Tuesday 20 May 2014

Blogallimaufrey

I just walked past a mirror and saw my dad reflected in it.

Now my dad was not an ugly man as looks go; tall, broad, grey haired, with deep grooves running from crooked nose to the corners of his mouth and a naughty twinkle in his eye, when he wasn’t frowning or being choleric. I was always aware of his distinctive face, without ever studying him too closely. His doctor once said that he had the head of a ‘Caesar’. To me, of course, he was just dad. Annoyingly himself. Always.

And now I am him. Oh dear. Not bad for a man but for a woman, not so good.

o-o-o-o

I have been a tardy blogger for weeks. Not that I’ve lost interest, it’s just life being contrary. I may have two gardeners, but one of them, Paul, is one of those people who only need to look at a tool, or swat a wasp, for it to jump up and bite them somewhere painful. Since I’ve employed him he has had blood poisoning from a rose thorn, a swollen arm and near collapse from a poisonous spider bite, something totally unheard of in this region, and now he has cut half his finger off with an electric saw. And lately it’s done nothing but rain on old Gardener’s day, giving him a perfect excuse not to turn up.

o-o-o-o

Then there’s Millie. You’d think an old girl like her would stay away from confrontations. Not Millie. Good-natured and sweet though she is, she is curious and forever sticking her nose in where it’s not wanted. Last thing at night she strolls down to the paddock to see who else is around. Whoever it was she met gave her a thoroughly bloody nose, deep gashes over both eyes, and a small round hole in the side of her face. The first night it didn’t look so bad, but by morning the wounds had became infected and inflamed. She developed large, angry red blisters in her armpits and groin and both ears are lined with pebble-like lesions along the edges. It’s impossible to say who attacked her, fox, badger, a cat, but she certainly didn’t come away victorious. A course of antibiotics was prescribed and then treatment with steroids, to reduce the inflammation. We are back and forth to the Vet’s.

 o-o-o-o

But May has had good aspects too. Social life is picking up. It’s never right though, is it? When people invite us I complain that I’d much rather stay at home, and when they don’t, I complain even more.  Shades of my dad? Theatre outings are high on the list of diversions. Three so far this month; Simon Russell Beale as the National Theatre’s King Lear; then Henry IV, Part I, (Part II still to come), and Roaring Girl at the Swan in Stratford.  There is much to be said for going to see familiar plays; you know them well enough to concentrate on an actor's interpretation of his role and the differences between productions, rather than straining to listen to every word.  But I’d never even heard of ‘Roaring Girl’ before. This Dekker and Middleton comedy written in 1611 is the story of Moll Cutpurse, a cross-dressing protofeminist 300 years ahead of her time. Updating the play to the Victorian 1890s didn’t altogether work; the verbal filth, smells and sounds of Jacobean London which permeate the original play didn’t match my idea of prim and proper Victoria’s city. No ‘ruffianly swaggering and lewd company' in her time. If you believe it.

Just one more play to go before the end of the month.  I’ll try and turn up here a bit more often than once a week too.




45 comments:

  1. Such a mixed bag. I am sorry that Millie has been learning from Paul in her confrontations - and hope both heal quickly.
    Yay for theatre visits. And sadly I do look like my mama. And have my father's feet.

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  2. Life is various, isn't it? My mother was quite a beauty -- I look like my father. I'm going to have to have a look for The Roaring Girl -- I love the title....

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  3. Poor Millie. I'd love to see King Lear. It's my favorite Shakespeare.

    Love,
    Janie

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  4. Oh, Friko, so much danger in your garden. Who knew? Or even suspected? Poor Millie. I hope she heals well.
    For years, I'd walk past store windows and catch a glimpse of..."What's my mother doing there?" but these days I look like my grandmother. If only I had her sweet and gentle nature.
    My brothers (and to some extent my sister) look like Dad. "The Davies nose" they call it.
    Hugs to you and Millie, all the best to your beloved and, as for your garden, may the best man win.
    K

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  5. Just finished (and enjoyed) Nancy Mitford's two books, and Waugh's that you mentioned. I'm glad to know you're all right, and I do so hope that Millie will be fine soon. Please keep me updated! :-)

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  6. Paul sounds like an accident waiting to happen.

    I resemble my maternal aunt so it's something I do or something I say when I reflect my mother and I'm never happy about it when it happens.

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  7. Oh, poor sweet Millie. I'm sure she was trying to protect the fold -- I hope she'll be OK, not get anything nasty from whomever had their way with her.

    Lucky you with all the plays. Oh, how I'd love to see every single one of those, even though I've never heard of Roaring Girl either.

