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POLISH BLUE

31st May 2009

I've never been too interested in Birds and certainly not chickens and Cockerels - well I've had to change my opinion.

My friends Ann and Henryk adopted a little Polish Blue last year (well Henryk is Polish) and initially thought it was a 'she'.  I saw 'IT'  as a tiny bird when it had just started to try and crow.  He duly had to be renamed and now answers to the name of Boris - and I mean answers.  He's a very handsome and rather entertaining creature.  

He runs to you at the call of his name - then fluffs up his feathers to show off and then goes round in a circle and trips over his own feathers.  He thinks he's human and when he hears speech, he wants to join in.  If he's left alone too long he comes to the Waste bin outside the kitchen and crows until you come out to talk to him.  He's got a little harem of three females who, though more attractive than the average chicken, are no match for his splendour.

If I had a garden, I think I'd be tempted to get a Polish Blue.  Not only do they have great character and are very amusing but they peck the aphids off your plants and eat the slugs and snails. The only downside is that their life span is a short 4 years - do don't get too attached!

Having seen so many beautiful gardens in my travels in the last couple of weeks, I miss mine more than I can say.  Ah well, that's life as they say.  I suppose I'd find it difficult to go away as freely as I do if I had a garden to maintain.

If you are reading my Blog in the UK, just a reminder that you can see me in Celebrity Masterchef on Wednesday June 10th - BBC 1 at 8.00pm

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CELEBRITY MASTERCHEF

31st May 2009

Late last year, I was delighted to be invited to take part in Celebrity Masterchef and it's been difficult keeping it a secret.  Anyway the series has now been placed and starts transmission on June 10th on BBC 1 at 8.00 pm.  You can see me in the first programme next Wednesday.

It was a nervewracking experience largely to do with the timing of the cooking and being under pressure.   My friends tell me I'm a good cook -  (if somewhat unadventurous (my comment)) - and I'm very orderly in the kitchen but if I'm giving a dinner party, I can prepare dishes in advance.  When faced with having to do several courses in an hour - timing is of the essence and this somewhat dictates what you will cook.  

I spent several days cooking the same things over and over again and if the timing weren't right, having to change my choices.

John Torode was very forbidding and I felt like a schoolgirl hauled up before the Headmistress.  Although, in fairness, he did compliment me on a Dessert I concocted myself.  Greg is a good foil to John and the odd wink from him made me feel less of an idiot.

All in all though I did feel honoured to have taken part and having to work against the clock has given me even more respect for Professional Chefs.  I particularly enjoyed the experience of cooking in a Professional Kitchen.

I'VE FINALLY GOT ROUND TO UPLOADING MANY PHOTOS INTO THE GALLERY - SORRY IT'S TAKEN SO LONG BUT IT'S A TIME CONSUMING PROCEDURE. DO HOPE YOU ENJOY THEM AND I WILL TRY TO KEEP UP TO DATE IN THE FUTURE.

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WESTCOUNTRY DELIGHTS

24th May 2009

Last week I set off on a trip to visit several of my friends in the Westcountry.  Spring is a magical time to be in the English Countryside - the greens are so fresh and the wildflowers in the hedgerows are a riot of rainbow colours.  I was also blessed with ten days of near perfect weather.

I stayed with some friends near Crewkerne and enjoyed a superb two hour walk with my host.  We visited Wayford Woods - now a Charitable Trust but once part of the domain of a wealthy local family.  In Victorian times the well to do very often made the Grand Tour and many brought back beautiful plant specimens which they added to their gardens.  Wayford Woods must once have been such a place as amongst the very old trees we saw a myriad of different coloured rhododendrons, palms and other plants far from their native habitat.  But the crowning glory for me was coming across a Tree I'd never seen before - covered in white 'flowers' and named The Handkerchief Tree. (pictured below)

