A polyglot lot

This has been a very busy house for the past week. Longstanding friends, a family of five ,visited us from the USA.Their beautiful eldest daughter had her 18th birthday on Thursday. At the celebratory dinner, prepared by Amanda, we drank a toast to her and she, being trilingual, replied in English, German and Japanese. Another guest then spoke in English, French and Vietnamese. A truly global event! The day was declared such a success that the other two daughters, aged 15 and 11, have booked the same venue for their eighteenth birthdays.

Proms

Sorry about the hiatus. My knees, eyes and teeth have been reminding me of how bothersome and fiendishly expensive old age can be. But must press on.The garden is looking nice, the weather has been pleasant (until today that is) and the conservatory has been my refuge, a very present help in time of trouble. My family, as usual, have come up trumps ferrying me around. The papers, again as usual, are full of horrors and scandal so I turn hurriedly to the crossword.
The Proms have started. On Friday when Janacek was announced four Czech soloists with unpronounceable names appeared. At that point the sub-titles gave up! Sub-titles give me endless amusement. One man said of his performance that he would be pleased with "Half a cheer" from the audience. The sub-titles said "he would be pleased with Hertfordshire."
Last evening I listened to part of "William Tell." The tenor was very good and sounded very much like Juan Diego Florez. The very familiar overture was very exciting and it was difficult not to think of "The Lone Ranger."
Lots more lovely music to come.

Language

I was fascinated to read about the very elderly lady who, on recovering from a stroke, spoke not her usual English but talked only in French- - a language she had not used since she was a small child.
I marvel at the way my two small French grandsons switch from French to English and back again according to whether they are speaking to their mother or father. I envy them their opportunities to communicate. It certainly is a lot easier if you are a small child.
My neighbour had three young sons and employed a series of foreign au pairs. I asked if it helped the boys to learn another language. "Oh yes" she replied "They can say shut up in French, German and Spanish".

A Child's Prayer Overheard

God bless Mummy and Daddy
God bless Granny and Grandpa
God bless all my toys
God bless Sophie, William and Eleanor but
Not Harry because he hit me over the head with his toy engine. Amen.

Marriage

Some quotations on marriage.

A strong marriage requires endless patience on the part of the wife. Everyone could do with a wife but some of us have to put up with a husband.

There is so little difference between husbands you might as well keep the first one.

Husbands are like fires. They go out if left unattended.

A bachelor thinks he is a thing of beauty and a boy for ever.

A woman only worries about the future until she gets a husband. A man does not worry about the future until he gets a wife.

Advice to husbands - if you are wrong, admit it - if you are right, keep quiet.

Advice to wives - don't tell him the boiler has gone out again until he has had his dinner.