I'll just keep practicing!

A SUMMER FROLIC IN BECKENHAM

 TAKE ME AWAY BEFORE I DO SOMETHING SILLY!!!!!

The photos are not the best in the world, but there was a lot of laughter-shake going on. It was fun!

We survived the show!

As you can see, low budget props.

Aunt Martha on the bus

The River Song - Music written by my friend Mary Sawyer.

Add caption

Christine's Hat poem.

Add caption

Add caption

Joan, singing while I change behind the screen.

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Yet another hat!

Add caption

Add caption

The End! What a birthday that was! It's been quite a week. Now to get back north for a bit of dark satanic, a good pint of Barnsley bitter, and the sanctuary of my back garden.

Day Out in Barnsley

SUNSHINE ALL THE WAY!

Last week we had record high temperatures in England. Here in Birdwell and around we enjoyed 28/30 degrees, and our little garden came into it's own. We sat in the shade of our tree (unknown variety), sipped cool beer, and watched the world go by. At one side of us, neighbours were busy getting ready to go to Skegness for their annual holiday. At the other side, our neighbour was rushing here and there with his two young girls, as mum had just given birth to their son. It was all happening around us, while we lazed through the hot sunny days.

We did manage a trip to Barnsley, to do a bit of shopping, and had a lovely day. While we were out and about we called into the Oak Star Cafe at the Civic Theatre. It was brilliant! Even though it was 3 p.m. we were able to choose from the lunch menu. David had Thai curry, and I had Cod and mashed potatoes. It was inexpensive, and very good. We will definitely be back.

On our second trip into Barnsley, to the market, I bought a new dress for our production, next week. Yes, it is getting very close now, rehearsals have hotted up a pace.

I'm really looking forward to a good laugh, on the night. Especially as I'm celebrating my birthday at the weekend, too.

On the day that Princess Charlotte has been Christened, and the Chancellor has been working on his budget benefit cuts, the Greek people have been voting in their referendum to either accept the stringent austerity measures that have been imposed on them by the European union, or to say NO, and try to renegotiate a new deal. It is all very tense as to what is going to happen next. All I can say is that I am glad I don't have any euros, as the euro may not be worth much in Greece after today. As I write the likelihood of a NO vote is forecast.

So, July romps on in quite a dramatic way. (Excuse the pun)

I'm going back to learning my lines now. It would be fantastic if you could get along to share in our Summer Frolic. Just turn up at the door.

Bye for now,
Love and hugs, Jane x

This is a poem I wrote about the suffering of the Greek people.

Greek Voices

Yianni, out of work, hunched in a doorway,

sucks the last smoke from his precious roll-up,

feels the thin cloth of his empty pockets,

and stamps his dead-man’s shoes on the pavement.

He doesn’t want to queue for potatoes

in the open streets of Athens, or take

his wife a bundle of clothes from the church.

He doesn’t want to sit at a table

like a monk from Athos waiting for bells.

So he goes to his mother, who welcomes

him, open arms, to her bare house, and shares

a pot of boiled greens she picked on the hill.

He returns home blasting the sweet Virgin.

His wife shouts back, not because there is no

meat on her plate (or hope of any), but

because the sound of their voices creates

paradise in a vacuum of silence.

They want their voices to be heard: they want

to rattle the glass of a thousand panes.

It's Show Time!

A Breeze Above Our Heads

An evening of poetical fun

with

Jane Sharp, Christine Pope and Mary Sawyer

Saturday 7 Feb at 7.30 p.m.

Beckenham Methodist Church

Bromley Road

Beckenham

Tickets £5.00 (includes refreshment) on the door.

Please come and support us, we promise a unique evening of words and music. I am so looking forward to this event. It's a first for Beckenham, and a first for, 'A Breeze Above Our Heads.'

Now, as you can imagine I have been very busy over the past few weeks, preparing for our debut show. Since Christmas I have not had a free day. One thing though, I have been able to cosy up in the flat and learn my lines (well, sort of). I've also done a bit of baking. I've made love heart biscuits for our audience on the 7th Feb. And today I tried out a new recipe which I got out of a magazine. It was for apple cookies. Unfortunately they didn't turn out anything like a cookie, more sort of soft, spongy, eggy type, scone type, unsweet, cocoa-nutty, keep you alive stodge. David and I will probably eat them, they are not too bad with a spoon of jam on the top, but I won't make them again. Oh, well, nothing new there then.

We had a slight shower of snow today, it started just after I had stepped out of the front door for a short constitutional, managed to wet me through as I determinately strode out, and cleared up the minute I got back to the flat. Cold air is very refreshing in the lungs after a day inside.

I hope you are keeping warm, dear reader, and I look forward to seeing you on Saturday 7 Feb.

And now for a bit of telly, it's nearly time for 'Death in Paradise' a little programme which amuses me.

Take care on the icy roads,

Love and hugs,

Jane x

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015

This is it! The beginning of another year, whoopee! of we go again!

I'm happily unemployed, free to create, free to use my days as I wish, and free to eat my meals at the time of day I want.

So, with my poet's head on I have spent the day revising some of my more silly poems ready for a public airing on the 7th February, when I shall be part of the entertainment at Beckenham Methodist Church. (More about that later) Suffice it to say that Aunt Martha is to come out of hiding.

