Lunch and chat at the Barran-Pouleaupot's: Anna Longridge plus Jane and Johnno (Baz). Lovely weather (obviously) and old friends chatting animatedly about the sorts of things old friends chat about... (the Government, WWII, Johnny's music festival "Kew the Music", Jane's trip to China, etc etc, Polo.)
The 'Market' is a funny thing; kinda dominates a lot of thinking at the back of people's minds: more Vampire Calamari anyone?
It is inescapable for the time being, in that we have no alternative and stuff needs to keep sort of happening: but the love of money is a dangerous and terrible thing, even makes old friends get cross with each other (not in the instance above though: swift defuseage of that thought please!) Guess all forms of greed are cupiditastic: even greed for pomp and power and paternal influence and respect.
Radix malorum est cupiditas
(Evil stems from greed: I think I've used this tag before somewhere on the site. Don't have a lot of choice with my limited Latin! Sorry Dr Pratt. Mea maxima culpa...)
Good sermon on Sunday from The Rev. N.G. about friendship: if you want to make friends, show an interest in the other person. Secret of good conversation is the right questions. Like that. Not sure that all the friends I have ever made I would want to always keep - nor have I, nor have I been kept by - but Joyce writes about friendship for a reason and a season and a lifetime. Hear, hear.
I seem to remember hugging a tree with a friend called Marguerita, at a student party in about 1991 and thinking that life didn't get much better. (It has.)
One wants as ones friend, someone who gets you: who you are not frightened they are going to belittle or dismiss that which is important to you and to which one's being is intimately connected. One wants honesty. And one also wants kindness. In the end kindness is an honesty that takes everything into account, including one's feelings. Mercy, if you like, which triumphs over judgement.
'By mercy, mercy's yours.'
'The highest form of wisdom is kindness.'
Off on Monday morn, monastically early, to France, with Aviary to her Mum's house, plus Lulu and Charlie the ex-Monk and Al Verey and Noah (woof! woof!) First holiday abroad for 4 years, and while Amalfi would be lovely too (I suppose), Brittany will certainly do very nicely for the time being. Rare treat! Pray God it's a good trip and we are all still speaking three days later (well not Noah that is... be quite nice if he stays fairly quiet throughout!)
Molto grazie!
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
Back in black: the return to Cafe Nero...
It's been a fairly hectic few weeks: apologies to any cyber stalkers waiting with baited mouse breath for a new posting - have hardly had time to think... let alone type!
Sunday: Mother's day... concert down in Barnes Wetlands for their lunchtime carvery... seemed to go quite well... pleasant and appreciative ripples of applause from a happy crew: nice to meet Verona Chard and excellent young (17!) pianist Chris Neill: lovely weather up in the tower of song, and technology that seemed to be working most clemently - thanks Keith (Chris' Dad).
That was after a morning service at St Ann's with Lulu Britton coming along to sing at our service - she did a nice Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod) and an excellent Benedictus from the Haydn Little Organ Mass, as featured the night before at the concert at Holy Trinity Clapham Common. (One or two more in the choir of 32 or so than in the audience - thanks to my guests for making the effort, especially Janey and Rondle).
Father Michael made Lulu and I collapse with guffaws in the car on the way to Barnes after the service... (thanks again for the lift Father)...
FM: "I apologise for the dirty state of my car"
JH: "Oh, don't worry you should see my parents'"
FM: (small pause...)"car?..."
Something about the timing just cracked us up!
Medici concert this Thursday at St Martin in the Fields: might get to conduct the men during the intoning in the Allegri and HAVE to start learning my solo...!!! NOTE TO SELF: (or N.T.S. if you're into T.L.A.'s - Three Letter Acronym's)
Well the harp practice is going well anyway...
Must dash: off to the Doc's this morn.
Grazie!
Sunday: Mother's day... concert down in Barnes Wetlands for their lunchtime carvery... seemed to go quite well... pleasant and appreciative ripples of applause from a happy crew: nice to meet Verona Chard and excellent young (17!) pianist Chris Neill: lovely weather up in the tower of song, and technology that seemed to be working most clemently - thanks Keith (Chris' Dad).
That was after a morning service at St Ann's with Lulu Britton coming along to sing at our service - she did a nice Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod) and an excellent Benedictus from the Haydn Little Organ Mass, as featured the night before at the concert at Holy Trinity Clapham Common. (One or two more in the choir of 32 or so than in the audience - thanks to my guests for making the effort, especially Janey and Rondle).
Father Michael made Lulu and I collapse with guffaws in the car on the way to Barnes after the service... (thanks again for the lift Father)...
FM: "I apologise for the dirty state of my car"
JH: "Oh, don't worry you should see my parents'"
FM: (small pause...)"car?..."
Something about the timing just cracked us up!
Medici concert this Thursday at St Martin in the Fields: might get to conduct the men during the intoning in the Allegri and HAVE to start learning my solo...!!! NOTE TO SELF: (or N.T.S. if you're into T.L.A.'s - Three Letter Acronym's)
Well the harp practice is going well anyway...
Must dash: off to the Doc's this morn.
Grazie!
Saturday, 3 March 2012
POETRY 'N THAT
We scuttled basementward, we three, we happy three, and merrily did we poem of the garments of God and Turkey Messiahs and spoke of booty like the night of cloudless climes and Clapham fires...
Barnaby and Joey came along to support me last night at the Living Room Cafe at Green's Court in Soho. (So handy...) THANKS GUYS!
