Relics and Lost Things

I have been in reminiscing mode a lot lately. There’s a variety of reasons for this, mostly shallow. Sparked off by the exciting news that I’m hosting a post from a special guest whose book, 21st Century Dodos, will be out soon; encouraged by the discovery of old school photos; serendipitous finds on the Internet (pause for brief moment of Internet-worship) such as old adverts on YouTube and random reminiscences on twitter; and topped off with my son starting school and making me think of my schooldays. Soooo long ago… *cue violins and dinosaur sound effects.

So I’ve got here eight things from my childhood which are either not around any more or not as good (it’s true, Waggon Wheels really are smaller now…). Despite my subtle plea for sympathy above, I’m really not that old and the time I’m talking about here is the mid-late Eighties. Feel free to join in!

1. Children’s Sunday evening television dramas. I could make a huge list of them if you want me to. What’s that you say, you DO want me to? Oh, go on then…

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Silver Chair. YES I know the animals, particularly the Beavers, were not the best special effects. These serials didn’t have the cinematic scope (blimey, I’ve swallowed a dictionary tonight haven’t I?) of the newer Disney films – not to mention budget – but they have a special charm and they have retained the magic of the books. Not to mention the blinkin’ storyline.

Five Children and It I actually don’t mind how different the modern film of this is to the book because it’s still nicely done and gets the overall job done, but if you want to know the rather wonderful story of Five Children and It, the old BBC version is unbeatable.

Moondial

The Children of Green Knowe

The Box of Delights

The thing is with all of these, they evoke the run-up to Christmas, the magic of storytelling on a winter’s night tucked up cosily together as a family. The BBC really should be making more of a priority of quality children’s drama, this is a real loss. In my humble opinion. While we’re at it, the Pink Windmill with Grotbags and the show that had T-Bag and T-Spoon in were fantastic, although I think they were ITV?

2. Marathon/Snickers, Opal Fruits/StarBurst. Like, whatever. Snickers? What is that supposed to be? Marathon makes you think of energy, stamina. And why oh why would you call delicious fruity chews something that sounds like a cheap brand of kitchen cleaner?

3. The Chewit Dinosaur. Remember him eating the Taj Mahal? I could be wrong but you probably don’t even get tv adverts for sweeties anymore do you? *Note to self: not necessarily a bad thing despite childhood memories of dinosaurs*. And what happened to Chewits themselves? I don’t see them anywhere. Monopoly is bad, people! Bring back a choice of chewy fruity sweets!

4. Schools programming on BBC 2. They possibly still do something like this but I can bet it ain’t what it used to be. I particularly remember Look and Read with Wordy, the orange blob. I think this was also the show that had a piece of chalk magically move by itself(!) to write the letters? I also remember Zig Zag – we sat cross-legged on our school hall floor (wooden parquet diagonal pattern) while our teacher wheeled a huge tv in a wooden case on a high trolley that looked as though it couldn’t possibly support the weight. I saw on an internet forum that people have asked the BBC to put on a nostalgia night dedicated to these old shows but nothing came of it. I reckon we should use Twitter Power to demand such a night. If they’re going to cut back everything new anyway we may as well have some really classy re-runs, eh?

5. Key Words books with Peter and Jane (at last, something that isn’t either sweets or tv…). Now this is cheating because these are still very much around – they’re probably finding a thriving market in ever more competitive mothers – and I have some for my son (oops, pot, kettle, black…) BUT the reason I’m putting them here is because in school now they teach you to read with phonics whereas Peter and Jane work on a more visual-memory-based learning sort of thing – you learn the most common key words in  English and recognising these helps you build vocabulary and learn how to put letters into words, etc. It certainly worked for me – I was reading before I started school, and I do think that perhaps not every child is suited to learning phonetically. I suspect Daniel might prefer a visual approach but I’m definitely letting school guide me, I don’t want him getting two different and potentially confusing approaches. But these were lovely books. I used to use the flash cards that came with them to make sentences that strung along my living room floor, going on and on and on, thank goodness I grew out of that one I can you all saying eh, although sometimes shorter isn’t always better and a nice long sentence can be fun, seeing how long you can make it go on and on…

6. My Little Pony and Care Bears. Both making a comeback. As all these classics of English culture should *ignores any possibility that they’re actually American*.

7. The lady who did the adverts for Fairy Liquid. She had dark hair and seemed to be in charge of some odd school fair that had china plates instead of paper ones. How on earth did they get the PTA volunteers to do all that washing-up?? Anyway, she was lovely. Maybe we should ask her to be Prime Minister. She seemed to have a knack for getting people to do rotten jobs and keep smiling while she got all the glory AND we still loved her for it.

