New Blog

www.annerichard.blogspot.com

To my loyal followers, all four of you - I have started a new blog in honour of my new status. It is called Citizen Richards and the link is above.

Snow again

It was time to be serious about getting back to the gym but the weather gods saved me again. I awoke to several inches of snow on the ground, pulled my warm dressing gown on and settled down for a morning of doodling and messing about with paints.

Snow

Before I went to bed last night, I looked out the window and could see that it was snowing, landing and staying. I had a good night because I think the snow on the pipes acted as extra insulation so they didn't freeze. I was going to go to the gym this morning but I don't want to walk in the snow. Unlike 1963 I don't have the kit anymore and besides, it's a good excuse not to go. The forecast is for continuing cold weather throughout the coming week so I guess there won't be a melt. I was going to go to London on Tuesday but that's out. It would appear that there is nothing for it but to get on with my de-cluttering. Also I have had another tax demand from the IRS and that always makes me anxious. I don't think they have closed Guantanamo Bay yet!

Day 3

Very cold weather. Kathleen and I bundled up last evening and went to the Black Boy for dinner - her treat, god bless her. Got my come-upance when I got home. Radiators were cold and I couldn't get the heating boiler to come on. Very sad, very cold. Put in an emergency call to my plumber but by then it was after nine so I knew I wouldn't hear from him until this morning. Got my electric heater in the bedroom and snuggled down under two duvets. Plumber turned up at 8:30 this morning and diagnosed frozen pipes. He thawed everything out and got the heating going again. It is going to be another freezing night tonight so I may have to give one of my duvets to the pipes! Did I say something in my last two postings about loving being British. It reminds me of the first winter 62/63 that I spent here. It was even colder then but I had Ian lighting fires and loving every minute of it. In other words, I wasn't in charge. Also I was pregnant that winter and it was like having an internal heating device. And, I had my Canadian outdoor gear so whenever it got too cold in the house, I got dressed up and went outside to get warm. Gotta love this country - pipes on the outside of the house. Wish me luck tonight.

Day 2

I celebrated my new status last evening with a few friends. We were supposed to be having a glass of wine, a toast to me and off they go but somehow it didn't turn out that way. They were still here at 10:30 having eaten everything in the house and drunk all my wine. It was a grand evening. I had such a good time celebrating my Britishness. I am very lucky to be here and to have wonderful friends.

BRITISH BRITISH BRITISH

The title refers to ME. I have just had a call from the solicitor to tell me that my papers have come through. I am now one of you. I am so pleased. I will have my ceremony on 27th Feb at 3:30. Then I can apply for a British passport but in the meantime, I will set about changing my name by Deed Poll. It has finally happened. I can hardly believe it.

A great day

Decided to go for another Artist's Date this morning. There was a piano concert at the Holywell Music Room and it was terrific. The guy played a Chopin ballade and a few Mazurkas. They were beautiful and he was brilliant. He finished up with Rachmaninoff which is always a crowd pleaser. I turned up and there was a queue but luckily I took my place by a man who told me that a woman up ahead had a spare ticket she was wanting to sell. I snapped it up and rejoined the queue. When I did, I realized that I was pushing in in front of the helpful man so I put on my best Canadian accent and apologized. He not only told me to stay put but gave me his spare program. I got a good seat where I could watch the hands. I learned this from Leo years ago to sit where you can see the keyboard. It's great going to concerts with Brits. They don't talk, fidget or rattle their programs. They just sit and listen. I was so delighted with the whole thing that I went to the bus stop via Blackwells and treated myself to a couple of Chopin CD's. Then the temptation hit to go to KFC for lunch but, fortunately, there were about 20 people waiting to buy bad food so I didn't stop. Got down to the bus stop and could see my bus which looked like it was about to leave so I waived and ran and the driver waited for me. Everything was going so well I wondered if I should buy a lottery ticket. I resisted. Came home to a salad lunch. Oh, forgot, I walked into town for the concert so exercise in addition to culture. God, I'm good.

A good Wednesday

I did it all yesterday. It started with a walk to the gym followed by 40 min on the machines. I've given up on classes for the time being because they always want you to get on the floor and then get up again quickly and without providing help. With the machines I can go at my own pace. Home for a light lunch and into town to do my Artist's Date. There is a Graham Sutherland exhibition at MOMA which met the criteria. After this I popped into East and bought 3 tops on sale. My final stop was at the chiropodist to have a nasty thing dug out of the bottom of my foot. That done, I came home and enjoyed a quiet evening. If I carry on like this, I may even paint a picture one day.