Whilst staying with my friends near Crewkerne, we went shopping in the local Waitrose. My friend had a very sturdy hessian bag with the Waitrose logo.  I'd not seen them in my local store and on asking, was told that if you have a John Lewis Partnership card you get the bags for free.  I have a dozen bags for life but they really aren't sturdy enough to carry my shopping up the stairs to my flat.  Our local Waitrose doesn't have these heavy duty bags,  so I asked if I might have one and showed my JL Card.  The young lady sent for her supervisor who came with an armful of bags with which I thought she intended to stock up under the counter.  But they were for me - large and small.  So thank you very much Debbie - they will be well used and I shall be the envy of the Ramsgate branch.  (They are always highly amused that I use Sainsbury's bags for my shopping in Ramsgate and I always apologize to the check-out ladies but explain that the Sainsbury bags which I bought are far more sturdy - not any more - the Waitrose bags will be proudly used in both stores!!!!)

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MT. EDGECUMBE GARDENS

23rd May 2009

Then I moved on down to friends in Devon who live in the quaint and lovely village of Kingsand almost merging with Cawsand and bordering a small and picturesque cove dotted with yachts.  We took the dogs for another long walk in the Mt. Edgecumbe Estate.  Parking at the top end we made our way down through the woods to the  formal gardens leading right down to the water's edge and  which are an absolute delight.  We stopped for a cup of tea, admired the fountain and another formal garden and let the dogs rest.

The encumbent Lord Edgecumbe is a New Zealander who inherited the estate and little else. He has given the estate to Plymouth Council and I have to say they've done a superb job of renovating and preserving the gardens.  It was lovely to see so many families enjoying themselves - many of the children playing among the rocks at the sea's edge and others having picnics by the lake.

Unfortunately, as is often the case, Bank Holiday Monday weather was not the best but we still went for a walk with the dogs to Rame Head - a peninsular which reminded me of Tintagel in Cornwall.  Then we visited Rame Church - very old and rather sinister looking on the outside but with a very interesting interior.  It has no electricity and at Christmas - with the whole church lit by candles - there's standing room only for the Christmas Eve Service.

This picture was taken with Tinkerbell and Gregory in the Mt. Edgecumbe 'Pet Cemetery' Garden.  There are such loving and sweet words carved into the Stone Memorials of pets who've been owned by the Edgecumbes over the centuries.  Two of my beloved poodles are buried on a hillside in Buckinghamshire on land belonging to a friend - they've no stone tablet but they are together and at rest in a beautiful part of the world.

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AS TIME GOES BY

16th May 2009

AS TIME GOES BY

I've just spent the last three evenings having the most enjoyable time watching 13 episodes (two series) of 'As Time Goes By' starring Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer.  Just looked it up on the Internet and see that there were 9 series running from 1992 - 2005 - Gosh, I'm going to have to save the pennies if I want to buy the whole series and I probably will because it has such a 'feel-good' factor - it's people and relationships and manners as they used to be-  I suppose it is old-fashioned but incredibly funny.

I watch very little television - partly because I cannot bear the dumbing down and partly because I feel that when one lives alone it is all too easy to become a Couch Potato.  So whenever this series was transmitted - I missed it but was lent it by a friend.

Judi Dench is not only a fabulous actress but a very nice woman - I've met her several times and in fact the first time was decades ago in Taunton.  Some friends of mine - Brian and Tom - had, on several occasions offered hospitality to visiting thespians and in return they used to stage a performance on a Sunday Night.  The evenings were magical - a Champagne Supper and then an offering by young actors and actresses - and some not so young - and many who would go on to great acclaim.  Judy was one of those - and I cannot find words to describe her 'Magic'.  She is a consummate actress and has the ability - which so many of the young actors today don't have - to immerse herself in her roles to the point that you forget it's Judy Dench and see Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth 1 etc.  I look at so many of the actors/actresses of today who 'star' in soaps and wonder how many of them could play anything else other than themselves.  They simply do not have 'Charisma'.

As Time Goes By - is simply brilliant in my opinion.  There's no sex, no violence - just a superbly funny script about a relationship between two people who were lovers when they were young, were separated by war, and meet again in their 50's.  Judi and Geoffrey are a brilliant partnership - they spar off each other superbly and their experiences are so true to life - believe me!!!!!

I've been laughing out loud each evening and have gone to bed feeling very happy.  Don't know what I'm going to watch tonight - I've seen most of my DVD's over and over again. And 'As Time Goes By' is going to take a lot of beating.

