WeatherGirl’s Station

Heart-wrenching. I must admit to having planned to avoid seeing this movie, when we headed to the cinema we had intended to see Breach. The Odeon website, however, had blown a gasket and it turned out our movie of choice was not showing. So we either had to head home or watch Angelina Jolie strut her stuff. I’m so glad we decided to stay as this was an incredible movie, most definitely a multiple hankie affair. It reminded me of United 93 in so many ways and again benefitted greatly from having a British director take on a sensitive political topic. The piece gives you a feeling of watching real life unfold. You see people at their best and worst and the full gamut in between.

Current temperature: here 12C/54F, there 39F/4C

So I was wondering how I was going to keep my tap skills in good shape with a year away from my tap class. Well I got lucky and the local adult education courses include an adult tap class for those with some experience, which is me! Yay. We tap for an hour and 15 minutes every Tuesday night and boy do we work up a sweat. June, our teacher, really pushes hard and there’s no standing around watching. It’s all tapping, all the time. I drink a whole bottle of water every class. The ladies (and one gentleman) are a mixture of ages and backgrounds. Quiete a few of the dancers have been attending this class for a number of years which can make it a little difficult to get involved with the conversation. I’m just glad to have an opportunity to do something that gives me a serious aerobic work out.

Current temperature: here 6C/43F, there 55F/13C

Surprising. Given all the bad press about this movie I expected the worst which, of course, meant I was pleasantly surprised. Probably better as a rental, for a night on the sofa this wasn’t that bad a movie. Enough tension to keep me guessing as to what was going to happen, the middle third was probably the most interesting from a visual point of view. The first third was most problematic in being able to spot continuity problems and poor editing, the last third was when the ‘action movie’ drive kicked in plus the ending was way to convenient.

Current temperature: here 12C/54F, there 46F/8C

Taut. What might have been a pretty average thriller turns out to be much better than that due to a number of rather interesting performances. George Clooney inhabits these middle aged men who realise they’ve lost their way roles so well. There is a moment, standing in a field with three horses when the character hits rock bottom, the despondency just comes of the screen in waves. Tom Wilkinson makes what could have been a wacky joke of a character completely believable. Tilda Swinton is stunning and makes the whole movie for me. Her character is so constrained, walking a tightrope, trying to hold her own in the boys club. Definitely worth a trip to the theatre.

Current temperature: here 6C/43F, there 57F/14C

We’ve finished our coil pots. Yay us! My coils were much better second time around, so the top of the pot is much prettier than the bottom. We also made lids for our pots. Once I attached a handle to mine the group’s consensus was my pot struck more than a passing resemblance to a strawberry. When viewed from a distance the pot doesn’t look too bad. Then we glazed our pinch pots which was great fun. I dipped mine in two different colours, white inside and a shade of green on the outside. Next time we’ll have the chance to paint some more glaze on to touch up the finish.

I’ve also learnt that the follow up pottery class which had been over subscribed now has some open slots for those of us on the waiting list. I heard that a number of people had to drop the class due to its changing day. Once the current the five weeks are done, I get 15 more. Yay!

Current temperature: here 5C/41F, there 54F/12C

In a couple of weeks we’ll be attending an all male production of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus at the Mercury Theatre here in town. Last night we attended Front Row where members of the company talked about various elements of the play and the current state of the production. Tina Packer (Artistic Director of Shakespeare & Company) is the director of this production and gave us some very interesting insight into the context of the play. Bravely the cast members present performed a scene with different directorial instructions. Wow! Now I’m all pumped up and ready to see the play.

Current temperature: here 12C/54F, there 48F/9C

One of the pleasant surprises of coming to Colchester is the fact that there is a Quaker meeting in town. Quakers, not being of an evangelical bent, are not profligate in number. Last time we were on sabbatical, in Birmingham, I was in fact spoilt for choice with a number of meeting houses within walking distance of where we lived. Back then I attended the Selly Oak meeting.

Yesterday, I attended the Colchester meeting for the first time. The meeting house is a 20-25 minute walk from where we live, just on the other side of the town centre. The building was constructed for John Constable’s lawyer in 1803 and converted by the Religious Society of Friends to be their meeting house in 1974. (It has facilities for resident wardens and they clearly make a concerted effort to keep the building open.) There seemed to be plenty of attenders present, though I was told the turn out was on the small side so it seems this is a rather large meeting. There is also a children’s meeting with kids from age 4-5 up to adolescents, which augers well for the health of the meeting.

Compared to other meetings I’ve been present at this group were very chatty and there was much testimony on a variety of topics. The meting was very welcoming and there certain seems to be a lot of activity to get involved with.

Quakers have been active in Colchester for more than three centuries though it is not known when there was an organised Quaker presence in town. An early Quaker, James Parnell is commemorated by a plaque in the Castle. In 1655 he came to Colchester and preached the message inspired by the originator of Quakerism, George Fox, that being the experience of Christ was free to all without the need for mediation of clergy or ritual. At the time this was quite heretical. For his trouble he was imprisoned in the Castle aged just 19 where he died of starvation and neglect.

Current temperature: here 14C/57F, there 46F/8C

Mostly harmless. So we didn’t actually ’see’ the first 10 minutes as the image wasn’t projected though we did hear it which was a might strange. The plot was entirely predictable but I did laugh out loud multiple times and I did not fall asleep, so it clearly had something going for it. Simon Pegg as Thandie Newton’s fiancee was a big stretch but I did enjoy his character’s relationship with his son.

Current temperature: here 15C/59F, there 52C/11F

… or at least angst a bit.

Colchester seems to have a pretty active recycling program. Unfortunately we’re not a part of it. Currently they can’t do curbside pick up from buildings that are more than two floors. Don’t ask me why, I don’t understand it myself. After years upon years of recycling a significant amount of waste we are now forced to put recyclables in the dustbin. Every time I bin the something that could be recycled it makes me cringe.

There is a bright spot. Essex County Council does support a number of recycling centres where you can drop of particular materials. Luckily for us there’s one of these about a five minute walk from our flat. We can deposit cans. bottles, magazines, paper and cloth. Sadly, plastic still ends up in the bin.

Current temperature: here 15C/59F, there: 52F/11C

… is in the making. Yesterday we began work on a coil pot. Insert hysterical giggling at the thought of my effort! Yeah, it’s not going well in terms of making a good looking pot but I’m having a great time and I got to get my hands dirty. We made slurry and I loved that. So far I’ve kept pretty clean but I don’t expect that to last. We’re an odd mixture of people in the class. We have a couple of ladies who chat constantly. I knew more about their personally lives in the first five minutes than they will know about me after the five weeks are up. Huge amounts of TMI. There is another class member who talks even less than I do so I’m not the quietest. We do have one gentleman and he seems to be holding his own under the onslaught. At least four people are awol and who knows if they’re going to show up. Which is so silly ‘cos they’ve paid for the course. I tried to sign up for the next part of the sequence but that’s full already though I am first on the waiting list. Keep your fingers crossed.

Current temperature: here 15C/59C, there 66F/19C