Top Hat

"The weather is fright'ning 
The thunder and lightning 
Seem to be having their way 
But as far as I'm concerned, it's a lovely day 
The turn in the weather 
Will keep us together 
So I can honestly say 
That as far as I'm concerned, it's a lovely day 
And everything's o.k."


Irving Berlin


Have any of you seen Top Hat? It's one of my favourite films - an old black & white movie - a musical starring Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers - heavenly. Not only is the dancing dreamy, the musical score is by Irving Berlin, the sets are elegantly Art Deco and the script is hilarious - perfect for a rainy day.


I first saw this movie as a youngster when every week's TV viewing included at least a few vintage musicals. How sad (for me) that this is no longer the case. Many years later as a 4th year university student I had the joy of watching Top Hat as part of a 20th Century Design course. After 4 years of rather dry studies it seemed like the most enormous treat (and a bit 
of a skive) to be studying this old favourite.


Did you know that in the Venetian Lido scenes they dyed the water black to emphasise the contrast with the white sets? This is all that I remember from my university studies, and utterly meaningless if you've never seen the movie, but - hey - one day it may be on TV and you can impress your fellow viewers with this interesting fact.


The reason I mention Top Hat is that I watched it yesterday. I was feeling decidedly blue - hormones and bad weather getting me down. I forced myself to work in the morning, with the promise of feet up in front of this movie if I completed my tasks. Three Aspro Clear, a hot water bottle & a wee white wine and I was happily ensconced on the sofa - singing along and laughing heartily - bliss.


The week has been a bit flat after the extended & spectacular Jubilee celebrations. Not only were we all partied out but the weather disintegrated into cold, wet & windy - yuck. I know, I know, I'm Scottish & should be hardened against such meteorological melodramas, but I'm not. Perhaps I could get treatment? Hypnotherapy? Electric shock therapy? Anything to lift my mood when the clouds descend. Perhaps some cheery photos of Petworth's festivities?

   

Our street party was a roaring success with 800 locals in attendance & sunshine throughout the day - miraculous! The mad woman with the hoover was part of a husband & wife team of street entertainers. She spent a good hour stopping the cars for minutes on end while she hoovered the road in front of them - too funny. 


I know not everyone will agree, but I found the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations hugely uplifting & a blessed relief from all the doom & gloom of the "double dip recession". Double dip recession - what about the bloody double dip winter?! A week or so ago Chris Evans remarked on his Radio Two breakfast show that it was only 24 days until the nights started drawing in - I could have thrown myself on the carpet & wept. The only thing stopping me were my newly washed black trousers!


Now I know I told you last time that I was starting a self portrait in clay. I've finished it now - or at least I got bored and stopped. In some ways it was as straight forward to do as Chris's head and in others it was hugely difficult. I took all the relevant measurements and got the basics in place. But the details were hard to capture because I didn't have my own head in front of me - to view from all angles. Yes I'd got Chris to take photos but they're still two dimensional, and looking in a mirror didn't help because everything is in reverse - very confusing for the brain!


The other problem is that I don't really know what I look like - for the reasons above. Chris tells me that it does look like me. I guess I have to take his word for it. I should have taken some photos when the clay was still damp. When it starts to dry out it goes patchy & pale - difficult to picture as skin. But like I said, I got bored & distracted by the shop, and by the time I remembered to take photos it was too late.


I've a feeling she might crack up...in the kiln that is. Mm, maybe it's a more accurate self portrait than I thought. It's entirely my fault. You see I was in a hurry to dry her out, wanting to get her fired by the end of the month when I've got a glazing course & will be doing Chris's head. Chris told me to let her dry out downstairs where it's cool. But oh no, I knew best - impatient like. So I bared her to the heat of the conservatory & now she's cracked. Cracked in the head, that's me.


Anyway, I'll let you see her so far:

Is that really what I look like? I look like I could use some lippy for a start! To be honest I was a bit scunnered after I finished her. I reckoned I could do with a break from all this realism and try a bit of an abstract figurative piece, just for fun. But I developed an overwhelming ennui and just couldn't muster the energy. Oh I am so fickle! 

This is me. I found this card in Selfridges when I was buying a Scorpio one for Lou. It made me laugh so much that I framed it...it's so true!
Laura x