I don't understand why, when both BBC and ITV are bleating about their lack of money!!! (oh, really!) why they can't repeat excellent series like this one and many others from the past which were made when the highest standards existed in British Television.  But no, we are given a daily diet of Reality (OK so I took part in Celebrity - Get me Out of here but I've got to live!) and Soaps.  And might I say that as most of the TV Executives are so relatively young, they don't seem to realise that their biggest audience is amongst the older generation.

It would appear that they pander to the young - who are mostly out doing other things especially at the weekends when some of the programming, to my taste,  is dire.  I happen to love the Old Movies but they are usually transmitted in the early hours of the morning and I can't work the recording machine (silly old Technophobe that I am)

We are in an era of TV where there is an ABUNDANCE OF CHOICE and NOTHING TO WATCH!

Bye for now,  Jan.

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THE GURKHAS

10th May 2009

            Thank God for people like the lovely Joanna Lumley - and this is where 'celebrity' does have it's uses.

            It is absolutely scandalous that people like the Gurkhas - who have for decades shed their blood for this country - should be denied domicile here.  And then to mess with the rules and say that only those holding certain decorations would be entitled to live here!  Apparently they have the highest number of VC's per capita than any other Fighting Regiment. 

            Although my father didn't actually serve with them, he worked for a General in the Middle East who was their Commandant and father has visited their units.  He is very proud of his Kukri - the traditional Gurkha knife - used as a weapon as well as a tool for many domestic chores.  They have highly decorated handles made from hardwood or water buffalo horn.  Look up the Kukri on the Internet - very interesting history.

            Anyway Joanna has really thrown this miscarriage of Justice into the Limelight and the Government have had to make a U-turn - and so they darned well should.  We - or rather successive Governments - let in all kinds of riff-raff and yet keep out a band of people who, apart from anything else, have shed their blood for this country and earned the RIGHT to be here.

            This nation has always been proud of it's record with regard to offering Succour to Political Refugees and that is something of which we can be proud - but for years now we've just been letting in Economic Refugees - not to mention those who come in by the back door and eventually wangle it so that they are allowed to stay. I really wish that our Leaders would tell us why we let in people from Countries we've never colonised and with whom we have no ties whatsoever.  (Maybe they would argue that these people will do the jobs that so many of our own folk can't be bothered to do because the State Handouts are too generous)  Our very Nationality is being slowly watered down and eroded but, of course, the Politicians in their Ivory Towers don't have to live an everyday life and face the problems emerging in virtually all parts of the British Isles. 

            I get annoyed with my friends who shrug their shoulders and say -Well what can we do to make a difference - we can't change anything!  I respond that they could start by writing to their MP or even to the PM or the Leader of the Opposition.   Mind you, even I am not so sure now that it is worth the time writing to anyone in power.  I had a friend in Tory Central Office and he saw to it that various letters I wrote -  addressing issues about which many of us were deeply concerned - did actually get through to John Major, Michael Howard and David Cameron.  My friend has now retired and the last letter I sent to the Leader of the Opposition was responded to with a saccharine acknowledgement from the Secretariat.  I don't think I shall bother again.

            I think I will print out the Speech made by the Australian Prime Minister - and even if it is a spoof, I think it is very apposite.  I'll keep that for next week as I really must get on with some work.

            Bye for now,  Jan

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GOLIATH - beached at Walmer, Kent

9th May 2009

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INTERNET DATING

8th May 2009

INTERNET DATING

I read recently that in the USA one in eight marriages has come about through the Internet.  And why not - it is the modern way of meeting people and carrying far less risk than being picked up at a party or in a bar.  (Let me hastily add here that the very last thing I want is another marriage - one husband broke my heart and another broke the bank balance)

OK so I confess - for those of you who didn't already know - I ventured down that path in September last year.  I've been on my own now for eight years - I am not lonely but I am alone and it is not a state I enjoy.  There is a pre-supposition that someone who has been in the public eye and is 'famous' must be rich and have a fantastic social life.  For many of my era, this is simply not the case.  We worked hard, met very interesting people, had a lot of fun and were not that well paid  - the 'megabucks' of today were simply unheard of and also most of we women presenters were paid far less than the men who did the same job.

