Ladybird

When I had one of my several hospital appointments, I nipped into my local charity shop on the way home and saw this on the mannequin.  I found a good old fashioned walking stick for my Treasure Island production but ended up just trying this on!  I ended up buying it, for a very reasonable £3.75 and promptly wore it to go and watch Voces 8. I decided to add this stretchy petal belt to cinch the waist and the cashmere cardigan for warm. Knee high boots and a beret completed the look. 

All my scans and things came back negative so I've been discharged.  Hopefully all is fine so I am very grateful for that...but not sure what caused my pains/issues.  Thank you for all your positive thoughts.

Last night I went to watch CBC's school evening of song. It was beautiful.  The choirs and singing at his school is excellent!  I'm going to be doing some singing of my own on Bank Holiday Monday as I am returning to my old sixth form school to record 3 Christmas cantatas that were composed by the wonderful Head of Music.  I loved the 2 that I sang when I was at the school for two years and I am very excited to sing them again and see my teacher and many old friends I haven't seen for 20-25 years!!

Today, I have had a headache all day. I had one yesterday and was hoping, after my late night at CBC's concert, I would be able to sleep it off. Sadly, CBC was up at 6am (or possibly earlier) rampaging around the bedroom and house packing for the Duke of Edinburgh expedition he's leading on this weekend. He is incapable of doing it quietly or without asking me where X,Y, or Z are so I was fully awake and exceedingly cross that I was woken early as my headache was still very much pounding and present and has remained so all day.

I went to town to scour the charity shops for items needed for Treasure Island. Sadly, the only one I managed to locate was a vintage Parasol (buying the vintage one was cheaper and more eco-friendly than buying online from eBay.  I hope to find some more items at some point soon!

We had a polling day at school on Thursday so I was working from home. I had to join in for 2 Microsoft Teams sessions with Nursery and ended up doing lots of work though never as much as I wanted to.   It was so nice not to have to take the trains into work and back and for once, I didn't have any rehearsals to go up to London for which is what usually happens when I have a polling day at school!

Since I'm teaching a short cantata telling the story of Persephone (to link to the Year 5 Greeks topic), I'm playing the year 5-6 children Gustav Holst's The Planets in Singing Assembly this half term and I've been enjoying sharing little details with them to look out for.

For instance, in the final movement, Neptune, listen and watch out for the larger and lower versions of instruments- at the start of it, together with the regular C-flute, Holst uses the Alto Flute playing a parallel harmony (which plays 4 notes lower than the regular flute and has a wonderful smoky timbre) plus the Bass Oboe (bigger, lower oboe) and he even employs an off-stage female chorus at the ending which really does give the name Neptune, the Mystic, its due.  The piece ends with this otherworldly sound.  In addition, he uses 2 harps, instruments associate with magic and mythology in music and the Celesta, a keyboard instrument that hits a glockenspiel type instrument inside when you press the keys.

I really recommend watching the video below. I have made it start from Neptune but if it hasn't worked, scroll forward to 44:30.

The previous week, I played them Mars, the Bringer of War and in Drumming Club, we have been learning some of the repetitive rhythms used in the piece.  Next, week, we'll be listening to Mercury, the winged Messenger (AKA Hermes!) 

Back to school- 70 years!

 3 weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to be invited to my old Primary school for the 70th anniversary of the school's opening.  I let the few people I was still in touch with know about it but nobody I knew seemed to be coming. My Mum had an annoying clash of appointments so she missed it and my sister was working so I went along not knowing who was coming except for my headteacher who had wonderfully got in touch with my school's contact address, knowing I worked there to let me know about it as he wanted to see my sister, mum and I again!!! He retired a very long time ago! I was most excited about seeing him and about something else which I will mention later.  I sent in some memories of the school as they were asking for stories to share.

When I arrived, the current headteacher (who I know through music links) gave me a hug and took me to park my bike in our former quadrangle.

