To ezust and suilven



Love from Mellyj

I am right in that Canada also celebrates this holiday?

I wonder if any of my LJ friends who wear bi-focals or know someone who does can help me? It was time to change my glasses and I decided to have bi-focals so I didn't have to remember to take my reading glasses with me every time I go out.

Last week I purchased a nice pair from Specsavers, not as large frmaed as my mum would like - she reckoned that the pair I'd chosen would be too small for bio-focals. Verifocals, where out of the question as they are ar too expensive! When I got them home I had terrible trouble with them, long distance no problem, short distance every thing was distorted so I took them back to Specsavers. The manager examined them and I'd been given a + perscription in both lenses where as I'm a = and -. I'm extremely short sighted in one eye and long sighted in the other.

Yesterday, I got my amended perscription back and this is where you come in. Once again I have no problems with long distance, or looking right down at the ground. But my middle vision is off! It "swims" is the best way to describe it! I thought(and others have said) you should be able to look around with any visual disturbance. I find I have to have my head either up or looking staright down when every thing becomes clear.

Mum, is arguing that my frames are too small to accomodate the bi-focal lenes. I'm going into town this afternoon to seek independent advice from other opticians. I won't say that I've got glasses but that I'm thinking of having bi-focals. Then on Friday, mum and I will go into Specsavers in Bishops Stortford, where mum lives and look at frames. Then armed with all the information I can glean, I shall go into Harlow Specsavers and ask for the frmaes to be altered. I don't want any one saying I haven't had the chance to become acclimatised to them.

If any one can offer any advice I'd be most grateful.

La Cage Aux Follies Pt 2


The second half of the play, which is about turning Albin into “macho uncle Al” John’s first appearance in act 2 is a tragic figure in a black suit with rhinestones around the edges and again dark sunglasses. He’s made up to look pale and followed by their “butler” Jacob a wanna be member of the Cagelles with a black umbrella. Georges, his son and Jacob now have to persuade Albin to channel, John Wayne and become more presentable to the future in-laws. This is a moment I found funny but moving as John is rather clownish and sad in his attempts to pleas his partner and the boy he’s raised as a son.

The apartment is now reminiscent of a monastery, and “Uncle Al” does not look comfortable in his navy blue blazer and grey trousers.




During the moving song “Look at him” John sits huddled in the corner with glasses whilst Georges sings “look at him” and reminds his son what Albin has done for him. Also, Jean-Michel's mother Sybil isn't coming. What to do? When the Dindons arrive they make their disapproval known. Albino flees to his room before the Dinon’s arrives but now re-emerges as a buxom forty-year-old. John is dressed in a Jackie Kennedy style, black shift dress, black and white Chanel jacket and black and white shoes and a silver blond wig. Back in costume, Albin rises to the occasion. Here’s mother!

Jacob (who steals the scene) has burned the dinner so thanks to a call from Albin dinner at the local restaurant, Chez Jacqueline, belonging to an old friend of Albin and Georges, is arranged. No one has briefed Jacqueline on the situation and she asks Albin for a song. Albin breaks into my favourite song, The Best of Times (which I sang along to quite heartily!). He sings it quite softly at first, but alas, he completely forgets himself and at the songs climax tears off his wig, revealing his true identity. But, their daughter Ann declares she's in love with Jean-Michel and will stay with him.

The Dindon’s prepare to leave but Jacqueline, has arrived with the Press and blocks their way! How the press would love a picture of the most notorious anti homosexual with the most famous St Tropez homosexuals. Georges and Albin have a solution. Anne and their son must be allowed to marry, of course. And the Dindon’s will be allowed to escape - through La Cage aux Folles next door! And that is what happens, with the Dindon’s dressed as artistes of the revue, and Mr Dindon as the ugliest drag queen imaginable! The play ends with kiss between Georges and Albin and John is dressed in black trousers and a simple white shirt, my interpretation was that for the first time he is comfortable with who he is.



