Wearing Purple

Last Saturday we were going out to dinner so I did not have any cooking to do and spent the afternoon machining this little lady. We have been invited to a 'red hat' party for a friend's 70th birthday in November and this is to be a surprise for her. I am pretty certain she does not read my blogs! This is how she finished up - she reminds me of someone! I really wanted a vibrant purple for the suit but couldn't seem to get it mixing the colours I have! But it is roughly purple. She is about 10 " tall. I have yet to buy something purple to wear at this party (I am not really a mauve person) - but I believe it is the 'in' colour so it shouldn't be too difficult. I shall make a red hat and probably look ridiculous - but that is what it is all about.

Meanwhile, this is the noxious brew - or Lockshun as George calls it. It is bubbling away nicely
but it is right up against the big bookcase in the conservatory so I do hope that nothing explodes. George keeps on going in and bending over it and chuckling and the other George keeps popping over to inspect it - it is much loved!

I am much happier with my damson vodka in the kitchen which I keep shaking and sniffing, I think there is a much better chance of me drinking that than the above. That reminds me of Danny Kaye (with whom I appeared once as a very young girl - but that is another story) -

'the vessel with the pestle is the chalice from the palace - but the flagon with the dragon is the brew that is true'

On Sunday the members of MESCH (that is, Marian Murphy, Liz Evans, Margaret Starr, Vanda Campbell and I) went to Art Van Go to set up our first exhibition under the new name. Viv and Kevin were on hand to keep us supplied with coffee and biscuits - they kindly gave up their Sunday to be there for us! Although it is largely retrospective, there is some new work and we do hope that people will enjoy it
This is the delightful poster which Marian has devised to publicise the exhibition, which runs until 21st November.

AND GUESS WHAT? I have won a prize! I am so excited - a hundred pounds to be spent at Art Van Go (not at all difficult in that Aladdin's cave of delights) and a certificate! This is a rather startled me receiving the certificate from the lovely Ann at AvG who was the Judge at the New Maynard Gallery 7th Open Exhibition.


No, it is not what you are thinking - there was no bribery or corruption involved as the pieces of work were submitted anonymously and everyone at AvG was really surprised when it turned out to be me wot won it!

This is my sistificate, which of course I shall have framed and hang in a prominent place (Hmm - don't know what George will have to say about that!) The piece of work was a shoe made entirely of machine embroidery - hours of work and three reels of thread - and beautifully box framed by Simon Robinson & Co. of Haslingfield. I haven't been so thrilled since I won first prize for my home made chutney at the village fete ten years ago!

Meantime, the evil brew has started bubbling, George keeps inspecting it anxiously. It is in my conservatory where it will be a great nuisance on Thursday when my embroidery class meets!
Off now to a village meeting to discuss the installation of double yellow lines down my street - having lost two beloved cats to the traffic I am all in favour! My Book Group met this afternoon

(discussing House of Mirth by Edith Wharton) all I have done today is change the bed, my poor house!

Dordogne and the Grapes

We have been on holiday - staying with my brother in the Dordogne. In 52 years it is only the third time we have spent more than a day in his company so it was a very special week for me. My brother has lived in Europe all his working life, he has a farm on Exmoor and a villa in Sotogrande (neither of which I have visited) but is only allowed to spend so many days a year in the UK for tax reasons. On his way back to Spain he and his wife have rented a big house in Villefrance du Perigord for six weeks , and he suggested we should fly out to Bergerac and join them.

The house was beautifully furnished with antiques and everything was of the very highest quality - it transpired that it belongs to a Member of Parliament who has never rented the house out before - do you think he needs the money now?! There was an elegant salon furnished with the sort of chairs you perch on, but also a television snug where we were able to watch the British news each day. There was a huge terrace overlooking the valley where we ate in the sunshine, my sister in law is a very good cook so I put on several pounds. We packed a lot into the week visiting so many Bastide towns and villages, markets and vineyards, everywhere was so lush and pretty and CLEAN AND TIDY, no wonder the Brits want to live there. But, oh, expensive! Just as well Mr. Ryanair restricted our luggage so severely - we knew we couldn't buy anything. However, I did treat myself to a lucious tasselled tablecloth with matching napkins in a pink check with a lime green insert - very chic. I thought if the luggage went overweight I would wear the cloth like a shawl! My sister-in-law had it in red so I know it is in good taste!

