So, smack on wrists for last month’s ‘newsletter’, I honestly did mean to add more to it but stuff got in the way. After the week away my friend Sue stayed on for a few days then a week later I went to England for a week mainly to go to the much covid delayed Andre Rieu concert at the Wembley arena. I arrived in England on a Monday where Sue was to meet me at Gatwick before we got the train to Paingbourne to stay with a friend for a couple of days. The visit got off to a confused start when Sue and I insisted we were both waiting outside M and S in arrivals but couldn’t see each other. Of course we were at different terminals (for once I was in the right place !). Consequently we missed the train we were supposed to catch but, hey, no problem compared to the delays and cancellations people are currently having to deal with. The visit was a few days of lunches and meeting up with wonderful pals I hadn’t seen for about three years, then it was AR Day !!!
The concert was wonderful and I have to admit to a few tears when it started. I don’t know if you have ever seen any AR concerts but they always start with him and the orchestra walking down to the stage through the audience to ’76 Trombones’. It was due to start and 8 and dead on time, the music struck up and we were off.
> I wondered if I would recognise any of the orchestra and they were all there, plus his Three Tenors, his three sopranos and the usual female ‘backing group’. The ladies were all in amazing ball gowns and the men in evening suits. There was comedy, classical music, popular music, everything you see on the tv, even down to him shouting out at the end “You are tired” “You have to go to sleep” whilst we all, like idiots shouted “No, no, more more”. !! I hugged Sue so tight at the end that I bruised one of my ribs !!!
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> I have to add to the above that I have never seen so many badly dressed old people in one place at any one time ! Thank goodness Sue and I were there to raise the bar, if not to reduce the age average !!! Also I was disappointed that all around the main auditorium were tacky fast food stands and people were coming in with burgers, chips and popcorn – it wasn’t a flipping football match for goodness sake !
Whilst I was away, I gave a great deal of thought to books ! As you know, my idea after the last book sale was to start selling from our garden shed but sadly this is not possible, because of the bad state of said shed. So, really wanting to stay with books but not wanting to go back to the old format and possibly demanding too much of friends, I have come up with the idea of a ‘Just Book Bonanza’. Basically, same location, same great selection of books, cds and dvds, but, no coffee, cakes and lunches. This means that with just ‘muscle’ help in putting up tables, loading and unloading boxes, I can pretty much run the sale on my own. I sent out an email to my book sale mailing list and have to say I have been delighted with the response. Lots and lots of replies supporting the idea with some saying they will bring their own coffee ! Therefore the first ‘Just Books Bonanza’ will take place on Saturday 3rd September and I hope to see lots of you there.
Now, dogs, of course the little Yorkie mix has been snapped up and we are desperate you find homes for the Pointers who are fabulous dogs and would be great companions for any household with a good garden, who like long walks and generally an active life. Coming soon an Australian Colley and some drop dead gorgeous pups. Watch this space !
Sadly, we have had to say farewell to two of our ‘gang’ recently, Tega a 17 year old Malinoise who outlived two owners and who was a darling. I was hoping against hope she would hang on until the daughter of the last owner, who was coming over from England on holiday, got here, but sadly Tega just couldn’t wait.
Then, our famous Tiny, a grey and white poodle of 16 years who was adopted twice when he was young ….. and returned twice because of his unsociable behaviour. He was fine if you just wanted to stroke him, but try to put a collar and/or lead on and he turned into a pitbull. Goodness knows what had happened to him before he came to me. Anyway, here he stayed, thanking me by nipping me on several occasions and generally making himself unpopular. But I loved him and when he got very old he stuck to me like glue. Several health problems got the better of him and he got more and more confused so I decided it was time. 16 is not bad for a poodle ! Of course I felt very sad and guilty after, but I do believe it was the right thing.
So, with numbers going down (just ten now) so the food bill reduces slightly, but with an increasing numer of oldies …… vet bills go up ! You just can’t win !!
Oh well Wimbledon soon !!!
Sue x