Staying positive during the Coronavirus pandemic

Introduction:

It’s not easy to stay positive during the Coronovirus pandemic and I could write about all the negative stuff and how frustrating it is but I’m trying to be positive instead.

Worldwide:

Ever since the planes were grounded and there have been fewer cars on the road, pollution levels have dropped and the air feels cleaner and fresher.  It’s Spring and the sun is shining and there are still lots of daffodils out.

Self isolating:

I’m lucky enough still able to go out for an essential walk round the park and to buy food, and I’m in regular contact with friends and family by phone, email and text.  As an introvert who is also a writer, likes reading and doing meditation, I would find self isolating easier than extroverts (as long as I’m feeling well!).

Keeping in contact with others online:

The people I’ve met through meditation are now doing it on Facebook, posting encouraging messages about positive thinking, which I find very helpful.  There has been advice on breathing techniques and reassurance we’re not alone and we’re all in this together.  There are various events online taking place, and Clap for Carers when everyone stands at their front door or window and applauds all the doctors, nurses and carers who are working so hard for us.

Listen to local radio stations:

The DJs on local radio stations sound so much more cheerful and positive than the journalists on the BBC, and play lots of good music instead of reporting on how many people have died.

Time for reading:

Instead of going out and meeting friends and family I have more time to read books.  I’m currently reading The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, about mindfulness and living in the present moment instead of worrying about what might happen in the future and when I’ve finished it I will review it on here.

And finally:

Stay well everyone.  The Coronovirus pandemic won’t last forever and sometime in the future we will all be able to meet our friends and family again, go to the pub, have a holiday and resume our lives having learned a lot from this experience.

Also, a special thought to those who have family and friends in places like Spain and Italy where it’s worse than in the UK.

St Valentine

St Valentine

There are various theories about St Valentine’s Day, one of which is that it’s to do with birds mating at the beginning of spring and another is that it was a Roman fertility feast.

There are also about 14 St Valentines.  One was a Roman priest who broke Emperor Claudius’s law forbidding soldiers from marrying.  He performed secret marriages until he was beheaded on 14 February.  Another was Bishop of Turni, 60 miles from Rome, who was tortured and executed there in c273.  Some believe them to be the same person – a Roman priest who became Bishop of Turni.

St Valentine is the patron saint of beekeepers, epileptics and travellers, as well as lovers, so he was busy.

Valentines….Soul mates or twin flames

So… is your Valentine your soul mate or twin flame?  There is a difference between them.  A soul mate is someone you feel completely at ease with and it can be a platonic or romantic relationship.  You can have a number of soul mates but you can only have one twin flame.  A twin flame is your mirror image, with whom you have an intense relationship and an unbreakable bond.  You were probably in a previous life together and have dreams and nightmares about what each other is doing, whether you like it or not, and you can’t sever the connection no matter how hard you try.

Valentine cards

The British Library in London has the oldest known valentine, a poem in French which Charles Duke of Orleans sent to his wife in 1415, while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.

Valentine cards had become very popular by the 18^th century and the Victorians made lots of handmade cards with flowers and lace. You can also give your Valentine flowers, chocolates, chocolate flowers, chocolate hearts, teddies with hearts, balloons with hearts, t-shirts with hearts, CDs of love songs, etc.

The social media approach

Some people express their feelings by posting love songs and poems on their Facebook page which is great.   Here’s one to be going on with…Van Morrison…When the healing has begun…click here to listen to it.

However Facebook is public not private and can be too cryptic because the person it’s aimed at might not be sure it’s for them and it makes other people jealous.  Books on communication say the best way to do it is to make it clear and be brief to make your point.

The touristy bit

There is a shrine to St Valentine in the Church of our Lady of Mount Carmel in Whitefriar Street, Dublin, Ireland.   His skull is on display in a basilica in Rome and other bits of his anatomy can be seen in different parts of Britain, France and the Czech Republic.

There are other romantic places to go …take a ride on a gondola in Venice, as long as it’s not still flooded, or visit somewhere like Can Bordoy Grand House and Garden on the south coast of Spain.

So whatever you end up doing for St Valentine’s Day enjoy it and I hope you find love.

