There is an air of suspended animation.
Leaves clogging up the path.
Apples dropping off the trees.
Overgrown Basil and green tomatoes.
This mornings breakfast Brussel Sprouts, the last tiny courgette, all the overgrown Basil the last few kale leaves and those green tomatoes sliced thinly. Cooke in olive oil and black pepper. Followed by a fresh pot of coffee. Delicious.
It feels like the days are closing in, so dark and damp.
Jim has 6 more shows, two more sleeps in Leeds and then after nearly three months of living in digs he’s home.
‘This is the last time’ we say every time.
The last time that he is away from home using somebody else’s bed, washing machine, fridge. Touring is a young mans game but when duty calls….
I went to see MEMPHIS on Tuesday night. Beverly Knight is ridiculously good, the dancers are breathtaking and the music, written by a Bon Jovi bod, had the full house jumping and clapping.
I don’t remember any of it, but I know that I didn’t move from my seat. It’s a cool, neat production and well worth a visit if you have ticket money to spare.
I was very lucky to be invited. Before the show I walked down Endell Street, famous in the 70’s for it’s sit-ins and hippie squatting, and sat outside, under an un-ecological heater to eat fishcake and chips. I was so hungry that I burnt the roof of my mouth shovelling in the Maris Piping hot potatoes.
Yesterday I was driven to Winchester to voice over the 12COCS, I look ancient but the shows really are sweet, the food delicious and the chefs inspiring and fun.
I felt enormous gratitude that this old dame was still in the game.
Tonight I’m on my first night of my advanced writing course. It fills me with both dread and excitement. I remind myself that many writers don’t start until they are 70, so I’m still an ingenue when it comes to the screen writing game.
When Yinny, my yoga teacher, says ‘Where’s your mind’ is it in the future, in the past or right here in the present? I’m usually hauling myself out of what was, into what will be. The effort it takes to be in the now is more difficult than scraping chewing gum off the pavement.
But right now my heart is beating and I can muster a smile.
This morning I made soup from all of our home grown onions. When the postman dropped off the letters he commented on the smell. All homely and sweet.
So there really is no place like homely sweet homely,