When I got out here, I felt so nostalgic!  This is where the KS1 building is. In my day, this area was the Infants area and I spent many happy times out in this area playing with water or sand.  We were so lucky to have outside space outside our building. There was also a mobile classroom I was in in Top Year Infants/Year2/Aged 6-7.  I remember playing with water and my friend accidentally soaking me so I had to change out of my blue gingham dress into a pink frilly dress. I remember going to my Headteacher for my 6th birthday sweets (you got the same number of sweets as your birthday) and sharing a green jelly baby with my older friend Louise (we were in a Split Reception/Year1 class).

Oh to have this space in our school! It makes me regret how tiny our outdoor space is at my school!

Next, I went to look at the wonderful displays of photos, log books, accounts and memories which were displayed in one of the wonderfully wide and long corridors.  I was looking when all of a sudden, I found myself facing one of my infant friends, Davina!!!! We gave each other a massive hug and were relieved to find someone else from our year! I haven't seen her since I was 16!! We turned out to be the only ones from that late 80's, early 90's era!

At that point, we were frogmarched for a tour of the school by two keen year 6 boys.  Davina and I delighted at the classrooms, new and old, commenting on what we remembered!

Here was our infant hall! It seemed SO small compared to when we were there.  Mind you, they have taken off a chunk to turn into group rooms. We recalled performing Joseph, Captain Noah's Floating Zoo and The Musicians of Bremen in here!

I am so envious of how big the classrooms are, how wide the corridors are and by the wonderful facilities!

At this point, we thanked our over-effusive guides and went outside to the school field.

As we went, I spotted these targets on the wall- we used to play 40-40 home here! 

One of the two playgrounds is so vast!

We headed onto the vast field. I didn't take a picture of just how vast it is but you can only see about an 8th of it in this picture.

Do you see this curious hanging tree? This Silver Birch was the other thing I was most looking forward to! There were two of these hanging trees which form a canopy or almost a tent.  My friends and I played in these every lunchtime!

D and I were beyond excited to go and sit under them!!! We had to wait for some children to exit!

Ah, the feeling of being under this canopy again with the hanging seeds we used as 'itching powder'- a legend/idea passed on down the years!

Of course we had to have a photo under it!!!

After this, we headed to the gazebo to meet Davina's Mum (who STILL lives in the same house! I amazed her by remembering her address!)

Also, delightfully, I saw a few other people I know.

A previous TA at my school works here now and despite the fact she left about 10 years ago, she was delighted I remembered her name and the name of her son I taught. I also saw one of our Midday staff who was made redundant last year.  I saw a couple of old teachers I knew and 3 parents of girls in my year  including the mum of my very first friend I made on my first day of school!!!

Davina and I were dying to talk to our beloved headteacher who was, of course, a complete and utter celebrity. EVERYONE wanted to talk to him (he was headteacher for about 30 years there!) 

I finally managed to get to him and we had a quick chat and photo (alas BLURRY!) before the current head made an announcement of the speeches, much of which, bemoaning the state of music provision in many schools!  There were some wonderful memories shared and heartfelt tributes made.

At the end of these, some people dispersed and I went to go and finish looking at the historical displays! 

I saw some class pictures of my sister and her orchestra picture but none of my class! There was a picture of my Mum with her percussion girls (she helped with orchestra as well as teaching recorder).

As I walking towards the school, I heard 3 girls discussing which day orchestra had been on when they were at the school, I jumped in and asked them when they were there.  They were there about 10 years after me. I mentioned my Mum and they were all ridiculously excited and told me how much they loved my Mum and how much she had helped them with music, playing in the recorder festivals and how one was a cellist and another a violinist.  They asked me to share their contact details with her and we all had a picture together. Later, I chatted to two twins who played the double bass and clarinet respectively who were also delighted at who my mum was! I had a picture with them too!

At this point, I realised I had missed the chance to chat to my headteacher as he made his long journey home. I felt really sad about this but luckily, he has subsequently emailed me and said he would love to meet my Mum, sister and I in London (they exchange Christmas letters every year) so that's good! He is very pleased that I am a music teacher and still encouraging children into playing in lots of ensembles!

It was a wonderful event and I am so glad I went!

On a fun note, can you spot me in this photo???

xx

Swatch

 What with the all the weird timings and procedures and being all over the place with school at the moment due to Covid measures, I've really needed to be wearing a watch.  

