Strawberry alphabet soup

Alphabe-Thursday has been good fun. I'd heartily recommend the Round 3 which starts next Thursday. In fact, all week I've been wondering what on earth I'll have to post about now. My mind has disintegrated badly over the last little while and I feel utterly thought-less, thought-free, thought-poor!

The conclusion this week is to be whichever letter you like, but I used that cross-reference facility of Blogger and thought I'd compile my alphabe-profile! So here she is: strawberry mags...

Advertising Angst, Books, Contemplation of Conkers, Danger, Exploring and Emails, Favourite Films of Fortnight, Greatitudes, Hopeless Homework, Ideas, Joachim and Jesus, Last day of uniforms and nearly of Macarons, Barbara Pym, Roden Court, Salopettes, smiles, sticks and stomach cramps, (Tea), Uninvited and Unconnected, Vernal Green, Who else but St Patrick, X not marking rabbits, (Lost) Youth, Zarathustra.

Thank you, Jenny, and Goodnight!

Thus spake Zarathustra

I used to know all about Zarathustra. That may have been many former lives ago. To be honest, today I've mostly been concerned with trying to walk in the above.

They may seem wholly insignificant to you, but to me it feels like teetering in these! If I find someone to put up my hair, if this new tan stays on, and if I don't break my neck, there may be a nice night out this weekend...

Youth: Lament for Lost

Me: I'd like to come next Saturday to have my hair put up in a chignon.

Eight year old hairdressers: We don't know what that is.

Me:

Eight year old hairdressers: Is that a French roll?

Me:

Eight year old hairdressers: We could do you a nice, trendy bun? Something more up to date?

Me: But I'm a very old woman, you know!

Eight year old hairdressers: You're not that old....

X will not be marking their spot

I am sorry that I have not been much around your lovely blog this week. PC has had a Frantic Fortnight with Very Important Canadians, and hatches have been battened on the home front! I especially apologise for not pausing for Lent last weekend, which I very much missed. Plans are laid for a Restful Weekend...

And on top of it all the rabbits are no more. Jack Rabbit had a painful few days that culminated in a stay chez the Vet, whence he came not home. Peter Rabbit, I like to feel, was too lonely alone and the suns found him on Tuesday, quite still in his hutch.

No X in the garden. Not even for Alphabe-Thursday. I took the wimpish way out, I'm afraid, and the Vet has all undertaken. Don't feel any pressure to suggest suitable replacements, as there will be no need!

Well, who else?

Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday post for today, W, links to one of the alphabetting bloggistes who is in Japan.

It feels frivolous to be pre-posting this as the news resounds with still more fear and terrifying possibilities.

But then, who else could we focus on here today of all days? Especially with this as starting point.

And most especially with the words of his Breastplate resounding back.

Vernal green

My mother knit this for me for Christmas, and its warmth has rarely been cast off since! But the colour is really starting to shine now that Spring has been coming! The actual colour is very like the lovely yarn shown at the Quiet Home today. In it I confess to feeling like this:

And would you believe that as I type PC has just floated in on a cloud of finally having found a new tech coat, and it is also in vernal green!

So that's my Alphabe-Thursday-on-Friday-again for the very difficult letter V! What I really wanted to post about was this, but it would hardly have been the most original dream!

Uninvited and Unconnected

Since it was the impossible letter U for alphabe-Thursday this week (I know. Late again.), and since I missed last week's T with all its lovely, easy, delightful tea connotations, I decided to share my all time favourite song ever which I thought was this.


But when I got to Youtube and knew that Uninvited by Alanis Morissette could not actually be my all time favourite song ever because my song was by Goo Goo Dolls I then remembered that Iris is in fact my all time fse but it doesn't begin with U. But anyway, this is my all time favourite song ever.


I once used it in a talk for yoof where I linked the song to the person of Mary Magdalene. I'm sure the two seemed as Unconnected to them then as it does to you now. I only vaguely remember what the talk was supposed to be about.

Unfortunately Giant's Ring doesn't begin with U either, but I hereby promise to get back to all you budding and qualified archaelogists as soon as possible. Hmm, a nice solo visit to the museum next week, methinks...

(And it's no coincidence that both songs come from the City of Angels soundtrack!)

