10:45 Lois was hoping I could drive her to Ashchurch Village Hall, Tewkesbury, this morning to attend her church's two Sunday Meetings, but unfortunately it's forecast to be another hot and humid day today, with a high of 82F (28C) so she decides to take part online via zoom.
Phew - what a scorcher!!!
But poor Lois! And the zoom session isn't satisfactory, as it turns out.
Again there's a problem with the sound quality, which is a pity. They're obviously trying a new arrangement of the sound equipment, so that people in the back of the hall can hear more easily, but unfortunately this seems to play havoc with the sound quality on zoom. Lois can hear Andy, this week's president, perfectly well, but when the visiting preacher starts his address, his voice becomes intermittently "muffled". Oh dear - modern technology eh!
flashback to August 2021: the church's first meeting
to be held in the village hall after the long COVID lockdowns
- these are the braver souls who took what was still considered something of a risk.
But note the discreetly spaced-out tables: people were still nervous
of catching or spreading the virus at this time
The hymn-singing still doesn't work well either, this morning. You hear short bursts of the singing in the village hall, interwoven with short bursts of silence. Lois "sings along" as best she can anyway, but the equipment problems make it into a bit of a game-show challenge as to whether she's still in tempo with the congregation when the sound returns after one of its short absences.
I'm thinking of the radio quiz "I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue" and its surprisingly challenging "Pick Up Song" round.
Eight years ago or more - in February 2015 - Lois and I went to a live performance of this radio quiz-show at Cheltenham Race Course, and I bought a souvenir "Mornington Crescent" mug at the gift shop - do you remember?
some of the "I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue" radio quiz show regulars (standing)
seen here with quizmaster Jack Dee and the show's popular score-keeper Samantha
flashback to February 2015 - Lois and I see a live performance of the radio quiz
"I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue" at the Centaur Theatre, Cheltenham Racecourse.
Yes, Lois and I were somewhere in that crowd that evening - what a madness it all was!
and I come away with a souvenir "Mornington Crescent" mug from the gift shop
- new! This
week’s prize is the Brexiteer’s most hated salad ingredient – it’s
this Remain lettuce.
- new! This
week’s prize is this perfect support garment for the gentleman who dresses
to the right - it’s this Liz Truss.
- This
week’s prize comes with its own royal warrant - it’s this generous
tin of Prince Andrew Whitewash.
- The
perfect afternoon treat for the politically correct - it’s
LBGT-for-two at the Ritz.
- This
week’s prize is the latest development in the world of pudding
de-humidifiers - it’s this crumble dryer.
- This
week’s prize is sure to delight every keen cook who likes to strain
different vegetables everyday in the lead up to Christmas - it’s this
lovely Advent colander.
- This
week’s prize will suit anyone of advanced years who wants to get out and
about looking like an aristocrat - it’s this electric nobility
scooter.
- This
week’s prize is sure to delight everyone who enjoys cooking their eggs and
bacon without ever feeling restricted by clammy underwear - it’s this
handsome set of non stick frying pants.
- Sure
to delight every dinner party host who likes to serve lawn clippings in
style - it’s this lovely cut grass decanter.
- Sure
to delight every handicraft enthusiast who enjoys making their own Chinese
food - a lovely set of knitting noodles.
- For
every keen Chef who likes their deserts to throw themselves off the cooker
- it’s a lovely Lemming Meringue pie.
- Something
that will ideally suit every keen pastry cook whose storage space is too
low - it’s a bag of shelf raising flour.
- Just
the thing on which to ride around Paris when doing the Victor Hugo
tour - an economical 1.6 litre hunchback.
- Just
the thing for the homeowner who does not like to be kept awake by the
furniture - a decaffeinated coffee table.
- A
prize to suit anyone who likes to make their eyelashes look their best on
February 14th - St. Valentine’s Day Mascara.
- A
prize to help the elder single man to liven up his al fresco evenings on
the patio - an attractive pair of French widows.
- To
provide a touch of luxury for anyone who enjoys the essence of poultry at
bath time - a Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soap.
[That's enough silly prizes! - Ed]
15:00 And today is also the 15th birthday of the dear second-eldest of mine and Lois's 5 grandchildren, Rosalind, and later our daughter Alison puts these charming pictures up on social media, of Ed and their 3 children relaxing over an afternoon birthday tea in the grounds of their 6.5 acre "estate" in Headley, Hampshire.
As Lois and I always say, you know you're really getting old when your grandchildren approach the age when they could soon be thinking about taking driving lessons - oh my goodness yes!
