Pardon me boy !

The Beatles, The Motown Sound and Swing follow me everywhere I go ~ in a sense ~ since the lyrics spring unbidden into my mind throughout each day.

I sometimes find myself singing along, especially when driving and I may add a little dancing when in any room of the house, including the garden.

Being transported back in time, momentarily, provides an endorphin rush amid the day's 'to do' list ~ which is most days.

It is unlikely that I will remember the song title of the year it was released but the lyrics, I seem to know them all.

Swing was my Father's music of choice, Tamla Motown and The Beatles my own favourites.  There is nothing finer than ChattanoogaChoo Choo  Mercy Mercy me and Let it be  also any song by Coldplay, however, I am unsure about the latest MP3 Download Christmas Lights.

I never got into my brothers' music preferences apart from the inimitable Eric Clapton.

I have sung throughout my life, from as early as I can remember to my Father's records that he played and sang along to, mostly at weekends.

Later on, whilst still very young, I sang at my first concert, to raise funds for The Salvation Army ~ our chorus line was lit by candlelight and we were all wearing pyjamas.  I wish I were able to remember what we sang as it looks as though we are really enjoying ourselves in the photograph.
   

Many concerts followed at primary school where I conducted the school orchestra and, another time, danced at the local Town Hall where the Mayor was present, folks, for the 'One Night Only' performance. 

As a teenager, I had wanted to make singing recordings with my best friend ~ of course, both 45rpm singles and 33rpm albums.  I would imagine being photographed and filmed in London whilst sitting on Lambretta Scooters, wearing a furry~hooded Parker jackets whilst we sang our latest Top of The Pops No. 1 Hit.

The dream was to scoot along on the Lambretta ~ whilst clinging to Paul McCartney ~ towards Carnaby Street, Oxford Street, Kings Road, Kensington, Hampstead and some shopping at Barbara Hulanicki's Biba ... whose clothes I adored and my wardrobe was testament to them.  How I wish I had kept them all !

Musical memories developed into membership of Haileybury Choral Society that has given me so much pleasure over many years.

Last summer, the 70th Anniversary of the Madrigals took place at Amwell Pool, Ware in aid of Isabel Hospice ~ the floodlit willow trees were mirrored in the pool, set perfectly for asthetics and sound ~ the audience appeared as if by magic as volunteers collected donations for the chosen charity.

Betty's Garden Party followed the concert, as it always had, in her magical home set by Amwell Pool.  We would enter the flower garden through a door on the bridge, reminiscent of the beginning of a children's fairytale complete with its happy ending.

Lit candles set inside jamjars illuminated the path towards the al fresco reception for performers and supporters, where Betty's sons and friends served drinks to the gathering communities. 

A wonderful evening to commemorate, annually, the ending of WWII, the homecoming of our heroes and remembering the ones who sacrificed their lives for our country. 

One of the highlights of Summers for my friends and me, always.

Peddling off the Pud

A measure of Warninks Advocaat shaken with a splash of lime cordial and topped-up with a R White's lemonade is a mocktail reminiscent of Butlin's, Bognor Regis, where I spent a family holiday with my parents and three brothers in the 60s.

For the first time, families were able to enjoy a one-stop venue for their annual holiday together where they were fed, watered and entertained before heading back to their chalets to sleep-off the days' sunbathing excesses, only to be woken by a tannoy at 7am ~ kinda "Mornin' Campers" a la Hi-Di-Hi ! 

Fancy Dress competions were a regular feature of the entertainment programme:  my youngest brother was dressed as Popeye  ~ "That's all I can stands, and I can't stands no more!" ~ he wore a Sea Captain's cap, smoked a pipe and completed the ensemble with a 'tattoo' of a ship on his tummy, rolling the ship across the waves with his abdominal muscles to loud applause.  "Well blow me down"!

Trampolining Dads competed for the Best Dad trophy whilst children watched in awe at the high performance double front flips, backflips, front drops, knee flips ... WOW !! ... Mums' flashed glances between themselves and back towards their husbands whose dopamine levels had clearly peaked for the day.

Evening dancing to live bands were a must ... it felt sooo sophisticated to sip Snowball mocktails whilst watching my parents trip the light fantastic around the ballroom.  "You'll have a really wonderful time at Butlins by the sea".  And so we had.

Holidays in dear old Blighty, I predict, will enjoy a resurgence due to the times of austerity we are about to experience, thankfully, this will likely be a saving grace for all, not least, The Kingdom.

Many families book their holidays between Christmas and the New Year.  The world is our oyster ~ Eat, Pray, Love ... England.

Hotels to youth hostels  await us and most will not break the bank ... ... ... so long as the Eurozone is held off.

With almost 200 BEACHES in South East England on which to build sandcastles, we are spoilt for choice amongst the many that also hold Blue Flags.

With 1457.4 hours of sunshine each year, watersports and landside activities offer opportunities to families to enjoy this green and pleasant land ... ... 'til we have built Jerusalem.    

Hertfordshire's Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, historic towns and many old villages remain unspoiled with thatched cottages set in leafy lanes.

Broxbourne's Lee Valley Park is unrivalled activities include White Water Rafting, sailing, athletics, golf, horse riding, ice skating, fishing, cycling, bird watching, camping ... the list is endless.

I shall most likely be Peddling off the Pud at 10am-1pm, 29th December with a 15 mile cycle through Lee Valley Park

Meet at Pindar Car Park Windmill Lane, Cheshunt, Herts EN8 9AJ near Cheshunt Railway Station.