    My gardener comes tomorrow and I have quite the mess for him to work with. Last fall he pulled out all of the black-eyed Susans so I'm a little nervous. He's very thorough! Hopefully less accident prone than Paul.

    It's always nice when you blog -- I love catching up on your world. I just wish the Millie news was better.

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  8. Poor Millie, one has to be so careful about where one puts one's nose these days. Or one's fingers for that matter. I still shudder every time I think about the time I caught sight of my Uncle Reg in the mirror. He wasn't the handsome uncle, but he had a lovely smile. :)

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  9. It's a big surprise when you see a parent's image in yourself. When I saw Dad's image in me I was startled .

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  10. smiles...we were just looking at the schedule for the shakespeare theatre here...
    hope the pups nose gets better...out cat has been in a few scruffs of later...yikes i am glad i am not your gardener sounds like it could be a deadly job...ha

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  11. I think my body type is more like my dad's than my mom's.

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  12. Poor Millie! I hope she'll be alright soon again.
    The bit about the poisonous spider bite scared me - I am going to be in England from next week Friday onwards, and certainly do not want to meet a similar fate as Paul!

    Every time you write about the theatre I think about how often I used to go, and for how many years now I have not been anywhere near a theatre. It's a shame but entirely my own fault. You are right about the advantage of knowing a play and being able to focus on the actors' interpretations of their roles instead of on every single word.

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  13. Life is just one damned thing after another; poor Millie! Your co-gardener sounds like a figure of comedy! I see me da in the mirror too. . . . and enjoy staying home. Yet, May does promise, doesn't she? Promises and remembers. Thanks for sharing today.

    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    =^..^=

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  14. This post made me laugh at both your gardner's and poor Millie's escapades. What a busy time you are having, enjoy every moment.
    Di
    X

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  15. >>didn’t match my idea of prim and proper Victoria’s city. No ‘ruffianly swaggering and lewd company' in her time. If you believe it.<<

    Ha! Not much.... This was the era between Fagin and Jack the Ripper, after all....

    (As time goes by, I do find myself becoming more like both my parents, in speech and habits, if not necessarily in looks; or maybe, at some level, for some reason, one looks for such resemblances).

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  16. I'll be daring and say that gardening isn't the ideal job for Paul, perhaps he should look for something else?
    I hope poor Millie is getting much better, so much damage from a chance encounter with who-knows-what!

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  17. However often or not you blog, your posts are always a joy to read! Your poor gardener and Millie, too -- not a good month for them. But as you said -- not at all a bad month when you are able to go to the theatre and see such wonderful plays. I take after my father's side of the family more than my mother's -- however, different aspects of both of them seem to stare back at me and I never know quite who I'm going to see there in the looking glass!

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  18. Poor Millie ... had she had a run in with a badger ? And poor gardener ... there are so many pointy things in gardens , too .
    Lovely to live near Stratford and good not to miss every chance to go . I find I tend to let things slip by more these days. Pure idleness has set in . I obviously don't just look like my grandmother , these days . I've taken up her sedentary life style , too . Where are the biscuits ?

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  19. Oh, your poor pup!

    Once when I was angry, I caught sight of myself ina mirror and it stopped me cold. There was my father looking back at me. Yikes.

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  20. You know Friko, its not about the number of posts you publish on Blogger - its the fact that when you do, it is always a treasure to hear from you. I love that your Blog is different and I find it educating and also homey and also just darn interesting. I post when I feel like it, no pressure - I do hope your sweet Millie is feeling better and hope you have your gardener back soon. I do understand looking in the mirror and seeing my Dad - I am my Father's daughter allright - Ah well, I yam what I yam :) Have a wonderful day.

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  21. Our theatre is about an hour and half drive from the house and fighitng city traffic all the way, so I am a bit lazy about getting tickets. So sorry about the accidents that seem to be happening at your place. At least you are left untorn and unbroken.

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  22. Poor Millie!! I hope she heals fast and completely. And poor Paul, damn that is quite the series of unfortunate events! Sounds like something out of a comedy movie (although I'm sure he doesn't find it funny!!)

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  23. I never met a dog who didn't want to "see who else is around." I'm sure she'll be okay.

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  24. Friko, I hope that Millie recovers from her encounter...I am thinking that of the recurring line in Cold Comfort Farm about Ada Doom's having "seen something in the...."

    And gardener Paul does seem to have had more than the average number of dangerous encounters.

    Lots of drama round your place. xo

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  25. Poor Millie...sounds as though whatever it was took her by surprise. I hope all the vet stuff works quickly.

    As for 'The Roaring Girl' in Victorian dress...why do producers have to mess about so?
    Do they think that their potential audience won't be able to relate to the seventeenth century? What makes them think that they will relate to the nineteenth...T.V. series about Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper?
    I would prefer directors who don't condescend.