Ed with Rosalind (15 today) plus sandwiches and cakes
Josie (16) with Otto the cat
Rosalind and Isaac photobombing this photo
of Sika, the family's Danish dog
Ed sleeping it all off - poor Ed !!!!!
Flashback to 1965: in typical British style we had brought onto the beach 2 folding chairs, a rug or two, and a flask of tea with a set of 5 plastic cups etc - something unique to us on the beach that day at Kijkduin, no doubt about that. And my father didn't see any reason to fork out money to hire one of the beach umbrellas, as all the sophisticated Dutch pleasure-seekers around us had done.
We had also brought with us the British Sunday papers and a transistor radio so that our father could listen to the cricket commentary - what a madness that was!
Still at least we had at last left Britain physically if not mentally, and if only for 3 weeks - a first time overseas for all of us, believe it or not, but people didn't go abroad that much in those days, did they. And my father certainly "had kittens" being forced to drive on the "wrong" side of the road for the first time, I can tell you: my goodness yes!
our parents, plus my dear late little brother Steve (13),
and little Gill (7) of course, on the beach at Kijkduin
me at Kijkduin Bus Station, looking all "business-y", with my box-camera
17:00 Lois and I struggle out of bed after our afternoon nap, to watch a bit of the Glastonbury Pop Festival on the sofa, snatching a quick evening stir-fry on our "TV trays" when there's a lull.
And I expect that in the future, if Lois and I are "spared" (phrase copyright Lois's father, Dennis), our minds will start to wander, and we'll reminisce about "the happy times we spent at Glastonbury", not remembering that it was "just watching it on TV" - you mark my words, it'll happen, you'll see haha!
But tonight we only watch artists who became famous back in the 1980's or earlier, I'm afraid. Our two daughters left home in the 1990's, and we don't recognise any pop songs or pop singers after that - call us old fuddy-duddies if you like! [No need to state the obvious here, I think haha! - Ed]
The best thing about these programmes is the shots of the audience having the time of their lives, all packed together in their tens of thousands in this enormous field in Somerset, singing along to the songs, many of which mean something special to them, I'm sure, from back in the day. If only we knew the memories going through their minds as they sing along to them - perhaps some of them unpleasant or censorable maybe, who knows, but mostly good ones I'm sure haha!
The 5pm programme features Blondie, whom we saw only last week - only on TV, though, remember haha! - at the Isle of Wight festival, and also 1980's star Rick Astley.
happy older festival-goers, here seen singing along to Yusuf/Cat Stevens'
cover version of George Harrison's "Here Comes The Sun"
Lois and I always like to check how these ageing stars look today, looking for signs of them slowing down etc, but mostly they seem in good shape, I have to say.
Blondie's Debbie Harry (77) has probably "had some work done", but she can still prance around up and down the stage. Today she's got a similar outfit to her Isle of Wight get-up but with big black thigh-boots this time instead of the bare-legged look - nice one, Debbie!
Blondie's Debbie Harry sings "Atomic" (1979)
1980's star Rick Astley reprises his big hit "Never Gonna Give You Up" (1987)
And - nice touch - Rick manages to blow-dry his hair during his cover rendition of Chic's "Good Times" song from 1979:
18:00 The next round;
I posted George's version of it to Lois on a cassette tape during the 12 months we were apart, during my student year in Japan 1970-71. I sent it as spring was approaching, and also coming up fast was her 3-week-long visit to see me: hence my choice of this song to send her.
And who can forget singing "Morning Has Broken" in school morning assemblies in the 1950's? [I expect that a lot of people can't, and for a very good reason: they weren't there! - Ed]
I especially like its lovely Verse 2 (words by Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965)):
"Sweet the rain's new fall
Sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dew fall
On the first grass...."
Don't you just love that phrase, "the sweetness of the wet garden"? I often think of it when I look at the garden after it's been raining.
22:00 Time to switch off. We'll just have to see the rest of Elton's "set" another evening.
Call me a sentimental old fool if you like! No, on second thoughts don't - the truth hurts sometimes. Ouch!!!!!!
We suspect that 76-year-old Elton is only marginally in better shape than us, but it's hard to tell because mostly he's sitting at the piano. And conversely, he can't judge our fitness, because, as he says later, when he rings us, he only saw us, Lois and me, sitting on the sofa. So fair enough!
21:00 Last leg now. Elton John's final appearance in the UK - or is it? And this segment is due to go on till 11 pm, way past our bedtime, so we decide to just watch the first half and then go to bed -well, we've earned it!
[Can I just say I don't think you've proved that beyond reasonable doubt! - Ed] [No, I'm sorry there isn't time for that! - Colin]
Here he performs his paeon in praise of "Sad Songs":
We go to bed - zzzzzzzz!!!!!!
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