Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 9:13AM Well, for those whose memories won't quite stretch:
200g butter, 200g toffees, 200g marshmallows and a standard packet of Rice Krispies.
I warned you that it was challenging;-)
Friday, December 16, 2011 at 4:40PM
How scary is that?!
In fact, it wasn’t as scary as working on a recorded piece, where the pressure to get everything “just so” is immense and retake after retake builds the stress to astronomical levels. No, a live show needs everyone to be relaxed, to be themselves and to work right first time – and if it doesn’t, then it’s too late to do anything about it. Give me, the media tart, a choice and I’ll go for live every time! Especially when working with such professionals.
Let’s go back to the start of the story, then, and five o’clock or thereabouts on Tuesday afternoon when I checked my email before going upstairs to think about preparing supper. There was a message from Charlotte at NFWI, asking if I was available to do some craft ideas on Thursday’s edition of The One Show. A moment’s hesitation and I’d replied in my usual way – say “yes” first and ask “why?” later! the rest of the evening was spent in a tailspin, making lists of ideas, surfing through old photo collections and blog entries to find out what kinds of things I had to offer. Would they fit the requirements?
By Wednesday, I was in the swing of things, had clearer ideas of what was needed but still hadn’t spoken to the researcher. I went to the hairdressers as planned and winced a little as my hero said “At least your hair will look good”. I know he intended it as reassurance, but…
Wednesday afternoon and I was in touch with Emma from the programme, who said “yes” to everything I’d suggested and then added one or two more ideas. I couldn’t do everything – I don’t do hampers for example, so she called in my colleague Jill at this stage. Later on in the early evening, another call to ask if I could bring a bunch of friends? Not at this late stage – I was still dashing around trying to get all my things together and making, of all things, a snow globe, which was a particular request from the show’s producer.
Wednesday evening and we were supposed to be going to a concert in Birmingham but the snow had started to fall and my hero didn’t want to act the part on the M5 by getting stuck. In addition, I was still working through lists and gathering samples, tools and scribbling notes. We decided to stay home and even if those added hours weren’t needed for prepping more things, then at least we’d kick back and relax.
Thursday morning was no time to get in a spin but more one for quiet concentration and almost continuous checking of things as I put them in the bag and took them out again to check that I’d put them in to begin with. With about an hour to spare, our builder brought around the wooden blocks I’d asked him to make for me and I quickly made the sample photo puzzle.
I caught the 13.07 train from Stroud and finally sat back and tried to relax, having left the house in such a tizz I’d forgotten both Kindle and Ipad – me, with the boredom threshold of a gnat, with nothing to do for more than a whole hour! Fortunately I found my ipod touch in my bag and played Angry Birds for a while, until the battery died and I simply had to sit.
I met Mary from Los Angeles at Paddington Station and we hopped into a cab to Shepherds Bush, talking non stop. Here she was, thinking she was going to enjoy a quiet, pre-Christmas break in the Cotswolds and then out of the blue, finds herself being catapulted into prime-time TV! In no time at all, we were standing outside a grey studio complex, feeling rather overawed – thankfully, Emma sent Fraser down to meet us and bring us upstairs to the One Show base where he found us something to drink and left me with his phone number!
We’d got a first glimpse of the actual studio as we walked past and were immediately struck by the size – incredibly small! For the time being, we sat overlooking the view of the courtyard below, until Emma came along and suggested we start getting our things together.
Of course, there were preparations to be made, things to get going, ideas to confirm with Emma and the producer too. Small changes were requested and followed through and however hard I tried to drop the snow globe, the producer was insistent that it remain as the key project.
Emma’s elves had been sent shopping and had returned from their trip with extra glitter, starry sequins and all kinds of other bits and pieces. Of course, I’d bought the kitchen sink with me, so much of this was nice to have but actually not needed.
I prepped a project for Sarah to finish and was pleased that I’d brought plenty of material, even though, as the hour slipped by, it appeared that less and less of it would be used.
Cutting out the flower shapes for the paper ball, Mary reflected on how the day was shaping up. Had she envisaged herself here doing this? Not in a million years!
At five o’clock the call came through – time for me to go into make-up! We’d met Liz the make up artist earlier when she’d first arrived and stopped by to admire and compliment us on the ideas. Here I was now, sitting being titivated by her – she did a grand job! Whilst chatting, her colleague, the show’s stylist was unpacking a few outfits, pressing and hanging them up ready for Alex’s arrival.
I’d see that black sweater again in a while!
Rehearsal time now and Matt had arrived. He was going to have the conversation with me and we spent some time working out what I was going to say in answer to his questions. Which projects should we highlight? How much (little) detail to go into? All the time we were going through these things, he was getting messages through his earpiece from the producer, changing small things, making adjustments and commenting on what I should/should not do. the sound man came and fitted my microphone and apologised as he fitted the wire inside my pinny!
With fifteen or so minutes to go, Alex arrived and rehearsed her conversation with Jill, my colleague and in no time, they were counting down and the programme was about to go live. A posse of media students arrived to stand at the back and observe and a group of WI members from Kent busied themselves at a table under the “Christmas Craft Corner” sign. This small room was incredibly full!
What followed was a series of short bursts, of live action to camera and then, after ten minutes or so, relaxing down time filled with chatter and general chaos whilst the pre recorded films were shown. Towards the end of these, there would be a countdown and all would go silent again, ready for the next live action. Matt and Alex were relaxed and put everyone at ease, professionals that they are and the interviews were more like conversations. The thirty minutes of the show passed very quickly indeed and in what seemed like the blink of an eye, the signature tune was playing and it was all over. Alex rushed off to catch a train to Blackpool, Matt bid everyone farewell and within five minutes, the studio was empty again.