When we got back home after a week of unbroken blue skies and sunshine we found it so cold and the pump on the boiler would not work. We are awaiting the arrival on Monday of a 'proper man' to fix it, in the meantime, a log fire and an extra cardigan. Whilst we were away our lovely neighbours picked our grapes as a frost was threatened - and today was the day of the Crushing. George is Greek Cypriot and a physicist so he is in charge of method and technology, my George was second in command, Brenda and I were the assistants. Brenda had purchased two big plastic tubs which were both full of grapes - what a bumper harvest - and George I dug out the demijohns we had used in our wine making days forty years ago. It was a freezing cold day and we women both refused to take our shoes and socks off to tread the grapes so George II did it on his own, although he did confess it was very cold and uncomfortable to begin with he soon got into a rythm, helped no doubt by Brenda and I singing the theme tune from Zorba the Greek We used an old net curtain of my mother's to strain the juice which, I have to say, looked most unappetising. Most of the time we were helpless with laughter, goodness knows what state we shall be in if any alcohol actually results. Lots of suggestions were made for the name of this grande cru, most of which I would not dream of sharing with you.

The juice has been left overnight and tomorrow some sugar will be added and it goes into the demijohns. All the disgusting mush (with a good few squashed earwigs and other insects I might add) is going to ferment and be distilled. Excise men, turn a blind eye. Do not fret - I have a feeling it might all be binned before long, or am I being unduly pessimistic? Perhaps if it had been a bright sunny day and I had got my own toes round the grapes I would be feeling more optimistic.
We may have a bit of an argument over the naming of the Domaine, after all they are OUR grapes but George II pointed out that they were HIS feet that did the treading. It may have to be double barrelled. I see many hours of discussion over a glass or two (from Waitrose)

Incidentally, the photo at the top is NOT Villefranche - I dropped my camera one day and it seems I have knocked all my photos off the memory stick! Is that possible? Where have they gone? I took the grape photos successfully today, but some 150 pictures of my lovely week with baby brother have gone into the ether. I am so upset about it, but it was a marble floor and it did go with a big bang. Even clever George next door couldn 't find them. C'est un mystere !

Sour Grapes

The two Georges have devised a scheme to make wine from our grapes! Young George, who is a Greek Cypriot doctor of Physics, is obviously designated as the vineculture specialist and is seen here this morning testing the grapes in a very professional manner. Brenda and I were laughing our socks off - we called him the man from Del Monte. He say grapes no ready yet. However, we had a very pleasant hour sitting in the garden with a cup of coffee whilst the two men made plans and my George went to the garage and dug out four old jars from our wine making days forty odd years ago. Now I think it is just easier to buy it from the wine merchant. . However, it is going to keep them occupied and boys will be boys so I had to go and find an old net curtain which is somehow going

to be used in the manufacture of this Grand Cru. Next Saturday has been designated as treading the grapes day, Brenda has been deputed to buy a large pink plastic garden tub to put the grapes in. They were making wild plans for a still which thankfully I know will never come to pass - firstly where would we put it and secondly I am sure it is illegal! Watch this space.

I have had an email from William who tells me that he has joined the University Brass Band (he plays the euphonium - there cannot be too many of those around!) and the Canoe Club. He has had his first week of lectures and so far has only found himself in the wrong lecture room once!

Meanwhile I have done some stitching! This is 'an Elizabethan fragment' The cuff, on the bottom left hand corner, I made about three weeks ago on disolvable fabric, lots of stitching involved, I soaked it and put it out to dry. The following morning it had DISAPPEARED. Of course, George had not seen it, had not touched it, hadn't noticed it .....so I must have destroyed it or thrown it away myself! ? I searched in vain, so in the end I had to re-do it although I had used up all the matching bits of stuff - however, I think it fits in fairly well.