The cast got a rapturous standing ovation and John was nearly in tears. I must say that I was worried, that the play would turn into a Barrowman concert with screams from the audience every time John appeared. This was not the case, the applause was loud and we clapped along with some of the songs but the other performers got their due. Especially, Simon Burke who excels as George. I would have loved to have got his autograph and told him how good he was. John made a passionate plea for us to donate to Children in Need any one who donated £20 would get his autograph and a picture. I will never forget the kindness of sodapop200303 who gave me £20, despite the fact I had the money, as my mum had contributed to my day out. As we shuffled out into the theatre lobby, Soda’s friend took my camera and took this shot as he started to sign autographs.



It was a bit rushed, but John signed my photograph I managed to say “thank you John” before joining the queue of those fans waiting to have their photo taken. This makes up for the fact I lost my signed A Few Good Men Theatre programme with him and Rob's autograph. As we waited to have out photo with John, I took a photo for a couple standing behind me. The John came out and asked if we’d genually put money into the bucket to which there was a very vocal “yes!” As we went back into the theatre, Soda's friend took my coat and camera, John put his arms round Soda and I and said “Hi Ladies!” and yes I’m smiling!



We walked back to the tube station, we couldn’t help reflecting where to 05, when John was on the cusp of stardom and there were very few fans at the stage door. I ended the day by tripping up on the wet payment and nearly landed flat on my face! Hey oh and never mind! At least I didn’t do it at the theatre!


Hope you’ve enjoyed my description of the day. If I’ve gone a bit overboard on the descriptive elements it’s because I like to write everything down before I forget the details.

La Cage Aux Follies Pt 1

Saturday was not the best day to travel to London. We had a fierce storm the
night before; windows rattled and there were trees on the line, which made the
journey at bit slower than usual. I met sodapop200303 and her
friend at the Embankment tube station. After a hearty sandwich at Subway café
we took the short walk to the theatre. Despite the appalling weather, there
where women wearing floaty numbers and dressed to the nines.




The Play House Theatre is not as large as the Theatre Royal Haymarket, but just
as richly decorated but it had a more intimate feeling than the Haymarket. We
were in row J about 7 rows back and we could see every thing faces, gestures,
and voices very clear.




The play opens with Georges (Simon Burke above) who introduces us to La Cage aux Folles and the Cagelles in their opening song. A bunch of very fit young men who
had better legs than me! There was one very guy with the longest legs ever who
shouted "ZAZA, COME!" while cracking a whip oh my!


Georges is Albin’s slightly older lover and we are introduced to John throwing a
tantrum because Georges is late for lunch. Needless to say there was a
thunderous applause when John appeared on stage in a dressing gown and a wig.
Georges manages to calm Albin down and John sings his first number “Mascara”
This song is about insecurities about how as he approaches middle age he’s not
at his best; his looks are fading (not believable in John’s case), he’s trussed
up in a corset and frilliest underwear, but when the transformation is complete,
he’s at his most secure when dressed to the nines and he’s “Zaza”

We then get to the plot, Georges son Jean Michel arrives to tell his father that
he’s getting married. But, to make matters worse he’s marrying the daughter of
Dindon a local right wing politician, who thinks nightclubs like La Cage are
dens of iniquity and if elected to office will close them down. Georges can be
classed as an eccentric but Albin has to be hidden away for twenty-four hours
because he’s far much more flamboyant, he’s a transvestite. The first half
therefore is trying to break the news to Albin. He’s already upset that that
Jean Michel a child he and Georges have raised as their own is getting married.
I loved Albin’s anguished cry “Our boy is getting married!”

Then there are two scenes where Georges sets out to reassure Albin about their
relationship with two comforting songs. “With You on my Arm” where John wore
this number:



Then “Song in the Sand” where John wore powder blue men’s trouser suit and large
sunglasses. The show must also go on and we are treated to second part of the
cabaret whilst Jean Michael tries to make Georges and Albin’s home more
conservative looking. John I think had three costume changes a white short
twenties flapper outfit with silver and gold fringing here.

A long pink number which he ore on the Paul O’Grady show. Some of the actors
who’ve played Albin their legs are covered, John’s his dress has long slits to
show off those gorgeous legs!




Then covered behind the largest features you’ve ever seen he emerges in a baby
doll nightgown, which got a thunderous applause, as did all his costumes. John
corpsed twice, once when he nearly fell backwards in his high heels and when he
was trying to wriggle his arms out of a white faux fur dressing gown. There was
also a lot of banter with the audience who’d paid out an arm and a leg for café
tables in the front row. I was so glad we weren’t down there, as I’d have died
of embarrassment if I’d been the target.