I recently found my Swatch watch which I believe I was bought when I was about 10 or 11- I'd wanted one really badly as a child and one year, my Mum agreed to buy me one for my birthday. We went to the Swatch store on Oxford Street. I'd really wanted this Parrot one I saw someone had but they didn't have it.  I liked this one however with its cats chasing dogs chasing cats chasing dogs and the MEOW strap!

I took it to the local jeweller's on Saturday and asked if it was possible to have a new battery in it, explaining I hadn't probably used it for at least 20 years.

He came out a few minutes later, having cleaned some corrosion around the batteries, he put a battery in and it seemed to work!

It's been really nice to use it again- so easy to put it on with its stretchy strap and a few 'children of the 80's' have looked delightedly at it!

13 sweets I like

Oh, sweets were the thing I used to dream of when I was a little girl!  Mum used to be quite sparing in our eating of sweets so they were a proper treat! I've eaten several types in the past year, even though I know they are terribly unhealthy- since I discovered Mr Simms- the sweetshop with pick n mix and sweets in jars!
I thought I would have a nostalgic trip down memory lane.  Incidentally, I've borrowed pictures from a wonderful sweet shop with many of my favourites, so you can follow the link if I've made you hungry or you want to try them!

https://sweettreatco.co.uk/product/vanilla-fudge/ 

1.  Vanilla Fudge:
Mmmm....I like to nibble at this like a squirrel- taking little pieces- definitely do not eat it all in one mouthful!!

https://sweettreatco.co.uk/product/candy-shrimps/ 

2. Shrimps
The originals are the best.

https://sweettreatco.co.uk/product/laces/

3.  Strawberry bootlaces:
I associate these with my older sister.  When I was 10-11 and she was 14-15, she used to take me to Junior Woodwind ensemble at the Music School. Mum was at work at the Vets on Fridays so my sister took me on the buses from home to the music centre.  We had to get two buses to music schoo and Mum used to give us the money for two buses each.  However, we discovered that one of the two buses went further than we used to get it to so we decided to get one bus- it ended up on a high street where there was a Woolworths and we then walked the last mile to the music centre. It meant we had the second bus money at our disposal.  So, every Friday, we went into Woolworths. We had 80p with our bus fare combined and the bags of licorice bootlaces were 79p.  We used to choose a different one each week- Cola laces, green laces, Strawberry laces, orange laces and gleefully scoff them on our way to Windband.  It was our little treat and we used to love it- having sweets.  Mind you, we got some extra exercise!  I used to love nibbling at them!
4.  Fizzy peach sweets:  those round sweets that are half orange, half pinky red with sugar granules on the outside and taste oh so wonderfully peachy- just like Body Shop's original Fuzzy Peach perfume!  CBC and I ate loads of these on our honeymoon as Switzerland sold Haribo Peach slices!

https://sweettreatco.co.uk/product/soft-rhubarb-and-custard/

5.  Rhubard and custard tubes:  Mr Simm the confectioners sell these in their pick and mix selection- they are small cylinders in pastel colours- pink, mint and yellow with a white bit inside and they have a nice firm texture!

https://sweettreatco.co.uk/product/flying-saucers/

6.  Flying Saucers
I must add here that I am pretty annoyed that they seem to be skimping on the sherbet in these nowadays! But they are still tasty!

7.  Strawberry Skittles:
I DO like Skittles!  The first time I ever tried these was aged 7.  My sister had gone on tour to Austria with a nearby school (not her school but they needed violinists) and she came home with a bag of them before they were sold in England. I remembered thinking they were so tasty!

8.  Fizzy worms:
There's something wonderfully tangy about these!!

https://sweettreatco.co.uk/product/jelly-babies/- Yum!

9.  Green Jelly Babies: the ones that taste like the smell of Dettol- they seem to have changed the recipe. I still like the Haribo jelly babies though- they are properly limey!

https://sweettreatco.co.uk/product/white-mice/- but the brown ones!

10. Chocolate Mice:
The absolute cheapest, low-quality chocolate but there's something superbly nostalgic about them!

11. Opal Fruits
I know they are Starburst now but to me, they are Opal Fruits. One thing I miss is that there used to be seperate yellow and green ones- Lemon and Lime respectively. Nowadays, they are combined into one and we got a blackcurrant one instead.  Bring back the discreet Lemon and Lime I say. They are tangly and superb! I associate these with trips to the Kenneth Moore theatre in Ilford- they used to sell boxes of them in the snack kiosk!

