Challenge 34 - 'DO' Shakespeare

Scene:- Globe Theatre, London                          

Dramatis personae:-

Jen - an Irish country wench
Iain - a drunken fellow
Andrew - scoundrel and kinsman to the wench
Helen - a sweet-faced gentlewoman wedded to the scoundrel.



Now, good morrow, friends..

At two score years and ten, I prithee forgive that I be untutored in the rudiments of Shakespeare's genius.  To seek wise remedy, I ventured forth to London neath the churlish chiding of a summer storm........



....to see "As You Like It" at the Globe.  I prepared well - I read the play from beginning to end (and didn't understand it), I read the York notes of the play (and didn't understand it), I researched online (and didn't understand it).  However, once the actors walked out on stage, it magically made sense, with characters I could identify with, a plot I could follow and jokes I could laugh at.  Within the magnificent Globe Theatre, I felt transported back to an Elizabethan age to share in the magic of live theatre, undiluted by the demands of a post-TV audience.  The rain and the thunder all added to the atmosphere.... admittedly from the shelter of the middle gallery looking down on the devotees standing in the circle in their cagoules.   Only the jumbo jets passing over every minute brought you reluctantly and all too frequently back to the 21st century.....


And so, I beseech thee, friends good and true, to bear good opinion of my new knowledge.  "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts.."

What a stage we are on .....play your part well.


God rest you merry!

Challenge 33 - SLEEP UNDER THE STARS

Sounds romantic? - no, I was alone - my invitations to my sleepover party were all declined.

Sounds peaceful? - no, I was kept awake by rabbits scurrying underneath me, pine martins dropping pine cones on my head and mosquitoes buzzing round my ear to let me know they had just feasted on my flesh!

Sounds educational? - no, I only saw one star all night, despite having chosen for my adventure the night of the Perseid meteor shower.

Sounds healthy? - no, I woke up with a tickle in my throat, a sniffle in my nose and a throbbing post-wine headache.

Sounds scary? - no, I was within ear-shot of my snoring husband and touching distance of civilisation (if you can call a washing line civilisation!).

Sounds dark? - no, I wore a head torch!

Sounds dry? - no, it rained.  I also had pine sap dripping on me from the trees, welding my hair to the sleeping bag.

Sounds memorable? - yes, I will remember not to do it again!

Challenge 32 - SKINNY DIP

La belle France, the moonlight, a glass of Chablis,
A challenge laid down - to swim naked and free,
Gung-ho, brave and tipsy, I answered "oui, oui",
So, towel in hand, I skipped off to the sea.

Top, shorts, bra and pants on the sand in a pile,
Shoes kicked off too, in Reginald Perrin style,
Submerged to my neck, I swam mile after mile,
Woo hoo! Skinny dip - before turning senile.

Challenge 32 achieved - hip hip hooray!
My elation and joy soon turned to dismay.
The newspaper headline the very next day -
"New species of whale seen in Bay of Biscay!"











Note:  first line should read 'six glasses of Chablis' but it didn't scan!
          second verse should read 'I swam inch after inch' but it didn't rhyme!

Challenge 24 - THROW A POT (UPDATE)

It's show and tell time!  Here are my fully glazed, fully functional and fully fabulous pots.

Can I have a sticker for effort please?