8. Princess Shoes. I don’t know the actual name of them but they were by Clarks and they were black patent leather and had an insert in the sole that was a clear bubble with a key(?) inside. The advert had a princess going through a magic door. I had very awkward feet to find shoes for as a child, and always ended up with plain black lace-ups. These were the first and only pair of pretty and fashionable shoes that ever fit me and my heart skips just thinking about them. I would wear them now.

That’s my lot. I’m off to Google old adverts on YouTube – now there’s a sentence that would have been unintelligible in the Eighties! Anyone fancy chiming in, feel free!

A Day in the Life of a Writing Mum

5am. Get up with children. Stagger to sofa and plan to be really disciplined and open laptop. As soon as I’ve woken up a bit.

6am. Wake up on sofa; rub crusted drool off chin and rub crayon off walls. Note to self: mustn’t fall asleep while toddler is up and crayons are within reach.

7am. Breakfast. If I can, I’ll squeeze in twenty minutes writing before school run. Plenty of time, shouldn’t be a problem.

8.40am. Scream at children to get in car. Run back into house to retrieve forgotten bag/coat/shoes/all of the above. Will write after dropping son off at school.

9am. Back home. Will write now. Just got to check twitter.

9.40am. Oh dear. Toddler needs nappy changing – pref ten minutes ago. Clean up. Disinfect hands. Will write now.

10am.  Open laptop. Notice smell. Change toddler. No disinfectant needed this time. Will write now.

10.05am. Toddler crying. Find biscuits, hand packet to toddler. Will write now.

10.10am. Can’t possibly write till I’ve had a cup of tea. Kettle on. Will check twitter while waiting for it to boil.

11am. Re-boil kettle.

11.30am Sit down with cuppa.

11.31am. Toddler crying and rubbing eyes. Cuddle in and she goes to sleep. Eventually.

12pm. Lunch. Make lunch for self and husband. Sit down with it, toddler wakes. Make lunch for toddler.

1pm. Wash dishes from last night’s supper, today’s breakfast and lunch. Will write now.

2pm. Better just change washing over. Also toddler wants to watch Mr Tumble.

2.30pm. Sit down with laptop. Will write now.

2.35pm. Toddler climbs onto lap. That’s fine. I can balance laptop on sofa arm and toddler is snuggled in watching CBeebies. Start typing (after just checking twitter).

2.50pm. Toddler decides to help with typing.

3.10pm. Realise time. Jump up and DO NOT SWEAR (honest gov). Throw toddler in car and race to school. Note to self: must walk for school pick-up more often. Will write on return.

3.30pm. Return home. Discuss school with son. Have had more informative discussions with a brick wall. Give up and talk about Ben10 instead.

4.30pm. Finish talking about Ben10. Need to just check washing. And twitter.

5pm. Need to make tea.

5.05pm. WHAT DO I MAKE FOR TEA??

5.10pm. Search through cupboards and freezers.

5.40pm. Look for pizza shop menu.

6.30pm. Tidy up; children in bath; rubbish in bin. Note to self: mustn’t get mixed up.

7pm. Sit down to write.

7.05pm. Could really do with a shower.

7.30pm. Finish shower. Sit down with drink and laptop.

8pm. Wake up. Realise have been asleep on z key. Delete 4 pages of zzzzzz. Rub crusted drool off chin.

8.15pm. This needs coffee. Put kettle on. Check twitter while waiting for kettle to boil.

8.45pm. Re-boil kettle.

8.55pm. Sit down with coffee and laptop. Toddler crying. Go to get her back to sleep.

9.30pm. Wake up with head on toddler’s bed and complete lack of muscle tone in neck.Rub crusted drool off chin.

9.40pm. Put laptop away and go to bed with cup of tea and book which I stay awake until half eleven reading.

Will write tomorrow. 

Peace & Action

The search for God and meaning in the world is probably one of the most commonly shared experiences we have as humans. There is often an emptiness and a hunger to find out about the possibility of something bigger than us. And for many, it can consume a great deal of our lives both in the quest for meaning and in what we do once we have started to find some answers. One of the really important, even crucial, lessons I’ve found lately though is that you never find THE answers. You can never know, for certain, whether there is a God or not and what form He takes; and that is the whole and entire point of faith. And having faith, rather than dogma, means that inevitably there will be a lifelong exploration of issues and opinions will and should change with experience and insight.

