Someone has just found some old recordings of Alistair Cooke's "Letter from America". I listened to him for years and always wondered how he managed to find something interesting to say each week. I was engrossed with whatever the subject was even when it was his beloved golf. He had a great way with words , almost like painting a picture. It has been said that radio is better than TV because the pictures are better. That was certainly so with his letters.
Now to the trivia of ny week. On Tuesday Mike took me to my friends at Seaford for coffee, home made cake and lots of chat. My nice girl came on Thursday to hoover and smarten me up. A little more smartening up on Friday when my hairdresser came so I was all ready for the weekend. I had a nice long letter from my daughter-in-law and Tom and Lan came on Saturday full of plans for their move into a house.
Today is Mothering Sunday. My dear daughter has just brought me a lovely bunch of daffodils which makes a splendid splash of colour on my kitchen table. I think fondly of my own mother and how she loved Mothering Sunday and how she enjoyed any sort of celebration.She loved receiving presents but she delighted even more in giving them. Considering how little she had for most of her life I think she was the most generous of persons.
I look forward this Tuesday to the visit of my nephew who is coming over from Belfast. I last saw him in Denmark last September so we shall have lots to talk about.
I have an appointment at the Eye Hospital on Friday for a scan. I had my last injection in October, my 15th, When the doctor said he was giving me a new stronger drug. It seems to have worked as I haven't so far needed another injection. Fingers crossed!!
Sunday 30 March 2014
Wednesday 26 March 2014
Since Christmas many people of my acquaintance have had a cold followed by a persistent cough. I conclude that although we have had an extremely wet winter in the south we have not had the intense cold which would kill off all our germs. My mother would say "You've been sleeping in a field with the gate open".
Talking of coughs I was walking home late one night in the war in the blackout when ,as I was passing a large school playing field, I heard what I thought was a poor old man loudly coughing. I leaned over the wall to see what was happening and found myself staring into the white face of a sheep1 It appeared to have a bad attack of bronchitis. At that time we were all being exhorted to produce more food hence a flock of sheep on the luscious grass of the school playing field.
Talking of coughs I was walking home late one night in the war in the blackout when ,as I was passing a large school playing field, I heard what I thought was a poor old man loudly coughing. I leaned over the wall to see what was happening and found myself staring into the white face of a sheep1 It appeared to have a bad attack of bronchitis. At that time we were all being exhorted to produce more food hence a flock of sheep on the luscious grass of the school playing field.
Sunday 23 March 2014
Vienna 1952
We left checkpoint and drove along the British Corridor but soon came across a deviation sign. We followed the arrows for a few miles until we were suddenly confronted by two soldiers bristling with guns who signalled us to pull in to the side of the road. they told Arthur to get out. After a while he returned to the car and we turned round and started back the way we came. Apparently we had missed the sign directing us back on to the main road. The soldiers seemed satisfied with Arthur's explanation thank goodness. The week before some British soldiers returning from a football match in Vienna had been detained overnight.
We arrived in Vienna and parted from our friends. We would meet again the next day. We had a rather frugal meal and walked down to the river. Vienna too, was divided into four zones. We saw a jeep with four uniformed soldiers, one British, one French, one American and one Russian. The Red Army Bridge was the limit of the Russian Zone and had an enormous red star hanging over it. The Danube was not blue but a murky greyish green!
The next morning, a Sunday, we visited St. Stephen's Cathedral with its roof of molti-coloured tiles. We admired some very fine buildings in the Ringstrasse. The Opera House looked in ruins. There were some very fine but expensive shops. We went to the Prata, a large Park. There we saw the Big Wheel which featured prominently in the film The Third Man. In the Prata were many family groups taking photos. It was Whitsun and children had taken their first communion. They looked so pretty, girls in white dresses and boys self conscious in their smart suits.
We met our friends in the early afternoon. We had an uneventful journey home. We negotiated the checkpoints successfully and were thankful to leave behind the Russian soldiers and their enormous portraits of Josef Stalin.
We arrived in Vienna and parted from our friends. We would meet again the next day. We had a rather frugal meal and walked down to the river. Vienna too, was divided into four zones. We saw a jeep with four uniformed soldiers, one British, one French, one American and one Russian. The Red Army Bridge was the limit of the Russian Zone and had an enormous red star hanging over it. The Danube was not blue but a murky greyish green!
