon Brown fares better. Heaven save us from the Conservatives. At least Dallaglio is back in the Englan fold (hoorah!). We might just get to the quarters! What price beating the Welsh on 4 August?
Saturday was spent in Oxford. There can be few things as pleasant as sitting in one of the old coffee houses in Oxford watching the tourists and students. Lots of activity with students wearing their examination robes cavorting, covered in food and paint and stuff, I guess to celebrate the end of term or at least exams. Parents loading cars down by Lincoln College. I enjoyed watching the kids enjoying life. Good for them. It is too easy to criticise 'the young generation'. In these students I saw hope and enthusiasm.

Then back home for a walk by the Thames (Goring Lock).

16/17 June 1815. Napoleon needed to swing from his engagement with Blucher and attack Wellington from the east. There had been a mix up with Comte d'Erlon's corp marching uselessly between Quatre Bras and Ligny. D'Erlon was now back under command and Napoleon should have attacked Wellington to prevent them withdrawing toward Mont St Jean. The Emperor did not sieze the chance and Ney did not hold the allies allowing a retreat northwards. The Prussians retreated to the north west to Wavre pursued by Grouchy. Napoleon wanted Blucher harried so that he could not join with Wellington but, in fact, with Grouchy hesitating at Gembloux, Blucher was nearer to Wellington than the two french armies were to each other..

Mercer was involved in fighting a 13 km rearguard from Quatre Bras. The weather had been characterised by thunder and heavy rain.

'The first gun that was fired seemed to burst the clouds overhead, for its report was instantly followed by an awful clap of thunder, and lightning that almost blinded us, whilst the rain came down as if a waterspout had broken over us. The sublimity of the scene was inconceivable. Flash succeeded flash, and peels of thunder were long and tremendous; whilst, as if in mockery of the elements, the French guns still sent forth their feebler glare and now scarcely audible reports - their cavalry dashing on at a headlong pace, adding their shouts to the uproar.We galloped through the storm for our lives.'

The retreat came to an end at the when the rearguard reached the low ridge running east to west across the road to Brussels. This is where the final stand would be made.

'The enemy finding us obstinate in maintaining our position, soon slackened, and then ceased firing altogether.; and we were immediately ordered to do the same, and establish ourselves in bivouac for the night'
The soldiers of all three armies would start the fight next day in a state of sodden cold, caked with mud and starving hungry.

Mercer writes 'Thoroughly wet - cloak, blankets and all - comfort was out of the question, so we prepared to make the best of it. Our first care was, of course, the horses......thus they,at least had plenty to eat.....For ourselves, we had nothing! absolutely nothing! - and looked forward to rest alone to restore our exhausted strength. Rather a bore going supperless to bed after such a day, yet there was no help for it.....We set up a small tent into which...we crept, and rolling ourselves into our wet blankets, huddled close together, in hope....of keeping each other warm....There was no possibility of sleeping...water pouring through the canvas in streams...so up I got and to my infinite joy found that some of the men had managed to maked a couple of fires, round which they were huddled smoking their short pipes in something like comfort'

At this point Mercer and a fellow Captain borrow a few sticks off the fires and light their own under a hedge sheltered by an umbrella ('which, by the way, had afforded some merriment to our people on the march'). They 'seated ourselves under it, he on one side of the stick and I on the other, we lighted our cigars and became - comfortable. Dear weed, what comfort, what consolation dost thou not impart to the wretched! - with thee a hovel becomes a palace. What stock of patience is ther not enveloped in one of thy brown leaves!

A Hanoverian soldier passes by and they offer him warmth by the fire. In return he gives them 'a poor half starved chicken. 'I got a leg for my share, but it was not one mouthful and this was the only food I tasted since the night before.

Despite what the Blog says I'm writing this on the morning of 16th of June

2007-06-15T22:28:00.000-07:00

192 year ago the Battle of Quatre Bras started at 13.30 hours.

