Can Any Mother Help Me?

This play is based on the book 'Can Any Mother Help Me?; by Jenna Bailey. In 1935, a young mother wrote a letter to a magazine, asking readers for help. She was lonely and frustrated, stuck at home with two children, unable to express her thoughts and ideas. The letter struck a chord with women all over the country and someone suggested they start a private magazine.

And so the Cooperative Correspondence Club, or CCC, was born. The women wrote about every aspect of their lives - the pain and elation of childbirth, the challenges of marriage, broken hearts and fading dreams. None of them could have anticipated the friendships that would grow nor that the magazine would last their lifetimes.

The play opens in a 1930s world of teacups and Vim where young mothers exchange childcare tips in the pages of “Nursery World”. The Foursight Theatre Company has captured the essence of the lives, times and personalities of the assorted women who committed half a century of joys, fears and sorrows to paper. At first, it’s a bit like a schoolgirl club. Everyone has a pen name - Isis, Angharad, Cotton Goods – not forgetting Ad Astra the indomitable headmistress cum editor-in-chief who masterminds the enterprise. The club is secret especially from husbands and has rules “members must be mothers”, “no footnotes”. Developed by members of the company, this play is an exquisite evocation of the friendships fostered between the women who made up the CCC. With the passing years the magazine becomes a place where they can not only be themselves, but where they can grow up and grow old together. Fine, well paced performances from all members of the cast are complemented by a well chosen set and lighting that captures the dinginess of the mid 20th century British home. Funny, entertaining, moving and above all truthful, this is a first rate piece of theatre.

Lionel Blue, a British Reform Rabbi and Broadcaster

He appeared at the Kings Southsea last night. He is best known for his wry and gentle sense of humour on "Thought for the Day" on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Blue is 80 and still performing, his kindness and common sense shines through. At times he appeared to lose his thread but quickly recovered. He is known to millions through his broadcasting on BBC Radio. Many others know him from his numerous TV appearances and his books, among them 'Bolts from the Blues' and 'Simply Divine'. Using his own experiences and offbeat sense of humour, Rabbi Lionel Blue told a selection of stories, incidents and conversations whose dotty inconsequential flavour will appeal to people from all religions, and from none. He’s thoughtful and funny with it, mixing humour with humility, compassion and common sense. He talks about the people he has known with affection and about himself with a delicious sense of the ridiculous. He can spot when his dog is having an existential crisis and knows that the best cure for insomnia is a straight-from-the-tin baked bean feast. “My aim”, Lionel said, “is to give people the courage to get out of bed”. He made me feel better by recounting that as he's got older his life has got better. His 60's were good, but his 70's were even better. At the interval and at the end he was available to sign books and share thoughts. What a lovely guy.

Help For Heroes

My friend Stella Astbury is also involved in the community and does a lot of charity work. Last Saturday, 21st March, she was a major player in the 'Colossal Cake Sale' which took place in the Brook Centre Winchester. From the Fareham and Gosport area Stella took 80 large cakes, around 250 small cakes plus biscuits jams and chutneys. Donations are still arriving in lieu of purchases but the total she has to date is around £4,000!! Just from selling cakes! She said it was a very special day. The spirit was amazing, everyone involved was just fantastic, even if it was just coming and ' buying a cake for a Hero', or sending a donation, and then those who 'baked a cake for a Hero', kneaded, iced and packaged and delivered the BEAUTIFUL cakes of all descriptions were just fantastic. There were so many cakes they lost count, but there must have been upwards of 1500 cakes, teabreads, scones, cupcakes, flapjacks, meringues, brownies, biscuits, jams, chutneys etc etc. It was quite overwhelming...... none of them believed they would sell them all, but by 4pm the last cake had gone! The Mayor bought a cake and they had the most wonderful man in kilt playing the bagpipes which attracted people from all around the town and gave the day a great sense of occasion. She is fellow organiser for 'Contact The Elderly' in Gosport-Fareham. Help for Heroes is a very worthy charity.

