![]() Well, February. ‘Nuff said. Especially in the UK, that's for sure. It has been a pretty full-on and not necessarily a positive couple of weeks - and that doesn't even include the weather! I won't go into everything as I don’t want to bore you to tears, but it included my car breaking down [at work] and the logistics of getting it to a garage to be fixed (at a cost of £260). I was without the car for over a week - very irritating. Then, two days later Paul’s car started making weird noises so that is booked into the garage later this week too. Ruddy typical! I also had a complete nightmare within my second job-role; a Sports Hall 'customer' was being particularly difficult, and, in the end, I referred the issue to the Committee as I refused to be "harangued" anymore. It completely ruined the whole weekend because, you know what I am like, I worried and worried about it! That was eventually sorted out and I feel somewhat vindicated however, why is there is always one person who can upset the apple-cart? Also I have been really struggling with the on-going vision issue in my left-eye. At the beginning of the month I had an appointment with Professor McNaught at Cheltenham General Hospital's Ophthalmology department....
0 Comments
Having said that, there are limited direct flights to Florence (can you credit it?) and instead there are more to Pisa which then involves trains, buses or taxis for transfers. Now, being of an age where we can't be bovvered with certain things (people, attitudes, faff) we've opted for an additional night's stay, travel with a reputable airline, reasonable flight times and despite an hour's stop each way (at Frankfurt airport funnily enough), we are landing at Florence airport. In the grand scheme of things the difference in price is negligible and it also affords us more time in the city itself. Win-win!
YIPPEE!
Oh well. So, on this dull, grey and cold day I’m donning multiple layers and the posh Barbour wellies and trudging off to the greenhouse for take stock! With a cuppa - obvs. *taken from a piece by Alice Vincent in 2021, for the Penguin books website.
So, that aside, Marjariasana (Cat Pose) gets its name from the Sanskrit words marjari, meaning cat, and asana, meaning pose. It is an easy forward-kneeling pose, that is used as a warm-up pose to prepare the body for higher level and intense Yoga practices. In cat pose, a gentle stretch begins from the neck to the lower back that makes our core muscles work together; coming down to the floor on hands and knees and then arching the back up (cow pose), then round it down. It mainly tones the core & spinal muscles and increases their flexibility. Like all elements of yoga, it can help improve mobility and strengthens mental health and is cat-egorically a good basis for more advanced techniques and flows.
My new role is as PA / EA to the MD at J Rigg Construction. It is a part-time role (afternoons) and it is based just this side of Broadway, so only about 8 miles away. For those friends who are overseas - Broadway is a very pretty “go to” Cotswolds village, full of chocolate-box Cotswold stone cottages with thatched roofs and roses around the door!
Riggs Construction do fabulous projects - for example, one estate started off with a £3 million budget but over the next six years it became £7m...! GULP! At the moment, apparently, the trendy place-to-be is the area surrounding Chipping Norton (Oxfordshire) where the uber life-style venue [i.e. pretentious] is SoHo Farmhouse (“Surrounded by 100 acres of Oxfordshire countryside, Soho Farmhouse is a rural escape offering food and drinks, wellness experiences and outdoor activities”.). Also, Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm and Farm Shop are at Chadlington – this is the “Clarkson’s Farm” as aired on Amazon Prime. Also, the Beckhams’ estate is at the village of Great Tew, and that’s in the same pocket of the Cotswolds. Anyway, Riggs Construction have a number of rural estates or country houses that they are renovating, or building, or conserving for members of the great and the good … but I am sure there will an expectation of confidentiality from anyone linked to the various projects. However, it should be interesting. I still have my Sports Hall job too and, as you know, that is self-employed and predominantly when-I-want-to-do-it, so that's good. Therefore, I am still a part-time employee in the general sense but, in all honesty, this is just what I need at the moment whilst adjusting to the eye trauma and everything else that has been going on for the past couple of years. I start the new role on 11th November… wish me luck!
During the talk Monty Don shared “his passion for gardens and the unique role they play in human inspiration and wellbeing”. As my friend said, Monty’s approach was “engaging” with a balance of fun and levity as well as serious observations. It was not a lecture on gardening per se but more about life, love and the universe! As the website says “a timely and thought-provoking celebration of the ever-surprising and comforting presence of nature”. The Malvern talk was the first in a run of 24 shows (see Talks & Events).
Starting in Madrid and working his way north through the verdant gardens of Galicia, the Basque country and Barcelona, Monty then heads south to the rugged tropical climes of Mallorca, Alicante, Andalucia, Malaga, and Seville. It's a chance for him to explore how Spain has evolved from the darker days after the civil war to its successful transition to democracy over fifty years ago, tracing those changes through its gardens - from the more conventional gardens created after the war to the rich and inventive approaches of contemporary designers. Accompanied by Derry Moore's stunning photography, Spanish Gardens is a remarkable and personal journey through one of the most popular country destinations on earth”.
On the RHS website, Clare Matterson, RHS Director General is quoted saying:
“Along with RHS Ambassador and fellow plantsman Jamie Butterworth, whose dog, Hector won lots of fans at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival last year, Monty will create a garden both for dogs– with a lawn for rolling and playing, but also, about dogs – with an area exploring some of the less dog-friendly plants to avoid. Her Majesty the Queen’s adopted Jack Russell Terriers, Beth and Bluebell, will also feature in the garden, their names inscribed on the garden path, along with beloved pets of RHS Ambassadors and Radio 2 presenters”. RHS Chelsea Flower Show runs from 20-24 May 2025
Worcester Cathedral has 42 misericords. These hinged oak seats tip up to form a ledge on which the monks could lean for support while standing for long periods during services. Thirty-nine of these seats date from the 14th century and show a variety of images from the bible, mythology and folklaw, featuring many fantastic animals and a complete set of the Labours of the Months. The word misericord comes from the Latin misericordia, meaning pity or mercy. There are a number of notable people associated with the Cathedral, such as:
|
Archives
August 2023
|