In the front room

Had my first dinner party since moving the tables to the front and the sofa and chairs to the back. A good time was had by me. I think the others enjoyed it as well. I shall get back in the swing of having people around. This morning I went to church! The new vicar at St. Andrews suggested I come as I had been telling him how much I like incense and paraphernalia. He issued the invitation with the following sentence, "Come to church on Sunday. It will be an event with smoke." I like his sense of humour but I reconfirmed the fact that I am not a Christian. Nice day today so I took a walk this afternoon. I was going to go down by the river but was too lazy to get in the car and go to the farm. I will try to get to the gym this week and watch my fruit and veg intake. It's a pity 5 a day doesn't mean 2 beers and 3 glasses of wine. Oh well.

Getting One's Comeuppance

I have just limped back from my first gym visit of the year. I made no gym visits last year so this was a biggie. It was also shattering. It was supposed to be beginners Pilates but the teacher didn't show so another young, blond, fit person took over and treated us to an abs class. Now I know what abs stand for - ABJECT. I kept cramping up and being generally hopeless. I'm well aware of my state of fitness - 1 on a scale of 1-10 but even knowing that, I was horrified. I shall continue with it because I can't go on like this. The sweet young thing asked me about my cramps and when I told her that I have them everywhere, all the time, she said I should see someone. I think what she was saying was, "Don't come to the gym, go to the doctor." Pathetic. I am sticking to my 5 a day routine so perhaps with some decent food in me and a regime of activity, I might turn back into a human being.

O Canada

My arm is sore from patting myself on the back. Jane suggested that making New Year's resolutions was a waste of time and I agree but she did say that one could have'intentions'. One of my intentions is to do a cultural thingy each week. Today was the day. I took myself all the way to Dulwich to see the exhibition of the Canadian painters, Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven. This involved taking the coach to Victoria and then a train to West Dulwich and then a walk to the gallery. It was pouring with rain and the wind was howling but I was not deterred. I had decided to go and I am so glad I did. These Canucks are terrific. It was well worth the trip although I may do an Oxford event next week.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I am not going to follow Alison's example and post daily but I will try to write more often. I spent New Year's Eve with Adam. We went to a party at Nancy's and then came back to my house and watched telly till midnight. We held hands for the countdown and expressed delight and amazement at the fireworks in London. Tonight is the Book Club - The City and the House. I'm off to Dulwich tomorrow to have a look at Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven. All very Canadian.

Day 4

Day 4

Starting to flag. I have discovered that, when it comes to groups of new people, I am a two-day person. Day 3 was Christmas and it went well. The management left a stocking on each person’s doorknob with a tangerine and some chocolates. I’ve eaten the chocolates. The tangerine will have to wait for a moment of conscience. I walked up to Hyde Park in the morning before lunch and flopped on my bed after lunch – too much champagne, wine and food.

We had a bus tour of London this morning. It wasn’t very good partly because you can’t see anything from a regular bus. The tour guide was about a C+. Then on to St Paul’s Cathedral. I did not climb to the whispering gallery but I enjoyed being in such a wonderful building. We came back at 4:30, just in time for a nap. Tonight is the disco.

Home tomorrow.

Day 2

Day 2

I sat beside a nice chap on the coach to Somerset House and; when we arrived, he said, “Let’s walk up to Covent Garden and have coffee.” Sounded like a plan to me so off we went. By the time we got there, had coffee and walked back, it was time for lunch so I missed seeing pictures at the Courtauld. Oh well, it’s not as though I can’t get to London easily so I will put it on my list of upcoming cultural events. The new me in the New Year! Then it was off to the Royal Albert Hall for carols. It was a lovely concert which involved the audience standing up and singing the well known carols. I was sitting beside the coffee chap and when he started to sing, I thought, whoa, what’s going on here. Turns out he sings with the Bach choir in London. I kept my mouth shut after that. Back to the hotel, quick nap, dinner and an early night. I wasn’t sorry to find out that there wouldn’t be any games and quizzes until tomorrow.