Salopettes, smiles, sticks and stomach cramps

We have found that with two pairs of walking salopettes from Spotty Otter you can go most places at any time of the year in comfort.

But if the collecting of sticks and other lumps of wood is involved, well, my goodness, you're away!

A recipe for a smilingly lovely Valentine's half-term. Until you look round over your shoulder and realise that you have another mysterious stomach cramp to tend to. At the top of The Drinns! Lots of S for Alphabe-Thursday- all suggestions on mysterious stomach cramps gratefully received!

Roden Court

This is my R for Alphabe-Thursday, and also my explanation for a lack of strawberries over the next few days. It's half-term tomorrow- big cheer! Many tired and emotional small things here, myself included!

We're heading back to Roden Court- a little development of lovely houses opposite this gate to Tollymore Forset Park and the Mournes. It will be a No Entry Zone for work, worry and bickering. Well. Work and worry!

I blogged about it here and here when we ran away at Hallowe'en and Valentine's last year. There's a place below the Hermitage where many have left their mark along the lush, green riverside.

We'll trace our fingers over the grooves and wonder did they too lift up their eyes to the hills. When He keeps you from all harm-, watches over your life, watches over your coming and going both now and forever more- does that include watching over any damage you might do? Thought for the day from Psalm 21.

Pym, Barbara

I realise as I work out this post that I am truly fascinated by Barbara Pym. It was quite by accident that the title Excellent Women was even found in the dustiest section of the university library last year. Literature isn't a big course at Jordanstown, and I hadn't ever shelved there before, as I haven't since.

I married at thirty, and suspect that the single woman in me rejoices loudly at the triumphalism of single women in her books. As I said here, I can't think of another feminist writer who celebrates the single life in this way. Admittedly I haven't read enough feminist writing by far- I brought myself up on 1980s Cosmopolitan columnists. (As distinct from present day Cosmopolitans!)

Since last year I've read Excellent Women, Some Tame Gazelle and now Jane and Prudence. Not in precisely the right order, I know, but I think I will be carrying on through the list. What I loved most about the first two was the sparkle: the sharp, crystal decanter and stockings at dawn sparkle and crack of satirical observation. And the down to a crisp starched linen summer dress of a reflection of church politics!

Last Friday night we had January's Book Club. I brought the sherry, Niqi brought the crackers and fish paste, Lorraine served tea and cucumber sandwiches from fine china. We do like to theme our catering around the book! It was, I think, the best night we'd had yet!

But Jane and Prudence is different. It's sad. The overall tone is of the "ravenous hours" eating away at Jane's life. Square peg in a round hole- acknowledged by all to be rubbish at her job of vicar's wife. I decided that the regret stems from the fact that the protagonist's perspective is that of a married woman. The resident singleton (is Bridget Jones as good as it gets now for triumphant single women?) ultimately fails. The spunk here comes from the determined, oh so schemingly determined, Jesse Morrow who amazingly wins the delphinium blue eyes of Fabian Driver.

It is definitely the deepest of the three. The secondary characters are undoubtedly more rounded than in the previous two. I found that the village landscape reminded me of nothing more than Hardy's bleakly symbolic surroundings.

But I miss the sparkle! (Another late Alphabe-Thursday post!)

Last day of uniforms and nearly of macarons

I remember last year feeling a very distinct line between Advent and Christmas and being indeed quite reluctant to cross it! This year it is all steaming along with its own momentum and I am cheerfully powerless to have so much as an opinion thereon!

We have had Jo's school play, finally, after snow disruption necessitated a daily performance for most of a month! We have attended our first senior school Carol Service and been moved by the passion of still enthusiastic P4 singers.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the round of parties and non-uniform days, so my L for Alphabe-Thursday is a resounding last day of uniforms and a less resounding last three macarons from Paris! I plan to ration them strictly; hopefully their demise will coincide with Sunday's mince pies and mulled stuff and the sharing of muchly festive fayre! Ready, steady, ....

Jis for Joachim and Jesus

I'm now one day late for Alphabe-Thursday again. Oh dear! But this week's J will have to be for Joachim's Advent calendar (see The Christmas Mystery). Elisabet has met the angel Ephiriel and now knows that her race across countries is also taking her back through time.

