I like Saturdays. When I was young I used to think it was a magical day. The day was one that you could spend doing whatever you liked free from the restraints of school and Saturday night was Big Night Out. A dance at St Elizabeth’s Church Hall and I thought I’d died and gone to Heaven. And yesterday was another magical Saturday; an emotional roller coaster…
I had a fabulous class with my Junior Dramas at Stages Studios. The youngsters are so talented and I love teaching them and seeing what they’re capable of. Magic.
And then a private lesson with a super-talented student who is almost at the end of a gruelling course and who is going to get the qualification with bells on!
And then the news reached me that Anna Scher, my friend and mentor, had been awarded the MBE in the Birthday Honours List. About bloody time! I was beyond thrilled at the news, which brought a tear to my eye. This is so well-deserved – but, come on, Your Majesty, it should have been a Damehood, surely? Anna has had some rough times, yet she’s picked herself up and her classes are still full to bursting. And you come out of Anna’s classes absolutely buzzing. We spoke on the phone yesterday and she was as modest as ever about the honour, yet, obviously, very pleased. Well done, Anna! Can’t wait to see you on Friday and give you a huge congratulatory hug!
And Saturday afternoon the Sister and I went to the Rememberance Service held by Havens Hospices for all those who died in the last year. Mum was visited by Havens’ Hospices at Home staff, who were calm, caring and just wonderful. It was, of course, a very moving service. I was fine until the Havens Hospice Choir started singing Eva Cassidy’s Songbird. Music is so emotive. I started bawling and didn’t stop until the service was over. It’ll be a year since Mum’s death on 6th next month. I can’t believe it’s been that long since I last saw her. But one thing brought a smile through my tears and I know it would have made Mum chuckle. The Minister, Margaret, said candles couldn’t be lit in the chapel “for health and safety reasons.” Has the world gone mad? If you can’t light a candle in a chapel where can you light it? And as the choir sang “I believe that somewhere in the darkest night a candle glows” from I Believe (and sang it beautifully) I could almost hear Mum saying “not in here it doesn’t”.
And then, a drink with Auntie and three of my lovely Cousins before they went to the theatre, and home for an evening on the sofa watching TV. Emotionally exhausted!
And so onto today…. a trip to the cemetery to lay flowers for my Dad as it’s Father’s Day. And a private lesson with one of my favourite people and this afternoon – Actors’ Factory and ………… Andy Murray in the final of the Aegon at Queens! So another emotional day.
And as a footnote – I’m writing this with BBC’s the Big Question playing in the background. Someone’s just said that those born 1945-1966 are the wealthiest people in the country. Have I missed something?