12.  Strawberry Chewits
I must confess that I eat Chewits in the most disgusting, unladylike way.  I attribute the eating of them to a car journey with my best friend Lucy, aged 8, in the car on the way to Southend.  We had a game to try and see how long we could make a chewit last and I discovered the pulling pieces off technique- it stretches beautifully into a long strand of strawberry goodness which can be nibbled at.  Warning though- you need to warm the Chewit in your hands for a few minutes though to ensure it is malleable!

Image from https://sweettreatco.co.uk/product/flumps/- who seem to sell these delicious things!

13.  Flumps:
Those wonderfully, really soft marshmellows of pastel colours- twisted cylinders or the ones with very thin strands on the outside! I loved them!
If you eat any sweets still or used to when you were younger, which were your favourites?

xx

From the archives: Nice work if you can get it

Greetings friend. Here's another archive post from the past I thought I would share from August the 1st 2013, a week before I got married and moved home! Enjoy.

Nice work if you can get it

 Hello there! I've had a really productive day working with my mother in the garden! Usually, I am a lazy hopeless slob case when it comes gardening, though occasionally, I have attacks of dilligence when the neighbour's overhanging canopy of immense proportions irritate me or there are cosmos plants to be grown! My darling Mummsy came over at 9.30am to come and sort the garden after I begged her to do it help me do it since I would like some photos in the garden before the wedding as my house is NOT remotely tidy photo territory! She arrived and we worked together (me still in my pjs!) for about 3 hours and 45 minutes! It was incredibly satisfying what we achieved and it was SUCH a nice time for me and my Mum to spend together. As I near having to move from my childhood home, I feel all these bittersweet 'last' feelings, even though I am excited at moving with CBC. When I move, it will finally be sold and that will be the end of an era. Aside from a year in central London and a year in Bali, I have always lived here since the age of 6 and I am now 32. It was nice to have this sort of final 'Mother and daughter' working time in this garden which has meant so much to us over the years, a beautiful haven in the urban jungle live in, a place that holds so many memories, dear and funny. This place my mother has worked so hard on over the years, made a beautiful place from the blank canvas of mud and beaten earth left by the previous owners and their rottweillers in 1988. I remember laying the turf, planting the Reverend Wilks apple tree, my own patch of corn on the cobs, the wildflower meadow bit. The pond with its frogs, tadpoles, sticklebacks and into which my friend Sarah fell, aged 14. I confess, as I type, to shedding a tear for the loss of this. I'm so excited and yet, there will always be that young girl in me that never wants anything to change. Even over the last 6 years, where I have lived here alone, I have loved this home, despite its idiosyncrasies- no central heating, faulty boiler, a recent mouse-problem, big mess of all my things. I love its high ceilings, its open-plan feel, the ramshackle conservatory, the easiest landline number to remember in the world, its tiny rabbit-hutch proportions, my miniscule old bedroom with no curtains or curtain-rail after a cat pulled the whole lot off the wall after climbing in the window and getting tangled in the net curtains and panicking, the place my sister and I made our own, rearranging it, her painting it and putting up the red,white,black and grey border which still is up, the airing cupboard with the top door coming off, the wallpaper falling of the ceiling. The Laura Ashley poppy tiles in the kitchen, the massive stairwell with the ceiling-mounted rack to hang clothes which I was supposed to pull up to be out of the way everytime I hung washing and yet I've left hanging down low so you are greeted with a Chinese-laundry feel as you come up the stairs. The top landing where the old wardrobe once stood, full of coats which my sister and I would put on, my always loving the inherited rabbit fur coat (sorry, contraversial but I did love it).I love it and will miss it. I must stop these reminiscences. That wasn't what I came here to type and yet the words fell out with the tears. I wish I had taken before shots! Mum first mowed the lawn and edged it. Meanwhile, I cleared up all the rampant weeds that were growing on the edge of the patio, between the fences and behind the lavender, rosemary and lemon-balm  We have 3 apple trees, two cherry trees (one self-seeded behind the shed!, a fig tree and a Victoria Plum which were really overgrown for our small garden and needed a summer pruning. Mum and I worked for an hour cutting off the growth and then cutting into small piece in the compost bin.  