Guess what? The sun is shining!

There are even some of these coming out in the garden! Such a relief after a really dire winter, even if it is not set to last. I woke up this morning, pulled back the curtains, and saw bright sunshine and a thin coating of frost on the garden and the cars in the street. Just as it should be on the 1st of March.Somehow it raises the spirits, which need some raising at the moment.

Yesterday was a bit of an ‘Ooops’ day! I was one of a team who had arranged to go down to the Museum to ‘mark’ some of the pots from a local dig. We turned up all enthusiastic and raring to go only to discover that the bags we had been given had all, already, been marked. A bit of a cock-up somewhere! There was supposed to be a photo here of all of us beavering away, but no go. So I’ve used this instead. I won’t attempt to put anything in the ‘thought bubble’. Not really suitable! We do have a lot of activities arranged at the Museum this year for our 10th anniversary, one of which is a ‘Tea and Cakes’ function tomorrow afternoon. Guess where we are going to be! There has been some debate about the future of the Museum due to the funding of the building we are currently occupying. When I did my ‘morning shift’ today I was given to understand that progress has been made. It seems the local library is to move in with us, and form a sort of Cultural Hub for the town. Now that is a sensible, brilliant, idea.

My great-grandson Callum is going to be all of one on Monday! They grow so quickly don’t they. It only seems like yesterday I was sorting out a present for my first grandchild, his father Michael. He and Jodie are such devoted parents. It’s a joy to see.

The bad weather has been a mixed blessing in some ways. The worst we got was some very high winds. Unfortunately the two worst days were succeeding Wednesdays, which meant I missed my Latin classes, (far too dangerous to drive along the country roads) followed by another week missed for half term. Back again last Wednesday I really noticed how much it had slipped, and I really struggled. My next job when I have finished this is to get on with the homework, and keep my fingers crossed that some of it comes back to me! On the plus side, some fence panels came crashing down in the garden, but on the side that belongs to a neighbour. Bless her, she has replaced the whole side with very high quality fencing, so we definitely came out ahead. Having good neighbours is such a boon.

This is the next proposed ‘serious’ visit, to the British Museum for the Viking Exhibition. If it is anywhere near as good as the Pompeii one was last year it will be well worth the trip to London. I was lucky enough to see that one twice. The cost of being a Member at the BM may not be cheap, but it does mean we don’t have the hassle of booking for the major exhibitions.

I start a new FutureLearn free on-line course on Monday. This one is about Shakespeare and His Time. I hope this means more about ‘his time’ and not quite so much about ‘his work’ as the Hamlet one I have just finished! I don’t find Shakespeare a joy to read, he is meant to be seen on stage. Having said that, with the high cost of so much further education, these free courses are a joy. But right now, it’s on with the Latin – also free!

Late again!

Since I finished my formal studies, when I managed about 10 years worth without once running out of time on an assignment, I am finding it increasingly difficult to hit my own, self-imposed, deadlines! My excuse is that this blog is for my own amusement, and the chance to try out the various technological skills – such as using pictures – which I still find a bit of a challenge. I know, but I am a bit of a techno-idiot! Anyway, here goes for the latest instalment!

Talking about 10 years, it seems very strange to think that it was just over 10 years ago that I wrote to the then Chairman of the newly formed Alcester Roman Museum, David Moulson, offering my services as a volunteer. I thought that, as a Classical Studies student, with a particular interest in the Romans, I might have something to offer. I was certain that I would find it interesting. He must have thought I had something to offer, and I did find it interesting. Run entirely by a squad of volunteers, the museum opened in 2004, so this year is our 10th birthday.  We mean to celebrate in some style. This is our logo for the year. The figure is Clodius, who appears in a lot of our literature, in leaflets about tours of the town, and in the educational aids the section who run school visits use. He makes things just that little more personal, and closer to the people who lived here 2000 years ago. The highlight of the opening year was when Guy de la Bedoyere, Roman historian, TV personality etc, came to formally open proceedings. This year we have author Lindsey Davis coming to talk to us, along with a programme of events throughout the year. The Museum, while providing an extremely good service to the local, and not so local, schools, also has a programme of talks by various Roman experts for the adult volunteers, who do so much to ensure the museum runs smoothly. These have varied between local enthusiasts and academics, all of whom have donated their expertise for just the very basic expenses. Thanks to them all! They have enlivened proceedings and imparted much extra knowledge.