Book with Lee Valley 08456 770 600.   See you there?

With Season's Greetings and every good wish for the coming New Year.

Christmases Past : Fare thee well

Child standing at Geffrye Court
with Geffrye Museum in the background
divided by Kingsland Road

As a child, on many weekends and randomly, throughout school holidays, I would queue outside Geffrye Museum to take part in its children's activities.  As the clock struck 10am and 2pm, the entrance doors would be opened by the security guard who would beckon us inside to the silent magical world where time was suspended, my very own Dr Who Tardis in which to travel in time and space.

The Collection of eleven period rooms that span 400 years from around 1600 to the present day were on display.  Children were given question sheets that required answers as well as sketches of objects from the various collections ~ this tested knowledge together with drawing skills.  Sets of completed questionnaires enabled children to apply for Museum membership and eligibility for trips around England ~ brilliant motivational technique that concentrated young minds.

Weaving baskets and tea trays was a treat for me and I found it so easy.  I still have a scar on my left hand where I accidentally stabbed myself whilst lino cutting ~ some TCP and a plaster soon sorted it out.

Behind  '...the Geffrye' via a small staircase was a play park with swings, sandpits and curiuosly, a transit van to sit in ~ boys would pretend to drive it whilst we sat in the back chatting and waiting for the Geffrye's 2pm afternoon session.

In those days, parks had Attendents who would keep an eye on all children who were rarely, if ever, accompanied by adults.

What a blessing the Geffrye was to me and my friends, its beautiful lawns came alive each Spring when daffodils would appear beneath the tall trees where sparrows busily tweeted, it seemed they were chatting to each other as my friends and I sat on the garden benches, safe in the bosom of the Geffrye.

Thesedays, there are period gardens and a walled herb garden to reflect the period room displays.  Virtual online tours can be taken too.  How innovative.

No surprise that I shall be eagerly returning to the Geffrye's Christmas Past Exhibition which offers a fascinating insight into how Christmas has been celebrated in middle-class homes from 1600 to the present day.  The rooms provide the perfect settings to explore the origins of some of the rich and colourful traditions of Christmases Past, from feasting, dancing and kissing under the mistletoe to playing parlour games, hanging-up stockings, sending cards, decorating the tree and throwing cocktail parties.  Get there before Sunday, 2nd January 2011 when the Exhibition will end.

I may also say Farewell to Christmas at the Geffrye's own traditional burning of the holly and the ivy, celebrated with carol singing, stories about Epiphany and a taste of mulled wine and Twelfth Night cake.  Wrap up as this event takes place in The Gardens.

4-5pm,Thursday, 6th January.  Epiphany at St. Paul's

With Season's Greetings and

With every good wish for the coming New Year

Peoples, Populations & Parties



Kinyinya Community Centre, Kigali

Albert welcomed me into his home where he lived with his younger sister amidst 400 parentless households of which he was head.

Recollections of the Genocide encircled me and burst into time-warp photography, played-back in slow motion as he recounted his survival ~ a phoenix risen from the ashes and his cries a beautiful song.

'Shake Hands with the Devil' Lt Gen Romeo Dallaire's account of the Genocide provides the reader with such insights.

Some Genocidaires are 'WANTED' but countless live amongst the survivors wearing a uniform as part of their punishment:  Gacaca courts deliver transitional justice, designed to promote healing and a moving on from the crisis ~ 'Truth, Justice & Reconciliation'.

Mary Kayitesi Blewitt, OBE, founded the Survivors Fund 'SURF' and having lost 50 members of her own family, has now written a book 'YOU ALONE MAY LIVE'.

'Of my family, only my niece survived. Miraculously, she escaped death and managed to clamber out of the mass grave. She ran to some Hutu friends for help.

Two of the boys went to the grave, finished off any survivors, then came back to rape her.

Later, when I went to the village to put up a memorial for the 200 killed there, their mother denied they had been involved. She said she felt sorry for me and hugged me, but I didn’t think she was genuine. If you’re really sorry you say, “Yes, my sons did this”.

I stayed eight months in Rwanda and began to despair.

There was so much money for aid, but the agencies spent it all on supporting refugees – many of whom were killers. No one was supporting the widows or the orphans. I couldn’t sit around and wait for something to happen, so I started my own organisation – SURF – to make sure that survivors had support and that their voices would be heard.

What happened in Rwanda was not a tribal issue, but a humanitarian one. Any country in the world is capable of genocide. Survivors say they’ve forgiven, but many don’t understand the word. The world is obsessed with moving on, but there’s no closure for a victim of an atrocity. Without dialogue, accountability or apology you can’t move on. It’s exhausting. Genocide is beyond forgiveness.'

'Project Umubano' led by Andrew Mitchell MP and followed by a team of 104 supporters arrived in Rwanda to support five sectors where politicians meet face-to-face with people in the developing world, in an attempt to better understand their lives and the challenges they face.

Music, dancing and laughter erupted and dissolved spontaneously between sawing, digging, planting and painting at Kinyinya Community Centre, Kigali where I was based, it was such fun, truly.

Visitors would comment on the incredible team spirit and this underlined what was being achieved ~ between people, populations and Parties.

International Development has taught me that individuals can make a difference, no matter how small to the 'hard-headed but not hard-hearted' approach.  Being 'realistic but optimistic' as 'the rewards of these ambitions will be great' 'a better life for millions of people and a safer, more prosperous world for Britain'.  Prime Minister, David Cameron.

My Best Life :  Gap Yah! @StopAtHome may well include a include a return to Africa ~ God willing.