Grand-daughter starting her musical education early.
It's been an exceptionally busy time these last few weeks for all of us. Daughter has had important things happening at work and at the school where she's a governor, which has meant we've been enjoying more of Grand-daughter's company - three or four days each week since she came back from holiday, though with Mummy and even Daddy some days as well - they sneak off to work in one of our studies and we entertain GD. I pick her up early on the days Daughter goes to work and she confidently waves goodbye when I put her in the car and usually sleeps all the way here. Last week she had her first birthday - a quiet 'party' with us on the actual day with all three of them staying the night afterwards, and a rather more noisy and busy party with her other grandparents, aunts and cousins and members of Daddy's extended family at the weekend. This week she's been here two days and I have been in Worcester one day as she had to have her 12 month jabs, so she's been catching up with sleep and is now back on top form after her first cold (amazing she'd managed 11 months and two weeks before getting one!
On the Thursday after the great day, Daughter and I took her into a local coffee shop mid-morning. It was quite busy and we took a table for two with just enough space for the pram by the side with the baby facing me. There were three people at a table at right angles to ours behind Daughter, and after we'd finished ordering, a rather familiar voice said loudly, 'I wish you'd turn that pram round so we could see that baby!' We looked at each other a bit startled and then realized the lady sitting behind us was Maureen Lipmann who was appearing in a play at the Malvern Theatre. She was very nice and made much of Grand-daughter, though not, we felt, in a look at me I'm a celebrity way. The gentleman with her we didn't recognise but he had a delicious American voice and apparently provides many of the voices for characters in the Simpsons. His name is Harry Shearer for anyone more familiar with American actors than I am. He was co-starring in the play,
Daytona, which also stars John Bowe
. We were rather sorry we couldn't go to the play after meeting two thirds of the stars!
Earlier last week H and I had a rare away-day in Birmingham to attend a celebratory concert at the Town Hall given by the Town Hall organist,
.Thomas Trotter He's a great entertainer and brilliant musician and he pulled out all the stops - almost literally - to celebrate his 30 years in the post. It was a great recital and we enjoyed it very much.
Birmingham Town Hall is a great building and beautifully restored inside, but, as everywhere, cuts are hitting. The box office and cafe only opens two hours before each performance - excellent coffee, by the way, and we noticed that the ledges and decorative mouldings above head height seemed to have accumlated a good deal more dust than we'd noticed in the past. It seemed a shame that no one had even dusted the top of the organ console - everything is clearly visible from the raked seating in the gallery - when it was a special occasion. The colour scheme of a lilac/grey, dark grey and white is very appealing.
M, of course, caught GD's cold and we've all suffered for that since. Next week looks set to continue in busy mode, but half-term is on the horizon so we might get some breathing space then, with luck. The weather today has been lovely - warm, sunny and perfect for Autumn. The various reports about an impending terrible Winter fill me with dread and I'm not sure whether I prefer the Met Offices assurances that no-one can predict that far ahead or feel that I must start planning what we'll do if it happens - the legacy of the 2010 weather which resulted in a burst pipe flooding our basement floor is hard to forget! I think I must live for the day and also follow my other recent resolution to cut myself some slack - we'll it doesn't look as if anyone else is going to worry about the garden, the hoovering, the weather, the accounts etc.etc.etc........
Working backwards, we enjoyed the Autumn show - lots of goodies were purchased - mainly of an edible nature. There was a Vintage marquee which had some very nice items, and the usual array of crafts, clothes etc. as well as the garden section. The weather was reasonable and we indulged in many 'sit-downs' with and without refreshments. The next thing on the agenda is the Autumn Quilts Festival on 25th-27th. Last weekend's Flea Fair was pretty much a washout for outside stalls and not at all busy inside, in contrast to the September one which was huge and heaving with almost as many people as the bank holiday one. There's an Antique and Collector's fair on November 3rd and I often find the prices there are more reasonable - and the coffee's nicer!
I must just put in a word for the wonders of Memory Foam. I found a delightful firm online called
AnyFoam who will supply this in various depths cut to any size you order. I've now been able to put extra cushions in M's adjustable chair, which has a) stopped her complaining, and b) whilst not cheap, has cost a mere fraction of a new made to measure chair. My other great find has been
Bemz.
This lovely firm supplies loose covers for Ikea furniture of all styles - even some which Ikea no longer make. The prices are reasonable and there's a huge choice of colours and prints. Our Karlstad sofas now have a new lease of life with pink covers in a style that covers the legs and makes them a better match to an armchair in the same room. The current Ikea range, apart from the white, had nothing suitable. You can order swatches from Bemz and the actual covers take 4 weeks. They are a good fit and very well made. On the practical front, they're pre-shrunk, washable and treated with stain resistant. When I'm feeling flush I shall order a second set, then like a character from Barbara Pym's novels (
Jane and Prudence I thnk), I can have Summer and Winter covers! I must admit online shopping is a godsend - and GD loves boxes!
Well I think I've wittered on enough, so I won't tell you what I've knitted or sewn - especially as I haven't any photos to prove it. I'm off to put M's pyjamas on - on her I mean - after all it's only 4 and a half hours till she goes to bed!