When he finds that he's to be marginalized, Albin is deeply hurt. He’s brought
up Georges' son, man and boy, and been a good mother? He’s even accepted that
Jean-Michael’s mother (Sybil-Who?) will attend the wedding and that Georges
relationship with Sybil was more than an a one night stand that Albin was led to
believe.

The final song of the first act is the famous I am What I am which John has made
his own, but the way he sings it on the stage is very moving. It is sung in an
outraged way and the first act ends with John tearing off his wig and quitting
the club in a thoroughly justified huff.

sodapop200303 a friend of hers and I went to see La Cage Aux Folles this afternoon. I'll post my thoughts on the play tomorrow and some pictures. But this is one for all my fellow West Wing fans.

You know when you see some one and you know you think you've seen them somewhere but can't picture when? It happened this afternoon. During the interview we went downstairs to the bar for our pre-ordered drinks. I got chatting to a man who looked vagely familiar. He asked to see my progrmane and I recognised his voice. I saw a name card by his drink Ken Howard and put two and two together. It was Ken Howard who played Paton Harrison The Third in the episode The Short List. Here's a little reminder via You Tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy5Xl1HEMXY

Ken asked us what we thought of John in La cage and I and sodapop200303 mentioned that we'd first seen John with Rob Lowe in A Few Good Men. That gave us and him the opening that we knew we knew him from the West Wing. He seemed impressed that we could remember the name of the episode and that we must be aficionados. I also mentioned Brothers & Sisters were Ken had made a brief apperence. He said he felt Rob had hardly aged at all. We talked about other things especially Soda's friend had seen him in a play 1776 many years ago and was also a big West Wing fan.

The bell for the second half the play went and we shook his hand and said it was a pleasure to meet him.

I'm so grateful to all my lj friends who've sent me lost photo's and words of support to my loss of 05 photo's. The damage isn't as bad as I thought. I've lost a few photo's from my 05 visit to America a couple in Willemsburg, Monticello, and DC. But the majority of them I'd already put in scrapbooks.

Moonlighting has also kindly agreed to send me some of her photo's from AFGM. I know she has has a couple of the final night curtain call which I loved.

I know you may be backing up your photo's but ezust will agree please, please don't forget to do so - it's a sick, sinking feeling when you precious memories!

Well,there had to be consequencies to the computer crash and I'm putting out a plea for help. Although all my holiday photo's from 2006 onwards were saved, I've lost quite a few of my pictures from 05. This includes quite a few of my photos from the visits to see Rob in a A Few Good Men.

I have the pictures from the press night, it's the ones that were taken back stage when vix24 and I and others went to see the matinee performance in November. I've trawled back through my J and found the solo photo's of Rob, but I've lost the group shots and one of me and him. Also lost, are the backstage photo's taken on the final night 17 December - the one and only picture where I'm actually smiling.

vix24 don't be surprised if you see the old RL UK Yahoo group opened up - I might try my luck there.

If any one can help I'd be eternally grateful.

vix24 Llandidno holiday is off, so I'm afraid we won't be able to compare notes! Mum and I are upsetas we were looking forward to the holiday, but the Coach Comapny only had had four bookings and so cancelled the tour.

I so hope we'll get to Wales in the near future - but in the meantime mum is on the search for a new destination.

Two weeks ago I went to access my registry cleaner (Systematic) I got the error message "You do not have permission to enter this progrmane." I did a search on the net and it seemed like I had a virus. So, I ran a virus check on AVG and nothing was detected. Over the weekend the problem got worse, the computer starting shutting down and was getting slower and slower.

Phoned my trusty computer repair man who took the tower away and said it sounded like there was an virus which AVG was not strong enough to detect. To wipe it out would cost £42.00. Fair price especially as replacing the tower would cost me £250+.

Was due to get the computer back on Monday but got a call to say the hard drive would have to be completly wiped. The cost was £60 which included delivery of the tower. I've lost every thing my favourite book marked sites, word documents etc, because I didn't have the chance to back up my hardrive.