We had our Harvest Supper on Friday evening and very pleasant it was too. There must have been nearly 80 of us in the village hall and the food was all made by the ladies of the church. Someone very kindly brought me a big bag of green tomatoes 'as I know you like making chutney!' So guess what I have been doing this evening? Yes, that is right, and I don't want to see any more jamjars until next year.

Harvest Festival

Another busy week - but the good news is that I have finished the commission and here it is -

I do hope my 'client' is pleased with it. I am sorry about the conservatory floor - I should have cropped the photo, but I am in a hurry as usual. I am really pleased that it is done and now I can move on.

On Friday I did another stewarding stint at the ERTF exhibition at The Shop in Jesus Lane. It was a lovely day and we had quite a lot of visitors who were all very appreciative - I think it has been a great success for a first venture. When it was my turn for a break I went in to Cambridge market and bought flowers for the Harvest Festival and then spent all of Saturday morning arranging them. There is always a lovely atmosphere in the church at Festival time with the flower rota ladies bustling about decorating the widowsills, the font, the organ - in fact, anywhere some flowers or a bale of hay can be put! It was my job to do the altar and I thought we would have some nice cheerful sunflowers

I liked the little row at the bottom, I thought they looked funny. They are listening to Pauline playing the organ.....

The grapes are from our pergola and there were grapes on the altar as well together with a loaf of bread. The church mice are going to have a real feast this weekend. Then I did the windowsills in the porch, one either side.




On Sunday morning George and I went to church for the Harvest Festival service and we 'ploughed the fields and scattered' with great gusto. The sidesmen forgot to turn up for duty so, as we are always early in church living, as we do, just across the road, we stepped in to fill the breach. It is a task I enjoy doing, standing at the door and handing out the books you get to greet and speak to everyone who comes in. I love to think that people have been attending All Saints for nine centuries, surely all that history must be locked in the stones?

After lunch (in the garden again, it was a glorious day) neighbour Brenda and I went to the Art Exhibition at St Peter and St Paul where her husband (the other George) was exhibiting along with Anthony Green and Mary Cozens-Walker - how much better can it get? It was a very good exhibition and, as I said to Gina, I am sure that they have made a nice lot of money for the church. We know only too well that these mediaeval buildings are horrendously expensive to keep going. Actually, I seem to have spent most of the weekend in church ! Then Brenda and George came in for supper which we ate in the conservatory because everywhere else was in a mess, what a good weekend.

So, today we had a MESCH meeting to discuss the forthcoming exhibition at Art Van Go in Knebworth - only two weeks away now. It is a retrospective exhibition and we were sorting out which pieces we would show, together with some new work. We were also making plans for Cottenham in February - isn't it exciting! Marian Murphy made us a delicious lunch, I took a salad and Liz a pudding so it was quite a jolly meeting. It was lovely to rediscover some of the delightful work the group has done in the past, we had forgotten how clever we were! And today senior grandson William started proper work at Birmingham, with Freshers Week behind him. He has joined the University Brass Band (he must have taken his euphonium up with him - DD1 will be pleased to get it out of the house!) and the canoe club. There are five lads in the flat and apparently Will has undertaken to do the cooking........

Fishy business

We have had another super weekend! On Saturday we went to Burloes where the studios were Open and we met and talked to lots of artists and admired their work. Came home and were dragged in through the gate in the fence to our lovely neighbours for a drink. Well, one bottle of bubbly became two and then it was what have we got to eat? I dashed back and got some turkey escalopes which were marinading and a couple of courgettes, mushrooms and creme fraiche. Brenda had got sea bass and squid and I remembered I had blackberry & apple in the fridge so dashed back for that. So we had a splendid impromptu feast and a lot of laughter, these times are always the best.

Then today DD2 and lovely Dutch Son in Law came to pick us up and we drove to The Company Shed at Mersea. When we were in Cornwall in June DD2 bought some wool to make a scarf and every time I get in their car the scarf is mysteriously sitting there waiting for me - it does not grow at all in between my efforts, I just hope they take us out often enough for me to finish it before winter sets in. It was a gorgeous day for the drive down, DD2 had taken a cool bag with wine, and French bread & butter - we sat outside in the sunshine drinking until our table became free and then we had

Well that was for me - DD2 had the same and we also had scallops & bacon and king prawns.
The men had eels and smoked salmon and all sorts of other fishy things. Finger lickin' good. The place is very basic but the fish is DIVINE and the atmosphere great.

