knitting 29 March 2008
I have always been fond of a bit of knitting. I find it therapeutic and can day dream while knocking off a few rows (not a euphemism for anything but knitting, I assure you). In my hey day I knit lots of children’s things and quite a few larger jumpers etc. The Mammy was also keen and recently took it up again – as I did myself though I have reached a hiatus known as I-have-to-finish-that-novel-rather-than-the-cushion-covers-I-have-on-the-needles. My mother has been knitting very colourful quilts in all sorts of styles and patterns. But we are in the ha’penny place creation-wise. Apparently the craze in the US at the moment is knitting covers for trees and suchlike so, basically, large areas of the outdoors are wearing Aran sweaters and perhaps even mohair (scary).
marriage 27 March 2008
According to statistics recently released there has been a fall in marriages in the United Kingdom. Some explanation is that it has been made harder for people to marry simply to secure citizen status/green cards etc. And, perhaps, some of it is down to the fact that couples don’t want to get into all of the legal implications of being married. I must say I love it. I count myself very lucky to have bagged such a nice man – even if he is largely a figment of my imagination. I also don’t think that people are marrying for the same reasons as, say, twenty years ago and beyond. For instance, I didn’t marry that I might have children (I don’t have any either). I got married because I wanted to make a commitment (to the figment, aka Richard). And perhaps that, too, is impacting on the figures – people who are not going to have children perhaps don’t see the point of marriage? For all that I recommend it, though, I must admit it was important to me that divorce be available in Ireland by the time I tied the knot – not because I want to avail of it but because I think it is a basic democratic right and for too long we were a very Catholic-Church-bound state.
Interestingly, too, the average age of those marrying (in Britain) has risen to 30. I was 35 when I wed and I still feel I was a child bride…45 would have been time enough, I often say. Himself was 30, though he might not like to be called Mr Average (as statistics say he now is) and anyhow, in his defence, we’ve been married 10 and more years so, in fact, he was a trailblazer in his time.
As to the flamingos – a lot of response. They are clearly a bird that everyone appreciates. Mandy, a regular to the site, was always a big fan of New Orleans zoo and investigated what happened to it as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Turns out they had very few losses and lost only one flamingo. In hurricane conditions the clever creatures lie flat with their wings outstretched on the ground for great lengths of time, defeating the 200mph winds. How amazing are they to take cover like that? Winners, undoubtedly, of the beautiful and brainiac bird award as she so rightly points out.
flamingos 26 March 2008
Apparently there are flamingos at Kensington’s Roof Gardens here in London. (I have not been yet but they sound great, both birds and gardens). Vicious rumours abound that the exotic birds are no more but no, they live on. Two of them, Bill and Ben, are the most famous and will be part of the venue’s 70th birthday celebrations this year. Well, I think the feathered lads will just knock about as usual – they’re not much into partying as we know it, the flamingos, they just spend their time being beautiful and birdy. The closest I have come to masses of them was on a visit to Tanzania. I was there in my capacity as Patron of World Vision Ireland, with co-patron, actress and lovely lady extraordinaire Victoria Smurfit (Roisin in Trial and Retribution). We visited projects in the dusty naval of the country, which was truly amazing and worth a blog of it’s own (fear not) – also there is probably still a copy of an article I wrote for an Irish magazine on our return on the World Vision Ireland website that you might like to look up. Anyhow, because of adverse weather we found ourselves back in the north of the country with a few days to spare before leaving, so we took ourselves off to the Ngorogoro wildlife crater and went down into it to see the critters, which included flocks of flamingos living by a natural lake. They were very beautiful indeed but the pong was historic – I think it was the fishlife/plankton stuff they feed on. Various hyenas tried their luck running in and out of the flock hoping to catch a bird while we looked on but they weren’t in luck on the day. Bill and Ben on the Kensington Roof feed on special pellets which contain the carotenoid pigment canthaxantin, essential for birds with pink plumage, I hear, so now you know too. I’d say the smell is minimal there.
waiting 25 March 2008
I read a piece today recalling some bon mots by John Mortimer who likened tantric sex to waiting for a home delivery – you stay in all day and no one comes…Well, I keep getting letters from the London gas folk wanting to replace my meter and telling me to be in for 12 hour periods at a time. I did once stay at home on a prescribed date because it suited me ( a writing day) and no one showed and, as with all of these letters and days, I got a very standard letter of apology from the computer saying they hadn’t been able to make it and setting a new date – I have a fairly large collection of these now, though have not had one in a while. I actually read one properly a few weeks ago and discovered that, although the letter was addressed to me and got to me, the address given is in fact for the building 4 doors away. So even if they had called it’s someone else’s meter they’ll have replaced..and good luck to all concerned…Oh, and my (old) meter is working just fine, thanks, and I like it that way.