 

Thomas Wall of Wall’s Sausages and Ice Cream

Introduction:

Sutton Writers Circle meets in the Thomas Wall Community Lounge, Robin Hood Lane, Sutton, Surrey.  Everyone knows who Robin Hood was, but not Thomas Wall, so I decided to find out more about him.  He turned out to be part of the family run company Wall’s, the manufacturers of sausages and ice cream.

Wall’s Sausages:

Wall’s Sausages was founded by Richard Wall in 1786 and was run from 113 Jermyn Street, off Piccadilly, in London.  It was a family business and Richard’s grandson Thomas was born there in 1846.   Thomas took it over from his father and ran it with his brother. The sale of sausages fell in the summer months so after the First World War they started making and selling ice cream as well, to avoid making staff redundant.

Thomas moves to Sutton:

The family moved from London to Sutton when Thomas was a teenager and lived on Sutton Common Road until his mother died.  In 1897 he moved to a large Victorian house called Blythewood in Worcester Road with his sister Louisa and 4 servants.  He supported many charities and established the Thomas Wall Trust to help students with their education.  He also founded a school in Sutton which eventually became the Sutton United Football Club ground.

He died at his home Blythewood in 1930 age 83.  He left his estate worth £288,000 to his sister Louisa and 2 nephews.  The Victorian house has been knocked down and replaced by a modern one.  When it was for sale in 2017 the owners said Thomas Wall had spent time on a farm in Australia called Blythewood and named the house after it.

Thomas Wall remembered:

Wall’s sausages and ice cream are still made and the brand is now owned by Unilever.  113 Jermyn Street has become a restaurant.  Click here to see photos.  Meanwhile Thomas Wall’s name lives on in Sutton.  Prospective new members to Sutton Writers Circle often go to the Thomas Wall Centre in another part of the town by mistake instead of coming to the Thomas Wall Community Lounge. A nursery school, a children’s centre, a park and a road in Sutton are also named after him.

Sutton Writers Circle:

We meet in the Thomas Wall Community Lounge in Robin Hood Lane, Sutton (not the Thomas Wall Centre) on the 2nd Tuesday of each month when we usually have a speaker talking about writing and publishing.  We also run workshops where we read out what we have written – anything from poetry to novels – and give each other constructive advice.  More details on the website: www.suttonwriters.co.uk

And finally…see below and the menu on the left for more of my blogs on places to go and books to read.

Day Out: Lucian Freud self portraits at The Royal Academy

Introduction:

A few years ago I went to an exhibition of Lucian Freud’s portraits of his family and friends and I was impressed by how he portrayed them in a realistic way instead of trying to make them look beautiful.  He has done the same with his self portraits.  He once said he was very shy and tried to overcome it by being exhibitionistic.

Lucian Freud himself:

He was born in Berlin in 1922 and came to Britain with his family to escape the Nazis.  He was married twice and had lots of children.  He took up painting as a young man and concentrated on portraits.  He lived in London and died in 2011.  This exhibition at The Royal Academy was mainly self portraits, but some were paintings of other people and included Freud in the background or as a reflection in a window.

The exhibition:

There were 5 sections of the exhibition entitled Drawings, Transition, Mirrors, Reflections and Paintings at Work.  I particularly liked Hotel Bedroom showing the artist standing looking at his first wife who was in bed.  Both look very unhappy and not surprisingly their marriage only lasted 4 years. The problem in their relationship is made bigger by the empty room behind them. Click here to see it.

I was also impressed by Reflection with Two Children which was his first self portrait using a mirror.  The mirror was on the floor so the artist is depicted towering over it and looking down at you.  Two of his children are painted outside the frame, as though he wants to emphasis they were separate from him.  Click here to see it.

There were others where the family resemblance between Freud and his family are clearly evident, such as a portrait of his adult son with the artist reflected in the window behind, and a self portrait of Freud in his 70s.  In both works the 2 men are shown standing naked, in a realistic not handsome way, and make an interesting comparison.

The Royal Academy:

The Lucian Freud self portrait exhibition was held at The Royal Academy in Piccadilly, London.  There are many temporary exhibitions there throughout the year including the annual Summer Exhibition and they are always well attended.