    We had Carmen set in the 1950s here last year....why it was is beyond me...

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  26. Victorian England was not very prim and proper, despite the spin from Victorian writers. Check out The City of Dreadful Delight. You will love it. Seems the Victorians were obsessed with sex. I love Judith Walkowitz.,the author.

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  27. I look like Mom, my sister says she looks like Dad. Sending good thoughts to Millie.

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  28. Good heavens, more than once a week! I think I have accomplished something when I get one out more than twice a month.

    Your poor gardener Paul and your poor dog Millie. May they both be mended soon.

    I don't look like either of my parents, but so much like my aunt that I often am startled, as you were, when I unexpectedly encounter myself in a mirror.

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  29. Oh, poor Millie. I do hope she's better soon. In my case it's my mother who looks back at me from the mirror, though DS resembles my father very strongly, as does his youngest cousin. Genes have a lot to answer for...

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  30. I'm not sure that *Paul* is cut out to be a gardener. As for Millie, she sounds like she's on the mend. Poor baby. And I agree with you about social events. I usually don't want to make the effort, but have to remind myself that when I do, I usually enjoy it. Happy May!

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  31. Hope you'll report on Henry IV!

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  32. Oh dear, ennui and lack of gardening and poor Millie. Enough on your plate.

    XO
    WWW

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  33. Oh dear.. I think you'd better keep Millie from observing Paul. They are both rather accident prone, so it seems. Our Benny encountered something here the other night also.. pretty sure it was a raccoon. Thankfully it was nothing too serious and is healing very quickly. I wish the same for Millie. And of course, your gardener.

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  34. Oh dear, Friko - that's me to a 'T'. Anxious to go out and anxious to stay in. We're off to see Equivocation this evening - a two and a half hour production. I think it's audience abuse, but I can't resist.
    Poor Millie - I hope there are no lasting effects.

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  35. I hope Millie is beginning to heal. Paul, too, although he seems like a walking disaster attraction. Your theatre events sound fascinating. I'm not very fond of changing eras in productions - something is lost.

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  36. Sorry about poor Millie. Sounds painful!

    Glad to "see" you. Your posts are always among my favorites.

    =)

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  37. Ah poor Millie. I shall have to bring her a biscuit next time I visit:)

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  38. Goodness, Paul is very accident-prone. I'm wondering if he might be better off in a less hazardous occupation!

    "When people invite us I complain that I’d much rather stay at home, and when they don’t, I complain even more." Ah yes, a syndrome I recognise. Though on the whole I'm happy with my own company and I don't crave for other people very often.

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  39. I wonder why accident-proneness seems to follow some people. I used to think certain people had more misfortune happen to them purely because they did more. Consequently happenings both good and bad cam their way more than they would for couch potatoes or the generally indolent. However, it does seem to me that given the same amount of activity, some people attract more injuries than others. Perhaps he might be better advised to pursue a career involving less exposure to hazard. Hope the dog is better now.

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  40. When I started reading your post, I thought another one who thinks about her father ! And why just now ? In my diary I have a few pages with just one line "Never become like your father " ! Fortunately physically I inherited my grandma's look. He also was a womanizer I think the women had a bad taste !
    It looks as if you are in your "series noir" which we say here when one bad thing happens after the other. Fortunately our gardener is solid like a rock, but he only comes twice a year for trimming. Your poor old doggie, what a misfortune ! I had that with one of my cats, another male bit his tail nearly off and his face was full of scratches. Poor Arthur almost lost his tail. I like the title "The roaring girl" Would be a nice title for my autobiography, lol !

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  41. Gosh Friko - poor young gardener .. or you perhaps - what is going on in Valley's End with so many 'nasties' occurring ... and then Millie - how very unfortunate and frustrating ..I hope all live souls in your world are improving now and will soon be permanently mended.

    Equally glad the social life is picking up - Spring slowly brings new things to light, and then the summer season kicks in with plenty of interesting choices for theatre, outdoor theatre, good exhibitions et al ...

    I can see my father in me and my brothers, as too my mother in me .. but that's probably a good thing! I've had a few days north of London to catch up with some friends and tomorrow will return to my south coast .. and learning environment, with outings thrown in!

    Enjoy your various plays .. and the 'summer season' .. cheers Hilary

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  42. Many-a-mornimg I awake, look in the mirror, and say " hi Ma"!

    Hope Millie and gardener are on the mend. I've had two gardening friends in as many years who have had blood infections from rose thorns.

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  43. Oh no! I hope Millie will be all better very soon! Poor her! And poor Paul, too - he seems to have a lot of bad luck there. I sure hope that is going to improve, too!
    Have a wonderful Sunday! :)

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