And, what have I cooked today. Well, so far nothing. David made the porridge this morning, we had lunch at withering spoons in Bromley (extremely good value) and now it's 6.30 p.m so I think a snack is about to appear. I dare say I could rustle up a couple of pieces of toast.

Actually, watching the news has put me off my food. The emotional gatherings of people all over the world, solidarity against the outrage of the cold blooded murder by terrorists of writers and cartoonists in their offices in Paris. I feel so sorry for all those people of the Islamic faith, who are decent, respectable citizens. 

Oops! What? It's not burnt, it's just caught. It'll scrape off!

There was an old lady from Penge,

Who went on a trip to Stone Henge,

She put on her mac

And went there and back

In her brand new Mercedes Benz 

Love and hugs

Jane x

Wedding Bells to ring in Beckenham

Congratulations to James and Rachel, who surprised the congregation of the Methodist Church, on Sunday, when they announced their engagement. The wedding is planned for 31st May 2014, an event I am so looking forward to.

Now, I know I still haven't got round to telling you about my adventures in Crete, but I have to tell you about more recent happenings, first.

Well, no sooner was I back from Crete, than my friend, Mary, came to visit so that we could practice our music for this coming Sunday. We are going to play together, piano and cello, at a Christening service which is to be held at the Clock House Methodist church. We spent a lovely afternoon going through our pieces. 

Next came choir product on Monday evening. Only one more practice now before our concert on Saturday. Don't miss this Autumn Charity Concert of the Beckenham Ladies Choir. We are performing at Penge Congregational Church, High Street, Penge. Tickets are £7.50 on the door. All profits from this concert will go to charities supported by Beckenham Rotary Club: Young Carers of Bromley, CASPA, Demelza, Petts Wood Play Group, Phoenix, BAT, Maypole. So get out of that armchair and come and support us!

On Tuesday afternoon I hopped on a bus to Bromley, changed buses there, and got myself to the Ripley Arts Center for 2.30 p.m. It was the fortnightly meeting of the Shortlands Poetry Circle, of which, I am a member. This week we grouped together to read excerpts from long poems. I read from Omeros, by Derek Walcott, some people read T.S. Eliot, The Wasteland, and from the Four Quartets, there was a touch of Alice Oswald, The Dart, and other long poems. I must confess, I much prefer shorter poems, but I certainly admire and respect the work and artistry that goes into writing a long poem.

On my way home from the poetry group, I stopped off in Bromley to pick up a flip chart and an easel. It is all part of my upcoming talk that I am preparing to give (exciting stuff) in Greece, AND in Greek (Yikes!).

Anyway, more of that later. While I was in the Glades, I was stopped by a couple of customer support personnel, one of whom offered me a chocolate, and the other took my picture, they were Darren and Dee. We had a little chat, and I went on my merry way. A nice little interlude!

Now, it is Thursday, and David and I are going to take a little trip into town to buy our fruit and veggies. So, be patient with me, I promise to tell you about Crete, and what I am going to talk Greek about on my next trip. 

Take care dear reader, remember to do a good deed whenever you can, let love be your watchword, and we'll get together again soon.

Love and hugs,

Jane x

And don't forget, if you haven't read my book, Tears from the Sun - A Cretan Journey, now is the time to get your copy from Amazon. 

(Click on the above title)

A British Barbecue - Very Green!

Gosh, it is almost a week since the Anniversary barbecue at the home of Reverend Parks. And what a chilly week it has been. But the sun was shining last Saturday, and, as you can see everyone was having fun. I resisted home made cake after my lovely barbecued sausage, but Jack had a most delicious looking piece of jam sponge. 

  

Wow, Jack is almost as tall as his Nannie!

 On Sunday I shared the organ playing once more with Mary. She played the intro and first two hymns, and I played the last two hymns and the exit music. It went well, though I was a bit nervous as the church was packed due to it being a special anniversary cum Whitsunday service. Afterwards there was tea and cake, yummy, and a chance to chat.

Here's the Rev. Rachel thrashing her friend a dominoes.

And obviously please about it.

Meanwhile, I played the game of 'remove the stick' with Jo and Jack.

There were lots of games for everyone to play.

On Monday evening I went along to the choir practice in Penge, where we worked quite hard to get our parts just right in readiness for the concert on the 8th June.

And since then I have not done anything too exciting. It has been a week of cello practice, poetry writing, and watching the Tudors, on TV. I also like to watch Time Team while I eat lunch about 1.30 p.m. and The Apprentice with Lord Sugar, that's good viewing. Apart from that the TV is usually switched off.

I will just mention the terrible incident that occurred in Woolwich this week. A British soldier was brutally murdered in the street by a couple of barbarians with hatchets. It has caused much anti-Muslim unrest, and I pray that people remain level headed and are not incited to further violence. I also pray for the soldier who lost his life, and his family and friends who are suffering right now.
I am trying not to give the incident any energy, so will not speak of it further.

Like I say, I have been writing verse this week. It is for a very special occasion which is to be celebrated on Saturday evening. Mary, my new friend, and fellow organist, is 80, and I am invited to her birthday party in Beckenham. I am really looking forward to it, and tomorrow Jo and I will go to Bromley to see if I can find something jolly to wear.

So, for now I'll say bye, bye, it is half past eight in the evening and I haven't had my tea. I feel a cup of soup coming on. Have a good evening everyone.

Love Jane x