Apart from the museum anniversary it is also the year of my biannual school reunion in Somerset. It never fails to amaze me how far the old girls are willing to travel to attend these events. This year, as in previous years, girls are travelling from New Zealand and Canada, partly, if not entirely, to spend a weekend in May in the wilds of Somerset in the company of a lot of ‘ladies of a certain age’! If it’s anything like previous years it will be a hoot. The committee do a splendid job, arranging events that bring back so many happy memories.

With awful weather and floods all over the country we have been pretty lucky here – so far anyway! Alcester used to be prone to pretty horrendous floods. This is one of the worst, not so very long ago. However, subsequent to these events, flood relief work was put into action. The result has been stupendous! Dreadful weather, though not as much rain as in some areas, but very little flooding. Congratulations to whoever it was who pushed through the work, and for the engineers who did so well. But I do feel sorry for those who have not been so lucky. I know the Somerset Levels well, having spent my formative years in that part of the country. It makes me so angry that the hard-working farmers of the area are being so short-changed. Why is it that nobody in power ever bothers to listen to the people on the ground? The farmers have been there for generations, and know how the local topography works. Dredging has worked for years, why stop doing it? Because some politico in Westminster thinks there are more votes in the ecological lobby than in the farmers? It’s the same with housing developments on flood plains. Why do they continue to allow it? All they have to do is listen to the locals. They know their area much better than government ministers, and often than the local MP, who has been parachuted into a ‘safe’ seat for party political reasons. I know we need more, and better, housing, but it’s not better if it is in imminent danger of flooding each and every time we get a real deluge. This is even more important at a time where the weather seems to be getting more extreme. I saw, somewhere, a suggestion that insurance companies could invest in flood defences in order to cut costs for them in terms of payouts. Even better would be if they charged new flood plain houses exorbitant rates for insurance against flood to deter people from buying new houses on the flood plains. Then the developers would not be able to sell their houses, and perhaps stop them building in the wrong place.  Would that work? Probably not. The best solution is to not allow developers to appeal to Westminster for permission to build when it has been refused by local councils.

My Latin lessons have taken quite a turn. We have all signed up to do the GCSE course (though not all, including me, intend to actually take the exam.) This has changed the nature of the lessons, where things have got a bit more ‘serious’, or as serious as any lesson with Neil could be! The one thing that has helped me is the fact that the Latin we are reading is telling the story of Agrippina and Nero, and his matricide. At least I know the story and can make some educated guesses! I am finally beginning to make some REAL headway, though my memory is still not enough to take the exam. That’s never been of much importance. I just want to feel I am making progress in one of my most difficult disciplines – languages!

New beginnings

My new acquisitions! Aren’t they just splendid? Victorian Staffordshire Flat backs of Dick Turpin and Tom King.  These were ‘acquired’ at a local auction just before Christmas. I was so lucky – the ‘other bidder’ was a dealer who knew to a nicety exactly how much he needed to pay to ensure selling on at a profit, happily just £2.50 less than my upper limit! I hope I would have stopped if he hadn’t but, in the excitement of the moment I’m not sure I would! The heat of the moment is a very heady time. Note to self – make sure next time I go to an auction (and I will, I’ve got the bug!) make sure Prudence in the form of husband Paul, is sitting beside me not in the row behind!

2013 ended on a very happy note. I took my two youngest grandchildren to see Wendy and Peter Pan at the RST, something I have done for years with different grandchildren as they get older. The first one was Michael, now 22, to see The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Hopefully, by the time the younger ones get too old, his son Callum will be old enough! This production was enormous fun, and put Wendy firmly in the driving seat! My youngest grandson, Jack aged all of 8, was sure he was much too old for Peter Pan – but spent the whole of the performance on the edge of his seat in excitement! Sister Jodie, now coming up to teenager, was far less blasé and knew she would enjoy it! 

The last year has been a bit mixed. I spent a lot of it trying to persuade my GP to prescribe a vitamin D injection so lost a whole summer! But when it did arrive it made such a huge difference I was just grateful. Just sad to have ‘lost’ such a wonderful summer. A week spent in Yorkshire with my brother and sister-in-law was slightly marred by my inability to walk any great distance, but it was still a splendid time. It is one of my favourite counties, huge and diverse. My favourite place in the entire world is there, Bolton Abbey near Ilkley. I remember visiting once when there was a recording of Gregorian chants on a continuous loop. One of the most moving things I have ever heard, in splendid surroundings. Golf has been a bit sparse last year too, lack of energy again. However, on the upside, I have several Acorn rounds left to carry over to 2014! It’s not all bleak:)) Note to self – must book a lesson with the splendid Adam before the new season starts.