Next, I trimmed back my neighbours, shrubs jungles over the wall nearest ot the house. it's like the Seeds of Doom from Doctor Who. I honestly don't think the landlord has done a thing to the garden for 3 years which is why my garden has to contend against the most immense canopy overshadowing it. He doesn't live there, just a load of tennants in different rooms and there is no front door bell so not sure how to get hold of him. The privet hedge in the front garden is taking up half my drive and is taking up half the pavement!!! Any ideas what to do about it?! I threw all the offcuts over the fence since clearly nobody uses the garden and hopefully if they have a problem with it, they will come and speak to me and I can ask them to cut it themselves!  Mum emptied a compost bin of ready compost onto the flower beds and we filled it up to the absolute maximum with foliage and weeds.  After picking up all the debris from under the trees, I weeded all around the bench which was good until I scratched my arms with twigs and scraped my cheek on a cut branch! Nice look for the wedding  Here is the newly pruned Victoria Plum which I did the majority of (mum did the apple trees). Believe me, a LOT has gone!  We weeded this flower bed and then replanted the rosemary offcuts which have taken!  The Buddlea was taking over the garden so Mum trimmed it back, but not loads because the butterflies adore it! We saw a Comma, Peacock, Meadow Brown, Cabbage White and another one I forgot!  Above the collection of stones, broken china and Celtic Cross is a dense canopy of ivy. To my shame, the last time I got furious with it and hacked at it, I had just left the pile of debris so by now, it was brown and horrid and needed moving. I chopped it into tiny pieces and then removed all the brown ivy leaves which wasn't easy as there are evil brambles amongst the ivy too which kept spiking me! We then moved the bay tree which was in the front garden to here as someone apparently tried to steal it at 1am on Sunday evening according to my neighbour who shouted out the window and stopped them!  Mum picked some delicious cherries from my tree which was a Christmas present from my Grandad 10 years ago. I will miss my own special tree  Re the wildflowers- sadly, my cosmos in the trough are the only plants that grew from my seeds and I have only had about 8 flowers so far so sadly, unless we have miraculous growth in a week, they won't be featuring in my wedding. It's been fun to have them to care for though. However, I did find an unexpected delightful present when I discovered this double daisy plant had appeared from nowhere! I didn't plant it so it must have been a bird! Thanks bird!x  When my Mum left, after some delicious apple amber from the freezer (from previous Reverend Wilks apple harvest), I finally had a shower and got dressed! Promptly to get hot and sticky again when I went to go and saw up a load of mouldy cardboard boxes that I lazily left festering on my patio for a while and bin them!  I'm still trying to get on with cleaning and tidying as I try to comprehend the task of packing up 26 years worth of stuff! I shall do it cheerfully as I reflect on a happy day and understand that life moves on   Loving one who loves you, and then taking that vow. Nice work if you can get it and you can get it if you try!

Finding the Magic Flute

When I was 16, I was asked to play for my very first paid gig. It was a week's run of Mozart's famous comic opera, The Magic Flute in my local theatre.  I was to play my viola alongside another older viola player for a week.  I received £45 per performance and rehearsal which, for a 16-year old, was amazing- especially as there were 6 in total!

It wasn't my first time playing in the orchestra pit at my local theatre as I had played viola for a production of Benjamin Britten's Let's Make an Opera!/The Little Sweep.   I think this was Edna Graham, my sister's singing teacher, who was the MD for the operas at the theatre's way of testing me out to see if I would be up to the challenge of playing in her opera orchestra.  She was very good at supporting young musicians.  Anyway, I must have done a good job, as there I was a year later, playing for a paid run of a show.  I remember the excitement AND fear as I sat there at my very first rehearsal with all the proper adult musicians. It was unbelievably exciting, particularly as I was the only non-adult there and I felt I was the first of my contemporaries to be offered such an opportunity.