Barn's got a gig on Friday 24th March at the Half Moon in South London, near Herne Hill BR. Supporters and fanz v.welcome.
Rollo Hoop (yes: that's correct!) sang very well last night: intimate, beautiful singing with a good lyric or two. Check him out on the usual sites.
Managed to beat my swimming length record this morning which was gratifying, although I vaguely remember swimming further when I was 10 - hey, things looked bigger in those days! Bumped into Bruce MacInnes plus 3 out of 4 munchkins at the pool... oh, village life!
Works at St Anthony's Harpertage continue apace: this arvo sees another attempt at the bedroom shelves and the new door handles. Project S.C.S. is gathering momentum - watch this space!
Lesson with new pupil from Medici Choir shortly.
Grazie!
Barnaby and Joey came along to support me last night at the Living Room Cafe at Green's Court in Soho. (So handy...) THANKS GUYS!
Barn's got a gig on Friday 24th March at the Half Moon in South London, near Herne Hill BR. Supporters and fanz v.welcome.
Rollo Hoop (yes: that's correct!) sang very well last night: intimate, beautiful singing with a good lyric or two. Check him out on the usual sites.
Managed to beat my swimming length record this morning which was gratifying, although I vaguely remember swimming further when I was 10 - hey, things looked bigger in those days! Bumped into Bruce MacInnes plus 3 out of 4 munchkins at the pool... oh, village life!
Works at St Anthony's Harpertage continue apace: this arvo sees another attempt at the bedroom shelves and the new door handles. Project S.C.S. is gathering momentum - watch this space!
Lesson with new pupil from Medici Choir shortly.
Grazie!
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Leap Year's day been and gone...
AAAAAAARGH! Been kind of busy - apols to anyone thinking since 20th February: "I wonder if he's put up any new posts?"
It's been refurbishing time at St Anthony's - one or two little additions to the fixtures and fittings, including 'Bluebell', my new, 34 string Clarsach Harp, delivered a week ago, via the back seat of Caroline's car, with self and Stella variously seated underneath it.
She's a real beaut, is Bluebell: have been trying to get in a few minutes practise in the morning before heading to Mass and sporadically during the day.
The harp is a very forgiving instrument - even complete beginners can still make a decent noise - rather different to my abortive attempts to learn the violin about 10 years ago... in the end I was thankful to have learnt a scale.
Talking of violin, Regina the nanny at Chez Menuet, (where I teach the three French munchkins), brought her lovely instrument along yesterday and we busked - (sorry!... I busked - she played beautifully and from memory,) the first movement of a Mozart Concerto. What a joy!
Meanwhile HJ-F was jumping from the bookshelf again at the end of his piano lesson - he puts on the automatic song on the keyboard which has a little introduction and as the tune gets going - and you're going to like this - he does a star jump into the air as the piano and orchestra play 'HAllelujah!'
(No comment about the enjoyment of his piano lesson I'm hoping...)
Lulu Britton and Aviary ventured to St Ann's on Sunday - Lu to road test her Faure Requiem Pie Jesu and Aviary to lend support in the choirloft. Lu sang so well, and Kally pulled out all the stops on the Mander - thank you Kally! - 10 in the choir and a lovely sunny day, which meant a drive through Richmond Park and lunch (lite) in the Red Cafe in the area. Then another lovely drive and to Gloucester Road, shopping with Lu.
Ah me!
If anyone's around, I've got a poem or two going on at the Living Room Cafe on Friday 2nd March at Greens Court, Soho, 8pm. Free entry and cafee und kuchen to buy.
There's to be another Literary Lunch very soon: watch this space!
Grazia!
It's been refurbishing time at St Anthony's - one or two little additions to the fixtures and fittings, including 'Bluebell', my new, 34 string Clarsach Harp, delivered a week ago, via the back seat of Caroline's car, with self and Stella variously seated underneath it.
She's a real beaut, is Bluebell: have been trying to get in a few minutes practise in the morning before heading to Mass and sporadically during the day.
The harp is a very forgiving instrument - even complete beginners can still make a decent noise - rather different to my abortive attempts to learn the violin about 10 years ago... in the end I was thankful to have learnt a scale.
Talking of violin, Regina the nanny at Chez Menuet, (where I teach the three French munchkins), brought her lovely instrument along yesterday and we busked - (sorry!... I busked - she played beautifully and from memory,) the first movement of a Mozart Concerto. What a joy!
Meanwhile HJ-F was jumping from the bookshelf again at the end of his piano lesson - he puts on the automatic song on the keyboard which has a little introduction and as the tune gets going - and you're going to like this - he does a star jump into the air as the piano and orchestra play 'HAllelujah!'
(No comment about the enjoyment of his piano lesson I'm hoping...)
Lulu Britton and Aviary ventured to St Ann's on Sunday - Lu to road test her Faure Requiem Pie Jesu and Aviary to lend support in the choirloft. Lu sang so well, and Kally pulled out all the stops on the Mander - thank you Kally! - 10 in the choir and a lovely sunny day, which meant a drive through Richmond Park and lunch (lite) in the Red Cafe in the area. Then another lovely drive and to Gloucester Road, shopping with Lu.
Ah me!
If anyone's around, I've got a poem or two going on at the Living Room Cafe on Friday 2nd March at Greens Court, Soho, 8pm. Free entry and cafee und kuchen to buy.
There's to be another Literary Lunch very soon: watch this space!
Grazia!
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