A Bit of a Sing Song

You're such a lovely lot sending me all your kind thoughts and good old fashioned pratical advice. You'll be pleased to know I'm starting to act on it and am now taking a whole load of B vitamins, starflower oil and Iron (for just in case). That's not to say I'm not trying everything else too, just some at a time.

I also got taken out for some cultural therapy too. A friend, who enters every known competition and wins a whole load of them too, won a pre-theatre meal and tickets for a Royal Opera House screening of Turandot by Puccini. Listen to me trying to sound like I know what I'm talking about. I've never seen an Opera before, but I have heard of Placido Domingo because my mum had him and Daly Thompson on her fridge for quite a while. Anyway's she took me along with her last night and I must admit I was a bit apprehensive about the opera part. I loved the wine and eating scrumptious food bit though.

We ate at a fabulous place called The Black Dog Restaurant in Bungay. Although it's been there a year I've whizzed past and never noticed it before which made it more of a treat to find such a gem. The staff were great and the food was just delicious. I've told my man we're going there no question.

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Tummies full we rushed off to see the tale of Turandot. Thank heavens for the big screen because there were sub-titles all the way through, if not I'd have needed Mr Tumble mimimg at the side to help explain all.

The rotund bloke who was meant to be a young dashing Prince sang Nessum Dorma at the end and I thought, I know that one at least. I enjoyed his singing, but the women's voices made me wince. It was a daft tale where a prince falls for a bloodthirsty unhinged princess enacting the revenge of an ancestor who was raped a 1000 years before. I have to believe in the motivation of the characters to get truly immersed in the tale and I'm afraid I kept thinking the Prince needed his head felt. I did enjoy the experience though and I might even take up the ladies advice beside me who said I should try Mozart's Marriage of Figaro. Who knows where it might lead me.

Ironically when we went out to eat I had to order less crunchy food. One of my teeth had broken in half at work and so I had to cancel my Wednesday morning classes so I could get to the dentist. That meant I could fit in the car boot after dropping the girls off at school. Silver linings and all that. 

I came away with a mended, but oh so sweet Mabel Lucie mug, plums, dahlia's and a cream blanket. Not a bad haul for a chilly September morning.

The little lady fits in quite nicely with my other childrens china.  My favourite is still the Meakin dish with the babes in bunny suits. One day I hope to track down a matching cup and plate. 

The duck cup was gifted to my man as the exact same one was a childhood favourite of his.

 

This got me thinking about some of my other favourite things. Things that hold memories which make them just that bit more special.

My love bought this juicer for me one christmas knowing I'd love it and I do, very much so. 

 

 We bought this Victorian Pilchard dish in Brixham on our last holiday as two. I was heavily pregnant with Miss Rosey and kept fainting everywhere. Turns out I was seriously anaemic so lots of red wine and broccoli later and things started improving a bit. We had a fabulous time mind you in a very grand Georgian Hotel where my man ended up impersonating a freelance food critic.  We had a problem with the rudeness of the French Maitre 'd so lets just say we had a bit of fun and then afterwards we had the most fabulous service. This dish sums up more carefree and naughty times.

 

This silver and ivory teether I guess to be mid 1800's. It was given to Miss Rosey when she was born by my mum's oldest friend (by that I mean she was really old). It was her husband's mother's and she had no one else to give it to. She'd never liked me and used to be really rude, but went all soft with Miss Rosey. I forgave her as she had good reason to be bitter. Her baby son had died of meningitis and then her teenage daughter was killed in front of her when she jumped off a bus to grab the dog lead off the road.

 

 This ivory inlaid Crib Box is a very special thing to me. It was my dad's Grandmother's and after dad died mum passed it on to me. I used to love playing with my dad. It was during my pain in the bum teen years when it was one of the things we did without getting into an argument.

 Lastly, one of my favourite photos of the girls and I. Like most mum's I guess there's hardly any photos of me, just tons of their daddy. I sometimes wonder if they'll ask one day did you always stay at home?
I just love their cheeky faces, it was a carefree time in the last summer before Miss Rosey started school. A photographer friend came over and took tons of black and white pictures of us that day. The girls loved whirling and twirling for the camera, they still do.

 

Well  if you've read this far, then well done and just to let you know I'll be replying to your lovely emails and suchlike by the weekend either here or there.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the week.