Marks And Spencer Flowers

Yesterday it was Chic Eleanor's birthday.

I took some Marks and Spencer flowers up to the big house but it looked deserted and so I messaged her and as I suspected she answered  as she sipped coffee overlooking Lake Como alongside her sister, presumably both of them in matching pashminas 

I photographed her flowers and sent her the photo

" Exquisite Darling John " she texted back

Even Chic Eleanor's texts are delightfully upbeat.

We arranged to meet for gin and tonics in a week's time

I braved TK Maxx and bought a bolster cushion, a pizza wheel and a trendy t shirt. 

Winnie kicked the cushion around the living room and seemed quietly delighted that it rolled well

She played with it for at least half an hour.

No other news today

ANOTHER ENTRY

Another look inside Maria's journal.   A short story about Bartholomew and his
new family.   He appears to be extremely happy about the birds in the family and could care less about the cats.  The birds make him happy.  When he hears them chirp it's like he gets  a shot of caffeine straight into his veins and he jumps up, tilts his head this way and that way, trying to find the birds perched on branches in  the atrium.   Once he has them in his sight he actually then relaxes, sits down and appears to be soothed by their sounds. 

Normality

Yesterday I met a friend and

Had sit down coffee at the Jaunty Goat
Watched a matinee cinema performance
And went OUT for a meal afterwards!!!

Simple pleasures but oh so welcomed after so long a hiatus
I felt almost normal!
Ok there are differences
The covid contact slips, the masks, the camp barista with a face visor wider than his hips
but , for an absolute age I felt that I had experienced a proper afternoon and evening out.

The movie was somewhat of a let down for me. Love Sarah is kind of advertised as one of those London based comic dramas the likes of Richard Curtis would adore.
Big characters, implausible plots, angst, romance and tearful asides all set against a beautifully shot London with its mews, and bespoke shops and floppy hair.
Here we have talented baker Sarah, killed on the eve she is about to open her first niche bakery. The accident leaves the three women in her life rudderless. Best friend Isabella (Shelly Conn) has sunk her savings into the venture and is now at risk of ruin. Her estranged Mother Mimi ( Celia Imrie) a retired trapeze artist! is racked with guilt for not supporting the initiative initially and her dancer daughter Clarissa ( Shannon Tarbot) finds herself alone and homeless and grieving
Can you see what is about to happen?
Of course the three women reluctantly join forces in order to open the bakery and with the help of a token sexy chef with a past ( Rupert Perry-Jones ) and an odd inventor ( Bill Paterson) they do
Cue heartwarming story and Notting Hill cuteness.

For me it just didn't work , which is a shame.
The characters are so under written that the actors , although an impressive bunch indeed, can't flesh out the bones of the story and all come across as rather lacklustre and bland

If you can't believe in the characters, you don't enjoy the story
Which was a shame