I don't miss the city but I do miss our good friends in LA most of all, and the Tennis Club.
I am so happy that we were lucky enough to live in and enjoy the Canyon for all those happy years, and I feel we made the most of it and really appreciated it.
Fortunately, although I know I'll miss the canyon hikes in winter, the countryside here is divine in any season.
The purples and pinks of the heather and gorse on the heath here have transformed, as Winter approaches, into swathes of russet, gold and green (as they are all evergreen). Elsewhere the countryside is decked out in flame reds, burnished coppers and all the rich earth colours from the deciduous trees, and the ground is thick with crispy leaves, which gusts of wind sweep up and swirl around, playfully.
It's not quite cold enough for gloves yet, but this morning my breath came in cloudy bursts as I walked the dogs in bright golden sunshine against a crisp turquoise sky. The field where the ponies graze was layered with a light silvery film of dew. When it gets colder that will become early morning frost and will shimmer and sparkle if the sun is out, until it melts. I remember when I was little, my mother would put washing out on the clothes line, and, if she forgot to bring it in at night, the next morning all the clothes would be stiff and frozen!
I think the ponies, which are the shaggy kind, belong to some travellers. I am not sure, but a hastily hand-painted wooden sign appeared recently, leaning against the fence, with the roughly scrawted words "dont put no aples in the field"!
I am putting raw sesame seeds and pine nuts out on the patio wall for "our" robin. He has started coming near the kitchen window each morning and looking at me sideways with his beady eye, almost as a signal that he'd like some food. I am sure the other birds are also feasting, but the it's the robin I see most.
We are hoping and hoping that Obama will get in. It is looking better now, isn't it? Can't imagine if he doesn't...let's not think about that.
November 5th is fast approaching. That's Guy Fawkes' Night here. A big celebration, but not known in the US. It commemorates the thwarting of an attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament with gunpowder in the 17th Century by a certain Guy Fawkes (although now it is thought he may have been the scapegoat and others were actually the planners of the failed attack). Guy was burnt at the stake as a traitor, and the tradition on Nov 5th became for children to make a "guy" out of rags, old clothes stuffed with newspapers, and collect "pennies for the guy", with which they bought fireworks.
Now of course, safety regulations forbid the setting off of major fireworks in your garden, but when I was a kid we had bonfire parties where brave dads would precariously set off fireworks in the garden and we'd have a bonfire. Invariable one of the rockets or catherine wheels would go off in the wrong direction (horizontally instead of vertically!) and we'd all have to dive for cover. We'd all drink steaming cups of tomato soup and eat hot sausages. It was always cold and misty, or damp, and there was an unforgettable smell of smoke and leaves and gunpowder in the air.
Nowadays you can still buy sparklers and small fireworks, but mostly people get together at public places and a huge bonfire is lit and fireworks set off. It's more of a community gathering. T's school is doing a Guy Fawkes evening in the field, so we'll go. Mulled wine and roasted chestnuts as well as the soup and sausages!
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
November 3 - fingers crossed
We all await news of the election with all fingers crossed.
Poor T; he was sick the whole of the 2 weeks of half term. Started with flu, turned into a chesty cough and he went back to school today, dosed up with antibiotics, but has hardly been outside during the whole 2 weeks off, as he felt weak and chilly.
He did have time to do a project for school about his family ancestry though: A. cut a wooden shield shape for him, which he painted beautifully with fantastic designs representing different branches of his family (dragon for Wales, fleur-de-lis for France, bear for California, etc).
He has also designed a Christmas card with a drawing of the school (a Victorian Gothic mansion) in the snow, with all kinds of activities going on around it, including Santa on the roof.
In the mornings now, my breath comes in cloudy bursts as I walk the dogs - sometimes in bright golden sunshine against a crisp turquoise sky, sometimes in grey damp. The field nearby where the ponies graze is sometimes layered with a light silvery film of dew. When it gets colder, that will become early morning frost and will shimmer and sparkle if the sun is out, until it melts. I remember when I was little, my mother would put washing out on the clothes line, and, if she forgot to bring it in at night, the next morning all the clothes would be stiff and frozen!
