I am here

This is where I work:
Carlton House Terrace.
Isn't it beautiful?
Stand in front of it...
Buckingham Palace is to your right,
Trafalgar Square to your left,
and St. James's Park in front of you.
Behind you is Pall Mall, Haymarket
and Lower Regent Street.
This is the heart of London
so you never know who you will see.
Sir Trevor Nunn sat opposite me
in the sandwich shop today.
I was very embarrassed because
he realised that I recognised him.
If only he knew how unusual that is.

A Pleasing Melancholy

The Savill Garden in November

shades of ochre, umber and siena

smell of damp grass

red leaves underfoot

still dank air

muffled sound of rooks

new coat and warm boots

thoughts of buttered crumpets

brief moments of brilliance

time to dream

It is a quiet Sunday morning.
There is an apple cake in the oven
and leek soup for lunch.
I will wash the kitchen floor
and listen to Trollope while I iron.
After lunch we will go out to walk
through the autumn leaves.
When it is dark I will draw the curtains,
light the candles and knit for a while.

The first hellebore flowers have appeared.
I thought you would like to know that.

memory of light

gold between glass and sky,
the ginkgo tree stands sentinel,
a hammered brightness,
spear-straight, leaves linked,
witness from an old world.

autumn marches irresistible.
full burnished armour falls
exposing the frail nakedness,
bravery of barbed branches
lacerating grey winter skies.

curls of green-spring leaf
will reward dark courage,
soft tendrils of a new world;
but now the ginkgo tree stands,
gold between heart and sky.

Alice Christie (17 xi 12)

Happy Birthday, MissM

Oh, MissM, you are 22 today!
How can this be?

Here is MissM with MasterW in Florence.
They were terrific people to holiday with...
MasterW had intellectual discussions with MrM
while MissM gave essential handbag advice to MrsM
and MasterW patiently tried all the ice-cream flavours
to please MrsM while MissM provided inside knowledge
on the wifi hotspots in central Florence for MrM.
We could hardly bear to let them go
and have been plotting ever since
how to lure them on holiday again.

Happy Birthday MissM...
may it bring
delicious cake,
new party shoes,
sparkly jewellery,
a noisy party
and, above all,
happiness.

MrsM among the Literati

1.
Slightly Foxed is that most delicious of things
a small, independent, idiosyncratic publisher
producing beautiful limited edition books
and an entertaining quarterly literary journal.
We are devoted fans.

2.
When MissM worked in the Slightly Foxed office
they were discussing their first Readers' Day
and although I could not go on that occasion
I was determined to attend this year.

3.
The event was held in the extraordinary
Art Workers' Guild in Queens Square.
A building full of Arts & Crafts furniture.
I wanted to explore so badly
but only managed a few bad photos.

4.
Do you know Sara Wheeler?
Antarctic traveller and writer,
biographer of Cherry Gerard.
Sarah entertained us without notes for an hour,
a remarkable feat with a newly broken arm.

5.
Sue Gee introduced her new book "Coming Home"
a semi-autobiographical novel
about a family leaving India at the end of Empire
by contrasting it with Paul Scott's "Staying On".
I am a huge fan of Sue Gee.
but regret to report
I was struck absolutely dumb with awe
whenever she stood next to me.

6.
I really enjoyed the talk by Ursula Buchan
about the Dig for Victory campaign
carefully illustrated with original posters
photographs and publicity material.

7.
It was a real privilege to hear Sir Quentin Blake
describing his work and recent projects,
whimsical artwork leaping off the page
onto buses, hospitals and buildings.
One of the pictures showed the massive hoarding
outside St. Pancras for the Royal Opening.
Happy memories indeed.

8.
I met a lovely new friend, Helen,
and explained that it is obligatory
to drink wine at literary lunches.
She agreed immediately.
I could not have wished for
a more delightful companion.

9.
There was the slightly alarming sight
of a room full of the nicest type of lady
drinking grog in the middle of the afternoon
after a discussion of the novels of Patrick O'Brian.
Only at the Slightly Foxed Readers' Day.

10.
Virgina Ironside has identified "ga-ga sagas",
a lucrative gap in the market for oldie fiction,
and described the trials of growing old disgracefully.
The Readers' Day audience loved her.
I must admit I was still thinking about Russell Crowe.

11
There was soooo much cake:
spongeakechocolatecakecoffeecake
browniescaramelcakelemoncake
Frances, the lady who bakes, said:
"It is a labour of love".
And everyone who enjoyed them agreed with her.

12.
One of the nicest things in a delightful day
was a chance meeting with
Karen of Cornflower Books.
It is a blog that I read and admire
for interesting, erudite recommendations.
Luckily, I did not recognise Karen
so I was not overcome with fright.

*****

Thank you to everyone at Slightly Foxed,
it was a most enjoyable day.
I am looking forward to next year already.

MrsM confesses

I am mightily ashamed because:

1.
I am definitely too old
for toilet humour.

2.
I am supposed to be too young
to be excited by a mahogany loo seat.

3.
There was a queue of literary ladies
waiting very patiently
while I took a photograph
of the ceramic chain pull.

It is all quite unforgivable.

*****

Please come back tomorrow,
we will put this behind us
and discuss in an age-appropriate way
how I met Mr & Mrs Cornflower
at the Bloomsbury lit-fest that was
the Slightly Foxed Readers' Day.

eyes wide open

I have started my new job.
I have a desk! And a computer,
telephone, hole punch and stapler.
You see - I want for nothing.

Tomorrow I will take in
my own post-it dispenser -
it's a bit flash but I love it.
I'm at the stage where I know nothing
so a friendly post-it dispenser
will cheer me up when I make mistakes.

It's a bit early to chat
about the job here,
so many people to meet,
so much to learn.
I hope you understand.

Let's talk London for a while
until I get my feet under that desk.
I love my walk to work:
across the Thames, down Whitehall,
under Admiralty Arch.
I use these steps every morning
and they are impressive,
rain or shine.

*****

Thank you for all your lovely comments
I am still working out my new routine
but will reply this week.

Hitting the Wall

I am reading The Luminaries and I am 41% in. I am not sure exactly what that is in old money but it is a few hundred pages. Let's face it, if I had been asked to read the book the situation would have been quite hopeless because I would have taken one look at the size and politely declined. With a kindle you don't think about how long it is... unless it is The Luminaries... in which case there is a point at which you hit the wall and I am there right now. Will I ever finish this book? Please don't misunderstand me - I can recognise a Man Booker prize winner as quickly as the next person: heavy duty writing with tight plotting, deft characterisation, a dramatic sense of place etc etc. I think that the secret is to immerse yourself in the gloom and the mud and the corruption and suspicion and just keep plodding on. Do not, under any circumstances, look up from the page, do not think of the other novels waiting for your attention, characters frolicking in the sunshine anxious to entertain you, because if you do you are doomed. Can I do it? I need you to cheer me on, make me believe I can get to the finish line. Perhaps I should stock up on jelly babies - apparently they are the perfect energy food for long distance readers. I must not look at Wikipedia for the plot summary - I must not - I am not that weak. Am I?

rose petals on quartz

Do you remember the rose
that I took from the garden
on the day before the storm?

I came into the kitchen
and saw that the petals
were shedding slowly
into my wooden bowl.

I sat in the sunshine
and watched for a while.
Pink rose petals
falling on white quartz.

Now that I am back at work
I will try to remember
that tranquil sunlit moment
on the last day of my sabbatical.

*****

this post is for sweet Abi
who gave me another pink rose
which I have planted
outside my kitchen door
so I can enjoy it
every sunlit morning.
x x x