The next morning, a Sunday, we visited St. Stephen's Cathedral with its roof of molti-coloured tiles. We admired some very fine buildings in the Ringstrasse. The Opera House looked in ruins. There were some very fine but expensive shops. We went to the Prata, a large Park. There we saw the Big Wheel which featured prominently in the film The Third Man. In the Prata were many family groups taking photos. It was Whitsun and children had taken their first communion. They looked so pretty, girls in white dresses and boys self conscious in their smart suits.
We met our friends in the early afternoon. We had an uneventful journey home. We negotiated the checkpoints successfully and were thankful to leave behind the Russian soldiers and their enormous portraits of Josef Stalin.
Saturday 22 March 2014
My Encounter with the Russian Military
All this talk of the Russians in Crimea reminds me of the time when I spent a night behind the Iron Curtain. Don's school friend who was an auditor at the War Office was put into uniform and sent as an officer to Austria. At that time the Allies were still in charge of Austrian affairs. Austria was divided into Zones. There was the British Zone, the French Zone, the American Zone and the Russian Zone. Each one was in charge of administration in their area.
Our friend, Arthur, and his wife and family were to be in Austria for at least three years. We gladly accepted when they invited us to stay for ten days. We spent a night in Paris and prepared to travel overnight to Klagenfert in South Austria. We changed trains at Basel and had supper at the station buffet. We had some bread and two fried eggs. I remember thinking how sensible it was to be given a spoon and a fork to eat them with. The next train had wooden slatted seats but finding a carriage to ourselves we stretched out on either side and were soon fast asleep. Our repose was rudely awakened when two girls got on at Salzburg and we spent the rest of the night sitting up. It was very beautiful but very cold in the mountains.
Arthur was at the station to meet us. After a foul tasting cup of coffee made from acorns we set off for Arthur's house which was very nice and spacious. The weather was hot and sunny We spent the next few days sightseeing and swimming in the lake. We visited Hochostewitz Castle on top of a mountain which was reputed to be the model for the castle in the film Snow White. All along the roadsides were little shrines. The scenery was so beautiful with the mountains and lakes and wild flower everywhere.
At the weekend Arthur and his wife were invited to a Regimental dinner in Vienna. As the Russian Zone lay between Klagenfert and Vienna this involved getting a special green pass. Arthur managed to get passes for us too so that we could see Vienna. They were to stay in splendour at the Schonnbrun Palace where the dinner was. Our hotel was very much more humble. the maid was going to look after the two very small boyswhile we were away.
We set off early in the morning and almost met with disaster as a train rushed across the road just in front of us at an ungated level crossing. Phew! We went three times round a square in one town trying to find a way out watched with great interest by a traffic policeman. Eventually we were on our way up the mountain to the Semmering Pass and the beginning of the Russian Zone. We passed the British checkpoint and came to the Russians. Two very young soldiers looked hard at us. scrutinised our passports and passes and disappeared with them into the hut. Great relief when he came out and returned them to us. We set off along the road known as the British Corridor from which we must not deviate.
To be continued....
Our friend, Arthur, and his wife and family were to be in Austria for at least three years. We gladly accepted when they invited us to stay for ten days. We spent a night in Paris and prepared to travel overnight to Klagenfert in South Austria. We changed trains at Basel and had supper at the station buffet. We had some bread and two fried eggs. I remember thinking how sensible it was to be given a spoon and a fork to eat them with. The next train had wooden slatted seats but finding a carriage to ourselves we stretched out on either side and were soon fast asleep. Our repose was rudely awakened when two girls got on at Salzburg and we spent the rest of the night sitting up. It was very beautiful but very cold in the mountains.
Arthur was at the station to meet us. After a foul tasting cup of coffee made from acorns we set off for Arthur's house which was very nice and spacious. The weather was hot and sunny We spent the next few days sightseeing and swimming in the lake. We visited Hochostewitz Castle on top of a mountain which was reputed to be the model for the castle in the film Snow White. All along the roadsides were little shrines. The scenery was so beautiful with the mountains and lakes and wild flower everywhere.