I would like, in this post, to very briefly highlight where my spiritual journey has been taking me lately. I have gone through a Roman Catholic upbringing to a period of adolescent questioning and uncertainty to a too-certain Evangelical Christianity. But a group that has interested me for many years that I am now learning about more seriously is the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as Quakers.

I’m writing this post because a few things over the past few weeks made me realise that many people don’t know much about Quakers beyond fairly superficial facts, and I think if more people knew something about them, they might discover some of their own personal answers there, an answer to a need which I am encountering more and more.

Today’s world is troubled in so many ways. Social injustice, economic inequality, an inherent and ever more apparent selfishness in society; war, famine, poverty; the destruction of the earth’s natural resources. Quakers are led through peace into action on these and so many other things.

You may think that Quakers just sit in silence, praying or meditating. If my recent learning is anything to go by, they are listening to the Light. The Light is how you might describe God – that something Other. And Quakers believe that there is Light in everyone, and they try to look for it and to act on it. For over 350 years this has led them to deep and meaningful actions, such as resisting conflict, speaking truth to power, leading lives based on truth and equality which if adopted by society as a whole would effectively solve almost all of the world’s problems. I don’t think I’m overstating that – I really think that if everybody lived their lives based on these principles (which, believe me I know, is easier said than done) then we could put an end tomorrow to poverty and injustice and with justice comes peace.

There is a book which Quakers use in regular life called Advices and Queries. A small, thin red book which contains 41 questions or suggestions and gives a useful introduction to Quakerism in practice. It’s not a sacred text such as the Bible or Qu’ran; it is help for the Quaker going about their daily life. I’m going to give a couple of these now.

33. Are you alert to practices here and throughout the world which discriminate against people on the basis of who or what they are or because of their beliefs? Bear witness to the humanity of all people, including those who break society’s conventions or its laws. Try to discern new growing points in social and economic life. Seek to understand the causes of injustice, social unrest and fear. Are you working to bring about a just and compassionate society which allows everyone to develop their capacities and fosters the desire to serve?

This I think is important as much for what it leaves unsaid. People who are discriminated against for who or what they are – poor, old, disabled, of different origin, gay, women… And bearing witness to the humanity of all people – what other way is there to eradicate inequality or injustice?

The following two extracts speak to me very deeply and I find them very inspirational:

27 Live adventurously. When choices arise, do you take the way that offers the fullest opportunity for the use of your gifts in the service of God and the community? Let your life speak. 

17. Do you respect that of God in everyone though it may be expressed in unfamiliar ways or be difficult to discern? Each of us has a particular experience of God and each must find the way to be true to it. When words are strange or disturbing to you try to sense where they have come from and what has nourished the lives of others. Listen patiently and seek the truth which other people’s opinions may contain for you. Avoid hurtful criticism and provocative language. Do not allow the strength of your convictions to betray you into making statements or allegations that are unfair or untrue. Think it possible that you may be mistaken (emphasis mine).

What a brilliant and clear call for tolerance and humility, which we could all do well to practice more – myself at the top of the list.

I would urge anyone who has questions about the Big Stuff to let yourself ask them – don’t be put off by past negative experiences. But I’d highly recommend asking them to Quakers sooner rather than later, and through practising peace be led into action.

For more information on Quakers in Britain, see here. I’d also recommend reading Harvey Gillman’s book A Light That Is Shining which I read as my first introduction to Quakerism; and there is a new book by Geoffrey Durham called Being A Quaker which I want to read soon. You can also read Quaker Faith and Practice (a book of discipline which includes Advices and Queries) online here.

I am not a Quaker but I am finding out about them, so any Quakers reading this who can put me right on anything, feel free!

To my husband on his birthday


Today is my husband’s birthday (I’m actually writing this the night before so let’s hope scheduled posting works, eh WordPress?). I love birthdays; I always try to make the most of them and make the birthday person feel special.

That’s not always that we buy the most expensive presents, although he’s arranged some amazing presents for me over the years with love and thoughtfulness. And I’m afraid he’s going to have to wait at least another year for the house in France (besides, they’re murder to giftwrap, only Steve Martin can get a bow big enough). But this year I’ve hopefully got him presents he’ll like and I’m pretty sure the things the babies have done will make him well up.

To finish the day off, I wanted to do him my own tribute here on the blog. I’m by no means a poet and I make no grand claims about the quality of what follows; except to say it’s from my heart and with much love to you, Andrew.