By default, I have ended up in a sleepy part of East Kent where there is not much of a life for a single and especially not a single woman.  There is very little culture and our one main theatre, the Marlow in Canterbury, has now closed down for 2 years for refurbishment.

As a single woman, you are often excluded from gatherings either because they don't want an odd number round the table or .................

So a friend suggested I joined an Internet Site.  I'd thought about it but dismissed it for fear of what the press might say.  Anyway, late one Friday night I signed up for the Telegraph Dating Site - reasoning that people on that site would have fairly similar Political views and would be relatively well educated.   I had tremendous fun for 36 hours until the dreaded phone-call from my Agent.  I'd been rumbled - and they had a field day with me.  I did however turn a negative into a positive and on 'This Morning' I defended the use of Internet Dating - their site shot up with new members and my own website was inundated with hits. 

I'm afraid I caved in and shut down the site - with hindsight I shouldn't have let the papers get to me but they did.

However, when I was in South Africa, another friend recommended a site there. In SA I have anonymity and  had a great deal of fun for several months - most of the fun was just emailing (through the Internet not one's personal email).  I met a few gentlemen for coffee or dinner and it was a darned sight better than sitting in twiddling my thumbs.

But I made one very big mistake.  I also joined a Corporate Dating Agency which turned out to be a total 'No-No'.  I partly blame myself in that I didn't ask the right questions.  Fiona Dorse has a very impressive Website and says all the right things - yes she can introduce people but she can't put that 'magic' that 'coup de foudre' if it's not there.  That is totally understandable.  However, I didn't realise that all she does is give you a list of phone numbers and you have to Cold Call.  I didn't even get to that stage as I waited three weeks for her to contact me - the usual English reserve and when I asked why she'd not been in touch, was told I had to phone her with a pen and paper handy.  Sorry, maybe younger women would do this - Cold Call a gentleman -  but I certainly wouldn't. 

It is said that to ASSUME is to make an 'ASS' out of 'U' and 'ME'. Well I assumed that she would email with some details and a photo of a prospective male and would do the same to him and then ask if we'd like to meet.  WRONG.  She just gives you phone numbers.  I did meet one gentleman purely because he too had joined under a misapprehension - he was 64 years of age and one of the phone numbers he was given was of a 38 year old - I don't think I would call that a 'compatible match'.  So at R4000 - an expensive mistake which I would never make again.  But I do partly blame myself because I simply didn't ask the right questions of Ms. Dorse.

She talked about Client Confidentiality but a friend of mine was running a Sushi Making Evening and thought it might be the kind of function that some of Corporate Dating's singles might like to attend.  She was offered a list of phone numbers for R3000 - the equivalent of about £250!!

So if you are out there and you are not getting to meet people, you are far better off on an Internet Site e.g.  Kindred Spirits in the UK and DatingBuzz in SA.  The fee is about £15 or R150 a month and the permutations are endless.  I go to a wonderful Sports Therapist in SA called Jodie Louw - it was he who told me about the site because his Mother in Law was just about to marry a doctor from Jo'burg whom she'd met through Dating Buzz.

Good luck to Ms. Dorse and Corporate Dating,  but I think one is  far better off on the Internet where you get A photograph and up to three pages of information - everything from Work to Hobbies to Religion etc. and so forth.  And there's an automated Computer match which will suggest whether or not you might be compatible.

Have a go - you've nothing to lose and you might - just might - find the love of your life or make some very nice friends.

YOU DON'T STOP LAUGHING BECAUSE YOU GROW OLD.  YOU GROW OLD BECAUSE YOU STOP LAUGHING!!!  Think about it!

Bye for now, Jan

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SWINE FLU

5th May 2009

SWINE FLU

 Are the lunatics running the Asylum?  I don't know how many millions it has cost to push a pamphlet through the door of every householder alerting them to the dangers of Swine Flu and how to take steps to minimise contagion.  Most of what is in the pamphlet is pure common sense and, in any case, one could hardly have missed all the warnings on TV, Radio and the newspapers.  Why waste all those millions when we've got something much more sinister lurking in our dirty hospitals - MRSA and now C. difficile. 