Elisabet had stopped crying. 'To Bethlehem?'

'Yes. To Bethlehem, to Bethlehem! For that's where Jesus was born.'

Elisabet was very surprised by what the angel had said. In an attempt to hide her astonishment she began to brush soil and grass off her trousers. There were some nasty stains on her red jacket too.

'Then I want to go to Bethlehem,' she said.

I is for....Ideas anyone?

Six year old Jo: Innocent. (Don't you find this impressive? I most certainly did, right up until I woke up in the night wondering why he was protesting innocence. Free the Strawberry One.)

Seven year Mattman: Interesting. Is. It. In. "Is it in? That makes a sentence, you know, Mummy."

42 year old Mags: Insects.

Disproportionately not what I was expecting... Aphabe-Thursday is here!

ps Frances, I always think you're funny!

Hopeless homework

My homework for this week's alphabe-Thursday is hopeless. It might be taken as a tribute to all the exam pupils I have known and loved who write their name at the top and spend the next hour and a half doodling.

I was going to be Happy because November is my favourite month, I have decided. But then I logged on and read all the fabulously sensitive and moving Remembrance posts and Happy seemed inappropriately jolly.

Mattman has been working on Remembrance for two weeks in school now and told me proudly that he had stood quietly behind his chair for a minute and remembered. I didn't. Hopeless.

Greatitudes 325 - 330

I know that I am far too late for Multitude Monday and a whole day late for Alpabe-Thursday but in the excitement of new carpet coming yesterday, for which the computer and the rest of the family room had to be dismantled, and also in the rush of having to collect Mattman from his friend's and then get to the Library, well, Jenny, therein lies my excuse note! G is for my greatitudes, a personal fusion of gratitude and beatitude.

So the stripey colours came, not only replacing the eleven year old once pristine carpet, but also inspiring us to bring just some of the original furniture back in. So now there is the most uplifting feeling of space. We all love it- the boys have discovered that below the now totally exposed shelves, behind the new chair position is a perfect cosy den.

There will be, however, no photos. This week Mise and her white heaven haven have been in a magazine. I am reeling from the fact that such a celebrity might sometimes come to call in the Land of the Humble Strawberries! And indeed we have been busy with friends and visits these last few days, which reminds me of not so long ago, before the lachrymose times, when our philosophy here practised hospitality as a sign of the Kingdom. That has been nice!

Yesterday's caller came for a trial run of the craft session for this year's Preparing for Advent, and that was most exciting! So I leave you with a sneak preview. It may be 50 sleeps to Christmas, but it's only fifteen until our second half day of coffee, cookery, craft and Jesus calm for busy women before the full on-slaught begins.

fraise's favourite films of the fortnight

Prince Charming and I actually left strawberries at home (with a responsible adult) last week and went to have our (my) addiction to facebook challenged by The Social Network. Yes indeed! I had been bowled over by Claudia Winkleman's debut on Film 2010, and still had her resounding praise for the script resounding in my head. What a script! I loved the movie. Intelligent, imagery-packed, very challenging time well-spent. I would have to suggest, however, scepticism over closing scene?

This week obviously called for The Family Holiday Film, and the choice was made by Cooking Catherine who wanted to see Despicable Me 3D "with us". I suppose accompanying a family of small boys is the perfect excuse for a family of very quite nearly totally grown-up boys to be there! Fine choice. I worried that it was slightly subtle for the strawberries but they said that they had liked it all- especially the bit where he loses his trousers. We're very much at the toilet humour stage here!

I loved, loved, loved Margo. I want her glasses and her jacket. I did also love Edith's attachment to her hat. I imagine she would feel without it as I do in this trying-to-cut-down-on-facebook stage. Which, in fact, mirrors Mattman's struggle this week to stop sucking his fingers, which in turn necessitates going to sleep without Duckie, but I digress...

I thought one opportunity was lost in the film- Gru should have turned out to be a children's author. I was absolutely convinced that this would be the denouement. Alas no. But it does leave me wondering how many arch villains turn to more constructively creative jobs at times of amoral crisis. Left-handed Housewife- any thoughts?

