Escape

To be in a place where all that can be heard are the waves and the breeze in the trees and the sand moving under the heat of the sun.
To see the sea stretching to the horizon and white clouds streaked across blue.
To feel warm bare skin, tickling foam sun kissed calves, the pull of the current pushing strength into limbs moving through the cool tourquoise water.
The taste of salt, mouthfuls of salt that give strength to a body that knows what it needs and takes it.
Pliable bones, toned muscles, a clear head.

To be there and not here with the sea in my eyes

Exams

The A level results came out last Thursday. My eldest daughter has enough points to go to her chosen university. Phew. In last week's Sunday Times, I read an article about how essays, modules and exams are marked and I know you can take nothing for granted with A levels. Imogen Stubbs' daughter took her A levels this year and being an actress and married to Trevor Nunn, they helped her with a Shakespeare essay. She did not get a good mark. It turns out that there was too much detail, too much extra knowledge, too much flair. Too good. The examiners only give marks when you tick a given box with a statement they have allocated marks for. You don't have to read the play or the book, just understand how to pass an exam and get on and do it. Could be any subject. Their daughter said she didn't want any help from Shakespeare experts in future.

So the exams. I'm going to talk about Music now. My daughter takes music. She got a high enough grade to gain her place at university, but not as high as we'd expected. Take nothing for granted. However, so many didn't get the grades that they expected in her year at college that the papers have gone back to AQA to be remarked. One girl, who everyone considers the most talented in composition, got a U for her composition which means she loses her place to study music at Salford University. This girl's composition was the one chosen to be performed at the summer music concert. She recorded it, even though she didn't need to. She got a U. Why? Too much work, too advanced, too much effort and skill and flair? Or did she not tick the boxes? Were her chords too creative? Was her melody too lyrical? Was she better than was required? My daughter told me that another student, several years ago, got a U for his composition. He went on to study at the Royal Northern College of Music. They obviously saw something else in this student than the examiners saw.

So, the system. Does it work? What calibre of student is passing these A levels? Bright, creative young minds or those who know how to play the game? Having the mix of the two would be best in this world.
But do we want our future generations not to be able to think for themselves? Do we want to quell all creativity and free thinking? Am I over reacting? Is it too late?
One thing is, when times our bad, what helps us through? The Arts. Nature. The kindness of people. The answer isn't a flip, more money. It's something inside us. And don't get me started on how an English student doesn't need to read the entire book to get an A*. For one, how insulting is that to an author? And what does that teach someone about reading, learning, education, life? Discuss.

Summer storms

Wow. Dark sky of hidden sunshine throwing out its rain. And the wind, determined not to be left out, blowing it into a sloping arrows. Love it. Stormy and wild and warm. Very sexy.

Mouse in the mouth

My sister was sitting opposite me. She had her mouth open wide. There was something black inside. Then it moved. It became clear. It was a mouse. A happy mouse, scampering around in her mouth. She was oblivious to it. And then it jumped out and ran off, perfectly happy. My sister didn't scream. Ordinarily she would, but this wasn't an ordinary occasion. It was a dream.

Brassed Off

Good title. I watched the film, 'Brassed Off' last night. I knew it was a good film, but it hit a chord last night, probably because of my mood this week. I wanted to watch something with depth but with an uplifting ending. And I wanted it real. So, 'Brassed Off' it was.

I actually think this should be compulsary viewing in schools instead of any old film near the end of term when films are shown because.....???? I'll leave that one. For now.

I'm from West Yorkshire and the film is set in a mining community in South Yorkshire. I'm not from a mining community, but I 'get' the Yorkshire traits in the characters. It's such a well-written film. Fantastic dialogue capturing the humour. As soon as the film started, I knew it was the right choice. I needed grounding this week and hearing the accents and this grim, familiar, funny humour immediately did that. The way of not giving compliments, or giving them in a way that is not obvious.

And then there is the reality of the miner's strikes and the closing of the pits and how that affects the community. And how important music is when all around is falling apart. In the 1930's big Hollywood musicals were popular because they were the opposite of the hardship of people's lives. Films, theatre, music, arts are the flip side of difficult times. The Colliery Band is what holds the men together when they are losing their jobs. So the bailiffs come and marriages crumble and anger and illness result from paying for striking and working with coal dust. This is our history. And people's lives. And the film works so well because it encompasses these things but with strong, believable characters and honest humour and of course, a little bit of love. Go see.

Love

At the pub after Writers' Group last night, Daliso said that he'd read, heard, found out somewhere that there are five ways people usually show love. We all have our different ways.
1) Words. We tell someone we love them, talk about it.
2) Actions. We do things for the one we love. Do the food shop, wash up...
3) Gifts. Flowers and jewellry and clothes and kittens...
4)Time. We spend time with our loved one. We don't rush off, we don't find something else to do, we're not all the time at work.
5) Touch. We brush our hand over their hair, face, arm, leg, hold hands, cuddle,kiss.

What do I do? What do you do? Daliso said we should try using them all. At once? Is that overkill or complete love? Will think about this. And my characters. What does it show about Lizzy if she does none of these? If Jez is action led? Andrew wants to be touch but his wife hates that? I'm talking about Erosion. So good to be working on this fully now, but also right now, it's the summer holidays and the needs of the many...

Music

I've been listening to Stacey Kent. Jazz sung in french. Sublime.

Big Drum Day, Chorley

As the afternoon wore on, the sun grew stronger and stronger, the sky turned blue and the crowd enjoyed the summer day of dance, drumming, eating, drinking, laughing, clapping, smiling, talking, lying around, meeting and finally leaving, happy and uplifted and thanking Grupo Sambafrique and the council organisers for a wonderful time. Just two photos here of many more.

Titles

'Meeting Coty' came so easily. The next book was going to be 'Leaving Coty' but the emphasis of the book has changed. It is complete in itself, so that title doesn't sound quite right. Or does it? Mmmm. I've had, 'Essence of Coty,' 'To Coty, With Love,' 'Splintered Glass,' 'Choosing Coty,' 'Trusting Coty' and others, many others...

Erosion was easy. The Monster Belt was. So was Jiddy Vardy. Why is this so difficult? I even had 'Loving Coty.'