Margaret

Nicest surname ever. On the committee of the Sacred Harmony Society for the 1859 Handel Festival at Crystal Palace - Mr. J. Kitcat #TrustMeImAMusicLibrarian

Just found an old documentary on BBC iPlayer about the making of Some like it hot. Wonderful watch

That's funny. A few weeks back was reading a crime novel by Elly Griffiths set in London called Bleeding Heart Yard. Now reading Little Dorrit, blow me, Bleeding Heart Yard turns up again.

What a lovely film is Klara and the sun. Beautiful performance from Jenna Ortega, and the most gorgeous score.

Just a reminder that clocks go back tonight (it's harder for some than others)

Just caught the shipping forecast. Don't think I've ever caught such an apocalyptic one. Everything was gale, storm, force 9 or 10. Gulp!

Wise advice...

Only taken me 60 years to read any Babar the elephant. Absolutely loved him.

Reading Babar the elephant. Only 30 pages in, and already his Mum has been murdered in front of him, and there's been a nasty incident with the King of the Elephants and a plate of poisonous mushrooms. It's rapidly turning into I Claudius!

Never forgotten. BBC News - 60 years on: The Aberfan disaster through the eyes of those who survived - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

What a difference a day makes - lovely Kew yesterday, cold from Hell which has stolen my voice today. If anyone finds it can they please post it back?

What a difference a day makes - lovely Kew yesterday, cold from Hell which has stolen my voice today. If anyone finds it can they please post it back?

Loved what looked like a cuddly monkey puzzle tree, an ash that appeared to be wearing socks and Kew Palace where an ancestor briefly lived

Lovely trip to Kew. In between fox tracking there was lots of Henry Moore.

Didn't expect to be tracking a fox at Kew....

Trying to tell a friend where you are, when you're on a train sans carriage numbers. This may be interesting....

Bought a ticket on Trainline. Unusually told me it had to be printed and could get it from any ticket machine. This is not correct. 3 ticket machines and a 40 mile round trip later finally have my ticket. No idea why the 1 day travel card could not be electronically issued per usual.

Herbert Howell's birthday. I love the wonderful hymn of faith All my hope on God is founded, tune written by Howells and named Michael, after his son who died tragically young, but my favourite work of his is this - youtu.be/qcDCK2hOnQg?...

Went to my favourite cinema only to find that they were having to fend off customers. Water company had managed to cut off their supply and there wasn't a working loo in the building. Did feel sorry for them.

Fascinating series on BBC Sounds - Radio 3's The essay with singer, Nicky Spence about the voice. Well worth a listen

They do??

Despite Hell and Cambs Highways had a wonderful evening with @ethelcrimble.bsky.social and the impressive Klezmer-Foygl. Absolutely mad playing. It was fabulous. www.greennote.co.uk/production/k...

Had never heard Pavarotti sing Baroque music before. This is gorgeous - youtu.be/zDIaK6EPWck?...

Murder in the cave? BBC News - Was Neanderthal life violent? This wound suggests lethal fighting was more common www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Instructions that came with new combi microwave are sparse and the online version confusing. AI was surprisingly helpful, sorted out my timer problems and, much to my amusement, commiserated with me. Now loving the new oven

Meet Sgiath - animal of the year. BBC News - Dog that hunts invasive 'sea vomit' honoured as animal of the year www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Possibly bound for Troy... BBC News - World's oldest shipwreck found off coast of Turkey www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Oh well done Mabinogion. Not just a bunch of excellent stories. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Watching the film The uprising about the peasants' revolt realised that when thinking about the scene when Richard II goes to speak to the rebels, I always see it as illustrated in my very old Ladybird Kings and Queens book.

Oh my, you never think of cyber attacks causing this sort of problem. BBC News - Fridges in French supermarkets hit by cyber attack www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

This was obvious when the original plans were announced. Ditto the parachute centre next door. BBC News - RSPCA to move if new Fens Reservoir build approved - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Spotted on the Choral Evensong page. Lovely article about the Radio 3 weekly broadcast. More listeners each week than the entire weekly audience for West End shows. Wow!

What a helpful phrase to learn in Turkish. Not....

Just seen Michael Sheen's documentary Buried on iPlayer. Absolutely shocking, and yet...reminded me of so many of the rumours of chemical waste dumping that I heard as a child living in the S Wales valleys. Makes me so angry.

Had a panic about whether I'd taxed car (I had) so checked some other regs, and much to my surprise, Diva Mini is still out there, though SORN. Good luck to whoever tries to resurrect her!

I sympathise, being one of the many adoptees who have no medical history beyond themselves. Medical staff often seem completely unable to understand this... BBC News - What happens when you grow up not knowing your family medical history? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Yellow tie - interesting film but some real oddities. Orchestras are hardly gender equal even now but they certainly weren't back in the 40s and 50s (as was shown in the documentary clips at the end). Also neither actor conducted convincingly, not helped by clumsy film editing in conducting scenes.

Argos / Sainsburys absolutely brilliant at sorting out microwave problem. A new model of my choice has been ordered. Hoorah!

Statement from Downing Street: "Our Chief Mouser Larry is back at Downing Street following a minor operation, and is recovering well. He is feline much better but taking things one paw at a time. We are grateful to the vets for their outstanding care."

Boorman and the Devil - absolutely fascinating film about the process of film making. Some laugh out loud moments and a few gasps. Would thoroughly recommend it. (Despite Exorcist II, I loved Excalibur and Hope and Glory)

So sorry to hear this - You and Yours is brilliant. BBC News - BBC to cut raft of Radio 4 programmes including You and Yours www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

BBC News - Margaret Hamilton, whose software helped land Apollo 11 on the Moon, dies at 90 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Chuckled at this on IMDB about Michael Winner "In 1957 he directed his first travelogue This is Belgium, shot largely on location in East Grinstead."

Remembering the Oscar-winning EVA MARIE SAINT — who left us yesterday aged 102 — after a career spanning an incredible 8 decades. ON THE WATERFRONT (1954)

64 new undergrads toured, about half of them by me. So nice to meet the latest intake.

Here's a good one. Microwave combi has developed a fault. Told to contact Panasonic. They ask me to video it faulting. I point out that it is randomly turning on its fan and smells smokey. Suspect that is dangerous. They insist they want the video anyway. Mad. Am NOT turning it back on.

I think (though with the British Museum's booking system, you're never 100% sure) that I've managed to book 2 tickets for the Bayeux Tapestry in February. Now to start working out in preparation for the queue.