Don Giovanni

Last evening I settled down in front of the TV prepared to enjoy an operatic feast, Easter Egg to hand saved up for just such a treat.  The singers were good, the acting was good, the music superb.  The production, however, was too gimicky for my taste.  
The action took place on or in front of what appeared to be a revolving cube.   It reminded me of a Rubik Cube and like that cube was a puzzle.  There was a ground floor and a first floor, the upper floor reached by ladders or a staircase.   The Director didn't seem to me to be able to make up his mind where exactly the drama should unfold.  The actors were running up and down stairs before each aria.  I'm sure they must have been as confused as I was.
I know my eyesight is bad and I have to sit close to the TV to peer at the screen but did I see graffiti all over the cube at times?  What was that for?  I think the Don could have taken lessons from Bryn Terfel and the Korean Soprano, Hei-Kyung Hong, in the seduction scene. ( This is one of my favourite pieces on YouTube.)   All in all not a  very successful evening.  The Easter Egg was nice.

A Kentish Farewell

This month is going by so fast.  Easter has come and gone.  On Maundy Thursday we went to a funeral in the depths of the Kentish countryside.  Tom's other grandmother had recently died after a long illness. The little village church was full of her extended family and many friends.  She was a much-loved lady. This was the church she had attended for many years before she moved to Hythe.

After the committal, the strains of bagpipes were heard, played by her son-in-law who is a world-class piper of Scottish descent. He played Lady MacRobert's Lament.  This tune was composed to commemorate the loss of Lady MacRobert's three sons - one of whom was killed in a flying accident, and the other two were killed while serving with the RAF in World War II.  They were all in their early twenties.  She promptly gave funds for a new bomber, called MacRobert's Reply. What an amazing woman.

Birthday

My 91st birthday on Saturday was a lovely day.  After last year's grand celebration I was told I had to wait till I was a hundred for the next big do.  However I managed pretty well with many nice cards and e mails, chocolates, two lovely CDs of operatic favourites and lots of beautiful spring flowers.Amanda cooked a splendid meal and Tom, Lan and Martin came .  With such good company time flew and it was nearly midnight before we finally said goodnight.  I count my blessings as my mother taught me.

Signs of Spring

I noticed on my return from Seaford this morning that within the last couple of days the trees are showing signs of green.  Such a welcome sight.  In my conservatory the winter jasmine which is normally a fairly small shrub has exploded into a veritable sea of white sweet smelling blossom.   I have never seen it like this before.  It is like a great white fountain.  I am told it is the result of the mild winter.  We have not had any really cold weather this year.  The daffodils  in the big pot that was a birthday present from John and Ian have just finished blooming for the second year.

It is great to have the extra hours of daylight and not to have to draw the curtains so early   I can remember protesting loudly when I was small that it couldn't possibly be bedtime because it wasn't dark.  How do mothers get on in the northern lands where it hardly gets dark at all in summer?