The Railway Man-Film Review1

There were some really good films to be seen in January; before I knew it, we were almost into February and we had been too busy to go to the pictures due to the pressures of family, social life, rehearsals and production.  'Nil desperandum- we will go before they all disappear into the archives!' Thus we worked out a schedule between The Gate and Tyneside cinemas to see most of the films we had missed- some of these we saw back to back with a quick slurp of coffee in between- or a meal at the Tyneside Cinema which we both think is great.

The Railway Man      I had read of Northumbrian Eric Lomax some years ago and had wanted to see the film when it came out. Much of it was filmed in Northumberland which, of course, made it more interesting; it is harrowing and combined with two of the other films we saw, it convinced me of how cruel the humans can be to each other. Was the location for the filming of these Burma railway scenes actually to be found in Burma? It looked a beautiful place. I know many of the local people were forced to work on the railway too. I cannot imagine Eric Lomax was easy to live with preoccupied as he was with the horror of what he had seen and endured. Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman disappeared into the characters they played.

Be clear on Cancer Campaign

A national campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer in women over 70 is now running from 3 February to 16 March 2014. The Be Clear on Cancer campaign tells women over 70 that if they see any change to their nipples, skin or shape of their breasts they should see their doctor straightaway.

Recently a friend of mine announced that now she was 70 yrs old she can no longer have routine mammograms; You can! You just need to ask for it! Check it out with your GP. Ask to be referred for a mammogram- when even in just a little doubt do not wait- go see your doctor- and don't take no for an answer.

Sniffling and tired

Yep! I have managed to avoid it so far but nose running like a tap.

The family has all disappeared, clearing up after the onslaught done, my ironing finished (well mine- H1 has still got his to do), pantomime & prompting over for another year ......

I have finished reading 'The Queen's Vow' and started on a strange but interesting book given to me by D2 for Christmas- 'The Fishing Fleet' a non-fiction about girls who went over to India in search of a husband in the 1700s and 1800s; fascinating how many English men went in the East India Company/Civil Service/Indian Army and how many girls found more men available in India than in England. English families set up in the subcontinent and lived in India for generations never to return till after 1947 and Indian independence. I had a relative who we think (after watching Alistair McGowan's 'Who do you think you are?') may well have been Anglo-Indian.

I am not used to this spare, quiet time and do not know what to do with myself

Surprise Surprise

At last we have had permission to say we can tell people we were on the television programme 'Surprise, Surprise ' for all the recycling you contribute to charities I donate to. That was the time I blogged about being in London but we were signed up to silence.
The result/reward was beautiful flowers sent regularly- gorgeous but a real Surprise, Surprise!

Everyone seems to be spring cleaning- or Spring organising and hoying stuff out- sorry! that is Geordie for throwing your unwanted things away; I spend my time going to a) the Cancer Research shop with large bags of clothes, books  or white elephant stuff for selling for charity b) the local Infirmary with magazines (for clinics) and gift bags (to put patients' drains in), c) a High Street café which is saving used stamps for the local Hospice d) my optometrist's shop with spectacles for Vision Aid Overseas
It will all slow down a bit when everyone finishes tidying up after Christmas. A winter sun sliding low through the window, highlights the dust and clutter; thus the clearouts.

I admit to gallivanting out for meals and occasions and celebrations for births and a Baptism- ooh! and something really exciting arrived in the first post after New Year-an invitation to a wedding. We had so many weddings last year (like buses- there are none then they come all together- probably due to the age of our offspring and their friends) that we did not expect to receive any invitations this year;  the babies are now starting to arrive- all surprises- most people seem to be avoiding finding out the gender of the baby before birth- I wouldn't want to know- would you? I reckon life has too few nice surprises these days that boy or girl and their name has to be one of the best left.

Then did I mention our rehearsals for a pantomime?

What little spare time I have I read- currently 'The Queen's Vow' by C.W. Gortner- about the early life of Queen Isabella (and Ferdinand) of Castile (Spain); in the late 1400s.

