Really good Sunday - Breakfast at Burton Joyce

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Breakfast at Burton Joyce has at least as good a ring to it as 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' and for Y and me a damn sight more enjoyable. However for you who would like to see Audrey Hepburn again, the link is to a couple of minutes of the film. (Although Google assumed I wanted to know about the film I must just say that the original Truman Capote novel was a brilliant piece of writing. English prose at its best. The fault was mine and not Google's, I should have remembered the qualifiers and typed +book -film before pressing 'search'.)

Our breakfast invitation all worked splendidly. They had all enjoyed the Pantomime, even being sprayed with water....... Everyone slept well and when I arrived at Burton Joyce promptly at 10am there was such a surprise waiting for me ! ...... Hannah and Miles were dressed as waiters in white shirts and black trousers, and each had the traditional 'cloth-over-the-arm' and were standing in the hall just inside the door. We were ushered to our table and it was all so lovely. Please see the Menu at the top. I was really keen to include a snap of them on the blog but Y isn't happy with the publication of young-people-pictures. She is right to point out that there are some weird people about and I wouldn't dream of going against her. Probably she's right anyway - she usually is !

The snap on the left is the view from the breakfast-room down Steven's back garden. The shutters show the width of the walls and the window-ledge had had the starters, and fresh fruit-salad etc., thereon all of which had been cleared away before I took the picture.

Even little Millicent helped with clearing the table. Lovely kids and Steven and Lisa are to be congratulated !

Steve and I managed some computer-conversation and although Y and Lisa had their eyes glazing over, Hannah let us know that she understood most, if not all of it. Not surprising really because she and Miles had designed and produced the menu in 'Publisher' and I don't think I would have known how to do that. Miles was the author of the "Sleep well, Eat well..." prose on the front page.

When we arrived home I managed a chat to David because at my usual 'ring David' time I had been in transit. And 'no' that doesn't mean I've swapped the car for an old Ford Van. He is so much recovered I think he is considering going into School tomorrow and the Headmaster will be more than willing for David to be flexible over the matter of 'hours'. Sensible Headmaster. He doesn't want to lose David because Maths Masters have a certain rarity value. Rocking Horses spring to mind.

My responses to your previous comments.

JBW ..... You are certainly entitled to your view! And, were the competition the 100 metres, I would agree with you. But with 'judged' photographic/writing/or similar competitions at least one other reason for entering is the wish to have an impartial and reasoned opinion of one's work, whether you come first or last is immaterial. Another valid reason is the wish to exhibit your work to fellow photographers.

And I reiterate my quote of a day or two ago - "Focus on competition has always been a formula for mediocrity" ... Simply because competitors try to abide by the so called 'rules' currently popular with camera-club judges. Rob quite rightly often mentions this aspect and how refreshing in consequence the Beginner's Competition was. Roy made the same point in his comment a couple of days ago.

Helen C ...... Carrying on from above - I think the sort of disappointment you express is legitimate. (As indeed is JBW's) ... Also, you are fairly new to Camera Clubs and I know how much you would like to 'win'. Again, perfectly legitimate. In my opinion you will gain a lot from your RPS membership and the chance to see stimulating work over a wider field....... And in any case, as Roy pointed out, your progress so far has been excellent.

Jill ..... Strange thing with recipe-book recommended 'number of eaters' isn't it? Our veggie curry for 2/4 people would comfortably have fed 6 or even 8. Yet other times 4 can be recommended when there's barely enough for 2.

This is one reason I don't like Xanthe Clay in the Telegraph. I'm convinced she doesn't actually cook half of the stuff she prints recipes for. There were so many glaring errors I eventually gave up on her.

You are right about the camera-bag being heavy ! ..... It weighs a ton..... But I don't intend carrying it anywhere. Car boot, disability wheels (two models) certainly not walking with it on my back.

Also agree about the Julie Walters play. In fact I went further and have made a positive decision not to watch it even if Y did. My reasoning is that Julie Walters is such a brilliant actress the result would have been too harrowing for my gentle perceptions.

Similarly, I heard Sir Ian McKellen interviewed on the World Service about his King Lear. The interviewer was over-the-top in the way Sir Ian, and the Director, had brought out Lear's slow slide into Alzheimers. Sir Ian, bless him, said "Well, of course, Shakespeare had something to do with it too".

Yvonne ..... I've heard all about the Pantomime. Lovely tales. I liked the progression from water-pistol, to larger water-gun and eventually to hose-pipe !

Kenneth Alan Taylor does indeed do a superb job.

Sorry I linked you all yesterday to last years 'panto' site. Please click here for a this years write-up.

As you know I'm 100% with you over 'pantomimes' and, from what Steven said about the potential seating, I'm looking forward to coming with you next year. While I was finding the Wikipedia page to act as the link I read it. And, not only popular as we thought, in the UK but also in former Commonweath countries like Canada which leads me ............

Quotation time ............

"Very little is known of the Canadian country since it is rarely visited by anyone but the Queen and illiterate sport fishermen."

P. J. O'Rourke at his cutting best

If you would like to see him in action please click here - he has the ability like Auberon Waugh had to make me burst out laughing while reading his prose. But he has a serious side too.

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