the acting 24 March 2008
There are times when you see a performance so true and wonderful you are totally engrossed in it and enthralled by it and delighted by it…and it makes you feel like giving up. I felt that way when I saw Philip Seymour Hoffman in CAPOTE, and tonight after Daniel Day Lewis in THERE WILL BE BLOOD. He inhabited the character. He was, IS Daniel Plainview. He drank the milkshake all up*. Amazing. And it looked so effortless (notwithstanding how purely physical and violent the action was). Wow. That is what we strive for and so rarely achieve. I am almost depressed by how perfect the performance was.
*when you see it, you will know…
Having seen it now, I agree with the Oscar wins for him as Best Actor but NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN as Best Film. And Best Direction to the Coens for the latter.
I look forward to hearing what you all think.
fillums 23 March 2008
As it’s a bank holiday I have taken the opportunity to treat myself and the hubby to a few movies here in London’s town. First up was LARS AND THE REAL GIRL which I couldn’t have loved more – heartwarming, funny, touching and a beautiful film about love. Ryan Gosling is a genius.
Tonight was NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – fantastic and I didn’t feel the time slipping by (it’s 2 hours worth). Also VERY good to see so many cats in work and doing so well.
I won’t go into details of the films as you must all go see them for yourselves and I don’t want to blow anything.
Other than that I have been good about going to the gym each day but have eaten FAR too much on dinners out each night and am a heap as a result. No chocolate, though, funnily enough and the season that’s in it – well, I’m more of a savouries gal anyhow as ye know -though you’d have thought Himself might have surprised me with an egg…he didn’t…not of any sort…
earnings 22 March 2008
The husband is reading one of those books that tells you why money doesn’t make you happy. Sometimes he reads bits of it aloud to me. I’ll be honest, it sounds a bit stringing an idea/one basically half way decent argument out to be a book and it kind of makes me mad too. I know that money ain’t the be all and end all BUT I have worked hard for mine, often long and unfashionable hours (I don’t get bank holidays: self employed = always ON). And the money I do have makes me happy because I like to know I can pay my way and afford a few things along that way too. For me, I work to earn that I may live properly – that’s not money making me unhappy, it’s money making me HAPPY. Hopefully that’s also encapsulated in The Book himself is reading or else we may have trouble…
By the way, I read the above out to The Husband and he told me I have misrepresented the book and that it is about the RELENTLESS pursuit of wealth, status, appearance etc and that I will have to read it before passing judgement (I really don’t have those hours of my life left) So do consider my views a tad jaundiced there, or whatever…
friday 21 March 2008
I thought it was a good friday, and I guess we can say that’s true no matter what?? We got to talking today about religion at work, though not in any truly serious way (and, to be honest, probably a tad blasphemous if you are a believer, etc) and I was putting forward my theory that Judas was probably one of the more interesting of the disciples, and likely to be good fun on a night out, BUT he got tagged to do the betraying and that was that, damned for all eternity. Unfair, but there you have it – someone had to do the dirt and he was probably chosen as the best able and so on. No comfort to him or his family, I should think, but there’s history for you.
set 21 March 2008
i often wonder if i am set in my ways. i hope not and like to think i can embrace change and, when it suits me, i guess i do (yep, i’m a realist and i’ve known me for 45+ years now so i hope there are few enough surprises left at this stage…i mean that in a good way, don’t want to drift into boredom or complacency)…BUT there are some things that we all hold dear: like which side of the bed to sleep on. and yet, i have just discovered i am a flake…in dublin, i inhabit the left hand side of the bed and in london the right…though both are nearest the door. now, i am not a one who notices such fripperies and care less, but having just thought about it i realise that this is where i have ended up by accident and yet it looks like design. method in the madness? perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.
sorry about the lack of capitals but i just couldn’t be arsed ce soir – must be an ‘easter’ thing…
the gutter 19 March 2008
I have never been papped – no need to do that as I am a bit boring really. There’s a chance of getting a pic of me being bendy after a night out but they don’t happen so often and they’re nothing special so hardly worth anyone’s while. And I have neither the time, the spare energy nor the inclination to get up to any boldness, so, again, not worth bothering with. In fact I am of the opinion that the New Affair is a stolen snooze alone of a wednesday afternoon. Anyhoo, I had my photo taken by a nice photographer last week in London and I mentioned all of this to him and he said that he would class himself as more Pavement than Gutter Press – nice distinction. And you can still lie on the path, rather than in the gutter, and look at the stars, whatever kind they be.