No table napkins, but a kitchen roll on the table which

as you can imagine came in very handy. These were more crabs waiting to go into the shop. Yummy. After stuffing ourselves until we thought we might grow fins, we took a little walk along by the sea and DD2 treated us to an icecream - then I really felt I was on holiday! The sun was

shining but the sky was wonderful - what sort of painting would this make!

I think there was some talk here of buying the old hulk and doing it up! George would be the Captain of course and SiL who was in the Dutch Navy would be Chief Petty Officer - DD2 would be The Organiser and entertainments officer and I could see me ending up in the galley doing the cooking so I put a stop to any ideas of becoming boat people. I notice how badly George needs a haircut - it is a good job the lovely Gary is coming on Wednesday to cut our hair!

So thank you for a lovely day trip to the seaside - it is great when your children take you on an outing - or is it just that she wants the scarf finished, I wonder?

Ladies who lunch

What a lovely day I have had! First of all we went to church - George and I were Sidling, I was reading the lesson and George was doing intercessions - but I warned the vicar that I was leaving before his sermon - nothing personal, but I had to go to Jesus (I know it is corny, but the old ones are the best...) I picked up Marian & we drove to Jesus College to attend the ERTF lunch, thank goodness we were allowed to park in the College so that made life easier. We went to The Shop where the exhibition is being held for coffee and cakes

and another chance to look at the work displayed. I was stewarding there on Friday, so I had had a good opportunity to study each piece. It really excellent and very well worth going to visit. Then at 12.30 we all trooped down to Jesus College where we had the added bonus of seeing the Anthony Gormley sculptures, one came across them in the most surprising places and positions! They are very beautiful and strangely moving. We had a champagne reception in the Cloister Court This is Gina and I am terribly sorry but I cannot remember the name of the next member and if it was not so late I would ring Gina and ask her, then Marian, dear Mary Cozens-Walker whose work I greatly admire, me and Lorraine. Ladies Who Lunch! And what a delicious lunch it was - Sorrel, Pea and Lettuce Soup, an enormous amount of chicken with loads of vegetables, Creme Brulee served with a little dish of summer berries, coffee and truffles. And the wine, of course!

And after this feast we had an excellent talk by Michael Brennand Woods in which he spoke about the inspiration for his work and the reasoning and meanings behind various pieces - it was really most interesting and I noticed that everyone stayed wide awake!. I think there were about 30 people present (some husbands, I wish George could have been there) and a really nice atmosphere. No-one seemed to think I was too old!!! Or if they did, they were not rude enough to say so....... (that is a little, private hurt)I do hope that this group will be friendly and supportive , it is so good to get together with other like-minded people and there was a lot of enthusiasm amongst the members.

I told you that we found Gormley pieces in unexpected places and there were several men precariously perched on roof tops! After lunch, Gina, Mary, Marian and I walked round the grounds looking at some of the other sculptures by Anthony Caro and Kiefer Anselm - what a treat. But by 4.30 it was getting quite cold and we called it a day. I may have to be sewn into my vest soon.

Igot back home about 6.30 and dear George poured me a large Campari whilst I told him all about my day. I didn't have to cook for him because he had eaten the left-overs from last night's dinner party - what a star.

Yesterday was good too, we were invited to a lunch party for about 30 people as part of the 50th celebrations of Melbourn Village College, after lunch there was a huge party of ex pupils, members of staff, families and friends - anyone who had had anything to do with the college over the years. I was delighted to meet Arthur and Mary Behenna again - he was the first Warden of the College. They now live in Lincolnshire and Mary remarked that she had read a poem in an Inner Wheel magazine and had recognised my name, which was rather nice. George and I were given a tour of the school by FOUR very enthusiastic young girls, one of whom thought that the Great Fire of London was in 1956! The band played and the sun shone and then there was a dedication of a commemorative stained glass window and then I had to rush home and start cooking!

After dinner we played cards until 1.30 - not bad going for an old 'un, eh?