Buddy Can You Spare An Hour

Being retired and still fairly active we're in an ideal position to help in the local community. And what better way to do so than the Framlingham Hour Community which was last year voted the best Rotary Club community project in the country. We have nothing at all to do with the Rotary Club or any other associations but it is a very good idea as it puts those in need of help in the town in touch with those who are capable of offering it. There are a fair number of elderly people in Framlingham and many of them are for example housebound, struggling to get to the shops or having trouble keeping on top of their gardens. The Hour Community will ask for a volunteer to help them out with an hour or two of their time.

It's not confined to helping elderly people. Anybody who needs help can ask for it and the coordinator Angelika will do her best to oblige. It's not onerous for volunteers. Marion and I have not been called upon to give endless hours but it is important that everyone in the community is aware that it is available. This week we were put in touch with an elderly person who was struggling to complete a complex government form. It was quite a daunting bit of paperwork but we managed to do it with her and take a big weight off her mind. If you are in Framlingham and would like to help or need help just click here or Google Framlingham Hour Community and you'll find the contacts you need.

Last night we headed up to the college for a talk titled "A Love Affair With Churches" given by the Rev Roy Tricker. You may wonder why we , as non believers, would want to attend a talk on this subject but whilst we may not be in touch with God we do appreciate both history and beautiful buildings and Roy is an excellent and passionate speaker. He has the presentation and delivery style of Brian Blessed so there was no need for a mike. He's not into powerpoint presentations so we were entertained by an old fashioned slide show in which he explained his lifelong love of churches supported by photographs of some hidden treasures that are there to be found within just a few miles of here. It was an extremely entertaining talk and we bought his book 100 Years, 100 Treasures which highlights one unique and individual treasure for each of a hundred churches in Suffolk. We look forward to getting on our bikes and looking for some of them.

Remember my bit of stupid reversing? Well yesterday we headed down to Essex to pick the car up.

And hey presto it's as good as new again.It's a pity that I can't say the same for the bank balance but I think I've learnt my lesson. 

There's a busy couple of days ahead. It's Valentine's at The Crown tomorrow night. We're looking forward to another great meal from Chef Matt Ransome. On Saturday night there's a concert at the college with local musicians Modest Ike and Polly Gibbons. It should be a great evening as we've checked them both out on YouTube and they're both great acts.

A Long Haul Break

We've come away for a night and, as I write we are a whole twenty minutes away from home in an attic bedroom in The Ship at Dunwich. So why are we sitting in a fairly spartan pub bedroom with the wind and rain lashing down outside when we could be sitting in a comfortable lounge in front of a roaring log burner? Well, I read in Suffolk Magazine that The Ship was having a music night on 6th February and there were special rates for accommodation. Having never visited Dunwich before I thought it was something different and an opportunity to visit the area so why not give it a try. But at the moment it's looking like my plans for a bit of a mid week treat are teetering on the brink of falling flat. I'll reserve judgement until tomorrow when we've had the meal, music and breakfast and maybe then things will look a bit rosier. Let's hope it doesn't take a miracle.

I mentioned miracles because last night we were at Framlingham College where FramSoc were hosting the highly eminent Cambridge Professor Sir Colin Humphreys who gave a short lecture on miracles from the bible and their explanations from a scientist's viewpoint. Sir Colin was a charming and affable speaker and his investigation of the crossing of the river Joran by the Israelites resulted in a fascinating and perfectly plausible explanation for the event. So too did his research into Moses producing water from a rock in Sinai. However, when he came to The Resurrection and Christ's walking on water he could offer no scientific clues to these events and it was clear that he was satisfied to be a believer in these phenomena without any scientific proof - which I , as a non believer ,found a bit of a letdown. However, it was certainly another stimulating evening provided by FramSoc and it was well attended by plenty of local people.

It would have taken more than a miracle for there to have been more than a lone survivor in the situation that the characters in Lone Survivor our movie choice this week found themselves in. On a clandestine mission into Taliban territory four US Navy Seals are on a hillside waiting to carry out their instructions when they are interrupted by an old goatherd and two boys. They are faced with the moral dilemma of either killing three civilians and being branded war criminals or letting them go and aborting their mission and trying to return to safety. Marion says she would have chosen option one whereas I would have gone for option two. Neither choice was exactly perfect for the soldiers and I doubt that the outcome would have been a lot different whichever way they chose as within a few hours they are surrounded by scores of heavily armed Taliban.