Day 1

Friday, December 23, 2011 6:26 PM

Day 1

I confess to being very anxious this morning while packing the bags and locking the doors. The bus arrived within a minute of my getting to the bus stop – good omen. The front seat was empty and waiting for me – good omen. It was a quick easy ride to London and I taxied from the bus stop to the hotel. Check in over, I went to my room. It’s a bog standard Marriott hotel room which suits me fine. There is a big bed, a big telly, a mini bar and a perfectly usable bathroom en suite. The first bad omen reared its head when I tried to connect to the Internet. This is doable but they charge a small fortune for the connection; i.e. £6 per hour or £15 for the day. Maybe this isn’t steep but it’s the first time I have stayed somewhere where the connection isn’t free. That usually means you have to go to their Internet room but I wouldn’t mind that. Anyway, if I want to be in touch with all of you, I have to pay for the privilege.

After I checked in, I realized I was starving so I went for a quickie lunch in the bar. A lady of senior years (my age it turned out) invited me to sit with her and I thought it would be churlish to refuse. She is another virgin Just You member so we had one of those getting to know you conversations. She was widowed last March so, sad but not rejected. I was getting a tad bored when another virgin turned up. There are 96 people in the group, not all virgins. We all met later for a drink and a run down of the exciting activities to come. The meals will be buffet style which I’m pleased about because I can stuff myself with the better items. I met another virgin at the get together meeting but this one was male so I guess virgin is the wrong word. We talked about our divorces. I suppose when you get 96 people together who range in age from 50 to 80, they are bound to have past relationships that need airing. Oh well, tomorrow we are off to Somerset House (Courtauld Institute) and carols at the Royal Albert Hall. Games and quizzes in the evening and then it will be Christmas day.

On the mend

This fluey, rubbishy illness thing has gone on long enough. It has been a month now that I have been too pooped to pop so I finally went to the GP on Tuesday. Nothing 'on my chest' except two enormous overweight tits so I haven't got pneumonia. She sent me for a lung function test and it reflected my many years of smoking. Thank god I gave up 7.5 years ago. Then yesterday I had a session with the acupuncture lady. She stuck a few needles in me and, hey presto, I feel very much better today. So is it the codeine cough syrup or the unblocked chakras that are perking me up. Whatever, it feels good to feel good for a change. We are all going down to Brighton for Harry's birthday party tomorrow. The little soldier is 4 yrs old. We Skyped the other day. Brilliant.

Living in a civilised non violent country

A father had his finger bitten off by another parent as a brawl erupted at a school nativity play in South Shields, Tyne and Wear. “One bit the finger off the other and spat the blood out like an animal.”

Can't wait for my citizenship to come through!

Changes

Here I go again with a ten day lapse. I have been 'under the weather' and cosseting myself; ergo, no blog. Also not much to report. The excitement I have been experiencing includes a leaky toilet and a TV aerial connection problem. The leaky toilet was easily fixed (I won't bother with a photo) and the TV connection has also been dealt with. I moved the furniture in my front room to the back room and vice versa. This means tables up front and sofa and telly in the back. The house used to be that way when I bought it and was so for many years until I did a switch about four years ago. Now I'm back to plan A and I like it. The Gees and John T came by for Sunday lunch on the condition that they shift the furniture for me. Once shifted, we ate so we have dined up front and I think it will be good - closer to the kitchen. Then today a lady came from John Lewis to measure up the back room for curtains. I had switched to blinds a few years ago and they have not been a success so everything is going back to plan A. The curtains wont be ready until the end of January but when they are up, I will do a photo. Bye for now.

The boys

I decided to bring Harry a very intellectual present this time. Ergo, drinking glasses.




Tom is too young for drinking glasses. He likes his bevvies in a bottle.

Weekend in Brighton

We have a good system for my visits to Brighton. I drive down on Friday afternoon stopping at M&S food shop on the way. I pick up food for dinner - not exactly ready meals but definitely easy prep. The boys go to bed at 6 and 7. We eat at 8, half an hour of Corrie and we are in bed by 9. This is not only desirable, it is essential because Boy 1 is up at 6AM and doesn't understand the concept of a lie-in or even a slow start. He needs his cereal and he needs it NOW. I have to get it just right - the correct bowl, and the amount of cereal to put in it. He seems able to judge it by the flake. When we have cereal in bowl, I pour on the milk and it has to be blue milk (full fat). Then it is time for spoon choice. He has various coloured plastic spoons all of which have to be got out and lined up. Is this a pink spoon morning? green? yellow? Only Harry knows and only Harry chooses. I then slouch around with a cup of coffee while he wolfs down the cereal. We take a break then to build train tracks before coming back for toast. By then, Tom is awake and having his first pint of the day. All this early activity is nice for me because I then so appreciate my own schedule when I'm back at home.