It’s been quite the cultural week for me. Monday evening I was up at Rugby where Bob was performing the role of Rudge in “The History Boys”. If you know the play you will probably understand this was the only part they could have given him. “What’s history, Miss? Just one f***ing thing after another!”
This was followed on Wednesday in Cambridge by Lottie’s ( our 12 year old ) school concert. Quite seriously it was amazing. Took place in Kings College Chapel, the poor little under-privileged kids. Lottie scratched about gamely and enthusiastically on her cello, but the highlight was a small Russian boy in the year below Lottie who performed on the piano Prelude in G minor by Rachmaninov. Honestly, you had to be there and you still wouldn’t be able to believe how sensationally good he was. Every time I get to attend these events, which are organised by Kings prep school head of music Simon Brown, I shudder at the memory of when I got Simon, who has taught any number of musical geniuses, to set to music a poem I had written for Sophie’s 40th birthday party, which I then sang in front of the assembled guests. What on earth came over me to make me think that was a good idea? Sophie has never forgiven me.
And tonights cultural extravaganza…hmmm….immy’s Leavers Ball at Rugby. Cultural my foot. 150 demob happy teenagers, undrinkable wine and probably a couple of stints on a bucking bronco is what I’m bracing myself for.
Incidentally talking of culture and command performances…..Joey Chesnut….what a dude. Cadaverous ( new favourite word )? Not he. He’s just broken his own world record by eating 69 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Bob is up for another “dog” too. Friends of ours have been desperately trying to sell the last remaining puppy of a litter of lurchers. Photo attached. Here is an email Sophie received from Bob this week. Left us somewhat lost for words.
From: Bob Sandison < >
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2013 21:34:20 +0000
To: Sophie Sandison<>
Subject: RE: Lurcher Puppies
Sophie, (the cheek of it….note by editor)
Picture a sunny morning in the middle of the summer holidays, it is hot so everyone is outside. Jimmy is sunbathing and covered in oil, Hen is listening to some music, Lottie is reading a book and Daddy is sitting in the vegetable patch picking weeds. What are you and I doing? Well we are training our new puppy of course.
I know caring and training a puppy can be hard work and I will admit it can be incredibly time consuming but as it is the holidays we together will get the worst of it done before the of summer. I think that the joy he would bring to our family, running around the garden, playing with Twiggie and snuggling on the sofa would far out way the odd hare caught and poo on the lawn.
Christopher Morley, the author of Kitty Foyle once wrote, “No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as the dog does.” This particularly relates to you, Mummy, just imagine another eager face staring at you with awe and admiration, his tail slowly swaying and his teeth just peeking through giving the effect of an awkward smile.
I would seriously appreciate it if you would think about what I have written and decide on having the poor last puppy, he is a beautiful boy and knows he is all alone, think how pleased Humph would be to have someone, at least for a short while, as immature as himself! Twiggie would love to not be surrounded by midgets, and we would love to be surrounded by dogs.
Thank you for your time.
Yours sincerely Oliver John Macgregor Fabricious Sandison
Apparently he has recently been taught in English the art of “persuasive writing”, one of very few lessons , judging from the sneak preview of his report, for which I can find a scrap of evidence that he has listened to anything his teachers have been saying to him this term.
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