At the weekend Arthur and his wife were invited to a Regimental dinner in Vienna. As the Russian Zone lay between Klagenfert and Vienna this involved getting a special green pass. Arthur managed to get passes for us too so that we could see Vienna. They were to stay in splendour at the Schonnbrun Palace where the dinner was. Our hotel was very much more humble. the maid was going to look after the two very small boyswhile we were away.
We set off early in the morning and almost met with disaster as a train rushed across the road just in front of us at an ungated level crossing. Phew! We went three times round a square in one town trying to find a way out watched with great interest by a traffic policeman. Eventually we were on our way up the mountain to the Semmering Pass and the beginning of the Russian Zone. We passed the British checkpoint and came to the Russians. Two very young soldiers looked hard at us. scrutinised our passports and passes and disappeared with them into the hut. Great relief when he came out and returned them to us. We set off along the road known as the British Corridor from which we must not deviate.
To be continued....
Friday 14 March 2014
Ovaltine
We are the Ovaltinies, little girls and boys.
Make your request, we'll not refuse you
We are here just to amuse you.
Would you like a song or story?
Will you share our joys?
At games and sports we're more than keen,
No merrier children could be seen,
Because we all drink Ovaltine
We're happy girls and boys.
Friday 7 March 2014
what did he say?
I have to confess to being rather Mutt & Jeff. C ockney rhyming slang for "deaf". Mutt & Jeff were two cartoon characters one very tall and one short. (At this point I must tell you that in my office worked a very tall thin girl called Mary Jeffries and her much smaller best friend Muriel. They were known to us all as Mutt & Jeff)
To get back to my hearing problem. I was listening to the radio to someone talking about weddings when I heard this chap say "You have to decide on peanuts". Peanuts? Peanuts? I know you have to decide on Champagne or sparkling wine according to who is paying for the drinks but surely not prawn cocktail crisps or peanuts. There he has said it again "You must talk it over to decide on the peanuts" Then illumination dawned. He was talking about prenuptial arrangements. This somewhat cold hearted division of the spoils struck me as a bit premature. What has happened to romance? Do people really go into marriage thinking it probably won't last past the honeymoon? I remember promising for richer , for poorer etc. In other words to cling together through thick or thin (in my case through fat or thin) till death us do part.
To get back to my hearing problem. I was listening to the radio to someone talking about weddings when I heard this chap say "You have to decide on peanuts". Peanuts? Peanuts? I know you have to decide on Champagne or sparkling wine according to who is paying for the drinks but surely not prawn cocktail crisps or peanuts. There he has said it again "You must talk it over to decide on the peanuts" Then illumination dawned. He was talking about prenuptial arrangements. This somewhat cold hearted division of the spoils struck me as a bit premature. What has happened to romance? Do people really go into marriage thinking it probably won't last past the honeymoon? I remember promising for richer , for poorer etc. In other words to cling together through thick or thin (in my case through fat or thin) till death us do part.
Thursday 6 March 2014
The Children's Hour
Children's Hour was my favourite programme. It started in 1923 the year I was born. I think it went out at 5 p.m. To become a member of the Radio Circle you had to pay, I think a shilling and in return you received a certificate and a badge, The certificate has long gone but I still have the badge.
For some years you could request to have your name called out on your birthday. How thrilling to hear Uncle Mac read out "Maisie Ellis". If there were twins Uncle Mac would say in a deep voice "Hallo twins"
I loved the names of the writers and presenters. Rosemary Sutcliffe who wrote about the Roman Legions in Britain, S.G. Hulme Beaman who wrote about Toytown with naughty animals with funny voices. We all loved Larry the Lamb and Dennis the Dacshound with a German accent. L. du Garde Peach Wilfred Pickles, Romany who took two children on nature walks, the Zoo man and Steven King-Hall, who always finished his improving talks with "Now be good but not so good that some grown up says "Now what have you been up to?"
The aunts and uncles were as familiar as our own aunts and uncles. My very favourite programme was Toytown. Somewhere I have a Toytown book which I remember reading to my young grandson when he woke in the night with some ailment. My love of reading and story telling must have been enhanced by Children's Hour.
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