This time last year we were relaxing in sunny Bequia but we've given the Caribbean a rest this winter after all the involvement in Sarah and Duncan's wedding and are wintering at home in Suffolk. It's hardly been a winter so far with just a couple of freezing mornings to date but so many wet and windy days have left the county waterlogged with fields turned into lakes and roads into streams. I'm pleased to say that the rains seem to be subsiding now but there's no sign of constant dry weather.
Those fields have resembled the mud and mire of 1917 which we went to see at the huge IMAX screen in Ipswich last week. It's a remarkable feat of cinematography with the camerawork surely a certainty for an Oscar but the film didn't inspire us the way that it has others and we aren't in the camp that thinks it's a shoo in for a bagful of other awards.
The front garden looked like a scene from 1917 when we woke up the next morning to find that all that wind and rain had finally taken toll of the large tree that screened us from the neighbours. We're now working on sorting out a replacement.
While a local handyman was chopping up the tree, we headed to London for a night out with friends.
Before we met up, we had time for a bit of sightseeing and spent an enjoyable afternoon wandering around the sights before heading to a good tapas restaurant in Soho for a pre-theatre meal.
Then it was time to head to the Phoenix to see the marvellous Come From Away. I wrote about this fabulous musical when we went to see it last summer and it was equally good on the second viewing. It's a truly joyful and moving evening - just ninety minutes long but what a wonderful ninety minutes they are.
With a nine p.m finish there was plenty of time to have a drink so we walked down to the Covent Garden area where we had a great couple of hours of cocktails and wine with friends Jane and Dave from Ormskirk at the quirky Mr Fogg's Society Of Exploration.
They serve cocktails with a theatrical Victorian touch and Dave was delighted to be given a birthday muffin to celebrate his big day. We said our goodbyes to Jane and Dave and got back to the hotel after midnight.
There was a huge choice of exhibitions running in London but we decided to head to the National Gallery and see the Gaugin portraits. Whatever you think of his morals and obsession with exotic young girls in the South Pacific there's no doubt that he was an exceptional artist and this is an exquisite display.
We've been getting up before dawn to go to the gym recently and this mackerel sky just before the sun rose on Monday was a precursor to a magnificent sunrise later while we were on the treadmills.
Later in the morning we went to The Sweffling White Horse to join about thirty others on one of a series of charity walks. Mat Bayfield started these walks three years ago as a social event to get people walking and talking together while raising money for Brain Tumour research. Sadly Mat died last autumn but his widow Kelly is continuing with the week long series of walks.
The thirty of us walked four or five miles on a dry morning before heading back to the pub for a delicious pie and a pint. Apologies to photographer Paul Leech for using these photos from the Facebook page but I hope that it brings publicity to an extremely good cause in the memory of an exceptional man.
On Tuesday we drove to Woodbridge and had coffee at the excellent New St Market before walking down to The Riverside to see Ordinary Love. I knew nothing about this as it was on Marion's wish list and all I can say is that it is an absolutely extraordinarily good movie. Lesley Manville and Liam Neeson are absolutely outstanding in this totally moving study of a marriage gripped by crisis. Forget the Oscars for 1917 , I would have put this in the Best Film Category and both Male and Female Leading Actor - sadly it didn't get a single nomination.
Being at home in winter has left me with a bit more time to indulge in my love of bargain hunting like Mr Prendergast in my novel Mr Prendergast's Fantastic Find (See link top right). Here are some of my recent buys.
A fine Chinese inlaid carving of Shou Lao God Of Longevity
A very fine Meissen Sugar Box found in a mixed box at auction
A lovely Worcester creamboat c1770 found on eBay
A few months ago I bought this super vase made by renowned Scottish Potter Caroline Harvie Bisset and mentioned it on the blog.
This week I found a negative pair. They are both top quality hand made pieces.
Last night saw us back in London at the O2. I'm not a lover of musicals but when I read a piece by Matthew Parris in The Times a few months ago enthusing about Mamma Mia The Party it sounded like a lot of fun. And what a great night it turned out to be.
A section of the O2 has been turned into a Greek taverna - with temperatures to match (how nice on a January evening).
After a welcome drink we tucked into mezes with a wide choice of fresh breads before starters of grilled octopus and other Greek specialities.
Starters over, the show begins and we enjoyed three hours of brilliantly performed Abba songs linked by a silly but fun plot that wasn't really material to the show. Main courses turned up during an interval and we enjoyed delicious cuts of lamb and beef with Mediterranean sides.
The show continues with a brief nod to Greek Gods, spectacular acrobatics and
of course, lots more Abba songs.
The evening was superb. It ran like clockwork from start to finish and with a top cast, great musicians, good food (second helpings offered) I doubt that there's a better, fun night out in London. It's perhaps unfair to single anyone out from a great line up but Linda John-Pierre (above) who plays Debbie the cook put loads of humour into her part and belted out the lyrics like a diva. A magical evening.
Tonight it's back to a regular local event - The FramSoc book club.
We're discussing Booker Prize Winner Girl Woman Other by Bernardine Evaristo. I loved this book and think it's fully deserving of it's prize.
On Saturday we're back to London again. This time it's to The National for something more typical of our taste. We're going to see The Welkin starring Maxine Peake set in rural Suffolk of all places! I'll let you know what we think.