On Your Birthday

You think you’re getting old, my love

You fret about grey hairs

I’m sorting out a zimmer, love

A lift for those darn stairs.

But you see, it’s just not true, my love

You’re in the prime of life

With those two gorgeous kids you love

And a most besotted wife.

Your future’s just beginning, love

I know how bright you’ll shine

And I will be with you, my love

Until the end of time.

10 Random Facts

I have been tagged by lovely Rebecca Emin over at her blog to list 10 random facts about myself. Now I know I did this a while ago but that was February 2010 and there’s a whole lot of life happened since then. Plus I have at least one new blog reader. And I need to distract myself from the fact that Daniel started school today and I’m feeling unexpectedly bereft. So here goes… another 10 random* facts about me.

*Disclaimer: Random does not necessarily equate to interesting. Just saying. 

  1. One day I will live at the end of the world. Finistère, Brittany, to be exact. This department has something special, something that just makes me feel like I’ve come home. I’ve only had two holidays there but the very first day I was there I knew it. So one day I plan to be a multi-million bestselling author, writing from my house overlooking the Atlantic, tucking into some heavenly kouign amann. Actually, I’d even do without the multi-million bestselling bit.
  2. My favourite historical personage is Mary Queen of Scots. A much-misunderstood monarch if you ask me, and a fascinating life story. Not to mention the ripple effect she had on English history in the centuries following her death. One birthday my husband surprised me with a trip into Scotland to visit some places associated with her: Stirling and Lochleven being most prominent in my memory. Rowing across the loch to the island where she was first imprisoned and standing in the ruins of her tower is a lasting and fond memory.
  3. I am a Quaker seeker. I don’t search out Quakers, like some kind of deranged vampire hunter gone very, very wrong. I’m looking into Quakerism as a way of life and spiritual practice and I’m loving it. And I love that Quakers (despite being a relatively small group) have had such an impact on so many areas of life, often without most people being aware of it. Cadburys? Clarks? Barclays? One day – Brown. Maybe.
  4. I have an untutored talent for massage. Nothing kinky, I just have a bit of a knack for head, shoulders and hand massage. I’m thinking of looking into reflexology. You know, with all this free time I now have on my hands.
  5. I use twitter so much, I’m starting to text and even think in hashtags. That’s not so much a random fact as a CRY FOR HELP, PEOPLE.
  6. As I get older (hey, I’m approaching 31. Positively ancient), I’m discovering a hunger for learning. It’s like there’s so much stuff that’s fascinating and important and I want to know it all. If I had the money I’d be a serious Open University addict. I discovered their free courses (extracts of the ‘proper’ courses) the other day and I’m having a hard time picking one to do.
  7. As my son gets older, I’m discovering an enthusiasm (let’s not call this one a hunger) for teaching. Teaching him, anyway. I love discovering facts with him, answering his questions, seeing some things stick and other things get processed. And everything comes out the other side with Daniel-logic imprinted on it, and it takes on a whole new perspective. It’s magical. We even started making up stories together.
  8. I don’t like my speaking voice. I know, most people don’t like their speaking voices. I’m also very shy and hate speaking on the phone, especially to strangers. None of this is very unusual I know, but it just makes it a little hard to understand not only why I started doing a podcast featuring conversations with strangers, but why I love doing it so much.
  9. I met my husband in 1913. No, really. We both worked at Beamish Museum  – he was a tram conductor (I still have very happy memories of his uniform. I’ll post a picture sometime and you’ll understand) and I worked in the Town, variously as a nursery maid, co-op shopgirl, dentist, music teacher and housemaid. That was 12 years ago and some memories are as vivid as if they’d happened yesterday.
  10. Three dead people I’d have dinner with – Gandhi, Georgette Heyer and my grandma. Three living people I’d have dinner with – Julia Donaldson, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Michael Ball. Three fictional people I’d have dinner with – Seth MacGregor, The Phantom (as in the musical, rather than the book. I know, I’m a philistine), and Mr Darcy (yeah, yeah. Cliche. But COME ON).
Howzat? Anyone else want to step up to the mark? I’m off to look into rooms in my home now and reflect how quiet they are without Daniel. Maybe soon I’ll do a post about it, but right now – no.
Here are some of my favourite people that I’m nominating with this meme, but if it’s you – PLEASE don’t feel obliged to do a post!

Nettie Thomson

Rachel Carter

Tamsin Jupp

Mr Uku

Chiddle84

…or anyone else who feels like pitching in…