TTFN

Meet our poor pooch who has just had a small operation on his back paw - see the bright blue bandage. He is attempting to sleep, although at the time of the photo was still under the effects of the anaesthetic. He is well and fairly happy but is not cut out for an Elizabethan ruff - he detests the head cone.


Many apologies to bloggers out there whom I regularly follow, and who may have noticed that I have failed to leave comments on their lovely blogs, apart from anything else my computer is playing silly bs and is overheating like mad. You could fry an egg on my keyboard should you be so minded!!

Life is pretty full on chez View From Here at the moment. I shall wish you au revoir for a while, sending all good wishes to you all. A bloggy break is called for, I am running out of steam.

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL - BUT!!

Last night it rained, then it snowed, then it rained again, which has filled our pavements with grey freezing slush. What to do? apart from staying in with the heating turned up. As you well know such days can be pretty lacklustre, plans get put on the back burner and you feel a bit deflated. But ' hey nonny nonny ' (or words to that effect) did you know there is a website called digital theatre .com

http://www.digitaltheatre.com/production


You can for a reasonable fee (£3.99) watch a brilliant theatre production online.


Then you can recline like the goddess you undoubtedly are (although I would add a few more clothes if I were you it is jolly nippy round here) and watch David Tennant  strut his stuff. With hindsight the extra padding may not be a good idea, David Tennant has been known to raise many a young ladies temperature! 

AND whilst having your morning bath you can send someone out to fetch a few essentials 

There you are the day feels less drab now doesn't it................


PS  SOME people may have already seen the above production  'live' Yes you know who you are!!

GET THE PICTURE

" I like the word 'indolence' it makes my laziness seem classy "
                           BERN WILLIAMS

I was having a little ponder the other day as you do and I came to the conclusion that I am becoming terminally lazy. There are lots of things that I would like to do, there are things that I am interested in (apart from gazing at the inner side of a toilet bowl as I attempt to make it bright and shiny - fun though it is I think I have had my fill!) Indeed there are things I USED to do, back in the day, but a domestic life filled with dogs, house and children seems to have sapped my oomph - no more I cry!!

SO in an attempt to lighten things up around here, which is my raison d'etre this year, there shall be much more of the following:


1. Simply sublime artwork

' Works on Paper ' Art Fair - Science Museum London - 31st Jan  - 3rd February
Rosie Saunders (b 1944) IRIS series 7 Watercolour - exhibitor Coombe Gallery

Serious ballet (my daughter has been trying to talk me into going to the ballet for many a long year, my usual response is "oh yes we will soon" and of course ' soon ' never comes. I used to go occasionally before I married and have never bothered since TUT!

Darcey Bussell (photo via Google images)

I never got around to seeing the divine Darcey Bussell in her heyday and I much regret it.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

We have two excellent orchestras in nearby cities - there is NO excuse, to say nothing of the architecture at the Philharmonic Hall.

Royal Shakespeare Company (Ian Mckellan as Romeo - Francesca Annis as Juliet)

I actually saw the above production way back in the 70's before Mr McKellen became a SIR and grew a very long beard. The odd weekend away is far from out of the question

'

' LINUS ' Lady Lever Gallery Port Sunlight Wirral Merseyside

The Lady Lever Gallery is a wonder, we used to take the children when they were much younger, now we can walk around and take in the exhibits at our leisure. It was established by William Hesketh Lever, the soap powder baron and is said to be the best surviving example of late Victorian and Edwardian taste and remains the only major public urban gallery built by its founder to house his collection. Plus Linus looks such a handsome chap it would be a shame to miss him!

To set the ball rolling we are off to see THE ACCRINGTON PALS by Peter Whelan  at The Royal Exchange (  http://theviewfromheresusan.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/a-royal-exchange.html)  my other half is a committed Lancastrian, it is our duty no less. 

I can't climb mountains and swim lakes but I can have a very achievable  short term bucket list - What would be on yours?

EATING IN - LIGHT

The lighter year has started with a bang. To quote Barry White .................................
     
"It may be winter outside but in my heart it's spring" 

 (go on you really didn't know that did you) but honestly I can't imagine him singing it!

All of us are on the straight and narrow  - hopefully soon to be narrow 'er' and in this cold and weary time of year you really need something to perk up the tastebuds - enter the magical world of L'Olivier 
 http://www.alolivier.com/index_a.php

A wonderfully decadent store, which has been in Paris since 1822, although I should imagine that they have refreshed the stock a little since those days.

It is one of those places that you long for when trundling through the aisles at Tesco, designed to a fault, full of solid wood and plate glass windows, with a subtle whiff of expensive oils and herbs lifting the air. No trolly dash banging of shins here, oh dear me no.

