Thursday, August 16, 2007

Jackie’s Birthday Bash.

Aside

The weather was torrential showers and the traffic report spoke of an accident in Nether Stowey with both roads closed. I began to think of plan B and tried to phone the pub to see if they had any up to date info. By the time I got through it was almost time to leave and, remembering the honeycomb ice-cream I decide to risk it.

En route we had coffee in an attractive lay-by (the showers stopped whilst I dispensed from the boot (trunk) and I asked a lorry driver about the state of the road. He pronounced it clear so we carried on. By the time we arrived at ‘The Friendly Spirit’ we were early; it was deluging down so we sat in the car and chatted whilst the windows got all steamy.

After putting the world to right we discussed Dawn French’s (comedienne) recent statement that she had known from the age of six that she would die young( 50 next birthday) that she was going to do one last tour and then retire to her mansion in Cornwall to write a book and await the end.

Lunch was very pleasant and everyone was cheerful. Margaret suggested a fashion show of period clothes in Porlock in November in aid of the museum and we decide to make a day of it then. There is also a new life-size wood carving of the mysterious stranger in Coleridge’s Kubla Khan which I would like to see. On the way home we drove carefully through small lakes. The girls said it was a lovely drive and congratulated me on my new found confidence and also approved the hair style.

The weather had been disappointing and we didn’t get to explore but as Joy said
‘It’s been a lovely day. Back to reality!’

17 comments:

FOUR DINNERS said...

Don't drive like Caz. She never goes under 60 regardless. Rain, ice, sleet, snow, all at once....

Sounds like a really good day though even with the rain.

Whatever you say Dawn. Personally I'm livin' for ever (and a bit)

OldLady Of The Hills said...

You were brave to go in spite of the bad weather, Pat....I cannot get over how much rain you all have had there in The UK...! It sounds like it was fun and it's nice you have another "date" planned...I think that is the only way to do it. Set a date, right then and there.

I LOVE that you quoted that line from "Now Voyager"...! And was Gladys Cooper marveloys as the mother? I loved Claude Rains in this film, too...!

Anonymous said...

So glad you ventured out and had a good time. The terrible weather has played havoc with driving conditions so no wonder people feel reluctant to go out. Says a lot for your confidence.
I didn't know Dawn French was not expecting to live to make old bones. I have a friend who was given five years to live eight years ago. She's certainly not giving up easily.

Pat said...

4d: I'll hold you to that. At least wait until I've gone:)

Naomi: Gladys was perfect as the tyrannical mother. She was always feted as a great beauty but I thought her features were too severe for great beauty. And Claude made a great wise man- perfect casting really all round.

Sablonneruse: I'm a bit disappointed with Dawn. What does she think her 15 year old daughter feels and her husband, to have that hanging over them. She is quite media savvy and with a tour and book coming out one wonders at her motives. If she really was interested in her health she would surely attempt to lose weight. She used to be lovely and curvy but its gone way beyond safety margins.

Bev Sykes said...

Hi, Pat. I'm here from Michele's site (but I've been here before). Congratulations on your newfound confidence and hair style!

Pat said...

Thanks Bev. I wasn't expecting meet and greet today so I'm glad I visited Michele.

Nienke Hinton said...

Hello, Michele sent me.
Hi Pat! Sounds like a fun time with friends to me!

Z said...

I wonder why Dawn French has said that now? I had no end of a death wish for a few years, but I didn't mention it to anyone until it had gone. It's a battle best fought on your own, unless it's so bad you confide in a doctor, and maybe it's time she looked for medical help.

Anonymous said...

wow! don't envy you the weather but we must "carry on" as they say! love your tiles from Portugal

btw i'm here from michele

Anonymous said...

I think the statement by Dawn French is just a publicity stunt to get in the media to be noticed.

Nobody knows when they are going to die unless they have a terminal condition. A fortune teller once told me that I wouldn't live to see the millenium. It worried me for a bit, then I thought "What does she know? No more than I do!" She died in Nov 1999 before her time, she was only 102.

Pat said...

Hi Nienke and welcome!

Z: she says it's odd because she is a very logical person and both her grandmas are in their 90's. Her father committed suicide when she was 19 and I think you are right she does need medical help. It's fashionable to sneer at counselling and therapy but just one session helped me enormously after my mother died. I wasn't handling it very well even though she was over 90.

Hi Auntie! Glad you like the tiles. We're quite good at carrying on here:)

Keith : you could be tight. I'm trying not to be too cynical. I'm glad she was wrong and you're still here.
I mean right not tight!

OldHorsetailSnake said...

I had forgotten you had all that history there. Lots of it.

Anonymous said...

Well that sounds like an all around interesting day. I'm sure michele would agree.

Pat said...

Hoss: yup! we're famous for it!

leigh: only one fly; I couldn't have a glass of wine as I was driving.

kenju said...

"Coffee from the boot?" Sounds like fun....LOL

Nea said...

I reckon it's supposed to be an ironic joke and Dawn will now live for another fifty years. Let's hope it doesn't backfire.

At least you won't have to worry about a hosepipe ban this summer.

Pat said...

Judy: yes i has that special je ne sais quoi:)

Nea: we are slowly but surely going rusty. The heavy grey clouds are a pain and we all feel deprived of our summer. We're squelching! Still mustn't grumble:)