Instead of of a run in the sun I took a walk on the wild side.
Driving to Camberwell and dropping off an extension lead for my errant daughter who has to present her final work by the end of this week. She has mangled her middle finger – handy for a bass player -and her computer has broken down.
Talk about sellf sabotage!
I was exhausted from yesterdays Bank Holiday Show.
LBC was closed. Only myself, James my producer,the security man, and about 6 other people were in the building.
No canteen, no food.
No shops open, no food.
No Steve Allen, no food.
It was hot, I was bothered. I knew that Steve and Chris Lowrie would be sitting in the garden drinking Pimms whilst I laboured over a hot microphone. But in the event the audience were there. Nadia thanked us for beng her extended family, and suddenly all was well with the world. The sun was still out by the time I got home at 4.30.
The flat looked lovely in the pink sunshine, the doors were open on the balcony and the river sparkled with the rays.
Today I dropped the lid on my car and drove through the diesel and pollen to get to LBC.
It’s been a funny old day.
I haven’t done my bits so I feel a little estranged from myself.
The show started quietly but by the time we got to poetry you had found your voice. Train drivers, taxi drivers, teachers and grans, all sharing their stanzas – lovely.
It was good having James O’Brian back.
Rebecca Walker came in to talk about her baby, mother and writing. She was stately in her white shirt and brown skin. Made me remember everything I loved about deciding to have a baby. Ms Walker’s mum is Alice Walker of ‘Colour Purple’ fame. The dynamic between feminist mother and free thinking daughter gave rise to a fraught pregnancy and left me reviewing my role as mother.
Nina Barough came in with her pregnant belly. She is 52 and extrordinary, the Moon Walk on the 17th of this month was her brain child. Thousands of people now walk through the night wearing fancy bras and raising money for breast cancer. Jo Parkerson will be part of the throng. and yes that was thRong!
I hope to do it next year.
If you want to be a volunteer with a bucket on the night then lbc.co.uk will tell you how.
Todays show was powerful.
For those two men who complain that we are turning into Womens Hour, let me say there’s nothing wrong with Womans Hour. My three hour show is gender friendly, male, female, bi-polar, couldn’t care less. The topics we choose are not restricted to the female voice. if you arent man enough to enter the fray then so be it!
It’s too late to talk any longer and any way I need to go to bed so I can get up and run in the sun tomorrow, that’s if there is any…..
cusoon
loved your show yesterday , hearing Angel Rippon reminded me of all the drama behind the scenes at the time , bet there are some tales yet to be told of that period
Hi Jeni, I haven’t blogged for a while but I have been catching up with you now and again. No 2 daughter and I share the laptop, and her ‘puters a bit poorly, so therefore I can’t get a look in at the moment! Hows Kirsten I wonder? We haven’t heard from her for ages. Come on you lot, is nobody reading Jeni anymore? Luv to all xx
I feel kinda left out, not being able to hear your show unless I’m off work. Like a distant cousin only seen at weddings and Christmas!
We had a cracker of a storm here last night. About 11 o’clock til nearly midnight. Huge lightening, cracking across the sky, belting raindrops like golf balls all over the village! Brilliant. I sat up in my room watching it with a big glass of Irish whiskey and marvelled at it all. We’re blessed to be living as we are. No typhoons to rip our land apart, no floods to wash our lives away into oblivion, no volcanos blasting us into grief. Aren’t we the lucky ones?