It is named after a hamlet in Brabant, Belgium, 32 km/20 mi southeast of Brussels.
The Emperor’s plan was to advance in three columns. The centre and right columns would attack the Prussian army, while Marshal Ney, commanding the left column, was to seize the Quatre Bras crossroads to prevent Wellington coming to Blücher’s assistance. Ney would then attack the Prussians in the rear completing the destruction of Blücher’s army.
Napoleon expected Ney to occupy the Quatre Bras cross-roads during the afternoon of the 15th June 1815. Ney failed to do so. A squadron of Polish lancers from Ney’s Corps reconnoitred the cross-roads, finding it unoccupied, but withdrew. Soon after the departure of the lancers, one of Wellington‘s officers, the Prince of Saxe-Weimar, arrived at Quatre Bras with a small force of infantry and some guns. Recognising the importance of the cross-roads Saxe-Weimar remained there.
During the night of 15th June 1815, Napoleon formulated his plan of attack on the Prussian army which was forming up around Ligny in Napoleon’s line of advance. Napoleon re-emphasised to Ney the importance of seizing the Quatre Bras cross-roads the next day.
In the morning the French army began its attack on the Prussian positions around Ligny. If Ney complied with his orders he would take the cross-roads and then launch a devastating attack on the rear of the Prussian right wing at the point when Blücher’s men would be fully committed dealing with the heavy French frontal assaults.
In spite of his instructions, Ney failed to act with urgency and it was not until late morning that he began his move on the cross-roads. By this time a substantial number of allied units had arrived from the Brussels area. Ney found himself unable to make any headway against the troops holding Quatre Bras. The fighting continued for the rest of the day. At one point Ney launched a charge by a brigade of Kellerman’s cuirassiers. The British 69th, 30th and 33rd Regiments of Foot were swept aside in the assault, suffering significant casualties, but in turn the French cuirassiers, unsupported, were repelled and retreated in confusion taking much of Ney’s force with them. The struggle was long and desperate and had Ney attacked earlier and with vigour he might have won. Trusting to his superiority in cavalry and artillery the French leader hurled his full force against the British battalions, each of which in turn bore the shock of an army. So furious was the assault that the Cuirassiers rode upon the solid lines of bayonets with shouts of "Down with the English! No Quarter!". Picton's division coming on to the field in hot haste found the Belgians retiring in confusion before the enemy. Without halt or pause the Black Watch dashed forward to the rescue, forcing a path through a field of rye that rose to the tops of their bonnets. The French were checked, but the gallant highlanders had pushed on too far, and mistaking the French Lancers for Brunswickers, were attacked, few escaping death or wounds. Rallying they formed in line with other regiments to receive and to repulse another charge of Cuirassiers who fell upon their shattered ranks with heavy horse and steel armour. The fight had lasted an hour before Wellington came upon the scene and ordered the Gordons to charge and Ney was unable to secure the position on which so much depended. Wellington's advantage, dearly bought, had to be abandoned. Blucher had fallen back and Wellington had no choice but to follow in order that the allies might no longer be exposed to separate attack.

Ney was unable to take Quatre Bras and his attack deprived Napoleon of a significant force that would have enabled him to defeat the Prussians conclusively, thereby preventing them from taking any part in the Battle of Waterloo.

Size of the armies: Approximately 25,000 allied troops against 24,000 French troops.

Casualties: 4,700 allied casualties against 4,300 in Ney’s force.

At Ligny on the same day (about 7 miles from Quatre Bras) Prussian Field Marshall Blucher with 84,000 men faced Napoleon with 64,000 men. The Prussian's held onto the line of the Ligny Brook for most of the afternoon until they eventually broke under a final attack by the Guard. Because their retreat was not cut off by Ney who was still at Quatre Bras, the Prussian's retreated northwards and were able to intervene, decisively, at Waterloo.

Reference: http://www.britishbattles.com/waterloo/waterloo-june-1815.htm and http://www.britishbattles.com/waterloo/quatre-bras.htm

Costello (who was a real life example of one of Sharpe's 'Chosen men') was at he rear of the Battle of Quatre Bras having arrived, with his Company, about 3 pm.

"It is curious to observe the confusion and uproar that generally exists in the rear of an army in battle, while all in front is order and regularity. Many people imagine the reverse. This, however, is generally to be imputed to the soldiers' wives and camp followers of all descriptions, who crowd in great numbers, making inquiries after their husbands, friends, &c., for whom they generally are prepared with liquors and other refreshments, I had no such ties, save my comrades, who now were too busily occupied watching their enemies, and with their own personal considerations, to have either time or opportunity to inquire after mine. The crowds of carts, horses, &C~ which thickly thronged the roadway, were greeted on all sides by anxious faces and earnest inquiries. But now and then as one of the vehicles hurried along, a burst of laughter hailed it, and indeed, it seemed to bear a load of a more enlivening nature than that which characterised the others. My sound legs, for my arm only was wounded and hung suspended in a sling, enabled me to approach the cart and scrutinise its contents. My surprise was soon dissipated, and wounds almost forgotten, in the merry features of my old friend, Josh Hetherington, who, having received a flesh wound in the leg. was now being borne to the hospital with other fellow sufferers."
The wives and camp followers were willing to approach close to the battle lines in order to ensure the safety of their men. Costello had just found one woman dead with her son beside her, killed by a stray bullet.