(This was my now weekly Alphabe-Thursday panic. There being no thought in my head other than surviving half-term and working out what on earth to do about our annual Pumpkin Party being on a busy Sunday...)

E is for exploring while expecting emails

I realised with horror this evening that it was Thursday again. Why does life fly past so much more quickly when you are able for a brief respite to revel in the crisis-free bliss of the ordinary?!

So, having no photos of mine own from Tuesday's Bean Birthday and hence none of my wondrous crochet creation, expecting at every moment to receive an email with a friend's photos, I shall have to extend the word explore for this week's Alphabe-Thursday!

Explore the Argory, County Armagh. National Trust property. Choose a spot underneath this chestnut tree at this time of the year and wait for the wind to blow. Stand clear!

A Danger Down

Turn back all ye from Alphabe-Thursday who want a jolly D. It's a post like this that puts the lachrymose in the fraise! I am very down about danger this week. In our very local news: meningitis, fatal car accident, bomb alerts and homes evacuated across the province.

Is there no stage of life at which the worry stops?

I am challenged by the stoicism, courage and faith of the Chilean miners. They really did find danger deep down. How fabulous is their resurrection. Angela's post, as always, says it all...

C is for the contemplation of conkers

Every day now they come home from a trip down the street to the chestnut trees of the Bowling Green with pocketfuls of conkers. The Autumn plate has been upgraded to an Autumn basket, and since this picture of early morning was taken the candle has been practically submerged below the latest harvest!

However, C should also be for clutter. I thought my Autumnal meditation was the last photo on the camera, but obviously Jo has been snapping in my absence... Hence the full story of life in the Land of the (sometimes tearful) Strawberries- collections of clutter!

Another week, another Alphabe-Thursday!

Belated Books- beware: this is lengthy! Get some tea!

I had promised to talk about brilliant books I read this summer and so once again Alphabe-Thursday prompts me to do what I wanted to do but never did- and at least it's still September! And Left-Handed Housewife might still talk to me if I do!

I actually started with The Outcast by Sadie Jones. C lent it to me one Friday night. I put the boys to bed and started reading at 9.30pm. I rang her at 10.30pm to discuss. I read until it was finished- 2.30am Saturday. I rang her 10am to discuss again! Family and society fail a traumatised child in post-War middle-class England. Harrowing, challenging, obviously influenced by Camus's Outsider but all her own tapestry of pain. With lovely hope as the weft!

Then I got into the car and drove to France. On passenger stints I devoured Family Album by Penelope Lively. C had been totally disturbed to find herself, she thought, a character in Outcast; well I was destroyed by the mother in Album! It's one of a very few books since university that I annotated as I went along!

"This is all she ever wanted: children and a house in which to stow them- a capacious, expansive house... And Denby ovenware and a Moulinex and a fish-kettle and a set of Sabatier knives. She has all of these things and knows that she is lucky. Oh, so lucky." And so obtuse, and so so wonderfully, brilliantly terrifying!

This one I got at a service station somewhere in England, and it sounded interesting. I read it in Brittany,and it was. It articulated much of what I had tenuously formulated from studying French, working in France, teaching French. It explores the differences between cultures, between women, between "natives" and immigrants, between bling bling Sarkozy and what has gone before. I did test out many theories on a French family who came to dinner here in August, and they did concur!

I discovered Barbara Pym one dusty night shelving in the Library last year, and read Excellent Women. I had found this gorgeous reprint last Spring and put it aside for holiday reading- perfect for this: it's entertaining and blithe, but cutting too. Pym makes me think of Cranford with its petty quotidien lives of single women of a certain age who are nonetheless heroines of stoicism and hope. I loved Tame Gazelle, partly because so much of its satire revolves around church life! But it did make me wonder where the feminist literature is now- who celebrates single women? That got me thinking about Margaret Drabble's Millstone, which is obviously a generation ago. But is Lisbeth Salander really the champion of strong, single women today?

And so to Jasper Fforde. I want to like him. I do. It's just such a wade to get through! He took up most of the rest of the holidays! I find myself thinking that these would be good books for the boys when they're older! But you know when you just want to read something that makes you laugh? Still clever and scintillating and all P. G. Wodehouse or Georgette Heyer or Bill Bryson or who?