The rage has subsided.....all thanks to Tony Curtis...

A few days ago I ranted away the workday blues....today I am chilled and at one with the world. Yesterday was the best day. We saw Stephen Fry at the festival, speaking about America. He reminded us of something. Our habit of laughing and looking down on the Americans is a bad one, we seem to have acquired a bad habit (unfounded, in his opinion) of thinking that just because we have a history and know literature well enough to speak about it in an articulate way that we are somehow superior. His travels around the US have taught him otherwise, he says. They are such a smart race, and we should not underestimate them. (George W Bush aside of course!!) A lesson in humility here.

7pm and we saw, in my opinion, one of the greatest movie stars of our time, Tony Curtis. Aged 83, still with a twinkle in his eye and a sharp and sardonic humour! What a privilege it was too. And for him too, he said. The stories kept coming, he commanded the stage and audience alike, despite a frail body (a stroke 3 years ago), he is a true fighter. He even stood up on stage and attempted to show us how he perfected a woman's walk for "Some Like it Hot", nearly falling off stage in the process but he laughed it off - much to the interviewers distress I might add!

Two power cuts did not faze him either. He just kept on chatting to the front row, as if nothing had happened. Actually he was chatting up an attractive woman in row two. Life in the old dog yet!! Afterwards, we ran round to the bookshop to get his book signed. A first for me - I don't do the "autograph thing", just admire from afar. We had our friend's six year old with us, who was totally oblivious to who he was or what he represented. AfterTony signed his book for my Mum, he then had a chat with Max - I always think it is so lovely when an old person sees a child - for a few minutes they regress and enter their world. Their eyes light up, their smile widens, and they totally engage with them. Max was probably wondering why on earth this old man was talking to him! He then grabbed another piece of paper and wrote on it "Max - A pleasure - Tony Curtis". I then plucked up courage and shook his hand - such smooth skin for an old fella, and he smiled and winked as we went on our way.
It totally made my day! Perhaps I'll pluck up more courage to do the "autograph thing" in the future. But I'll choose wisely.

Hay Rage

You've heard of road rage, well I have just experienced a new phenomenon, "Hay Rage"!! (copyright Rob Thompson!) I knew it would take a few days to shake off the heavy cloak of work stress, but I thought a glorious sunny day in a beautiful place would help the blues melt away. Until a short stroll this afternoon from the village of Hay on Wye to the festival site half a mile down the road. Perhaps my intolerance levels are still high, or perhaps I should have taken that "chill pill". They stretched 5 abreast in front of us. There was not a millimetre of pavement left. Still they kept coming.There were just three of us, and what seemed like three hundred of them! By "them" I mean our fellow festival goers, who seem to live on the planet rude and inconsiderate. Obviously that phone call they were making at the time was sooo important, or the conversation so in depth that our very existence passed them by. We were invisible. We shouldn't be surprised. The London crowd (or so they sounded) acted as if they were still fighting the crowds in, well, London! "Sorry" we kept saying, as we moved out of their way (why do we do that?). "Don't worry, I'll walk in the road and play with the traffic!" No, I didn't say that last one out loud. Well it is Bank Holiday I suppose. We English are used to cramming in some enjoyment into three short days of what we hope to be mostly sunshine this year. It isn't all like that thank God. Yesterday we met a lovely old lady who was in a wheel chair, and we sat and chatted while we had tea. "I am hoping to come and see my friend Roger McGough" she said, in a most unpretentious-like manner. I was impressed. We had a lovely chat, about what the festival was like years ago, before the site moved to the outreaches of the town. Most of the people are lovely though. And the site is especially lovely at night, and on Tuesdays, after the weekenders toddle off back to London town or wherever their busy and important lives lead them to. I sound like an old cynic don't I? Or a grouchy old woman? But all I want is for a few old fashioned manners and a bit of consideration for fellow human beings. After all, we are all here for the same reason aren't we? Never mind, another glass or ten of wine will make it all seem better I'm sure!

Holidays

We're off on holiday next week to Wales. But not just any old holiday. I am stupidly excited as it will be my third visit to the Hay on Wye literary festival. My friend Jane and I have been eagerly monitoring the website for months now, waiting for news about who is going to be appearing. In a bit of a frenzy some weeks ago we logged on to try & book to see some of our favourite authors, musicians and national treasures. What makes its special is its accessibility. The tickets are relatively cheap, you get to listen to someone you really admire for an hour or so, and then you can buy their book and get them to sign it in the bookshop afterwards if you want to. The place is just buzzing with excitement, everyone with a common love of literature and the Arts. Last year we came out of a session with Ian McKewan only to find our other halves sitting at one of the picnic benches having a chat with Terry Jones of Monty Python fame. What a lovely man!! After I had lifted my jaw off of the floor, we wandered over to say hello, and he offered me his seat (which is now my claim to fame!!). He had just finished doing a podcast for the radio, and had been chatting to my husband about Richard II's place in history, and how Maggie Thatcher may be seen a hundred years from now by comparison. As you do!! This year we are seeing Alan Bennett, Graham Swift, Kate Atkinson, Stephen Fry, Simon Armitage and Carol Ann Duffy to name but a few. Our friends are taking their 6 year old to see lots of children's authors such as Jacqueline Wilson and Julia Donaldson. Each year we say we'll have a break from it the following year, but the lure of the place is just too much......