Flies in the Wine
17 June
I've had a few days off work.
It has helped with going to the opera and I've also done a few things round the house and in the garden. Not as much as I would have liked as I tweaked a muscle in my lumbar region whilst I was trimming the box hedge on Monday. So, today I've rested and have been reading in the garden and drinking wine.
My favourite tipple at the moment comes from the local Co-op and is one of their Fair Trade offerings - it's a Chilean Carmenère from the Curicó Valley. It's got a full-bodied fruity taste that I love - and so do the flies. Every time I put a glass down, by the time I return for a sip, there's half a dozen dead flies floating on the surface. It's a good job that I'm not overly fastidious in these matters. I pick them out and continue drinking.
The tradescantia are doing well this year and we seem well set for a bumper crop of roses. The centaurea are flourishing as are both the fuchsias. Best of all our cabbages are growing like the clappers. We are going to have to start harvesting them early to clear a little space before they take over completely.
I seem to be going through a phase of re-reading favourite novels of previous years. I've just finished Michael Tolliver Lives by Armistead Maupin. I loved it just as much the second time around. I've urged Ross to read it just as an extra insight into how it feels to be inside my head inside our relationship.
On the previous Friday, I took advantage of my time off and Ross's Tate Membership to re-visit the Klimt exhibition, this time with Roland. We are good companions at an event like this because me move at similar paces and and not shy about sharing our views. We were both enthusiastic about the show. I felt that I got even more out of it second time round seeing links here and there with other European movements and artists. Roland pointed out how like Sisley and Sickert some of the portraits are, for example.
I shall look to go one more time at least. I would like to try the audio tour to see what that has to say.
I've now completed my series of workshops with the local Quaker group. These have been going on since January. We finished on a high note with an all age worship session which went down very well. I'm glad to lay down the responsibility, however.
Sunday afternoon after the workshop, I stayed on in Southport and went to visit Phil who I've not seen for a very long time now.
Phil has been having extraordinary times. In February, he addressed a European conference in Athens. In April, he had emergency surgery for an apendectamy followed by internal bleeding. In May, he was in Belgrade for the Eurovision Song Contest. He's nothing if not resilient that boy.
And, whilst in Belgrade, he pressed the flesh in an entirely professional manner and, amongst others, met the Israeli contestant, Boaz Mauda.
No, I'd never heard of him either, that's Boaz, of course. So, I Googled him when I got home. And what a nice boy he seems to be.
Nice nips but what is it with the horse?
Or the dog for that matter?
Phil also suggested that I put aside the question of taste and acquaint myself with the Russian winner, Dima Bilan. I didn't know that this was his second time of trying to win the competition. Nor did I know that he is a teen idol throughout Eastern Europe.
In pursuit of fame and fortune, he has not only used his voice but he has also flaunted his good looks and gym-toned body.
Some of his promotional photographs are thought to be slightly questionable. What do you think? I can't quite put my finger on it.
Nice helmet, by the way.