If I clear out a drawer I might reward myself with a chapter.......

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to you all.

Britain is forecast floods and gale force winds this weekend; I understand that when sun, moon and earth are in line the tides are high- why call them spring when they are not seasonal but two weekly? Is it because the tide level springs high?!

So tonight is a new moon- 3/4th January- and just after midnight is the best time to see a shower of meteors.
Tomorrow night you need to get binoculars out (it will be a very dark night since the moon is tiny) and get a look at Jupiter- you should be able to see four of Jupiter's moons.

The kitchen wall is being stripped of last year's 'remarkables'; so what will 2014 bring? I hope it is a good and healthy year.

We are consuming weird meals as we eat our way through all the ingredients left from the festive season; Christmas and New Year visitors have left us; the beds are stripped and out on the line to dry in gathering winds.

Now I am going to research what a neap tide is- and tackle a basket full of ironing.

Solstice

I have mulled over whether or not to write my blog tonight- literally! I went to a mulled wine & games party last night and laughed myself silly (after a family Chinese meal- a tradition to us and a Newcastle match which was smashing to watch) . This morning I served (& drank some) mulled wine and sweet mince pies; this afternoon we relaxed at a neighbours' house with mulled wine and mince pies so I am celebrating the return of the sun and longer days with family, friends and food and drink!

I am struggling to find time to scribble - well- type- as life is so enjoyably busy.

One of the friends I met last week gave me Philippa Gregory's new book 'The White Princess' which is finished already! I don't buy books in hardback but wait till they come out cheaper in paper back- but H did so I devoured it- my period of history at 'A' level. H also gave me 'The Kingmaker's daughter'- but I think I have read it already- must check- though with my memory these days I could probably read most of it as though it was new to me. Then the third book awaits......

You will gather I have put Nelson Mandela aside  for a while- friends reassure me they had to do the same as it is heavy going- whereas Elizabeth's problems with Henry VII and other pretenders were pageturners so the book was grabbed at every opportunity.

Wrapping mainly done; the house needs a good hoover- but the  recorded final of 'Strictly ...' and a cuppa await before somebody tells me the result- my money is on Abbey (or is it Abbi?) so when you've got to go, you've got to go.......

Northumberlandia

 Last  Saturday we decided to blow the cobwebs away by visiting Northumberlandia; she is an earth sculpture created from the debris of the Shotton surface coal mine by the Banks group on land donated by Blagdon Estates. There are innumerable paths to walk round the parkland, hillocks and lakes.

Entry was free; Northumbria Wildlife Trust were in evidence selling postcards from their small hut. The base of the new Visitors Centre has been erected- upon completion the café will be manned by Azure.

The afternoon was that of typical northern December; blue sky, cold wind and sunshine; the cloud formations were magnificent- like sand ripples left on the beach by a departing tide.

We climbed first to the viewing points, placed like trigonometrical points at the top of circular paths.

Oh Lady of the North what will you look like from a plane above you?

We clambered up the breasts of this female figure and took the gravel paths most carefully on the way down! Erosion was evident. So where was the Angel of the North that was directed to on the pointer at the top? Next time we will choose a crystal clear day in order to see Lindisfarne and the Angel. We identified other landmarks- we think! Urban lights began to switch on below us like the lighting up of a Christmas tree.

Ye Gods and little fishes! Circling up the approaches to the face, the temperature dropped; agh! it was so bitterly chilly. Gloved hands pulled my hat further on to stop earache... I hugged myself to keep warm while viewing....

From her forehead we were taken aback by how large the opencast site below is. H1 took off in descent before D3 and I- like a cat on hot bricks- to get back to the car, courtesy of the cold and to get to a Newcastle United football match; the Toon has this effect on us Geordies! the stoic pair left uptop took in the 360 degree panorama (First to see the sea!) then we too scuttled back to the warmth of our car.

The photographer was illdressed for the cold but I could see why he was waiting patiently for the sun to set behind Northumberlandia. We left him to it and viewed the winter evening from a snug kitchen.