Right now I am still interested in working in entertainment, but not at the hectic pace I worked inLA. Maybe it's because I have discovered such a joy in life without crazy work schedules over the last 3 months. I was so burnt out after LA. I didn't even realise it. I don't need a huge income. We have a simpler, pared-back lifestyle here, and I love it, but we do need to earn money to maintain it, and to take holidays!
I have found a wonderful yoga teacher here in the nearest village!!! He's Indonesian, probably early 6o's, I think, and exudes calm and support, He does yoga retreats to places like the Greek Islands...I can dream. He is a great teacher and so knowledgeable about the internal structure of the body - muscles, organs, skeletal etc, and all the benefits of each pose. I am not practicing at home because we still have no space anywhere (I kid you not - it's still a mess with boxes everywhere - very slow process). But I walk for miles with the dogs every day and do yoga twice a week at Sam's classes. www.samraoyoga.com
Poor T; he was sick the whole of the 2 weeks of half term. Started with flu, turned into a chesty cough and he went back to school today, dosed up with antibiotics, but has hardly been outside during the whole 2 weeks off, as he felt weak and chilly.
He did have time to do a project for school about his family ancestry though: A. cut a wooden shield shape for him, which he painted beautifully with fantastic designs representing different branches of his family (dragon for Wales, fleur-de-lis for France, bear for California, etc).
He has also designed a Christmas card with a drawing of the school (a Victorian Gothic mansion) in the snow, with all kinds of activities going on around it, including Santa on the roof.
In the mornings now, my breath comes in cloudy bursts as I walk the dogs - sometimes in bright golden sunshine against a crisp turquoise sky, sometimes in grey damp. The field nearby where the ponies graze is sometimes layered with a light silvery film of dew. When it gets colder, that will become early morning frost and will shimmer and sparkle if the sun is out, until it melts. I remember when I was little, my mother would put washing out on the clothes line, and, if she forgot to bring it in at night, the next morning all the clothes would be stiff and frozen!
Right now I am still interested in working in entertainment, but not at the hectic pace I worked inLA. Maybe it's because I have discovered such a joy in life without crazy work schedules over the last 3 months. I was so burnt out after LA. I didn't even realise it. I don't need a huge income. We have a simpler, pared-back lifestyle here, and I love it, but we do need to earn money to maintain it, and to take holidays!
I have found a wonderful yoga teacher here in the nearest village!!! He's Indonesian, probably early 6o's, I think, and exudes calm and support, He does yoga retreats to places like the Greek Islands...I can dream. He is a great teacher and so knowledgeable about the internal structure of the body - muscles, organs, skeletal etc, and all the benefits of each pose. I am not practicing at home because we still have no space anywhere (I kid you not - it's still a mess with boxes everywhere - very slow process). But I walk for miles with the dogs every day and do yoga twice a week at Sam's classes. www.samraoyoga.com
Obama wins - and life in the country here
Work-wise here...
A is taking his last QLTT exam next week (to be able to practice as a lawyer here). He has had a few really good meetings re potential jobs.
I am still looking in the entertainment sector, for now, although a very small part of me is nudging me to try something completely different (I believe the high-end spa business will weather this economic storm for example!)
I have one consultancy about to be signed, short-term, which will bring me back in contact with L.A. Otherwise, positive meetings with different music publishers, managers, mobile, TV.
My dog bite wound has finally scabbed over and I hardly notice it except it's an ugly, etched, red scar.
People here are, naturally, and seemingly without grudge, just cutting back and living simpler lives. Walking or cycling, or taking the train, instead of driving; driving much smaller cars; recycling and trying to be less wasteful; growing their own vegetables (more and more people are doing this; I haven't quite got my head around that yet!); keeping the house cooler and wearing a sweater, instead of walking around in a tank top; turning lights off; eating out less and having people round more; giving less extravagant gifts this Christmas..
People are taking more holidays in the UK, although France, Spain, Italy, Tukey, Greece are still inexpensive to get to and very cheap once you are there.
It is affecting the private school sector too. People who would have paid for private education are considering the better state schools, and those are now super super-competitive. For T, unfortunately, state school wasn't an option, because he has so much catching up with the very different curriculum to do. Only a private school can spend that extra time to help him up to speed, but he seems to be doing well and is embracing Latin, French and all the rest (he got top marks in his class in Geography and Latin last week!!!)