We packed up our things and made our way to the Green Room to await a car, to take us to Paddington. Everyone except Emma had gone home, her colleague who organised the car for us awaited its arrival so that he could go too.
What a day. What an experience!
I shall never watch The One Show in quite the same light again ;-)
More information about the actual craft projects I made, including a couple which were seen only fleetingly, can be found on my NFWI Craft Blog here
Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 10:19PM
Yesterday morning, there I was in the bathroom with Radio 3 playing one minute and the next, I was back at school. More accurately, I was standing in morning assembly listening to my music teacher and virtuoso organist play the most thrilling and memorable piece as the headmaster made his entrance.
Not only did I stop and listen to the whole piece on the radio, I came straight downstairs and played it over again on Spotify. Magic!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at 10:21AM
I’ve been thinking about my Mum quite a lot during the last couple of days. It started when I was sorting through some old emails, stumbling across some of hers, sent to us when we were off on our travels somewhere. As my finger hovered over the delete button, I came to my senses and clicked save instead – though I didn’t feel like reading them there and then, I had no doubt that sometime in the future, it will be lovely to read her words again.
I thought about her again yesterday morning, when I set out for the dentist to begin work on the replacement of the lower molar I broke and subsequently had extracted during the summer. Mummy was absolutely terrified of the dentist and would do anything to avoid a visit. Though my fear isn’t quite in the same league, I nevertheless don’t find the prospect of an appointment easy and over the last couple of days I’d built myself up to this particular one, feeling some relief when the time came to get it over and done with. After all, there are times when we need to be grown up and summon up all courage – and I smiled to myself knowing that, in these circumstances, having my Mum there for me would be no use whatsoever!
My anxiety was wasted however, because it appeared that this appointment was simply to talk through the options, to discuss the viability of an implant and to make sure I knew what I was letting myself in for. I hesitate to say, but it was also, I think, to make sure I agreed to pay for this treatment, because it doesn't come cheap. It was clear from my expression that I was feeling ambivalent about the wasted anxiety and apologies were forthcoming and fulsome. A promise was made to begin work as soon as possible and between my leaving the surgery and finding my way to the reception desk to make the next appointment, an hour and a half yesterday afternoon was found. Exactly the kind of strategy used by her friends and family to coax Mummy to the dentist!
So, I understand – believe – hope that the worst is over. The work has begun and in the next three months hopefully my jawbone will grow around the titanium and all will be well. I must say, the process wasn’t as bad as I’d feared and although it’s a little sore and swollen this morning, the antibiotics and paracetamol will hopefully sort that out in a couple of days. I’ve sent apologies to my meeting this morning on the advice of my dentist, who said that I should take it easy and enjoy a restful day at home. Clearly he had no idea what life at home is like right now!
Because work is beginning here too, in that we are at last able to have the leaks in our garden room roof repaired. The planning permission came through at the end of last week which will mean we can sort out the flat roof issues which have plagued us continually since this room was built. At the same time, we can repair the chimney which the sweep declared a safety hazard and somehow sort out a couple of niggles in our bedroom too. Get the picture? Builders likely to be here there and everywhere, currently sorting out scaffolding but soon to begin work in earnest.
And yes, it means I have to sort out my clothes. Oh heck.
At the same time as the builder was here working out a plan for the scaffolding, the tree surgeons were next door, taking the tops out of their overgrown and unattractive leylandii at our request.
In other words, it was exactly the kind of day Mummy would have loved. People coming and going, things happening all over the place and work being done. Friendly faces appreciative of frequent cups of tea and best of all, someone to bake some currant buns for.
Shame she’s not around to enjoy one.
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 11:27AM
My goodness, can it really be a year since we doo-dah-doo-dah-diddlyed around Minchinhampton Common after a night at Giffords Circus? With a bunch of friends, we were there on the Common early Saturday evening enjoying a glass of Pimms before the show in less than summery temperatures.
One of us had come prepared, having made the mask which came with our mailshot this year. We were all set for War and Peace!
I’m sure there can be few such beautiful peasants back there in the steppes!
Sitting on the wooden benches in the circus tent, we enjoyed half an hour of clowning around with Tweedy. The children sitting in front of us were roaring with laughter and in no time at all, we were too. So clever, so simple but oh, so funny.
Telling the story of War and Peace wasn’t going to be easy, but somehow they managed it rather well and anyway, even if you didn’t follow the story, the entertainment was as brilliant as always.
Petrushka and his doll did a fantastic act, tap dancing up and down the steps, first on feet but then, on hands. Remarkable!
The Pavlovs were a talented bunch – having left us speechless at her ability to perform the most breathtaking gymnastics on a narrow beam held shoulder high by her colleagues, the petite and very serious young woman went on to jump through a hoop of fire. She then stood bravely in the middle of a frame as the four men of the troupe performed a complex series of high bar swings around her. Wow!
Napoleon (aka Tamerlan Tsoraev) made an appropriately statesmanlike entry and performed an odd knife-throwing act, but we loved his super-slick moves and haughty manner (not to mention his rather fetching thigh-high leather boots!) We also loved Bibi and Bichu’s drunken juggling act this year and reminded ourselves once again, that there’s nothing like seeing these traditional circus skills performed in such a delightful setting. We ooohed and aaaahed along with everyone else. The magic of a live performance cannot be matched and an evening in this particular big top is one of the highlights of our year.
There is always the “awww” moment too.
The after-show supper in Circus Sauce was as good, if not better than ever – great food served in a jolly atmosphere. We were buzzing!
A l-o-n-g lunch at home with friends yesterday afternoon was just the perfect way to end a great weekend, but how quickly the time goes when we’re having fun. Here we are, Monday morning and everyone’s gone their separate ways. The house suddenly seems rather quiet.