April Fool's Broken Promise

What is this about? A promise our 'Esteemed' Prime Minister made. Fuel duty is set to rise by roughly 2 pence per litre on April 1st meaning that 66 pence of the average litre of fuel goes directly to the Treasury. Fuel tax goes into a central government tax pot. It's not necessarily allocated back out to motoring, so fuel tax can be spent on anything – the NHS, housing, pensions or even banking bailouts. At the height of soaring pump prices Brown made a promise during Prime Minister's Questions on July 16th 2008 not to raise fuel duty for a year. He stated: "In recognition of the problem people face with petrol, we are freezing duty on petrol for the full year." Brown broke this promise in December 2008 when he added 2 pence per litre to fuel duty to offset the reduction of VAT to 15% - a move which angered UK hauliers who are able to claim fuel VAT back, but not fuel duty. He is set to break the promise for a second time on April 1st when fuel duty on unleaded and diesel will rise 1.84 pence per litre. Including the additional 15% VAT on top this will make the rise at the pumps around 2 pence per litre. The Treasury have said that the only time further changes to fuel duty can take place are at the next Budget – which has been postponed from March until April 22nd, after the duty rise comes in. Do you think the Budget has been postponed to push through a duty rise unchallenged? Do you think it's fair that 71% of the cost of a litre of fuel goes directly to the Treasury? Should Brown be held to account for breaking his promise not to raise fuel duty?

Ban Alcopops

They taste just like fizzy pop and are one of the reasons we have a destructive binge drinking culture. Sir Liam Donaldson, the chief medical officer for England, makes alcohol abuse the main focus of his annual report. But suggesting that low-cost drink is heavily taxed is not the answer. Pandora should never have been let out of the box in the first place. When Bass launched Hooch lemonade in 1995 even I could predict it would lead to a disaster. Hooch has since disappeared but it paved the way for the billion pound market which is now dominated by the likes of Smirnoff Ice, Bacardi Breezer, WKD, Reef and Red Square. I'm guessing that alcopops earn the government lots of tax so I can't envisage any sort of ban. As a youngster I loved fizzy pop and all things sweet. I hated booze because it tasted bitter and disgusting. In my twenties I developed a taste for sweet cider. By this time I was married with two young children money, was short so it was only an occasional treat. Everyone lived within their means because there was no such thing as credit or credit cards. One either made do and mended or went without. Being ever resourceful I learned how to make country wine from fruit leaves and vegetables. Once the equipment had been purchased it was cheap, easy and very tasty. The garden shed was full of 1 gallon demijohns and I became a regular tippler. So began my love affair with alcohol. The first time I got totally plastered I was 27. I had just failed my first driving test, felt sorry for myself and drank too much. Very strong Dandelion wine was the culprit. I'd followed a very old country recipe which advised gathering the flowers at midday on St Georges day. Both children had beach buckets and we gathered them in a local field. Being so drunk was a nightmare, my entire body felt like it was made from cotton wool and the real me was trapped inside this stupid body. But once I had recovered from the horrendous hangover I wasn't put off. In my thirties my life changed. I had a different husband, a proper job and a lot more money. My second husband liked his booze and encouraged me to drink. Alcohol was treated like a reward for stress. At the weekend lunchtime was the signal to start on the wine and quite often we'd drink and not eat, on holiday we'd often start at breakfast time. It felt hedonistic and was a world away from my previous life. And so began my descent into alcohol dependency.

Self Indulgence

L'Oreal's selling point is, 'Because I'm worth it!' We willingly respond to his subliminal message by constantly reward ourselves. We convince ourselves that we are special but the truth is that we are self absorbed, self-indulgent spineless idiots. So why can't we exercise self-restraint, and self-denial? Why are we so weak? Fire-fighters are being called out at least once a day to lift obese patients weighing as much as 40st into an ambulance or on to a hospital bed. Thousands of individuals are claiming incapacity benefit as a direct result of obesity. Middle aged, professional Britons are more likely to exceed recommended daily levels of alcohol consumption than the working-classes, with twice as many drinking every night of the week. They do not believe they are drinking too much and that simply having a large glass or two of wine each evening is an acceptable way to unwind after a stressful day at work. Wine is presented in such a way the bottles appear to contain something precious. Since potential buyers can’t taste it, the bottle design and label seduces them. NHS spends 3billion on treating liver disease. Doctors report that people don't want to give up smoking because it costs too much, they want to quit for health reasons. Having an addictive personality isn't easy but I keep it under control. I was once a moderate smoker but gave it up over 20 years ago. For many years I was gripped by alcoholism but am now tee-total. Giving up was extremely difficult, I was successful but I do know that not everyone has my strength of character.