He is now playing rugby, which is fun, and has just started field hockey. They do have a covered swimming pool, which they use more regularly in the Spring and Summer months. It is in need oif repair, especially a new roof (so lots of fun fund-raising events).
We just got - for delivery charge of 60 pounds - a Victorian mahogany bookcase with etched glass lower doors! It didn't sell at auction so a friend who was handling getting rid of it called us and we took it, sight unseen! We also picked up some rather nice Arts & Crafts style small tables, shelves and wardrobe, for next-to-nothing.
The house is still in a mess. I hate living like this and have to keep taking deep breaths. I am not patient, and of course we cannot afford to have everything we need done professionally, so we are having to do a lot ourselves. We paint, A designs cabinets and shelf units and gets the wood cut then we have to put it together, and I end up standing for ages holding the screwdriver! We were just able to put wooden planks in the attic so we could store our suitcases and some big boxes up there, and get them out of the garage. We still need to fence the garden, get a new garden shed, build a porch over the back door, build a whole closet for my stuff (which is still piled up!) and hang window blinds and curtains, paintings and prints.
It all takes SO long, especially when you have to budget carefully for everything. I am not used to this!
There's a kind of spirit of everyone pulling together to get through this downturn economically. It won't be fun, but I think this little island will get through it with spirits high.
At least the US is on a high after Obama's win, and full of hope. I don't envy his task, though. He is inheriting an unholy mess, economically, and in foreign policy. Let's just hope they all play nicely together in Washington to help sort out the mess, as it affects the whole world, not just the States.
A is taking his last QLTT exam next week (to be able to practice as a lawyer here). He has had a few really good meetings re potential jobs.
I am still looking in the entertainment sector, for now, although a very small part of me is nudging me to try something completely different (I believe the high-end spa business will weather this economic storm for example!)
I have one consultancy about to be signed, short-term, which will bring me back in contact with L.A. Otherwise, positive meetings with different music publishers, managers, mobile, TV.
My dog bite wound has finally scabbed over and I hardly notice it except it's an ugly, etched, red scar.
People here are, naturally, and seemingly without grudge, just cutting back and living simpler lives. Walking or cycling, or taking the train, instead of driving; driving much smaller cars; recycling and trying to be less wasteful; growing their own vegetables (more and more people are doing this; I haven't quite got my head around that yet!); keeping the house cooler and wearing a sweater, instead of walking around in a tank top; turning lights off; eating out less and having people round more; giving less extravagant gifts this Christmas..
People are taking more holidays in the UK, although France, Spain, Italy, Tukey, Greece are still inexpensive to get to and very cheap once you are there.
It is affecting the private school sector too. People who would have paid for private education are considering the better state schools, and those are now super super-competitive. For T, unfortunately, state school wasn't an option, because he has so much catching up with the very different curriculum to do. Only a private school can spend that extra time to help him up to speed, but he seems to be doing well and is embracing Latin, French and all the rest (he got top marks in his class in Geography and Latin last week!!!)
He is now playing rugby, which is fun, and has just started field hockey. They do have a covered swimming pool, which they use more regularly in the Spring and Summer months. It is in need oif repair, especially a new roof (so lots of fun fund-raising events).
We just got - for delivery charge of 60 pounds - a Victorian mahogany bookcase with etched glass lower doors! It didn't sell at auction so a friend who was handling getting rid of it called us and we took it, sight unseen! We also picked up some rather nice Arts & Crafts style small tables, shelves and wardrobe, for next-to-nothing.
The house is still in a mess. I hate living like this and have to keep taking deep breaths. I am not patient, and of course we cannot afford to have everything we need done professionally, so we are having to do a lot ourselves. We paint, A designs cabinets and shelf units and gets the wood cut then we have to put it together, and I end up standing for ages holding the screwdriver! We were just able to put wooden planks in the attic so we could store our suitcases and some big boxes up there, and get them out of the garage. We still need to fence the garden, get a new garden shed, build a porch over the back door, build a whole closet for my stuff (which is still piled up!) and hang window blinds and curtains, paintings and prints.
It all takes SO long, especially when you have to budget carefully for everything. I am not used to this!
There's a kind of spirit of everyone pulling together to get through this downturn economically. It won't be fun, but I think this little island will get through it with spirits high.
