October AND November came and went, due once again to my tardiness plus internet issues. I have a number of draft Post-lets written but realise that much of my problem is coming up with a suitable title each time. I had thought of getting away from Simon & Garfunkel with a swing to Ian Fleming and one of my favourite films, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, so I could regale you with my stunning culinary efforts, with the title ‘Truly Scrumptious’. On reflection, I realise I have already stunned you with them, but not in a good way. Did I ever tell you about my lemon curd? (Checks back). No, I don’t think I have.

When JD still worked long hours and I was trying to fit into the new community we’d moved to, I started entering the local produce shows. That’s what everyone in the country does, right? I did win a few prizes, mostly around 50p, for my knitting or photography. This in the days before they had to bring in a class for digital manipulation of the photos. One year I went mad and entered a few cookery classes as well. I did some baking and made lemon curd. I love the stuff but know it doesn’t keep so don’t make it very often. I loaded up my bag with the entries and set off to the village hall. I opened the bag to find everything covered in a sticky yellow lemon scented gloop. Emergency trip to the loo to wash off what I could plus call to JD to bring another jar. Needless to say, I wasn’t placed that year. A question for you: would you have continued with the entry knowing you couldn’t win, or would you have thought ‘I need to support the community and someone has to give the judges a laugh’? Although they do take it incredibly seriously so they might not have appreciated my poor effort. The rules are very strict (but very difficult to find, in my experience). One year JD entered ‘a rose’ which had a little bud as well. A pal told him that would lead to a disqualification so he snipped it off. Just as well, he went on to win a silver salver that year. Only until the next show, although we made the local paper with two neighbours who also won their classes, so our little community had something to boast about. Always go out on a high if you can.

Enough reminiscing. Back to titles. I suddenly thought, painters and other artists don’t always name their creations, why should I? Just call me Barbara Hepworth. I note that we share a birthday and both lived in Yorkshire for part of our lives. That’s where the similarities end, as long as I don’t die in a house fire (you read it here first). Oddly, I looked up an actress in the book I’m currently reading (The Dark Circle by Linda Grant) shortly afterwards only to discover that she (the actress Linda Darnell) also died in a house fire. Oh no!

I frequently touch on music so for a change today I’ll update you on Blue Plaques and another Barbara. In Post 131 of 4th January 2022 I remarked upon my disappointment that there is no Blue Plaque commemorating the author Barbara Pym at 108 Cambridge Street. I finally stopped procrastinating and wrote to the Barbara Pym Society. I received a reply the same day, informing me that, ‘after multiple attempts spanning many years’ a Blue Plaque has been approved by English Heritage. That is not the end of the matter though, as the owner of the building has to agree to it plus planning permission has to be granted. With luck, there will be a plaque to show you sometime next year. Another Blue Plaque in Westminster is for Stella, Lady Reading. I must go and see that, maybe one day I’ll follow my namesake and earn one of my own. Not sure what for though, and as I think you have to be dead for at least 20 years, only a few of you might live to see it (she says cheerfully). Although, my writing skills have been recognised by Country Life, here’s a letter I wrote to them.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/#?pageBP=1&sizeBP=12&borBP=2&keyBP=&catBP=0

I also need to wander along Piccadilly, where there is a ‘London Remembers’ Blue Plaque to Nipper, the terrier from Bristol who appeared to be listening to the phonograph for ‘His Master’s Voice’. I remember some records we had with him on the label when I was young.

https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/francis-barraud-nipper

Here’s a museum I think I need to visit. I realise I’ve gone back to music once again.

https://birthplaceofcountrymusic.org/from-devoted-terrier-to-international-icon-the-story-of-nipper/

Do watch the YouTube video at the end, it’ll make you laugh!

Since my last Post of 12th September, we have been very busy. At the LPO Gala Dinner referenced in Post 152 of 31st August, we managed to bag four auction items. We have since attended two. The first turned out to be the most exciting afternoon JD and I have ever experienced. Before each concert, the orchestra have only three rehearsals. We were at one, featuring Beethoven’s Leonora Overture and his 5th Symphony together with Florence Price’s Violin Concerto No 2. Just JD and me as the audience. That was not the most exciting part though: we were on stage with the orchestra. JD sat in the second violins and I was between the violas and cellos, with the woodwind behind me and the conductor Kristiina Poska directly before me about two violins away. The most incredible way to listen to music. We could see the scores (but not quite follow along) and the players making notations as the conductor changed things slightly. I struggle to learn one page of music, here they were being told ‘start again at bar 249’ and no hesitation.

The following day was auction item 2, lunch at Sotheby’s auction house with a private tour of the auctions they were preparing.

https://www.sothebys.com/en/?locale=en

It can take three to four months for an auction to be sorted out, verifying the provenance of each item before listing them in the catalogue. The rooms are set up especially for each auction: we walked up an imposing staircase with what we thought was an old mural covering the wall, only to be told it had been set up (wallpaper) for the auction on Old Master paintings and would be replaced as soon at that ended. The other one we saw was the whole contents of a London apartment belonging to two American collectors who were selling up and returning to the USA. The room was laid out as though it were one of the rooms in the house, a far cry from the fortnightly local auctions I used to go to, where everything was just bundled into a draughty barn any old how with little or no history to each item (sold as seen).

We were up in London in September to watch the Great River Race. The photos you see on the website are obviously them all setting off: once they make it to Vauxhall Bridge they’re pretty strung out, but we got a few good shots and enjoyed trying to see a couple where we knew some of the crew.

https://greatriverrace.org.uk/

Another (sort of) race I promised to tell you about was John’s brother Alan’s cycle ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats, more addictive than Clipper Race Viewer (until his phone gave out). It happened in September as well and was in aid of prostate and breast cancer charities. A bit late now for you to donate, but Alan and his pal Richard raised over £7,000 (which, as it was due to Alan’s 70th birthday, was a good number to achieve).

THEN, the really big news, George and Yangtze emigrated to Shanghai for ‘a couple of years’. They’ve been having a great time, meeting old and new pals, eating and drinking and in George’s case improving on his Mandarin prior to getting a job. He sailed around Hainan Island in a race, competing against a few other Clipper sailors (plus lots of others).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRj5-p5YKOU

He sailed past Sanya, only three years too late for Clipper. The race rules were somewhat convoluted so despite winning one race and being on the podium for three of the five, they were last in their class after having one disastrous race. There were only six ‘foreigners’ in the race: George, an Australian, American, Japanese, Russian and Taiwanese.

Meanwhile, I’ve started learning Mandarin prior to going out there. Yangtze’s parents came to the UK in the summer and although we could (sort of) communicate with our phones and instant translations, it isn’t the same. They are determined to show us all round China so we could be gone for a long time.

No cocktails, we’ve been too busy, but I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!