The Royal Academy also provides talks, workshops and guided tours and has several good souvenir shops and a cafe in the basement.  The building itself is beautiful – click here to see it.  It is easy to find, on several bus routes and midway between Green Park  and Piccadilly Circus tube stations.  If you need somewhere to stay the night then the Ritz Hotel is just across the road.

And finally…round the corner in Bruton Street you will find the house where the Queen was born.

See below and the menu on the left for more ideas about places to go for a day out, and books to read.

Day Out: The Buddhism exhibition at The British Library, London

Introduction:

My reason for going to London on New Year’s Eve was to visit someone in UCL Hospital  and while I was in the area I went down the road to The British Library to see the Buddhism exhibition.

Buddhism in a nutshell:

The Buddha was born in Nepal over 2,500 years ago and by searching for universal truth he became a teacher and spiritual leader.  He taught people about Karma and the continuing cycle of birth, death and rebirth and practiced meditation.  Buddhism has grown from this and has 500 million followers today.

The exhibition itself:

The exhibition has a meditative atmosphere and the rooms are dimly lit and the exhibits are colourful with lots of red and gold.  There weren’t many visitors and I was able to have a good look at the manuscripts, scrolls and paintings depicting stages in the life of Buddha and statues of him.  I was very impressed by the detail in the variety of illustrations and scrolls on display.

I saw displays showing the development of the Buddhist religion from scrolls on tree bark, to woodblock printing and digitisation of Buddhist texts in modern libraries today.  Many of the exhibits came from places like India, Singapore and Sri Lanka so it was very varied and interesting.

The British Library:

The British Library houses a copy of every publication in the UK and Ireland – books, newspapers, magazines – and has a whole room devoted to the Magna Carta.  Readers Passes are available for people who want to do research.  There are various temporary exhibitions, talks on different subjects and tours of the building.  I once went on a guided tour and found it fascinating.

A few touristy details:

There are several cafes in the British Library and a very good bookshop selling books on literary subjects.  It is easy to get to and is next door to St Pancras International Station and 10 minutes walk from Euston Station.  Other places to visit in the area include St Pancras Old Church, the London Canal Museum and Regents Park so there’s lots to see and do.

And finally: 

See below and the menu on the left for more of my blogs about days out.  And Happy New Year.

Day Out: Visiting Euston in London

Introduction:

My main reason for going to Euston was to visit a friend who was a patient at UCLH, also known as University College London Hospital.  It is a teaching hospital dedicated to treating complex illnesses, particularly cancer.  The building is a huge modern building surrounded by other huge modern buildings on the very busy junction of Tottenham Court Road and Euston Road.  I was reassured to find my friend in there being well looked after and she was pleased to see me.

It’s never pleasant when friends and family are ill so to take my mind off it, I went sightseeing…

Pollock’s Toy Museum:

This museum is in 2 historic houses round the back of Goodge Street tube station on Tottenham Court Road.  The entrance is tiny and the stairs up to the first floor are very narrow but there is more space upstairs. The exhibits are mainly Victorian toys – lots of dolls, teddies, games, toy cars, toy theatres, dolls houses, and a rocking horse, all in very good condition and very colourful.  I recognised many toys I had played with as a child so I must be getting old.

Pollock’s Toy Museum is on the corner of Scala Street and Whitfield Street and is open every day except Sundays and Bank Holidays.  Entrance fee is £7 for adults and £4 for children.

The Wellcome Collection:

The Wellcome Collection is another huge building on the Euston Road.  It is named after Sir Henry Wellcome who collected items relating to health and medicine which are on display in the museum and library.  When I went there I visited an exhibition about children’s playgrounds and it was interesting to see how they have changed over the years.

They also provide talks on different aspects of health, give guided tours and have a cafe and gift shop selling lots of books.  It is right next door to UCL Hospital, very near Euston Station and there are a number of bus routes along the Euston Road.

Euston Station:

Euston Station is also huge and a good place to buy a card and present for someone in hospital, get a cup of tea, find a cashpoint, sit and relax, and you can also get a train home from there.

If I go and visit my friend in UCL Hospital again, I will take the opportunity to visit UCL Art Museum and the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, both of which are very nearby.