At least the US is on a high after Obama's win, and full of hope. I don't envy his task, though. He is inheriting an unholy mess, economically, and in foreign policy. Let's just hope they all play nicely together in Washington to help sort out the mess, as it affects the whole world, not just the States.
Early November
Obama in! California wildfires again.
Meanwhile, back in the UK...
The trees are changing their foliage, disrobing slowly and seductively, from the top down, like so many burlesque dancers, revealing different layers of colours as they shed their leafy clothing.
There’s a tree at the end of our garden (the neighbour’s, actually, but it lives primarily over our fence), which has been astounding us for a week or more with its stunning colours. It looked as if it was lit from within, or had the sun shining on it, even when there were grey skies, prompting admirative exclamations from all of us each time we noticed it. Against the dark and shiny black-green of the holly bushes, this tree’s display of russets, yellows and golds were heartbreakingly beautiful. Just today, it has, after yesterday’s windswept rain, muted its colours, like a woman changing her hair dye, to a subtler palette of deep wine and earthen brown- reds.
The woodland is giving up secrets jealously guarded in the summer; as the leaves fall and the trees become less-shielding, soon to be stark silhouettes, there are now glimpses of previously hidden meadows, copses, cottages. The landscape changes. The trees sleep. Now the skies are more prominent – slate grey, or turquoise blue, with portentious black cloud piles, or grey and white slashes across the sky. The wind is capricious and unpredictable. Bent on denuding the trees, it gusts and squalls and whips the foliage up into leafbanks at the sides of the road. The rain comes in showers, suddenly torrential, or drizzling for hours.
This is the time I found out I have a faulty umbrella which turns inside out at the first strong gust of wind, baring me to the downpour! Forget about keeping a great hairstyle. Hats are what counts – against the rain, cold, wind. Flat hair is a way of life! Better to be warm and dry than fashionable, though.
Today white meringue piles of clouds are scudding across a pale blue sky, and the wild birds are eating more and more bird seed that I put out for them.
I was distracted from my walk with the dogs today by the insistent, angry caw-cawing of crows, and as I looked up in the direction of the brouhaha I saw 3 large black birds worrying a crane perched on top of a tall pine tree. The crows dive-bombed, noisily and repeatedly, and the crane flapped its broad wings and bobbed its long thin neck, open-beaked. Finally the crane flew off, its legs dangling.
Meanwhile, back in the UK...
The trees are changing their foliage, disrobing slowly and seductively, from the top down, like so many burlesque dancers, revealing different layers of colours as they shed their leafy clothing.
There’s a tree at the end of our garden (the neighbour’s, actually, but it lives primarily over our fence), which has been astounding us for a week or more with its stunning colours. It looked as if it was lit from within, or had the sun shining on it, even when there were grey skies, prompting admirative exclamations from all of us each time we noticed it. Against the dark and shiny black-green of the holly bushes, this tree’s display of russets, yellows and golds were heartbreakingly beautiful. Just today, it has, after yesterday’s windswept rain, muted its colours, like a woman changing her hair dye, to a subtler palette of deep wine and earthen brown- reds.
The woodland is giving up secrets jealously guarded in the summer; as the leaves fall and the trees become less-shielding, soon to be stark silhouettes, there are now glimpses of previously hidden meadows, copses, cottages. The landscape changes. The trees sleep. Now the skies are more prominent – slate grey, or turquoise blue, with portentious black cloud piles, or grey and white slashes across the sky. The wind is capricious and unpredictable. Bent on denuding the trees, it gusts and squalls and whips the foliage up into leafbanks at the sides of the road. The rain comes in showers, suddenly torrential, or drizzling for hours.
This is the time I found out I have a faulty umbrella which turns inside out at the first strong gust of wind, baring me to the downpour! Forget about keeping a great hairstyle. Hats are what counts – against the rain, cold, wind. Flat hair is a way of life! Better to be warm and dry than fashionable, though.
Today white meringue piles of clouds are scudding across a pale blue sky, and the wild birds are eating more and more bird seed that I put out for them.
I was distracted from my walk with the dogs today by the insistent, angry caw-cawing of crows, and as I looked up in the direction of the brouhaha I saw 3 large black birds worrying a crane perched on top of a tall pine tree. The crows dive-bombed, noisily and repeatedly, and the crane flapped its broad wings and bobbed its long thin neck, open-beaked. Finally the crane flew off, its legs dangling.