He descibed another incident:

"We remained very quietly where we were until the French brought up some artillery, and began riddling the house with round shot. Feeling rather thirsty, I asked a young woman in the place for a little water. She was handing it to me, when a cannon ball passed through the building, knocking the dust about our ears. Strange to say, the girl appeared less alarmed than myself."

Refrence:Rifleman Costello: The Adventures of a Soldier of the 95th Rifles in the Peninsular & Waterloo Campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars. Edward Costello. ISBN: 1846770009

Also an excellent website and reference guide to all things from the Regency period : http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~awoodley/Regency.html

Bluebells on 15th June 07

2007-06-15T12:16:00.000-07:00

Still 14 st 12lbs. But that's O.K. I can be patient.

I inspected my garden this morning and was surprised to find (this is June for pities sake) a bunch of bluebells emerging. English Bluebells! The bulbs were given to me as a Christmas Present and I planted them in March and here they are!! They were not supposed to come up 'til next year. How lovely. Other than that our small cottage garden is quite lush (nice word that). It changes from blue to red/pink to white/ yellow as the year progresses. The orange blossom is wondefully aromatic and the honeysuckle, blossoming now, promises as much. The coriander is flowering and it will soon be time to harvest the seeds for cooking. In fact all the herbs are doing well this year (thyme, hissop, rosemary, sage, three kinds of mint, fennel, angelica, parsely and chives). I thought I might make a 'Victorian' herb garden but it would be really too formal for this tiny plot.

The village and surrounding area looks 'lush' (that word again).

That's not my place by the way, I just work there. Took it this morning.

Edward Costello was a soldier in the 95th Rifles. He recalls this day in 1815 the day before Quatre Bras.

'On the 15th of June, as I retired to bed, at the hour of eleven o'clock at night, I heard bugles sounding and drums beating through different parts of the city. Equipping myself as quickly as possible, and entering the marketplace, I found the whole of our division assembling. I then belonged to the 5th division, under the command of General Sir Thomas Picton. Being orderly non-commissioned officer of the company at the time, I received orders to draw three days' rations for the men; the chief part of this was left behind, as none but old soldiers knew its value, or felt inclined to take part with them; some of the men, however, cursed their hard fate for not taking away a portion. All things arranged, we passed the gates of Brussels, and descended the wood of Soignies, that leads to the little village of Waterloo. It was the 16th-a beautiful summer morning - the sun slowly rising above the horizon and peeping through the trees, while our men were as merry as crickets, laughing and joking with each other, and at times pondered in their minds what all this fuss, as they called it, could be about; for even the old soldiers could not believe the enemy were so near. We halted at the verge of the wood, on the left of the road, behind the village of Waterloo, where we remained for some hours; the recruits lay down to sleep, while the old soldiers comrnenced cooking. I could not help noticing, while we remained here, the birds in full chorus straining their little throats as if to arouse the spirits of the men to flesh vigour for the bloody conflict they were about to engage in. Alas! how many of our brave companions, ere that sun set, were no more! '

The Black Watch (The 42nd Highlanders).

On the 15th of June some of the officers and soldiers from the 42nd performed at the Duchess of Richmond's Waterloo Ball in Brussels whilst the rest of the regiments prepared themselves for battle. Then news reached Wellington that Napoleon's armies were marching through France. In the early hours of the 16th of June the 42nd left almost immediately with many of the officers still in their white dress knee-breeches to confront Napoleon, marching to the tune of "Hieland Laddie". After a gruelling journey in full marching order the 42nd arrived near to the French/ Belgium border at Quartre Bras by the Charleroi Road at about 3pm on the 16th of June and entered a 5 hour battle .

Interesting Developments

2007-06-11T14:54:00.000-07:00

Weight update - 14 stone and 12 lbs (goin' the right way)

This Weekend:
John and Ruth visited, back from honeymoon. Both looked fit and well and seemed to have had a great time in the Peak District. Sarah had been to a ball at theOxford Golf Club. Interesting people my children and their partners. John is off to Amsterdam for a conference whilst Sarah is preparing to jet off to Mexico. But enough of that.