Card Skimmers In Store

A friend was duped by criminals. She used the self service checkout in Asda Portsmouth and Hey Presto! £100 disappeared out of her account. I've used self service tills but the prospect of being a victim has put me off. I'll stick to Tesco Cosham, a small friendly store. "CUSTOMERS from three major banks have reported that their cards have been cloned in recent weeks. Initially, it was thought only Barclays customers had been affected. At first, investigation into the thefts centred around the Gosport branch of Asda after bank customers reported using chip-and-pin machines before losing money. But bank customers from Portsmouth have now come forward to say they have been targeted too. Customers reported money being withdrawn from their accounts in Canada and China. Banks, the supermarket chain and police are all involved in a probe into the incidents and are checking whether they are linked."

It Was Written

In the mid seventies I got my first ever 'proper' job. My employer was Mars Confectionery. During my training I learned about forecasting, not the weather but future trends. Thirty years ago it was predicted that small shops would close and they were so right. Other aspects of shop closures is greedy grasping councils believing they can milk car drivers by charging extortionate prices for parking and unrealistic landlords for constantly pushing up rents. The likes of Tesco also use forecasting. Not only future trends but the long term weather. That way they can easily swap between soup and salad. Added to that the general public are like sheep. Lets all pile into the car and go to the supermarket where we can buy everything we need under one roof and parking is free!! Yay!! I can't remember the last time I went shopping in Commercial Road, Portsmouth. I would never pay to park in the town centre car parks. But I know where I can park for free and walk. Years ago I stopped buying new so what do the town centre shops offer that I could possibly want? The fashion brand Principles is in receivership and 66 of their 85 UK shops will shut. In my view they were selling over priced clothes. Who will be next? This blog makes interesting reading, apparently the future is renting.

On Scrubbing Up Well

One day a friend advised. "You know Liz, if you made an effort you'd scrub up very well." I didn't take offence because I knew she meant well. Later this year she will be 69 and is still very good looking - but she has to work hard at it. Her hair, if left in a natural state, would be snow white. Visiting the hairdresser every three weeks keeps it a nice shade of chestnut brown. She paints her nails and spends a fortune on makeup. When it started going grey I dyed my hair. One day I announced that I would let it revert to it's natural state and hands were thrown up in horror. After it had grown out comments were made about how nice it looked. If I had taken heed I might still be dying it. I do my very best not to keep the cosmetics industry afloat, and I would never be a slave to fashion. Even if I followed my friends lead I would still the same person. I hate wearing makeup because I forget it's there and it wouldn't be long before it was smudged. How silly would I look with smeared panda eyes? I am confident and comfortable in my own skin. I am my own person. I don't want to look like Barbara Cartland. There's nothing so ridiculous as an overly made up old bag. What if one became very ill and spent months in hospital. Would visitors have to be turned away because one hadn't been able to keep up a beauty routine?

Floaters

It is quite upsetting when changes to one's vision suddenly occur. Last week a big floater appeared in my right eye. It has settled down but is sitting in my direct line of vision. It is Posterior Vitreous Detachment. It's a common condition which occurs in about 75 per cent of people over the age of 65. As people get older the vitreous, a jelly-like substance inside the eye changes. It is essentially a harmless condition although with some disturbing symptoms and that it does not normally threaten sight. When it gets dark I experience flashes of light. As my Mum used to say, getting old isn't for the faint hearted. I'd be less polite, I think getting old 'sucks'.

James Ravilious - A World In Photographs

On BBC 4 this evening Alan Bennett narrated a documentary about James Ravilious, one of the great unknowns of British photography. Son of the renowned water-colourist and engraver Eric Ravilious, he dedicated his art to a small area of north Devon, where over a period of two decades he took more than 80,000 photographs. This collection has become one of the most comprehensive and poignant archives in the country, documenting an English world and way of life most people had thought long gone. His photos show real people, mostly eccentrics earning their living as smallholders and getting by on very little. Years ago they were part of everyday life. It begs the question, where have they all gone?

Did The Earth Move For You Darling?