Every night was exciting. Annie-Marie, who was the other viola player was so kind and supportive of me- she even donned my tiara for The Queen of the Night aria one night!  (Funnily enough, I met her at an orchestra rehearsal I deputized for someone at in Walthamstow back in December and she recognized me- it was so delightful to see her after about 20 years!) I will never forget that wonderful experience. I loved the wittiness of Mozart's opera- Papageno in his silly bird costume, the Queen of the night, the beautiful arias. And then there were all the beautiful flute solos. I used to turn round to look at Claire, the girl who played all the gorgeous flute solos- the two big famous ones and then all the other myriad other sumptuously flautistic offerings.  Though I liked playing my viola, my heart has always belonged to my flute.  It was the instrument I always wanted to play and loved most.  One day, I wished, one day, I too would play those wonderful flute solos.  

Because I had an ear that could recognise the pitch of music and copy it, I remember getting my flute out and playing those solos from ear.

But 22 years on, somehow, I had never had the opportunity to play that flute part.  Cue an email from my musical camping course and I saw that The Magic Flute was being planned for a weekend in June.  I decided to send enquiring email to the organiser asking if she already had a first flute for it and offering my services if she hadn't!  To my delight, she sent back a positive reply saying she would be really happy for me to come and play first flute.   My heart soared with utter delight at the prospect of finally realising my adolescent dream to play those flute solos which I held in such high esteem.

The months went on and then I received an email from the conductor (who conducts my regular orchestra), asking me to learn the two big solos from memory as he wanted me to be on stage with the character, Tamino, who plays the flute.  This made the whole prospect even more exciting!  

Somehow, life got busy and learning the solos didn't really happen but somehow, having listened to and tried playing those solos as a teen stayed in my subconscious as I found it really easy and quick to learn the solos.

Last weekend FINALLY came and I travelled to my beloved camp to play.  It was a glorious weekend playing those solos and all the other beautiful moments.  I felt such overwhelming gratitude to have the opportunity to play this part.  Not every flautist gets this opportunity.  It was a scorching weekend and extremely tiring but I relished every moment.  When it came the performance, I didn't experience any of my usual nerves, I felt calm and relaxed and all the solos went well.  The audience clapped for us long and hard. I was given the first stand up and to my delight, some people stood up in the audience for me!  It was a privilege to perform with such a talented set of people and I wanted to immortalize this halcyon day on which I finally achieved this dream!

In case you are interested, here are the two famous solos where Tamino plays the magic flute to help him. 

Listen from 1:50 in the above one.

In the one below, listen from the start.

And in case you don't know the story, here's a short synopsis.

If you ever want to see an opera, I recommend the Magic Flute- it is very approachable and fun and the tunes will get stuck in your head, in a very good way!

Do you know The Magic Flute? Have you ever achieved a childhood ambition like this?

xx

PE bag

I went to my Mum's last week on my way home from being away and I'd asked her if she had a costume suitable for the Pied Piper of Hamelin (for my production at school! Does anyone have a Mayor's costume  for a child at all?!!).

She went up into her loft and got down the costume from in there. It was a Minstrel's costume she made for herself when she went to Kentwell Hall with the Year 4 children on a trip.  Red and Green, it's perfect for a Pied Piper.  It was in this River Island carrier bag from the 90's- probably about circa 1996.

It was a real moment of nostalgia for me.  In the mid 90's, when I was in around years 9-11, it was THE thing to carry your PE kit to school in a River Island carrier bag. They looked like this but originally, the panel with the logo and the handles were claret red rather than green.   Oh how I loved those bags!  Finally, my Mum bought me a pair of black loafer shoes from River Island and I gained the hallowed bag. I was so happy carrying my PE kit to school in it.   I think I did originally have a claret one, this one came along later.  Sad isn't it, how a name or label could mean so much!  I wish we didn't get so het up about things like that! Now, I don't really care about this type of thing.  Nowadays, perhaps the modern equivalent is a designer bag perhaps so at least, a River Island bag was more achievable.

Such an interesting bag though- all those vintage characters on it and the big cat- I always remember the big cat!

Did you have an equivalent 'sought after' bag or receptacle for carrying any aspect of your school baggage in?

xx