November and the change of seasons
The (neighbour's) tree in our garden that was afire with colour is now glowing darkly like the embers in a dying hearth. It is still clinging to its beautiful leaves that are currently of russet and faded copper hues.
A Turner-esque sky greeted me this morning, bathing the countryside in that pinkish, pale gold light that could only be a winter morning.
The greens of the grass, holly, pine trees, rhododendrons are a superb backdrop to the shpw that the deciduous trees and bushes have been putting on.
The wind is persuading the last leaves off the trees, fluttering down on passers-by like confetti being scattered at a wedding.
The countryside looks so different clothed in drabber, more sombre colours, and with tree silhouettes and the glimpses of properties you couldn’t see before. It really feels as if it is going into hibernation in order to renew itself and burst back to life come Spring. You feel it starting to fall into slumber.
Now is the time of luscious-looking (but probably poisonous to humans) shiny berries, cherry-tomato-size rose hips, all for the winter birds. Orange reds, crimson, garnet colours, yellow, and even pure white, they vie for attention.
The great little local train service I was enthusing about last month isn’t so great right now. Twice last week trains were either cancelled or delayed “due to slippery rails” or “due to leaves on the line”. I am not kidding! Hello! England. Autumn, Rain. I cannot believe that they aren’t ready for the weather conditions?!
Oh Joy! A milkman from a local dairy now delivers organic milk in reusable glass bottles! I thought the English tradition of milk delivery to your front door each morning had died out years ago, but apparently it’s alive and thriving. The milk bottles are there by 5am (!), along with free-range eggs, butter, yogurt and bread, should you need it. (Less trips to the supermarket).
Tomorrow is Sunday. One of my favourite, remembered traditions: Walk down to buy the Sunday paper (there’s a choice of 5 or 6) and bring it home to pore over, whilst drinking cups of tea!
I’ll have to go and visit the shaggy ponies again. I met their owner, a weatherbeaten, incomprehensible, who knows how old man, lugging bales of hay to throw into their field. He grinned at me with missing teeth and mumbled a few sentences, most of which I could not make out, except that I think I understood that 2 of the ponies are in foal. Due in April. I admired his new wooden fence (major improvement over the previous barbed wire) and made my escape.
A Turner-esque sky greeted me this morning, bathing the countryside in that pinkish, pale gold light that could only be a winter morning.
The greens of the grass, holly, pine trees, rhododendrons are a superb backdrop to the shpw that the deciduous trees and bushes have been putting on.
The wind is persuading the last leaves off the trees, fluttering down on passers-by like confetti being scattered at a wedding.
The countryside looks so different clothed in drabber, more sombre colours, and with tree silhouettes and the glimpses of properties you couldn’t see before. It really feels as if it is going into hibernation in order to renew itself and burst back to life come Spring. You feel it starting to fall into slumber.
Now is the time of luscious-looking (but probably poisonous to humans) shiny berries, cherry-tomato-size rose hips, all for the winter birds. Orange reds, crimson, garnet colours, yellow, and even pure white, they vie for attention.
The great little local train service I was enthusing about last month isn’t so great right now. Twice last week trains were either cancelled or delayed “due to slippery rails” or “due to leaves on the line”. I am not kidding! Hello! England. Autumn, Rain. I cannot believe that they aren’t ready for the weather conditions?!
Oh Joy! A milkman from a local dairy now delivers organic milk in reusable glass bottles! I thought the English tradition of milk delivery to your front door each morning had died out years ago, but apparently it’s alive and thriving. The milk bottles are there by 5am (!), along with free-range eggs, butter, yogurt and bread, should you need it. (Less trips to the supermarket).
Tomorrow is Sunday. One of my favourite, remembered traditions: Walk down to buy the Sunday paper (there’s a choice of 5 or 6) and bring it home to pore over, whilst drinking cups of tea!
I’ll have to go and visit the shaggy ponies again. I met their owner, a weatherbeaten, incomprehensible, who knows how old man, lugging bales of hay to throw into their field. He grinned at me with missing teeth and mumbled a few sentences, most of which I could not make out, except that I think I understood that 2 of the ponies are in foal. Due in April. I admired his new wooden fence (major improvement over the previous barbed wire) and made my escape.
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