The Day of Judgement...

For a very long time people have been telling me I look like Maureen Lipman! Even on the day, in my early twenties, when I was dressed up doing bridesmaid duty for my friend, her dad wandered up to me and said, "Do you know, you look just like Maureen Lipman?" Now, I'm a huge fan of Ms. L - I have a load of her books, I think she's very funny and all that but it does get a bit weird sometimes (and I won't mention the fact that she's a looooot older than me)!
I hadn't thought about it for a while, until a couple of weeks ago when the lady herself came to our humble town to do a talk or audience with or something like that. I wasn't able to go, but a load of people from the church went - and yes, for the next few days, I got a whole load of "Ooh, did you know, you look just like Maureen Lipman!"
So, faithful readers of the Teapot, this is the moment of truth! Above you will see two pictures - me and the Lipster... so, do I really look like her then?

I have decided...

...to teach myself Latin! I have these mad moments sometimes! It's been brewing for quite a while and the spur came from two entirely different directions. There's all that Latin we come across in everyday life (well, as long as your everyday life has some awareness of football mottos!). I am a Spurs supporter (have I mentioned that at all!) and so 'Audere est Facere' (To Dare is to Do) has been a part of my conciousness for as long as I can remember (never known how to say it properly... but still). Aside from that though - there are those little Latin phrases that get bandied about, and which go sweeping merrily over my head. Nil desperandum! See, I've learnt something already, and this deficiency will soon be resolved.
And then there's the churchy Latin. I'm pretty familiar with Gloria in Excelsis Deo and the names of various parts of the liturgy, but filling in a few of the gaping holes in my knowledge would be very useful in my line of business!
So, I have bought myself 'The Cambridge Latin Course' Books I and II; as well as 'Amo, Amas, Amat... and all that' which has the delightful sub-title How to become a Latin Lover'. We had quite an amusing moment yesterday though when TeenSon came into the study and saw that book on the desk... 'How to become a Latin Lover' he read, "Eh! What's all that about then!" I did explain and put his disturbed mind at rest!

I am in love...

Yes! Today I acquired (by purchase of course, not some other dodgy method) a DAB radio!
And ooh, do I love it. I've always had a thing about radios, and I wouldn't like to say how many old faithful models there are around the house, ranging from my little tranny that travels most places with me to the built-in-to-the-stereo effort. But they have all been usurped (though not abandoned or neglected) by this... my beloved new radio!

Due to my creative imagination (!) I am reminded of 'Toy Story' when poor old Woody was replaced in Andy's affections by Buzz Lightyear. But I learnt from that story and will not allow the old radios to get depressed or be dumped on the top shelf to gather dust! Of course, the new radio had to be called Buzz - even though he doesn't!

And Now For Something Completely Different...

I am conducting a social experiment while sitting here with my cup of tea this evening! It is an experiment in the quality of humour in the modern British psyche... Oh, alright then... I'm just watching 'Russell Brand Live' with a view to seeing if he's actually very funny, or if the 'Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2006' was a one off. I watched that a load of times over Christmas and Russell and team mate Noel Fielding had me nearly wetting myself with laughter every time! (What a horrible expression!)

[Short pause while I turn off the DVD so I can actually concentrate on what I'm saying here!]

Well, I've watched a bit of it and I have to say that I think he's a very funny man - but typically for modern comics - he has to go into the realms of totally gross and 'I really don't want to hear about that!!' The fact that the DVD's an 18 means I was expecting no less... but still, if some of these blokes left some things to the imagination I reckon they'd be brilliant.

The good thing about carrying out your own social experiments is that you can write them up however you like... so my easy-one-step conclusion is this: Russell Brand is very rude in his Live Show but very, very funny on the Big Fat Quiz of the year 2006 - as long as you have the sense of humour of a fruitcake, like me!

For those who didn't experience it... here is an excerpt containing such delights as 'pen,' 'West Ham' and the bonus of Sir Ian McKellen reading a bit of Jade Goody's book (!):



And now, on a completely different note... the cat has decided to adopt the washing basket as a bed... think they own the place!