Knowing I am a greedy foodie a very kind friend bought me a delightful mini hamper at Christmas, stocked with those things you would never buy yourself but once you have tasted them there is no going back.

One such delight was a sparkling jar of Raspberry Vinegar (as seen above) It was a taste sensation, totally transforming a humble plate of mixed green salad - with a small amount of fresh coriander thrown in for a bit of punch. Now I know it contains sugar (oh the horror) but a teaspoonful of the raspberry liquid goes a long way, so frankly who is counting. I know Raspberry Vinegar has been around for ages, in one form or another, but this was something else. Quite honestly you can imagine yourself the sort of person who goes out shopping in a smart suit and a pair of milky calfskin gloves, smelling of some delicious whiff or other. Just like me then, NOT.

Can I add that when I said "All of us" I was misleading you. Teenage son sticks solidly to the Pizza diet, he does vary the toppings occasionally for the sake of his health. As for the pooch he satisfies himself with a toilet roll palate cleanser and a contents of kitchen bin chaser, ever the gourmet. You can't please everyone - oh so true.

Do share your own culinary pick me ups - I am on the hunt for tempting but without too many calories.

                                                                           XXX

HELLO 2013

As Mellors might have said to Lady Chatterley "How was it for you my dear"  - ours was a mixed bag. As the Christmas tree lights failed to light (we should have checked them of course prior to elaborately arranging them on le tree) I just knew it was going to be a strange one. Son  contracted a nasty case of Tonsillitis - Pooch got an explosive tummy upset, less said about that the better. I lost at everything, Trivial Pursuits, Charades, Monopoly, Cluedo - Zilch!! 

I cracked the screen on my shiny red computer, Husband lent me an old one of his, the day after the battery re- charger went 'ker plunk'. I am now using one which had been consigned to that great scrapheap in the west, our spare room, it has a corrupt hard drive, so at any moment I may disappear.

But, as a New Year arrived I felt empowered and full of hope for better times ahead. My resolution is to keep 2013 light. More enjoyment, more laughter and giggles, as much as I can pack in. No list of grave and weighty character building stuff for me. I have decided I am too old to care. I want to seek out the good things, the small events, which added together make a life worth living. You have been warned!!!!

Ps I allowed my husband to trim my fringe on Christmas Eve, as I doubted I would be able to see the turkey let alone eat it. BIG MISTAKE, although I have to confess in it's own way it looked rather festive, rather like a ski run built for the foolhardy lunatic, a vertiginous slide from one side to the other, it was a talking point at least.

I am looking forward to visiting you all in Blog Land again  - bring on the New Year.

FESTIVE CHEER.

    Wishing you all the very best of the season 

                    Wherever you may be

           and whatever your path in life


Apologies for not visiting your blogs as usual of late. I shall make amends in the New Year - which will coincide with my SECOND year of blogging anniversary, how did that come round so soon? 

Images via danoah.com (The 50 most amazing photos of 2012 )                                                    

THE THING ABOUT BOOKS

Image - Shoot factory .com

It is that time of year when my thoughts turn to the new influx of books in this house, already a home reaching it's full capacity. I imagine that one fine day the building will explode and anyone walking along our lane will be  struck insensible by a flying copy of Nicholas Nickelby, or worse still the entire catalogue of PG Wodehouse will snake out and flatten a passing dachshund.

The weather helps of course, usually wet and cold, you feel the need for creature comforts, the crackle of a fire, something decent and warming to drink, curtains closed against the prevailing wind, and,  if you can manage it, the gentle heartbeat of a snoozing dog as he curls around your ankles absorbing any stray warmth.

Image- World of Interiors - photography Tim Beddow

This I know is where I am most at peace with the world, tucked away with my nose in a beautifully written book. It can be about almost anything at all as long as the style of writing appeals. I can remember the first time that I read 'Perfume' by Patrick Suskind, a highly original novel that draws you in to the world of a character on the edge of life. I recall  reading it on a wintry day and being so engrossed normal life stood still for a while. Those are the books that stay with us long after we have read the last page.

I recently spied this on Annie's wonderful blog.........

http://knitsofacto.blogspot.com/2012/11/birthday.html

Something about it appealed to me and before I could help myself our postman was delivering it from those darlings at Amazon - one day I shall attempt to work out how much of our income is actually spent on that website. Well, the book sat on the edge of my ironing board one morning as I was clearing up and before long I had made myself a coffee and just read a couple of pages as you do. Fast forward into a very late night and most of the book had been gobbled up - His poetry made me cry and Byron Rogers writing was sublime - well it beat ironing shirts!!

So after the blur of festivities at Christmas what have you popped on your Christmas list to help you through dreary January? I think I can wedge in  few more recommendations before  the walls start to bulge. Or perhaps you are tucked up this very weekend with a juicy little number - do tell.