 

 

Day Out: Epsom Mental Health Week 2019

Introduction:

Epsom Mental Health Week is organised by Love Me Love My Mind, a charity which helps to promote understanding about mental health, everything from anxiety to schitzophrenia.  It takes place every year in October and the main venue is St Barnabas Church, Temple Road, Epsom, Surrey.

What happens at Epsom Mental Health Week?

The church is full of information tables with leaflets about all aspects of mental health with details of organisations to contact.  There are also people there to talk to who will answer your questions.  Various talks, workshops and films take place throughout the week.

What did I do there?

I took a friend there to attend a talk on Pets as Therapy, given by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic lady who had brought her huge friendly Newfoundland dog called Hobby who wagged his tail and allowed everyone to pet him.  The lady giving the talk told us she takes the dog to care homes, schools and hospitals, where the residents and patients benefit from the visit.  For instance, children who have been through a traumatic experience stroke the dog and hug him and feel happier as a result.

On my second visit they showed a film called The Drummer and The Keeper about the friendship between Gabriel, who had bipolar disorder and was a drummer in a band, and Christopher who had Asperger Syndrome, a mild form of autism. Gabriel was playing the drums very energetically until he was put on medication which made him want to stay in bed all day and he didn’t want to admit to his band mates that he had mental health problems.  Christopher, however, was used to being an outsider, accepted Gabriel’s condition and as their friendship developed they were able to help each other deal with their problems.  The film was well made with some very emotional scenes.

Other activities at Epsom Mental Health Week:

Every day started with meditation, and there were yoga sessions and talks on domestic abuse, managing anxiety, an art competition, free lunches, and a visit from the local MP.  In previous years there has been a guided walk from St Barnabas Church to the site of the 5 mental hospitals in Epsom, now converted into houses.

And finally...mental health used to be a taboo subject but events such as this are helping to make it something that people can talk about.  Epsom Mental Health Week is a good opportunity to meet people and learn more about the different aspects of mental health. Life is very up and down with lots of challenges.  Click here to listen to David Soul singing about it.  And click here to listen to Van Morrison.

Various support groups are run throughout the year at St Barnabas Church.  It is in Temple Road in the middle of Epsom, 5 minutes walk from the 418 bus route and about 10 minutes walk from the mainline railway station, where you can catch trains to London, Dorking and Guildford.

Days Out: Book Festivals in October 2019

Introduction:

October 2019 is a great month for book festivals.  It’s an opportunity to hear talks by writers, listen to new works and meet new people. Many of them take place every year and I’ve been to a few already so I can recommend them.

Festivals in Surrey:

Mole Valley Arts Alive in the Leatherhead and Dorking area includes a workshop on writing psychological thrillers and poetry readings, as well as art exhibitions, theatrical events, films, music and a ghost walk around Dorking on Halloween.

The Guildford Book Festival happens every year in October.  Well known names such as David Suchet, John Craven, Alison Weir and Pam Ayres will be giving talks about their books in various venues around Guildford ranging from Surrey University to the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.

I have heard Alison Weir give talks before and have read several of her books, which are well researched, about Henry VIII and his wives.  On Tuesday 15 October she is appearing at The Guildhall in Guildford to talk about her latest book Anna of Kleve: Queen of Secrets.

Festivals in London:

The Wimbledon Book Festival is one I’ve attended several times and it’s very popular.  People such as Sir Max Hastings, Konnie Huq and Jacqueline Wilson are making appearances to talk about books they have written.  The venues range from Wimbledon Library to huge tents on the Common.

On Sunday 6 October they also have a guided walk across the common from William Morris House to The Leather Bottle pub.  Click here for more information.

The London Literature Festival and the Poetry International Festival take place at the Southbank Centre near Waterloo Station in London from 17-27 October.  There are poetry events, workshops and music to enjoy and the venue is right by the River Thames and accessible by train, tube, bus and boat.  More details here.

Festivals in other parts of the UK:

The Manchester Literature Festival has various events across the city where you can see people like Jeanette Winterson and listen to music.  I’ve been to Manchester several times and it’s a vibrant place with lots to offer. It’s easy to get around and is only a couple of hours on the train from London.

