First of March! A Happy St David’s Day to all who mark the day, and those who don’t.
Thank you to the lovely people who reached out to me after last week’s post, and especially Alicia who brought me cookies. Oat & Raisin, in case you were wondering, which just happen to be my favourites.
This week has been better – there’s been the odd 4am wake up when my brain was convinced my alarm had gone off. It played Bowie’s Starman. I told it to be quiet and my Beloved informed me that it hadn’t actually gone off and now he was awake too. Ah well.
On Wednesday neighbour Sue and I went on an excellent evening out courtesy of Sadlers Wells’ occasional culture sector free tickets. They’re how we went to see Tutus a few weeks ago and Quadrophenia last summer. Our new site is next-door-but-a-couple to Sadlers Wells, so it’s very convenient for the office.
Sue and I met at Angel and wandered down to Banana Tree for a good pad Thai and a natter about the joys of parenting teens, prom dresses, being functional adults – that sort of thing.
The performance was The Opera Locos by Yllana. Described as a comedy opera where Puccini meets Elvis (via Mika, Whitney Houston and more), we really didn’t know what to expect. I know nothing about opera other than Terry Pratchett’s Maskerade.
Two and a half love stories, audience participation in the form of an opera masterclass and an unsuspecting love interest, much slapstick, flamenco, mugging to the audience and some gorgeous singing was what we got, and it was SO much fun. We giggled like idiots, had an ice cream in the interval (mint choc chip) and then I took Sue on a historic walk through my favourite bits of Clerkenwell on the way back to Farringdon. I didn’t show her the Clerk’s Well as it was dark and I can’t give away everything all at once, can I?
The only issue I had was the full face mask make-up that the performers were wearing – I am phobic about masks and dolls. Working at the Museum of Childhood was an exercise in aversion therapy which did not work.
We continued giggling all the way home on the train, which is not the usual response to the Central Line. Probably I should try ‘proper’ opera (propera?) at some stage.
Other things making me happy this week
- A long catch-up chat with an old friend on Saturday morning
- Lunch with Thing 2, London sister and brother-in-law on Saturday at Hare and Tortoise
- Reading a lot as my thumb is misbehaving and won’t let me crochet
- Rediscovering the joy of reading out loud – though there really is a limit to the number of times one can read The Tiger Who Came To Tea with full cast of voices.
- Bridgerton season 4, part 2. Oh Benedict, you fool.
- Attending a Foley and animation workshop with Laura Copsey and Simon Hamlyn as part of our project with a local school
- Coffee with ex-colleagues on Friday
This week I have a dinner out with Amanda, no interviews (hurray!) and some early nights planned.
Kirsty x
What I’ve been reading:
The Tiger Who Came To Tea – Judith Kerr. On repeat.
House of Sky and Breath – Sarah J. Maas (Audible)
Ride or Die – Hailey Edwards
First Witches Club – Maisey Yates
A Brazen Curiosity – Lynn Messina
Kate Shugak Investigations 1-4 – Dana Stabenow
What Kirsty did next 