The Big Trip

Dr Anne is heading off on an adventure with her good friend and penpal of 50 years.

Lois Kleinig and Dr Anne first wrote to each other at the age of 12.  Lois was a pupil at a school in Cooke Plains, South Australia and Dr Anne, a pupil at Fordyce Academy.

After writing for nearly 30 years, the two met face to face in 1990 when Dr Anne and her mother spent Christmas with them in the Blue Mountains.  Since then, they met in Boston in 1994 while Lois' daughter was studying there and they travelled to New York.  In 2003, Lois came to Scotland with her husband and the intrepid two travelled to Verona, Venice, Florence and Sienna.  When Dr Anne's mum died where would she go to spend Christmas and New Year - meet up with Lois in Auckland, New Zealand, Melbourne and then South Australia.

Now is the big trip.  Lois and Dr Anne are off to Prussia to search for Lois' ancestors.

The Kleinig family with their spouses in 2010.

Dear Thing

Cohen, Julie. (2013). Dear Thing. London: Transworld Publishers

Dr Anne hasn't been in reading mode for a week or two. Today she is in 'nightie' mode.  She isn't ill just tired.  She started Dear Thing in the train to St Andrews and has finished it today.

This is one of Richard and Judy's Summer reads.

Ben and Claire want a baby.  Romily can give them a baby.  The story tells the complexity of relationships - husband and wife, friends, mother and daughter, the wider family.  It is amazing how complex or simple things can become, planned and unplanned.  It is all about what goes on in people's heads, their assumptions and their interpretations.  Dr Anne awards a 7/8 out of 10.

London 2014

Dr Anne and SS have returned from their trip to London.  Dr Anne was the guide as SS has not been in London for many a long year.  Dr Anne had picked an itinerary to show SS, her London.  SS had seen a review of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time and that was added.  It was probably the highlight of the whole weekend.  It was mesmerising.

The Gielgud

There were two exhibitions, one stately house and one museum, two shows  and Cbeebies proms.

The annual exhibition at the Royal Academy is one of Dr Anne's pilgrimages.  Dr Anne and SS chose their best picture for each room and came up with their favourites.  They both choose the same 1= - Free Spirit, a bronze sculpture and Transitory, a paper sculpture picture of a woman with her shadow.

Royal Academy

The Matisse Cut Out Collection was a joy.  SS and Dr Anne walked over the Millennium Bridge from St Paul's Cathedral.

St Paul's Cathedral from the Tate Modern.

The Imperial War Museum should have been a full day event.  Dr Anne and SS were there specifically to see the WW1 exhibition.  This was a fully comprehensive, informative presentation.

Imperial War Museum

Kensington Palace was a delight.  The 'Victoria Revealed' exhibition pressed all the buttons for Dr Anne and SS.  The dresses of the Queen, Princess Margaret and Princess Diana were a disappointment.  They were not memorable. The music in the George 111 rooms was much enjoyed.  The restaurant was splendid and the gardens were much enjoyed in particular the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain.

Such fun

The Cbeebies proms was a disappointment.  The idea was splendid.  There was a captive audience that the organisers did not crack.  The programme was a disjointed collection of music.  The amplification did not allow for an audience which would not be able to sit quietly.

Of the two shows attended: the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels the former won hands down.

As usual when Dr Anne and SS go on holiday they have 'a big meal'.  On this occasion they had Sunday lunch at Clos Maggiore.  SS chose the normal tasting menu while Dr Anne had the opportunity of a vegetarian tasting menu.  SS claimed she had the best ever duck that she has tasted.

Sunday Lunch

Covent Garden people watching was enjoyed and the Strand Palace Hotel was ideally situated for getting around.  Fortnum and Mason was its usual. Cocktails were order of the day at Harvey Niks.

Covent Garden

Sandra in Harvey Niks, shoe searching.

Cocktails at Harvey Niks.

Lunch at Fortnum and Mason.

And the Mountains Echoed

Hosseini, K. (2013).  And the Mountains Echoed. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

I don't know quite how to describe this read.  Abdullah and Pari are separated when they are young and meet again late in life.  The rest of the story describes the context of Afghanistan, the people, the way of life, and their happenings.  The book is a good read.  Dr Anne awards 7/10.

Dancing at the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival in Portsoy

Anne McArthur's Dancers just love to dance at the Boat Festival.

What are they discussing?

EENY MEENY

Arlidge, M.J. (2014). Eeny Meeny. London: Penguin Books

Number four in the Richard and Judy Book Club.

Dr Anne has never been the fan of detective stories but as she has bought the whole set of the summer book club she picked this one for a trip to Edinburgh yesterday.  She was up at 5 am and headed for the Huntly train at 6.09.  It was pulling out of the station as she arrived.  She headed onto the A96 and thought about Inverurie.  As she got nearer Inverurie there was traffic and the speed was curtailed so she thought Dyce.  The train was in the station when she arrived but of course she still had to park the car.

Dr Anne sat in the car to wait for the train to Glasgow and pulled out Eeny Meeny.  She has only just surfaced.  Let's abduct two people leave them with no food and water.  There is a gun with one shot, a mobile phone with little power and a message to say that when one person has been shot dead the other will be freed.  She doesn't remember the journey to Edinburgh. She was in a hurry to leave the meeting to get back on the train.  Only essentials have been done today.  Dr Anne awards another 8/10.

Mad about you

Moriarty, S. (2013). Mad about you. London: Penguin Books

Dr Anne is feeling a bit low just now.  That is when she likes a read.  She doesn't have a kindle although her friends keep nagging her about buying one.  She likes the book in her hand.

This summer she has the full selection from Richard and Judy's Book Club.

This was a gentle book of everyday people.  The family had moved from Ireland to London chasing a job.  This was the guy settling into a new job, the wife left to look after the children and set up home, look for a job, hire a nanny, and deal with the consequences - a stalker.  Who is the stalker, what does the he/she do, how is he/she found out? Dr Anne awards a 7/10.