Only in my dreams. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the piles of earth in my front garden was able to move itself. I shifted some of it during the week, it was easier then because the earth was dryish. And then it rained I have spent most of today shifting it. The soil has become wet and claggy, just like digging into fudge. It sticks to the spade but I am able to use the fork to move it into the wheel barrow. My next door neighbour is very pleased that his garden is looking look neat and tidy. I have got rid of his nettles - dandelions and I have removed all the builders rubble.

Was He Looking For Eye Candy?

About a week ago this guy approaches me on Saga Zones. He writes that he's read and likes my profile, do I wanna chat? I thought "Why not?" After a couple of emails he suggests we converse by IM. During our only session I feel uncomfortable. I ignore his invite to resume at 6:30pm but we continue to correspond by daily email. It hasn't taken him long to work out that I have a brain. Surprise surprise he's suddenly gone silent. So where are they? Are there any nice men out there? Maybe.

People Who Have Let Me Down

Last Christmas the campervan wouldn't start, something was draining the starter battery. I contacted a mobile mechanic, he inspected the system, disconnected the battery and said that he was very busy so he couldn't do it then but would come back later. He phoned me after about two weeks and said he hadn't forgotten and would be back. I waited patiently but he never got back to me. A couple of weeks ago I contacted another and made an appointment. Even though I waited in all day he was a complete no show. In the meantime I found someone else, he came yesterday and said that he was worried, as it hadn't been charged for two months the battery might have sulphated and I would need another one. He took it home to recharge , he phoned me shortly afterwards and said it was charging OK so would bring it back at on Thursday. I really do hope he doesn't let me down. If he comes up trumps it will have taken me over two months to get this resolved. Then there's the "slime ball" cheating nearby neighbour who took advantage of my good nature. I wanted to build up the earth in my front garden, as he was digging out a hard standing he had soil he wanted to get rid of. We came to an agreement. On two occasions he moved earth over and promised me he would dig it over and level it. I was quite happy and trusted him. Last November I went away for a few days and came home to find piles of it, more than I wanted or deal with. He had moved everything he wanted rid of into my garden and did it while I wasn't there to stop him, oh how he must have laughed. It hadn't cost him a penny and I was stuck with the problem. If I try to talk to him about it I am met with a reception committee, all standing there in the doorway with their arms folded across their chests. As I am articulate they are probably frightened of me. Being blunt these people are uneducated and ignorant so I can't reason with them. I would guess that there aren't many in my neighbourhood who have what I would call 'middle class moral values', it's the way these council tenants appear to live. Being both desperate and cheeky I came to an arrangement with my immediate next door neighbour. I asked if I could spread it over his front garden and he agreed. He doesn't do gardening or look after it so I would actually make it look better. Later on the same day his nephew, who lives opposite, knocked on my door and declared he would do it for me on Sunday. He was another 'no show'. Monday was sunny so I dusted down the wheel barrow and spade. I spent all morning manoeuvring earth from my side to his. I haven't done much exercise since last autumn so I didn't over exert because this earth is damp and very heavy. I have dug out all the nettles from his side. I have moved over quite a lot the surplus earth and will continue until both gardens look good. If there is any surplus earth I will use it in my back garden. My attempt to benefit both the weasel faced "slime ball" and myself turned totally sour. And my faith in human nature has been shaken. My wish is that they'll all rot in hell, not very Christian is it?

Apathy Monster

I don't know what is wrong but for quite some time I've been struck down. It's best described as apathy. The following is a good example of how I am behaving. Last summer I bought a very expensive single ticket to see Tina Turner perform at the O2 Arena. The performance is tonight so this afternoon I should be making my way to London. I really can't face travelling to Waterloo, getting myself to the O2 and back by Thames Clipper and then not getting back home until about 2am. I know the journey and staying up late will make me feel awful and it will take me several days to recover. I would rather kiss goodbye to £120 and put it all down to fate and experience. I actually feel relieved that I have made the decision not to go. I've never ever behaved like this before. If I am very lucky Tina will be unable to perform and I will get my money refunded. I would guess the cause is because in the last few weeks I have been badly let down by people who have lied and cheated. I chose to live alone so I can close my door on the the world and then choose who I let in. But living alone means that I have no one to lean on, help out or advise.