Now for 2014. Instead of Yorkshire we are to visit another favourite county, Somerset. It’s the biennial school reunion this year and we are planning to stay a little longer then the weekend. This is the Coomb House Hotel in Holford near Bridgwater. We stayed there for the last reunion a couple of years ago, and it really is splendid. So we have booked a couple of extra days to explore all the old places, and rekindle a few happy memories. What is so amazing is how little the surrounding countryside has changed. I can still find my way around relying on memories from so long ago. Somehow this is comforting, but I am not sure why.

Academically 2013 was a bit different, and 2014 seems to be going a similar way. The Latin classes continued, and will continue, and the Romans will continue to be of huge interest. (The Roman Museum in Alcester has its 10th birthday this year, with all the attendant celebrations!) But I have also been taking an on-line medieval course about the time of Richard lll, and have signed up for another on Shakespeare’s times. All to keep the old brain ticking over!

2014 sees me reaching one of ‘those’ birthdays with a nought at the end of it:(( However, I am not alone. There are a very large number of my golf club friends who were born the same year. It has been suggested we have a special round of golf for the 1944’ers! That really sounds like fun:))

On a down note I seem to have lost a friend this year. All I can say is that I am sad, but I wish her luck in her future endeavours.

But to finish this first blog of 2014 can I just wish my friends and family a happy and prosperous new year. I like this sentiment!

A new interest?

It’s always nice to take up a new interest. This time it’s not really ‘new’, just an extension. I’ve been fascinated by  history for as long as I can remember. At school it tended to be ‘the Tudors and the Stuarts’ ad infinitum.  When I started my Open University career I thought this would be my strength, taking a couple of courses focussing on the Reformation and the Renaissance, until I inadvertently stumbled on the ancient Greeks, and so onto the Romans, my real love. Now, looking for  something to keep my brain ticking over during the winter, I’ve started on a short course called Richard lll, which should actually be more accurately called The Wars of the Roses. It is, in fact, a very basic introduction to the medieval world, and very fascinating it is too. What is so interesting is the way nothing has changed in 600 years. The poll tax caused an uprising in 14th century, probably contributing to the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381, and almost caused another revolt in 1990, causing Margaret Thatcher enormous problems. Shortage of labour after the ravages of the Black Death led to changes in methods of agriculture, discontent amongst the labour force, and problems between workers and employers. Now it’s not shortage of workers, but shortage of work, leading to discontent. I wait with anticipation to find out ‘what happens next’. The course is so structured that only one week at a time is released so I can’t ‘read ahead’! The reason for this is, presumably, because part of the structure of the course is an ongoing discussion, and for that to work the participants need to be at about the same place at the same time.

This is something else that has been taking my attention at the moment, a book about a trip around Britain visiting nearly all the Roman sites in the country. A beautifully written book, more of a travelogue than a history book, but full of all sorts of snippets of information. I say nearly all because Charlotte Higgins blue camper van did not manage to find its way to the small Roman town of Alcester in Warwickshire where I volunteer at the Roman Museum! Perhaps she could make a special trip next year for our tenth birthday celebrations!

The next major happening is, of course, the dreaded run up to Christmas! It creeps up on me every year. Each time I decide I will start early, and each time it’s suddenly the beginning of December and I have done very little. Well, I did buy some cards a few months ago, and have only just remembered where I put them. I have several to go abroad, so I had better get cracking or they won’t arrive until the New Year! Just in case I don’t get done in time, can I wish everyone a Happy Christmas, and a Prosperous New Year.

Finally, things are looking up!

This may look a bit of an odd title, but it’s exactly how I feel at the moment. Things really are looking up. Let me start at the end. In an earlier post I wrote about the problems getting tickets to see David Tennant as Richard ll. Well, yesterday was the day, and it really was worth all the effort to procure them. Davis Tennant is always good value – he really is a splendid actor – but the icing on the cake was the wonderful Oliver Ford Davies as the Duke of York. I have seen him numerous times, but never has he let the audience down. This picture is not from the current production, but from the last time David Tennant was in Stratford, playing Hamlet. He was a splendid Polonius in a very starry-casted production. We even had good seats with a wonderful view, and, the best bit of all, it didn’t rain! And, joy of joys, driving in all the traffic lights were at green! What more can one ask?

