Greetings!
I can’t think of anything to say. The newsletter is already too long for email, without my adding to it here. So enough of this persiflage! On with the newsletter.
Terry
Inside Freedman Towers
Recently, in a stupendous effort to rid myself of the worst chest infection, or any infection, I’ve had since — well, forever — I’ve been throwing everything at it: extra meditation, honey and lemon, chai tea, antibiotics, more antibiotics, steaming, enough fruit to feed an army, ditto vegetables, fresh air, walks in the park, and, on top of all that, probiotic capsules and multivitaman tablets. It worked. Last week I saw the bacteria packing their bags before they got completely done in. However, I decided that I’d keep the probiotics and vitamin tablets going just to make sure, but a couple of days ago I ran out of them.
The pharmacy had too.
“You see?”, I said to Elaine as we left that establishment. “No probiotics, no multivits. If I’m still alive by Monday it will be a miracle.”
She thinks I exaggerate. As I’ve told her over a billion times, that is simply not true.
In other news, Mocha and I are no longer on squeaking terms.
Last week I inadvertently let her out of the house as it was getting dark. (We like to keep the cats in at night.) She refused to come in, even for Dreamies. We shook the box, and in response we heard a cackle and a muttered “You must be joking, mate.”
Well, there was nothing for it but to put the cat flap on coming in only. It’s one of those that you can set to Keep Out, Stay In, Go out but don’t bother coming back, and Once you’re in there is no escape.
A few hours elapsed, and we heard the cat flap go, but it wasn’t Mocha. It was a marauder from down the road, who took one look at me and pelted through the cat flap at top speed, thereby smashing it to bits.
Much later, Mocha came sauntering in without a care in the world, and demanded fodder. Then to cap it all, once I’d climbed into bed she decided that I’d make a good mattress.
She’ll have to go.
Just William
A few months ago I wrote about Barnabees Books, in Westleton, Suffolk. It’s a lovely warm place, not only heat-wise but atmospherically, not least because of its delightful owner, Ty.
Whilst there I bought a Just William book by Richmal Crompton. I always loved those books when I was around ten years old (and yes, we had moved on from scrolls by then), but I was interested to see what made them so good from a writer’s point of view. After all, they’ve been in print for over a hundred years, and have enjoyed various adaptations.
William, the “hero” is an eleven year old boy who leads a gang called The Outlaws, and has an even more vivid imagination than I do. For example, a stranger in the village might be (wrongly) identified as a secret agent.
A short while after my visit to Barnabees, Ty very kindly sent me a link to this radio programme, saying that the person who wrote it came into the shop the day after I did. As she said: connections!
I learnt from it that Crompton was astonishingly prolific. As I wrote in I never have writer’s block, but…
Crompton wrote 37 "Just William" children's books, 40 novels for adults, 10 collections of short stories and Radio plays, according to the Richmal Crompton reader. Apparently, according to the BBC Sounds programe, she usually wrote one book a year, sometimes two, and once six. Six! My immediate thought was: Wow. And I thought I was prolific.
I also learnt from the podcast that the William books were written for adults’ enjoyment, such as by pricking pomposity. I’ve started reading the stories again and have discovered that to be the case. In some instances I’ve laughed out loud. I have also been struck by the quality of the language used, with words such as “histrionics” which are not often found in children’s books.
The next time I visit Barnabees, which will be soon, I will definitely be on the lookout for more William books.
Videos
London Girls 1954
The main thing that struck me was the amount of pollution in the air. No wonder London was known as the Big Smoke. The comments are interesting too.
Women and their questions
Do it again
I quite like this version. I think the girls have nice voices, especially the one with glasses: she has the right kind of sultry voice for this sort of music. I could do without the drum solo in the middle but still.
The sista don’t play
I first heard this on the radio, about 25 years ago. Paul Jones, erstwhile lead singer and harmonica player of Manfred Mann and The Blues Band had a blues radio show. I’d never heard, much less seen, Sista Monica, and his introduction included the immortal line: “She looks the way she sounds”. I think you’ll agree! I really like the lyrics, especially, “There’s one thing, baby, you better know: I’m the one who’s running this show.” and the ad libbed “Better get a job, honey”. Enjoy, as clearly she is herself!
Other reading
My experiments with and thoughts on AI continue in Automated Writing, published on the Soaring Twenties website, thanks to
:My post for paid subscribers was about a problem I have that is not writer’s block, plus three hacks, and productivity:
Finally, I published another ‘experiment in style’, a time loop:
Elsewhere on Substack,
wrote a beautifully evocative travel piece called La Huchette, wrote about four AI services, three of which I hadn’t heard of, and wrote a heartwarming article about her son’s brilliant achievement seemingly against the odds.On Wednesday I shall be replying to my epistolary partner in crime,
. We discuss matters of consequence such as tea, potholes and the weather. You can see the index of our correspondence here.Rebecca also writes a Saturday post, which is always full of variety and interesting. Her most recent one is about creatures getting a lift without so much as a by-your-leave, and the one before that was informative, chortlesome and fully of lovely photos taken by her hubby, who is a professional photographer. It’s amazing what you can do with a Box Brownie.
That’s it for now. Do comment, share, subscribe or all three please. Thanks for reading.
I'm glad you're feeling so much better, Terry - hurrah!
I'm worried about Mocha's relationship with you. Not only did she ditch you, she sent your replacement through the cat flap for good measure! I think the two of you have some working out to do (Mocha, I mean, not your replacement). Mind you, if all else fails.... 🤔
I thoroughly enjoyed your exploration of the stunning works of Richmal Crompton - I loved her 'William' books as a child - and had no idea that she had been quite so prolific! Awesome work. Not long ago - it might have been over Christmas, actually - Radio 4 or 4 Extra broadcast Martin Jarvis reading some of them - such a treat.
Thank you for the lovely links to explore - and for your generous links to my own posts. 😊
"We like to keep the cats in at night" Never leave a cat loose for long. They might find a better deal : )