London

London by A.S.J. Tessimond (1902-1962)

I am the city of two-divided cities

Where the eyes of rich and poor collide and wonder;

Where the beggar's voice is low and unexpectant,

And in the clubs the feet of servants are soft on the carpet

And the world's wind scarcely stirs the leaves of The Times.

I am the reticent, the private city,

The city of lovers hiding wrapped in shadows,

The city of people sitting and talking quietly

Beyond shut doors and walls as thick as a century,

People who laugh too little and too loudly,

Whose tears fall inward, flowing back to the heart.

I am the city whose fog will fall like a finger gently

Erasing the anger of angles, the strident indecorous gesture,

Whose dusk will come like tact, like a change in conversation,

Violet and indigo, with strings of lemon streetlamps

Casting their pools into the pools of rain

As the notes of the piano are cast from the top-floor window

Into the square that is always Sunday afternoon.

2012

positively magnificent

The British weather this summer has not been good. There has been a lot of rain, so much that the hose pipe ban has been lifted. This passage from a birthday book made me smile.

"Have you observed," began Evelyn with a giggle, "that Mrs. Thatcham's one criterion of a beautiful day is whether or not it is possible to see across as far as the Malton Downs? 'Can you, or can you not, see across to the Malton Downs?' -that is the only question. For the farther you can see, - why, the more beautiful the day! And not the day only, either, for the beauties of the landscape, and the countryside also, hinge entirely on the answer to that question."

Evelyn sniggered, and continued, warming to her subject: "Thus, if it is possible for Mrs. Thatcham to see two counties at once from the top of the hill, then the view from there is a fine one, -the country exceedingly lovely. If three counties are visible at the same time, it is then more lovely than ever, - the country-side positively magnificent, and so on and so forth." Julia Strachey Cheerful Weather for the Wedding

view

What are your criteria for a beautiful day?

Absolute Bliss

Even though we are no longer in our thirties I hope to still have moments like these...

"Although Bertha Young was thirty she still had moments like this when she wanted to run instead of walk, to take dancing steps on and off the pavement, to bowl a hoop, to throw something up in the air and catch it again, or to stand still and laugh at - nothing - at nothing, simply.
What can you do if you are thirty and, turning the corner of your own street, you are overcome, suddenly, by a feeling of bliss - absolute bliss! - as though you'd suddenly swallowed a bright piece of that late afternoon sun and burned it in your bosom, sending out a little shower of sparks into every particle, into every finger and toe?..." Katherine Mansfield Bliss in Something childish but very natural

unknown

In fact I hope they continue forever...

True Love

Wislawa Szymborska. Somewhere I read this poem. I loved it so much I searched for my own copy. When I read about the death of Polish Nobel Laureaute, Wislawa Szymborska I knew who she was, felt sad and reached for my book of her poems.

True Love

True Love. Is it normal,

is it serious, is it practical?

What does the world get from two people

who exist in the world of their own?

true love

..........

Look at the happy couple.

Couldn't they at least try to hide it,

fake a little depression for their friends' sake?

Listen to them laughing - it's an insult.

The language they use - deceptively clear.

And their little celebrations, rituals,

the elaborate mutual routines-

it's obviously a plot behind the human race's back!

true love

............

True love. Is it really necessary?

Tact and common sense tell us to pass over it in silence,

like a scandal in Life's highest circles.

Perfectly good children are born without its help.

It couldn't populate the planet in a million years,

it comes along so rarely.

True Love

...............

Wislawsa Szymborska

I believe in Pink

So this time last year it was my very very lovely hen night. I think you know by now how important my girlfriends are to me so this was an extra special day. Being a quote and gift girl and by way of saying 'Thank you for your continued friendship' and because the theme was 'pink', a truly favourite colour of mine. I decided to give each dear friend a single pink rose, a cherry cupcake recipe and this quotation..

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing
is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing,
kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when
everything seems to be going wrong. I believe
that happy girls are the prettiest girls.
I believe that tomorrow is another day
and I believe in miracles."

Audrey Hepburn

We met for afternoon tea here.

My what delicious food, pink champagne, friendship we had...

And then a red velvet cake.... with heart sparklers

Peonies - my favourite flower in teapots...

After eating loads, drinking lots of pink champagne we left with a goodie bag and went to a private room at The Perseverance for more fizz, food and friendship.

Thank you for a lovely evening x

Laughter

Oh I am really enjoying reading That Mad Ache by Francoise Sagan.
'Enough cannot be said for of the benefits, the dangers, and the powers of shared laughter. It is no less central to love than are affection, desire and despair.' Francoise Sagan That Mad Ache

laughter

Who did you share laughter with today?