There was a storm, followed by bright sunshine. Lovely. Unfortunately it all disappeared behind grey clouds again, and the rain was back. I feel ... um... why is it that the word which comes to mind is French? Anyway, I'm on the sofa with a blanket, watching a tv programme of some marvellous aerial films and interesting commentary on views of the world. The commentator said that at picking-time the fields are among the most colourful sights on Earth. Looked luridly eye-searing to me. At the same time he pointed out, over a clip of spraying machines, that the tulip industry is among the highest users of pesticide and that the Netherlands is responsible for a large proportion of pesticide input to the North Sea.
I never did like tulips.
Then the adverts come on, and one of my least-favourite food megalocompanies is advertising the chocolate to end all chocolate, which is apparently nothing more than the old chocolate in a new shape; moreover, it's advertised using a bored-looking model and half a ton of greasy cosmetics.
Maybe I should just turn it off and go and do something more interesting instead?
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Dangerous out there in the forest
Driving through the woods every week on the way home from choir practice, we see plenty of deer, hares, occasionally rabbits, and various owls on and around the road. Last night a largish mammal ran across in front of the car: possibly a pole-cat, as it seemed too big for a pine-marten.
English driver: C'etait quoi?
Charentais passenger: Rhinocéros!
English driver: C'etait quoi?
Charentais passenger: Rhinocéros!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Portal
The door between the kitchen and the salle has been removed. Now there is just the empty archway, which looks much bigger than it did when it was filled with a door and a hardboard surround painted with bunches of grapes.
The arch had been partly faced with those odd wall-bricks, which stuck out into the salle. Previous-owner planned to continue covering the stone walls with wall-bricks and plaster, which I thought was a shame (this is what it looks like now). James-the-Plasterer trimmed the bricks level with the door-frame when he did the pointing, so the brick-edges need covering. There is a gap between the tiled floor of the kitchen and the bamboo floor of the salle; I'd thought of extending the bamboo, but perhaps extending the tiles would be better.
Now that the first floor has been walled off and insulated, the kitchen fire can warm the salle as well. At the moment it's not quite cold enough to light the fire, and the sun is shining through all three west-facing windows. From the sofa I can see so much golden light. Beautiful. *happy sigh*
The arch had been partly faced with those odd wall-bricks, which stuck out into the salle. Previous-owner planned to continue covering the stone walls with wall-bricks and plaster, which I thought was a shame (this is what it looks like now). James-the-Plasterer trimmed the bricks level with the door-frame when he did the pointing, so the brick-edges need covering. There is a gap between the tiled floor of the kitchen and the bamboo floor of the salle; I'd thought of extending the bamboo, but perhaps extending the tiles would be better.
Now that the first floor has been walled off and insulated, the kitchen fire can warm the salle as well. At the moment it's not quite cold enough to light the fire, and the sun is shining through all three west-facing windows. From the sofa I can see so much golden light. Beautiful. *happy sigh*
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Music of the rainbow
A Yamaha P85 came home with me from England. It's very beautiful, but does not wish to stay on the stand. Apparently I need to get some multigrip, though there is a possibility that the stand isn't suitable (it's not the one recommended in the manual).
Last night was choir practice. There are three of us lift-sharing from this area now, with another one joining us in January. Music workshops are looking even more promising with so many local singers as prospective punters.
Concert dates for December are 4th and 5th for Telethon gigs, then 12th, 18th, and 20th for Christmassy concerts.
The rehearsal wasn't as good as the one in half-term with fewer singers who were perhaps the more dedicated ones. There was a lot of chatter; the director even had to stop and point out that we had actually started a piece. I don't have most of the music yet and the gig programmes haven't been selected. Luckily, most of the music is easy enough to read - apart from the jazz-blues piece about going to the dentist, which had me squeaking when I saw the words of the third verse, and not in key either.
The director asked me if I would sing some solos. I'd have said no, so as not to upset anything, but it was actually the choir's soloist who'd suggested it. We are to sort it out between us. He also said that in some of the smaller concerts I should do a spot with piano accompaniment from the English alto. On the way home I informed her of this and she was most surprised. We've worked out that the director is confusing her with someone else who does play piano. She offered to come round and learn on the lovely new Yammy - as soon as I get it to stay on the stand, of course. It might be a while before we're up to Lieder ;)
Last night was choir practice. There are three of us lift-sharing from this area now, with another one joining us in January. Music workshops are looking even more promising with so many local singers as prospective punters.
Concert dates for December are 4th and 5th for Telethon gigs, then 12th, 18th, and 20th for Christmassy concerts.
The rehearsal wasn't as good as the one in half-term with fewer singers who were perhaps the more dedicated ones. There was a lot of chatter; the director even had to stop and point out that we had actually started a piece. I don't have most of the music yet and the gig programmes haven't been selected. Luckily, most of the music is easy enough to read - apart from the jazz-blues piece about going to the dentist, which had me squeaking when I saw the words of the third verse, and not in key either.
The director asked me if I would sing some solos. I'd have said no, so as not to upset anything, but it was actually the choir's soloist who'd suggested it. We are to sort it out between us. He also said that in some of the smaller concerts I should do a spot with piano accompaniment from the English alto. On the way home I informed her of this and she was most surprised. We've worked out that the director is confusing her with someone else who does play piano. She offered to come round and learn on the lovely new Yammy - as soon as I get it to stay on the stand, of course. It might be a while before we're up to Lieder ;)
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