The plus side, is that I have a computer that works like new! The repair man fitted Auslogics defragment progrmane and avast anti virus (much stronger than AVG). I also have CC Cleaner. All I should ever need.

I need to buy one of those memory sticks!

And to her mum, who both sit their exam on Total War and Social Change. Just remember, if you've revised on the causes of both World Wars you'll be fine.





All best wishes for tomorrow.

Love

Melanie x

Ok,so I think I've got to go back to the drawing board on this latest hobby. I'm coming up against so many brick walls and getting frustrated. Plus, I've got mum and dad wanting their families done and I can't do both at once!

I went to the library yesterday and found an excellent book "Tracing Your Family History" which I've found very useful. It gave some excellent tips on recording information and sites I hadn't heard of. On recording information I might go and by some index cards and start a record card for each member of both families. It's like the Open University all over again - the joy of going out to the shops to buy new stationary!

Remember great uncle William on my fathers side? Mum found a picture of him so he exists. She has a Victorian locket which belonged to my grandmother. In it is a tiny black and white photo of William in a First World War uniform. Next to it is one of my grandfather, Sidney Nash. So at least I know he exists!

On Wednesday, mum and I went to a lecture given by the University of the Third Age at the village hall in Stansted Mountfitchet. The talk was on the solo system and was interesting enough, but some parts I found a bit way too over my head. Our aim was to find out more about the organisation, and to see if it was worth joining.

Here's some information:

http://www.u3a.org.uk

The village hall was packed with a men and women over forty and we got a cup of tea and
biscuits for 80p. The annual membership was £12 and I've joined the genealogy and photography clubs. Mum is going to computing class for beginners! There are also outings to local attractions, trips to London and a Christmas dinner! A great way to get out and about and meet new people!

I'm quiet optimistic!

To suilven I couldn't let this day pass with out wishing you:



I hope you are enjoying your birthday and all my best wishes.

Mellyjx

I was visitng my parents over the bank holiday weekend and mentioned that vix24 had taken up researching her family history. This caused great interest with my father and asked if I'd do some research. I expalined that when we conducted a search in to one of mum's relatives,we were hampered by many of the sites who want a upfront free. You can only go so far on free internet sites.

Over the weekend, dad and I looked at internet sites and choose Ancestry.co.uk. He kindly paid for their middle of the road package, which has every thing a newcomer needs. I also had a family tree started by my aunt, which made life a little easier!

vix24 you are right it is an fascinating hobby! I've got back to 1871 on my fathers side, but I've already have hit a brick wall. My father's uncle William, we have his birth date of 1899 nothing after that. Dad thinks he served in World War One, so I'm conducting a search of the army records. But,no sign of a death certificate.

Non Torchwood fans look away, having problems with formatting and just test run story here.( Read more... )

Will we ever get it back? I say this because nothing united the shoppers in Harlow today like the weather. We had a downpour with hail stones bouncing off the payment and thunder and lightening. I'm all for a bit of rain in summer (after all we are a northern climate),but July has been nothing but a washout.

I sheltered with some ladies who talked for a while about how hard it was raining,and the state of the British summer. Each shop I went in to the conversation was about the weather. I believe that nothing unites the British than talking about the weather.

As a redhead, with fair skin and freckles, I don't do well in the heatwave, as I burn easily. But,it is nice when the sun is out to see people enjoying themselves and every one does tend to smile more when the sun is shinning.

Ok, second post this evening and time for non Torchwood fans to look away. vix24 this one is for you as I know you've had a rough time with your arm. Hope you (and all my Torchwood friends in LJ) like this effort.

( Read more... )

This is just to say I forgot to reply to the message you left on 4th July. Normally, I'm very particular in relying to all messages left on my journal and I'm mortified that I forgot.

8mg is wonderful I just wish I could afford the extra cost but 2mg has made made my life a lot easier.

Jack/Ianto Torchwood

The staff at my local bingo hall where dressed in the colours of the American flag - one member of staff went dressed as the Statue of Liberty. I so wish I'd had my camera. I know ezust you are without a computer, but I wanted to send you 4th July greetings. Also to say a parcel is winging it's way to you.

On another topic, I'm using dad's new 8mg speed broadband connection I thought 2mg was good enough, but 8mg! Wow!