It's a very powerful war film with near constant action as the band of four brothers in arms attempt to escape against impossible odds reminiscent of The Alamo and Zulu. If you enjoy action films then this is one for you but, for all the action, the movie really hits home when photographs of all the Americans killed in this real life event (in happier times with their wives, friends and families) fill the screen in some truly moving closing credits.   

An Evening With The World's Sexiest Man

According to Emma Freud who hosted the event, Tom Hiddleston who starred in the National Theatre Live's performance of Coriolanus last night, was awarded the title World's Sexiest Man by MTV (don't know what they see in him myself cough). We were at the lovely Aldeburgh Cinema for the performance as the excellent Framsoc run by Framlingham College had bought some tickets.

Marion did English at University and has always loved Shakespeare. I'm a little more Philistine but can appreciate the greatness of the writing. We used to go to Stratford Upon Avon regularly and memorably saw Kenneth Branagh in Hamlet, Patrick Stewart in The Tempest and Michael Hordern as Lear but we've not managed to go for some time. So it was great to have the opportunity to see some live theatre right on our doorstep.

The play was broadcast live from the Donmar Warehouse in Covent Garden where it is playing to packed houses after rave reviews. Tickets are like gold dust so the broadcast performance was our only realistic chance of seeing it. 

It is a truly stunning production. But you don't need me to tell you that - far better critics than me have said as much. Not only does the WSM (who was brilliant as Loki in Thor) give the performance of a lifetime, he is supported by a fantastic cast including Mark Gattis as Menenius (who has many of the best lines), and Hadley Fraser who gives a magnificent performance as Coriolanus' gruff arch enemy Aufilius. It was also good to see Danish actor Birgitte Hjort Sorensen who plays the spin doctor in Borgen give a fine portrayal as Virgilia. 

Marion was totally immersed in the play and left the cinema in tears at the power and intensity of what she had just seen.

So it's a big thank you to Framsoc for arranging the tickets. It's unusual watching live theatre in a cinema. It's not the same but if it gives you the chance to see sold out performances then it's very much the next best thing.

This is definitely not the world's sexiest man but he keeps cropping up on the right hand of my Facebook advertising some sort of health supplement. I don't know who thought that this might tempt anyone to click on a link - it totally baffles me.

A Painful Time For Marion, Summer In February In Framlingham And Gravity In Cineworld

Marion had a tooth abscess a couple of weeks ago. She went to the dentist who extracted a wisdom tooth and in a couple of days she was well again. Unfortunately her good health was short lived as she started to have terrible pain in the other side of her mouth last weekend. I don't think I've ever known her be in such pain. Her mouth started to swell up but, as it was weekend, she couldn't do much other than take painkillers and wait for the dentist's surgery to open on Monday. Monday came and we managed to arrange an emergency appointment. I sat in the downstairs waiting room as Marion was treated but even downstairs I heard her scream as another wisdom tooth was pulled. She was in terrible pain for hours afterwards but I am pleased to say that it has subsided now and her swollen face has returned to normality. This tooth infection followed an expensive course of oral hygiene treatments over the last couple of weeks. Whether the two were related or not is anybody's guess. As the first abscess was before the treatment I suppose it's just a coincidence.

Last night we went to FramSoc the society run by Framlingham College for pupils' parents and Framlingham residents. We've been to some great FramSoc talks in the last few months and this was another excellent event. The speaker was Jonathan Smith who wrote the novel Summer In February  and went on to write the screenplay when it was adapted for the screen. We've not read the book but we've seen the film which tells the true story of acclaimed artist Sir Alfred Munnings' first marriage. The short-lived relationship, which involved a love triangle with Munnings' friend Gilbert resulted in the tragedy played out so brilliantly in the film.