I think I'll start a new little blog tradition here... 'Comment-at-the-end-of-the-post.*' And today the comment-at-the-end-of-the-post will be: "87% of people cannot spell Minnesota... Minessotta, er, Minnesota... Minneesotta... - but I am one of the 13% who can."

*carefully selected from the store of informative, inspirational, observational, remarkeable and fascinating facts in my head**... and nothing whatsoever to do with having to say something here and not finish with a photo - which always wrecks the page for some reason!

**yes, you can stop laughing now.

Call to Mind the Good Things...

...and be thankful.














Both pictures by Tony at www.lakelandcam.co.uk.

I am sitting indoors on this Saturday morning, nearing the end of my 'holiday' (back to work on Tuesday). I am at home - though at this moment I would dearly love to be where these pictures were taken! TeenSon stayed at a friend's last night so they could head off for the team coach and be away supporters today (while we are absolutely Spurs supporters No.1, we support a couple of 'local' teams as well - good old Stevenage Boro and Leyton Orient - well I can't let anyone think we've deserted our first love can I?!)
And though I'm a morning person it would have been nice to get as much sleep as I needed as I'm not having to do the early lifts to the football ground (and I even had an early night). But just before seven I was woken by a beeping noise coming from outside the house - sounded like something reversing - but I couldn't see anything by the time I got out of bed in a strop! So here I sit with my second cup of tea (about to get the third), which meant I was at least up at just before eight when a parcel was delivered! Amazon have been as efficient and speedy as ever... yesterday I ordered C.S. Lewis's Collected Letters Vol III Narnia, Cambridge and Joy 1950-1963 and here it is!
So despite the fact that I'm not sitting in a beautiful little cottage (or even a grotty one with good views and walks on the doorstep!) in the Lake District, I got woken up early by an annoying beep even though I'm on 'holiday', I've had a stinking cold and chesty thing since just after Christmas, and in a couple of days the daily rush-around begins again... despite those trivial little things (and they are trivial) - I have a lot to be thankful for - even the little things like being able to enjoy the photos at LakelandCam and dream of the next time I can be somewhere like that, a contented son having a great day planned (I hope we win!), a great, and inspiring, book to dip in and out of (keeping to that letter-writing theme see!), and so much more... even on a grumpy day when I'd like to do something nice but don't feel well enough, and have enough washing and ironing to keep me going 'til next Christmas! Bah humbug... but thanks be to God!

Dear Visitor...

I wanted to start the first post of 2007 by saying thank you to everyone who's read and commented on the Teapot over the course of 2006 (well since March anyway, when I made my first typically random post!).
I've talked a bit about resolutions over here so I won't say any more other than to mention the one that stems from what's to follow!

A fair while ago I came across the Helene Hanff book 84 Charing Cross Road and having a bit of a thing about Charing Cross Road, old books and bookshops and English literary classics, I was interested to find and read it (I blogged the buying of it here!). I'd only dipped in and out, and not got round to reading it properly, when the film was fairly recently shown on television, which I recorded and then of course didn't get round to watching... until this week!
I'm having a few days off so found time to sit and watch the film (more than once!) while of course drinking plentiful cups of tea with accompanying chocolate. The book (and film) record the letters, spanning more than 20 years, between Helene Hanff of New York and the staff of Marks & Co. of Charing Cross Road, London. And it's wonderful! I will probably not surprise you when I say that reading and watching have renewed my resolve to get back to letter-writing. I've always loved writing and receiving snail mail, and until fairly recently managed a fair bit... Even with the delights of blogging, e-mail and all - there's nothing like reading and re-reading a personal, hand-written note or letter. And so, even if it only means a few words on a postcard, one new year resolution for me is to send some letters, keep in touch, say hello and keep enjoying the old fashioned ways!

Yours sincerely
Chelley