15/04/24 19:33
Today, I attended my second funeral this month. The first was for family. It was the husband of my mum’s first cousin. And the wife was my nan’s favourite. Her two daughters are similar ages to Lee (my brother) and myself. This brought about a whole new dimension of family mortality for me. The funeral today was for a school friend. An absolute belter of a girl with an amazing aura. Everybody knew Karla. We didn’t know everything about her but we knew she was there. If her laugh didn’t get you first, her warmth did. And it was today that, once more, brought to the front of my mind my own mortality. Sat next to Griff (whom I’ve known for 44 years – I was his best man at his wedding to Sarah), behind Schofield (she left our primary school early but we met up again at secondary) and next to her was Reynolds, a girl I’ve known for over 35 years; she’s the only one that calls me Dribble and gets away with it. I’ve known Sarah for 30 years. There were the others, too. Hutton (I have known him for over 40 years), Kelly (not Little Kelly, but Kelly that sat behind me in Geography), Pem (who I sat with in Maths), Roger, Penfold and Nagle. Also, Owers whom I recognised but couldn’t place. Jane and Lily were also in attendance. These people have been a part of my life since childhood. Or at least associated with people from my childhood. And here I was. Watching a mother say goodbye to her daughter. I always know how lucky I am having my two boys. I also know how lucky I was to have survived my own stroke. As I try to look back over my memories, I realise that my mind is still in decline. I know not of what I can do to slow this. This is one reason I write tonight.
Another reason I put pen to paper is to say that I was sitting two rows behind Juliet Mills and Joan Collins at the London Palladium whilst Maxwell Caulfield performed last night. Actually, that’s not why I’m writing tonight, but I figured it would be a nice little side note for the blog and the memory log.
Today, upon my return to the office from Karla’s funeral, I sent an email to my HR lady, copying in the MD. I have now handed in my resignation. I will no longer work for my company from 10th May. I will, however, be working for a local authority from 13th May. And I am now getting excited to being able to use my work brain again.
As I use my lotus 3D printed fountain pen with a Herbin Rouge Caroubier cartridge inside, I am listening to a recording by the London Symphony Orchestra of Sylvia by Delibes, conducted by Anatole Fistoulari. I’ve mentioned this ballet before in an Instagram post. It was when I did a “mini-series” on the Paris Opéra, designed by Charles Garnier and home to the Phantom of the Opera by Gustav Leroux. This story, written in 1910 and set in the 1880s, was turned into a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1986. Despite having recently bought a copy of the novel only a few months back, it was around three weeks prior to that when I saw the film version starring Gerard Butler and Patrick Wilson. Released in 2005, it was 130 years after the Opéra Garnier was first inaugurated as the home of Paris opera. The ballet Sylvia was the first new ballet to be produced there and was performed on June 14th, 1876.
Looking slightly sideways at my career, I finally had a Coffee Pot Conversation with Jasper. It was on Saturday 6th, the day before the London Landmarks Half Marathon. it was a lengthy one but with certain cuts taking place, I know it’ll be okay. And Jasper seemed to relax into it. This episode is being released on the 14th of May, the day after I start my new job. The next episode to be released is with Claudine Hemingway. I can say who it is because there’s a delay in my writings being written, typed up to the blog and then posted on Instagram. However, I’m going to be doing that episode slightly different. I’ll be having a co-host with me. Yep, Nev. As she was there at the interview, I think it’s only right she sit beside me for the intro, outro and Coming Ups. Talking of Nev, we went to the Wallace Collection on Easter Monday. I didn’t see the Laughing Cavalier, but I did buy a book about Paris and saw a book about the Wallace Fountains of Paris. In the collection itself, I saw some fine, intricate paintings of Napolean Bonaparte and even one of a Musketeer. Three episodes right there!
So, to conclude, I’m writing with a fountain pen, at a writing desk whilst listening to a ballet on a vinyl record being played on a turntable through my mum’s Bose speakers in my bedroom whilst wearing Café Tuberosa by Atelier Cologne. And I have resigned from my job for pastures new (and improved?)
An Englishman in Paris 