Notes From Retirement......................Where did the years go?: On Holiday At Home

Friday, 7 August 2015

On Holiday At Home

We aren't going away for a break this year but this has been a very relaxing week and it's been very much a holiday at home. After our near forty mile cycle to Walbserswick on Monday we've taken it relatively easy since then although we have managed to cram in five or six early morning exercise classes at Fram Leisure.

The weather's been fine too but, when we spotted a forecast for rain on Wednesday afternoon, we drove into Ipswich and went to see Pixar's Inside Out, which we've been meaning to see ever since the rave reviews it received when it opened the Cannes festival. I can understand why it got such high praise as, as a piece of cinema, it is highly original and exceptionally well done. I would liken it to Fantasia, which was similarly critically acclaimed and daring in its time. It's fantastic in concept and creation but it's not Monsters Inc or Toy Story in the same way that Fantasia wasn't Snow White and I can't see too many children being able to grasp the idea of the emotions inside a teenage girl's head. It's well worth seeing and exceptionally clever - I particularly liked the emotion ANGER, a fiery red little character who reminded me very much of some angry people I've known in the past.

Last night it was back to Snape Maltings for another Snape Prom. We went early and ate in the upstairs restaurant which has this lovely view across the marshland towards the romantic Iken church.

The food was very good and reasonably priced although the service was a bit muddled. We were at Snape for a concert by the National Youth Orchestra. This is an enormous orchestra with, I believe, around 165 members. I counted at least ten double bass alone as well as four harps - a luxury that a professional orchestra would surely be unable to fund. Consequently the sound was enormous and filled the Snape hall beautifully. The main event was Mahler's 9th symphony which was performed perfectly. It is difficult to believe that some of the players were as young as fourteen and the oldest was just eighteen. They perform at the Proms in London at the weekend. Do watch them on TV. Before the Mahler they premiered a new piece by Tansy Davies. Called Re-Greening it was a moving piece of modern classical music and included the unusual experience of the orchestra members singing quietly along with their playing - an outstanding performance.

As you might expect if you are a regular reader, I've also managed to get some hours in metal detecting now that the crops are starting to be harvested. If you are not interested that's all for today but if you are, here is a selection of what has turned up this week.