Jonathan, a schoolteacher by profession, told us how, through school contacts he met Gilbert's son, heard the story and was so gripped that he felt compelled to write about it. School contacts also resulted in Jonathan coming to Framlingham college; headmaster Paul Taylor told us how he and Jonathan were colleagues at Tonbridge School. A surprise for the audience was a passage from the artist's autobiography which described his unhappy time as a fourteen year old in (where else?) Framlingham College. Further school connections were also involved; Jonathan was so impressed by the teenage Dan Stevens when he was a pupil at Tonbridge that he kept in touch and Dan made a pact to play Gilbert if the novel ever came to the screen.

Jonathan was an excellent, warm and genial speaker and I imagine that he must have been an incredible teacher. He didn't hold out much hope for me as a novelist though. He said that the greatest artists tend to have had troubled childhoods and troubled, rebellious, teenage years; my life has been pretty happy from the start so my book (which I have just had professionally edited and will be ready to upload to Amazon soon) won't stand a chance. 

Talking of not standing a chance, picture this scenario - you are an astronaut out in space fixing some equipment on your space station when the debris from a huge explosion comes into your orbit. This is what George Clooney and Sandra Bullock encounter in Gravity, the film we went to today at the fabulous IMAX screen in Cineworld Ipswich. To tell you what happens next would spoil the film for you as it's certainly better to see it without knowing. The effects are spectacular - as good as anything I've ever seen in the cinema - and IMAX enhances these brilliantly. Bullock and Clooney give good solid performances although they don't engage the viewer like Tom Hanks did in the recent Captain Phillips. People are raving about this film. It's certainly entertaining and well worth seeing (especially if you can get to an IMAX screening) but Oscar material? Other than for special effects, I doubt it.

  

Love And Marriage In Framlingham And Paris

It's been a busy week with little time to blog. I went to see my local farmer and his wife on Tuesday and we went through all the finds I had made in their fields. It was good to get to know them and they were fascinated to see the bits and pieces from the past that had turned up on their land. They told me that they had had some problems with people turning up with detectors without permission, digging up crops and leaving a mess so I feel lucky that they are still happy for me to detect. I took the finds to the county archaeologist in Bury St Edmunds on Friday so everything is being fully recorded. But that's nothing to do with the heading on today's blog.

  

Love and marriage has been a recurring theme this week. On Wednesday evening we went to Framlingham College for  Love And Marriage In The Renaissance, a talk by art scholar Nicholas Ross. Nick discussed a number of classic paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries with an emphasis on the works of Botticelli. He showed us the amazing allegories in the paintings and explained hidden codes and meanings influenced by both catholicism and Greek mythology. It was a totally fascinating talk and it inspired us to look more closely at what is in a painting rather than simply view it as a whole. The talk was presented with charm and a good deal of impish humour that had the audience asking for more. These events run by FramSoc never fail to impress. They are open to non members for a small admission fee but inexpensive annual membership is open to Framlingham residents and is highly recommended.

Continuing on the marriage theme, we went to Cineworld in Ipswich to see Le Week-End on Wednesday afternoon . Starring Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan who are both five or six years older than us, it's the story of a thirtieth wedding anniversary in Paris. It's brilliantly acted. Broadbent is world weary; unhappy in his career and his sex life and leeched upon by his druggy son. Duncan is a modern, independent woman who is weary of her marriage and life in general. Will the romantic weekend return to their honeymoon hotel rekindle the sparks or will it drive a final nail into the coffin of their romance? I thought that, in view of the proximity to our own ages, I might see some parallels in our own relationship but, although it's very real and played with humour and charm I'm pleased to say that I didn't (don't know about Marion mind). With a great supporting role from Jeff Goldblum, it's well worth going to see.

It was fabulous to see Sarah, Rose and Melody visiting us on Skype yesterday. Rose is very happy with her new little sister although, as you can see from this photo, Melody is not that little any longer! We really miss our family in Scotland but it won't be long before we head back up north for a couple more weeks in St Andrews.

Sarah sent me some photos from my 60th birthday party. I will save everyone else's embarrassment by not naming my friends and sparing them from Google but why a fire extinguisher, a teddy bear and a standard lamp are involved is anybody's guess. One of those allegories perhaps.