There was a programme about Wimpole Hall on TV last night. A friend of mine, Jenny Armstrong, works there on a voluntary basis. I mention Wimpole Hall because I once visited and found a contemporary map of the Battle of Waterloo in one of the rooms. Also, coincidentally, I visited Mont St John and climbed the Lion Mound Monument with Jenny and some other friends (Ian and Gillian, Derek and John). So I spent a fruitless hour watching hoping to see her. No luck. Then guitar practice - not much progress there. Well at least the weight is going the right way.

Oh yes, and my long lost half sister (Dawne) tried to contact me through Genes Re-United. I don't usually check my messages left there. I even found a message from Sarah left for me in 2003 which I hadn't opened. Cheeky young thing asked to borrow a fiver!!! I wonder what that is worth with 4 years of inflation.

Nearly Waterloo......I wonder what Wellington's 'infamous army' was thinking about now. Napoleon had sacked Europe for about 18 years and then about 1 year before Waterloo he had been defeated and exiled to Elba. The British had lived in fear of invasion for all that time and then suddenly they were safe. What must they have felt to hear that Napoleon had not only escaped, in March, but had, in record time, raised an army and regained power in France? There was no choice but to raise an Army and defeat him again. Europe united against him with armies from Germany, Russia, Austria, Prussia, Holland and the British. However, Napoleon moved with such speed to the Belgian border that only two armies, spread over a wide front, could move to meet him in time. Wellington's command was a mixture of 1/3 British, with the rest Dutch, Belgians and Germans. The other army were the Prussians under Marshall Blucher.

Napoleon having raised an army in northern France moved to divide the two armies and destroy them piecemeal. On 15 June the Armee Du Nord, which had collected in secrecy on the Belgian border crossed and thus began the Waterloo Campaign. As Napoleon advanced Wellington and Blucher were off guard. Wellington was writing a despatch to the Czar of Russia saying that he intended to take the offensive at the end of the month and Blucher was writing to his wife saying that 'we shall soon enter France. We might remain here for another year, for Bonaparte will never attack us'. Napoleon gathered 124,000 men almost within cannon shot of the allied outpost unsuspected

On 16 June he attacked both armies simultaneously, and defeated, the Prussians at Ligny whilst Marshall Ney attacked Wellington at Quatre Bras. Wellington held against Napoleon's Second in Command and withdrew to the ridge Mont St Jean near the village of Waterloo.

So Blucher retreats towards Wavre with 30,000 troops of Marshall Grouchy in pursuit. Napoleon moves to face Wellington. His army is divided - ironically the very state he sought to inflict on the allies.

Mercer's Battery (The Horse Artillery 'G' Troop was made up of 80 gunners and 84 drivers who drove 226 horses) formed part of the rearguard in the retreat to Waterloo from Quatre Bras. Thunder rolling over their heads and the French Cavalry charging their rear. He records being given the order to cover the retreat by Major M'Donald....'The Major looked rather conscience stricken as he made this avowal,so, to relieve him I begged he would give the devil his due and me mine. Accordingly all the others marched off.........just at this moment an amazing outcry arose amongst the infantry at he farm, who were running towards us in a confused mass, shouting and bellowing, jostling and pushing each other. I was sure that the enemies cavalry had made a dash amongst them, especially as the fire of the skirmishers became thicker and apparently nearer, when the whole thing was explained by a large pig, squealing as if already stuck, bursting from the throng by which he was beset in all directions. Some struck at him with axes, other with butts of their muskets, other stabbed at him with bayonets. The chase would have been amusing had it not been so brutal: and I have seldom experienced greater horror than I did on this occasion when the poor brute, staggering from the repeated blows...was at last brought to the ground by at least half a dozen bayonets plunged into him at once.

All this time the retreat was going on very quietly.....I had ample leisure to contemplate the scene of desolation around me, so stangely at varyance with the otherwise smiling landscape. Everywhere momentoes 0f yesterdays bloody struggle....the corn trampled down...plentifully sprinkled with the bodies of the slain ...... just in front of the farm of Quatre Bras there was a fearful scene of slaughter-Highlanders and cuirassiers lying thickly strewn about..................As I pushed through the thickets my horse, suddenly coming to a stand, began to snort, and showed unequivical symptoms of fear. I drove him on, however, but started myself when I saw, lying under a bush the body of a man stripped naked. This victim of war was a youth of fair form, skin delicately white, and face but a little darker, an embryo moustache decorated the upper lip and his countenance, even in death was beautiful. That he was French I conjectured... Seldom have I experienced such despondency, such heart sinking, as when standing over this handsome form thus despoiled and neglected, and about to become a prey to wolves and carrion crows-the darling of some fond mother, the adored of some fair maid.'