 When I was hospitalized 40 years ago after a car accident, I was taken to Odstock Hospital - a set of Nissen Huts at Salisbury which served as the Plastics Unit in which Sir Archibald McIndoe carried out such sterling work on the badly burned RAF pilots from The Battle of Britain.  Nissen Huts they may have been but you could have eaten your meals off the floor - the wards were spotless BUT they had to be because there was Matron who put the fear of God into everyone (even the patients).  There was no contract cleaning with the attendant lack of responsibility. Everyone had their appointed job and woe betide them if they fell short of perfection.  We are supposed to have the equivalent of the Matron today but the role is very much admin. and pen pushing - not 'in the field' supervision.

In my opinion our Government is wasting millions in advertising to try and stop people smoking.  Last week, I drove past a Girls' Grammar School in Canterbury and as they came out of the gates several of the Girls 'Lit Up'.  The notices on packets of cigarettes are so large even a Blind person could read them but still people go on smoking.  So why not save the advertising money and spend it on Cancer Research.

When I was young (er) , Britain was the envy of the world for so very much - our Education system, our Hospitals, the Welfare State, our Legal System - now our Hospitals are dirty among other complaints; we are 19^th in the European Education League with many children leaving school illiterate; our Welfare State is abused and our Legal System is shambolic having to bow to 'Yuman Rights' and the European Court.

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MR. BROWN AND THE GOVERNMENT

4th May 2009

There have been some superbly funny pieces on the Internet about our Government and it's leader.  I can't put them all on but thought this one of the best.

 23^rd Psalm (amended!)

GORDON BROWN IS MY SHEPHERD, I SHALL NOT WORK.

HE LEADETH ME BESIDE THE STILL FACTORIES.

HE RESTORETH MY FAITH IN THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY.

HE GUIDETH ME IN THE PATH OF UNEMPLOYMENT.

YEA, THOUGH I WAIT FOR MY DOLE,

I OWN THE BANK THAT REFUSES ME.

BROWN HAS ANNOINTED MY INCOME WITH TAXES,

MY EXPENSES RUNNETH OVER MY INCOME,

SURELY, POVERTY AND HARD LIVING WILL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF HIS TERM.

FROM HENCE FORTH WE WILL LIVE ALL THE DAYS

OF OUR LIVES IN A  RENTED HOME WITH AN OVERSEAS LANDLORD.

I AM GLAD I AM BRITISH,

I AM GLAD I AM FREE.

BUT I WISH I WERE A DOG

AND BROWN  WAS A TREE.

A PEOPLE GETS THE GOVERNMENT IT DESERVES

I don't know who wrote this but did we really deserve what we've got at the moment?

It is often argued that we don't pay our politicians enough and that they could earn much more in the Private Sector.  I'd like to see this lot getting jobs in the Private Sector.  They are paid a fair remuneration but have their Gilt Edged Pensions which most in the Private Sector do not have.  And then there are their EXPENSES - Well you wouldn't believe the cheating that's been going on over their First, Second and in some cases Third Homes and the attendant allowances.  Barbara Follett - wife of the multi-millionaire author Ken Follett used up her allowance for Private Body Guards.  As the wife of a millionaire, I wouldn't be charging for allowances and, if needed, I'd expect my husband to pay for Body Guards.  But those of my generation were brought up in a totally different world - we were children of the War years - I think we were a great deal more honest and  a great deal less greedy.  I could fill pages but suggest if you want to see the full extent of the shenanigans that have been going on - look up The Telegraph on line.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they don't find so many of the Conservative Party with their fingers in the jam pot.

10th May -   Addendum -    OOPS and OH Dear

Have just read the papers and heard the News - I'm really sad to read that the Tories have been at it too.  And so have Sinn Fein - who collect their expenses even though they never come near our Parliament.  What a world in which we live!

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LIEUTENANT GENERAL SIR MARTIN GARROD

2nd May 2009

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