On a final note today, we were very sad to see a neighbour taken to hospital this week. She's in her tenth decade but the hospital tell me that she's doing very well. We miss seeing her and look forward to welcoming her home very soon.

What's That Noise?

I arrive home and there's a parcel from Nespresso. It's the latest delivery of their delicious capsules and I tear open the wrapping. What on earth have they made the packaging of? It looks like plastic but if feels as if I am crinkling tin foil. I take the boxes of capsules from the packet, open one and tip the contents into the container on the breakfast bar. They land in the plastic box like a cascade of tin cans. As I close the box, the decorator walks past the window. I'm sure he's practicing for a new production of River Dance. I look down at his shoes expecting to see some shiny tap models but he's wearing trainers. I'm conscious of the hall clock ticking like Big Ben and wonder why am I shouting? 

I'm not really wondering, as I know exactly why everything suddenly feels so different. I've just got back from Ipswich for the fitting of a 30 day trial of the Lyric hearing aid. This is a tiny device that fits deep down in my ear canal and has transformed my life within a matter of hours. It's not cheap and will involve three or four visits a year to Ipswich for replacements but, if the first twenty four hours is anything to go by, it's going to be money well spent. 

I wrote a few weeks ago that vanity was something that had stopped me from getting a hearing aid. So this is the perfect solution - if I hadn't told the whole world about it on the internet, nobody would know at all that I am wearing this.

Brave New Burma

Last night I was able to put the device to the test. We went to a talk at FramSoc the local society run by Framlingham College. The talk (about his book Brave New Burma) was given by journalist and photographer Nic Dunlop and it was a fascinating insight  into that country, its people and its politics accompanied by some wonderful photos in atmospheric black and white. What's more, Nic did not speak very loudly but I heard every word and, when we had  a glass of wine with others after the talk, I was able to hold a conversation in noisy circumstances that would, in the past, have meant me switching off completely and merely nodding as if I was hearing what was being said.  

I haven't got any discomfort yet and the fitting of the device was painless. I hope that the transformation that I've experienced today is something that will continue to benefit me for years to come.

Getting The Hang Of Things

Now that the major part of the work is complete it's time to start getting used to actually living here as opposed to managing a building project. Having said that, the landscaping of the garden is still ongoing and today Chris of DeakinLock (www.deakinlock.co.uk) called in with his planting layout for both the front and back gardens. It's an impressive design and should guarantee a brilliant array of colour throughout the year. He even thinks that we'll get some colour this year.

Garden apart, we've now got free time on our hands and Marion has been trying out a few of the local keep fit classes. We went to look at the college gym but, although it's very well equipped, being a college gym, the public hours are limited to early mornings and evenings and I prefer to exercise in the day. Marion was interested in their classes and may well give them a try. We've joined the college run local society FramSoc and are going to see The Brandreth Papers on Friday evening. Benet Brandreth is Gyles' son and this one man show got great reviews when he performed it at The Edinburgh Fringe in 2011 so it promises to be a good night. FramSoc also run a book club and are reading Ayn Rand this month - that promises to be a challenge.

I'm learning to work in the new kitchen and was quite adventurous tonight. I bought some Sea Bream from Darren the fishmonger at the local market on his special Tweet offer and steamed it in the steam oven with some fresh veg from the greengrocers and served it with my first attempt at home made tagliatelle. Apart from over-facing both of us by making too much, the meal was quite a success and I think we're going to get a lot out of both the steam oven and the pasta maker.

We're getting a lot out of using Skype on the Smart TV. I always thought Skype would be big and when it first came out in 2006 we rushed out and bought a load of webcams for Instanta and waited for all the customers to beam themselves into the office. Unfortunately we were ahead of our time and it didn't take off as quickly as expected. But today it is so simple to set up and, with a built in camera in the TV, we can see the family in full screen if we want.

 

My mum pops in regularly using her iPad.

We even get a good picture when son Paul uses his phone.

And it's just fantastic to have the grandchildren beamed into the kitchen. It will never be as good as seeing them face to face but when we are hundreds of miles apart it's the next best thing.