I've just found another blog interested in a movie of 'Waterloo' at http://jcminiatures.blogspot.com/2007/01/happy-new-year-waterloo-movie.html

'References:

Waterloo. A Near Run Thing. David Howarth. 2003. Windrush Press

The Battle. Alessandro Barbero. 2003. Atlantic Books

Wellington's Men. W H Fitchett . 1900. Smith Elder and Co

Wet day in Thame and other musings

2007-06-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

Backtracking a bit.

A wet Bank Holiday Monday in Thame. James and Sarah have made a splendid decision to move to Number 31. A bigger house, closer to the town centre and 5 minutes walk to Sarah's place of work. Such a quiet area too. Just an old people's home at the end of the road so just the sound of wheelchairs and zimmer frames to disturb the tranquil air. We went for tea and cakes and had a lovely day. Didn't see Charlie the cat though. Hiding in splendid isolation in the bedroom. Well that was then.

Now is the end of a frantic week at work. Oh yes, the weight! It is my considered opinion that the scales are malfunctioning. How could I have put on 1lb? I have been trying, but I am ashamed to say that a night at 'Masooms' has undone me. This splendid Indian restaurant in Goring has the preternatural quality of making your eyes think that your stomach can absorb far more than it is physically capable. I shall avoid it (for the time being).

The guitar practice continues.

As it is nearly 18 June I thought it appropriate to re-read some accounts of the Waterloo Campaign. The Battle took place on the 18 June 1815 and the account of the battle by Captain Alexander Cavalie Mercer is, in my opinion, worthy of note. It might be considered as an excellent basis of a film about the Battle. The only previous film I know of is 'Waterloo' a Soviet-Italian film (1970), directed by Sergei Bondarchuk. It was the story of the preliminary events and the Battle of Waterloo, and was famous for its epic battle scenes.
It starred Rod Steiger (Napoleon Bonaparte), Christopher Plummer ( Duke of Wellington) with Orson Welles (Louis XVIII of France), Jack Hawkins as General Picton, Virginia McKenna as the Duchess of Richmond and Dan O'Herlihy as Marshal Ney.

But it is too epic and misses the intimate nature of the conflict.

The film I propose could be called 'Mercer's Campaign' (that's my working title). Mercer's account of the part his troop played in the Waterloo campaign is entitled "Journal of the Waterloo Campaign" published in 1870 after his death. Born 1783, the son of a General in the Royal Engineers. Commissioned as a lieutenant in the Royal Regiment of Artillery in 1799. Promoted Captain 1806. He commanded G Troop Royal Horse Artillery at Waterloo. He eventually achieved the rank of Major General in 1854. Retired to Cowley Hill near Exeter. Died 1868. The film would be a far more personal account of the Battle. Mercer's prose is evocative, exciting and ultimately moving.

"The cavalry column now once more mounted the plateau. On they came in compact squadrons, one behind the other, so numerous that those at the rear were still below the brow when the head of the column was but at some sixty to seventy yards from our guns. Their pace was a slow steady trot. None of your furious galloping charges was this, but a deliberate advance, at a deliberate pace, as of men resolved to carry their point. They moved in profound silence, and the only sound which could be heard from them amidst the incessant roar of battle was the low thunder-like reverberation of the ground beneath the simultaneous tread of so many horses. On our part was equal deliberation. Every man stood steadily at his post, the guns ready, loaded with a round shot first and a case shot over it; the tubes were in the vents; the portfires glared and sputtered behind the wheels; and my word alone was wanted to hurl destruction on that goodly show of gallant men and noble horses. I delayed this, for experience had given me confidence. The Brunswickers partook of this feeling, and with their squares much reduced in size - well closed, stood firmly, with arms at the recover, and eyes fixed on us, ready to commence their fire with our first discharge. It was indeed a grand and imposing spectacle! The column was led on this time by an officer in a rich uniform, his breast covered with decorations, whose earnest gesticulations were strangely contrasted with the solemn demeanour of those to whom they were addressed. I thus allowed them to advance unmolested until the head of the column might have been about fifty or sixty yards from us, and then gave the word "Fire!" The effect was terrible. Nearly the whole leading rank fell at once; and the round shot, penetrating the column carried confusion throughout its extent. The ground, already encumbered with the victims of the first struggle, became now almost impassable. Still, however, these devoted warriors struggled on, intent only on reaching us. The thing was impossible. Our guns were served with astonishing activity, whilst the running fire of the two squares was maintained with spirit. Those who pushed forward over the heaps of carcasses of men and horses gained but a few paces in advance, there to fall in their turn and add to the difficulties of those succeeding them. The discharge of every gun was followed by a fall of men and horses like that of grass before a mower's scythe. When the horse alone was killed, we could see the cuirassiers divesting themselves of the encumbrance and making their escape on foot. Still, for a moment, the confused mass (for all order was at an end) stood before us, vainly trying to urge their horses over the obstacles presented by their fallen comrades, in obedience to the now loud and rapid vociferations of him who had led on and remained unhurt. As before, many cleared everything and rode through us; many came plunging forward only to fall, man and horse, close to the muzzles of our guns."