The night before was the start of this years ‘serious’ Latin classes. It has been decided, with perhaps a misplaced sense of optimism, to aim for the GCSE, instead of just meandering our way through one of the many Latin courses available. The idea is to focus the mind! We shall see. We don’t have to actually take the exam, but……? As I said, we shall see! I do enjoy the Latin classes. The group are fun, and the teacher is excellent. But we really need to buckle down a little to get the best out of it.

But perhaps the best of the ‘looking up’ relates to my health. I posted a while back on the subject of doctors penchant for the phrase ‘it’s your age’! Well, it wasn’t! It took me six months but I finally got my doctor to prescribe the vitamin D injection suggested by the consultant he had sent me to! I am now a new woman. Seriously! Almost immediately my legs stopped feeling as if they didn’t want to work, and actually carrying me where I wanted to go. Without effort! The only downside is that I have just about ‘lost’ the entire summer, and winter is nearly upon us. So golf is not a sensible option at present – far too wet! I am just lucky that I am a stubborn woman, and flatly refuse to lie down and let people walk all over me. I’m not sure I didn’t get the prescription just to get rid of me! We ‘oldies’ have to stand up for ourselves because no-one else will. Sad but true.

Christmas is creeping (or do I mean galloping?) towards us. What is it? Six weeks? I really shall have to do something about thinking about it. Not DOING anything, just THINKING about it! I did buy some Christmas cards a while back. Where did I put them?! I like this picture, but lets just hope it’s not a forecast of things to come too  soon!

 

Atlantis

I got around to watching the first episode of this last night, having previously recorded it, so I had already seen a few of the comments and reviews. They seemed to be pretty evenly split between those who loved it, and those who were spitting feathers about the liberties taken with the ancient myths. What the majority of them failed to take into account was the target audience. Only one – that I have seen so there may be others – pointed out that the audience was definitely NOT the classicist, but the couch potato sitting on the sofa filling in the time between Strictly and Casualty. These people would not know the difference between one myth or another, so mixing them up for entertainment value is certainly not a cardinal sin. And boy, was it good entertainment! The three leads are a wonderful mix, Jason, as handsome and buff as any other hero, Pythagoras as nerdy as they come, but brave when needed,  and Hercules run to fat and cowardly! If the programme sold itself as a documentary that would be different, but it has never purported to be anything of the sort. The series is produced by the same company that brought us Merlin, and that, also based on a well-known myth, passed almost without comment. They have taken a story where the character names would be familiar, and played around with them to fabulous effect. One problem is that the world of the classicist is a fairly narrow one, and has a tendency towards navel gazing. Why should the ancient world be exempt from ‘historical tampering’? Myths are, after all, just that, stories with little basis in fact and interpreted even in  ancient times in many different ways. If you give it some thought, Hollywood blockbusters have been driving a coach and horses through history for years. You only have to think about Mel Gibson as William Wallace! And what about all those WWll  films with the good ol’ US Marine Corps riding to the rescue before they had even entered the war! My husband, who is interested in maritime history, tells me that the film Master and Commander also had liberties taken with it. The supposedly unsinkable ship was, in fact, American, and the action took place during the war against America in 1812. The timescale was moved so the ship could be French because the filmmakers decided it wasn’t a good idea to have the English fighting the Americans. Why is anybody’s guess.

Having said all that, in my humble opinion, even as an ancient historian (I have never called myself a classicist) I loved this episode, and hope that the rest of the run is even half as good. It has that appearance of a stonking great hit, and more power to it’s elbow.

On a different subject, this weekend sees the start of the Cheltenham LitFest. We are going on three different days, the first one being this Sunday, to see something completely for the fun of it, Armstrong and Osman of Pointless fame. Okay, not very erudite, but we do also have tickets for Mary Beard, a session on reading Ovid – in Latin, Max Hastings on WWl, and other more serious offerings. As with the Atlantis production, sometimes something is good enough just because it is fun, not because it is boringly historically accurate, and worthy! A smile is priceless.