The Durham Book Festival happens in October too and Alexander McCall Smith will be there to talk about The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, and so will Mark Haddon who wrote The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime.  It’s many years since I’ve been to this beautiful city but I have read both these books and know these events would be interesting.

And finally…If you’re the sort of person who likes reading, listening to talks by people who have written a book, like meeting other people who like reading and attending arts related events, then these events would appeal to you.  See below and the menu on the left for more of my blogs about book reviews and places to go for a day out.  Meanwhile here’s The Beatles singing about it…click here.

Day out – London Open House 2019

Introduction:

London Open House happens every year in September and is an opportunity to explore buildings in the capital which are not normally open to the public.  They range from huge Victorian buildings (churches, railway stations, hospitals, etc) to small ones such as disused underground toilets converted into cafes and art galleries.  They are free to enter and you get a cup of tea.  This year I concentrated on 3 different buildings in the Kensington and Chelsea area:

Royal Hospital Chelsea:

This was the brainchild of King Charles II and built by Sir Christopher Wren and opened in 1692.  It covers 66 acres and is a retirement home to over 300 Chelsea Pensioners, ex servicemen who are single, widowed or divorced.

Visitors have access to the Great Hall, chapel, state apartments and museum, all built around quadrangles. There are lots of paintings, murals and memorials to admire.  Margaret Thatcher and husband Denis used to attend services in the chapel and their ashes are interred there.

They also had a cemetery in which I found the grave of James Allen, their gardener, who died in 1817 and might be related to my Allen ancestors who also lived in the Kensington and Chelsea area and worked as tollgate keepers.

Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square:

Sir John Betjemen described Holy Trinity Church as a cathedral to the Arts and Craft movement and I arrived in the middle of a talk about the beautiful stained glass windows by William Morris and Edward Burne Jones.  They were doing talks and guided tours throughout the day and there were lots of people there.

A memorial in the church to one of their vicars, Reverend Henry Blunt, was sculpted by John Bacon and Samuel Manning, my great great great grandfather, so I found another ancestral connection.

The Royal Society of Sculptors:

The Royal Society of Sculptors are housed in Dora House, Old Brompton Road, near South Kensington tube station.    The house has been used as a base for artists and sculptors for over 100 years.  They have art exhibitions, talks and short courses.

The Victorian facade makes it look interesting and I had been meaning to visit for several years but only the ground floor was open to the public and the information sheet I was given said everything interesting was upstairs so I didn’t stay long.

And finally…I saw parts of Kensington and Chelsea I had never seen before.  Of the 3 buildings I visited, the one I enjoyed the most was All Saints Church in Sloane Square because it was much more interesting than I expected it to be.  And I learned more about my ancestors!

See below for more of my blogs about days out.

Are you worried about a no deal Brexit?

Introduction:

Many people are worried about a no deal Brexit.  The Operation Yellowhammer document has just been published and when I heard about possible delays of important legislation, lack of fresh food and medicines, etc, I felt quite anxious about it.  However, here’s a few ways to deal with stress and anxiety:

Talk to a friend or relative – a problem shared is a problem halved and it will make you both feel better.  Arrange an evening out together and go to the cinema to see the new Downton Abbey film.

Do some meditation – simple breathing exercises where you concentrate on breathing in, holding it for 10 seconds, and breathing out will help with anxiety and stress and make you feel more positive.  I took up meditation when I started the menopause and found it was good for dealing with hot flushes.  It also helps with everything from asthma to mental health problems.

Try complementary therapies – I do Reiki healing using natural energy to help people feel calmer and more positive.  There are other therapies such as tapping, also known as the Emotional Freedom Technique, where you tap gently on various parts of your body and tell yourself to be happy.  I’ve tried this and find it very effective.

Listen to soothing music – here’s a few good songs from Youtube…

1. Kathy’s Song by Simon and Garfunkel
2. Throw those Curtains Wide by Elbow
3. Take a Chance on Me by Abba

Go out for the day – September is a great time to go out for a walk and admire the Autumn colours.  Then there’s the Heritage Open Day weekends where they open historic buildings not open to the public, and in October there’s the Wimbledon Book Festival.

And finally…..See below for more places to go and books to read.