This is the only portrait of him I could find. Casting? How about David Tennant!

Today is a good day

2007-06-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

Weight down to 15 stone 0 lbs (ha!)

Thank you for the days
Those endless days, those sacred days you gave me
I'm thinking of the day
I won't forget a single day believe me
I bless the light
I bless the light that lights on you believe me
And though you're gone
You're with me every single day believe me

Days I'll remember all my life
Days when you can't see wrong from right
You took my life
But then I knew that very soon you'd leave me
But it's alright
Now I'm not frightened of this world believe me
I wish today could be tomorrow
The night is long
It just brings sorrow let it wait
Thank you for the days
Those endless days, those sacred days you gave me
I'm thinking of the days
I won't forget a single day believe me
Days I'll remember all my life
Days when you can't see wrong from right
You took my life
But then I knew that very soon you'd leave me
But it's alright
Now I'm not frightened of this world believe me
Days, Thank you for the days
Those endless days, those sacred days you gave me
I'm thinking of the days
I won't forget a single day believe me
I bless the light
I bless the light that lights on you believe me
And though you're gone
You're with me every single day believe me

Days

The Weekend and A Plan

2007-06-03T14:24:00.000-07:00

I had a short week at work resulting from the pain and exhaustion of marrying off a son and the trauma of visiting my daughters new house. O.K. so neither was painful, exhausting or traumatic but I still deserved not to go into work. So on Thursday I went to see 'Billy Elliot' and what a great story, and music, dancing and acting. Friday off to Dorset and the deserted village of Tyneham. Like 'Billy Elliot' the village of Tyneham is about the destruction of a community by our Government. Two thoughts a). Tyneham should have been given back to the villagers as promised by Winston Churchill and b). The guilty pleasure of visiting somewhere so unspoiled (because no body lives there).

Returned home last night to watch Dr Who (don't know why as the current one has little to recommend it) although a friend of mine would possibly disagree because of the casting. Today, Sunday, visited Dad in Birmingham. Lots of repeated conversations, cleaning, washing, cooking and bad neck (pain +++). Got to get this fixed soon.

Oh the plan, try to keep a diary. Just write. Never managed it before. I feel I want to write something. 'We've all got a book in us'!! Well I want to get it out. Perhaps I can do it by just writing thoughts and eventually something will happen. The next J.K.Rowling! Diary of a nobody.

The other plan is to loose weight, which I have to do now it's on the web.

15 stone 4 lbs (I mean you only have to look at the photo's, and 54 yrs of age). Perhaps I should want a 25 year old woman, a sports car or motor bike. All I want to do is get to 13 stone and learn to play 'Days' on the guitar ( Kirsty MacColl's music dates me doesn't it ) and write a book.

What about?

I know about Physiotherapy, Hyperbaric Chambers, Traumatic Brain Injury, The battle of Waterloo, Acting and I'm learning to cook. You know this may be boring to read but I'm feeling happier already, so there.

2007-05-30T14:53:00.000-07:00

Sunday - poured with rain - didn't stop the barbecue

Wedding photo's

2007-05-29T10:01:00.001-07:00

Jenny and Sue
Rebecca, Sarah, John, Ruth and Laura
The Family Jeffcoate (and Ian)
Lara
Last Tango at Pamber

Ruth and Pat
Aaaaaah
Laura, Rebecca, John and Ian

What an incredible laugh

Bro' and Sis'
Aunty Steph, lara and John

David, Sarah and Jenny

Stephanie and Lara

Jenny, John, James and Sarah

26 May 07 John and Ruth's Wedding

2007-05-29T09:18:00.000-07:00

John and Mum start the day after bacon and eggs. She's been building up to this for months, mind now focussing on THE SPEECH. He is calm as can be. Won't be like that later though.

click on the photo's and they enlarge