It has been quite an active couple of days!
First of all, I gave bookseller John a print of my photo of him and Sugar, his poor departed dog. He pronounced it "a bonzer!" (Apparently that's a good thing -- an Australian term, which is curious because I'm 99 percent sure John isn't Australian.) He propped it up on his book table with some other items of Sugar memorabilia. Sugar's spirit lives on!
On Tuesday night, Dave and I had our friends Gordon and Donna over for dinner. We took the coffee table out into the garden and dined al fresco, enjoying the cool summer evening. Olga provided some excitement when an addled pigeon clumsily tumbled down and landed a few feet away -- she ATTACKED it and got a mouthful of feathers before I pulled her off. The pigeon fluttered away to a corner of the garden, and we concluded something was wrong with it (even before it encountered Olga's jaws). The dog didn't bother it again, and it was gone by morning.
Yesterday, Dave and I went to see "The Happy Prince," Rupert Everett's movie about the last years of Oscar Wilde. It was interesting, and certainly showed the darker sides of Wilde and his erstwhile love, Bosie. Everett's portrayal of Wilde was somewhat grating, but perhaps that's true to the writer's personality. Dave's unsympathetic review: "Were gay people back then really that annoying? No wonder they got arrested!"
Otherwise I've been doing a lot of reading and journal transcribing, which has entailed sitting on the couch and in the garden for hours at a time. (So, OK, not that active.) Things are going to get busier today and tomorrow, with Trump's visit to the UK. Dave and I plan to join anti-Trump demonstrations both days.
Meanwhile, the UK has had its own political chaos this week, with certain conservative members of Theresa May's cabinet -- notably Boris Johnson, London's former mayor -- resigning over Brexit differences. (This damned completely unnecessary Brexit!) I can't pretend to know what it all means, except more Tory infighting. And then England lost its World Cup match last night, which was a heartbreaker.
On a lighter note, it's blackberry season! We have tons of ripening berries on our vines, and I picked this first handful a few days ago.
I just learned that Tab Hunter died last Sunday. I read his fascinating autobiography a little more than ten years ago -- all about being every girl's heartthrob while secretly gay in very closeted '50s Hollywood. Tab was a looker when he was young!
(Top photo: Streetlight shadows in Kennington, South London.)
Oh no! Tab Hunter, he absolutely fitted my idea of a heart throb when I was a girl. And he had a horse named Swizzlestick. It was a close run thing between Tab and his horse as to where my main affections lay... Tab was gorgeous looking.
ReplyDeleteAnd to bonzer, you can add goodoh and whacko in the Australian vernacular.
Alphie
Tab Hunter bought back a few memories, I remember him as so good looking. lol
ReplyDeleteGlad I wasn't there when the bird fell out of the tree, I would have been so upset.
I often wonder what happens to birds when they die, you never see them littered about do you? I realise that the carrion birds probably eat them but I would have thought that you would have seen one or two.
Just thinking, lol
Briony
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I have heard that Al Fresco was a closet heterosexual.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking a stand (literally) against Trump. He is one of the most vile human beings on the planet, and so are all his spawn and the so is the woman who takes his money to stay married to him.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Australian slang word is "daggy".
I would like to see the Sugar shrine. You have to have a soft spot for a man who loves his dog that much.
Tab Hunter never really entered my radar. No idea why. He was gorgeous, though.
ReplyDeleteI want to meet Dave. His assessment of Oscar Wilde in the movie cracked me up.
I am so proud of you guys for protesting. I would wish that everyone in London showed up on the streets. The man is too vile for words. Thank you for doing your part.
I would imagine that the fox got your pigeon. Was Olga surprised when she finally got her mouth on a bird?
You have been busy! I can't wait for pictures from the protest rally!
ReplyDeleteThank you for protesting Trump and doing what you can to help push back against his evil.
ReplyDeletePoor pigeon. We've had a small hawk hanging around in the trees in our yard, probably keeping a close eye on the birdfeeders. I know it needs to eat, too, but I hope I don't see him if he snatches a smaller bird.
Demonstrate, by all means demonstrate. Trump will say something stupid about demonstrations and carry on but demonstrations help people to be active and when the time of judgement comes they are ready to campaign and get rid of the guy.
ReplyDeletewell, I echo everyone else's opinions of Trump and demonstrating. he is a horrible human being. Olga was probably just as surprised as you about the pigeon.
ReplyDeleteVery kind of you to bring the photo of Sugar for the Sugar shrine. I remember Tab Hunter. He was so handsome when I was young and he was a true movie star. I'm wondering what may have made that pigeon fall.
ReplyDeleteMy first wife had a teenage crush on Tab Hunter. Your blackberries are beautiful. What a treat from your garden.
ReplyDeleteWatching the NATO footage I very nearly didn't get my eyes rolled back around to the front of my head after the Trump parts :)
ReplyDeleteYou have the hands of a piano player
ReplyDeleteEverything about this post is delightful! Those blackberries - so pretty. Dave’s comment - ha ha ha. I don’t envy you trumps visit.
ReplyDeleteAlphie: I love that you remember Tab Hunter's HORSE! He apparently really loved horses and kept several of them. Australians have such interesting vocabularies!
ReplyDeleteBriony: Yeah, I think something gets them pretty promptly -- a fox or another predator.
YP: The shame!!!
Vivian: I'll try to photograph it the next time John is out at his table.
Ms Moon: You and Mr. Moon would love Dave. One of these days we'll make it happen!
Sharon: Photos will be forthcoming!
Jennifer: Yeah, I always feel bad when I see predators doing their thing (like the spider with the bee the other day). But yeah, it's just nature, right?
Red: Trump will mock or ignore (publicly) the demonstrations, but knowing his ego, you can bet he'll be paying attention to them.
Ellen: We'll be out there!
Robin: Yeah, I can't imagine. Maybe it was ill or injured, although it fluttered away under its own steam.
Catalyst: I can't blame her!
Jenny-O: He never misses an opportunity to be an international embarrassment.
John: I took piano lessons as a kid, but if I have the hands, I still don't have the patience!
Joanne: Yeah, I'll be glad when it's over, honestly. Unfortunately it appears he will leave lingering political effects, like a bad smell, even after he departs,
Oooh, Olga is having a week! I wonder what set her off with that pigeon? Dining al fresco in the garden at twilight sounds absolutely divine.
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